Some Really Hard Questions

Posted by John on January 1, 2003 under Articles

The atheist asks us:

1. Why does God allow innocent children to suffer from birth defects, illnesses, etc.?
2. Why doesn’t God at least prevent damaging tornadoes, hurricanes, etc., from killing babies?
3. Why did He allow Hitler to rise up and why did He not stop the horrors of the Holocaust immediately!?
4. Why doesn’t He heal those who have devoted their lives to Him when they ask for help?
5. Why does one have to have some serious malady like cancer to “feel that God is close”?
6. Why are we here? Why did He create fallible beings anyway?
7. If He wants us to believe in Him, why doesn’t He make Himself a little more obvious?
8. Why are “answers-to-prayer” closer to just the “turn-of-natural-events” than some intervention by a God?
9. Why should those who follow God experience death? Why doesn’t He just “take them” like He did with Enoch?
10. Why would God send anyone to a burning Hell if He “loves the world” as it says in John 3:16?

Christians have difficulty answering these questions. (And many of us are at a loss in trying.)

We ask the atheist to explain:

1. What ever happened to the body of Jesus? It’s been 2,000 years now and we need an answer!
2. Why didn’t the Romans stop that pesky Christianity in its tracks by bringing out the body of Jesus for all to see? It would have been an easy task. The Jews would have been eager to help them. [It is documented that this strategy was employed. Some Jews took “a body” and dragged it through the streets of Jerusalem and declared it was the body of Jesus (see the book Toldoth Jeschu … the Jewish account of Jesus).]
3. How could the disciples have stolen and hidden the body of Jesus without such being detected? (Dead bodies stink.)
   Further, how could they have “preached” the resurrection and given their lives for such if they knew the truth of the matter? What would they have gained?

Skeptics have difficulty answering these questions (and many are at a loss to try).

Our questions versus theirs:

The questions the atheist asks us are far more philosophical and complex than what we ask. Ours are grounded in an examination of real historical facts. The atheist’s questions are more like “what is the meaning of life?”, and ours are more like “what happened to the car keys?” A simple retracing of history will provide a probable solution to our questions but not theirs. What they ask us to explain can go on endlessly. What we ask them to explain has a stopping place … a body of evidence for an event.

Practical application:

Often in discussions with the unbelievers, the talk never gets to the resurrection but stays on one of those cosmic, hard to answer issues that they raise. Let’s confront the unbeliever with our questions rather than spending time on his/hers! Then we will get to the real crux of the matter. Then either belief or unbelief will be confessed and we can go on from there.

Conclusion:

Our confidence in Christ does not depend upon our ability to answer the tough questions on suffering, etc., but upon the evidence for the resurrection! That was the driving force behind first century preaching and teaching (in Acts). For them, the resurrection proved Christianity true (1 Corinthians 15:14,32). Let’s restore the resurrection to its original status in evidence and presentation of the gospel!

Does Your Temple Have a Mercy Seat?

Posted by John on under Articles

In a previous article (Issues Resolved by Looking at Contrasts of Old and New Covenants) it was pointed out that many things in the Old Covenant pointed to and were replaced by BETTER and the more-meaningful things of the New Covenant (Hebrews 9). This is because the NEW Covenant is indeed NEW! The article dealt with the idea that we no longer have a physical edifice (Temple) in which to worship God but its replacement … OUR VERY BODY as the House for God (1 Corinthians 6:19; Acts 2:38).

By again comparing the old and new Temples an interesting parallel shows up. The OLD Temple (which was but a permanent Tabernacle) contained a physical “mercy seat” in the heart of the structure (Exodus 26:24). How does this parallel with the NEW Temple of the Christian age?

Jesus clearly taught that the MAIN AIM is to be like God (Matthew 5:48). God is the Father of mercy (2 Corinthians 1:3). Hence, His people should be full of mercy as God is (James 3:17). They should love mercy and delight in giving it (Micah 6:8; 7:18; Romans 12:8). As mercy is a trait that defines God (2 Samuel 24:14; Daniel 9:9; Exodus 34:68; 2 Chronicles 30:9), it should also define Christians (Luke 6:36; Matthew 5:48; James 5:11). Hence, NEW TEMPLE should have a “mercy seat” in its very heart (Matthew 5:48; Luke 6:36; Hebrews 8:10; Ephesians 6:6).

Mercy is a “weighty” matter but it IS POSSIBLE to relegate it to a “minor” matter (Matthew 23:23). It is “weighty” because to be merciful one lines up with the character of God. Hence, mercy is more weighty than ritual (Matthew 9:13; 23:23).

Those who have received mercy should freely give mercy (Matthew 18:23-35) and they will reap happiness themselves (Matthew 5:7). Mercy causes compassionate acts (Romans 12:8; Matthew 9:36; 14:14, etc.). It makes one ready to pardon (Nehemiah 9:17) and slow to anger (Psalm 103:8). Kindness is mercy expressed (Psalm 117:2). Mercy will save one when their faith is weak (Matthew 14:25).

Applications:

1. Because of our history and current writings in the local newspaper, churches of Christ are known for judgement and truth rather than for the grace and truth that characterized Jesus (John 1:14, 17). But when mercy becomes a ” weighty” item in our life, it will be expressed and people will take notice and not be repelled.
2. Being a people of mercy does not mean we are flippant about truth nor that we stop attempting to do what we know is pleasing God. It is not an “open-door” to do what we want and like (1 Thessalonians 2:4). It is being patient and longsuffering with those who may not see something as clearly as we do (Romans 14). In spite of all our debating, it is doubtful that we ever vacated the building of others on the following Sunday.
3. What can “go on” inside the physical church building has always plagued us. If we were living in the OLD COVENANT, it should rightly concern us as it did Jesus (Mark 11:15 ff). Yet, the new and better Temple, with its heart of mercy, replaced the old physical Temple with its physical mercy seat. Concern over a physical building is OLD COVENANT thinking. Instead, we should be concerned if our spiritual “mercy seat” is present or not.

A Closer Look at “The Silence of Scripture”

Posted by John on under Articles

In approaching the New Testament as a historical document, it is important to treat it as any other type of writing. This means that statements are collected and examined in light of the context of the times. In doing this for religious materials, usually a coherent picture emerges that characterizes the teachings/practices of a movement.

If there is no mention of a teaching or practice, then this “raw silence” by itself proves nothing. For  example, the “silence” of the New Testament on the topic of Purgatory is used to both prove and condemn it. It “cuts both ways.” In another case, infant baptism has been both affirmed and denied based on the mere non-mention of the practice in the New Testament. Any historian/lawyer will testify that a case cannot be made on just mere silence without any positive testimony to accompany it.

