Chardon church of Christ

What Are You Seeking?

John 1:35-49

INTRO: Good morning church. In studying John’s Gospel we learned that John the witness was sent by God for a purpose. We read that he called himself “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the Lord,''” When Jesus came toward him, he began declaring, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!” With that great declaration! John is doing his mission, proclaiming and revealing that Jesus is the one sent by God to deliver the people from their sins, to save them from their coming punishment.

I. Follow The Lamb (1:35-39) – Let’s begin today by reading John 1:35-39 – “35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.”[ESV]

A. In verse 35 we are told it was the next day and John the Witness was standing with two of his disciples. Jesus walks by and John continued his proclamation: “Behold, the Lamb of God.” John was pointing out Jesus to those two disciples. When John’s disciples heard his declaration of Jesus as the Lamb of God, they leave John and follow Jesus. Remember a disciple is a learner, a student and these two it seems wanted to know more. Perhaps John had given them more detail already but that is our imagination since we are not told.

1. John knew and repeatedly declared that his work was not about himself, but about revealing Jesus as the Lamb of God to Israel. Seeing the Lamb of God and understanding that Jesus is the one, who takes away our sins; the reaction of these two disciples is absolutely appropriate. That really should be the same reaction that we have.
2. We are not told what the conversation was between those two disciples and John. We don't know what they were doing at that moment, or what plans they might have had for that day. They stop what they're doing and immediately follow Jesus.
3. We are told when they see that Jesus is the one that they have been looking for, here is the one who has come to take away our sins, they drop everything and go after Him. They're not going to let Him get away as He continues along.

B. This is the point that John the Apostle is making. When a person encounters Jesus and understands who He is, not just some good guy, not just somebody who gives advice from His Word, advice that is useful and gives you a better life. But that Jesus is the eternal Word who came from Heaven, who died for our sins so that we could be forgiven. When we truly have a handle on that knowledge, then we are going to stop everything we are doing. We will leave everything behind and we are going to follow Him.

1. You don't go back to doing what you were doing before. You don't go back to the old routine. You don't get back to your old schedule. You don't go back to your normal way of life. Everything changes at that point.
2. And everything must change or otherwise, I submit to you, that you truly don't know who Jesus is. It changes everything when you grasp that there is the Lamb of God who will take away my sins.

C. In verse 38 we read, “Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”” Jesus notices that they are following Him. Jesus asks them an important question. “What are you seeking?” Obviously Jesus knows what these two are doing. Notice that Jesus does not ask them who they are seeking, but what they are seeking. I suspect that He wants them to consider what their motivation is.

1. That is something we need to consider about ourselves. What is our motivation? From my limited experience over the years, the conversations I have had and the comments people have made, the answers are widely varied as to why people follow Jesus. I wonder perhaps if sometimes the motivation is merely social.
2. Perhaps we may follow Jesus for some sort of social benefit. How often today people speak of the church in terms of social benefits. People will readily declare that they go to church because the people are nice, the programs are good, the children’s ministry is excellent, the music is good, the food is good, the potlucks are great, or something like that. These things are nice but they are not the reason to follow Jesus and I wonder why these things might come to people’s lips first?
3. Perhaps some follow Jesus to feel good about them selves. You'll feel so much better about yourself if you attend service. That's not the reason to follow Jesus. In fact, following Jesus often does the opposite. It is a constant reminder to us of our sinfulness and of our shortcomings. He is so holy and good and righteous, and we so often fall short.
4. I also suspect some people just follow Jesus because that's all they've ever done. My parents went to church and my grandparents went to church and their parents went to church. Perhaps they don't know what else to do on a Sunday or they feel weird if they didn't go to church on Sunday. It wouldn't feel right. Some people come out of habit. This is what they've always done. They do not follow from the heart but from habit. They follow because they think they have to, not because they want to. I think it is a very valid question to consider why we are here following Jesus.
5. I suspect this is the question that Jesus wants these disciples to consider. Their response in verse 38 was more timid and hesitant than we might have expected. Instead of answering; "We understand that you are the Messiah, the Lamb of God that takes away sins and would like to follow you," they politely addressed Him as "Rabbi," and inquired where He lived! John then explains the term "Rabbi" and that leads me to think that the greater part of the Christian world to which this was written, was Gentile.

D. In verse 39 Jesus rewarded the two disciples by inviting them home with Him, which resulted in their spending the day. Jesus understood that they want to get to know Him and spend time with Him. They wanted to learn more about the Lamb of God. That's why they ask, “Where are you staying?”, because they want to be there too.

1. Jesus responds with the words they were hoping to hear: “Come and you will see.” Jesus receives people who with honest hearts are seeking to know Him. The only reason to follow Jesus is because you are seeking a relationship with the sin remover.
2. Following Jesus is about our needing a Savior. We're not following for any other reason except that we want to have a relationship with the one who can take away sins. Yes, there are other benefits but that is the most important thing.

II. Be Changed By Jesus (1:40-42) – Continue with me now in John 1:40-42 – “40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter.)”[ESV]

A. Andrew is one of the two disciples of John that heard John say, “Behold, the Lamb of God” when Jesus walked by. Andrew and the other disciple turned to follow Jesus. Andrew goes and finds his brother Simon and tells him that they had found the Messiah. I suspect at this point Andrew was probably quite excited and in my imagination I picture him saying to Simon; “We have found Him, we have found the One! We found the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!

1. Andrew takes his brother to meet Jesus. Jesus looks at Simon and says; “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas”. Not a very dramatic statement, yet imagine how you would feel if somebody that you've just met, knows you, knows who your father is and effectively says you’re not going to be called Simon but Cephas.
2. For those that are interested in these things "Cephas" is a Syriac word which is a Semitic language, specifically a dialect of Aramaic, the everyday language of the Jews at that time. “Cephas” is equivalent to the Greek word Pétros, which we render "Peter." Both mean stone or rock.
3. I think it is interesting to consider that what Jesus does here is point out to us that He not only has the ability, but He has the absolute authority to change our identity. Thinking about it, Jesus has the ability and the authority to change everything about you.

B. Calling someone “Rock” is a strong name. Think of the many times that word is used in scripture and it gives us a picture of solidity, and permanence. Yet when we read of Peter in the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, does he seem to be as solid as a rock to you?

1. Certainly I’m impressed by his bravery at times, his courage and willingness to declare his loyalty. Peter’s temperament was resolute. Think about the walking on water for example in Matthew 14; “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Wow, I am amazed and I don’t think I would have done that.
2. Then we think about the colossal failures of Peter. The most notable one to me is in the courtyard of the high priest where Jesus is having that awful trial. Mark reminded us of this last week. “Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end.” (Matthew 26:57f)

a. A servant said to Peter “You were with him” and Peter denied it even going so far as to say “I do not know what you mean.” Another said “This man was with Jesus” and Peter denied it with an oath. Then a bystander accused Peter of being “one of them” and Peter said “I do not know the man.” At this point Luke writes, “And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.''”[ESV] (Luke 22:60f)
b. What a colossal failure, especially when Jesus warned him, you're going to deny me three times. Recall what Peter had said? “… I will never fall away.” (Matthew 26:33)

C. Consider the prophetic blessing Jesus was placing upon Simon though. Jesus changes Simon’s name to Cephas meaning “rock”. Jesus knew what Peter would become.

1. When we get to the book of Acts, that's exactly what we see. What a magnificent shift in the life of Peter, who goes from shaky and falling, making mistakes and colossal errors—to becoming a solid leader.
2. There he is in Acts chapter 2, standing up with the 11 proclaiming the message of a risen Savior in the face of the enemies, in the face of imprisonment, in the face of danger and death. Did Peter still have some things to learn? Oh yes, but we now see him as the “rock” Jesus named him.
3. Peter is the right name for you, Jesus says. You are going to be the rock. What is especially awesome about this name change is that it does not seem like Peter is a rock during the life of Jesus. He is full of faith and fire for Jesus but we see him falter on many occasions, even to the denying Jesus three times during His darkest hour, but Jesus knew what Peter would become.

D. What about us? What will we become for the glory of the Lord? What are we going to do for His kingdom? What can we accomplish for him? We know that what we accomplish is not for our own personal benefit, not for our own glory; but what are we going to do in the work of the kingdom of God?

1. Folks, we must never look at our past and our failures and think they prohibit us from working for the kingdom and working for the glory of God. We could easily look at our past and say, I can't be what God wants me to be. Think of what Mark told us last week about John Newton and how he had concluded that his sins were too great to be forgiven. We can’t do that.
2. Can you imagine how Peter would feel if he did that on that day of Pentecost? He might look back at his history and think; “Man, I was sinking in water, I lost faith, I nearly drowned, and I denied our Lord three times!” “I’m obviously not cut out to be an Apostle. I’m not worthy to stand here and preach to people. It should be John or Andrew, anybody else but me!” No Peter, be the rock.

E. If you have ever been involved in looking at investment choices perhaps for a 401k IRA, you probably read about all those great returns that have happened over the past five years, this investment got returns of 15% year after year or the like. Then somewhere in the paperwork you find a line like this, “Past performance is not an indication of future results.”

1. That applies to us as well. All of our past failures and mistakes and sins and errors do not have to be an indication of future results. That's not who we have to be. That's what Jesus does with Peter.
2. Jesus is God, He knows Peter. Jesus could say, “I already know the mistakes you're going to make, but I also know what's past that. I know you're going to fall on your face. I know that you're going to slip up. I know that you're going to be tempted. I know that you're going to make colossal errors, but you don't have to keep doing that.” That doesn't disqualify you from serving God.
3. It is so true of us. Your past does not have to be an indication of what you can be for the Lord. How about Paul for example? Paul is a monument to a disastrous beginning. Persecuting Christians, chasing them down, Acts recalls that he was causing havoc in the churches.
4. Paul considered his past a mark of being the chief of sinners, but look at the glory he brought to the Lord through his life! You can be changed to be a rock in the kingdom of the Lord.

III. Jesus Knows Our Condition (1:43-49) – You can be changed into the rock just like Peter and just like Paul. You and I have the same ability to turn our lives away from disaster because of the glory of God, and to become what He wants us to be. Those that come to Christ must come with a fixed resolution to be firm and constant for Him, like a stone, solid and steadfast. I’d like to touch on one more thing and point out just how John the Apostle puts this text together.

A. John 1:43-49 - “43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!””

1. Notice the conversation in verses 45-46. Here we see an observable mixture of pious zeal with weakness. This is usually found in beginners that are seeking the way to God. Philip, newly acquainted with Jesus himself, steps aside to share the good news. It also shows us that Philip was well acquainted with the scriptures.
2. Rather then our being upset with Nathanael’s reaction, I think his caution could be considered commendable, in that he did not lightly agree to every thing that was said. Philip’s response was both wise and kind. He knew enough to satisfy himself but rather then attempt to answer Nathanael’s objection on his own, he took him to the One that could.
3. It is sad but many people are kept from accepting Christ by the unreasonable prejudices they have against Christianity. These prejudices come from many places.

B. What we read next is similar to what we saw before. Andrew brings his brother Simon to Jesus and “Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John.” Philip tells Nathanael to come meet Jesus and “Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”. Nathanael then asks, “How do you know me?” Jesus answer must have rocked Nathanael back on his heals. “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

1. “I know that you have no deceit. I know where you were earlier.” Jesus is displaying His divinity to Nathanael. This pushes Nathaniel over the edge to recognizing that Jesus is truly the Son of God. Jesus knew the physical and spiritual condition of Nathaniel. He knew where Nathaniel was that day and He knew the heart of Nathaniel.
2. We read that “before” Philip called Nathanael Jesus saw him under the fig-tree. Isn’t it interesting that His eye was towards him before Philip called him? Christ has knowledge of us before we have any knowledge of Him. In Isaiah 45:5 God is speaking to Cyrus and says, “…I will gird you, though you have not known Me…”.
3. What Jesus says to Nathanael would have been a private token which nobody understood but Nathanael. We are not told why he was under the fig tree but Jesus words “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” gives me to wonder if as Matthew Henry said; “Nathanael here in was an Israelite indeed, that, like Israel, he wrestled with God alone, prayed not like the hypocrites in the corners of the streets, but under the fig-tree”.

C. We are not told what Nathanael was doing but we are told the important part, Jesus knows what you are doing and knows your heart. Jesus knows everything about us, and He has the power to change us.

1. He knows the challenges that you are facing. He knows the difficulties that you have. He knows the spiritual battle that is going on inside your heart and mind. He's aware of all of that. He knows what's happening. He knows your heart.
2. Nobody is outside of this gospel call. It doesn't matter what you've done. It doesn't matter what difficulty is there. It doesn't matter how tough things have been. He knows what you're going through. He knows who you are and He wants you to follow Him.

CONCLUSION:
To conclude then; we need to consider if we are following Him for the right reason. Jesus knows why you're here. Jesus knows your motivation. He knows your heart.

We need to make sure that we are turning our heart to Christ because He wants us to have a deeper relationship with Him. He wants you to see Him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

See who He is, deepen that relationship and follow Him with all of your heart. Your mistakes and your sins do not prevent you from getting those things washed away. God will forgive you of your sins and you can move forward in serving Him and giving Him the glory as you serve in this kingdom.

That's why Jesus came. He died for your sins, not because you and I would be perfect people. We are all sinful, fallen, broken people. Yet, God sent His son to take away our sins so that we could become His adopted children and live with Him in Glory.

It is spring time here and it is a time of renewal of the living things around us. It is also the first day of the week, a time of renewal as well. Now is a time to dedicate your heart and dedicate your mind to seek a real relationship with your Lord. To see Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. When you see Him as He is, then what else can you do but drop everything, change your life, and give Him all that He demands because He's been so good and gracious to us.

Turn away from your sins. Confess Him as the Son of God and be immersed in water to have your sins washed away to begin a relationship with the Father.

Won't you come while we stand and while we sing?

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Reference Sermon: Brent Kercherville

It Was Grace That Taught My Heart to Fear

ACTS 9: 1-25

What comes to mind when I mention Friday the 13th?
Both Fridays and the number 13 have both been considered “unlucky” down thru the ages.
Take the number 13, for example:
Many cities do not have a 13th Street or a 13th Avenue.
Many buildings don’t have a 13th floor.
And according to information I had a number of years ago, some airlines refused to have a Flight 13 or even a row of seats with that number.

As for the fear of Friday old wives tales say that you should:
Never change your bed on Friday; it will bring bad dreams.
Never start a trip on Friday or you will have misfortune.
If you cut your nails on Friday, you cut them for sorrow.
Ships that set sail on a Friday will have bad luck.

We can all recall the almost DISASTEROUS flight of the Apollo 13 mission to the moon. Unlucky to have that oxygen tank explosion in the first part of the mission but then DID make it BACK TO EARTH safely.

You put those two together - Friday and the number 13 – and you can end up with a whole bunch of people that are actually afraid of that date on the calendar.

I have heard that the fear of Friday the 13th may come from Christian tradition— the Last Supper had 13 guests, including Jesus and his 12 apostles.
Judas, the betrayer, was the 13th guest, and the next day—Friday—was the day of Jesus’ crucifixion.
Over time, these associations contributed to the fear surrounding Friday the 13th.

Dr. Donald Dossey, a psycho-therapist specializing in the treatment of phobias estimates that at least 21 million people in America are frightened of Friday 13th

People can become afraid of the strangest things.
But the Bible tells us that God’s people should not be.
We should not be a people of fear.
Around 365 times in Scripture, God tells us “Do not fear” or “Fear not” or something similar. 365 times – that’s one time for every day of the year.

