Moses’ Calling; “Who Am I?” [Exodus Pt. 4]

The Calling of Moses

God calls all of His people to serve in some way. Paul tells the Corinthians as he teaches them about spiritual gifts, ” But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” (1 Corinthians 12:11) and “But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.” (1 Corinthians 12:18) God calls, gifts and employs the members of His Church as He wills. The question is, How has He called, gifted and employed you as a member of His Church?

Who Am I? – SERMON AUDIO

As we read Exodus, chapters three and four, we see God’s preparation and calling of Moses to be the leader and redeemer of His people from the slavery of Egypt. God created Him for that very purpose, bringing him through the decree of Pharaoh to kill the male babies of the Israelites, making him a prince of Egypt and putting in his heart to look upon the affliction of his brothers. Yet Moses failed the first time he set out to redeem his people (See previous post, The Birth of Moses and the Providence of God). As we enter the third chapter of Exodus, we see that God has not given up, but was waiting for the appropriate time to call Moses to the task for which He had created him.

Exodus 3:7-10  And the LORD said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.  8  So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.  9  Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.  10  Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”

Even though God had done everything to prepare him for the task, Moses was too focused on himself and his own failures to see that it was God’s power and authority that would be used through him to accomplish God’s purpose.

Exodus 3:11  But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

Exodus 3:13  Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?”

Exodus 4:1  Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’ ”

Exodus 4:10  Then Moses said to the LORD, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”

Exodus 4:13  But he said, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.”

In a sense, it is good to acknowledge our own weakness and our need for God to do the work through us. Moses takes it a little too far and tries to get God to call someone else. But to each of Moses’ doubts, God answers with His own sufficiency.

• When Moses asked, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh…? God said,  “I will certainly be with you.” (Exodus 3: 12)
• When he needed assurance that they would receive him asking, Whom shall I say sent me? (vs. 13) God says, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ “  (Exodus 3: 14)
• When he says, They won’t believe me!” God answers by giving him miraculous signs to perform (Exodus 4:2-10)
• When Moses complains that he isn’t good with words, God says to him, “Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” (Exodus 4:12)
• Only when Moses suggest that God send someone else does God get angry. Yet God supplies him with the help of Aaron, his brother to get the job done. (Exodus 4:14-16)

Likewise, God gifts and prepares all of His servants. Feeling inadequate is good for us, but it is not an excuse to refuse to serve God. We must remember that we are not able or even worthy to serve the living God. But He enables us and works through us to accomplish His purpose.

1 Corinthians 1:25-27  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.  26  For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.  27  But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

This does not mean that we should try to do things that we are not called to do, but to trust God that as He puts it in our hearts to serve in a particular place in the Church, that He will gift us and prepare us to do the work that He has called us to do. We all have the call to evangelize and disciple, to live godly lives in the world. We cannot even do these basic things without God working in us and through us.  We need to count on the I AM to work with the power that we could never produce. There is a lot more to this. I hope that you will listen to the audio of the sermon and search your own heart to see what God is calling on you to do. It will likely seem to big a task for you to do in your own strength so then, once it is done, He alone will get the glory!

Who Am I? – SERMON AUDIO

In Christ!

Kevin

Believe That I AM

John 8:58

The place where many miss it, is in their understanding of who Jesus is. Jesus was not shy about sharing that information. In The Gospel of John, chapter 8, He spends 51 verses clearing the air about it. He begins this section by saying… ” I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12 ) Light is the thing that reveals knowledge. When you walk into a dark room, you know nothing of what is in it until you turn on the light. The Apostle Paul said exactly this to the Ephesian Christians.   “But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.” (Ephesians 5:13)

Believe That I AM – SERMON AUDIO

Jesus is the Light of the World. He is the One who reveals the truth to us about ourselves and about God.  That truth is that we need a Savior. We are in darkness and we need to be shown who we are (rebels against the Holy God who created us), and who God is (One who loves us enough to take on human flesh to redeem us and bring us back to Himself). Usually, we are too block-headed to get it. We are too absorbed in our sin and rebellion, so much so that we don’t even realize that it exists. We thing God ought to be satisfied with us just as we are though try to use Him to our own ends rather than subject ourselves to His. Humanity is both wicked and blind.