Only “silence-in-context” is significant. That is, if all the statements point toward a specific conclusion, this will shed light on what is not stated. For example, when all the New Testament information is collected on baptism together with early Christian testimony (e.g., Didache, late 1^st century), it points toward the conclusion that immersion was normative. As such, the silence of the New Testament on other modes (e.g., sprinkling, pouring) is “explained.” Here what is SAID allows for an accurate understanding of the silence.

Churches have used “raw silence” to both allow and forbid things. For example, the Catholic doctrine of “Mary as Intercessor” is a case-in-point. To the Catholic, no one can prove that it is expressly forbidden (here: “silence allows”). Protestants counter by saying such a doctrine was not present because there is no record of it in the New Testament (here: “silence forbids”). In the Churches of Christ, the use of Sunday School, individual communion cups, baptistries, orphan homes, fellowship rooms, youth ministers, songbooks, instrumental music and a host of other things have been allowed/forbidden based on the argument from the mere non-mention of these in the New Testament. (See further reading #4.)

The Solution again is to collect/examine all the statements from the record an see if a coherent picture emerges then let this “explain” the silence. This is the correct way. This is “silence-in-context.” For example, the New Testament picture presents the Holy Spirit an intercessor for us in prayer (Romans 8:26). This explains why there is no mention of Mary in this role. Even though it is claimed that she does not keep the Holy Spirit from its work, Mary is an addition that modifies the design explicitly stated. God’s express design should be respected and not changed (Hebrews 8:5; Deuteronomy 4:2; 1 Corinthians 4:6).

With regard to the communion cup, all the statements show that the focus is not on the vessel but the contents (1 Corinthians 11:25, etc.). This is specific and is further confirmed by the testimony of early church writers. So, whether one drinking container or many are used, the contents are still taken. The container does not modify the expressed design of communion in any way. Hence, there is no significance to the mention/silence of any container.

In Summary, failure to use “silence-in-context” has been the cause of much division. It is very important that STATEMENTS be gathered FIRST to see if a coherent picture or design emerges, then the non-mention of something can be accurately explained.

Further study:

The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

Posted by Steven on under Articles

The genealogy of Jesus Christ has been a topic for discussion for many years. Matthew gives one account of the lineage of Christ while Luke gives another. The two accounts are different. Does this mean that there is a contradiction within the Bible? If there is a contradiction, does that indicate that the Bible is not the inspired word of God? If the Bible is not inspired by God, then the Bible is truly myth.

The purpose of this article is to prove that the two accounts of Christ’s genealogy are not a contradiction at all, rather both accounts are totally accurate. This also leads to the Bible indeed being the inspired word of God, and therefore not myth.

Matthew’s Account: Let’s first begin by looking at Matthew’s account of the lineage of Christ. Matthew, who was also called Levi, was one of the original twelve apostles. Matthew was a publican, a Jew who collected taxes for the Roman government. Therefore, he was despised by the Jewish people.

Matthew’s gospel, however, was written for the Jewish people. Matthew tries to convince the Jews that Jesus Christ was indeed the royal son of David. Seven times in the Matthew’s Gospel we see where the statement “son of David” is used (1:1, 9:27, 12:23, 15:22, 20:30, 21:9, 22:42). Only in Matthew does Christ speak of “The throne of his glory” (19:28, 25:31). And only in Matthew is Jerusalem referred to as “the holy city” (4:5). Therefore, Matthew spends a great deal of time trying to convince the Jewish people that Jesus Christ was indeed the “King of the Jews” (27:29, 27:37).

Matthew begins with Abraham, the “Father” of the Jewish nation, then follows the line through David the King. Each individual that Matthew lists is of royal lineage. This gives evidence of the royal blood line of Jesus.

As Matthew continues to follow the line from David to Christ, Matthew traces the lineage through Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph. This, too, indicates that Matthew is writing to the Jewish people. During first century times, if a Jewish man adopted a son, that son receives the father’s lineage. Therefore, according to Jewish tradition, Jesus would be given the genealogy of his adopted father.

Luke’s Account: Luke was known as the “Beloved Physician.” He was a follower and companion of Paul. Luke’s gospel was written primarily for the Greeks or Gentiles. This is identified through Paul, who first took his message to the Jews, and when the Jews rejected him, went to the Greeks. Luke’s gospel emphasizes the perfect humanity of Christ. Tracing Christ’s lineage all the way back to Adam, Luke lets the Greeks know that Christ’s sacrifice is for all of mankind, not simply for the Jews.

Luke’s gospel, being written for the Greeks, would not be as interested in the royal lineage of Christ, rather his true earthly lineage. In Luke’s account of the genealogy of Christ, it is my opinion, that Luke traces Christ’s ancestry through his mother, Mary. I say this because Luke only mentions Joseph to identify who Christ was. “As was supposed the son of Joseph,” (3:23). The genealogy of Luke and the genealogy of Matthew agree exactly with the line between Abraham and David. From David to Mary in Luke, or from David to Joseph in Matthew, the lineage changes. Only three times do the two different accounts mention the same names, Shealtiel, Zerubbabel, and possibly Matthat (Matthan in Matthew). This can be explained very easily. Mary and Joseph were first cousins.

Only in the twentieth century has this become a form of taboo. We even had a President who married a cousin. The ancient Egyptians were so tied to keeping the royal blood line pure that the Pharaoh King could only marry his sister or at the least first cousin to produce a pure blood line to the throne.

We are born with two genealogies, one from our father and the other from our mother. It stands to reason that if Luke traces through Mary, and Matthew through Joseph, then Christ will have two different genealogies. If my theory is correct, and the account of Matthew traces through Joseph, and Luke traces through Mary, the combined accounts may read like this:

The Genealogy of Christ
Luke 3:23-38 and Matthew 1:1-17God who was the father of Adam, who was the father of Seth, who was the father of Enos, who was the father of Cainan, who was the father of Mahalalel, who was the father of Jared, who was the father of Enoch, who was the father of Methuselah, who was the father of Lamech, who was the father of Noah, who was the father of Shem, who was the father of Arpachshad, who was the father of Cainan, who was the father of Shelah, who was the father of Eder, who was the father of Peleg, who was the father of Reu, who was the father of Serug, who was the father of Nahor, who was the father of Terah, who was the father of Abraham.