And Psalms 118:6 tells us WHY we should not fear:
“The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?”
Now, because this is true, many of gotten the mistaken impression that God doesn’t endorse fear.
That God would never want us to be afraid of anything.
But, that’s not true.

Proverbs 9:10 says "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…”

Ecclesiastes 12:13: “…Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man”

And Jesus taught: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28

This concept of fearing God was very real to John Newton.
When he wrote his song “Amazing Grace” he included this verse:
“It was grace that taught my heart to fear,
and grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear,
the hour I first believed.”
From what I understand… John Newton was a wicked man. If there was something evil he could do... and he could figure out a way to do it… he did it.

In fact, his wickedness was so obvious, that when his ship, the Greyhound, was caught in a terrible storm at sea, the captain of the ship seriously considered throwing John overboard like Jonah because he believed Newton’s wickedness was the cause of all their misery.

During the 9 terrifying hours of a storm that had everyone – including Newton – praying.
John Newton concluded that his sins were too great to be forgiven.
He waited with fear and impatience to receive his doom."

Newton was afraid.
And he later came to believe that his fear was God’s tool to get his attention.
“It was grace that taught my heart to fear”
John Newton believed God had to bring him to his knees in FEAR before he would ever give his life to Jesus.

Acts chapter 9 tells us a similar story about a man named Saul (we know him as Paul).
Saul was a very righteous Pharisee who had been responsible for the death of the first Christian martyr to die for the faith – Stephen.

Saul became fanatical in his opposition to the church.
He hated the name of Jesus and he hated anyone who belonged to our Lord.
By the time we get to Acts 9, Saul has obtained letters of authority from the Sanhedrin, and he’s on his way to Damascus with an armed guard, determined to arrest any Christian he can find there – and bring them back in chains.
That’s when Jesus stepped in and brought Saul to his knees.
And that brings me to our text this morning Acts 9:3-6
“As he neared Damascus on his journey,
suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him,
"Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied.
"Now get up and go into the city,
and you will be told what you must do."

For 3 days, Saul sat in a house in Damascus waiting for the messenger Jesus had promised.
For 3 days he’s blind, and he sits alone in his room, fasting and praying.

Now tell me… do you think Saul was a little afraid???
You better believe it.
I suspect there were times during those 3 days that Saul (like Newton) probably thought:
“I concluded my sins were too great to be forgiven.
I waited with fear and impatience to receive my doom.”
It was grace that taught Saul’s heart to fear.

When Ananias came to him and explained how much God really loved him, and Saul was baptized into Christ and accepted Jesus’ grace. From that day forward, Saul was determined, focused, and unstoppable.

Acts 9:20-23 says that
“At once he began to preach in the synagogues
that Jesus is the Son of God.
All those who heard him were astonished and asked,
‘Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem
among those who call on this name?
And hasn’t he come here
to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?’
Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.
After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him.”

There were people that became annoyed with him and didn’t like him.
But Saul didn’t care.
He didn’t love the world… he loved Jesus.

I’ve noticed that God DOES use fear every once in a while, to get people’s attention

I heard of a man who often shared about his auto accident that brought him back to Jesus.
He had been a Christian years before but had wandered away and lived his life without God.

Then one day, he was driving a pick up truck down a road in Kentucky.
He was towing another truck behind him.
He came to a section of road that had a pretty steep grade.
He wasn’t troubled by it… until his brakes went out.
He ended up going down a weaving Kentucky road at speeds of at least 70 mph.
Then the trees parted to show that his road was going to “T” with another highway… and on that other road there was another car traveling on a collision course with him.

“Oh dear Lord,” he prayed. “Don’t let me kill them.”
He did miss that car.
But his vehicle launched across that other highway and barreled into a tree on the other side.
He says he didn’t remember anything until he woke inside his truck.
The dash was crushed up against the seat and the steering column was driven into the place where he had been seat belted in just moments before.
His body was scrunched up against the driver’s side door in a section that was hardly big enough for him to breath.

He still has pictures of the crumpled truck… and he knows full well there was no way he should have walked away from that crash.
Only God could have saved him in such a dramatic fashion.
When he got out of the hospital, he called one of the elders of the local church and asked what time church was.
And on one of the worst Sundays of that winter, this man came hobbling into church on his crutches, and he’s been there ever since.

Many have faced a fear of impending judgment, and that fear caused them to repent.

We see another example of this in
Acts 16:25 – 34
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying
and singing hymns to God,
and the prisoners were listening to them,
26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake,
so that the foundations of the prison were shaken.
And immediately all the doors were opened,
and everyone's bonds were unfastened.
27 When the jailer woke and saw
that the prison doors were open,
he drew his sword and was about to kill himself,
supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice,
“Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”

29 And the jailer[a] called for lights and rushed in,
and trembling with fear
he fell down before Paul and Silas.

30 Then he brought them out and said,
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus,
and you will be saved, you and your household.”
32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him
and to all who were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night
and washed their wounds;
and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.
34 Then he brought them up into his house
and set food before them.
And he rejoiced along with his entire household
that he had believed in God."

The Bible tells us that there are unlimited reasons for people Outside of Jesus Christ to fear.
Hebrews 9:27 “… it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”

It’s grace that can teach our hearts to fear… and to repent.
But wait… after Paul was baptized, he doesn’t appear to be afraid of anything.

Acts 9:20 says that
after he’d spend some time with the disciples in Damascus
“he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.”
And this preaching got him into some trouble with some of the Jews in that town.

Acts 9:23 says After many days had gone by,
the Jews conspired to kill him…”
Paul learned of their plan, but he didn’t seem to be in any hurry to leave town.
He just kept on preaching.
But his followers were concerned, and so they “took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.” Acts 9:25

For the rest of his life, Paul didn’t care what the world thought about what he preached. He wasn’t afraid of what they could do to him.
BUT WHY?

Just a few days before this, Paul sat in a lonely room, fasting and praying totally afraid of the judgment of God that he knew he deserved.
But now he doesn’t seem to be afraid of anything.
– what happened?

Well, two things come to mind:
1. The fear of God gave him courage to confront any fear of men.
I saw a quote that stated: "The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God you fear everything else."

God told Israel “Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid or terrified because of them,
for the LORD your God goes with you;
he will never leave you nor forsake you”
Deuteronomy 31:6

Or as Romans 8:31 says: “If God is for us,
who can be against us?”

It’s knowing that God is “with us” that gives us our courage… and helps us overcome our fears.

I read the story about a woman who was babysitting for the 2 year old son of her minister.
The boy was sleeping in her home one night while the minister and his wife were out of town and the boy woke up at 4:30 a.m. crying for his daddy.
She didn’t know what to do until she remembered her tape player.
She got up and plugged it in.
Together they listened to one of his dad’s sermons.
The little fellow knew it was his father’s voice, and went back to sleep.”

That little boy overcame his fears because he sensed his father was near, and he was safe.
Likewise – our Father can give us courage to stand up against any danger that this world may threaten us with because we know that He is a fearsome God who has promised to never leave us or forsake us.

2. Paul was not afraid because, now he was no longer under judgment.
Romans 8:1-2
“Therefore, there is now NO CONDEMNATION
for those who are in Christ Jesus,
because through Christ Jesus the law
of the Spirit of life set me free
from the law of sin and death.”

Or John Newton wrote: “It was grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved” We can’t earn salvation, we can’t buy salvation, we can’t do enough good to deserve it, but God saves us because of His grace.

Well, how then do we “accept” this grace?
The Bible tells us we need to do just a few simple things:

1. We need to BELIEVE that Jesus is
the Christ the Son of the living God (John 3:16)
2. We need to ACKNOWLEDGE that we are sinners
and be willing to turn away form that sin (Acts 3:19)
3. We need to CONFESS Jesus
as our Lord and Master (Romans 10:9-10)
4. We need to die to our sins and
be buried in the waters of BAPTISM (Romans 6:1-5)

Grace CAN teach our hearts to Fear
But ultimately His grace can relieve our hearts from the fear of judgment.

Scripture says there will be a time of final judgment, but His grace can remove any fear of that judgment.

I would like to close this morning with a story about a man who was attending a Youth Ministry class.

When he got to class, everybody was doing their last minute studying.
The teacher came in and said he would review with us for just a little bit before the test.

We went through the review, most of it right on the study guide but there were some things he was reviewing that we had never heard of.

When questioned about it, he said that they were in the book and we were responsible for everything in the book.
We couldn’t really argue with that.
Finally it was time to take the test.

The professor instructed us to "Leave the tests face down on the desk until everyone has one and I tell you to start"

When we turned them over, every answer on the test was filled in!

The bottom of the last page said the following:
"This is the end of the Final Exam.
All the answers on your test are correct.
You will receive an ’A’ on the final exam.

The reason you passed the test is because the creator of the test took it for you.
All the work you did in preparation for this test did not help you get the A.
You have just experienced...grace."

The Lamb of God

The Lamb of God
John 1:19-34

INTRO: Good morning church. Open your Bibles to the Gospel of John, and we will be picking up today in John 1:19. In our look at John’s gospel so far we saw the first 18 verses describing Jesus as the Eternal Word. The Word became flesh, made His dwelling, His tabernacle among us, and we have seen His glory and from that fullness we have all received grace upon grace.

Also in chapter 1:6-8 we were told about a man named John. We know him as John the Baptizer, but this Gospel calls him John the Witness. He is the one who has come to give witness of who Jesus is, that Jesus is the light, that John himself is not that light.

Now we will consider John 1:19-34 in two sections. The first section is going to be John's testimony of himself and then the second section is going to be John's testimony of Jesus.

I. John's testimony of himself. (1:19-28) - We will begin with John 1:19-28 – “19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said. 24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.”

A. Verse 19 sets up the scenario for us. Jews have come from Jerusalem to ask John some questions. They want clarification about who John is. Verse 24 gives us additional insight saying they had been sent from the Pharisees.

1. The word "Jews," by the end of the first century and the time John wrote this Gospel, had acquired a sinister meaning in Christian society, resulting from “official” Israel's rejection of the Savior.
2. Coffman wrote that; “John's use of this word (Jews) throughout the Gospel was to designate the avowed enemies of Christ; and it should never be understood as including the whole race of Israel, despite the fact that the vast majority of Israel had followed their evil leaders in rejecting Christ.”

B. I wondered why they bothered to come out to question John in the first place. We are told they are priests and Levites. Most of the high priestly class was Sadducees but verse 24 indicates some Pharisees were seeking answers too. I suspect then that the Sanhedrin was the body that initiated this inquiry. Why? The popular report of John's success had reached Jerusalem; and, unthinkably, he was even teaching that "Jews" needed repentance and baptism! Were they not the chosen people? What brand of teaching was this, then, that demanded repentance of Jews?
C. These Jews are trying to dig a little deeper. They come to John and they are asking; “who are you, John?” They are not asking; where did you come from, who are your parents and what's your occupation. They are asking where John fits in a theological sense, a messianic sense, brought about no doubt by his activities. There must have been whispers that this man might be the Messiah; and were not the lords of the Sanhedrin God's chosen instruments for running down and foiling any false Messiah?

1. In short then, they are asking; are you the one that has been sent by God that we've been looking for, the messiah? Verse 20, “He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”” That does not satisfy them and the questioning continues, “Are you Elijah?” “No”. “Are you the Prophet?” “No”. That leads me to pause because I have some more questions.
2. John the Baptist was called Elijah by Jesus (Matthew 17:12), and this raises the question of why John denied it here. This is another example of the kind of "contradiction" which so delights some of the critics. Literally, John the Baptist was NOT Elijah, and John's literal answer WAS literally true. Typically and spiritually, John the Baptist was THAT Elijah foretold in Malachi 4:5. However, the popular notion was that the original Elijah would rise from the dead; and, if John the Baptist had given an affirmative answer to their question, it would have been, in that context, a falsehood. This literalization of the promised return of Elijah in the popular mind would have made it impossible for him to have answered affirmatively to their question.

D. The second question gives me pause because what prophet they are referring to. Most likely, “Are you the Prophet” refers to Deuteronomy 18:15-18 when Moses in his final word says, there is a prophet that is going to be raised up like me. We know this is talking about the Messiah. This question covers the same ground which had already been answered.

1. Here's John saying, no, I am not him. That is not me at all.
2. John’s answers; no, I'm not the Christ, no, I'm not Elijah, no, I am not the prophet does not satisfy them. So then verse 22, “well, then who are you? We need to tell the people who've sent us.” [para] What's your point of view? Where do you belong in all of this?

E. John answers in verse 23 when he says, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” In John 1:6-8 he is called the witness. Now he calls himself the voice of the one crying out in the wilderness. John, as a witness, reaches back to the prophecy of Isaiah to a reference point to describe who he is.
F. The Isaiah prophecy is an excellent summary of the work of John. The message of Isaiah is a challenge to the nation, “Make straight the way of the Lord.” Prepare your hearts for the coming of the Messiah. Remove the obstacles and barriers in preparation for the coming king. This is the message of John: you need to get your hearts ready because the Lord is coming. John pictures himself as merely a laborer preparing the road in advance of the arrival of the King.

1. Let’s take a look carefully at the prophecy of Isaiah. Isaiah 40:3-5 – “3. A voice cries in the wilderness: “prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.''”[ESV]
2. There is a literal historical concept here. When a king was going to come into a village the people got everything prepared. They got the roadways cleared. All the obstacles were removed. Perhaps you recall what happens when a city is going to host the Olympics; everything gets built up and fixed.
3. The king is coming. Make ready, get yourself prepared. Isaiah is making the calling, get your heart prepared; you need to be ready and watching for the king. John's message about who he is, is very important. The Lord is coming.

G. This is a call of repentance to the nation to get their hearts right before God. Look at Isaiah 40:5 again, “…the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Remember what John 1:14 said? “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

1. John the apostle is arguing, we have seen the glory of God, we have seen the Lord. He tabernacled among us. He lived here. By seeing Jesus, we have seen God. I notice that's exactly what John the witness, John the voice, is declaring as well. Make straight the paths because the glory of the Lord is coming and all flesh is going to see His arrival.
2. Would you not expect the messengers to go, wow, you're the voice that Isaiah was speaking of, and that means the King is about to arrive, and we need to get our lives right, and we need to turn to God and clear out the darkness and the obstacles in our hearts so that when the King, the Messiah arrives, we are prepared for His coming. But John 1:25 shows this just flew right over their heads.

H. In verse 25 “They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” From our vantage point I can almost imagine John giving a big sigh. He says, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

1. John once again dismisses himself as nothing. John is baptizing with water, but the one coming after him is far greater.
2. We have to appreciate how John continues to depreciate himself and say, I'm not anybody in all of this. Which of course is fascinating when you read Jesus' words in Matthew where He says, “… among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist;…” Yet here is John saying, I'm nothing, somebody greater is coming. This is John's testimony about himself. He is doing the job that we saw set out for him in John 1:6-8, that he would bear witness, give his testimony about who Jesus is, and this is exactly what John is doing.

II. John’s testimony of Jesus (1:29-34) - John is fulfilling his purpose and pointing to the light, pointing to the Christ and saying, “this is the one”. This comes to fruition in verses 29 through 34 where we read John's testimony of Jesus. John 1:29-34 – “29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.””