Much of the reason we do not understand that Jesus truly is God in Human Flesh is because we automatically downplay the intensity of our sin (which happens to be a still greater rebellion). In order for man to be reconciled to the God against whom he has committed treason, God must be the Initiator. He must be God to be a sufficient Sacrifice. He must be man to be a real one. He became the Second Adam ( See Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15), the new Representative for the redeemed human race. His perfections are imputed to those who put their trust in Him. This could not be done with a mere man. And God did it in such a way as to accomplish His original purpose in us. To restore us and to give us what Adam lost in his rebellion.

And so, the Jews were perplexed by Him;

John 8:25  Then they said to Him, “Who are You?” And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning.

That is the question that needs to be answered. They should have known, they had the Scriptures, they saw the works that Jesus did. But they would not acknowledge who He is.  Why? Because it takes a dose of great humility. They were more concerned about their own ability and their own righteousness.

John 8:40-45  But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.  41  You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father–God.”  42  Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.  43  Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.  44  You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.  45  But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.

They did ultimately kill Him for what He said about them and about Himself. Yet even this was a part of God’s plan (See Acts 4:27-28). All in order to redeem the rebels! All done by God Himself. Jesus ends this conversation with the bold statement of His deity.

John 8:58-59  Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”  59  Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

The Name that God gave for Himself to Moses at the burning bush is the Name that Jesus claims here (See Exodus 3:13-14). In acknowledging who He is we also must realize our own helplessness. We must see that our sins have separated us from God. That He is the rightful Judge of the universe. That unless and until He comes to take us back, we have no more hope of being reconciled to Him that a guilty traitor has of regaining the friendship of his king on his own terms. Jesus is God. He is the One who has come to save us from our rebellion, from the sin that we have committed against Him. He is the love of God that pardons the guilty and establishes him as a son. Only God can do that.

Listen to the audio and consider what He says about Himself!

Believe That I AM – SERMON AUDIO

In Christ!

Kevin

The Birth of Moses and the Providence of God [Exodus Pt.3]

God Remembered His Covenant

What do you think about when things are at their worst? Do you doubt God and His goodness? At times it can be very difficult to keep the faith. However, God never promised that life would always be good and things would always be easy. We live in a world that is cursed by our own rebellion, yet we live in the midst of God’s plan to redeem. As we await the completion of that plan we experience sin, sorrow, suffering and death. Not because God is not good or powerful enough to do otherwise, but because He is just we are all sinners.

God Remembered His Covenant – SERMON AUDIO

As we approach the second chapter of the Book of Exodus, we see God’s plan being worked out in its early stages. He has made a promise to Abraham to use his family to bring about the redemption of those who would believe (See Genesis 12-15). Moses begins the history of Exodus by telling us that it is Abraham’s family that is the object it all. Everything that is done from here on out is a result of God’s promise to redeem in spite of man’s sin and rebellion against Him.

Genesis 15:13-14  Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.  14  And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.

The Pharaoh is set against the plan of God and persecutes Israel to the point of killing their newborn sons in order to try and limit their numbers and their power. When things are at their worst, God begins to work (See post, What is the Fear of the Lord?) Here we enter Exodus 2;

Exodus 2:1-4  And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi.  2  So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months.  3  But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank.  4  And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.

The writer to the New Testament Epistle to the Hebrews tells us that this was not done in fear of the Pharaoh’s edict and power. “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. “ (Hebrews 11:23) There are a lot of details that fill in this story when we begin to read and understand it.

