Chardon church of Christ

CSI Jerusalem - Eyewitness Testimony

1 Corinthians 15:1-8

What does living by faith mean today? It means deciding what is the controlling principle in our lives. Is it luck or chance? A man had just parked his car at the office when a lady came up to him and said, "That’s a nice car but I wouldn’t want to drive it!" He was rather puzzled and asked "Why not?" "Well" she said, "it’s green, and what’s more the registration number adds up to 13!"
Fancy life being governed by superstition! It begs the question - what influences us? Is it fate or faith?
About 10 years ago, during a Homicide trial in Nassau County in the state of New York, the prosecution was examining their witness on the stand. In his testimony, the witness stated that he saw the victim lying on the ground, obviously dead.
When the prosecution had finished, the defense lawyer rose to his feet intent on undermining the credibility of the witness. and conducted the following cross-examination:
"Sir, are you a doctor?"
"No," replied the witness.
"Well, are you a paramedic?"
"No, I’m not," the witness stated.
"Have you ever gone to medical school?"
"Never," was the answer.
"Then tell me, sir, how do you know that the victim was indeed dead?"
"Well," responded the witness, "I went to his funeral."

APPLY: In every Crime Scene Investigation, it’s hard to beat the value of eyewitnesses
Now, it is a fact that witnesses can often disagree on some significant details of a crime, but when large numbers of eyewitnesses tell you the same thing over and over it’s a pretty good indication that what they say they’ve seen is true.
The Bible recognizes this fact.
In Deuteronomy 19 we’re told: “One witness is not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” Deuteronomy 19:15
This concept was so central to Biblical reasoning that, when Paul confronted the church at Corinth about problems they had there, he told them:
"Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses." 2 Corinthians 13:1
And so it’s not surprising to find that Jesus built His church upon the foundation of a multitude of witnesses.
After Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, the Apostles sensed a need to find a replacement for Judas. Peter cited references from the Old Testament explaining why they should do this & then said: “… it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a WITNESS with us of his resurrection." Acts 1:21-22
In other words whoever was going to replace Judas as one of the 12 had to be an eyewitness – not just of His resurrection - but of every thing Jesus had done from His baptism by John ALL THE WAY thru His ministry until His death, burial and resurrection. Only two men met that criteria. What that reveals to us is the significance the apostles placed on the importance of eyewitness accounts.
When Luke wrote his gospel he stressed how important he felt 1st hand accounts were for his book::
“Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who were from the first EYEWITNESSES and servants of the word.” Luke 1:1-2
Later, when he composed his story about the church (the Book of Acts) Luke wrote these words:
“In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he showed himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” Acts 1:3
Very subtly, Luke is telling his friend Theophilus that the eyewitnesses he’s used for his book didn’t just see the risen Jesus once… they saw him several times over a period of 40 days.
So, when Paul writes about the story of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, you can sense that he is telling of witnesses of the resurrection that he’s already spoken to himself.
He says that Jesus “appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.”
Essentially, Paul is saying:
“Hey, there are over 500 witnesses who saw the risen Christ. If you don’t believe me… if you have any doubts… if you have any questions… go talk to one of them.”
How do we know what these witnesses saw?
Well, a few of them wrote books.
One of those witnesses had once been a tax collector before he met Jesus.
He was an educated man who wrote down the things that he’d heard and observed, and he wrote a book we call the Gospel of Matthew.
Then there was the man who once made his living working for his father. He apparently came from a fairly wealthy family because his dad owned the boat and he had servants. This man was one of Jesus’ closest disciples and he was privy to conversations and miracles the others never saw nor heard. His was the last Gospel that was written and he told things that aren’t in the other three. His name was John… and he wrote the Gospel that bears his name.
Then there is The Gospel of Mark was written by a young man who was a friend and companion of the Apostle Peter. Because of close connection to this early leader of the church, Mark was able to write down the remembrances of that great Apostle and preacher.
And of course the Gospel of Luke (which we’ve talked about earlier) was written by a Doctor who was also a companion of the Apostle Paul. And Luke… as we’ve noticed earlier, worked very hard to interview people like…
· Mary the mother of Jesus
· Lazarus
· Zacchaeus
· Joseph of Arimathea
· And many of the original apostles.
The Gospels are all first hand accounts by eyewitnesses who actually saw and heard Jesus
Now, of late, people have tried to tell us that there were “OTHER” Gospels
Many religions have their own individual “creed book” they use as the FOUNDATION of their particular beliefs, such as
the Quran, the Book of Mormon, Sutras, Vedas, the Torah,
and some even have created “The Gospel of Judas”.

Many so-called scholars claim that this newly referred to “Gospel of Judas” gives us “new” information about Jesus that we didn’t have before, but most Christians have simply scoffed at this “great” discovery.

The early church knew (and we know as well) that this so-called Gospel was NOT an eye-witness account. It was written long after Judas had died. In fact, it was written long after anyone who had ever seen Jesus had died. In all likelihood, it had been written long after anyone who KNEW anyone who had seen Jesus had died.
Then there is the recent best seller by Dan Brown called “The DaVinci Code”. Mr. Brown has touted his novel as a “historical” fiction. In other words, he is trying to convince people that his fiction is built on truth.
In his book, Mr. Brown has declared that “Constantine commissioned and financed a new Bible, which omitted those gospels that spoke of Christ’s human traits and embellished those gospels that made Him godlike. The earlier gospels were outlawed, gathered up, and burned.”
Brown went on to say that “More than eighty gospels were considered for the New Testament, and yet only a relative few were chosen for inclusion-Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John among them.”
Dan Brown was being “untruthful” and/or “deceptive.”

All of these documents were all rejected principally because they weren’t even close to being the writings of eye-witnesses… or of anyone who knew an eye-witness.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ – His death, burial and resurrection - are build the foundation of a multitude of RELIABLE witnesses. The Gospel of Judas… and the DaVinci Code… are not.

ILLUS: Years ago, two men were riding on a railroad train discussing the Gospel story of Jesus.
The first man said, “I think an interesting romance could be written about (Jesus).”
The other replied, “You are just the man to write it. Set forth the correct view of His life and character. Tear down the prevailing sentiment as to His divineness and paint Him as He was - a man among men.”
The man who made that suggestion was Colonel Robert Ingersoll - a renowned agnostic and enemy of the church.
The other man was a General by the name of Lew Wallace.
Wallace began investigating the stories of the Gospels, and the more he investigated, the more convinced he became that the eyewitness accounts were extremely truthful, and that the Jesus presented by them was indeed the resurrected Son of God.

Down thru history… many others have come to the same conclusion. Doctors, scientists, lawyers, historians all have seen the Bible as an unshakable base for their faith.
Now, as reliable as those witnesses are we need to understand something – they’re all dead now!

Granted we have their written stories, but there are many people who aren’t interested in the stories of dead men. In their minds, the witness of men and women from the past are interesting, but they don’t want to know the stories of the dead… they want to hear the stories of the living.
In other words, they don’t want a dead religion - they want a living faith.
They don’t want a history lesson… they want to know if Jesus STILL changes lives today.
They want to know if Jesus works for you.

The famous atheist Friedrick Nietzsche once said: “Show me that YOU are redeemed, and I will believe in your Redeemer.”
Now, Christians can fall into a trap when it comes to talking to others about their faith. I’ve done it myself. We’ll often focus on inviting people to our church because we have a loving congregation.
Or you might talk about how much you like your preacher. 😊
Or you might talk about how great our worship service is.
And those things are ok… but we can often allow those surface realities to overshadow the really important information. We can forget to talk about Jesus and what Jesus HAS done for us in our lives.
And then there are those who don’t share their faith in Jesus because they want to avoid being seen as a “fanatics.”

ILLUS: Bill Bright told of meeting with a leading American statesman who was supposedly a professing Christian.
Bright had just asked the man to become involved in a massive effort to share their faith with people around the world.
The man’s response shocked him: “I don’t wear my religion on my sleeve. My religion is personal and I don’t want to talk about it.”
Bright was startled and could only ask: “You are a Christian aren’t you?”
The other man replied “Yes, but I’m not a religious fanatic.”
Bill Bright thought about that for a moment… and then asked
“Did it ever occur to you that it cost Jesus Christ His life so you could call yourself a Christian?
Hebrews 12:2 Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
It cost the disciples their lives too, and millions of Christians throughout the centuries have suffered or died as martyrs in order to get the message of God’s love and forgiveness to you.
Song #222 Faith of Our Fathers
Now do you really believe that your faith in Christ is personal and private and that you shouldn’t talk about it?”
As quick as a flash the man replied, “No sir, I’m wrong. I’m sorry that I never looked at it that way before.”

CLOSE: Romans 10:17 tells us that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of God.
It is by faith that the sinner is saved and escapes judgment (John 5:24).
It is by faith that Christ dwells in the heart (Ephesians 3:17).
It is by faith that we live (Galatians 2:20).
And, It is by faith that we stand (Romans 11:20).

Invitation:

Evidence of Jesus

Evidence of Jesus
Mark 15:33-39

 

A couple of weeks ago, in the last sermon I gave, I was trying to look at CSI’s view of evidence. Today I like to continue with that theme. I'd like to present evidence that Jesus did exist, evidence that there were factual incidences and even events that took place. There are many that try to disprove the Bible. They try to disprove that there's a God.

They try to disprove anything. In a science view, there was a big bang, we just created, and we go through life just by chance, I guess you would say by chance, and there is nothing to look forward to at the end of our lives. I like to start, first off, by looking at the centurion today. When I say THE centurion, I don't want to be misleading because there are many centurions and I'd like to reference a few of them this morning.

One, pay attention that there is more than one centurion and I'll try to describe who they are. Our text this morning is found in Mark 15:33-39 is the main text, but I will reference other verses also. In the days of Jesus, the most feared soldiers on the face of the earth were those of the legions of Rome. These men were practically invincible, from what I understand.

Obviously, I'm only going from historical accounts. I did not live during this time. I'm trying to go by what history says. It seemed that no nation of that day could stand against them. One of the reasons that they were so powerful and so feared was because of their armies which were led by men called centurions.

These centurions were seasoned veterans. They were commanders of units, approximately 100 men in force. In today's armies, they would be roughly equivalent to what I believe is a major. In Israel, two or three of these centurions would have been based in a fortress inside Jerusalem.

Most of them were stationed in a seaport called Caesarea because of the nature of the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Israel had no natural deep-water seaports for ships to enter and exit. Herod the Great built this one. It was an engineering masterpiece of the day, from what I understand. It became so important to sea trade that Rome took it over and made it their capital city.

It was the capital in Israel. The city became a jewel of the Mediterranean with a theater, an amphitheater, a hippodrome, are just a few of the attractions, from what I understand, were there. It was where most of the Roman force in the area was camped. This city was also, being the capital, the place where Pilot lived.

Now, it may shock you to learn that there are many people in this world who hate Christianity and hate our God and hate our Bible.

They want to believe their own thing, do their own thing. I remember growing up the saying, let's just do our own thing, you know, we don't have to listen to anybody else. That's how a lot of people, I think, live their religious life, doing our own thing. They hate when we try to teach the Bible.

Many of these individuals are so called scholars - scholars who challenge every aspect of Scripture. And for decades Pilate was like a gift for these critics. There was no record of Pontius Pilate ever being Jerusalem and the skeptics taught that Pilate was nothing more than a figment of the imagination of the Gospel writers who gave God's word to us. Then someone found this huge stone at Caesarea with Pilot's name on it. From what I understand, there's an actual physical stone, and it says, “Tiberium, Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea”

Now, why is Caesarea important in our story this morning? Well, because it's possible that the centurion at the cross came from Caesarea. You see, Pilot didn't live in Jerusalem, and he probably didn't want to live in Jerusalem. He was quite possibly about 70 miles, from what I understand, and in the suburbs, of Caesarea. The only reason he would have needed to travel to Jerusalem was during festivals such as Passover and Pentecost when many Israelites were gathered together there. The Jews hated the Romans. Rome soon learned that any time that many Jews gathered in one place, it was a recipe in their mind for disaster.

There was unrest, there were riots, and possibly even the potential for a major revolt. Pilot probably didn't like the Jews any more than they liked him, but his job was to keep the peace. That required him to display a show of force, I should say, on occasion. At these times, when Jews gathered, he would lead extra soldiers to Jerusalem. Probably more soldiers required more centurions. One of those centurions that came with Pilot could have been the one that was standing guard at the base of the cross of Christ.

Now, I'd like to focus. Who was this guy? Who was the centurion that we hear of in Scripture that was at the foot of Jesus? Well, he was part of an exclusive club. There were only 20 or 25 centurions in Israel, from what I understand, at that time. Several of the commentaries say that it was intriguing that even though the Jews hated the Romans, the New Testament writers treated centurions with respect. Examples in Matthew 8:6-13, when Jesus was ministering in Capernaum, a centurion approached him asking for help. What does he say?

Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly. Jesus says to him…what? I will come and heal him. The centurion we talked about in our Bible class this morning was a person of position, had people underneath him. He could be one of those ones that say, “Do you know who I am?”

Yet he's seeking out Jesus, isn't he? He's seeking out Jesus and says, I need you to heal my servant. What does Jesus say? I'll come. What does the centurion reply?

Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I am to a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, go, and he goes, to another, come, and he comes, and to my servant, do this, and he does it.

When Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who followed him, truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. To the centurion, what does Jesus say? Go, let it be done for you because of your belief.

The servant was healed at that very moment. Acts 10:22 tells about a centurion named Cornelius, who God sent Peter to preach to. Cornelius lived in Caesarea. Acts describes Cornelius as upright and a God-fearing man who was well spoken from the Jewish nation. You would say he's well-spoken of by the whole Jewish nation.

He was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say. Also in Acts 27, we're told of a centurion who had Paul as his prisoner, but in that passage, we're told that Julius the centurion treated Paul kindly and gave him leave to go to his friends and to be cared for, as we read Acts 27:3. Obviously, I'd just like to make a point that these centurions were highly regarded by the early Church. Why were these men viewed so favorably in scripture, you could ask.