Abraham begot Isaac; and Isaac begot Jacob; and Jacob begot Judah and his brethren; and Judah begot Perez and Zerah of Tamar; and Perez begot Hezron; and Hezron begot Ram; and Ram begot Ammin’adab; and Amminadab begot Nahshon; and Nahshon begot Salmon; and Salmon begot Boaz of Rahab; and Boaz begot Obed of Ruth; and Obed begot Jesse; and Jesse begot David, the king; and David, the king, begot Solomon of her that had been the wife of Uriah; and Solomon begot Rehoboam; and Rehoboam begot Abijah; and Abijah begot Asa; and Asa begot Jehoshaphat; and Jehoshaphat begot Joram; and Joram begot Uzziah; and Uzziah begot Jotham; and Jotham begot Ahaz; and Ahaz begot Hezekiah; and Hezekiah begot Manasseh; and Manasseh begot Amon; and Amon begot Josiah; and Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon and after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel; and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel; and Zerubbabel begot Abiud; and Abiud begot Eliakim; and Eliakim begot Azor; and Azor begot Sadoc; and Sadoc begot Achim; and Achim begot Eliud; and Eliud begot Eleazar and Eleazar begot Matthan; and Matthan begot Jacob; and Jacob begot Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Jesus being the son of Joseph, [the husband of Mary, who was the daughter of] Heli, who was the son of Matthat, who was the son of Levi, who was the son of Melchi, who was the son of Jannai, who was the son of Joseph, who was the son of Mattathias, who was the son of Amos, who was the son of Nahum, who was the son of Esli, who was the son of Naggai, who was the son of Maath, who was the son of Mattathias, who was the son of Semein, who was the son of Josech, who was the son of Joda, who was the son of Joanan, who was the son of Rhesa, who was the son of Zerubbabel, who was the son of Shealtie, who was the son of Neri, who was the son of Melchi, who was the son of Addi, who was the son of Cosam, who was the son of Elmadam, who was the son or Er, who was the son of Joshua, who was the son of Eliezer, who was the son of Jorim, who was the son of Matthat, who was the son of Levi, who was the son of Simeon, who was the son of Judas, who was the son of Joseph, who was the son of Jonam, who was the son of Eliakim, who was the son of Melea, who was the son of Menna, who was the son of Mattatha, who was the son of David, the king.

So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.

Conclusion: From the creation to the end of time, as we seek to learn more about the Bible, more about God and more about ourselves, we will eventually determine that the Bible is indeed the true inspired word of God. We will learn that the Bible does not have contradictions, and that the Bible is not myth. We will stand before God, knowing the power and purity of his presence. God’s word is what we build our faith upon, and his word will never fail.

For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then, face to face; now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love. (I Corinthians 13:12-13)

My Objective in God

Posted by David on December 29, 2002 under Sermons

I have little doubt that everyone of us would change many things in our society if we could. I imagine all of us see things occurring in our society each week that grieve us, trouble us, or make us ashamed. It may be in the job place. It may be in the stores. It may be in our own families. It may be at school. It may be on television. It may be at the movies. It may be something as simple as what we see or hear on the sidewalk.

What changes could we make that would make the greatest difference in our society? There are not one or two, but many that could be made that would improve priorities and values in our society. Typically, the changes most of us would make if we could cause them to happen are changes that have high profile visibility.

May I suggest a change that is not “high profile” but would dramatically alter many “high profile” situations. The change: causing each individual to realize there are consequences associated with every decision, every act. The acceptance of the fact that there are both good and bad consequences that result from every act and decision would dramatically impact our society.

It would impact the “I am not to blame” attitude that is the primary attitude of so many. “Yes, it happened. Yes, I did it. If it produced anything bad, it is not my fault.” No matter what happens, it is always someone else’s fault. “I” am never responsible for anything “I” do.

It would impact the attitude that “the world owes me.” “I am entitled to everything I want. It is my right to have it (or to experience it).” Nobody should have something “I” do not have–if “they” have it, “I” should have it.

It would impact the “something for nothing” attitude. “If I do not work, I should receive all the benefits of working.” “If I am irresponsible, I should not be penalized.” “If I buy a lottery ticket, I should win 20 million dollars.” “The ideal life is that life that has nothing to do–except what the person is pleased to do.”

It would impact allowing pleasure to be the highest criteria for human existence. The most relevant question for a sizable segment in our society is this: “Is it fun?” If it does not give me pleasure, I should never be expected to do it.” It is amazing how many adults in our society work for the primary motivation of supporting their fun.

A lot of changes would occur in our society if each person understood and accepted the fact that “my actions and decisions always produce consequences.”

This morning, I want you to make some comparisons. As you make the comparisons, I want you to realize that your actions and decisions matter.

1. Comparison # 1: who was I when 2002 began, and who am I as 2002 ends?
   1. The comparison is between who you were when this year began, and who you are now.
      1. Has “who you are” improved? Are you a better person as the year ends than you were when it began?
      2. Has “who you are” diminished? As the year ends, are you not nearly the person you were when the year began?
      3. Is there really no change? As the year began and ends, are you basically the same person–with little or no change?
   2. Let’s do more than just base it on personal assumption or a snap impression. Let’s look at the evidences (I will have to trust you to do this.)
      1. First, let’s consider external evidences.
         1. As we look at the “externals,” let’s be very clear about the question.
            1. The question is not, “Did I give these persons things?”
            2. The question is, “What is the quality of my relationships with the people?”
         2. “When I compare my relationships in my own family, am I more of a blessing in my own family than I was when the year began?”
         3. “When I compare my relationships in God’s family, am I more of a blessing to those in His family than I was when the year began?”
         4. “When I compare my relationships with my friends, am I more of a blessing to them as a person as the year ends?
         5. “When I compare my relationships with acquaintances (people I work with, neighbors, etc.), am I more of a blessing to them as a person as the year ends?”
      2. Second, let’s consider internal evidences.
         1. Again, as we examine “internals,” let’s be very clear about the question.
            1. The question is not, “Do other people approve of me?”
            2. The question is, “Do I approve of me?” After all, I lived with me every day and know more about me than anyone else knows.
         2. Do I do more now to encourage and develop godly feelings than I did when the year began?
         3. Do I do more to encourage and develop Jesus’ attitudes in my life than I did when the year began?
         4. In my knowledge of me, am I aware that I am deliberately making decisions, taking actions that move me closer to God now than at the beginning of the year?
         5. Realize this: the closer you get to God the more aware of personal evil you become and the more grateful you become for grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

2. Comparison # 2: God’s desires for me (becoming what I am capable of being in Christ).
   1. Again, this is a comparison between who you were when the year began and who you are now.
      1. In comparison to January, 2002, are you nearer being the person God wants you to be?
      2. Since January, 2002, are you much further from being the person God want you to be?
      3. When you compare the person you were in January to the person you are in December, and you consider God’s expectations, are you about the same?
   2. Again, let’s examine some of the evidences. The evidences will center in your personal priorities and your personal value system.
      1. Have I become more or less like Jesus the man this year?
      2. What specific spiritual transformations do I realize have occurred in my life the past year?
      3. Can I tell that I have grown closer to God when I honestly look at the things that I approve of in life?
      4. Can I tell that I have grow closer to God when I honestly examine the things that grieve me in life?