• Pharaoh’s Daughter, probably the sister of the reigning Pharaoh seemingly had no son of her own. Her firstborn son had the right to inherit the throne.
• Moses was a “beautiful child.” I believe that this means he was really a good looking kid.
• Amram and Jochebed (Moses’ parents) acted in faith as they put their child in the Nile near where she would be bathing.

God brought all the right things together at the right time, yet this was just the beginning of God working His plan. It would be another 40 years before Moses felt compelled to deliver his brothers (Exodus 2:11-15). Then he would spend another 40 years learning to be a husband, a father and a shepherd in the land of Midian. God was in no hurry, but His timing was perfect. After all of this we read toward the end of the chapter;

Exodus 2:23-25  Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.  24  So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.  25  And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.

It was never that God had forgotten that covenant. He was preparing His deliverer all the time. The people of Israel were not ready to be delivered yet as we see in Exodus 2:14 as they react to Moses’ first attempt to save them. God had governed all things as the appointed day was approaching. We read that “God remembered His covenant…” because that was the basis of His actions and they became evident at that time. Now God is ready to move on their behalf and He will do it in a might way. This begins to take shape in the next chapter.

God not only governs those specific events like the birth and ministry of Moses. Romans 8:28 tells us,  “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” God governs all things for His good purposes. His goal was not just to redeem the people of Israel, but though them to bring the Messiah, Jesus Christ into the world so that He could redeem all who would follow Him by faith. Just like Amram and Jochebed acted on faith when things seemed hopeless, we cannot assess God’s goodness of faithfulness by our circumstances all of the time. But as we know that He is faithful, we will endure those difficult times looking to His final redemption at the end of the age. He has proved His power in overtaking the most powerful earthly king as His people never lifted more than a staff. He is faithful. He can do what He has promised. The dark times are often the times that faith is the most important.

There is a lot more in the sermon. I encourage you to listen to the audio by clicking on the link below!

God Remembered His Covenant – SERMON AUDIO

In Christ!

Kevin

What is the “Fear of the Lord?” [Exodus Pt. 2]

Fearing the Lord

Have you ever asked yourself whether you would be able to stand in the face of persecution? Every week we pray for Christians around the world who are suffering for their faith. This week in our Voice of the Martyrs prayer update we read of a pastor who lost an eye when Islamic extremists threw acid in his face for his evangelism efforts. We also read of a church in China that meets outside because the police discourage those who would rent them a space from  doing do. Yet they continue to meet outside, year around, facing persecution and inclement weather.

What is the Fear of the Lord? – SERMON AUDIO

For the people of God, facing persecution is nothing new! Since 64 AD and even before it has been going on. Peter tells his readers in Asia Minor exactly this as he writes to them at that time;

1 Peter 4:12-13  Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;  13  but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

Yet even before this, the people of God were persecuted and threatened with extinction. All the way back in Exodus, about 1,500 years bef0re Peter’s time, we see that Pharaoh had very strong ideas about what he would like to see happen to them;

Exodus 1:8-14  Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.  9  And he said to his people, “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we;  10  come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.”  11  Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses.  12  But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel.  13  So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor.  14  And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage–in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.

Despite his greatest efforts, the children of Israel grew stronger and increased their number. That is when he stepped things up to the most despicable of actions against them.

Exodus 1:15-16  Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah;  16  and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.”

Pharaoh was the most powerful man in the known world at this time. He was regarded as a god among his people and was king over the mightiest empire in the land.  He simply told the midwives what to do and I am certain that he was not used to being ignored. Yet.

Exodus 1:17-18  17  But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive.  18  So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and saved the male children alive?”

These women stood against the most fearsome king in the world and refused to do his bidding. But we read, “But the midwives feared God….” They did not respect the power of the great king when it was compared to the power of their God. They had seen Him multiply His people in the midst of their enslavement. I believe that they knew the promise of God to Abraham, to multiply his descendents. They had been faithful to protect and care for his offspring, faithful to their people and to their God. Fear really comes down to respect of power. We can fear men or we can fear God. With the fear of God also comes honor of His Person.