Well, because centurions were not your common soldiers. They were a step above. They were chosen because of their level headedness and their ability to be good leaders. They were chosen because they were dependable, and they understood their men. A Greek historian said that in choosing their centurions, the Romans looked not so much for the daring or fire eating type, but rather for men who were natural leaders and possessed a stable and calm temperament. Not men who would start a battle and launch attacks, but those who would stand their ground even when outdone or hard pressed or will die in the defense of their post. These centurions were dependable, level headed leaders.

They could be cruel, though, when needed to be, and that was why the centurion was at the base of the cross. He was carrying out a common task for Roman soldiers—the crucifixion of guilty men. In that day, Rome was a nation. It was the only nation, from what I understand, that crucified people, and they did it often. One scholar noted that Romans practiced both random and intentional violence against populations that they had conquered, killing tens of thousands by crucifixion. Crucifixions were not jobs for the squeamish.

Centurions had to stand watch while men died slowly and painfully on the cross. When they crucified a man, it was a practiced that Romans would flog them first. They beat the prisoner until bones were broken and blood covered the ground. Then the prisoner's arms were tied to a crossbar, and he was paraded through the streets with a soldier walking out in front carrying a sign that indicated their crimes. At the place of execution, the prisoner's wrists were nailed to the cross bar. The bar was then lifted and placed on the stake, which was already driven into the ground, and the condemned man's ankles were then nailed to the stake.

Prisoners could remain conscious for a long period of time, struggling for breath as they hung by the nails driven through their wrist. As they hung there they experienced the pressure on their chest for having their arms suspended above them and that robbed them of the ability to inhale. They would have to push upward with their legs in order to breathe.

We know, or can't even imagine, I don't think, the invariable pain from the nails driven into their feet. They would sag and hang from their arms. Again, as they would just about lose all breath, they would struggle to reach up and inhale again. Sometimes the Roman soldiers would shorten the suffering by breaking the prisoner's legs. With their legs broken, they could no longer support the effort to push up and breathe, so they suffocated faster.

Because of the stress on their diaphragms, prisoners could take only short burst of air, which is why, as Jesus hung on the cross, some historians would say his statements were very short. It's reported that one soldier who observed the crucifixion wrote this. It is how he described it: Of all the sounds in hell, none is more pitiable than those terrible cries through the silence of midnight where crucified men hang in agony and cannot die while a breath of suffering remains in their lungs. Centurions had to oversee this entire process. They had to oversee prisoner after prisoner after prisoner. Watching men die was just part of their job description.

Jesus’ death was different. There was something different about Jesus that shook this centurion. The question is, what was there about Jesus that made His death different? We're not told exactly, but I'd like to address a few ideas. First, being a centurion made you part of a very select and exclusive club.

There are probably only about 25 of these commanders in Palestine and it's a pretty good guess that they knew each other well. When one centurion went to Jesus and begged for his servant to be healed, you can count on that the fact that story probably became known to the other centurions. Jesus spent His three years of ministry going throughout Israel, healing the sick and the lame, the blind, even bringing back to life an individual, also being feeding thousands with the small quantity of a few loaves and a few fish. This centurion had a front row seat to something that others didn't.

He was there, and I'm sure he heard the stories of what Jesus did. Then he watched as pilot tried to release Jesus, not just once, but twice. He listened as Pilot declared; I find no fault in this man. He watched as Pilate brought out the bowl of water and washed his hands, saying that you have made this conviction and trying in a symbolic sense of washing himself of the blood that they said, let it be upon us and our children. Then he watched as Pilot took Jesus and flogged him, as we see in John 19:1.

He watched as the soldiers led Jesus away into the palace and how they placed Him in a purple robe, and they twisted that crown of thorns on His head, and they called out to Him, hail, King of the Jews. Again and again, they struck Him on the head with a staff and spit on Him, falling on their knees, paying a mocking homage to Him. After they mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put Him in His own clothes, and then they let Him out to crucify Him, as we see in Mark 15:16-20. This centurion, you could say, had seen all that, and at the cross he was in command. As these soldiers (I could picture him being the man in charge of the soldiers) as they are driving the nails through Jesus’ feet and through His hands.

He was there when they lifted the crossbar and dropped it into place and watched as Jesus’ body sagged against the nails that held Him in place. As the centurion watched all of this, I'm sure he had to ponder that he knew it wasn't fair, like Pilot. It was not fair. It wasn't right. It shouldn't have happened.

It shouldn't have happened to this normal, well in man's thinking, this innocent man, but we know Jesus is more than normal. This Jesus wasn't a normal man, was He? And I think the centurion knew it. The centurion had heard stories, as I mentioned, about Jesus.

He had been kind to the weak. He had healed. He had fed thousands. He even raised Lazarus, as we know, from the dead. He showed compassion. He even cried, as it says the shortest verse in the Bible, “Jesus wept” at the death of Lazarus.

Then we read the text that we have in Mark 16:33-39 and when the 6th hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the 9th hour. At the 9th hour Jesus cried with a loud voice “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”. Which means my God, my God, why hath thou forsaken me? And Jesus uttered aloud cry and breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn into two from top to bottom. When the centurion who stood facing him saw that in this way, He breathed His last, he said truly, this was the Son of God.

That is a statement that we as Christians can have confidence in. This man is not a Christian, this man works with the Romans. This man oversaw those that put Jesus to death nailing Him to the cross. There was an observation that was also stated. I pictured back just a few hours before this when they were saying; crucify Him, crucify Him. They're yelling to Pilate, “let his blood be upon us and our children”.

Now this man says, truly, this was. Everything that Jesus was saying, everything that Jesus stood for, the innocence that He represented, for anybody that can say well, how can God send His own Son? The centurion is answering that question. He doesn't know why, but he knows it's out of love. He knows everything that Jesus did was for the love of mankind, for you and me. The centurion is making the final exclamation mark.

Somebody that is just observing everything that took place, didn't grow up in the temples, that I know of, didn't grow up listening to all things being taught, was not guided, but made observations in the presence of Jesus. He says truly this was the Son of God. A non-Christian observation to all of us as Christians today, truly this was the son of God. There was something about the way Jesus breathed his last that shook the centurion.

He had seen other men die, I'm sure, but no mortal man had ever died like this. The story of the centurion at the foot of the cross was mentioned in three of the Gospels. There was something about the story of a pagan Roman soldier's reaction that God specifically wanted us to see, as we talked about in our Bible study this morning. Remember, John tells us that thousands of things or millions, we don't know how many, but God recorded these events. These are the ones that were written.

We know that if they were to try to write everything that Jesus did, the whole world couldn't contain the books. This is the snippet; this is the account when God inspired the writers of His Word. He wants us to know this Roman's reaction. God wanted us to see that. God wanted us to see the impact Christ's death had on this centurion that would lead him to recognize the truth about Christ, that truly this was the Son of God.

I want to close with a story that I have heard. I heard it's a true story. Back in 1976, there was an eight-hour TV miniseries titled Jesus of Nazareth. Some of us may have seen it. It'll probably be coming up again about this time of year, just before Easter.

Usually, the world and the TV productions put it on. It was starred Robert Powell as Jesus, Olivia Hussey as his mother Mary and Anne Bancroft as Mary Magdalene. For the role of the centurion, they picked a seasoned actor named Ernest Borgnine. Borgnine was a highly respected actor at the time, having acted in both comedies and dramas, and he took this role very seriously from what is recorded. He said that the weather for filming that day was chilly and gray, and since the camera was to be focused on Borgnine at the foot of the cross, it wasn't necessary for Robert Powell, who betrayed Jesus, to even be there to help focus him for the role. The director placed an X on some scenery behind the cameraman and told Borgnine to focus on that as if he was looking at Jesus when he spoke.

Borgnine said that for some reason he was nervous and uneasy that day, and he asked for somebody to read from the Bible the words that Jesus said as he hung on the cross. The director found a Bible and opened it to the Book of Luke signal for the cameraman to start rolling. As he began to read the text, Borgnine said that he stared up stared up at that chalk mark, trying to think about what might have gone through the centurion's mind. That faithful day as he's playing that role, he said that as he heard the words of Jesus to the one thief, verily I say unto thee, today thou shalt be with me in paradise.

Borgnine said he visualized the centurion thinking, if Jesus can forgive that criminal, then he could also forgive me. I will lay down my sword and retire to my little farm outside of Rome might have been that centurion's thought. At this point, Borgnine wrote that it happened. As I stared upward, instead of the chalk mark, I suddenly saw or visualized in my mind the face of Jesus life-like and clear. It was not the face of Robert Powell, as I was used to seeing, but it was a pain, seared, sweat stained face with blood flowing down from thorns pressed deep into the brow.

His face was still filled with compassion. He looked down as though through tragic, sorrowful eyes, with an expression of love beyond description. Then his cries rose against the desert wind. Not to the voice of the director, but the voice, possibly a voice that we can each hear through God's word of saying, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” He says that in awe as he watched Jesus’ head slump to one side.

He would have known, the centurion would have known that Jesus was dead, the terrible grief that would well up in him. Borgnine says he felt that he could picture in reality, if you play that role of the centurion that is what you would see. The director yelled cut. As Borgnine was seen sobbing uncontrollably. Borgnine looked over to see that the two actresses, Olivia, and Anne, were also crying.

He looked up again to where Jesus would have been. Of course, he was gone because he was never really there. Borgnine closed his comment with these words I have not been quite the same person since. I believe that I take my faith more seriously. I like to think that I'm more forgiving than I used to be.

That centurion learned 2000 or some years ago what I too have found, that you simply cannot come close to Jesus without being changed. As we sit here this morning, we have an advantage that the centurion never had. We have God's words in our hands, in our Bible. We know things about Jesus and his sacrifice that the centurion would never have considered, but sometimes we have a problem.

Sometimes we don't see Jesus. We don't understand and feel what He went through on the cross for us. We realized this morning we have that advantage. Brother Doug brought out so eloquently the memorial that we look at when we remember Jesus on the cross, why we need to do it, how we look inside, we look back and we look forward, how we move both vertically and horizontally, and how we are to continually remember this. Again, I would just hopefully lay that out here, as a CSI detective, a non-Christian, a plain, ordinary man I shouldn't even say that he went through special things. He was almost the anti in what they did against Christianity, but how moved he was. “Truly this was the son of God.” Today we know, like in the words of the last song in our book, there is a God, he is alive. In him we live, and we survive. God calls us.

God is calling the prodigal, another song that we sing. Today we are that prodigal. May we make the choice to accept God's way to repent of our sin and be buried with Him in baptism, or ask, if need be, for the prayers of the congregation as together we stand and sing our song of invitation.

Why A Second Baptism?

Acts 19:1-7

INTRO: Good morning church. In Acts 18 we find the record of Paul’s second missionary journey and near the end of the chapter after some time at Antioch in Syria, he begins his third journey. Luke next records some background material on the work at Ephesus relating to the preaching of Apollos and the further instruction given him by Priscilla and Aquila. We learn that Apollos was a man mighty in the Scriptures. Although his information regarding the gospel was incomplete, Apollos knew enough to proclaim the kingdom of God, which John had declared to be "at hand," and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as John had done (Luke 3:3).

After receiving additional information from Priscilla and Aquila we learn at the end of chapter 18 Apollos “27. … when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; 28. for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.”

Apollos was a devout man and a good teacher yet he inadequately taught people because he himself did not have full knowledge.

As we teach people, we often find that they have gaps in their knowledge. This is true even among Christians, for learning of God is a continual process. When we are teaching someone that maybe attended some religious group for years, we may find as they study the question arises; do I need to be baptized again?

Of course, that's a very important question, but it's a question that we only want to answer from the Bible. We certainly don't want to base it on traditions or opinions or anything else, because none of those are important. The only thing that's important is what God has said about it.

The critical point when that question comes up is simply, what was the understanding and what was the purpose of the one being baptized?

That's the critical, the really important question, what was the understanding, and what was the purpose of the one being baptized? We have an account that answers the question for us, found in Acts chapter 19, and that's going to be our text today.

I. Let's see what happens in Acts 19:1-7 – “1. And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2. he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?'' And they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.'' 3. And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?'' So they said, "Into John's baptism.'' 4. Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.'' 5. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 7. Now the men were about twelve in all.”

A. Luke calls these people disciples, which means “learners”, and then Paul indicates in his question that they were believers. The people here in Ephesus that Paul encounters, these twelve men, had experienced a baptism. There were lots of baptisms in the first century, and there were baptisms in the Old Testament. The Jews considered gentiles unclean and immersed proselytes to wash away their uncleanness. There have always been baptisms.
B. When Paul wrote to the Church of Ephesus in Ephesians 4:4-6 he says, “4. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5. one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6. one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Paul says that under the New Covenant in Christ there is only one baptism, which is Christian baptism.
C. Paul encounters these twelve men, and he asked them about their baptism. Had they been baptized? Absolutely. Then Paul wanted to know if it was a valid, acceptable baptism that saved, because Paul said there was only one baptism that could save a person. It says in this text, these men had experienced a baptism that they called what? John's Baptism.
D. This event in Acts chapter 19 is years after the death of Christ. Peter's first sermon on Pentecost was years before. All these individuals were living in the same age that we're living in—the Gospel Age, under the new covenant; the one covenant that Paul said only had one baptism.

II. The baptism these twelve experienced was what kind of baptism?

A. We read about the coming of someone in Isaiah 40:3-5 described this way, “3. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; the crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough places smooth; 5. the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.''” In John 1:23 when he is asked who he is John said “… "I am `The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the Lord,'' ' as the prophet Isaiah said.''” It had been prophesied about John that he was going to be the voice of one crying in the wilderness.
B. We read in Luke 1:13-17 what the angel Gabriel told Zacharias about the birth of John – “13. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14. "And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15. "For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16. "And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17. "He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, `to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.''” We know who John was, the forerunner of Christ.
C. He did preach a baptism of repentance. In John 3:27-30 – “27. John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28. "You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, `I am not the Christ,' but, `I have been sent before Him.' 29. "He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. 30. "He must increase, but I must decrease.”
D. Remember that this is years before Acts 19. John was saying at that time that I'm decreasing, my role is being fulfilled. I'm not going to be around that much longer. John did practice a baptism of repentance. Now Christ was in the world, but Christ hadn't died on the cross when John was preaching this baptism. That's a critical point. Jesus was still alive when John was baptizing.
E. Back in Acts 19 these people we are reading about were sincere. There's nothing to indicate that they were not sincere. There was nothing to indicate that they had experienced this baptism in some sort of deceitful way.