3. Comparison # 3: what I expect of myself spiritually.
   1. The comparison is still between who you were when the year began and who you are now.
      1. This comparison focuses on what you expect of yourself.
      2. When you take an honest look at what you expect of yourself spiritually:
         1. Do you expect more of yourself?
         2. Do you expect less of yourself?
         3. Are your expectations basically unchanged?
   2. To evaluate your current expectations, which of these attitudes toward yourself and your spirituality characterize you most of the time?
      1. “When it comes to Christian living, I am paying my dues.”
      2. “When it comes to living life, I am buying myself some hell insurance.”
      3. “When it comes to being a godly person, my goal is to ‘get by’.”
      4. “In Christ, I want to be the ‘me’ that God makes it possible for me to become.”
      5. Which of these attitudes most characterize your approach to the Christian existence?

4. I invite you to read with me from 2 Timothy 2:1-13.
   Therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned. For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory. It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.
   1. Paul wrote to Timothy from prison not long before he died.
      1. This is the last writing we have from Paul.
      2. He is writing to a man that he considers his own child.
      3. He is writing about things he wants to say, things that are important to Paul as he prepares for death, things that are important to Timothy as he continues to live.
   2. “Timothy, I want you to be strong in Christ’s grace.”
      1. “Do not let the things I taught you die when I die–share them freely.”
      2. “Be ready and willing to suffer.”
   3. Then Paul shared three illustrations.
      1. The first is a soldier.
         1. A soldier agreed to be a soldier for somebody.
         2. He does not get himself so involved in life that he does not have time to be a soldier.
         3. “Timothy, never forget who you agreed to serve.”
      2. The second is an athlete.
         1. If an athlete is to win, he must compete by rules.
         2. “Timothy, remember that the rules for life come from God, not from forces that oppose God.”
      3. The third is a farmer.
         1. A farmer works really hard.
         2. But a farmer also eats the first produce his crop produces.
         3. “Timothy, you will be the first to enjoy the reward of your efforts.”
   4. “Do not be afraid to suffer for Christ.”
      1. “God will not fail in His commitment to you.”
      2. “If you fail in your commitment to God, your failure will not change God.”

Allow me to focus you on a truth none of us should ever forget: there is just one person that you can change: yourself. No matter what desire you have or how motivated you are, you cannot change other people. You can only change yourself.

But when you dare to change yourself, by changing you, you will touch many other people. It is important that you realized your decisions and actions have consequences. It is important for you to never stop growing closer to God.

“Fixing” God’s Concerns

Posted by David on December 22, 2002 under Sermons

First, I ask you to take a Bible, find and mark 1 Kings 17 and 18, and then give me your attention.

I want to begin our study with a series of questions I ask you to consider very carefully.

Question one: if you could change anything [no restrictions] in the church all over the world, what would you change?

Question two: if you could change anything in the church in America, what would you change?

Question three: if you could change anything [whatever your said to do was done just exactly like you wanted it done] in this congregation, what would you change?

Question four: why would you make those changes? Let’s assume that our motivation is greater than personal preference. Let’s assume that our motivation is “doing things God’s way.” Are you sure that what you want done is what God wants done? Are you sure that your priorities are God’s priorities? If your first response is, “Certainly, I’m sure! My priorities come from God’s word!” Do they come from the whole word, or just the part of the word you consider essential? Is your emphasis the same emphasis God has?

Question five: do you really think your changes would “fix” things?

Now turn to I Kings 17, 18.

1. Let’s begin by understanding what happened before the events of these two chapters.
   1. When King Solomon [King David’s son] died, the nation of Israel divided.
      1. When the nation divided, the majority left God and His leadership and turned to idols.
      2. The part of the nation that turned away from God was often called Israel.
         1. They were ten of the twelve tribes in that nation.
         2. Their king, King Jereboam, established worship centers in Dan and Bethel so the people did not have to leave their territory to worship.
         3. From the time of the split until the time Assyria destroyed them as a nation, they never returned to Jerusalem to worship Jehovah God in the temple.
   2. The events in I Kings 17, 18 occurred after the split in the territory that left God, but before Assyria destroyed that nation.
      1. Elijah, one of God’s greatest prophets, was living in that breakaway nation.
      2. His personal mission was to turn the people there back to God.
         1. His mission for God was to be God’s spokesman.
         2. His personal goal was to heal the breech between these people and God.
      3. Elijah thought he was the only person in the whole nation who was loyal to God (1 Kings 19:10; see also 19:18).
      4. Elijah not only thought he was the only person in these ten tribes who was loyal to God, but he also had a plan–not a rebellious plan–but a plan of how he would achieve his personal goal while serving as God’s spokesman.

2. Now consider the events of I Kings 17 and 18.
   1. At this time the ten tribes were ruled by an evil king named Ahab and a very wicked queen named Jezebel.
      1. Ahab was a selfish, self-centered Jewish man who did more evil than all the kings who preceded him (1 Kings 16:30).
      2. Jezebel was a Sidionian woman who encouraged and supported the worship of Baal in that nation (1 Kings 16:31).
      3. Under the influence and leadership of these two, these ten tribes became an extremely wicked people.
   2. In 1 Kings 17 Elijah sent Ahab a message that said that the only thing they would receive from God would be God’s words through him, that there would be no rain nor dew. That began a serious drought.
      1. Because of his prophetic declaration against this nation, Elijah had to go into hiding.
      2. For a while he hid by the brook Cherith, but the brook dried up.
      3. Then he hid in Jezebel’s homeland (the land of Sidon) in a village called Zarephath where a widow cared for him.
   3. In 1 Kings 18 we learn that it has not rained in the whole region for over two years.
      1. Can you imagine what it would do to an area that depended on agriculture to survive if it did not rain one time in over two years?
      2. By this time Ahab was extremely angry because he knew that Elijah was the cause of his problems.
      3. God told Elijah to talk to Ahab face to face and following that encounter God would send rain.
         1. Elijah sent word to Ahab through Obadiah (Obadiah was an important servant to Ahab).
         2. Obadiah did not want to take the message to Ahab: “I know you. Ahab will come to meet you and you will be gone because God’s Spirit will take you somewhere else. Then I will be killed.”
         3. Elijah assured Obadiah he would be there when Ahab came.
   4. The meeting:
      1. When Ahab came, he greeted Elijah as the “troubler of Israel.”
      2. Elijah said he did not trouble Israel, but Ahab’s desertion of God troubled Israel.
         1. (My paraphrase): Elijah said this ridiculous situation had continued long enough.
         2. Tell the 450 prophets of Baal who Jezebel supported to meet him at Mount Carmel.
         3. Elijah also sent word throughout the ten tribes for the men to come to Mount Carmel.
      3. When everyone was gathered, Elijah proposed a contest.
         1. He asked them, “How long are you going to continue to be undecided about who is God–Baal or Jehovah? Decide, and follow the one who demonstrates He is truly God.
         2. He called the attention to the fact that the odds were 450 to 1.
         3. He proposed they prepare two sacrifices.
            1. The contest: they would not ignite either sacrifice.
            2. The prophets of Baal would call on Baal to ignite his sacrifice.
            3. He would call upon Jehovah to ignite his sacrifice.
            4. The One who ignited a sacrifice would be the true God and the decision would be made.
            5. The contest was accepted.
         4. The prophets of Baal spent most of the day asking Baal to ignite their sacrifice.
            1. They even cut themselves hoping their blood and mutilation would get Baal’s attention.
            2. Elijah chided them: maybe Baal was occupied with something else; maybe he was gone on a journey; maybe he was asleep–cry louder!
            3. No matter what they did, their sacrifice was not ignited.
         5. Elijah’s request was a brief prayer.
            1. First, he asked everyone to come close.
            2. Then he built a trench around the altar.
            3. Then he had them douse the sacrifice with water three times.
            4. Then he had them fill the trench with water.
            5. With one prayer God sent fire that consumed the sacrifice, the stones, the water, and even the ground of the altar.
      4. The response of the people: the men who gathered from the ten tribes declared “Jehovah Lord is God!”
         1. Elijah then ordered the men to take all the prophets of Baal down to the brook Kishon and kill them.
         2. Then he told Ahab to go eat and drink, rain was coming.