I believe that these ladies were faithful and feared God (respected His power and His Person) in the small things from day to day. When the day came for them to be tested, by the grace of God, they passed! Their faithfulness to His faithfulness allowed the covenant people of God to continue until the one who would redeem those people was born (See Exodus 3). God’s timing impeccable! So, to answer that question about standing in the face of persecution. If I was the pastor who’s eye was burned out by acid would I continue to preach the Gospel? If I had to go to church outside because the local government refused to allow me a place to worship, would I show up? If the government ordered me to perform an immoral act, could I refuse like Shiphrah and Puah? The Grace of God is at the heart of it, yet, our own faithfulness our “fear of God” will also play a part. If we are not faithful in the little things that we encounter day by day, I do not believe we have much to hope for on that day.

There is much more to be said on the subject. I encourage you to listen to the sermon audio by clicking the link below to hear it. Before I stop typing this out, I need to ask you, how are you doing in the little things? Are you faithful when the world tries to impose itself on you? Do you fear men and their opinions or do you fear the Lord?

What is the Fear of the Lord? – SERMON AUDIO

In Christ!

Kevin

The Faithful Redeemer [Exodus Pt. 1]

The Faithful Redeemer

What does a story about a bunch of cranky slaves being freed from bondage in Egypt have to do with me, a Christian living in the 21st century? Well it has as much to do with the God who delivered them as it does with our own need for redemption. Remember last time when we noticed that the Apostle Paul pointed to Ancient Israel as a type for us to consider in 1 Corinthians 10:11.

The Faithful Redeemer – SERMON AUDIO

As Exodus begins, we are introduced to the family of a man named Israel and we are told that they all arrived safely in the land of Egypt. This are the subject of God’s blessing and His promise to a man named Abraham who lived a couple of generations before them. We need to begin with these men and their names in order to be assured that what follows is in line with God’s covenant. It is a demonstration if His Word being good and it work among the sons of men. Read more »

Other People’s Sins

Some people are masters at pointing out other people’s sins, aren’t they? It is our tendency to use the faults of others in order to justify or cover our own sinful attitudes and actions. You know what I am talking about. You know the type. The hard-core fundamentalists who veils his hateful attitude as he chastises the “worldly” Christians for their worldliness. Or the cool, contemporary Christian who feels justified in mocking his more conservative Brother while pushing the boundaries of his own morality. I bet I could get just about any of you going and lead you right into this very sin, comparing others to ourselves to feel or show our own alleged superiority. It is called self-righteousness.

Other People’s Sins – SERMON AUDIO

The Pharisees of Jesus’ day were just such folks.

John 8:2-6  Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.  3  Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,  4  they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.  5  Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”  6  This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

Trying to trap Jesus, they managed somehow to find a woman who was “in the very act” of adultery. They thrust her forward as an example of a great sinner. But Jesus didn’t fall for it, instead He changed their focus.

John 8:7-9  So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”  8  And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.  9  Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

Jesus is more concerned about you dealing with the sin in your own life than He is about you pointing out the sins of others. Sure, there is a place for confronting sin in others, but it is always with the attitude of restoring our fallen brother or sister.

Galatians 6:1  Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

It is never to be the source of advancing our own superior spirituality.

2 Corinthians 10:12  For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

No matter what the reason, Christianity ought not to be about comparisons. It is about following Christ. It is about dealing with our own sin and helping our brothers and sisters to grow and be more holy.

Other People’s Sins – SERMON AUDIO

In Christ!

Kevin

The Journey Begins [Exodus Preface]

The Journey Begins

It is time for a fresh take on the old way of life. There is so much going on, so many obstacles, setbacks and mundane details that we often get lost in the routine and forget the purpose of the journey. As Christians we are saved, not just to be kept from hell, but to be conformed to the image of Christ. The questions we need to ask are; Is God in it, is He faithful, does He care when we are caught in the rugged, day to day issues of life? This is where faith becomes most evident.