A. John sees Jesus coming to him and John says, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” It is the day after the questioning by the “Jews” and here comes Jesus approaching John. John was in exactly the right frame of mind to identify the Savior, and his disciples had been fully prepared, emotionally and intellectually, to transfer their love and loyalty to Jesus Christ. To me this is far more than merely accidental circumstances.

1. John is fulfilling his purpose, pointing out Jesus and describing Him as the one who is going to fulfill the prophecies of God. What is really interesting about this, is his calling Jesus the Lamb of God.
2. When we consider this we realize that there is nothing ferocious about a lamb. There is nothing about a lamb that is a picture of strength or leadership. No one uses a lamb as a symbol of power. The Lamb is led to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7). It brings to mind that in the Old Testament, lambs, goats, and bulls were the primary animals used in sacrifices to God. The lamb has its strongest meaning in the Passover. A lamb without blemish was offered (Exodus 12:3-11). The apostle John takes the imagery of the Passover lamb (a picture of God’s deliverance) and combines it with the picture of the sin sacrifice (taking away the sins of the world).

B. The witness of John is staggering. By calling Jesus the lamb, John is declaring His sacrificial death. This is the primary image of the lamb. Lambs are for slaughter, but His death would be with purpose. He is the lamb who takes away the sins of the world. Notice that this lamb is not sin-substituting, but sin removing. Notice the other key message of John’s testimony. Jesus is the lamb that not only has come to remove the sins of Israel by His sacrificial death, but the sins of the whole world. Everyone can access this sacrifice for sins when the Lamb of God is slain. Jesus is the world’s Messiah, not just Israel’s Messiah.
C. John continues in John 1:30 - “This is He of whom I said, `After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.'” We saw that very message before in John 1:15 “John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, `He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.' ''” John is saying this again. The reason why He is so great is because even though He comes after me, He was actually before me. Here is this eternal nature described about the Lamb. Jesus is the eternal God. He is the Word that we read about in chapter 1. He is now described not only as the Word, but the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. He is the eternal God coming to die for our sins.
D. Then John continues in verse 31. “"I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.''” We know that John the witness was a cousin of Jesus and well acquainted with Him from the purely human standpoint. The meaning here has to be that John did not know that Jesus was the Messiah. He did know, however, that the Messiah was soon to appear, that He would shortly be revealed to Israel, and that John’s own heavenly commission was connected with the appearance and identification of the Messiah. The words here are the equivalent of saying, "I did not know who Jesus really is, any more than you did." This and the following verses reveal the means by which John himself was enabled to identify Jesus Christ as the Messiah with certainty.

1. In John 1:32-34 John gives his testimony showing how he knew Jesus was the Son of God. “32. And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33. "I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, `Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34. "And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.''”
2. John the witness says “…He who sent me to baptize with water…” Who is it talking about? It is God, as John the apostle says back in verse 6. In order for John to be able to see the Holy Spirit, it was necessary for the Spirit to assume a physical form; and, appropriately, it was that of a dove, long the symbol of peace and goodness. This was not merely a case of a bird alighting on Jesus for a moment, a phenomenon which, while rare, is occasionally experienced.
3. The dove visibly descended from on high, an action different from the typical flight pattern of a dove. Then this Spirit-dove remained visibly upon the Lord identifying Jesus absolutely as the one who would baptize in the Holy Spirit, with the necessary deduction that the same was the Messiah. Now I ask you, what did this dove do? It witnessed that the one on who the Spirit descended and remained is the Son of God.

E. Thinking about this look at 1^st John 5:8 – “there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.” The point that's being made is that these are the three things that testify that Jesus is the Son of God, that He was sent from God and He came into this world.

1. First of all, let's take the Spirit. How does the Spirit testify? We just saw this in John 1:32.
2. Second, Mark 1:9f – “It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.” Also Matthew 3:16f – “Then Jesus, when He had been baptized, came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.''” (and Luke 3:21f) In that baptism which Jesus submitted to, we see again the witness.
3. Third, Matthew 27:50f – “50. Jesus, when He had cried out again with a loud voice, yielded up His spirit. 51. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52. and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53. and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54. Now when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!''”

F. We should consider also, what does it mean for John to say that he was sent by God to baptize with water, but the one who came after him would baptize with the Holy Spirit?

1. When we read the Old Testament, we see the Glory of God leaving the temple in Ezekiel 10. We read of God removing Himself from the people because of their sins. God is saying, “We can't be in fellowship. We can't have a relationship.” His glory would no longer dwell with them. This imagery is used of God leaving and separating, but the prophets come along and prophesy, the Holy Spirit is going to be poured out one day. When we read all the surrounding context of that wording, it is a picture of God's returning. Recall Haggai said “The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former”.
2. John, the witness, is making the distinction between his baptism and Jesus' baptism. Don't underestimate John's baptism. People sometimes say, well, John's baptism was only for repentance. Be careful with that, because Mark 1:4 says John was “preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” So does Luke 3:3 and Matthew.

G. What set John's baptism apart from Jesus' baptism? It's not the fact of water baptism. John's baptism brought repentance and brought about forgiveness of sins. Jesus' baptism does the same, but what makes Jesus’ greater, as John is arguing, is that it is Jesus' baptism that brings the restoration of God's blessings. It is Jesus' baptism that brings us into the covenant kingdom of God. That's what makes what Jesus would do greater.

1. When John baptized people, sins were forgiven. People are looking forward to the Messiah. They're turning their hearts and repenting.
2. When Jesus comes along, there's not only forgiveness of sins and repentance. There's something way better. It is entrance into the kingdom of God. It is entering into a covenant relationship with God. It is receiving the blessings of God. That's what makes Jesus' baptism greater.

H. Read with me from the letter to the church in Ephesus starting in Ephesians 1:3f – “3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4. just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5. having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6. to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.”

1. Paul describes, that before the world was ever created… the divine plan for the Son of God's visitation to humanity existed. That body that Christ would gather from the populations of earth is destined to receive eternal life; because what God purposes is certain of fulfillment. Yet, we have free will so every person may decide if they will or will not become a part of it and receive the intended blessing.
2. The word “adoption” is used here to describe the acceptance of sinners into the family of God. It is only one of many words that describe the relationship Christians receive when they are converted. Thus, they are "the temple of God, the family of God, the bride of Christ, the vineyard of the Lord, the church of the firstborn, and (as here) the adoption." Each of these different terms describes some special and significant feature of the "new creation."
3. The word adoption seems to tell us the Christian's privileges in God's family. Just as an abandoned and forsaken child may be taken into a family by adoption, such a legal action bestowing upon the child all of the rights and privileges of that family without any regard whatever to any merit of the child.

I. Continue in “ 7. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8. which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9. having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10. that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth in Him, 11. in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12. that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.”

1. The blessings enumerated here in the Ephesian epistle belong exclusively to those who have been "baptized into Christ," there being absolutely no other way mentioned in the New Testament through which any person may fancy that they are "in Christ."
2. We are united with God "in Christ" through faith, repentance and submission to God's ordinance of baptism (1^st Corinthians 12:13; Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:27).

CONCLUSION: I submit to you, that is exactly what the Apostle Peter is arguing when he preaches that first sermon in Acts 2:38f. “And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, (Folks, there's not a period here. There is more.) and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. [ESV]

In the Old Testament the prophet Ezekiel told of the forgiveness of sins; regeneration; and the reception of the Holy Spirit. (Ezekiel 36:25-31) This inspired prophet writes of the cleansing through the new covenant as in Jeremiah 31:31-38. With that covenant your sins are going to be washed away and you get to be part of this glorious kingdom, and you get to receive the blessings of God. You will be in a covenant relationship with Him. That was all stripped away in the days of Israel and the days of Judah when they broke the Old Covenant. That relationship is destroyed.

Now restoration has occurred. That's the message that's being given. Your sins are taken away and the blessings of God are being poured out. The covenant now has been brought back. You can be in a covenant relationship with Him and you can be part of that glorious kingdom.

That's what John is arguing. I'm baptizing with water. The baptism that Jesus brings is what you're looking for—restoration with God. Reconciliation can occur and all the hope of Israel and all the hope of the world will now be established through the baptism of Jesus Christ. Repent of those sins. Be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins in the name of Jesus Christ. It's through His authority, through His power that we have entrance into this kingdom and that we have this glorious hope.

The message is yours.

Don't Be Surprised

Luke 7:36 – 50

The AP Wire Service reported this story out of Nashville, Tennessee a few years ago.
A Tennessee Highway Patrolman stopped a car that was a total wreck. It had 3 flat tires.
Every window had been broken out, and the roof was caved in, indicating that it had rolled over.
This car had been wrecked, but it was still going down the highway.

When they stopped it, the woman who was driving expressed surprise that her car had been wrecked.
In fact, she said she didn't realize that she had been in an accident until she started to roll down the window to talk to the arresting officer.
When she saw that the glass was shattered, she knew that something must have happened.

When they questioned her a little further, she admitted that she had had 2 or 3 beers.
But the alcohol breath test revealed that it had to be many, many more than just 2 or 3.
Here was a woman who had wrecked her car, rolled it over, and was so drunk that she didn't even realize that she had been in an accident.

I believe that there are people who will be surprised at many things.
People will someday stand before the judgment of God and express surprise that they are lost.
They are the ones Jesus talked about, who said, "Lord, Lord... in your name we have done many wonderful works."
Some of them will even say, "We did miracles in your name."
But Jesus will tell them, "I never knew you: depart from me..." (Matthew 7:22-23)

God has written in His Word what He expects us to do.
If we don't do it, we have ignored Him.
And to stand in the judgment and be surprised that we are lost, is like this woman expressing surprise that her car had been wrecked.

Our scripture text this morning is Luke 7:36-50.
And I want to read vs's 36-39 to you right now. "Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table."

"When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears."

"Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them."
"When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to himself, 'If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is - that she is a sinner.'"

I have just 2 points to my sermon this morning.
#1. We will consider the story with some explanations.
#2. We'll consider its lessons with some applications.

Jesus had been invited to the home of a Pharisee by the name of Simon.
That is quite something because the Pharisees saw Jesus as a threat to their power, their teachings, and to their very legalistic system.
They considered Jesus an enemy. Not all of them did, but most of them resented Him and His teachings.
In that time period in Israel, houses of well to do people were usually built around an open courtyard.
Many times there were flowering plants or a fountain there, and often it was the best place to eat their evening meals when the weather was hot.

It was probably in such a setting Jesus had been invited to eat on this occasion.
Now they had an interesting custom in Israel.
That custom was this: When a Rabbi was visiting and you were out in the courtyard, anybody could come and listen to the conversation in order to learn from the Rabbi.

You also need to know that when a guest arrived, it was customary to make him feel welcome by going through certain common courtesies.

First of all, his feet would be washed.
A guest's feet would be caked with dirt after walking in sandals on the dusty roads.
So a servant would greet him at the door with a basin of water, and would wash and dry his feet.
After his feet had been washed, the host would greet him with a "kiss of peace" to make him feel welcome, and let him know that he was an honored guest.

Then it was a matter of courtesy to anoint the head of the guest with some sweet smelling oil.
Maybe it was because of the hot oriental sun.
Maybe some of the men were thin on top and slightly sunburned. I'm not sure exactly why, but it was customary to use oil to anoint the head of a guest.
All of these things went together to say, "You are welcome in my home."
But when Jesus visited the home of this Pharisee, none of these things happened.
Luke says that Jesus sat down at the table without His feet being washed, without the customary kiss, or the anointing of oil.

Which leads us to ask the question, "Why did Simon invite Jesus in the first place?"
Well, we don't know.
Some speculate that maybe Simon was really interested in what Jesus was teaching and who He was, and wanted to find out more.
But had this been true, I think he would have certainly observed the customs of common courtesy in his treatment of Jesus.
One Bible scholar suggests that Simon was probably "a collector of celebrities."
It was now popular to have Jesus as a dinner guest.
Simon invited Him so that he could say, "Oh yes, I had this new teacher, this new Rabbi in my home."

But since he didn't agree with Jesus, he received Him with a rather patronizing attitude.
But most commentators believe that Simon, as a Pharisee, was one of the religious elite, critical of what Jesus was teaching and hoping to expose Him as some kind of religious fraud.

So Simon treated Jesus with a barely disguised contempt, carefully neglecting every custom that would have made Jesus feel welcome in his home.
Then, as they began eating, an unusual thing happened.
This woman who Luke calls a "sinner" – and the word he uses means "an immoral woman, a prostitute," came to where they were eating in the courtyard.

She stood at the feet of Jesus and started weeping.
Her tears fell on His feet, so she dried them with her hair.
Then she broke a vial of expensive perfume and anointed His feet, and began kissing them.
All the while, Simon the Pharisee was watching.

He was greatly offended by what was going on because it was obvious that all the things he had failed to do to make Jesus welcome, this woman was now doing.

Simon knew what kind of woman she was.
So, as he judges her, he also judges Jesus.
He assumes that Jesus, in not stopping her, is condoning immorality. Simon thinks to himself, "If this man really is a prophet, He would know she is an immoral woman."

Jesus knows what Simon is thinking, and Jesus knew more about her than Simon did.
When Simon looked at her all he saw was a prostitute, a sinner, someone to be shunned.
But Jesus saw her as a repentant sinner, a precious soul seeking some way to express her love and appreciation for what Jesus had come to mean to her.

I want you to notice a couple of things in this passage that you may not have thought about before.
Vs. 37 begins with these words, “When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town…”
Wait a minute, it doesn’t say, “who is living a sinful life.”
It says “who had lived a sinful life.”
That’s past tense, isn’t it?
“She must have heard Jesus preach, and in repentance she determined to lead a new life.”
And in just a few moments we will be reading vs. 47 where Jesus, in speaking about her says,
“Her many sins have been forgiven…”
I think we can safely conclude that Jesus had met her before, had already forgiven her, and she had become one of His followers.
And that’s why she had followed Him there that evening.

Now let’s continue on with vs’s 40-42, "Jesus answered him, 'Simon, I have something to tell you.'
'Tell me, teacher,' he said.
'Two men owed money to a certain moneylender.
One owed him 500 denarii, and the other 50.
'Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both.
Now which of them will love him more?'

Now don't try to translate that into dollars, because you could easily get confused.
Just remember that a denarius represented a day's wage.
So, one owed the equivalent of 50 working days, and the other owed 500 working days.
Using a 5 day work week, one man owed him 10 weeks work and the other owed him 100 weeks, or almost two years.

Jesus asks Simon a very important question…which one will love the money lender more?”
I imagine Simon was sitting there with his mouth open.
First of all, to think that a moneylender would not collect what was owed him was unreal.
Simon couldn't even imagine that type of thing happening with moneylenders he knew.

Secondly, he was probably trying to figure out why Jesus was telling him that story at all.
He couldn’t see any point to it.
But he went ahead and answered the question, "'I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.'
'You have judged correctly,' Jesus said.”

Vs’s 44-47 tell us, "Then He turned toward the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman?
I came into your house.
You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
"You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.
You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet."

"Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven for she loved much.
But he who has been forgiven little… loves little."

Now, from that story let's bring out 4 lessons and apply them.
Lesson #1. Everyone is in debt - Everyone of us is a debtor.
Every person in this room is in debt to society, to our nation, and to God. We are all debtors.

When I talk about being in debt, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
And, if you don't remember to whom you owe money you're going to have all kinds of trouble.
And Simon's problem was that he had a poor memory.