1. Now obviously, there are people who don't want to know the truth. We know about the Pharisees and how they didn't experience baptism because they didn't want anything to do with it.
2. The Pharisees completely rejected the counsel of God, but there were people that the Bible talks about who needed teaching and guidance. Remember the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8:30? He's reading from Isaiah, and Philip comes running along and He asked the eunuch, “"Do you understand what you are reading?'' And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?'' And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.” Then we are told “… Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, (that’s the one the Eunuch was reading) preached Jesus to him.”
3. Cornelius was another very sincere, very faithful, very moral person. He needed some guidance. In Acts 10 we find how he got the guidance.

F. As I said there are people who don't want to know the truth, but there are also some people who just need guidance. That's what these people in Acts 19 needed. They just needed some guidance. They needed someone there to help them understand the full truth.

III. Their baptism was right in a lot of respects, wasn't it? When you look at their baptism, you can see that a lot of it was right. A lot of it was something God wanted them to do.

A. First, it was an immersion. In John 3:23, still talking about John's baptism, it says, “Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized.” Much water. John immersed people when they were baptized. The Bible indicates immersion. In fact, the word baptize comes to us straight from the original language and its meaning is to immerse, submerge, metaphorically to overwhelm. Thayer G907.
B. These people in Acts 19, they had been immersed. They had been completely buried in water. That was right, and that was good. That was something they were supposed to do. Baptism is a burial, right?

1. Romans 6:3-5 – “3. Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4. Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,”
2. It is a burial. It's an entombment. You're entombed by water. Water is all around you.

C. What else about their baptism was right? They had been baptized as adults. In other words, they had been taught. The baptism that saves, the one baptism in Ephesians chapter four is only for adults. In other words, not for infants, not for babies, it's only for people who can be taught, can understand and assent to the grace being offered.

1. Today, if someone comes to you and while you're talking, you find out they were sprinkled or “baptized” as an infant; you know their baptism was not acceptable according to God’s word. It might be considered as a symbol, but it is not done in the faith of the person receiving it. It wasn't the baptism of Ephesians chapter 4, the one baptism of this covenant.
2. These men in Acts 19, had been immersed. They understood at least what John's baptism was, and they had understood repentance. It wasn't that they didn't know what repentance was.

D. If you will go to Mark 1:4 we're going to talk again about John's baptism. They knew about baptism and John's baptism was a special kind. “John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” The literal translation would be “John came immersing in the wilderness, and proclaiming an immersion of conversion for forgiveness of sins,”[LSV] John's baptism was a heavenly device for gathering together out of the nation of Israel a prepared people to receive the Messiah. This baptism was of God, and those who rejected it rejected God's message. Luke 7:30 – “But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.”

IV. These followers in Acts 19 knew about repentance, they understood repentance. They understood what they had been taught. They had been immersed. All of those were right things.

A. The point is their baptism was correct those regards. They were immersed. They understood what was going on. They had repented. They understood repentance.

1. Paul, after talking with them, found out that even though they had undergone all those things, experienced those things, knew those things, understood those things, that their baptism still hadn't saved them. They did what they did in good conscience, yet they were still lost.
2. That's what Paul tells them. Because that baptism, John's baptism, was not valid anymore though it had been at one time for those being prepared for the coming of Christ. It had been valid and acceptable, but not after the crucifixion and the beginning of the gospel age.

B. These men were not saved. Yes, they'd been immersed. Yes, they had repented, yet they were still lost. Maybe the most important point today is that a baptism need not be totally wrong to be essentially wrong. By that I mean that baptism can be partially correct, but partially correct is still wrong.

1. Now we understand this.
2. Mark teaches math, and when someone turns in a problem, it can be partially right, but still have the wrong answer. Even though it's partially right, it's still wrong. That's what Paul is telling these people in Ephesus. Yes, your baptism was partially right, but it's still not acceptable because it does not have the power to save anymore.
3. What did Paul mean when he said that? Notice back in Acts 19, Paul asked them some questions. This is what we must do.
4. We must ask people questions when we're talking with them about their salvation. It's our responsibility to see if they understood their baptism, if they understood what they were being baptized for or why they were being baptized.

C. Here then is a valid example in the New Testament of what we need to do. Paul asked them a very important question. "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?'' This was an important question for them because people did not receive the Holy Spirit when they were baptized with John's baptism. In God's plan of redemption, a new birth is the essential prerequisite. A birth of water and of the Spirit. Jesus says so in John 3:5 – “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
D. When they answered and said, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit”, Paul immediately knew they had not been baptized appropriately. Because if they had been baptized as they needed to be, they would have known about the Holy Spirit. Those baptized under this new system, the New Covenant, the Gospel age, would have known about the Holy Spirit. Since they didn't, Paul immediately knew they had not been baptized correctly.

V. Well something needed to be done. They were unaware of the Holy Spirit. Notice in verse three, he says, "Into what then were you baptized?'' They replied “into John's baptism.” Paul said, okay, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him”

A. There's a second thing Paul noted about their baptism. John's baptism looked forward, looked in the future to the coming of Christ. Now when these people were baptized, Christ had already come. Christ had already died on the cross. Their baptism, John's baptism, was not the same as the One baptism of Ephesians 4. This was a critical point.
B. John's work was completely in preparation for the coming of the Messiah, for Him coming into the world and dying on the cross. Once that was accomplished, John's baptism wasn't valid anymore, wasn't acceptable anymore, and didn’t have saving power. Paul needed to get that point across to these people—those former practices, and by the way when I say former practices I might include the Law of Moses, were not valid anymore and had been supplanted by the coming of Christ and the resurrection. John’s baptism no longer applied because baptism in the Gospel age, baptism of the New Covenant, is a baptism into Jesus’ death.
C. Please read with me Romans 6:3-4 – “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

1. Those who had experienced John's baptism after Jesus’ resurrection could not have been baptized into Jesus’ death. It was not the purpose of John's baptism. John baptized looking forward to the coming of the Messiah.
2. Verse 4 again – “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father…” Not possible with John's baptism. “Even so, we also should walk in newness of life.” They needed to be baptized into Jesus’ death and in the name of Christ.

D. This is another very, very important point. In Acts 19:5 we see their response. “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” John's baptism was never done in the name of Christ.

1. Why was that necessary? Luke 24 is Luke's account of the great commission. Luke 24:46-47 Jesus says, “… Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” The Christian baptism, the baptism that was valid, the baptism that washed away sins, the baptism that was a burial, the baptism that produced a new creature, was in the name of Christ, in Jesus’ name.
2. John's baptism was not in Jesus’ name. Therefore, after Christ died, was buried, and rose again, John's baptism was no longer acceptable to God. Its purpose had been fulfilled.
3. There was a new baptism, the one into Jesus’ death, the one in Jesus’ name. We see that of course, in Acts 2:38 – “…Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…” That was the new baptism.
4. I’m remembering Matthew 28:18-20 – “18. Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20. "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.''” If that was their baptism, they would have known of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

E. These people in Acts 19 had not heard about the new baptism, the baptism in the name of Christ. They had not heard about the baptism into Jesus’ death. Just because they had not heard and not been taught, did that make this baptism ok? No, it did not.
F. How important is that? Even though these people were sincere, even though they were teachable, even though they were honest, even though they were faithful and obedient, because they had not been baptized correctly, appropriately, they were still lost. That's a very important point. It teaches us that you can not be taught wrong and baptized right.

1. It was not completely wrong. It was sincere and right in some ways the Bible says, but it was still not acceptable. It was still wrong because it wasn't the baptism of the new covenant.
2. There in Acts 2:38 is a truth that is truly, and often deliberately, ignored; baptism must come before forgiveness. Acts 2:38 says that. “…Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…”
3. Our understanding and our reason for baptism is that it is done for the purpose of being cleansed or freed from sins by the blood of Jesus.
4. If we believe that what we have experienced is not a valid baptism, that's like experiencing John's baptism. If all we think is that it's some sort of ritual or right, that it's not explicitly for the remission of sins, the Bible says it's not a valid baptism.

CONCLUSION:
What things have we learned from these scriptures? I guess the first thing is that we can be taught wrong. The incorrect teaching may come from those who deliberately intend to deceive, or that do so for unscriptural reasons, perhaps personal gain, self- glory or financial. It may also come from those who have an incomplete understanding such as Apollo did yet are truly devout. Among those are also the ones who have been taught incorrectly themselves, often by religious groups with a human based agenda.

We want to follow the New Testament example and not our own opinion or human tradition. What the Bible says is the only thing that's important. Baptism must be for the right purpose, not just because people are sincere. These people were sincere in Acts 19, but they were sincerely wrong.

We also learned those who understand the truth should teach those who need instruction. Paul told them they were wrong, he taught them they needed to be baptized correctly, and then they were. It should go without saying then that a baptism that is done without understanding, without knowing why it's being done, and the scriptural purpose the Bible says, is not biblical baptism. A biblical baptism is done with understanding, with knowledge, and the realization of what baptism is. These people had to be baptized a second time, they had to experience biblical or Christian baptism.

What else? Today we have the fullness of scripture to refer to and we bare a responsibility to ourselves. We always must go to the Bible for our answers. We can't think about what other people say, or traditions, or human wisdom, or our feelings, or anything else. None of those things are important, only what the Bible says.

The Bible has our answers, and the Bible does tell us what biblical baptism is. It's one that's based on faith. Not that Christ is going to come, but that He's already come and that He died and that He rose again. That's the basis of our faith as we have been studying. Then our faith leads us to repent and obey, not for just the moment but as a way of life.

How important is that? Turning our lives over to the Lord, confessing that we truly believe, and then being immersed, buried, entombed in water, with the understanding that before we go into the water, we still have sins. It is understanding that it is God who washes away, remits, forgives those sins when we're buried in water for the express purpose of being baptized into Christ.

If you are here and need the prayers of your brothers and sisters or if you are in need of the New Covenant baptism, the Gospel Age baptism, come forward as we stand and sing.
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Taken from a sermon by: Bobby Stafford

Fundimentals Relating to Faith

Revelation 2:10

INTRO: Good morning church.
Please turn in your Bible to the Book of Revelation. I would like us to read Revelation 2:10 to introduce today’s lesson. “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

We're especially concerned with the final words found in this verse. According to what the Lord said to the church in Smyrna, God's people must be faithful unto death to receive a crown of life.

In the Book of Revelation, chapters two and three, the Lord sent a message to each of the congregations in the area known as Asia. The Lord informed the congregation in Smyrna that they were going to face tribulation. Indeed, they were already facing tribulation, and the Lord was aware of it, but He said, you will have more tribulation.

The Lord encouraged this congregation to remain faithful, and He said if it would, then the members would receive a crown of life. Much of the New Testament is written for the purpose of helping Christians accomplish that goal, that is, to remain faithful.

Now, let’s look at some things that are written in the Book of Hebrews. The writer of this book understood that those to whom he was writing were undergoing tribulation, their faith was being tested. The letter to the Hebrews was to help these Christians, and us, be faithful unto death. These people were undergoing tribulation and it was taking a toll. They were assured that if they would remain faithful, they would receive the crown of life that the Lord also mentioned in Revelation 2:10.

We should note in a general way, that Hebrews contains several admonitions given to God's people which involve faith. Let's look at Hebrews 6:11-12 – “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” We need to follow the example of those who received God's promises by holding to their faith with patience. From these and other scriptures we come to understand that faith is not just saying “I Believe”, it is a way of life. Not just our public life either but how we pray, handle trials, temptations and in our expression of thanksgiving to God.

From our lessons in Hebrews, we noticed how faith is involved in receiving the benefits of God's promises. The Lord told the church in Smyrna to be faithful unto death, and they would receive a crown of life. That same principle is addressed throughout the Book of Hebrews.

Next look at Hebrews 10:22 which says, “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”
The very next verse, verse 23, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” This passage contains a very important admonition; we are to hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering.

Go down to Hebrews 10:35 and we will read through the end of the chapter. Notice the emphasis that is being placed on living by faith. “35. Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36. for you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 37. "For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. 38. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him.'' 39. But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.”

God's people are to live by faith. I think it would be interesting to see how many times faith and patience are mentioned together. We just read at least two passages where those two subjects are linked. Without patience, faith is likely to falter. We understand from scripture that faith is not a one-and-done proposition, don’t we? In his second letter to those in Thessalonica Paul wrote, in 2 Thessalonians 1:3 – “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other,”

The other day I was reading from the Gospel of Luke where Jesus talked to the disciples about their responsibility to forgive one another. After the Lord finished, the disciples responded by saying increase our faith. They knew that they needed some help in that regard. That's a good plea to make; Lord, increase our faith. Faith is linked to so many very important subjects.

The 11th chapter of Hebrews contains a detailed study of faith. It tells us about the faith demonstrated by several of the great men and women that we read about in the Old Testament. A couple weeks ago we examined five lessons from Noah's faith. Noah is just one of the great Old Testament characters mentioned in Hebrews eleven.

What I would like to do today is consider some fundamental principles that relate to faith that are dealt with in Hebrews. When the Lord said in Revelation 2:10, be faithful… do we know what the word faithful means? Of course, it means full of faith, but it also carries with it the idea of being dependable, being reliable, being trustworthy.

The Bible also says, and we've already read one verse that shows this to be the case, God is faithful. He's certainly dependable. He's trustworthy. He wants His children to be faithful as well. It's imperative that we be faithful unto death to receive the crown of life.

If faithfulness is such an important matter, and it is, we need to be aware of some fundamental principles that relate to faith.

I'm very much aware of the fact that most of you've already heard these things taught. But I'm reminded of what Peter said in 2 Peter chapter one and I paraphrase, I know that you know these things, but I'm going to remind you of them again. [para] In other words, there are certain things that are just so important that we need to be reminded of them on a regular basis, I know I do.