The Journey Begins – SERMON AUDIO

But before we run off to Egypt and discover all of the lessons we can gain from the Nation of Israel and their journey, lets put things in a bit of perspective. After all, how can I relate to a four thousand year old story of slaves being liberated from the tyranny of oppression? The New Testament actually speaks to that very issue and gives us a strong correlation;

1 Corinthians 10:1-6  Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea,  2  all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,  3  all ate the same spiritual food,  4  and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.  5  But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.  6  Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.

The Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians Christians that we are really not that different from those ancient Israelites.  They were redeemed, we are redeemed. They were baptized and took communion too! But Paul also says that many who were among them, were not true believers. Yet, this nation is “our example.” The Greek word for example here actually tupos or a type. They are a picture of how God deals with those in His covenant community and a demonstration that all who are in that community are not true believers. Jude says it this way in his epistle, “But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.” (Jude 1:5)

Before we begin the journey, we need to ask whether we are really trusting in God? Do we believe that in spite of the difficulties of life and things going contrary to our expectations that God is in charge and will complete what He has begun? The evidence is really shown in our obedience and our attitudes;

1 Corinthians 10:6-11  Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.  7  And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK, AND ROSE UP TO PLAY.”  8  Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell;  9  nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents;  10  nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.  11  Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

See, the unbelievers among the Nation of Israel were more concerned about creature comforts than faithfulness (READ NUMBERS 11) (Vs. 6). They were willing to change the way they saw God and try to make Him over so that they could be comfortable in their sin and rebellion (READ EXODUS 32) (Vs. 7).  They were carried away by the culture into sexual immorality (READ NUMBERS 25) (Vs.8). They were persistent in their sin (READ NUMBERS 21) (Vs. 9). and never ceased to complain (READ NUMBERS 16) (Vs. 10).  Again, these events were recorded for our admonition, the Church of Jesus Christ. Everyone who professes faith and hangs out with Christians is not really a Believer. Unbelief here is demonstrated by mistrust of God, disobedience to His commands and complaints about our own situation. But, it does not have to end here!

This is what it looks like when we focus too much on the journey and not on the destination.  We need to change our focus. We need to remember who God is and what He has promised. He did not promise our best life now! He did promise to bring us through the difficulties of life and form in us the image of His Son. It is when we focus on the right things that we are able to walk in true faith.

1 Corinthians 10:12-13  Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.  13  No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

The journey is not about us gaining worldly possessions or accolades. We do not stand on our abilities or successes but on the faithfulness of God! The journey is a success when we realize this and count on Him rather than ourselves or our circumstances. He will bring you through the difficulty, but don’t expect Him to reward you with temporal blessings, expect Him to accomplish His purpose in your life! The journey is easier, more exciting and you will find more joy in it.

Check out the audio from the sermon preached on Sunday, January 1, 2012 for more.

The Journey Begins – SERMON AUDIO

In Christ!

Kevin

My Doctrine…

Everybody has an opinion! Some people say they are like armpits, everyone has them and they all stink. Opinions are not necessarily bad, but in this age of blogs and social networking, it seems that the most important thing is making our opinions known. This is really nothing new. Jeffersonian political theory, unfortunately spilled over into other areas in the early 1800′s and splintered the American church into thousands of denominations, each espousing their own unique brand of the Christian Faith.

My Doctrine - AUDIO

Though there were many denominations before that time, they were largely connected to ethnic backgrounds, The Scots were Presbyterians, the English Anglicans and the Germans Lutheran for the most part. The saddest thing about what happened in the American church in the 1800′s was that most of the newer denominations threw out the the standard interpretation that those many previous denominations largely agreed upon. This is not to say they were in perfect harmony, but they were in agreement on the most important truths for the most part. In place of what had been taught and believed for the previous 300 years (restored truths buried by Rome in the Dark Ages) everyone became their own interpreter. Often times, training in language and interpretation were shunned and even made fun of by these egalitarian sects.