I imagine when Simon looked at himself he thought, "God, you're lucky to have me on your team.
I'm pretty special. I've memorized the law, and I pray beautiful prayers, and I do many significant things for You.
I'm a Pharisee and I have mastered the art of being a Pharisee.
God, I'm a pretty special guy."
What Simon forgot was that he was a sinner.

His sins were sins of the heart, and he didn't recognize them as sins.
So it was easy for him to forget that he needed forgiveness too.

Isn't it easy for us to forget how indebted we are to those who paid a price to achieve freedom for us?
Isn't it easy to come into God's house and open our Bibles and forget those early pilgrims who paved the way for us!
Song #222 Faith of Our Fathers

We put hamburgers on the grill and sit around enjoying all the material blessings that God has given us and forget the blood that was shed.
We owe a great debt to those who have gone before.
We also owe an even greater debt to our God who has redeemed and forgiven us.
We are all debtors. We all owe a debt.

Lesson #2. We can never repay those debts.
When I think of the debt of freedom that I owe to our forefathers, I realize that is a debt that I can't pay.
And when I think of the debt that I owe God in heaven for the price He paid for my sins, I realize that I can't pay that either.

Now back to our story.
This woman came to Jesus and stood at His feet.
She wet His feet with her tears and tried to dry them with her hair. Then she anointed His feet with oil.
It was an expression of gratitude and love.

You say, "Well, that's one way to pay God back."
But she wasn't paying Him back.
All she was doing was saying, "Thank you, Lord.
Thank you for forgiving my sins."
That's all we can do, too. We can never pay God back.
But we can roll up our sleeves and go to work.
We can worship and serve, we can cry and pray.
We can seek to reach others for Jesus.
We can do all that, but we will never even if we work 20 hours a day the rest of our lives never be able to pay the debt that we owe our God.

Lesson #3. Forgiveness is available to everyone.
First of all, we stated that all of us are spiritually in debt. Secondly, we said we can never repay the debt.
Now we are saying that "Since we can't pay it, therefore we stand in need of forgiveness from it."
And the good news is that forgiveness is available to everyone, but forgiveness is not free.

Lesson #4. Forgiveness is not free.
Forgiveness always costs something.
For the moneylender it cost 550 denarii to forgive those who were indebted to him.
A small amount perhaps when compared to the debts we're talking about.
But forgiveness always costs something.

When God said, "I forgive you of your sin," then it cost God something because before forgiveness there had to be the agony of Gethsemane. Before forgiveness there had to be the death on the cross and the resurrection.
And Jesus paid that price!

The ledger had to be clear before forgiveness of sin could become a reality.
But now that it has been paid it's available to all.

Robert McCormack was a sergeant in WW 1.
He nearly lost his life while saving the life of Major Henry Parkin. Fortunately, both men survived the war.
From that day on, until he died 25 years later, in April of every year Parkin wrote McCormack a letter of gratitude.
The last letter Parkin wrote contained this brief note:
"Dear Bob, I again want to express to you my appreciation for another year of life which I would not have enjoyed had it not been for you and the price you were willing to pay to save my life. I want you to know, I am grateful."

Today, God's forgiveness is available.
He offers it to you through Jesus Christ His Son.
The price has been paid and He invites you to come.
Will you come as together we stand and sing Our song of INVITATION?

Open My Eyes Lord

Colossians 4:2-6 and 2 Kings 6:8-23

INTRODUCTION: A Chinese doctor can’t find a job in a hospital in America, so he opens a clinic and puts a sign outside that reads "GET TREATMENT FOR $20 - IF NOT CURED GET BACK $100."
An American lawyer thinks this is a great opportunity to earn $100 and goes to the clinic.

Lawyer: "I have lost my sense of taste."
Doctor: "Nurse, bring medicine from box No. 14 and put 3 drops in patient's mouth."
Lawyer: "Ugh. this is kerosene."
Doctor: "Congrats, your sense of taste is restored. Give me my $20."

The annoyed lawyer goes back after a few days to try to recover his money.
Lawyer: "I have lost my memory. I can’t remember anything."
Doctor: "Nurse, bring medicine from box no. 14 and put 3 drops in his mouth."
Lawyer (annoyed): "This is kerosene. You gave this to me last time for restoring my taste."
Doctor: "Congrats. You got your memory back. Give me $20."

The fuming lawyer pays him, then comes back a week later determined to get back $100.
Lawyer: "My eyesight has become very weak I cannot see at all."
Doctor: "Well, I don't have any medicine for that, so take this $100."
Lawyer (staring at the note): "But this is $20, not $100!”
Doctor: "Congrats, your eyesight is restored. Give me $20"

Don’t stress about your eyesight failing as you get older...
It’s nature’s way of protecting you from shock as you walk past the mirror.

Our Text this morning is from
Colossians 4:2-6 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.”

“Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

BEING WATCHFUL
Watching and praying are often associated in the Bible.
Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, asked his Disciples to watch and pray with him as he prayed in the Garden at Gethsemane.
I think Jesus was asking them more than simply to stay awake and pray.

But they fell asleep.
Jesus told them “pray that you enter not into temptation.”
I think this was more than just an encouragement to pray. I think Jesus wanted them to experience the results of prayer.
Prayer changes your perspective. It can change the way you look at yourself and the world around you. I can’t help but wonder what might have happened if the Disciples had stayed awake with Jesus and prayed that night.

ILLUSTRATION And that reminds me of one of the most amazing events of God’s intervention in warfare in the Old Testament. It’s found in the 6th chapter of 2 Kings.

The Kingdom of Aram, roughly the area we call Syria today, was at war with the Kingdom of Israel. But every time the King of Aram sent his army against Israel, probing to find a weak spot for invading Israel, he found the army of Israel already there in force, dug in and ready to fight.

It happened so often that he came to the conclusion that there must be a traitor among his army officers. But his officers protested, and one of them said that the God of Israel must be telling the Prophet Elisha their plans and Elisha was telling the King of Israel. So the King of Aram said, “Get Elisha! Capture him and bring him to me!”

So the King of Aram sent a large force that invaded Israel by night and surrounded the city in which Elisha lived. Then early in the morning when the servant of Elisha awoke and saw the enemy army, he was terrified.

So Elisha prayed for his servant “Lord, open his eyes so he can see.” The servant looked and saw horses and chariots of fire in the sky surrounding them all.
Well, I could go on and tell you what happened next and how the raids against Israel stopped without any bloodshed at all. But if you really want to know how this event plays out,
I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE you to read 2 Kings 6:8-23.

My point is that our prayer should be that the Lord give us eyes to see things, not necessarily the way the servant saw them, but as God sees them - to grant us His perspective. Prayer wakes us up to the spiritual realities BOTH around and within us. This is its first purpose.

BEING THANKFUL
Another purpose for prayer is that we become truly thankful.

ILLUSTRATION A preacher is invited to a family’s home for Sunday Dinner. Almost before everyone is seated, the children start grabbing and eating. The embarrassed mother gives them a quick reprimand, and the children stare back at her in confusion. The preacher is then asked to pray. And he does.The mother explains, “We don’t always pray before meals.”

To the minister this is fairly obvious. The mother adds, “We just take it for granted that God knows how thankful we are!”

“God knows how thankful we are!”
That was her excuse at the dinner table. But the trouble with that attitude is that it is not confined to the dinner table.

This way of thinking would lead others to this way of thinking, “Why pray at all if God knows all that we need?”
Some may even quote Jesus when He said that God knows all that we need before we even ask Him.So why should we pray?

Well, one reason is that when we pray, we pray to communicate with our Lord. Prayer is an opportunity to share the most deeply felt needs of our lives, and express to God the gratitude, praise, and joy we feel, and for His precious gift of salvation.

Yet, remembering to pray is not my biggest problem. I don’t know about you, but I confess that I am more likely to burden God with my requests and focusing on the things that are of this world that concern us, more than focusing on thanking Him for the things that are good.

There is so much for which to be thankful – for life, health, family, friends, the goodness of God, the gift of His Son and of His Holy Spirit, forgiveness. This list could go on and on.

Besides the mental, social, physical and spiritual benefits of prayer, we should never pray without thanking God. That would be ungrateful of us.

BEING EFFECTIVE
Paul was not only praying for those who would read his letter, He was also asking them to pray for him. Listen to his words again:
“And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.”

I want you to notice, Paul was an Apostle – someone with good news he wanted to tell. So, he asks for prayer that he would be effective in sharing new about Jesus even when he was in prison.

ILLUSTRATION There is a story of a Hindu woman who was converted and became a Christian. She suffered a lot of persecution from her husband.

A missionary asked her what she did when her husband became angry with her.She replied that she cooked his food better. When he complained, she swept the floor cleaner.When he spoke unkindly, she answered him mildly. She tried to show him that when she became a Christian she became a better wife and mother.

We live in a world that is often hostile to Christ, or worse still, indifferent to Him. Too often some Christians so closely identify themselves with the world by their words, their actions, their lack of action, that their lives can hardly be distinguished from non-Christians.

Another response some Christians attempt to make is to shut out the world entirely and live in their own little, private, well-protected world.

Neither of these is the best response. The best response is for Christians to be faithful witnesses to the world. We live in the world. We make our living in the world. We associate with the people of the world. Therefore we should give a good witness of our faith to the world.

Our faith should be the guiding principle for our lives. Our encounter with God in worship gives us strength and power for daily living. Our character, growing out of our relationship of faith in God, gives silent but eloquent witness of the meaning of faith and salvation.

Through the way we live our lives we are “salespeople” for our Lord and Savior, Jesus.

ILLUSTRATION Someone once said
“Faith lives or dies not by what goes on in churches, but by what, as a result of the churches, goes on outside of them.”

That is what the apostle Paul meant in vs’s 5 and 6 of Colossians 4. He urged them, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders,” (meaning those who are outside the Christian fellowship). He had both an offensive and defensive purpose in mind.

The defensive purpose was to protect the good name of the Christian community. The offensive purpose was to reach out to outsiders and draw them into Christian fellowship and to faith in Christ.
This is still our witness to the World.

a. We should take every opportunity to witness.

QUOTE It has been said,
“Opportunity is like a swift horse that pauses for one moment by our side. If we fail to mount the horse in that moment, we can hear the clatter of its hooves down the corridors of time.”

b. We should walk with wisdom in our witness.

Paul’s instructions in Colossians 4:5-6 may be a gentle warning about the methods of witness. We must use wisdom and discretion in presenting Jesus to those who do not know Him.

As our conduct is marked by grace so our speech should be marked by grace. Grace implies kindness, good will and tact. This is the kind of talk that witnesses for Christ – kind, courteous, tactful, not loud, coarse or rude.
Then Paul goes on to give some practical wisdom to those who would read his letter:
“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

Our desire should be that we have not only the opportunity, but also the wisdom and courage to live in such a way that we are sharing the love of Jesus to those around us.
Now let me ask you, “What is your occupation?”

Are you also praying that you would be capable of sharing about Jesus in whatever you do?

Almost every occupation is an opportunity to give witness concerning God, if we do it well. 
Are you in business? Then Do business wisely and honestly.

Are you a musician? Make music that draws people to a higher calling and purpose, and do it with such excellence that the world takes notice.

In all things, be effective so that your life creates opportunities to show people the goodness of our God.

ILLUSTRATION There is a modern song by Jesse Manibusan
that sounds like a prayer set to music.

Open my eyes, Lord
Help me to see Your face
Open my eyes, Lord
Help me to see

Open my ears, Lord
Help me to hear Your voice
Open my ears, Lord
Help me to hear

Open my heart, Lord
Help me to love like You
Open my heart, Lord
Help me to love

And the first shall be last
And our eyes are opened
And we'll hear like never before
And we'll speak in new ways
And we'll see God's face in places we've never known

I live within You
Deep in Your heart, oh love
I live within You
Rest now in me

Open my eyes, Lord
Help me to see Your face
Open my eyes, Lord
Help me to see

Help me to see Your face
Help me to hear
Help me to hear Your voice
Help me to love
Help me to love like You
Help me to see

Please will you bow your heads with me as I pray?
Father, Thank you!
Thank you for life, for your love, and your truth.
Thank you for Jesus.
Thank you for the cross and all it means for us.
Thank you for love and joy and all the other gifts of your Holy Spirit.
Thank you for the brief time you’ve given us on this planet to enjoy its bounty.
Thank you for the promised hope we have in you.

And Father, please make my life count.
Use me at home, and here in Chardon, and in every relationship I have, to draw people to You and your love in Jesus Christ.
Shine your light in me and through me and use me to help others see your Light divine.

And Please, Father, make this world a better place because you’ve placed me here upon it.
And Father, in the name of Jesus, our Savior, I pray this - not only for myself, but also for everyone who may hear my voice.
Father, I love You, I know You love me. Thank You, thank You, thank You!
Amen.

INVITATION

Sermon Contributor: Melvin Newland

God With Us

John 1:14-18

INTRO: Good morning church. Today I would like to continue our look at what John is telling us in chapter 1. John has introduced the Word and shown us Jesus is God. He is the eternal God. He created everything. Jesus is life, not only the Giver of life, but He is life. He also is the light and by receiving this light we can now know the way to God.
Then he talks about John the Witness and how he was sent by God to point out the light to a world blinded by Satan’s dark rule.
Finally John explains that when we receive Jesus, God will change our condition from being lost in sin to being authorized to be children of God.

Now lets read John 1:14-18 – “14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.” [ESV]

I. The Word Become Flesh: The Word became flesh. Notice that the Word did not cease being God. He did not cease to be what He was from the very beginning and now the Word has come to the realm of the flesh as flesh.

A. What is important about that is John does not give any indication that the Word has changed in any way from being God. It is still God with us, God has come.
B. Everything that has been attributed to the Word, as the eternal God and in whom is light and life is now applied to the man, Jesus. When the Word became flesh, the Word did not cease to be God. We now know with certainty that John is writing about Jesus.

II. Tabernacled: “the Word”, the Eternal God who created all things and in whom is light and life, “…became flesh and dwelt among us…”. The Greek word for “dwelt”, skēnoō (skay-no'-o), means to abide, to occupy, or to reside. Historically to tent. Some translators, following the Greek more exactly, render it "tabernacled among us." The idea is that Christ's earthly sojourn was not a fleeting, or illusory appearance, but a sustained and continued existence as a man among human beings, giving His contemporaries every opportunity to observe and evaluate His life and mission.

A. Recall as we began this study we observed that John is writing so that all believe that Jesus is the Son of God (John 20:31). We noted that the way John went about proving Jesus is God is by showing Jesus does what God did in the Old Testament. We saw this with the very first words of this gospel which did not read, “In the beginning God,”… but read, “In the beginning was the Word.” The Word is God because the Word created all things.
B. Let’s consider this, the Word is God because He tabernacled with us. Exodus 33-34 are our primary reference point. In these chapters God gives the law from Mount Sinai a second time and reveals His character, and glory - to Moses.

1. This is our first point of parallel. Just as the “Law” came from God which revealed the character and glory of God, now the “Word” has come from God which reveals the character and glory of God.
2. Our second point of parallel is that just as God “tabernacled” with His people in the wilderness, the “Word” tabernacled with His people, and they were witnesses of the new exodus accomplished in Jesus. In the wilderness we see God in His glory dwelling with His people as a pillar of cloud and fire above the tabernacle. (Exodus 40:38)
3. Note when the tabernacle was constructed what occurred: Exodus 40:34-35 - “34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.”
4. The same thing happens when the temple is constructed. We read in 2^nd Chronicles 7:1-3 – “1 As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. 2 And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord's house. 3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”” Israel understood the glory of the Lord filling the temple as God’s grace, steadfast love, and goodness. The glory of the Lord was dwelling with His people.