3. Elijah was certain that his personal goal was achieved.
   1. He changed the situation!
      1. The men of the ten tribes had declared that Jehovah Lord was God, not Baal.
      2. The 450 priests that Jezebel supported in serving Baal were dead.
      3. Surely now these people would turn back to the Lord God and turn away from Baal!
   2. I Kings 19 tells us it did not happen.
      1. In fact, it tells us that Elijah became so convinced that he had failed that he wanted God to let him die right then.
      2. Elijah was convinced that he fixed everything, when in fact he had fixed nothing.
   3. What was wrong?
      1. Was Elijah really a man of God? Yes.
      2. Was the message he spoke from God? Yes.
      3. Were the ten tribes very wicked? Yes.
      4. Did the men from the ten tribes witness the miracle? Yes.
      5. Were the prophets of Baal killed? Yes.
   4. Then what was wrong.
      1. The problem was not just changing to whom you offered sacrifices.
      2. The problem was not just changing gods.
      3. The problem was believing.
      4. The problem was loving the true God.
      5. The problem was that Elijah thought he could solve the problem with a sacrifice and miracles when God wanted love and faith that came from hearts.

Deuteronomy 6:1-9 “Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the Lord your God has commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you are going over to possess it, so that you and your son and your grandson might fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it, that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

If we understand those words, we understand the problem.

We cannot bypass faith in seeking devotion to God. Without a life altering faith in God, nothing is “fixed.” God’s first concern: “Do they trust Me?” God’s second concern: “Do they love Me because they trust Me?”

The New Beginning

Posted by David on under Sermons

I am one of those strange kind of people who commonly cheers for the underdog. I am the kind of person who rejoices when unlikely people overcome impossible odds. My greatest admiration is not for the gifted person who achieves incredible things with few or no problems. My greatest admiration is for the person who seems to have few abilities but uses those abilities to make unbelievable accomplishments in the face of incredible problems.

I often feel a lot of inner emotion when I see or hear about kindness overcoming gross injustice, or compassion overcoming mean-spirited aggression, or someone whose life experiences hardship after hardship but pulls life together anyway.

I am the kind of person who thinks about all the people in our world who know pain and suffering every day of their lives and have no hope of escaping pain and suffering in this world. I am the kind of person who thinks about all the people worldwide who endure horrible injustices day in and day out and have no hope of escaping those injustices in this life. I am the kind of person who notices the many people who suffer the consequences that others created for them, and have no hope of escaping all those consequences in this life.

No, I do not have the answers. No, I cannot make the world good for all those people who suffer its evils. I just do a lot of inner grieving and help where I can.

These attitudes and this awareness are not the reasons I trust God. But these attitudes and this awareness attract me to God.

1. Someone says, “David, you must be kidding!”
   1. “God, an underdog?”
   2. “He who created everything, who will allow Jesus Christ to bring all people into judgment, disadvantaged?”
   3. “That is ridiculous!”

2. Before you dismiss me as a total fool, would you think with me for just a few minutes?
   1. May I suggest to you when Genesis reveals to us God’s great creative acts, the primary point is about what God lost, not what God achieved.
      1. God made people in His own image, His own likeness, and placed them in charge of His “very good” creation (Genesis 1:26-31).
      2. Then evil perverted the “very good” creation God made.
         1. Evil perverted God’s “good creation” by deceiving the masterpiece of that creation–the man and woman God made in His own image.
         2. When Adam and Eve preferred evil’s selfish rebellion to God’s love and goodness, God’s design for this world crumbled.
         3. God could not with a simple act undo what Adam and Eve’s failure did.
         4. At that point, God would have been justified in letting people pay the total consequences for their decision, destroying this creation, and expressing His rightful rage against evil–but He did not.
   2. With a few exceptions, people loved evil more than they loved God.
      1. For a while there were people who loved God and people who loved evil.
      2. But that did not last for many generations.
      3. By Genesis 6 the people who loved God ceased to exist, and the people who loved evil were all that existed.
      4. What began as God’s “very good” creation now became everything that God was not.
      5. That which began as totally good now became totally evil.
      6. Again, God could have allowed people to suffer the full consequences of their lives and decisions and destroyed His physical creation, but He did not.
      7. He worked through one man who trusted Him, and attempted a new beginning.
      8. But it did not succeed, and in the struggle between good and evil in human lives, evil prevailed.
   3. Generations later, God found another man He could work with, a man who trusted Him as few people ever have, a man we know as Abraham.
      1. To this man God made a special promise found in Genesis 12:1-3.
         Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
         1. Two things stand out in this promise.
         2. From this man would come a nation.
         3. From this man and this nation would come a blessing that could bless all people.