I. In the opening verse of Hebrews 11, we are supplied a description of faith. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” [NKJV]

A. I suggest a general definition of faith would go like this: faith may be defined as believing what God tells us in the Bible and following His instructions so that we can receive His promises. That's the classic definition of faith.
B. We notice that faith is described as substance. That word substance may also be translated assurance of things hoped for, or confidence of things hoped for. The word evidence may be translated conviction of things not seen…the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. If we're concerned about being faithful, which certainly we are, we need to know what faith is and we have been looking at faith over the past few months. Faith is the evidence of things that you don't necessarily see or experience yourself, but you believe them, you assent to them. We believe, even in the absence of first-hand experience, that these things are true.
C. Let’s consider Romans 10:17 – “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” I wonder if perhaps… that's why there's such a lack of faith today. If people don't come in contact with the Word of God, how can they possibly have any faith?

1. It is amazing the statements that some people make about the Bible. When someone makes a negative comment about the Bible, that person needs to be challenged to identify the verse under consideration. Often they can't give it.
2. I’m sure many of us have experienced that the people who make these derogatory remarks are often just repeating what they've heard from someone else. Many of us have been taught to do some thinking for our selves and not to take anyone's word when it comes to the Scriptures, but search the Scriptures and determine if what was said is right, based on what God has revealed in His Word.
3. I wish those people making the derogatory remarks would take the time to do that, but it takes effort and unless they are challenged, they are not likely to make that effort.

II. Our faith is based on the Word of God.

A. Romans 10:17 says, as we read just a moment ago, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Since our faith is based on God's word, we can understand things from the past that we have not seen. The Book of Hebrew shows this to be the case.
B. Hebrews 11:3 – “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” Our faith is based on Scripture, and Scriptures say in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth, with details of the creation supplied for us.

1. In Genesis 1, there were six days of creation, and on the 7th day God rested. All those details concerning the creation are revealed in this chapter.
2. With our faith based on Scripture, we can understand things from the past that we have not seen. I certainly was not present at the creation, and you were not either. How do we know that the Bible record is accurate? How do we know that God created everything in six days? The scriptures are dependable for they are the inspired word of God.
3. When the Bible says that God created everything in six days, we believe that although we were not present to see what took place. Faith is described as the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. With our faith based on the word of God, we can understand things from the past.

C. I was thinking the other day about how when people are ignorant of history; they often repeat its mistakes. It is true that sometimes history can be uncomfortable to remember, and we do not like to see reminders of unpleasant things that have happened. Monuments of past wars for example. Now it is true that some may want to glory in these things, yet they also serve to remind us of that horrible time in our history. If we are not aware of those events, I fear we're bound to repeat them.

1. We need to understand things from the past. How do we know that George Washington ever lived? He is called the father of our country. I never saw him, you didn't either. We have the historical record of his life just like we have the historical record of what happened at the creation.
2. Moses wrote it down and we're able to read it, so we could understand things from the past that we have not seen. Faith enables us to do that because our faith is based on God’s Word.

D. Now I want you to notice that faith allows us to look in a different direction as well. With our faith based on Scripture, we can understand things in the future that we have not seen. Let's look at how this is demonstrated by some of the great patriarchs in Hebrews 11.

1. Go to Hebrews 11:13-16 – “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”
2. These great Bible people that all died in faith were looking for something. God had promised them… a city. They spent their lives looking forward to that city. Why did they do that? Because God said it, they believed it. They knew it was going to happen.
3. Faith when it's based on Scripture will enable us to know things in the future that we have not seen. That's illustrated by some of the great patriarchs.
4. Let's look at what Jesus said in John 14:2-3 where He talked about some things that we’ve never seen. He talked about things that will occur in the future. John 14:2-3 – “In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”
5. Our Lord talked about His return, and He said that when He comes back, He's going to take His followers to His Father's house where there are many mansions. The Lord has gone there to prepare that wonderful place.

a. We have never seen the Father's house. How do we know that the Father's house exists? Because the Bible says so.
b. How do we know that Jesus is coming back? Because the Bible says so.
c. How do we know that the Lord is going to take His faithful followers to that wonderful place called heaven? It's because the Bible says so.
d. We've never seen heaven, but we believe with all of our hearts that it exists, because our faith is based on the word of God… on Scripture.

6. With our faith based on Scripture, we can understand things from the past that we have not seen. We can also understand things that will occur in the future that we haven't seen.

E. If we're going to be faithful, we need to be mindful of these principles that relate to faith. We need to know what faith is, and we need to realize that it has a profound effect upon our understanding. With our faith based on Scripture, we can look back in time and know certain things that we've never seen. We can also look forward in time and know about some things that no one's ever seen except the Lord.

III. Let's look at another fundamental principle revealed in Hebrews 11. Verse 6 contains this statement: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

A. This verse shows us that faith is essential. How do we know that faith is essential? It's because this verse says that without it, it is impossible to please God. That's stating it in a negative way. The positive point to learn from that is, through faith we can please God.
B. As we look at what the Bible says about faith, we see that it's possible to possess different degrees of faith.

1. Consider what's written in Mark 4:40. This verse shows us that it's possible to have no faith. In this verse the Lord asked a question of the disciples, after He had calmed the great storm that arose on the Sea of Galilee.

a. Remember, they were frightened, they thought that their lives were about to be lost. They asked Jesus if He cared in verse 38.
b. After Jesus calmed the storm, He asked the questions. “… "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?''”

2. These are men who had left their livelihoods and their families to follow Christ. Did they have faith? Yes, but see how they reacted to that storm. Jesus said how is it that you have no faith? It's possible then to have no faith. That's one degree of faith.

C. We find that the Bible also mentions little faith. Matthew 6:30. In this portion of His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was talking about being filled with anxiety over things such as the necessities of life. I imagine this is something we have all experienced.

1. In dealing with that issue, Jesus said, “Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”
2. We've already pointed out that it's possible to have no faith. Here, Jesus talked about having little faith.

D. Let's look now at James 2:17 – “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” This verse reveals another degree of faith. Here the Bible talks about dead faith. Of course, that kind of faith is not pleasing to God. We see from the Scriptures that there are different degrees of faith.

1. It's possible to have no faith.
2. It's possible to have little faith.
3. It's possible to have a dead faith.

E. I suggest that leaves one more. It's possible to have great faith. Let’s consider the backgrounds of two people who had great faith.
F. We are now looking at Matthew 8:10. Jesus made this statement about a centurion, an officer in the Roman army. He would have been a Gentile. His servant was ill. The Lord healed the servant. Notice what Jesus said.

1. Matthew 8:10 – “When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” That's quite a statement to be made about a man who was a Gentile.
2. Look also at Matthew 15:28 in reference to a Canaanite woman whose daughter Jesus healed. She was determined to have her daughter healed. Notice what is said in Matthew 15:28 – “Then Jesus answered and said to her, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.'' And her daughter was healed from that very hour.” This was a woman of Canaan, not from Israel. Jesus commended her for having great faith.

G. These verses indicate to us that it's possible to have different degrees of faith and we are concerned about pleasing God. We know that without faith it's impossible to please God, but with faith we can please God.

IV. The faith that pleases God includes believing that He is. Let's go back and look at that verse again. Hebrews 11:6 – “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is… ” It's obviously imperative that we believe God exists. We have plenty of evidence available to us to convince us that there is a God in heaven.

A. Faith that pleases God also includes believing that He will reward those who seek Him. Once again, the verse says: “… for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” That includes obeying God's will, a point that is made very clear once again in James.
B. In James 2 again let's continue at verse 18. James 2:18 – “18. But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works.'' Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble! 20. But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23. And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.'' And he was called the friend of God. 24. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only”

1. In this part of his letter, James is talking about the relationship that exists between faith and works. We've already seen from verse 17 that faith that's not backed up by works of obedience is dead. It's vain. It serves no good purpose.
2. The faith that pleases God, and that's what we're concerned about, believes that He is. The faith that pleases God also believes that God will reward those who diligently seek Him.
3. The faith that pleases God includes obeying His will, doing what He says in other words.

V. Faith is essential, but not just any faith. It is the kind of faith that God describes in His Word that pleases Him. I think God ought to know what pleases Him don’t you? He shows us very clearly in His Word the faith which is pleasing.

A. There's another sense in which we see that faith is essential. Go back to Hebrews 11:2 where it is talking about faith, “For by it (faith) the elders obtained a good testimony.” Faith will enable us to obtain a good report. That's referring to the great Bible characters from the Old Testament, and we're able to read about them.
B. This also applies to us as they are our example. We understand that faith is essential in that it will enable us to obtain a good report. That has reference to receiving that crown of life that Jesus mentioned in Revelation 2:10.

CONCLUSION: The source of our salvation is not our work or activity, but a work that has been done by someone else—Jesus. To be saved we must accept and rely upon what has been done for us. This act of relying on Jesus and His work is the very essence of faith. Salvation comes to us not through God’s law but through His promises. Romans 4:13 – “For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.”
God offers salvation through His promise; the only way to respond to a promise is by believing it and trusting in it (and in the one who gave it).

Salvation is by grace, and faith is the natural and proper response to grace. Romans 4:16 - “Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all”.

We have looked at some important fundamentals that relate to faith. We understand that it's essential that we be faithful unto death to receive that crown of life.

1. That being the case, we know what faith is.
2. We know that faith is based on Scripture.
3. We understand that there are different levels or different degrees of faith.
4. We understand we need the kind of faith that pleases God. That's the faith that we need to strive to have.
5. We also understand that faith is essential.
6. It will enable us to obtain a good report.

I love to study about these great men and women of faith in the book of Hebrews.
We can receive a tremendous amount of encouragement from studying about them.
Take the time to go back to the Old Testament as well. Read about these Bible characters and see how they faced some difficult circumstances. Yet, God blessed them abundantly.

When we go back to the Old Testament and examine these faithful people, let's remember these fundamental principles we just talked about that relate to faith.
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We learn from the New Testament how to be saved. We need to hear the word; believe in Jesus; repent of our sins; we must confess our belief that Jesus is the Son of God; and be baptized for the remission of our sins… If we follow these steps, the Lord adds us to His church.

Perhaps there is someone in the assembly today with the need to be buried with Christ in baptism. If you have never done these things, we urge you to do so today. If anyone has this need or desires the prayers of faithful Christians on their behalf, we encourage them to come forward while we stand and sing.

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Taken from a sermon by: Raymond Sieg

Evidence That Demands A Verdict

Luke 24:1-35

I have always been intrigued by how investigators look for all evidence at a crime scene to prove who is guilty. This morning I would like to ask each of us to consider being a crime scene investigator.

The following story is true. And while it is somewhat morbid it serves to illustrate what I want to say this morning.
Several years ago there was an TV news account of the arrest and trial of a man who had been accused of murdering his family with a knife. Neighbors had heard screaming on the night of the murders, but they had not given it much thought until two weeks later, when it was reported that the bodies of the victims had been found in shallow graves in a field outside of town.

After hearing these reports the neighbors called the police.
When the police entered the home of the victims,
bear in mind that 2 or 3 weeks had already gone by.
They found it to be immaculate. The carpets had been shampooed. the curtains and drapes washed and ironed, the woodwork polished. Every window had been cleaned; every piece of furniture polished; even the bedrooms and hallways had been repainted.

The police found no fingerprints, no blood stains, no shredded clothing, and no signs of a struggle anywhere.
This alone would have made the husband a prime suspect. No man by himself would have had a such an immaculately taken care of home. The defendant’s story was that he and his wife HAD had an argument a month earlier, and she had taken the kids and left him. He said he had no idea of where they were until he’d been told their bodies had been found.
Understandably, the police doubted the man’s story. So they brought in a forensics team that sprayed the man’s bedroom, bathroom, hallway walls, and floors with a chemical known as Luminal.
Luminal is a compound that’s designed to interact with blood, and when it comes in contact with blood, it gives off a florescent color - even under paint. The police sprayed the Luminal, waited a few moments, and then - sure enough - the patterns of blood appeared throughout the house. Neither the soap, the polish, nor the fresh paint had prevented the police from seeing the blood, even though the blood had been covered and hidden from their view.
APPLY: When CSI Investigators examine a crime scene they often are looking for evidence that isn’t readily seen. Evidence they can use in a court of law. Evidence that will demand a verdict.
This morning we’re examining a crime scene: the cross of Christ. And while some of the evidence there IS obvious other things seem to be hidden from view.
The Bible portrays the death of Jesus as a crime of passion:
it was our crime of sin…
and God’s passion for our souls
But as we listen to the conversation between Jesus and the men on the road to Emmaus (found in Lk 24 which is our TEXT for today’s lesson) we find that these two men have heard the evidence of the cross. In fact, they tell Jesus all about it. And they’ve heard the evidence of risen Christ…
Luke 24:22-23 “…some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.”
They’ve heard all this… but they don’t believe it! It’s as if there is certain evidence that has remained hidden from their sight, and this missing evidence has totally destroyed the hope these men should have had when they heard Jesus had risen from the dead.
Because these men have not understood this missing information they have come to believe that Jesus’ death was an accident. A great tragedy.
LOOK WITH ME AGAIN at Luke 24:17-21
He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?"
They stood still, their faces DOWNCAST.
One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
"What things?" he asked.
"About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but WE HAD HOPED that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.
Notice… in vs. 21 they say “WE HAD HOPED” that Jesus was the one who would redeem Israel.
… but He’d been executed
… He’d been murdered
… He was dead
And this belief so demoralized them that Luke tells us their faces were “downcast” (Luke 24:17)
(pause…) Jesus lets them tell their story… and then He rebukes them. “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” Luke 24:25
It’s then that Jesus does the most unusual thing…
Luke tells us that Jesus deliberately hid who He was from them. Luke 24:16 says “…they were kept from recognizing him.”
Instead of doing what I’d have done, Luke tells us that “… beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” Luke 24:27
Jesus went back into the Old Testament and He began with the book of Genesis and He worked His way all the way up through the prophets like Daniel and Isaiah to help these men see that God had planned this all out long before they had ever been born.
As Peter said when He told the crowd who heard his sermon on the day of Pentecost: Acts 2:23 “(Jesus was) was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge…”
What prophecies would Jesus have shared with these men? I’m not sure. There are at least 48 major prophecies dealing with the coming Messiah in the Old Testament and He may have covered every one of them that afternoon… but as I only preach for about a half an hour every Sunday morning, I’m going to give you the Reader’s Digest version of what I think He might have shared with them that day.