C. What happens later in Israel’s history is sad. The people are full of sin and violate the covenant with God. The prophet Ezekiel comes on the scene and sees in his visions the glory of the Lord leaving the temple (Ezekiel 10:4, 10:18, 11:22-23). Then Ezekiel prophesies of a hopeful time when the glory of the Lord will return to His temple. Ezekiel 43:4-5 – “4 As the glory of the Lord entered the temple by the gate facing east, 5 the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple.”
D. Further, Haggai commanded the people by the word of the Lord to rebuild the temple with these encouraging words in Haggai 2:6-9 – “6 For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. 7 And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. 9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.” These prophecies looking forward to the day when the glory of the Lord would return to the temple.
E. When the people returned from Babylonian exile and built the temple in the days of Zerubbabel, we do not read of the glory of the Lord filling this temple.

1. The word “glory” does not appear in the books of Ezra or Nehemiah which chronicle the return from exile. Yet Haggai had promised the return of God’s glory to the temple. However, the people built the temple and nothing happened… No return of God’s glory. No filling of the temple.
2. Listen again to the words of John: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord return to the people as the image of His glory. Recall Haggai said “The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former”.
3. The former glory of the temple Solomon built was immense; full of gold and precious stones. In addition, God filled that temple with His glory. But the future glory of the temple would be greater. Jesus, the Word, was that future glory. Jesus is where God and humanity meet. Jesus is the revealing of the glory of God.
4. The Word has come and tabernacled with His people and has led this great new Exodus, breaking free of slavery, and has brought them to new Sinai and has given the New Law and New Covenant. We see that all in the fact, that the Word became flesh and lived among us. John is driving that thought home giving us the picture that just as we saw God in His glory dwelling with His people, now we see the Word dwelling with them.

III. We Have Seen His Glory: Therefore, the apostles have an astounding observation. The glory of the Lord that left His people because of their sins has returned. The glory of the Lord, that did not return when Zerubbabel led the rebuilding of the temple and did not return when Herod beautified and expanded the temple, has now been seen.

A. The glory of the Lord that had not been observed for hundreds of years has been shown to the world once more. “We have seen his glory!”
B. Turn back to Exodus 33:18 and notice what Moses asked to see. He did not ask to see God, but asked to see God’s glory. “Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”” I found that interesting. He didn't say, I want to see you.

1. What did God say would pass before Moses? “19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.” You want to see My glory? Here's what's going to happen. You're going to see My goodness. You're going to see My graciousness. You're going to see My mercy.
2. When God revealed His glory to Moses, He revealed that His character was abounding in love and faithfulness. What does John say that we see when we see the glory of the Word? We see the Word “full of grace and truth.”
3. In Jesus we see God abounding in love and faithfulness. This is the idea of “truth” that John is driving at. The Jewish concept of truth was not merely knowledge, but stressed of a person being true to his word. Truth speaks to integrity. God is faithful to His word and that faithfulness and truth is seen in the Word. In Jesus we have seen the glory of the Father, full of grace and truth.

IV. The Glory of the One and Only Son: There is another phrase we need to consider. Not only have we seen the glory of the Father through the Son, but we have also seen “…glory as of the only Son from the Father..” Some translations use the phrase “only begotten” which can be somewhat misleading.

A. It does not mean that the “Word” was physically a descendant of God. This has been misused by some groups to say; He was the created Son or descendant of God or a demigod. That's not what that word means. The Greek word is monogenēs (mon-og-en-ace') which means “being the only one of its kind within a specific relationship, one and only; being the only one of its kind or class, unique (in kind)” (BDAG Greek Lexicon).
B. This is why most translations read “the only Son” or “the one and only Son” to communicate the uniqueness of the person of the Word, and the uniqueness of the relationship the Word has with the Father. The Word has no equal. He is able to fully reveal the Father, like no one else. God’s personal revelation of Himself has no parallel elsewhere, nor has it ever been repeated.
C. This is the same word used in Hebrews 11:17 when it speaks of Abraham's one and only son. Did Abraham have only one son? No, he did not. But he had only one unique son. Isaac was a child of miraculous birth that seemed impossible.

V. The Sad Reality: The full glory of God is seen in Jesus! All other revelations of God’s glory had been partial, but now God has revealed Himself through the Son in an unparalleled manner. How amazing! How precious that is!

A. What did the people see when they saw Jesus though? Turn to Isaiah 53 and listen to what Isaiah prophesied would occur. Isaiah 53:3-4 – “3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.”
B. The Apostle John is not saying that when Jesus came, we looked at that physical body and we beheld His glory, and there we saw God. No. In the physical body of Jesus was not anything glorious to see. The glory was seen in His teachings, in His miracles, in His love, in His actions, and in all that He said and did.

1. Real greatness and real glory doesn't assert itself and doesn't parade itself. That's one of the amazing things. Here is God in the flesh revealing God’s glory. Real glory is seen in the Word leaving His exalted place and doing the lowly thing, becoming a servant.
2. In fact, in John’s gospel we will see Jesus describe His coming execution on the cross as the time when He would be glorified (John 7:39; 12:16; 12:23; 17:1). Unfortunately the people did not “see” His glory. They only saw shame. They considered Him stricken and smitten by God. Jesus saw the shame as the means to be glorified.
3. Jesus lived a life of humility, of lowliness, of rejection; then He accepted the most shameful of deaths. In that way He performed the ultimate service: He took away the sins of the world. John is saying that this is what real glory means. Jesus had no need to come to earth. He might have retained all the joy and splendor of heaven, but He left it. When He came to earth there was no need for Him to live in poverty and rejection—but He did. Then when He came to the end of His life He was not compelled to die the painful and shameful death of the cross—but He did.

C. We see that for us, as for Him, real glory is in lowly service. The Christian way is not a way in which we look for people to praise us.

1. Real glory rather is finding some useful piece of service, no matter how lowly, and doing it as well as we can. Unless we see that, we do not understand what Christian service is.
2. The call to Christian service is not a call to occupy some comfortable and eminent place. It is not the suggestion that if we go along in the right way, everyone will speak well of us. The call of Christian service is a call to take up our cross daily and to walk in the steps of Him who for our sake, took up His cross.”

VI. Grace Upon Grace: John continues in verses 16-17 with something that might change our view of how God dealt with people in the days of the Old Testament. In Jesus, God unveiled the full measure of grace and truth. John does not picture the time before Jesus as a time lacking grace and blessing. Rather, grace has been added to grace.

A. I wondered: what does it mean that we have all received grace upon grace? What does it mean that grace was added to grace? Verse 17 is the explanation of this message. Verse 17 begins with the word “for”. John explains what he means here. “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John does not paint the law in a negative light. This verse does not mean that grace and truth were not evidenced by the Law of Moses, but that the grace and truth through the Lord Jesus Christ far exceeded anything in the old dispensation.
B. The Law of Moses revealed grace in a number of ways. We must never forget the occasion of God giving His law to Israel. He had just delivered them from Egyptian slavery. God had just shown His power against their oppressors and had set them free. Grace was already flowing toward Israel.
C. First, the law revealed the character, nature, and will of God. The law was a detailed explanation of God’s commands. God did not leave His people in the dark about who He was and what He desired. It was gracious for God to reveal Himself through the law.

1. This is one of the misconceptions we continue to have about the scriptures and about God’s laws. We often look at God’s laws as a bunch of rules given by a cosmic dictator telling us what to do. Instead, we need to see the scriptures and the laws of God—as grace. God is revealing Himself to us. God is telling us about Himself.
2. God is telling us what we must become, if we are going to have a relationship with our Creator. Law is not in opposition to grace. Law is the extension of grace, the revealing of grace. Israel’s deliverance under the first redeemer, Moses, issued the gift of the Law. The Law was given to the people. It was not a burden. The Law was the revelation of God’s will for His people.

D. Second, the Law revealed the truth about us. The Law was gracious because it showed where the people stood before God. The Law revealed their shortcomings. The Law declared the character of God so that their hearts would be illumined and they could see that they fell short of His character. In this we truly see grace.

1. The Law revealed sins and revealed that the people were law breakers. As we see though, God did not judge the people immediately for their sins. God did not destroy people for every sin they committed. Grace was extended to the people. Grace was being offered, allowing the people to repent and offer sacrifices so that the people would see the gravity of their sins. Fire did not come down from heaven and consume every person for every sin. We see that happen on a few occasions toward those who were standing in rebellion to God. That was not the stance God had toward the world, nor toward His people.
2. Grace was being offered through the Law of Moses because even though the people did not obey the law, God continued to have a relationship with His people. God continued to bless His people though they were violators of the law.
3. I think this is the point Paul was making about God in Romans 3:25. In speaking about Jesus being the propitiation for sins, Paul says, “…This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.” Carefully read those words: “… in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.” Passing over sins is grace. God was being gracious to the people throughout their history.
4. Now we are receiving the fullness of grace through Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, God has revealed the full measure of grace. God’s faithfulness has its ultimate fruition in Jesus. God’s character of grace and truth (faithfulness) was revealed with the giving of the law but was fully revealed and made available to all people through Christ.

E. To parallel the exodus, the redemption brought by the second Redeemer (Jesus Christ) was a deeper revelation of God and the fullest experience of salvation, grace, and covenant faithfulness. God had been giving grace but now the ultimate reality of grace has been bestowed through Jesus. God’s grace and faithfulness are seen in Jesus. This thought leads us to the uniqueness of Jesus, John 1:18. “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.”[para]

VII. Seeing God: John reminds us of an important truth: no one has ever seen God. Think of Exodus 33 and 34. Remember what God told Moses when Moses requested to see the glory of the Lord. Exodus 33:18-23 “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” 21 And the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, 22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”[ESV]

A. Moses could not see all God’s glory because God declared that no one could see His face and live. What we understand from this passage is that all other appearances of God to His servants, no matter how vividly stated, did NOT include seeing God's face. The Lord proclaimed here that this was impossible for any man to do and live. No exception to this truth would ever be made, not even for Moses!

1. What happened when the apostle John saw the glorious vision of Jesus? Revelation 1:17 – “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead…” Even the visions of the Lord’s glory are too much to handle for flesh. God tells Moses that he does not understand what he is asking. No flesh can see God and live.
2. Feel then the gravity of the words of John 1:18 which tells us that now we have seen God in the one and only Son. Jesus will say later in this gospel, “…Whoever has seen me has seen the Father…” (John 14:9)

B. John is giving us the reasoning how seeing Jesus is to fully see the Father.

1. First, Jesus is the one and only Son. We saw this phrase back in verse 14. We noted that the Greek word is monogenēs (mon-og-en-ace') which means, “to be the only one of its kind within a specific relationship, one and only, to be the only one of its kind or class, unique”.
2. This communicates the uniqueness of the Word and the uniqueness of the relationship the Word has with the Father. Jesus is unique, He is like no other.
3. Second, Jesus is Himself God. When you see Jesus you see God because He is God. This has been the point of the first verse of this gospel. The Word was in the beginning. The Word was with God and the Word was God. He is God.
4. Third, Jesus is in the closest relationship with the Father. Literally, it is that He is “in the bosom of the Father,” as some translations have. This is an image to drive home the absolute intimacy the Son has with the Father. Holding an object to one’s bosom declared the specialness of that object. Being in the bosom was a picture of intimacy, closeness, and fellowship.
5. Consider when Jesus tells the story about the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16 that Lazarus is described as being in the bosom of Abraham.
6. Jesus is the one and only Son, He is in the closest relationship with the Father. Moses could only see the backside of the glory of the Lord. Jesus is face to face with the Father, side by side with the Father, and in a relationship with the Father that no one else can have. God the Son is the one and only to have this relationship. He is the eternal God.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 ESV) May we be forever altered by this picture when we consider the words, “God with us.”

CONCLUSION:
Jesus is the full expression of God’s faithfulness.
Jesus is the full expression of God’s grace.
Jesus is the full expression of God the Father.
To not know Jesus is to not know God, His faithfulness, or His grace

John 2:19 – “Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.''” The old temple in Jerusalem is superseded by Jesus’ body, and the church as the body of Christ, becoming the new temple. Jesus’ body is seen as the place where God's Spirit dwells, and through His sacrifice, He opened a way for God to dwell not only with His people but also in them. The Word is that place where we meet God. In Revelation 21:22, John described the New Jerusalem as having no temple, because Jesus Himself is its temple.

We're going to sing an invitation song. Those folks who have not yet become Christians need to know that God's grace has provided in the gospel message the means and the instruction to deal with sin.

Scripture tells us we need to hear the word; believe in Jesus; repent of our sins; confess our belief that Jesus is the Son of God; and be baptized for the remission of sins. The wonderful news is that all of those sins we've committed to that point in time, God remembers them no more.

Christians who have sinned presumptuously, not caring that their life is not as it should be, I urge you to do something about that. Confess your sins and ask God's forgiveness. God is faithful to forgive those with a repentant heart.

If you need the prayers of brothers and sisters on your behalf, all you have to do is come to the front here and say, I'd like you to pray with me and for me. There’s no time like the present because the present is the only time we are assured of.

Won't you come while we stand and while we sing?
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Reference Sermon: Brent Kercherville

How Do Others See Us?

James 1: 22 – 25

After being away for some time on a business trip, Bill thought it would be nice to bring his wife a small gift.
"How about some perfume?" he asked the cosmetics clerk.  She showed him a bottle which cost $60.00.  "That's a bit much," he said,
so she returned with a smaller bottle for $30.00. "That's still quite a bit," he complained.
Growing annoyed, the clerk brought out a tiny marked $15.00. "You know," he said, "What I mean is I would like to see something really cheap."
So the clerk handed him a mirror.

Why can’t Mirrors lie? Because they always reflect the truth.

Today I would like us to look at who we are. To take a long hard look in the mirror and see what is in the reflection.  Not who we act like, not who others perceive us to be, not what we have been in the past, but "who we really are".

2^nd Corinthians 3:18 speaks to this mirror and to our image. "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as [a]by the Spirit of the Lord."
What is reflected in the mirror?  What do you see in the mirror?

Have you ever been out somewhere and then catch a glimpse of yourself in a mirror which causes you to stop dead in your tracks and think YIKES! Is that REALLY what I look like right now!  The mirror reminds us of EXACTLY how others see us at that particular moment.

The Man in the Mirror Poem

When you get all you want and you struggle for self,
and the world makes you king for a day,
then go to the mirror and look at yourself
and see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your mother, your father or wife
whose judgment upon you must pass,
but the man, whose verdict counts most in your life
is the one staring back from the glass.

He’s the fellow to please, never mind all the rest.
For he’s with you right to the end,
and you’ve passed your most difficult test
if the man in the glass is your friend.

You may be like Jack Horner and “chisel” a plum,
And think you’re a wonderful guy,
But the man in the glass says you’re only a bum
If you can’t look him straight in the eye.

You can fool the whole world, down the highway of years,
and take pats on the back as you pass.
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
if you’ve cheated the man in the glass.

Paul in his first letter to the believers gathered in Corinth
also spoke of looking at our image in a mirror.

1^st Corinthians 13:11-12 tells us " When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known."

Now, Ancient mirrors, which were manufactured in the great city of Corinth, were made of metal and gave a very dim reflection.
Thus Paul's words "Now we see in a mirror, dimly", is an illustration of our imperfect knowledge on this side of eternity.