3. Then God demonstrated beyond all doubt how patient He is and how determined He is to bring mercy and forgiveness to our world.
   1. God spent several hundred years producing the people who would become the Old Testament nation of Israel.
   2. God spent four hundred years allowing the people who would become the Old Testament nation of Israel to live in Egypt and experience abuse and complete loss of identity as slaves.
   3. God spent forty years preparing them to receive a country of their own, generations leading them through judges, generations leading them through kings.
   4. Yet, even though they existed because God delivered them, even though they existed because God made Abraham a promise, even though they existed to allow God to bring a blessing to all people, they, too, preferred deceitfulness of evil to God’s love and kindness.
   5. Yet, in spite of all their failures, the merciful, patient God persevered in His determination to keep His promise to Abraham.

4. Then, about 2000 years ago the patience, mercy, and persistence of God triumphed.
   1. One evening God allowed His own son to be born as a human in what began as God’s “very good” creation but had become a creation controlled by evil.
      1. That evening a heavenly host in unison confirmed a statement an angel made to some shepherds with these words:
         Luke 2:14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”
      2. What a strange statement!
         1. “May the highest form of praise or glory be given to God!”
         2. “Peace can now exist on earth among the people with whom God is pleased.”
      3. Was there a sudden outbreak of world peace? No.
      4. Suddenly, was there an incredible peace among all Israelites? No.
      5. People who belong to God could be at peace with each other because they could be at peace with God.
      6. God was keeping a promise He made to Abraham about 2000 years earlier.
   2. This Israelite baby born that evening grew to be a man.
      1. He became a man in the nation that knew God better than any other nation.
      2. He became the kind of man who would have existed in God’s very good creation if there was no evil in this world.
      3. This man, who existed as God’s man in a nation that was supposed to be God’s nation, began a determined effort to teach this nation who they were, the true priorities of God, and God’s commitment to mercy.
         1. And he did not fit.
         2. And he did not belong.
         3. And he was not trusted or believed.
         4. In fact, he was rejected and despised by most of those in his nation.
         5. Not even those closest to him who loved him really understood him.
      4. In that special agony produced when caring cannot connect, Jesus made this statement the last week of his life:
         Matthew 23:37-39 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ “
   3. Shortly after that, he was executed by crucifixion, and God kept His promise.
      1. God assumed upon Himself the consequences of our failures.
      2. Through Jesus’ blood, God’s forgiveness was available for all people.
      3. Through Jesus’ blood, God’s mercy was available for all people.
      4. When God resurrected Jesus from death and crowned him Lord and Christ, God did exactly what He intended to do–create a new beginning in Jesus Christ.

5. Let me focus your attention on a statement Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:6-12.
   In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven–things into which angels long to look.
   1. Peter wrote to Christians who suffered because they believed in Jesus Christ.
      1. “Do not let your pain convince you to leave your God or your faith in the Christ!”
      2. “Find joy in the fact that your suffering is purifying your faith in Jesus–just making it more valuable like fire makes gold more valuable.”
      3. “The end result of all this pain is your salvation.”
   2. “Realize that not even the prophets or the angels understood what God was doing.”
      1. “The prophets realized God would do something incredible when He allowed the Christ to suffer, but they did not know when this would happen.”
      2. “Not even the angels fully comprehended what God was doing when He sent Jesus to become the Christ.”
   3. Do you realize that every godly man or woman in the Old Testament would swap places with you? Not because you are in America! Because you are in Christ!
      1. As great as Abraham was, if you are a Christian, you have a greater opportunity that he had.
      2. As great as Moses was, if your are a Christian, you have a greater opportunity than he had.
      3. As great as King David was, if you are a Christian, you have a greater opportunity than he had.
      4. As great as the prophet Isaiah was, if you are a Christian, you have a greater opportunity than he had.
      5. Do you realize what you have just by being in Christ?

The question: have you allowed God to fashion the new beginning in you?

My Personal Gratitude

Posted by David on under Bulletin Articles

Rarely does a single day pass without reminders of ways many of you “quietly” touch the lives of others. My situation positions me to see many of your quiet acts of kindness and thoughtfulness. I personally appreciate every act of kindness! Thank you for thinking of others. Thank you for allowing God to increase your concern for others. Thank you for demonstrating love for God through thoughtfulness to people.

May I express gratitude to a much appreciated group? We easily assume everything will be “just right” in our worship. When worship is “just right,” we easily assume it just happened. Those are false assumptions! It never “just happens!” Many unseen people conscientiously care for needs and responsibilities. Though they are not seen, we would miss them if they were not there! One such group is our projectionists.

Our announcements do not “just happen” to be on the screen. The communion picture does not “just happen” to appear. The words for our songs do not “just happen” to be there for us to see. The pictures or words in sermons do not “just happen.” Were it not for the work of our projectionists, those pictures and words could not be there.

Several years ago we started projecting pictures and words with some sermons in our desire to intensify the worship experience for many. Some of us learn visually. To combine visuals with spoken words increased the learning experience.

Next we projected our announcements prior to worship. This enabled us to inform people without devoting significant amounts of worship time to announcements.

In time we projected an appropriate picture with a few words at communion to aid Christians who are visually oriented. The objective: intensify worship as we commune.

For those who serve us as projectionists (David Pippin, Darrell Moses, Brad Walker, and Hank Watlington), intensifying worship involved a lot of work. On Fridays or Saturdays, they had three to five hours of preparation to make for Sunday!

For several months many requested that the words of our songs be projected on our screen. Doing this required a significant increase in preparation time. When we began projecting the words to our songs, we also moved much of the slide preparation to the office. Debbie Belote now prepares most of the slides for the projectionists.

During an assembly when pictures or words appear on the screen, be aware that many “quietly” make it happen! Personally, I deeply appreciate all they do! It requires concentration and skill to “make it happen.” To all who help “make it happen,” I personally thank you for your help as we honor God!

Building God’s Temple

Posted by David on December 15, 2002 under Sermons

For thousands of years people have associated dedication to God with building temples. We still do. For hundreds of years, when a group wishes to exist as God’s people, one of the highest priorities in their early existence is building a church building.

The building they build is looked upon differently than any other building that is built. Why? In some sense it is viewed as being God’s building that exists to serve God’s purposes. On that conclusion, there is broad consensus: the building is to be God’s, and it should serve God’s purposes. Too often the broad consensus ends there.

Before it is built there is likely to be some intense conversations about its design. By design, what should this building be built to do? After it is built, there is likely to be some intense conversations about its function. By function, how should this building be used?

The basic issue in the minds of those who build, dedicate, and use a building for God is this: how can this building be used to honor God and His purposes?

1. When God brought the Israelite people out of Egypt to Mount Sinai, one of the early instructions God gave them was the commandment to build a tabernacle.
   1. Remember, the tabernacle was a furnished tent.
   2. The instructions God gave were complete about the design and the furnishings of Israel’s new tabernacle.
   3. Israel prepared, assembled, and furnished the tabernacle just as God directed.
   4. Listen to what happened when the tabernacle was completed, erected, and made ready for its functions.
      Exodus 40:34-38 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Throughout all their journeys whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the sons of Israel would set out; but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day when it was taken up. For throughout all their journeys, the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.