1. I believe Jesus probably started out telling these men the story of Adam and Eve
He would have told them about how Adam and Eve had been created by God, had enjoyed the blessings of God, and walked closely beside Him every day.
But then one day… all that changed. Adam and Eve had allowed themselves to be tempted by Satan to sin and disobey.
As a result Adam and Eve lost practically everything. They became separated from God. They died spiritually and began to die physically.
But in the midst of all this tragedy, God pronounced a curse upon Satan that goes this way:
…I will put enmity (hatred) between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he (the offspring of a woman) will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." Genesis 3:15
NOTICE, the prophecy was that it would be the male offspring of a woman (not a MAN and a woman) who would destroy the power of Satan.

2. THEN I believe Jesus could have turned them to Deuteronomy 18:15 where Moses declared:
“The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.”
Now there are many great prophets listed throughout the Old Testament. Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and others. Many of them gave powerful prophecies and performed magnificent miracles. And yet, none of them quite measured up to what Moses did in his lifetime.

1. Moses came for the specific purpose of freeing his people from slavery

2. And Moses was sent by God to give His people a new and special covenant that would set them apart to be His Holy people.
No other prophet in the Old Testament accomplished anything like that. No matter how powerful their miracles and prophecies may have been, none had freed their people from slavery or introduced a new relationship with God to their nation. In fact no one ever did… until Jesus came.

BUT WHEN Jesus CAME
1. He freed His people from the slavery of sin
2. And He gave His people a new covenant… and set them apart to be God’s Holy people
3. Then I believe Jesus could have reminded the men on the road to Emmaus of a powerful prophecy out of Daniel 9
An angel told Daniel that “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness …. Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’” Daniel 9:24-25
Most Bible scholars will tell you that these “70” sevens represent years… 490 years to be precise. Daniel also tells us that the prophecy was set in motion with the decree to rebuild Jerusalem. When the edict to rebuild Jerusalem – the clock started ticking.
And according to the timetable set forth in Daniel 9 the Messiah was to be revealed around… 30 A.D.. Tell me, when did Jesus begin His ministry???
30 A.D.
4. Lastly, I think Jesus would have taken them to the last few chapters of Isaiah.
Now, until Jesus came, there were Jews who believed these chapters spoke of a coming messiah.

In Isaiah 52:13-14 God tells us
“See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him—his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness”
Then Isaiah goes on tell us more about this “messiah”/ servant – sent by God.
“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:3-5

Isaiah explicitly describes the Messiah as being wounded and pierced… sent for the specific purpose of taking on the sins of mankind.
In the next few verses Isaiah speaks of messiah dying. Being cut off from the land of the living.
Isaiah 53:12 “…he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
So, in other words… throughout the whole Old Testament we’re repeatedly told that a Messiah was coming.

1. And He would “arrive” at approximately the year 30 A.D.
2. He would be the offspring of a woman (not a MAN and a woman)
3. He would be like Moses – freeing His people from slavery and creating for them a new relationship with God.
4. He would suffer wounds and piercings
5. And would die for the sins of mankind.

ILLUS: Someone has gone to the trouble of counting up all the prophecies in the Old Testament that told about this coming Messiah. They discovered at least 333 details concerning the person and career of the Messiah. These details described
· Where He’d be born
· What He’d look like
· And how He’d die

One person noted that there are 48 Major prophecies that predicted details of the Messiah’s life, and that the odds of one person fulfilling those 48 major prophecies would be astronomical.
The odds of one person fulfilling all those Biblical predictions in their life would be akin to trying to find a diamond ring SOMEWHERE in the world’s oceans that someone had dropped overboard during a storm. We’re not told which body of water it fell into we just are informed that we are to search all 197,000 square miles of the world’s oceans until we find it.
The odds of your finding that ring, are like the odds of anyone ACCIDENTALLY fulfilling the 48 major prophecies about the Messiah predicted in the Old Testament.
But Jesus did it… and it WASN’T an accident.

A minister was once asked what the major difference was between Christianity and the other world’s religions. Now, many great scholars have given valuable answers to that question. But as he pondered on this question… something occurred to him.

About 500 years before Jesus was born, a man popped up in history who we know as Buddha. Buddha developed a powerful teaching that changed his life, and the lives of others. A lot of people gathered around this man and they liked what he taught. As a result, a major religion developed around this man and his teachings.

About 500 years after the birth of Christ, another man came along named Mohammed. Mohammed developed a powerful teaching that changed his life and the lives of others. A lot of people gathered around this man and they liked what he taught. As a result, a major religion developed around this man and his teachings.

And yet… nobody predicted that a man like Buddha was going to come along and live like he lived, and teach like he taught and die like he died.
And nobody predicted that a man like Mohammed was going to come along and live like he lived, and teach like he taught and die like he died.
But 1000s of years before Jesus was born, the major theme of the Old Testament was…
Somebody’s coming
Somebody’s coming
… and when He comes… this is what He’ll do, and this is how He’ll teach and this is how He’ll die.

This was the evidence that the men on the road to Emmaus had failed to understand. It was evidence that demanded a verdict. A verdict that Jesus’ death on the cross was the deliberate plan of God and that He had come to “redeem Israel” - and everyone else who would come to Him - from their sins.
But knowing the evidence was not enough. They needed to believe it, to accept it… and to build their lives around it.

CLOSE: A great artist by the name of Steinberg had taken in a beautiful gypsy girl to pose for his paintings. At the time he was working on his masterpiece "Christ on the Cross." The girl used to watch him work on this painting.
One day she said to him "He must have been a very wicked man to be nailed to the cross like that."
"No," he replied, "on the contrary, he was a very good man, perhaps the best man that ever lived. He died for others."
The girl looked up at him and asked. "Did he die for you?"
Steinberg was not a Christian at the time, but the gypsy girl’s question touched his heart and awakened his conscience and he became a believer in Jesus.
This morning, each of us is asked to ponder ALL the EVIDENCE we are given from God’s Word and then CHOOSE for OURSELVES whom we will SERVE….
Knowing the fact that Jesus was promised to come, he lived His life as a pattern for each of us to follow, and that he willingly died on the cross for each and every one of us!
The choice is yours as we stand and sing….

 

 

Sermon Contributor: Jeff Strite

The Faith of Noah

The Faith of Noah
Hebrews 11:7

INTRO: Good morning church. As we studied the Book of Hebrews in class we have found much to think about, and it has led us to some very fruitful discussions where we gained greater understanding of the Lord’s word. I would like to continue a bit in that book this morning and discuss some things about the faith shown by Noah.

Please turn to Hebrews 11:7 and I will read from the NKJV – “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”

The event of the flood, Noah and the ark, is one of the great miracles that people often ridicule and mock. They have trouble wrapping their heads around this event and all that took place, so they want to dismiss it. Jesus, when talking about the coming of the ‘son of man’, said in Matthew 24:37-39 – “37. "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38. "For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39. "and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Jesus referred to Noah and the flood. If our Lord believed it, that ought to settle it.

Let’s look at our text from Hebrews in detail. As we do, we will see that Hebrews 11:7 can be divided into 5 statements related to Noah’s faith.

I. The first statement and this is the first point we want to make, the first lesson we want to learn. “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen”

A. To fully appreciate and understand that statement we need to consider a few verses in Genesis 6. I wondered what exactly is involved in this statement Noah was warned of God of things not seen yet.

1. We see in Genesis 6:5 that in Noah's time people had become very wicked. “… the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

a. God did not make man in a corrupt state. They were created in a state of innocence. They decided (made the decision) to transgress the will of God.
b. We were told what happened, Adam was instructed – “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” If they transgressed the will of God, they would die. You know how the serpent came along and tempted Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. She gave in to the temptation and ate of the fruit, giving it to Adam and he ate it as well. At that point, sin and death entered the world and things changed.
c. By the time Noah came on the scene several generations have passed. The population on the Earth had grown since the days of Adam and Eve. Genesis 6:5 sums up just how wicked man had become.
d. We notice that God did not make people in that state. People got into that state because they wanted to. They made the decision to transgress the will of God.

2. Man's wickedness affected God to the point that God decided to destroy mankind as well as the creatures He had created. Genesis 6:6-7 – “And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.''” What we see here is the total corruption of humanity. The very citadel of human life, the heart, which in Hebrew thought meant the mind, was devoted exclusively to the contemplation of evil.

a. It would be difficult to devise a sentence that would more effectively portray the corruption of humanity than does Genesis 6:5.
b. This is the result of the judicial hardening of humanity prophesied by Genesis 6:3 where is foretold the withdrawal of the Spirit of God from "striving with" mankind. The entire Bible deals with the phenomenon of Judicial Hardening—disobedience.

3. We need to appreciate the very next verse, verse 8 “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” We know how wicked man had become and how God felt about it. Yet, there was one righteous man on the face of the Earth – Noah.

a. Why did Noah find grace in the eyes of the Lord? Verse 9 “This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.” This explains to us why Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
b. Consequently, God decided to spare Noah from the destruction that He was going to bring upon the earth.

4. Remember, we're looking at these verses for the purpose of helping us understand that Noah was warned of God, of things not seen yet. Look at verse 13 “And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” This verse shows us that God informed Noah He was going to destroy the Earth.
5. To see how, we look next at verse 17 “And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die.”. God decided to destroy the Earth with a flood of waters.

B. That was something new—no one had ever seen a flood like that. Note we're illustrating from the book of Genesis what the writer of Hebrews was teaching when he said that Noah was warned of God of things not seen yet. No one, including Noah, had ever seen so great a flood. How did Noah react?
C. Through his faith, Noah believed what God had said. Noah did not stand there and argue with God and say, I don't believe that I've never seen a flood like that. God said it. Noah believed it. That settled it. Through his faith, Noah believed what God had said. Reminds us of Hebrews 11:1, doesn’t it? – “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
D. What exactly caused Noah to listen when God warned him about something that had never been seen before? That brings us to the second statement that we want to consider.

II. In Hebrews 11:7 – “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear…” I’ll stop right there. Noah was moved with fear. I don't know about you, but when I hear the word fear, I think about being afraid of something. That's the way we use the word.

A. The Bible uses the word fear in that sense as well, but often the Bible uses the word fear to refer to reverence or respect for God. In the Bible, fear and obeying God are often joined together.
B. For example, in Ecclesiastes 12:13, Solomon said this is the conclusion of the whole matter—“Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”
C. Noah's fear moved him or motivated him to do something.
D. What did Noah's fear move him to do? That brings us to the third statement that we want to look at.

III. In Hebrews 11:7 again, Noah “…prepared an ark for the saving of his household…” Noah was warned of God, of things not seen yet. Noah was moved with fear. What did his fear move him to do? He prepared that ark.

A. As we examine what's written in the book of Genesis, we see that God gave specific instructions for building the ark and placing the animals inside. God even specified the type of wood that was to be used. He specified gopher wood. Today we do not know exactly what this wood was. We do know some things from the text though…it was available in sufficient quantities for the work, and the important thing is, Noah understood.
B. God not only specified the kind of wood that was to be used, He gave specific dimensions for building the ark.

1. If God had just said, Noah, I want you to build this great big ark and left it at that, Noah would have been free to make some decisions about the kind of wood he would use, the dimensions and so on, but when God specified what He wanted, that eliminated everything else.
2. God also didn't have to go down a list and say, Noah; I don't want you to use this kind of wood or that kind of wood. When He specified gopher wood that eliminated everything else.

a. A lot of people don't understand this principle when it comes to studying the Bible. When God specifies in His word what He wants, that eliminates everything else.
b. Some people take the approach: if God hasn't specifically condemned something, then we're free to do it. That's not the case, is it?
c. The Bible teaches us whatever we “…do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus…” [para], Colossians 3:17. That means we're to do those things that the Lord has authorized us to do in His Word. When He authorizes a particular matter… that eliminates everything else.

3. I think I've used this illustration many times, but it makes the point. Years and years and years ago, before Johnny was old enough to drive, he went everywhere on his bicycle. In the neighborhood where Johnny lived there was a mom-and-pop store that sold groceries. Sometimes Johnny’s mother would need a few things that were available at that store. She would say, “Johnny, I want you to get on your bicycle and go to the store and buy”… whatever it was a gallon of milk, a loaf of bread, or a dozen eggs, whatever.

a. When his mother specified, get on his bicycle that meant, don't walk. He was certainly not old enough to take the car and he didn’t have a driver's license. She didn't have to go through all that. When she said, get on your bicycle that specified what she wanted Johnny to do.
b. Johnny did have a choice to make though. Would he do what she wanted him to do or not? Johnny was pretty sharp, and he learned early on, years before, that when Mama said something, you do what she says, or there were consequences.
c. When she told him exactly what to go buy, she didn't have to go down a list and say, now Johnny, don't buy a Snickers candy bar. He may have loved them, but she did not have to tell him not to buy one. She didn't have to say, now, Johnny, don't buy one of those Pepsi flavored ices that you love. She didn't have to go down the list and tell him what not to get. When she told him what to get, that eliminated everything else.
d. Besides that, she gave him the exact amount of money to buy what she wanted, so there was no extra anyway. Mothers are smart like that, and she removed the temptation for him to try to go beyond what she said.

4. When God specified to Noah how to build the ark, He did not have to go down the list and tell Noah what not to do, because when He told Noah what to do, that eliminated everything else. Noah understood that. You would think that people living today ought to be able to understand the same thing.

C. God gave specific instructions for building the ark and placing the animals inside. We notice in Genesis 6 that Noah did exactly what God told him to do. Genesis 6:22 says, “Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.” Next look at chapter 7 in verse 5. “And Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him.” The verses are very explicit, aren't they? Noah did exactly what God told him to do.
D. At this point I would like us to tie in a statement in James 2:18 concerning faith. James says, “But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” Let's apply that to Noah. By obeying God's instructions, Noah was showing, demonstrating his faith.
E. Do you recall the miracle of Jesus when He healed the paralyzed man? Jesus was teaching in a home, and it was packed with people. Some men had a friend who couldn't walk, and they wanted to bring him to the Lord so that the Lord would heal him. But when they got to the place where Jesus was, they could not go inside because there were so many people. I love how industrious these men were. They went up on the roof of the house, took back some of the roofing and let the man down. Look at what Jesus says. First Matthew’s account in Matthew 9:2 – “… And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”” Next Mark 2:5 – “When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”” Finally Luke 5:20 – “So when He saw their faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.””