When we cross over to the other side of eternity when we are in heaven, we will know all things and our knowledge will be full it will be complete.But, on this side of eternity it is dim it is imperfect.

Have you ever seen your reflection in a metal spoon?  I hope I'm not the only one who has ever done that. The reflection in the metal spoon is a strange image isn't it?  It is dim. It is imperfect.

Mirrors in Paul's time were metal and you could not see a very accurate reflection of yourself, it was much like looking into a metal spoon.  But in today's age, we have mirrors that very much display what we really look like. You can clearly see yourself your image AND what you REALLY look like.  But this too is not the mirror we should be looking into.  It is not the mirror Paul is alluding too.

So, if we want to know who we really are, what mirror should we look in?  We need to look into the mirror of God's Word.  The true mirror… God's Mirror which shows us who we really are.

We need to examine ourselves and ask the question: Am I being all that God has called me to be?  Am I allowing the Lord to mold me?  Am I doing my best?  Am I giving my best?

When we look into God's mirror, we may find feelings, thoughts, problems and/or attitudes that we hold on to and have not allowed God to transform us.
We need to… we must… yield to God's Word, to God's will and allow him to mold us into the image into the reflection of His son!

We need to allow Him to impact the way we walk, the way we talk, the way we think AND the way we act.

It is time, time to allow Him to mold us, to transform us.
It is so easy to see the tiny faults of others yet miss the larger faults in ourselves.

Of course Matthew 7:4-5 tells us, "how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

I have often found that when I begin to look at others short comings that God is calling me to look at the log in my own eye.

To look at the "Man in the Mirror"

When you get all you want and you struggle for self,
and the world makes you king for a day,
then go to the mirror and look at yourself
and see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your mother, your father or wife
whose judgment upon you must pass,
but the man, whose verdict counts most in your life
is the one staring back from the glass.

He’s the fellow to please, never mind all the rest.
For he’s with you right to the end,
and you’ve passed your most difficult test
if the man in the glass is your friend.

You may be like Jack Horner and “chisel” a plum,
And think you’re a wonderful guy,
But the man in the glass says you’re only a bum
If you can’t look him straight in the eye.

You can fool the whole world, down the highway of years,
and take pats on the back as you pass.
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
if you’ve cheated the man in the glass.

If we begin with "The Person in the Mirror", we will be molded, we will be transformed.
If we look into the True mirror, God's mirror, it will reflect back a true image of who we are.

Each morning as we prepare for the day ahead we generally do not leave without looking into a mirror. The mirror enables us to see if there is anything out of place and gives us an opportunity to correct what is wrong. So often we can get wrapped up in our own ways that we set aside the ways of the One whom we are called to be like.

Jesus has the power to change "The Person in the Mirror"!
Jesus has the power to transform you
He has the desire to infill you with His glory!

Proverbs 27:19 - "As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man."

If we start with "the Person in the Mirror", then we can begin to impact our world one person at a time!

If we start with "the Person in the Mirror", and let God mold us, we will be transformed!

If we each start with "the Person in the Mirror", then we can begin to make our church a beacon of light to those around us!

Praise God for his mercy and for his provision For what He has done and will continue to do in my life And in yours!

Yet, If we are honest There are times when we are deceived and do not act like the man or woman God has called us to be.

A Fellow was sitting at a stop light. The lady in front of him was going through some papers that were lying on the passenger's seat of her car, and when the light changed to green she did not move.  She did not follow the instruction of the light. You know, Stop on Red, Move on Green, and go real fast on Yellow.

As the light turned to yellow AND then back to red, this gentleman in the car behind her began screaming and beating on the steering wheel of his car.  His expressions of distress were quickly interrupted by a policeman, who with gun drawn and tapping on his window.

To which the man protested to the patrolman "You can't arrest me for hollering in my car!"  The officer ordered him into the back seat of his patrol car.  After about an hour in a holding cell, the officer advised him he was free to go.

As the man was leaving the police station He turned back to the patrolman and boldly stated "I knew you couldn't arrest me for what I was yelling in my own car. You haven't heard the last of this."
The officer quietly replied, "I didn't arrest you for shouting in your car.  As I sat behind you at the light, I saw you screaming and beating your steering wheel.  Then I noticed the PROUD CHRISTIAN ON BOARD sign in your window and the John 3:16 bumper sticker, and because of that I thought you must have stolen that car."

The way we actually live our lives may be the only Bible some folks will ever read. We need to remember who we are and what we look like.

And The Scriptures speak to this in James 1:22-24 - "21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like."

How can that be?

How can someone look in the mirror, see themselves, and then at once immediately walk away and forget what they look like?
"Wait a minute?
Am I balding?
Am I overweight?
Am I short?
Do I have a wrinkled face?
Do I have a scar on my chin?
AND Yet It is possible to look in the mirror and then forget what you looked like.

And, There are two reasons why that can happen.
First You do not believe the mirror is an accurate reflection of who you are.  That is You do not trust the mirror you are looking into.

Have you ever been to a fun house at a carnival or fair and walked through the Hall of mirrors?  They have certain mirrors that are designed to dramatically change your appearance.

* You can stand in front of one mirror and look extremely muscular I kind of like that mirror.

* You can stand in front of another and look extremely short and fat.  Certainly NOT my favorite.

* You can stand in front of yet another and be ten feet tall and as skinny as a rail.

Obviously These mirrors are not an accurate reflection of who you are.  So you walk away from them and quickly forget what you looked like.  So, You do not believe the mirror is an accurate reflection of who you are.

The 2nd reason you may look in a mirror and forget what you saw is because you are being deceived.

The enemy is deceiving you deceiving you into believing that you do not look like what the mirror is reflecting.  This often happens to people with eating disorders or people that are experiencing depression or are being oppressed by the enemy.

The only mirror of eternal significance is the Mirror of God's Word.  Remove the veil that is covering our eyes and look deeply into the truth of the mirror.
God's Word encompasses the real mirror a mirror that we can trust.  God's Word God's mirror will not only transform you but reflecting from the mirror are wonderful truths f who you are in Christ.

Do you trust God's mirror?  Or do you walk away from it believing that you are not worthy?  Do you look into the mirror of God's Word that proclaims you can do all things through Christ Jesus?  And yet walk away believing that you could never be good enough? 

Do you look into the mirror of God's Word that declares greater is he that is in me then he that is in the world?  Yet you walk away thinking that you will fail.  If you do, then there is a reason.

Either you do not trust the mirror you are looking into or, You are being deceived. Do not forget who you are and where you are going.
Do you trust God's Word? Do you trust it's reflection of who you are?
If you do then do not be deceived walk boldly be the salt of the earth be the light of the world. (Matthew 5:13-14)

Be the reflection of Jesus and yield to his transforming love.  For You are a new creation in Christ Jesus.

Sermon Contributor Jeff Smead

The Lords Church is Different

Matthew 18:16

Good to see each of you out this morning. This morning I would like to bring you a sermon that has been titled, The Lord's Church is Different. The Lord's Church is Different.

So while sad, it's very fascinating to know that the workers of Satan if I can use that term, are very hard at work trying to destroy that which God deems to be important and dear. Institutions like marriage, of course we can include the family, I'll mention that, and of course the church. Satan’s workers use various tactics in their efforts to destroy the institutions that God has established, institutions that He deems very important.

One way Satan tries to destroy the effect of the role of these institutions is to lead people to believe that they're no different than the counterfeits that Satan tries to institute. For example, Satan’s workers would try to convince the world that same-sex marriage is no different than the marriage between a man and a woman. If you understand why the Lord limited marriage to or for a man and a woman, you know that there is a difference between same-sex marriage and the marriage between a man and a woman. It makes a difference.

Finally, no surprise, those who serve under Satan want people to accept the same type of message about the church of Christ, the church that Christ established, Matthew 16:18. But there is a difference. The church is different. The Lord's church, first of all, I have to say, is not a denomination. It is un-denominational.

In other words, it is not divided. It is not divided, scripturally speaking. In our society, people are accustomed to thinking of the church as a denomination. Reading the Bible one cannot come to that conclusion.

The church is neither, as we understand it, is not Catholic, nor is it Protestant. What were the first century Christians considered? They were considered just simply Christians. They weren't considered to be Catholic, nor were they considered to be Protestant, meaning congregations or churches, as we understand, like the Lutheran, the Baptist church, which I came out of, the Methodist, the Presbyterian, etc.

Catholicism is not or didn't develop until about the 6th century, around 606 A.D. Protestantism didn't come about until centuries later. Therefore, denominations came hundreds of years after the Lord's church was established.

Denominations came about only, notice this; they only came about because of sin. Therefore, real Christians, in a Biblical sense, cannot be members of the denominations.

I want you to follow with me the Scriptures. Not with what I'm saying, but follow me with the Scriptures. The Lord's church is superior. The church we find in the Bible is superior to denominations. Why? Why is the Lord's church superior to denominations? Because the Lord's church was started by Christ, and it was paid for by His blood. Matthew 16:18, Acts 20:28. It has a divine origin, right? Denominationalism, on the other hand, they were started by men. We will get into this a little further later.

They have human origins. Before any denomination existed, the church of Christ, the church that Christ established, was already established. Acts chapter 2:22 and 47, and then Romans 16:16.

Some Scriptures, I would encourage you to pay close attention to some of these words, or these words, period.

“Now, the parable is this. The seed is the word of God.” (Luke 8:11).

“But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it and bring forth fruit with patience.” (Luke 8:15).

“And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” (Acts 11:26).

“Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” (Acts 26:28.)

“Salute one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.” (Romans 16:16).

Notice these Scriptures. These are very important principles here.

“And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself upon the earth, and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass and herb, yielding seed after his kind. The tree yielded fruit, whose seed was in itself after his kind. And God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:11-12).

Last, “but be not deceived, God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”( Galatians 6:7).

Today, if we preach the same gospel, urging people to submit to the same commandments given by the apostles, everybody that obeys will only be Christians. Why? Because the seed of the kingdom is the word of God. Luke 8:11.

The good soil, is the honest and good heart. Luke 8:15.

When the same word of God is preached, it will only produce Christians like those in the first century. The law of reproduction is consistent. A seed only produced after his kind.
You reap what you sow. A corn seed only produces corn. An apple seed only produces apples. Watermelon seeds only produce watermelon seeds. The seed of humans, the man and the woman, they only produce other humans.

The seed of the kingdom, the seeds of the citizens of the kingdom only produce Christians, not members of denominations, neither Catholic nor Protestant. In the New Testament, you cannot find a seed, or the word, that produce a variety of churches. Notice that, a variety of churches that's contrary to the law of reproduction. You cannot find it in nature, nor can you find it in the spiritual realm.

There is one church.

Notice these scriptures. Matthew 16:18, I already mentioned that. There we find that Jesus said, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Then Acts 2:38, says, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sin. And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, or the Holy Spirit.”
“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized, and the same day there were added unto them about 3,000 souls,” (Acts 2:41).

Verse 47 says, “Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily, such as should be saved.”

Then, “but we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to be used to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth, whereunto he called you by our gospel to obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (2nd Thessalonians 2:13-14).

In Colossians 1:13, “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son,”

“Then tidings of these things came unto the ear of the church, which was in Jerusalem, and they sent from fourth Barnabas that he should go as far as Antioch” (Acts 11:22).

Just a couple more, 1st Corinthians 1:2, “Unto the church of God, which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ call to be saints with all that in every place called upon the name of Jesus our Lord, both theirs and ours.”

Finally, 1st Thessalonians 1:1. There we can read what was written unto the church by; “Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be unto you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

What we want to know about the church, the New Testament must be our standard.

The New Testament must be our standard. It's not the church manuals, not the statement of faith like I had when I was in the Baptist church. They had a statement of faith right behind the pulpit. You could read what the church stood for. They did not have the Bible there. They had a statement of faith.

The term church basically means a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place according to then. What about the church of the New Testament? The church of the New Testament is composed of people, people that were called out of the world, people that were called out of darkness, people that were called out of the dark sinful world. How are they called out? They are called out by the gospel.

They are called out by the gospel of Christ, by the teachings of Christ himself. Where did the called out or the church begin? The church began in Jerusalem. When Peter preached the gospel on the day of Pentecost, God called those Jews out of the world. Those who gladly received the word were added to the church. From Jerusalem, the church developed wherever the gospel was preached and accepted. Hence the churches in Thessalonica, the church at Corinth, the churches of Galatia, or the church in Rome, “salute one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you,” Romans 16:16.

At times when the word church is used, it refers to a congregation in a given area, but when the word churches is used, it refers to the number of churches that maybe Paul or Peter or some other holy writer was communicating with. They were not talking or communicating with denominations, okay? Therefore, the number of congregations in a given area would be referred to as the churches of Christ, like the churches of Christ in Geauga County or the churches of Christ in Stark County or Cuyahoga County. They would be considered the churches of Christ.

One congregation in one area would be called a church of Christ, like this church of Christ in Chardon, Ohio. Chardon Church of Christ. It's local, in a local area. All the saved around the world would be considered the church of Christ universal.

More scriptures: “Unto the church of God, which is Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus. Called to be saints with all that, with all that in every place called upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.” (1st Corinthians 1:2). And then Hebrews 12:23. “To the general assembly and church of the firstborn.”

I will skip and go down now to Romans 16 again. “The churches of Christ salute you”.

Then Colossians 1:24, “Who now rejoice in the suffering for you and fill up that which is behind of the affliction of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church.”

Next Revelations 21:2 says, “And I John saw the holy city, New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”

And then finally, “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou ought to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God.” You can read that in 1 Timothy 3:15.

What about these various names referring to the churches in the New Testament? Can they be referring to denominations? The answer would be no, not at all. Different names given to the church express the relationship of the church to Christ and to the Father. Okay, the church of God. The church which belongs to God, 1st Corinthians 1:2, and then you have the church of Christ. Of course, the church that belongs to Christ, Matthew 16:18. As we read, “For I will build my church and the gates of hell, should not prevail against it.”

It is the body of Christ, and “He is the head of the body, the church…”. (Colossians 1:18.) “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church. He is the savior of the body.” (Ephesians 5:23). Christ is the head of the body. The body is the church. Therefore, the church is Christ's body.

Then, how about the bride of Christ? We can read in 2nd Corinthians 11:2, I think verse two, “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy, for I have espoused you to one husband.”

He goes on, And then we can read in Ephesians 5:25-27, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify clans with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself, a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Before a wedding, a bride prepares herself to meet her husband to be. I think we understand that in our society. Weddings are a big deal. And like manner, the church is preparing herself to meet Christ Jesus. The church today is preparing herself to meet Christ Jesus, her husband at the second coming.

How about the house of God? Well, scripture says, “but as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in His name,” (John 1:12). “But he answered and said unto him that told him, who is my mother? Who is my brother? And he stretched forth his hand towards his disciples and said, behold, my mother, my brethren, for whosoever shall do the will of my father, which is in heaven, the same is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:48-50).

“Therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizen with the saints and of the household of God,” (Ephesians 2:19).

“As we have, therefore, opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith,” (Galatians 6:10). The house of God simply refers to those who are God's children, refers to those who are God's children, those who do the will of the father, those who obey the faith, those who obey the father.

Therefore, the variety of names given to the church in the New Testament refers to different aspects of the church’s relationship with Christ and with the father. What about denominations? Let's notice these scriptures, Matthew 15:7-9. It says, “ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, this people draw nigh unto me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, notice that, but in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrine the commandment of men.”