2. Generations later King David wanted to build God a permanent temple.
   1. David built for himself a permanent palace in the city of Jerusalem.
   2. He felt it was inappropriate for the king to live in a palace while God lived in a tent.
      1. Though God had not requested for David (or anyone else) to build Him a temple, David thought it was the right thing to do.
      2. God sent word to David that he could not build God a temple, but David’s son could (the next king of Israel: see 2 Samuel 7).
   3. After David died, Solomon (his son) became Israel’s king and built the temple.
   4. Listen to what happened when this new, completed temple had the ark of the covenant (from the tabernacle) moved into it.
      1 Kings 8:10-11 It happened that when the priests came from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.

3. I want you to note a significant occurrence.
   1. When Israel erected the tabernacle (a tent with a special purpose) and completely readied it for service, God’s presence filled the tabernacle.
   2. Later, when Israel completed the temple and moved the ark of the covenant in the newly completed temple, God’s presence filled the temple.
   3. That is the fact I want you to notice: when the temple and the tabernacle were given to God, God’s presence filled each of them.

4. What about today? What about Christians?
   1. The New Testament does not tell Christians to focus on a place or a building.
      1. Deuteronomy 12 repeatedly told the Israel that worshipped in the tabernacle to offer sacrificial worship to God only in the place God caused His name to dwell–worship was unquestionably was place centered.
      2. In 1 Kings 8 when Solomon offered the prayer of dedication for the temple, he repeatedly asked God to hear the prayers of both Jews and non-Jews who came to the temple and prayed–worship was unquestionably temple centered.
      3. But when we read in the New Testament, worship emphasis is neither place nor building centered.
      4. Building a building at a certain place will not achieve God’s worship objectives among people who are Christians.
   2. If the emphasis is not on a geographical place and not on a building (temple), then where is the emphasis?
      1. Listen to 1 Peter 2:1-5.
         Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
      2. In the same paragraph, listen to verses 9, 10.
         1 Peter 2:9,10 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
      3. What I want you to notice:
         1. Those people who belong to God through Jesus Christ, are the living stones who are in the process of being built into God’s house.
         2. God wants us to be His temple by maturing in Jesus Christ.
            1. The most important living stone in this temple is Jesus Christ.
            2. This spiritual house of living stones is being built for a holy priesthood who will offer spiritual sacrifices to God that He accepts because of Jesus Christ.
      4. Then Peter said of Christians that they are not only living stones being built into a spiritual house, but they also are:
         1. A chosen race (that is what Israel was)
         2. A royal priesthood (just as the resurrected Jesus, Christians are to serve in the role of kings and priests–which could not happen in Israel).
         3. A holy nation (what Israel was to be and what Christians are to be).
         4. A people who belong exclusively to God (what Israel was to be and what Christians are to be).
      5. Christians exist to demonstrate that God is excellent because He calls people out of darkness into His marvelous light.
      6. Because of God’s mercy that He has given us, we, who at one time could not even be God’s people, are now His people.

5. With what we read about the tabernacle and the temple, what happens when God takes possession?
   1. When God took possession:
      1. Of the tabernacle, it was filled with the presence of God.
      2. Of the temple, it was filled with the presence of God.
   2. When God takes possession of us, what should happen?
      1. We as individuals should be filled with the presence of God.
      2. We as individuals should be one more living stone available to God for God to use to build His spiritual house.
      3. When people are around a man or a woman who is a Christian, those people should be aware that these people are filled with God’s presence.
         1. I am not talking about Christians attracting attention to and promoting themselves through some form of manufactured, artificial behavior.
         2. I am talking this fact: my goal is to let my real life belong so completely to God that people cannot associate with me at work on Tuesday and not be aware that God is in control of my attitudes and behavior.
         3. I am talking about this fact: people cannot observe my behavior on Thursday and fail to realize that I really want God to live in me.
         4. I am talking about this fact: people who watch me as I find recreation on Saturday observe the fact that God is in charge of my life.
      4. If I am a Christian, am a part of God’s temple, God’s presence fills my life–and that is my understanding of why God’s Spirit lives in us.

6. Paul used this exact illustration when writing to Christians in Corinth.
   1. First, he used it as he spoke to all those Christians, all who existed as a congregation of God’s people in Jesus Christ in Corinth.
      1. After powerfully renouncing the problems created by their congregational division, Paul made this statement to the entire congregation in 1 Corinthians 3;16, 17:
         Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.
         1. The King James translation translates plural pronouns with “ye.”
         2. This is a “ye” statement: “Do not all of you know that all of you, as a congregation, are God’s temple with God’s Spirit living in you? If any Christian destroys God’s temple [a warning against destructive division], God will destroy that person. God is holy, and God’s temple is holy.”
      2. Then in chapter 6, Paul spoke to individual Christians using the same temple illustration.
         1 Corinthians 6:18-20 Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
         1. Being sexually immoral was extremely common place.
         2. In fact, some forms of religion encouraged sexual immorality.
         3. The argument was often made that sexual desires were just natural hungers of the body and should be satisfied just as a hunger for food was satisfied.
         4. Paul said sexual sin produced special consequences.
         5. It is impossible for a Christian man or woman who understands what God does for him or her in Jesus Christ to involve his or her physical body in sexually immoral acts.
         6. Paul’s argument: the Christian’s body is God’s temple housing the Holy Spirit.
         7. God gave that Christian the Spirit, and God bought that Christian’s body (a slave/redemption image).
         8. The body of a Christian is to give glory to God, and that can never occur through sexually immoral acts.
   2. In the same letter to the same Christians, Paul used the temple to illustrate the fact that they were to be holy collectively and to be holy individually.
      1. In a time of temples and slaves, Paul’s illustration was powerful–and clearly understood.
      2. Because neither temples nor slaves are common in our society, we have to pay close attention to get the point.
      3. The point: God’s presence obviously lives in God’s people, and with that knowledge God’s people allow God’s presence to be obvious in their lives.

If you are a Christian, you are God’s temple. If we as a congregation belong to God, we are God’s temple. May we as individuals and we as a congregation obviously be filled with the presence of God.

The Great Contrast

Posted by David on under Sermons

Last Sunday afternoon I spent much of the afternoon with people in our inner city outreach called The Way. The afternoon began with Jessie and Mary Sexton renewing their marriage vows in a “church ceremony.” Several who attended never attended a “church wedding.” That included two boys who are probably under ten years of age.