1. Is faith something that you can put in a container and see? No, but it is active. When Jesus saw the actions of these men who brought their friend to be healed, He observed their faith.
2. I think we can say that about Noah. Noah did what God told him to do. Consequently, he demonstrated his faith. That brings us to the fourth statement made about Noah and his faith.

IV. In Hebrews 11:7 again – “…by which he condemned the world…” We need to be sure that we understand what that means.

A. Did Noah condemn the world in the sense that he destroyed it? No. That was beyond his power. God is the one who destroyed the earth in the flood.

1. Yet, Noah did condemn the world. How did he do that? Noah condemned the world by refusing to be like the world. We are told how wicked men had become. Noah did not go along with everyone else.
2. There's an interesting statement found in 2 Peter 2:4-5 – “… God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;” Noah was a preacher of righteousness. The implication is clear that Noah attempted to persuade his contemporaries to renounce their evil ways and turn to God. There were eight souls saved in the ark—Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their wives.
3. Noah didn't build that ark in a day or two. It took him a long time. I'm assuming, from what the Bible says, that while he was building the ark, he was trying to get people to repent, but no one other then his family listened.

B. Noah refused to be condemned with the rest of the world. He knew that he had to obey God, even if no one else in the whole world did. We would do well to keep that in mind today. We must be faithful to God and His Word, even if no one else is. There is always pressure on people to compromise with the world, and when we do that, we transgress the will of God. Noah understood that he had to obey God, even if no one else on the face of the earth did. Yes, Noah refused to be condemned with the rest of the world, and in that sense, he did condemn the world. That brings us to the fifth statement that we want to point out concerning Noah and his faith.

V. From Hebrews 11:7 – “… became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” Noah received the reward that God had reserved for him.

A. This means that even godly Noah was not saved by his own works or merit. His faithful obedience pleased God who made him an heir of the righteousness yet to be revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ who, in the fullness of time, would appear and fulfill all righteousness. Noah was the very first man in the Bible to be designated "righteous"; and even then, it was not righteousness from within but from above.
B. Westcott put it this way. “The righteousness was something which came to him as having its source without, and yet according to a certain law. It was his by an unquestionable right: it corresponded with the position of a son; and this position Noah showed by his conduct to be his.”

 

CONCLUSION:
Let's make a few points of application. We certainly need to correctly understand what the Bible has to say concerning Noah's faith. Then we need to make proper application. There are so many things we could talk about concerning Noah and the ark. However, I suggest that we apply what we've just talked about in reference to Noah's faith.

God warned Noah about things that have never been seen. God has done the same thing for us. Let's look at a few scriptures. 2 Peter 3:10-12 - “10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12. looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?”

Peter is very explicit in showing us that when Jesus comes back, everything will be burned up. It can't be made any clearer than what Peter made it. Have you ever seen any destruction like that? We're familiar with forest fires and the damage they can cause. I think about what happened on 9-11 and there's an image that's burned into my mind. I can't get rid of it. I see the smoke rising over New York City and it seemed to just burn for days and days.

Think about everything, the earth, the elements, everything in the universe being burned up. Have we ever seen anything like that? We haven't. Do we believe that that's going to happen? I do. Why? Because God said so.

Just as God warned Noah about coming destruction, things that had never been seen, He's also warned us of things that have never been seen. I've never seen that type of destruction, but I believe it's going to occur because God has said so.

Let's consider another warning. Those who do not obey the Gospel will be punished. I’m in Second Thessalonians 1 starting in verse 7. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 – “when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.” I've never seen everlasting destruction, have you? The Bible says it's going to occur. How do we know that these things are going to occur? By the same way Noah knew that the earth would be destroyed by a flood, faith.

We have read what the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” That is what Rahab did, remember? That's also what Noah did. He set a wonderful example before us. Noah was warned about things that had never been seen, and he acted on God's warnings.

The Bible gives us some warnings about things that have never been seen and we ought to follow Noah's example and be prepared. Just as fear moved Noah to obey God, fear ought to motivate us to do what God wants us to do.

What does God want us to do to be prepared for that coming destruction? Let’s let Peter tell us about this in 1 Peter 3:20-21 “20. who formerly were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21. There is also an antitype which now saves us, namely baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,”

When the Lord gave the great commission, He told His apostles to preach the gospel to every creature. He then said, he who believes and is baptize shall be saved. That's what Peter's writing about here, and he's using an illustration from what happened to Noah and his family. There were eight souls prepared for that coming flood. They were in the ark, and they were spared.

To be prepared, we need to follow the Lord's instructions. Noah refused to be like the rest of the world. We emphasized this earlier, and in that sense, he condemned the world. The Bible teaches us that we must not be conformed to the world.

Let's look at Romans 12:1-2 This is the Apostle Paul writing to the church in Rome. “1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Noah refused to be like the rest of the world. The Bible teaches us that we also are not to be conformed to the world, but we are to be transformed. Then if we remain faithful unto God, we will receive a very special reward. That's the way that Hebrews 11:7 concludes. “Noah received what he was promised as a reward.” Revelation 2:10 says, “… Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Now let's look at Hebrews 12:1. Throughout Hebrews 11 we read about the faith that was demonstrated by the great men and women of the Old Testament. Noah was just one of them. When we think about Noah's example and the example set by these other great Bible people, we ought to be encouraged to do what this next verse tells us. You see all the information in chapter eleven is leading up to this concluding statement in verse one of chapter twelve which starts with the word “therefore”.

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” Noah’s faith ought to encourage us to do what this verse teaches us to do, run with patience the race that is set before us.

These witnesses we have read about interpret to us the meaning of our struggle, and they bear testimony to the certainty of our success if we are faithful to the end of the race.
The weight we carry in our race is anything that slows us down. It is any hindrance which can get in the way, or impede the Christian’s progress. Just as the runner in a race travels as lightly as possible, the Christian must avoid being weighted down with all kinds of worldly duties and commitments. Many of them no doubt worthy – yet one fact is certain, no one can do all that the world wants and be a good Christian too. Far too many children of the King allow their time, talent, and money to be consumed by secondary things. Those things are called "weights," when we understand the effect they have on our dedication to Christ and His cause on earth. This is also true of congregations who let worldly activities take up their resources.

The sin that ensnares us, to halt our running of the race, refers to conduct inherently unrighteous, which is always a mortal enemy of faith.
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We learn from the New Testament how to be saved. We need to hear the word; believe in Jesus; repent of our sins; we must confess our belief that Jesus is the Son of God; and be baptized for the remission of our sins… If we follow these steps, the Lord adds us to His church.

Perhaps there is someone in the assembly today with the need to be buried with Christ in baptism. If you have never done these things, we urge you to do so today. If anyone has this need or desires the prayers of faithful Christians on their behalf, we encourage them to come forward while we stand and sing.

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Taken from a sermon by: Raymond Sieg

Thanking Your Way To A Strong Family

Thanking Your Way To A Strong Family
Text Colossians 3:12 – 17

OPEN: Back in the 70’s, a woman wrote an article I found interesting. She said that her cousin had invited them to “Come for a thanksgiving dinner on Saturday, March 20th.”
She stated that: “She was not celebrating an early Thanksgiving. She was saying that all was well with her husband, who had finished a battery of hospital tests.
“In our family,” she said “we sometimes have as many as ten thanksgivings in one year.
Each Thanksgiving marks a happy event such as:
a job promotion,
a graduate degree,
a good medical report.
Sometimes we celebrate with a dinner party,
sometimes with a picnic or outing,
but always with as many members of our clan as we can round up.”
10 Thanksgivings a year… can you imagine what that would do to your diet???
And yet here in Colossians 3:17 we’re told that 10 Thanksgivings a year would NOT be enough for a Christian that tried to follow Paul’s advice: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
In WHATEVER we do… every day of every year… we should be giving thanks. We should be known as a “thankful people”.
In fact, Colossians 2:7 declares “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, OVERFLOWING with thanksgiving.”
And in Ephesians 5:20 we’re told that we should be “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,.”

I. We - as Christians - should be known as a thankful and grateful people.
And that should be true of us in EVERY aspect of our lives. Especially – it should be true in our homes and in how we deal with our families.

ILLUS:A few years ago Dr. Nick Stinnett of the Univ. of Nebraska conducted a series of studies in an attempt to discover what characteristics were common in strong families. He and his researchers discovered SIX qualities.
And the first quality and one of the most important to be found in strong families was that of appreciation. They concluded that families which were strong…
were strong because family members expressed appreciation for what each member DID and for who they WERE.
In a similar study another researcher looked into the effect of praise in the workplace.
His study showed that the ratio of praise to criticism in the workplace needed to be 4 to 1 before employees felt that there is a balance…
that there had be 4 times as much praise as there was criticism before those employees felt good about their work and about the environment they worked in.
This tells us that people need appreciation. They need praise. And they need these things 4 times as often as they receive criticism to have a healthy environment at work or home.
Many families just don’t understand this basic reality

ILLUS: A few years back I read about a man who always teased his wife about her lack of interest in household chores. One day he came home with a gag gift – a refrigerator magnet that read: “Martha Stewart doesn’t live here.”
The next day he came home to find the magnet holding up a slip of paper. The note read: “Neither does Bob Vila.”
Now that was meant as good-humored fun, but there are homes where those kind of comments are not meant to be funny.
They are intended to be offensive.
They are meant to hurt… to cause pain.
Even in the best of homes, there are harsh words and occasional hard feelings.
(pause…) WHY does that happen?
Well, there are a number of reasons why it might… but one of the most basic reasons there are harsh words and hard feelings in a home is when there is a lack of thankfulness. When parents or children forget the blessing that their wife/ husband/ child/ parent actually is to them.

ILLUS: Sometimes it’s only a matter of perspective. One young college woman supposedly wrote home to her mother:
“Dear Mom:
Sorry I haven’t written sooner.
My arm really has been broken.
I broke it,
and my left leg,
when I jumped from the second floor of my dormitory...
when we had the fire. We were lucky.
A young service station attendant saw the blaze and called the Fire Department. They were there in minutes. I was in the hospital for a few days.
Paul, the service station attendant, came to see me every day. And because it was taking so long to get our dormitory livable again, I moved in with him.
He has been so nice. I must admit that I am pregnant.
Paul and I plan to get married just as soon as he breaks up with his current fiancée.
I hope things are fine at home. I’m doing fine, and will write more when I get the chance.
Love, Your daughter, Susie
P.S. None of the above is true.
But I did get a “C” in Sociology and flunked Chemistry.
I just wanted you to receive this news in its “Proper Perspective!”

ILLUS: I personally received a lesson in this from my wife.
Back when our grandson Dillon was about 10 years old, we had a dark blue Dodge Caravan. I was proud of it.
But then, one day Dillon wanted to help with the grocery shopping and as we were leaving the store he lost control of the shopping cart and rammed into the right side of the car leaving an inch long scar in the paint.
I was very upset and started yelling at him for the damage he’d done.
Debbie stopped me with these words: “Which is more valuable? Dillon or this van?”
(long pause…) I had to think about that for awhile… but she was right.
You see… thankfulness for my family is often a matter of having the right perspective as to what or who is most important

III. But too often we’re not thankful

ILLUS: Not long ago I overheard a woman telling a friend about her husband - and that wife was not happy.
According to her, her husband was hard to get along with.
He was unreasonable.
He was irresponsible.
From her description it appeared that he was somewhere between being Hagar the Horrible and Dennis the Menace.
It was fairly obvious, from hearing her talk, that she was not thankful for her husband.
Now, I know this woman, and I’m convinced that in her home - for every good comment she made about her husband there would be at least 4 criticisms. She is not a thankful kind of woman.
Why are people so negative?
1st, negative comments are often the way people try to modify someone else’s behavior.
Parents put down their kids
Wives insult their husbands
Husbands criticize their wives…
because they believe that this is the best way to make their displeasure known
and to change the behavior of those they are upset from

And when we “complain” to others –
that is simply our way of trying to enlist support.
It’s our way of trying to get other people onto our bandwagon so that we have extra help in bringing about the change we desire.
2ndly, most of us are just naturally critical by nature. In fact, James comments in chapter 3 verses 9 and 10
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.”
In other words, God knows we have unconsciously make critical comments. He knows we tend to have a critical spirit… and so God commands us:
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17)
God knows that we tend to be UNCONSCIOUSLY critical of those around us…
and so He commands us to be consciously thankful for ALL THINGS
This is especially important in our homes… BECAUSE , AS WE STATED EARLIER … a healthy home has an atmosphere where we compliment 4 times more than we criticize

IV. So how do I do develop a thankful spirit in my home?
I mean… what if they don’t deserve my being grateful for them? What if my husband/ wife/ child aren’t as perfect as I’d like them to be?

ILLUS: a man by the name of Frank Fried had an excellent piece of advise:
“Folks, the grass is not greener on that side of the fence.
And the grass is not greener on this side of the fence.
The grass is greener where you water it.”
The way to grow a thankful heart is to turn my heart into a garden of thanksgiving. My heart needs to be a place where I plant the seeds of thankfulness and fertilize and water that garden with constant tending.
In short… you and I need to practice thankfulness. And God says: the best place to start practicing thanksgiving is in His presence.
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks TO GOD the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17)
We need to pray to God and focus on the things we are thankful for about our spouse/ child. So, let’s do that right now. I want all of you to bow and focus on the most difficult person you can think of in your home. And I want you to start today to find something about that individual that you can be thankful for. (PRAY)

V. Now… if I do that on a regular basis… what will change?
Will it change the behavior of my spouse?
Will it change the behavior of my child?
Etc.
I don’t know… but, I do know that using criticism is not the best way to modify people’s behavior.
It is a truism in our society that “the squeaky wheel gets the grease”. You can change things in this world by being critical and “in your face.” However, if you do that often enough, people begin to find ways of avoiding you. The critical people in this world aren’t much fun to be around.

ILLUS: One pharmacy posted this sign by their service bell:
“Ring once for service,
ring twice for poor service,
ring 3 times for no service at all.”
It is just a truth of life that if I want to want someone to respond kindly to me it helps to express an attitude of gratitude.