What about these words? Verses 13 through 14. “But he answered and said, every plant, which my heavenly father, hath not planted shall be rooted up, let them alone. They be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” Matthew 15:13-14.

The church of Christ has a relationship with Christ and a relationship with the father. However, what about the Roman Catholic Church, for example? It doesn't have a relationship with Christ or with the father in the scriptures. We do not find that. According to history, the Roman Catholic Church was founded by Boniface III and others who created their teachings, which started around 606 AD.

I believe those people truly worship God. But they worship God, I would argue, in vain because they worship according to the teachings, the doctrine of men. The Father didn't plant the seed or the words that started the Catholic Church. Therefore, the Bible teaches us that such shall be uprooted.

How about the Greek Orthodox Church? It has no relationship with Christ nor with the Father. In the scriptures, you cannot find that name. You cannot find it at all. According to history, its relationships are found with a group that started it around 1053 AD or 54. It was split between, I guess, Pope Leo IX and a patriarch named Michael Cerularius because they excommunicated one another. You have these two different churches. I believe they worship God, but they worship God in vain because their worship was according to the teachings of men. The Father did not plant that church. Therefore, it shall be uprooted.

What about the Lutheran Church? It doesn't have a relationship, with Christ or the Father. We do not find it in the scriptures. You cannot find it there. Its relationship started after, I believe, Martin Luther himself died, by his followers in Augsburg, Germany around 1530 AD. And again, that church shall be uprooted.

What about the Baptist Church that I came out of? The Baptist Church has many branches, if I may say. It has no relationship with Christ or with the father. In the scriptures, you cannot find it in the scriptures. Matter of fact, it does not even have a relationship with John the Baptist himself. It was started about 1607 after, of course, John the Baptist died. Its relationship started with a John but his last name was Smith in London, England. Therefore, the father did not plant it and it shall be uprooted.

The same thing applies to the Seventh-day Adventist Church started by William Miller, 1830, thereabout, in Low Hampton, New York. The Congregational Church, Robert Brown, 1550, in England. The Christian Science Church, Mary Baker Eddy, 1866, thereabout, in America. The Methodist Church, John Wesley, 1739, thereabout, in England. The Presbyterian Church, John Calvin, 1530, in Switzerland. All the other churches we can name. There's hundreds and hundreds of congregations or churches or so-called churches started by men. None of them have a relationship with Christ and the Father and they shall be uprooted.

The Lord's Church is different. Denominationalist churches may look like it, they may sound like it, they may act like it, but they are not it. Chevy, Ford, Chrysler, and other makes, Hondas, Toyotas, you can name it. They may look like Rolls Royces, and they may sound like Rolls Royces. They may perform like a Rolls Royce, but they are not a Rolls Royce. A Rolls Royce is different. If you were to take your Chevy or your Ford, your Chrysler, your Honda, your Civic to a Rolls Royce dealership for repair, you probably would get laughed out of the dealership. Why? Because Rolls Royce does not make Chevys. They do not make Fords. They do not make Chryslers and others. Just because GM, Ford, and Chrysler cars have steering wheels, engines, and tires, and other similar parts, doesn't mean that Rolls Royce will honor the warranties from GM and Chrysler and others.

The same principles apply to the Lord's church. Just because other churches may resemble the Lord's church, doesn't mean that they will be recognized in the judgment by the Lord himself. Or just because some people look like or act like Christians does not mean that Christ will accept them as Christian or his own.

Notice these scriptures. Don't take my word for it. Notice these scriptures.

The Bible says, “Not everyone that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. But he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name cast out devils. And in thy name done many wonderful works. And then I will profess unto them, says the Lord, I never knew you. Depart from me ye that worketh iniquity.” You can find this for yourself in Matthew 7:21-23.

What can we say about this group of people? They sound like Christians. They call Christ Lord. Lord, Lord, they said. Just therefore like many today, they probably have the Christian vernacular down. They sound like Christians. Not only do they sound like Christians, but they also act like Christians. Notice they did many good works. They probably fed the poor. They probably clothed the naked. They probably visited the sick and did much, much more. Then people saw them, they probably said, there's a Christian, but Christ thought differently.

Man probably saw acts of obedience, but God saw partial obedience. Partial obedience does not cut it in the kingdom of God. God deserves and demands complete obedience. What about us? What about you? Have you fully obeyed Christ? If you haven't obeyed the pure gospel of Christ, you cannot be a Christian.

Christ promised to build his church, Matthew 16:18-19. The church was built or was established, Acts 2. Philip preached the gospel as we can find in Acts 8, and Philip preached faith in Christ, no doubt. I'm sure he preached repentance like we find in Acts 17:30. I'm sure he preached confession like we find in Romans 10:9. And I'm sure, and we can see that he preached baptism just like we find in Acts 2:38. In preaching the gospel, Philip preached the kingdom of God.

That is the kingdom of God's dear son. The kingdom believers are translated into, and out of the kingdom of darkness. In other words, the church of Christ, the church that Christ died for. The church believers were added to on the day of Pentecost as in the book of Acts. Acts chapter 2:48, I believe. On Pentecost, they weren't added to the Catholic church. Neither were they added to any of the Protestant churches that we can find today or any church that was started by man.

Therefore, if we obeyed what they called the gospel, you didn't obey the gospel of Christ. They preached a different Jesus. They preached a different church. Notice these scriptures if you don't believe me. For if they come as preaching another Jesus, notice there's more than one Jesus being preached, whom you have not preached. For if they receive another spirit, notice there's another spirit out there, not just the Holy Spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel.

Notice there are other gospels out there which you have not accepted. You might bear with them well. That's 2nd Corinthians 11:4. Read it for yourself. Notice men do preach another Jesus. Notice they preach other gospels. That being true, they also preach another kingdom or another church. Therefore, there is a true Jesus and there is a false Jesus. There is a true gospel and there is a false gospel. There is a true church and there are false churches.

If you obey the true gospel, the question is, have you continued in obedience? If not, you need to consider your ways, repent, obviously confess. So if you're here this morning and you stand and need to respond to the true gospel or to renew your relationship with the Father and Christ, we encourage you to do so as we stand to sing this song of invitation. Thank you.

Don't Blame Me!

James 1:12-15

This morning’s sermon is entitled; DON’T BLAME ME.  I came across this story which tells about the manager of a minor league baseball team who was so disgusted with the center fielder's performance he ordered him to the dugout and assume the position himself.

The first ball that came into center field took a bad hop and hit the manager in the mouth! Now, Remember he's trying to show the player how to do it correctly.The next one was a high fly ball which he lost in the glare of the sun until it bounced off his forehead.

And the third was a hard line drive that he charged with his outstretched arms. Unfortunately, it flew right between his arms and smacked him right in the eye.Furious he ran back to the dugout grabbed the center fielder by the uniform and shouted, “See what you have done. You've got centerfield so messed up that even I can't do a thing with it.”

This attitude is all too often seen in the world around us which is what I believe the reason is that there are so many posters.

When we look around we can often see posters that remind us of the following three ways to fail.

One… complain about everything.

Two… blame others for your problems.

Three… never be grateful

You can spend your entire life blaming the world but your success or your failures are entirely your own responsibility. Or when you blame and criticize others you are in essence avoiding some truth about yourself.

Picture Adam one day out hunting with his two boys and they come up to the Garden of Eden where he and Eve had been kicked out for eating the forbidden fruit.

I can picture Adam staring at the garden and one of his boys saying HEY DAD? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU WHY ARE YOU CRYING.
Adam wipes a tear and says boys that is the Garden of Eden right there. That's where we used to live until your mother ate us out of house and home.

To cover the subject of right and wrong, of good and evil we must go way back to creation, back before the beginning of time. The first two verses of Genesis tells us that in the beginning our road was formless it was empty. It was dark.
Then God stepped in and gave it shape. He gave shape to that formlessness. He filled the emptiness with life and brought light into the darkness.

In other words God took the chaos and created order out of it. We know that the Bible records the days of creation. It tells us that God looked upon everything he had made and what did he say.

It is good.  BUT not everybody was happy. The Bible also tells us about Satan the angel of God who rebelled and because of that he was evicted from heaven and banished to Earth.

Satan learned that he could not overcome God so Satan focused his attack on his next target mankind to whom God had given authority over the earth. Satan's goal is to put chaos back into our world.

It doesn't take a very acute observer to realize that he has been successful in MANY AREAS of our world today. You look around and you can see how confused we have become.

For instance there is confusion about the roles of men and women husband and wife, mother and father. We seem no longer sure what these roles should be. Young people are confused about their place in the family and are often in various stages of rebellion against the authority of their parents.

The rise of homosexuality and transgenders have even ADDED more CONFUSION TO THE SEXUAL ROLES GOD HAD CREATED. There is so much confusion today that We are sometimes asked our biological sex at BIRTH. Abortion tells us that life is not really all that valuable and that euthanasia may become the next big issue that we will probably have to face in this country because we are no longer sure about the value of life.

Satan is bringing chaos into our lives. When we think about what Satan got for a few bites of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. You realize that he really got a lot. It ruined the lives of Adam and Eve and got control of the world just for a couple bites of a forbidden fruit.

Sounds ridiculous doesn't it. Long after the flavor of that fruit was forgotten Adam and Eve are still paying that price for the stupid decision they made. Satan depends upon us making unwise decisions also.

HE depends upon us having a distorted sense of value. He never really offers us very much and in exchange he wants everything from us.

I would like to read from Joshua 7:19-20 - " Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.” Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done:"

Achan traded his life for a wedge of gold, and a Babylonian garment. We know that Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of soup to satisfy his temporary hunger.

For one sensual moment with Bathsheba we know David NOT ONLY opened himself up BUT ALSO his family TO GENERATIONS OF MISERY.

Satan is always doing things like this… never offering much.We think we're getting a great deal, a moment of pleasure, a little economic gain, or the applause of the crowd. In reaching for it we discover that we have given up everything. That is how Satan works and when that happens we try to find someone else to blame.

In the third chapter of Genesis we see God coming back into the Garden of Eden following the temptation following the sin of Adam and Eve. Versus 8-13 tell us that the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day and they hid from the Lord among the trees in the garden.

But the Lord called to them. Where are you? Adam answers, I heard you in the garden. I was afraid because I was naked. GOD asked, who told you that you were naked. Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from? What does the man say? The woman you put here with me she gave me some of that fruit and I ate it.

Then the Lord God said to the woman what is it that you have done? The woman said the serpent deceived me and I ate. If we listen closely, don't blame me says Adam. It wasn't my fault. It was the woman you gave me she enticed me to eat of the forbidden fruit.

Eve says don’t blame me. It was a serpent who turned from you he deceived me and I ate.

Most of us when our sins are found out look for a scapegoat, don’t we? It wasn't my fault. It was someone or something else that caused me to become involved in this sin.

Let's look this morning at some ways that we may use to blame someone else for our sins. That's just the way I am. That's how God made me. Have you ever heard someone say that?

A man might have a violent temper. He says I can't help it that's just the way I am, but his whole family ends up suffering from the verbal abuse and maybe even the physical abuse. He says it's not my fault. He has a hurt wife. He has children who run for cover every time he loses his temper, There's nothing that I can do about it.

BUT God constantly reminds us that we are responsible for our own words. We are responsible for our own actions and we will be held accountable for that. We can't pass the buck by saying that's just the way I am. Sometimes we even use that excuse to justify being quiet about things.Maybe we don't want to get involved. That's somebody else's problem. As long as they leave me alone, I'm fine with it. When you finally do break the silence and someone to ask why you acted that way.You answer I can’t help it. I was born that way. That's just the way I am. In other words don't blame me… blame God. God gave me this personality. You just have to accept the fact that this is the way I am.

We oftentimes see in society and don't get me wrong I do feel sorry for individuals that have grown up maybe not knowing what a real family situation would look like not knowing the love their mother or father could give them yet too often we look and try to blame society.

We blame somebody else. Many try to blame some dark family past as an excuse for their own weaknesses and bad decisions. The Bible doesn't allow us to give that kind of excuse, does it? It always says be responsible for yourself.

When Bad events happen in our society we often are told that the one doing the offense can hardly be blamed for his actions since he was only doing what he was compelled to do by outside forces over which he had no influence. The devil or something made him do it. So, the man cannot really be blamed.

I want you to notice that the Bible never teaches that sin comes from GOD.

1John 3:5
You know that He appeared [in visible form as a man] in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin

1Peter 2:22-23
22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

We are told that the Devil is the father of lies. He lies to us. He deceives us. He manipulates us and he tempts us. But why? Why does he deceive? Why does he tempt? Why does he manipulate. The answer is because he can't force. If he could force you to sin there wouldn’t be any temptation that we could avoid. He would just force you to do it.

But he cannot force us to sin. We must choose. It must be a choice of ourselves. We know in James it talks about where this sin comes from. It comes from our own personal desires. You see nobody tied Eve down and forced to eat the forbidden fruit. Nobody forced you to take that first drink. Nobody forced us to be tempted by whatever temptation we have in our life. That temptation that forces us to sin. It's our choice. WAIT! WHAT?If it's our choice then we are responsible for our actions.

When we find that we can't blame the devil Many then try to place the blame on God.  After all God is responsible for everything, isn't he? He is the one who gave me the awful family that I have. He's the one who surrounded me with friends who have led me astray. He's the one who made it impossible for me to have the willpower to say no therefore all too often people say it is God's fault.

What does James say? God never tempts us. It's entirely up to us.

James 1:12-15 tells us "12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed.15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."

2^nd Corinthians 5:9-10 Paul says "9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."

In other words God says I hold you accountable for your sins. Don't blame someone or something else You… yourself… personally are accountable. That is the bad news.
We also have good news. The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus Christ loved me that Jesus died for me and that his blood can cover my sin.

If I make the right choices the first step is being covered by the blood of Jesus. It is to accept responsibility for my own actions.

As long as I try to find someone or something else to blame then I'll never come to grips with the fact that I am a sinner. I have to come to the place where I will pray God be merciful to me a sinner Jesus taught this in the example of the two that went down to pray

Luke 18:13-14 "
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”"

A man tells of a time when a prairie fire swept across his father's land and burned everything the house… the buildings… the crops… everything.  Later on his dad was walking across the burned ground kicking this object and that. Finally came to a charred piece of something that looked like a stump from a tree. He kicked at it. When he did little baby chicks started running in all directions. He bent over to look and discovered that the charred lump was the old hen, Mama, who had covered her chickens to protect them from the fire. The chicks were still alive, but in the process Mama had given her life for them.

IN A WAY BROADER SENSE That is what Jesus did for each one of us. Jesus tells us in Matthew 23:37 - "37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chicks but you would not come!"

He looked at the masses and said they are like sheep without a shepherd. If only they would come, but Jesus will never force us to come. He is always available.

We know Jesus said come to me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.

We know that we are always welcome to come unto him. He will not turn anyone away. The song most everyone has learned when they were younger
Jesus Loves Me This I know.
Why?
For the Bible Tells Me So
little ones to him belong
they are weak but He is strong.

He is always available and right now he waits for you to open the door to invite him to come in.

If there is anyone in need of the invitation this evening will you not come forward as together we stand and sing.

The Light

John 1:9-13

INTRO: Good morning church. Making decisions in the dark can lead to some regrettable consequences. Back in the days before electricity, a tightfisted old farmer was taking his hired man to task for carrying a lighted lantern when he went to call on his girl. "Why," the old farmer exclaimed, "when I when a courtin’ I never carried one of them things. I always went in the dark." "Aye," the hired man replied," and look what you got!"