Before the vows, they were revved up. They looked at the candles, at the wedding decorations, at the entire scene. Several of you work every Sunday afternoon with that outreach, and that includes Earl Flood. Earl knew the boys, settled them down, and had them sit between him and Vivian on the second row during the ceremony.

Earl also promised the boys some money if they would sit quietly during the ceremony. They were very quiet! When the ceremony was over and we stood to go to the reception, one of the boys looked at Earl expecting his money. Earl reached in his pocket and handed him a dime. I wish I had a picture of his expression to put on the screen! A look of disbelief swept over the boy’s face as he said aloud, “Only A dime?”

The situation reminded me of an old, old story. A man who always sat on the second row of pews went to sleep during every sermon. So the preacher told a boy that he would pay him a nickel every Sunday if he would sit by the man and keep him awake.

It worked well for a few weeks. The man stayed awake every Sunday, and the preacher gave the boy a nickel every Sunday. Then one Sunday the man slept through the entire sermon.

When the preacher saw the boy after worship, he said, ” I can’t give you a nickel today–you did not keep him awake.” The boy said, “That’s okay preacher. He gave me a quarter to leave him alone.”

Times have changed! The changes stand in enormous contrast.

1. Let me briefly review.
   1. Two Sunday mornings ago I emphasized that God can take anyone from anywhere in his or her life, and begin relationship with that man or woman at that point.
      1. God does not care who you were or what you did in the past.
      2. God’s focus on is on who you are right now, and who you want to become in Christ.
      3. If we are willing to live in Christ and repent, God wants to forgive us.
   2. Last Sunday morning I emphasized that we must be committed, have a genuine desire to become what we spiritually were born to be.
      1. Christianity is for people who want to move toward God’s nature.
      2. It is not for people who do not want to spiritually grow or spiritually develop.
      3. It is not for people who have no intention of changing anything about the person they are or the lifestyle they enjoy.
      4. God does not forgive us in order for us to selfishly continue in the same old ungodly living and thinking.

2. This morning I want you to focus on an enormous contrast.
   1. To focus you on this contrast, I want us to read Galatians 5:16-26.
      But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.
      1. In this letter to the churches in Galatia, Paul made a distinctive, clear contrast between living our lives under the guidance of God’s Spirit and living our lives under the dictates of our physical desires.
      2. He was quite plain about this fundamental focus in life.
         1. The Spirit and physical desires do not like each other!
         2. They fight each other to be the controlling force in the life of a person.
         3. They have nothing in common–their objectives in a person’s life are absolutely, totally different.
         4. Any person who comes to the conclusion that the objectives of God’s guidance in our lives and the objectives of physical desires in our lives are compatible is self-deceived.
      3. Paul was also quite plain about the nature of “the deeds of the flesh” in this contrast.
         1. Immoral behavior, impure behavior, behavior controlled by sensuousness.
         2. Behavior that involves us in things that oppose God.
         3. Behavior that gives encouragement to ungodly attitudes as they seek control over us (hate, strife, jealousy).
         4. Behavior that is controlled by anger (outbursts of rage, judgmental argumentativeness, divisions).
         5. Behavior that encourages drunkenness and irresponsible indulgence.
      4. Remember Paul wrote this to Christians.
         1. He said, “I warned you things like these will destroy you spiritually!”
         2. “If this is the lifestyle you live, you will not inherit God’s kingdom.”
         3. They could not say “no” to God’s influence in their lives in this world and live with God in His world.
   2. Now focus your attention on the contrast.
      1. Paul said, “This is the way that people who are guided by God’s Spirit live.”
      2. He called these attitudes, behaviors, influences the “fruit” of the Spirit (note the singular “fruit”).
      3. What are these controlling influences?
         1. Love
         2. Joy
         3. Peace
         4. Patience
         5. Kindness
         6. Goodness
         7. Faithfulness (those who keep promises)
         8. Gentleness
         9. Self-control
   3. Those who belong to Jesus Christ have made the decision to kill physical desires that seek ungodly control by crucifying them.
      1. Jesus made the decision to wear our sins as he died on the cross.
      2. Those who belong to Jesus make the decision to let those forces within them that oppose God in their lives die by crucifixion.
      3. Crucifixion is a slow death, but it is a deliberate death! The objective of crucifixion is to kill!
      4. Paul said, “If God’s Spirit gave us life, then let’s allow God’s Spirit determine how we behave, how we live.”

3. Someone says, “I don’t understand how all this works together.”
   1. “I find all of this very confusing.”
      1. “God does not care where we start, so that means for most of us we start with many, many ungodly problems. That sounds like it is all God.”
      2. “However, when I am born into Christ, God expects me to move closer and closer to His nature. That sounds like it is all me.”
      3. “This morning you stress that surrendering to ungodly behavior, letting my ungodly physical desires control the way I live, will exclude me from God’s eternal kingdom. That sounds like it is up to me.”
      4. “How does all that fit?”
   2. That is an excellent question!
      1. Let’s begin with a clear understanding: nothing any of us ever does deserves what God does for each of us.
         1. Each of us will always need God’s forgiveness.
         2. Each of us will always need God’s mercy.
         3. Each of us will always need God’s grace.
         4. None of us will ever put God in our debt.
      2. But…because God is willing continually to use His mercy and grace to forgive us does not mean that we have an excuse to do evil or a license to live irresponsibly and do things that oppose God in our lives.
         1. God does not care where any of us start, but from that start, wherever it is, we begin growing closer to the nature of God.
         2. We increasingly look like a person who belongs to God, not a person who opposes God. That new “look” comes from the way we treat people and the way we treat God.
         3. I do not want to be who I was, or live like I lived, before I was given life in Jesus Christ.
         4. I surely do not abuse God’s love and forgiveness by living as I please–and using my ungodly lifestyle to slap God in the face!
      3. There will come a moment when God will evaluate the way I used life in this world.
         1. The purpose of that evaluation will not be to determine if I deserve God’s forgiveness and mercy–none of us will ever deserve that!
         2. The purpose will be to see if I appreciated what God did for me.
         3. The purpose will be to see if the way I used life showed my appreciation.
   3. If you are counting on abusing God’s grace to receive salvation, you are lying to yourself!
      1. His grace is absolutely critical to our salvation–there is no way any of us can be saved without the kindness of God’s mercy.
      2. However, none of us will abuse God’s grace.
      3. None of us will exploit God’s grace.
      4. None of us will cheapen God’s grace.
      5. None of us are going to fool God by saying that we care about Him and living like we do not care about Him.
      6. God knows when we are trying and when we are not, and God knows when we are appreciative and when we are not.

Let me ask us some questions:

Is who and what you are in Christ in obvious contrast to who and what you were before you entered Christ?