ILLUS: I remember one preacher of telling of encountering a woman who worked at the post office who was hard to get along with. She was bossy and somewhat rude and even if he was nice to her, she was still short with him.
At first he was tempted to complain about her treatment of him – both to her and to her superiors but he realized he was God’s servant and that might not come across very well. And so he made up his mind to do a full court press to win her with his charm.
From that day forward, he repeatedly complimented her and thanked her for anything he could think of… and after a few weeks – sure enough - she began to change. She’d smile. She’d find ways of helping him to get around some of the more obscure rules in her department.
His attitude of gratitude changed her heart… and changed her behavior.
But what if that other person doesn’t change? What if they still behave badly and irritate you? Do you get a pass on God’s command to be thankful?
Nope.
It doesn’t matter what the results may be in the lives of those around you. God still commands that you and I be people of thanksgiving.
It’s worth noting that even if we can’t alter the behavior of others by our gratitude… this attitude can still have a powerful benefit in our lives. That benefit? While it may not change other around us… it will change us.

ILLUS: Missionary Benjamin Weir was held hostage in Lebanon and imprisoned under miserable conditions for 16 months. In his first interview after his release,
he was asked how he spent his time and how he dealt with the boredom and despair. His answer stunned the reporters. He simply said, “Counting my blessings.”
“Blessings?” they responded.
“Yes,” he explained. “Some days I got to take a shower. Sometimes there were some vegetables in my food. And I could always be thankful for the love of my family.”
Benjamin Weir discovered the power to overcome his circumstances by learning thankfulness
He was physically in bondage… but spiritually and mentally he was free. Why? Because he had learned to “give thanks to the Father” even in the harshest of circumstances.

CLOSE: The point is this:
We need to be a people who are known for our thankfulness…
· especially in our homes
especially with our wives/ husbands/ children/ parents
Partly because of the change it can bring about in our families, but more importantly because of the change it can bring to our own lives and hearts.

Stand Firm

STAND FIRM
2Thessalonians 2:15 – 17

OPEN: The story is told of a man who was on his way to a costume ball on a Sunday evening. He’d rented a fairly realistic Satan Costume. It was a red suit with a tail and a skintight mask with horns. It was a quality outfit, and … he kind of looked like Satan.
In order to get to the party, he had to walk a fair distance, and was caught in a sudden rainstorm, so he sought shelter in a church building where the service was just ending. Just as he ran into the building, there was a loud clap of thunder, and as the crowd turned to look, a flash of lightening lit up the doorframe.
It was so sudden, and so shocking that the people thought THIS was really Satan, and they panicked and rushed for the exits. But the intruder didn’t realize what was frightening them and thought that maybe the church had been struck with lightning and was on fire… so he raced after them.
Everybody got out… except for one elderly lady. Turning in fear, she stretched out her hands, “Oh devil, please don’t hurt me. I know I’ve been a member of this church for 30 years, but I’ve really been on your side all the time!”
Now… what was that lady saying? She was saying: I surrender, I give up - You WIN! She was afraid that he would hurt her, so she abandoned her faith… and yielded to the enemy.
Now, maybe that’s meant to be a humorous story – it never happened. But too often, there are Christians who literally surrender to Satan. They give up and refuse to stand firm in their faith.
That’s why the Bible repeatedly tells us to stand firm.

1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain”;
1 Corinthians 16:13 “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong”;
Ephesians 6:13 “Take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”

And, of course our text today says: “Stand firm and hold to the traditions (the teachings) that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.” 2 Thessalonians 2:15
The Bible is very clear on this - God calls us to stand firm. What’s interesting is that God repeatedly tells us stories of men and women who stood firm.

Moses STOOD before Pharaoh and ultimately led the people of God out of slavery.
The people of Israel STOOD before the walls of Jericho… and the walls fell down.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego STOOD before Nebuchadnezzar’s idol and refused to bow and God delivered them from the fire.

Esther STOOD before the throne of Xerxes and saved the Jews from destruction.
Now, what’s interesting about all those stories is that… that's about all these folks did - they STOOD! Their victory didn’t come by their force of arms (swords/spears, etc.);
Their triumph wasn’t accomplished because of their personal power;
They didn’t win the day because they were influential people. They overcame evil because they trusted in God and they STOOD FIRM.

Edmund Burke said “The only thing necessary for triumph of evil - is for good men to do nothing.” But when Godly people stand firm in the face of evil, evil is frustrated, and evil is defeated.
And so God tells us to stand - stand firm. YOU may be the only person who is able to stand up FOR God in the face of a bad situation so… stand firm.
And oft times – people who stand for God have to stand ALONE. Many of the great heroes and heroines of Scripture faced danger all by themselves.  But it was their courage - in those times of danger - that turned the tide.

ILLUS: I’ve read that in WWII, the Germans nearly won the Battle Of The Bulge. All they needed was just enough time to reach their objectives… but they never got to their destinations quickly enough. The Germans didn’t lose Battle of the Bulge because they faced a huge Allied army. No!
They lost because they kept running into small groups of soldiers who refused to yield. Small companies of men who stood firm because they knew that they were the only ones who could stand against the might of the German war machine. They STOOD FIRM and they STOOD ALONE, and they turned the tide of the battle.
That is what God calls you and I to be willing to do. God calls us to STAND FIRM, even if you have to stand alone. Because everything may depend upon you.

ILLUS: In the book of Esther, an evil man named Haman who hated the Jews so much that he talked the King into passing a Law calling for them to be destroyed.
Esther was approached by her uncle Mordecai to appeal to the King to save her people… but she was afraid.
And Mordecai rebukes her with these words: “If you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish.” Esther 4:14
Esther listened to her uncle, and she stood firm before the King and saved her people from destruction.
Many ask the question, “why would a Christian NOT stand firm?”  Why would they back down in the face of opposition?

One reason is that a lot of folks are afraid of standing alone. In fact, there’s actually a name for that kind of fear: Band wagon effect. In sports, the Bandwagon effect describes “fair weather fans”.
Those folks only get on the “bandwagon” and support the team when they are winning.
But amongst psychologists, the Bandwagon effect is described as: “The tendency for people in social and sometimes political situations to align themselves with the majority opinion and do or believe things because many other people appear to be doing or believing the same. I am sure we have ALL heard the phrase: “If EVERYONE else JUMPED off the bridge… would YOU JUMP ALSO?”
Hubie Brown, at a basketball clinic I attended many years ago, gave this advice to all the coaches in attendance that day:
Believe in yourselves and your coaching program and always remember this one thing …
“The dogs may bark, BUT the caravan moves on.” (EXPLAIN)

ILLUS: Abraham Lincoln “Be sure you put your feet in the right place. Then stand firm.”
Back in the day when I would travel with the 8th grade students from Perry Middle School to Washington D.C. we would often play “King Of The POOL!” at our hotel.
One person would stand at the edge of the pool and another kid would try to push them in without falling into the water themselves.
I had learned that – when I placed my feet just so, nobody could push me off the edge w/o going in with me. I put my feet in the right place… and I stood firm.
But (as a Christian) how do I do that? How do I make sure my feet are in the right place so that I can stand firm for God?
Well… our text today says We do that by “holding to the traditions that (we) were taught... in Scripture." 2 Thessalonians 2:15

You see, the Bible is the foundation of our faith. It’s in the Bible that we discover what is right, and what is wrong. God’s not interested in my opinion or yours.
He’s not influenced by churches who ignore sin. He’s not interested in the editorials of a newspaper or in a government law that tries to legalize immorality.
HE IS NOT A GOD WHO CHANGES WITH THE TIMES! You either line up with Scripture… or you’re wrong.  Whatever the Bible says - that’s where we put our feet.

Peter and John were once commanded not to preach in the name of Jesus and do you know what they said? “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:19-20
They refused to back down. They made sure their feet were in the right place and they STOOD FIRM. But notice - Peter and John were respectful.
They didn’t insult the Sanhedrin; They didn’t mobilize a protest. They just said this is where we stand, and we’re not backing down.

Jesus drew a line on where to stand in Matthew 8:3-11
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

This brings us to the final way Christians should STAND FIRM. Earlier in the sermon I quoted I Corinthians 16:13 that said: “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”
But I didn’t include the next verse which says: “Let all that you do be done in love.” I Corinthians 16:14
When I was younger I was frustrated that there didn’t seem to be any action shows in Movies or on TV that showed Christians beating up on criminals.
In the movies, Steven Seagal played a Buddhist who would literally destroyed gangs of bad guys by himself.
But I don’t remember ONE single CHRISTIAN doing stuff like that. I mean, if we Christians are all about righteousness, you’d think we’d get a TV hero who’d punch somebody in the nose once in a while. But that just didn’t seem to happen!
(PAUSE) And there’s a reason for that. Christianity wasn’t built on violence. There was no school of marital arts ever created by Christians because Jesus didn’t teach us to behave that way.

Now, I’m not trying to say a Christian shouldn’t defend their family, their country, or even themselves. But, by our very nature we should not be violent, cruel or nasty folk. Jesus said: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35) And here in I Corinthians Paul reminds Christians to stand firm - but do it in love. Be respectful. Set your feet and don’t move but don’t even get into arguments

2 Timothy 2:24-26 “The Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”

The fact of the matter is… God has called us to STAND. To not back off our faith for anyone or anything. To do this gently… but without apologizing for what we believe in.
The world will fight you and evil will oppose you. But when the dust clears you’ll know it was worth the cost.
I want to close with this observation by a writer from America’s Revolutionary times ---Thomas Paine

“The harder the conflict,
the more glorious the triumph.
What we obtain too cheap,
we esteem too lightly;

it is dearness only
that gives everything its value.
I love the man that can smile in trouble,
that can gather strength from distress
and grow brave by reflection.

‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink;
but he whose heart is firm,
and whose conscience approves his conduct,
will pursue his principles unto death.”

CLOSE: So the question you need to think about this morning is this: DO YOU STAND WITH JESUS?
INVITATION

The Faith of Caleb

The Faith of Caleb
Joshua 14:6-15

INTRO: Good morning church.
In our Bible class we have been studying from the book of Hebrews and lately from chapter 11, the great chapter on faith. One of the things we notice about that chapter is the frequent reference to the Old Testament for examples.

We understand that we don't live under the Old Testament, under the Old Covenant, but we read the Old Testament because it's really impossible to fully understand the New unless you are familiar with the Old. There are many wonderful lessons that we can glean from the Old Testament and from the men and women who we read about.

What I want us to look at today is a little bit about Caleb and the faithful service that he rendered to the Lord. We will start with the statement that Caleb makes in Joshua, chapter 14, where he says, “give me this mountain”. I invite you to read with me Joshua 14:6-15 – “6. Then the children of Judah came to Joshua in Gilgal. And Caleb the son of Jephunneh (jef-foon-neh) the Kenizzite (ken-niz-zite) said to him: "You know the word which the Lord said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea. 7. "I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. 8. "Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God. 9. "So Moses swore on that day, saying, `Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children's forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.' 10. "And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. 11. "As yet I am as strong this day as I was on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. 12. "Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.'' 13. And Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh (jef-foon-neh) as an inheritance. 14. Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh (jef-foon-neh) the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. 15. And the name of Hebron formerly was Kirjath Arba, for Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim. Then the land had rest from war.” [NKJV]

There are several things we see in this passage and in the life of Caleb in general. First and foremost is that God never forgets the work that we do for him, the faithfulness that we show to him.
Next, we see in Caleb a wonderful example of faithfulness to the Lord. Then I want to ask a question, what mountains do we face today and in what way does the Lord help us in our efforts to do His will?

I. First, let us think about God never forgetting the service that we render to him. When the children of Israel came up out of Egypt, God commanded that spies be sent into the Promised Land to spy it out and bring back word of what they found there.

A. Caleb was one of the ones chosen. In Numbers 13:1-2 it says, “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel; from each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.''”

1. If we drop down to verse six, you'll see that Caleb was chosen from the tribe of Judah as one of the spies.
2. We recall that when the spies come back from observing the land and its inhabitants, ten of those spies brought a very negative report. As Caleb said in the passage we just read, they caused the heart of the people to melt.

B. We read about that starting at Numbers 13:31 – “31. But the men who had gone up with him said, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.'' 32. And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, "The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33. "There we saw the giants, (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.'”
C. In chapter 14 we continue at verse 2. “2. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, "If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! 3. "Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?'' 4. So they said to one another, "Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.''”

1. That was the report that was brought back by the ten spies. Notice their fear, their lack of faith, their cowardice if you will. It was contagious and their fear caused the people to fear. When we fear, we don't always think correctly.
2. The Children of Israel forgot that God had already brought them out of Egypt, and that Egypt was the strongest nation on earth at the time. They forgot the miracles God had performed in Egypt, that they had plundered Egypt when they left, and God had destroyed the armies of Egypt in the Red Sea. They forgot because they listened to the report of these ten spies.

D. Joshua and Caleb brought back a different report. As we continue in Numbers 14:6-10 we read, “6. And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh (jef-foon-neh), who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7. and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: "The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8. "If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, `a land which flows with milk and honey.' 9. "Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.'' 10. And all the congregation (this is amazing) said to stone them with stones. Now the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of meeting before all the children of Israel.”

1. Notice that the congregation was not willing to listen, and they were getting ready to stone Joshua and Caleb. God intervenes at this point and Joshua and Caleb are spared.
2. Joshua and Caleb not only contradicted the ten spies, but they were standing up to the whole nation of Israel at this point. They were on the verge of being stoned because they believed in God, and they believed that God would keep His promise.

II. God does not forget such acts of loyalty. When I say that, I don't mean to suggest that it's impossible for us to lose our salvation if we become unfaithful. An act of loyalty in the past does not guarantee our future salvation. As long as we continue to live faithfully, God will not forget the good that we've done, and God will not fail to reward us for the good that we've done for Him.

A. In Hebrews 6:10 the Hebrew writer says, “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” The Hebrew writer is writing to Hebrew Christians, Christians who were of Jewish lineage.

1. As we studied the book of Hebrews, we found that these Christians were in danger of becoming unfaithful and were trying to go back under the Law of Moses. The writer is reminding them that God will not forget their work, their labor of love, and that they have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.
2. We read this elsewhere in scripture, God knows those who are His. In the book of Nahum 1:7 we read, “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him.” God knows.