Studying John’s Gospel, I see that this is just another manifestation of man’s desire to be in control even if he is largely ignorant of the realities he seeks to govern. In John 7, Jesus is has gone to Jerusalem for a feast. We read:

John 7:14-18  Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught.  15  And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”  16  Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.  17  If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.  18  He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.

Jesus came, armed with doctrine from heaven. His Father had given Him the things He taught. All of what He said was rooted in previously revealed truth from the Old Testament! Yet the more He spoke, the more conjecture came back to Him from the crowd.

John 7:26-27  But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ?  27  However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.”

John 7:31  And many of the people believed in Him, and said, “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?”

John 7:40-43  Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.”  41  Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee?  42  Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?”  43  So there was a division among the people because of Him.

They make partial reference to the Scriptures, but assume what they know about Jesus. They could have found more about Him if they would take the time to look. Read Matthew or Luke’s Gospel some time and pay particular attention to phrases like, “for thus it is written by the prophet” The problem of men assuming that their knowledge was sufficient and rejecting the proper study of God’s revelation was common even in Jesus’ day.  If anything, it has proliferated in our day. People are looking for soundbites and maxims, but not for solid theology. If it sounds good to most of us, we will accept it, especially if it goes along with our presuppositions. This is critical information and we don’t want to get it wrong because we are tool lazy to dig it out or to comfortable to be troubled by truth. Yet, sadly this is where most of us reside. After 52 verses of discussion among the people and their religious leaders, those leaders made a pronouncement and then John tells us’

John 7:53  And everyone went to his own house.

For all of the talk, nothing really changed. No one was persuaded one way or the other,but hey, everybody had their say.  What about you? Are you satisfied with mere opinions? Will you dig in and receive the uncomfortable truths? Will you allow truth to change you or will you try to exert your will on the truth?

My Doctrine - AUDIO

In Christ!

Kevin

Emmanuel / Jesus, the Necessity of the God / Man

The Necessity of the God / Man

I am not a big fan of Christmas and all of its trappings. It is not Jesus’ birthday, but it is a time that we can turn our focus to the fact that God became a man. I love to celebrate the incarnation of the Christ, to sing the great hymns and to preach on the plan of God to redeem the fallen human race. This is not a “once a year” kind of truth! It is the foundation of the Christian Faith!

The Necessity of the God / Man – AUDIO

The point of this celebration is to recognize what God did to save sinners. He did not just manifest Himself in a human form, He BECAME a man. He was born like every other man. He lived in poverty in a hick-town in Palestine. He was not wealthy or privileged in any way. His parents were real people who struggled with the issues of life, like Mary becoming pregnant before the wedding day, like the government forcing them to relocate in order to register for their taxes, and like having to flee the threat of death from their local, Roman-appointed king. The struggles of life were as real to Him as they are to any of us. Yet He was God, the Creator of all! He did this because the Sacrifice that was required for sin needed to be one of us. We have seen from our Advent Study in Hebrews that the animal sacrifices of Old Testament times were not able to take away sin. They merely pointed to the One who could. The Man Jesus, a real Sacrifice, The God Christ, wholly God.

Hebrews 4:14-16  Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  15  For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  16  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

He is a High Priest with the Power of God and the Empathy of His own real, human experience. The writer to the Hebrews goes on to say;

Hebrews 5:8-9  though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.  9  And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,

He was a Son, eternally, to God. But He learned obedience, that is, He experienced what it is like to have to obey God in the fallen world of men. It is not easy! Having lived perfectly as a man, He became the Sacrifice that was truly able to deal with our problem of sin. How important is it to understand the Jesus is fully God and fully man? 

John 8:24  Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.” (English Majority Text Literal Translation)

Colossians 2:8-10  Beware lest anyone captures you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.  9  For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;  10  and you are completed in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

This truth has been under attack since the beginning of the Church. The Apostle John wrote against the false teachers who tried to misrepresent Christ as he penned his letters in the New Testament.