Previously we saw Jesus described as the eternal Word, the very message of God. In Jesus is life and that life is the light for all people. John came as a witness to the light and we noted the shocking nature of needing someone to witness to the light. The only people who need a witness to the light are the blind, those who cannot see. We observed in our last lesson the shame that people would need someone to point out that there is light. There must be something terribly wrong for someone to have to come and say; there is the light. This suggests our condition of spiritual blindness.

Yet, that was John's very purpose, sent by God as a witness to the light. The world cannot see and John was appointed by God to be a witness to the light. John was not the light, but came as a witness, so that all could believe in Jesus through John’s testimony.

Our text today is John 1:9-13. Please turn there and read with me starting in verse 8, - “8. He (this is speaking of John the Witness) was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9. That was the true Light which gives light to every man who comes into the world. 10. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. 12. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name: 13. who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

I. The True Light: Jesus is the true light. Jesus was already called the light back in verse 5. However, the author wants to emphasize that Jesus is the genuine light. The word translated “true” (alēthinos) a-lay-thee-nos', refers to what is real and genuine. It is the opposite of what is fictitious, imaginary, simulated or pretended and contrasts realities with their semblances.

A. What John is implying is a contrast between the true light and what is falsely described or falsely offered as the light. John is going to spend a lot of time teaching us about how Jesus is authentic, genuine, the real deal. One of the popular texts that you may know starts in John 15:1f where Jesus states He is the true or genuine vine.

1. Jesus is the true light and we have this implicit thought that He stands in contrast to anything that is held up as light. Consider there are many things that are portrayed to the world as light, that is, something that will bring enlightenment, deliverance, freedom, or release.
2. Philosophy has been touted to be the light as the enlightenment, as your true light. If you would just know this, then you would have understanding. You would have freedom. You would have true knowledge.
3. Various religions and teachings are used to say this is the true light. If you just had enough spirituality, if you could just seek your inner light then you would have this true enlightenment. You could be set free and delivered.
4. No teaching. No opinion. No philosophy. Nothing from man is truly light. Opinions are not the light. Our thoughts are not the light. Our words are not the light. There is only one light and that's what is being set up for us as John pens this gospel.
5. There have been many false prophets and teachers through the centuries claiming to be the light. A fair number in the past millennia, so many claims to “special knowledge” giving light to the soul, but Jesus is the true light.

B. He is the one who gives light to the soul, who gives light to the eyes. Who breathes life into all humanity. That is the picture being given to us. John continues in verse 9, “the true light which enlightens everyone.”

1. Everyone has opportunity to be enlightened by the light. The light did not shine to just a few. The light shines to the whole world. We understand this about light. It is not possible to turn on the light in this room just for me and it not shine for you also.
2. John is saying that this light, this offering that Jesus gives of being set free, of being delivered, of bringing life to the soul,-- was offered to all people. This was an offering to the whole world. It was offered to every single person regardless of race and gender and background. This is a light that shone in the whole of the universe.

C. This was the offering given by God. In Isaiah 49:5 Isaiah records; “And now the Lord says, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, so that Israel is gathered to Him (for I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and My God shall be My strength),” The true believers, are referred to here as "Israel," and the wicked and rebellious majority, are called Jacob. In verse 6; “Indeed He says, `It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.' ''”[NKJV] He is saying, “it's easy enough for me to bring you back a remnant of Israel, to bring back the tribes of Jacob. So let's go beyond that. I will make you a light to the Gentiles and you will bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”

1. Jesus is this light. He is the true light to restore Israel and act as a beacon to the nations so that the salvation of the Lord may reach the everyehere. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Messianic expectation of “the coming one.” He is the one who was coming into the world. Jesus is the true light and in Him is life.
2. Well, what happened?

II. Rejection of the Light: John 1:10-11 are probably the most sad, sorrowful and ironic words we read in this gospel. It is a staggering statement that John gives with such simple words here. In verse 10, speaking of Jesus, “He was in the world…”. So here is Jesus.

A. Here's a picture of the incarnation. Jesus comes into the world “…and the world was made through Him…”. Remember we already saw that back in verse 3. Remember what John declared? All things were made through Him and without Him was not anything made that was made. Everything that exists in the world was made through Jesus. There is nothing excluded. He is God. He is divine. He is the eternal word who made all things.

1. Then v. 10 says; “…and the world did not know Him.” What irony! What sorrow! How could this be? His creation should have known Him. He made everything. He created every person, created everything. Now He comes into His world, comes to His own creation.
2. The words are even a little bit sharper in v. 11; “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” I think the implication is He came to His own people, and His own people did not receive Him. He came to the very people that God had adopted as His own possession. He came to Israel.
3. He came to His very own people, His own nation who He had established in the days of Abraham, making a promise that it would be through Abraham, through His descendants, through that lineage, that all the nations of the earth would be blessed. God kept that covenant and continued that promise all the way down.
4. Now here we are in the first century as John writes these words. John says, Jesus has arrived, He is the Messiah. He is the light and He comes to this nation. He comes to His own people and His own, the very people that were adopted by God as Israel; do not even know who He is.

B. This was the message of the apostles throughout their ministry, as seen in the very first recorded sermon. Acts 2:22-23 – “"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know. Him, being delivered by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;” Israel rejected its Messiah. Israel rejected the light. Israel rejected its Maker. He came to His own and His own did not receive Him.

1. I thought about Stephen’s message. What message did he give? How Israel has been stubborn for all of its history, always rejecting the prophets, always rejecting God's messengers. Then the Son is sent and what do the people do but reject Him as well. How does that story end? Stephen, one of the messengers of God, is killed for proclaiming the message of how they were killing the messengers of God.
2. He came to His own people, His own nation, His own world, His own creation, and His own creation killed Him. His own creation rejected Him and refused to accept Him. There is nothing sadder then the willfully blind.
3. How can we read words like this and not wonder; why would God continue a plan like this? God, when you knew things were going to go like this, knew from before the foundations of the world, why would you continue this plan?

C. As we read in Acts, this is by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God. This isn't an accident. God didn't stop and say, I can't believe they killed Him. He knew that was going to happen.

1. Yet, God goes through with His plan anyway and I think we might rightly be stunned by that. How could you possibly do that? Who would show that kind of love? Who would show that much sacrifice? I submit to you that perhaps, verse 12 contains at least a partial answer as to why God would continue to do this.

III. Receiving the Light: John 1:12 begins, “But as many as received Him…,” In the midst of this sorrowful, condemning statement in verses 10 and 11, There is this small glimmer of hope. Not everyone would reject Him. Not everybody would turn their back on the light. When the light came into the world, not everybody would turn Him down.

A. There would be some who would receive Him; some would go against the trend. There were some, there were a few, who did receive Him. There were a few who saw Him as who He was, as the light, as the life, and they chose to receive Him.

1. Even in the midst of the world's hatred toward God, and even in the midst of His own people and His own creation rejecting Him, God's plan to save people would not be thwarted.
2. He would still send His Son to be the perfect, sinless, sacrifice. God with foreknowledge knew that through Jesus death would come salvation for those who would receive Him.
3. When we think about it, that the very Creator of the world should cast aside the glory of His eternal existence and choose to enter earth life as a man subject to all the inconveniences and limitations of the flesh — is a fact of awesome wonder. Now add to that the obstinate and rebellious refusal of the Lord's creation to acknowledge Him when He came! God was not taken by surprise by man's refusal to know the Lord, for His prophets had faithfully foretold it. The repetition of "world" in these lines dramatizes the marvel of humanity's not knowing Jesus when He came.
4. The words of the apostle in this passage reveal his own grief that Israel, in its major aspect, had rejected the Lord — but not all of them. These words strongly remind one of Paul's words in Romans 9:1-5 where he laments the failure of the people.

B. John, having registered the unbelief of many of the chosen people, next turned to a consideration of those who had received him. In John 1:12 John explains what it means to receive Him. “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name,…”[ESV]

1. Belief is what it means to receive him. As you study John’s gospel it will become apparent that believing does not mean only an intellectual acknowledgement.  He's looking for something far deeper than that. When it describes receiving Him, we are talking about people who accepted Him as the Messiah, as the Son of God, as the Savior, in whom they would put their trust, their full reliance upon Him, and would do as He says.
2. Receiving Jesus means understanding He is the ground of our salvation, the foundation of our hope. It is His righteousness, His perfection, and His love that is credited toward us before the Father. It is the knowing that Jesus is the access to the Father.
3. Even the demons acknowledged Jesus, as pointed out in Matthew 8:28-29. We're talking about people who were ready to give their lives for Him. People who were ready to sacrifice all that they had to be able to be with this One, because He's the Son of God. People who would put their complete life, trust and foundation on Him. That's the picture of receiving Him.

C. Consider John’s implication here. What did it mean for the people to reject Him? It says that He came to His own and His own did not receive Him. What were they doing? It wasn't that they were just saying we don't like Him. What were they doing? They were rejecting everything that He stood for. They were rejecting His very plan. They were saying, you are not sent from God. You're not the Son of God. You're not divine. In you, there is no salvation or deliverance. We will not follow you. We will not believe. Instead, we will resist you.
D. To receive Him is the contrast of that. To receive Jesus, is to believe in Him, then to understand that we will follow Him, that we will accept His message, that we will obey Him and we will go wherever He goes. This is the ground that John is getting at what it means for us to receive the Lord. Sadly, even though some people change their ways when they see the light, others only when they feel the heat.

IV. The Result: Now notice the promise that is being given here in the beautiful text of verse 12— “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name:” That is a very powerful statement to those who did receive Him.

A. He gave something phenomenal. He gave the right to be become children of God. That is a fascinating sentence to me. John says what happens is that you are given the right to become children of God. Jesus being rejected, and dying on the cross is not the end of the story. Not a tragic ending, but a glorious beginning of what God has planned.

1. Here is the grace that is being offered. This word for right, to say that we were given the right to become children of God, can also be understood as the freedom or the authority. This is important with what John is saying. What happened is that for those who did receive Him, there was divine authorization that took place. We were dead in our sins, had no hope of washing them away. But God did what we could not do, and gave us a change of status, a way forward, the opportunity to become Children of God.
2. That's what's really neat about the phrasing of become children of God. There's an imagery here of moving from one status to another status. We have moved out of being slaves to sin. We have moved away from being enemies of the cross or enemies of God, as Romans chapter 5 would describe. Now the authority, the freedom, the right has been given to us that now we can become children. And I think it is so important for us to consider what John is driving at with this.
3. We don't have the right to be children of God. In and of ourselves, by our own actions, we have no right, no authority, no freedom whatsoever to become His children. This is something that only God can do.
4. The privilege of being a child of God is the greatest privilege afforded by life on earth; but even when people have complied with the conditions antecedent to the gift, no one can ever be considered as deserving or meriting so marvelous a gift. Conditions there certainly are, else salvation would have to be universal; but when all conditions are complied with, the sinner is still saved by God’s grace.

B. We are full of sin. We have no rights. We have no freedom, for we are enslaved to sin. We have no authority for anything before God. We are like the prodigal son, in that we have gone astray and we should be just like the prodigal son who says, I have no right to be a child, I should just be a slave. That is where we stand before Him.

1. We have nothing to stand on before God. But God says I will give access, I will give authorization I will give the right to become children of God, to those who receive the Son, to those who accepted Him, to those who put their full faith in Him and obedience to Him. There is a change of status that occurs. That is why John says “the right to become” not “the right to be.” We are moving from darkness to light.
2. The author of this gospel will describe this change as passing from death to life (John 5:24). We have been given the privilege to become the covenant people of God. Jesus has granted the authority to belong as His children.

C. John 1:13 starts out with “who were born…”. Then John describes how we become children of God and in doing so he first eliminates some things.

1. First he says “who were born, not of blood,…”. That's not the way you are given this right, you are not part of this by blood. I believe this clearly drives at the way the Jews perceived their state before God. This idea that we are the chosen people, we are the Israel, and therefore because of our physical status of being born through Abraham and tracing it back to Abraham, we are the children of God. John the baptizer's words were so forceful when he said “…For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.” (Matthew 3:9, Luke 3:8). This is not a promise given to physical Israel alone, nor was it a promise that even physical Israel would receive alone. It has nothing to do with blood-line. It has nothing to do with lineage. Being a physical descendant of Abraham did not provide the authority or the right to be children of God.
2. Next John says, “… nor of the will of the flesh…” I suggest John means there is not any external thing that we can do to authorize us to be children of God. No action on our part. What great merit will we stand on before God and say, I'm so good that you have to make me a child of God? Nope, our wickedness and our violations before God leave no room for that.
We are outside the covenant that God has made because we have broken that covenant. That is a point that Paul so accurately drives up in those first two chapters of Romans, condemning all people, reminding them of their condition before God, and that the wrath of God has been revealed against all ungodliness and all unrighteousness. There is nowhere that we can point to on the ledger and say, here's the thing that authorizes me to be a child of God.
3. Third John says, “…nor of the will of man…” It does not matter how much we want to be in a relationship with Jesus. Every one of us still have a problem. All of us have a sin problem. All of us stand condemned. No matter how much we desire God, no matter how much we want to have a relationship with Him, our condition before God does not change. That's why Paul's words are so powerful in Ephesians 2 when he says we are dead in our sins. There's no changing of that condition without those first two words in Ephesians 2:4, “But God…”. Here John says, “who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

D. We need God to change our condition. We need to be authorized to be able to have this relationship. Bloodline will not authorize us or give us the right to be children of God. Doing certain works will not authorize us to be children of God. We could have desired it with all our heart.
If God had not sent His son to die on the cross, it would not matter. We needed Him to act first to be able to give us the hope to be able to have the access to God. It's a critical picture. We needed God to act first. 1^st John 4:19 “We love Him because He first loved us.”

CONCLUSION: We are born of God. This is God’s doing. God has done through Jesus what no one could do. We needed help and that is why the Light was sent into the world. Only the blood of Jesus is able to move us from the status of dead in our sins to children of God. Our heritage does not move us from death to life. Our desire does not move us from being dead in our sins to being children of God. No system of works can change our state before God.
The concept of being “born of God” is an important theme in John’s writings. In this gospel, John will explore the idea of being born of God more thoroughly in chapter 3 when Jesus speaks with Nicodemus. Being born of God is the way to transition from darkness to light, from death to life, from dead in sins to children of God. Receiving Jesus is the only way to become children of God. Jesus is the true light. By His will and His life it is possible for us to become children of God. But we must receive Him, which means that we surrender our lives to follow Him because He is the foundation of our faith, our hope, and our very lives. Since we are born of God, notice what John says in his letters about how such people live.

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.” (1^st John 5:1 ESV)

“No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.” (1^st John 3:9 ESV)

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” (1^st John 4:7)

Knowing what God has done for us through His Son leads us to no longer practice sin, love each other, and to strive to live up to the great privilege of being His children.

We are about to sing the song of invitation. The invitation is a call open to everyone to make themselves right with God. As a Christian if you need to change, ask God’s forgiveness. If you need our prayers, we would be glad to pray with you and for you. If you need to be baptized into Christ, don’t continue to hide in the darkness of this life without the light of the Lord, for there will come a point, as Mark taught us last week, when Time Runs Out.

Whatever you need we invite you to come as we stand together and sing.

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Reference Sermon: Brent Kercherville