1 John 4:1-3  Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  2  By this the Spirit of God is known: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,  3  and every spirit which does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard that it is coming, and now is already in the world.

If you are unsure as to Christ’s place in the Godhead and in the Plan of Redemption, I strongly encourage you to follow up on this study. Check out some other teachings I have done on this subject:

• Heroes and Heretics, Developing Doctrine by Refuting Heresies; (Listen particularly to the studies on Tertullian and Athanasius)
• Christology; a detailed study on the person of Christ and His relation to the Godhead.

In the meantime, enjoy your gifts and Christmas cookies, but remember that a pivotal event in human history, one that was foretold and foreshadowed by God through ancient Israel is what it is supposed to be about. Meditate on the humanness of that Baby in the manger and then try to imagine that the Omnipotent God who created all things, subjected Himself to that level of vulnerability in order to redeem a race of rebels and traitors. Love has no more beautiful or profound face than the face of Jesus Christ!

2 Corinthians 4:6  Because it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The Necessity of the God / Man – AUDIO

Merry Christmas!

In Christ!

Kevin

An Unshakable Kingdom! [Hebrews 12]

An Unshakable Kingdom

It is the season of hope. Not the season of wishful thinking, but of true hope! As we continue considering Christ’s Coming into the world through our study of the Letter to the Hebrews, we come to consider that the Gospel is complete, but it is not over yet. Our sins are forgiven as we place our trust in Christ, but it is about so much more than the forgiveness of sins. It is about setting all things right! One of my favorite classic Christmas Hymns (written by Isaac Watts) says;

No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found, Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as, the curse is found.

The curse of sin is what it is all about. Though Christ has come and relieved its penalty for those who trust in Him, He is still coming back to remove its other effects.

An Unshakable Kingdom! – AUDIO

After spending twelve chapters encouraging the Hebrew Christians by showing the superiority of Christ over the Old Covenant through contrast, the final contrast is given;

Hebrews 12:22-28  But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels,  23  to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,  24  to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.  25  See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven,  26  whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “YET ONCE MORE I SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO HEAVEN.”  27  Now this, “YET ONCE MORE,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.  28  Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

The temporary economy of Israel is becoming the eternal Kingdom of Christ! All that is temporary will be removed and all that is left is that which is eternal. The Gospel culminates, not in believers sitting on clouds and playing harps, but in a real Kingdom where all the curse of sin is removed. This is to inspire us to hope, perseverance and holiness.  This is how the New Testament writers always display the teaching of Christ’s return. (1 Corinthians 1:4-9, Ephesians 1:13-14, Philippians 3:17-21, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Titus 2:11-14, 1 Peter 1:3-9, 2 Peter 3:11-13, 1 John 3:1-3) The writer of the letter to the Hebrews is no different.

Hebrews 10:35-38  Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.  36  For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:  37  “FOR YET A LITTLE WHILE, AND HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME AND WILL NOT TARRY.  38  NOW THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; BUT IF ANYONE DRAWS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.”

Hebrews 12:28  Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

Hope, Perseverance and Godliness are the fruit of knowing Christ and trusting that He is coming back to complete what He has begun. It is not a ‘hope so” kind of hope. Biblical hope is faith that looks forward to what has not yet been accomplished. It is based on God’s past faithfulness. It is a confident expectation that He will remain faithful to His own promise!

As we consider the Babe in the manger, let us not lose sight of the faithfulness of God that brought Him into the world at the precise moment in history in which He intended. As we have seen in the previous ADVENT entries, God foreknew that Christ would come into the world as Savior. He foretold it through the prophets. He foreshadowed it in the nation of Israel. He accomplished it when He came into the world as the Substance of the shadows in the Law. He will complete it when He returns! The unshakable Kingdom, that which is eternal, has been promised to us who believe. It is the completion of the Gospel. It is our hope!

An Unshakable Kingdom! – AUDIO

In Christ!

Kevin