B. Think about the Book of Revelation and the letters to the seven churches of Asia. In every single one of those letters the congregations are reminded that God knows, and God is aware of both the good that they have done and of things done that were bad. He is aware of that. He is aware of their works.

1. Quickly we can look at Revelation 2:2. To the Church of Ephesus, he says, “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;” He says, I know. I know your labors. I know your works. He went on to say to them that He also knew they had forgotten their first love. They were not perfect, but He was aware of the good that they had done, and He did not forget that.
2. The Church at Smyrna, Revelation 2:9 – “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.” He knows of their works, their tribulation, their poverty, physical poverty, but they were rich in a spiritual sense.
3. To the church of Pergamos in Revelation 2:13 – “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.” God knew the name of the faithful servant whose life had been taken for his service to God.
4. To church of Thyatira. “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.” He was aware of their works, and He knew that as a congregation their works were increasing instead of on the decrease.
5. Revelation 3:1 - To the church at Sardis. “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead”. This statement by the Lord is: I'm aware, I know that you have a name that is alive, but you are dead. The congregation in Sardis was not faithful to the Lord. They wore the name, but they weren't living the life that a Christian ought to live.
6. In Revelation 3:8 to the church at Philadelphia – “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.”
7. Finally, the church of Laodicea, in 3:15 – “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.” Those seven churches are literal churches, but they also are very representative of all churches, all congregations, and the different problems and issues that we face as congregations of the Lord's Church.

C. In each one of those, Jesus says, I know. Just as He was aware of their works, He was aware of Caleb and the good that Caleb had done, and that Joshua had done.

1. We are promised as well that He knows our works and that He will reward us for the good that we've done. Going on a few more chapters in the Book of Revelation 14:13 John says – “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: `Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.' '' "Yes,'' says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”
2. First Corinthians 15:58 Paul says, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” God is aware and will reward them for all the good that they do. We are also told God never forgets the promises that He makes.

D. God initially made the promise that Caleb would receive an inheritance and then 45 years passed before it would be fulfilled. God did not forget. In Deuteronomy 1:35-36 God said, “`Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers, `except Caleb the son of Jephunneh (jef-foon-neh); he shall see it, and to him and his children I am giving the land on which he walked, because he wholly followed the Lord.'”

1. 45 years later Caleb is about to collect on that promise God had made. We see there's no doubt in Caleb's heart that God will keep His promise.
2. If you recall from our lessons on faith, part of faith is trusting God to keep His promises. Hebrews 11:6 – “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hopefully we're people who diligently seek God, and we can look forward to the promises God has made to us.
3. In Caleb we see a wonderful example of faithfulness. As one commentator put it, “The account of Caleb's courageous stand would serve to remind God's people of how the Promised Land had to be won”.

III. Think though about some of the things that might suggest that Caleb might not be up to conquering this mountain that he requests.

A. First I think of his age. He was 85 years old now. I think it's interesting that he says I'm as strong today as I was 45 years ago when Moses told me to go spy out the land. Huh, from my viewpoint I might doubt that was a valid statement. Maybe he thought it was true, but I doubt anybody is as strong at the age of 85 as they were at 40. Nevertheless, he didn't allow his age to be a detriment or to cause him to feel that he could not do what God wanted him to do.
B. Not only was his age a problem or could be a problem, but also the enemy. These Anakim that are described as residing on this mountain in Hebron, were described as giants. Yet, in Joshua 14:12 we find Caleb saying, “Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said” I do not believe Caleb is bragging here, I think he is just saying I’m ready to do my part in conquering the land.
C. Then think about his “army” if you will. These are the decedents of those Israelite slaves that came up out of Egypt. Here is Caleb then, with his army, the descendants of those slaves, and he is going to take them and attack this mountain that is manned by giants in fortified cities.
D. By human terms, there are things which would lead us to think perhaps Caleb should have chosen a softer target, something that was a little bit easier for them to obtain. Caleb obeyed God’s command to take the land and he did not pick an easy target—he picked the mountain of Hebron.

1. I believe that is because he knew that with God all things are indeed possible. He says, “It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said”. Notice then that he says, it may be. In other words, if the Lord wills, he believed that he would be able to succeed. His statement implies that this was going to be God's victory and not his. He was placing his trust in God, not in himself, or in his strength, or in his army. He says, If God wills, we'll take this mountain. He was a man who fully trusted in God.
2. That wasn't a new quality in his life. He demonstrated it 45 years earlier when they had gone to spy out the land. Everybody else was fearful, but he and Joshua trusted. They knew that since God was with them, they could take that land.

IV. We know that Caleb got his mountain as an inheritance. In Joshua 15:13-14 – “13. Now to Caleb the son of Jephunneh (jef-foon-neh) he gave a portion among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, namely, Kirjath Arba, which is Hebron (Arba was the father of Anak). 14. Caleb drove out the three sons of Anak from there: Sheshai (shesh-shi), Ahiman (Ah-he-mon), and Talmai (Tal-mi), the children of Anak.”

A. He got that inheritance. He did not limit God. He was not fearful, he did not think it was impossible, he trusted in God. I'm reminded of Ephesians 3:20 when Paul and talking about our Heavenly Father and he says, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,”
B. I fear people are often guilty of limiting God. They don't trust him enough. They feel that things are just simply too difficult or too hard and that they won't be able to accomplish them. With God, certainly all things are possible.

V. That leads me back to a question I mentioned earlier, and this is in a very broad and general sense - what mountains do we face? What are some of the problems, some of the obstacles, some of the tasks that are set before us that often seem just too difficult for us to achieve?

A. Let’s think about ourselves both as a congregation and as individuals. What about the works that are placed before us? For example, in terms of doing good and helping those who are in need? In Galatians 6:10 – “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Hebrews 13:2 – “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.” Hebrews 13:16 – “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” We are commanded and encouraged by example, to do good unto all men.

1. We are to render aid, hospitality, and assistance to those who need it. There are so many in the world that need help. We are tempted sometimes to think, what could I possibly do?
2. We have used this story before and perhaps you recall it. A person was walking on the beach after a storm and there were starfish stranded there. He began bending down and picking up starfish and throwing them back into the water. An individual stopped by and said, what are you doing? You're never going to make a difference. Look at all the starfish that are here. It will take you forever to throw all these back in. The man looked at the starfish that he was about to throw in and he said, well, it makes a difference to this one, and he threw it back in the water.
3. Certainly, there is more need in this world than maybe we as an individual or as a congregation could ever meet, but God is able to work through us. We can make a difference and we can help more people than we believe we can. God will use us to do that.

B. All too often, though, we're tempted to look at the problem and think of reasons that we can't fulfill our obligation. I have noticed as I get older and tire more easily, I often get discouraged and reasons not to try jump forward. Caleb and Joshua didn't do that, and I, we, shouldn't do it either. We should put our trust in God.
C. Think about the command to edify and strengthen one another. We're commanded to build one another up. Romans 15:2 – “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.”

1. Ephesians 4:29 – “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”
2. We are commanded to bear one another's burdens, Galatians 6:1-2 – “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

D. What the Bible tells us to do is the job, the task, that belongs to each one of us. Sometimes we may fall into the trap of thinking, then that's the preacher's job, that's the congregation’s job, that's the officer's job, and it is, but it's also all our jobs. Think of the good that we could accomplish in terms of building one another up if each of us took that responsibility as seriously as we should.
E. Then there is evangelism, the work of all the called out, the church. We know that the command is to “go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all things that I've commanded you.”

1. In the last part of this statement Jesus made this wonderful promise. “Lo, I'm with you always, even to the end of the age.” Yes, this is a tall task that I'm giving you. I'm going to be with you. I'm not going to abandon you. I'm not going to leave you on your own. I'm going to aid you. I'm going to help you.
2. Put your trust in me. Do what you can and trust in me to help you in that work that is placed before you. In faith we do not limit God in the works that are placed before us, both as a congregation and as individuals.

F. It is true that the devil is our adversary, he is powerful, dangerous and he wants to destroy us. What does in mean for the devil to destroy us? If he can cause us to be unfaithful to God, to remain unfaithful to God, he's destroyed us in every way that matters.

1. Peter as you all know in First Peter 5:8 describes the devil as a lion, a roaring lion, walking around seeking whom he may devour. What are we to do? We have this very powerful being out there who's seeking to destroy us, take us down as individuals, and keep us from being children of God.
2. What are we to do? In the next verses First Peter 5:9-10 – “Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” [ESV]
3. We are to resist the Devil; we must resist him in the faith. I'm not stronger than the Devil and you're not stronger than the Devil, but the one whom we serve is. If we resist him in the faith, we can resist him. James tells us if we resist the Devil, he'll flee from us because the one whom we serve is greater than he is. With God's help, we can take this mountain. We can defeat the Devil, that enemy that is stronger than we are, because the God whom we serve is stronger than he is.

G. Scripture tells us we will face trials, the troubles of life. Many of those trials, like with Job, are brought on by the Devil to try to discourage us, to try to get us to turn our backs on God. Paul reminds us, these things are common to man. But God is faithful, and no matter what this world may throw at us in terms of trials, whether we're talking about physical trials, health problems, diseases, death, whether we're talking about financial problems, whether we're talking about social problems, problems with friends, or problems with families, whatever it might be, through all these things that the Devil throws at us, God is with us to help us bear it.

CONCLUSION:
God is faithful and He is aware of the good that we have done, the good that we are doing, and He has promised to reward us. Colossians 3:24-25 – “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” That reward that is waiting far exceeds that which we experience in this life and is so much better than what we deserve.

We need to be like Caleb. The work that God has set for us to do, we need to believe that we can do it—not because we are so mighty or so powerful or so wonderful, but the God whom we serve is, and He can accomplish great things through us.

We can know that, by reading the Scriptures and looking at what He has done through the folks we read about in the Bible. No matter what obstacle or what trials or what tasks are set before us, they can be accomplished through God. Caleb is a wonderful example of the type of faithfulness that all of us need to have.

If there are any here today who have not obeyed the gospel, you're not yet a Christian.
If you believe in Jesus, we offer the invitation to you to act on that belief by obeying His commands, specifically His commands regarding salvation. Repent or turn from your sins, confess your belief that Jesus is the Son of God, and be baptized for the remission of your sins. Those things, Jesus says, are part of our salvation and what is required of us.
If you're a Christian who's become unfaithful, you can come back to the Lord and we hope that you will through repentance and prayer.
If you would like to do that in a public way and seek the prayers of the Church, we'd be glad to help you in any way that we can.
As we offer the invitation, if there's any way we can help, please come as we stand and sing.
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Reference sermon by: Ralph Price

Tradition

Tradition
Mark 7:1-13

INTRO: Good morning church.
I would like you to open your bibles to the seventh chapter of the gospel of Mark. Our lesson text for this morning is going to be a consideration of verses 1-13. I’m not going to read through these verses at the start because I would like to read it as we go through our lesson today. I consider this section of scripture to be a very important and even a crucial section of teaching from our Lord Jesus Christ.

I would like to begin by affirming that tradition is not an ugly word. That is the title I have given this lesson. Customs and traditions, from a religious perspective, can indeed be helpful and useful, but tradition must always be tested by the word of God. If the tradition is found to be a violation of God’s word, then it must be put aside.

There is an interesting phenomenon that occurs in the religious world today. The word of God seems to be tested by tradition. Just the opposite of what needs to happen. It then becomes our task to ask ourselves, “What is tradition, and what is Biblical?” “What must be retained and what must be cast aside?”

In the text before us this morning there is an incident, a situation, which brings tradition versus the word of God into view. One of the interesting things about this particular text, this incident is, it is an encounter with the Pharisees and scribes who were not focusing on the word of God but instead on the tradition of the elders. What we have before us then is the Scribes and Pharisees coming to Jesus to make a complaint.

I. THE COMPLAINT OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES – Let’s start with their complaint.

A. The first thing we learn in verse one is that these scribes & Pharisees were from Jerusalem – Mark 7:1 - “Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem.”

1. If we look at another place in Mark’s gospel, we find this language. 3:22 - “And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebub,'' and, "By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.''” The accusation that is brought to Jesus on that occasion is from scribes that come from Jerusalem. The same place as in Mark chapter 7.
2. That leads me to conclude that apparently, the “opposition” has become centered in Jerusalem.

B. The next thing we learn about them is in verse 2, let me read that – Mark 7:2 – “Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault.” The second thing I want us to observe is, these are fault finders. You know folks, that is one thing it is so easy for us to do, become fault finders. It is so easy to find fault, … with others that is. It is a negative and sometimes hurtful disposition. This is one of the unpleasant aspects described about these particular people, they are fault finders.

1. The issue here by the way isn’t a matter of personal hygiene. They were not concerned about the issue of germs on the hands; they were concerned with ritual or ceremony.
2. In the rabbinic tradition there were rules given about the washing of hands, and it had nothing whatsoever to do with personal hygiene. Remember these are not regulations set down in the Law of Moses. Keep that in mind. We are not talking about God’s revealed word. We are talking about rabbinic tradition.

C. In verses 3 and 4 Mark gives his readers an explanation - 7:3,4 – “3. For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. 4. When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches.”

1. Some have said that Mark was writing with Roman readers in mind. If that is the case, it is a possible reason why he stops here and explains what is going on. Why are these people complaining that the disciples are eating with unwashed hands? He goes on to explain, it was a “holding to the tradition of the elders”
2. The belief was that things bought or touched in the markets might have come in contact with “unclean” people, and therefore were considered to be unclean. You may be familiar with that concept. They may have been touched by a person that was unclean ... Gentiles, for example. A Gentile may have picked up these items and laid them back down making them unclean. The belief involved them not knowing what was clean and what was unclean, ceremonially speaking. The idea they developed, was when you got through at the market you went home and you went through these ritual washings. Not to take care of germs, although that would be a good reason, but so that you and the items were ceremonially clean. To remove ceremonial defilement because some Gentile may have touched it.

D. The Pharisees & scribes arrive and make their complaint to Jesus, criticizing, finding fault.

1. Interestingly, they are not directly finding fault with Jesus on this occasion. The fault they find is with His disciples, yet we can understand that this is just an oblique way of criticizing Jesus. Your disciples, look, they are not observing the tradition of the elders! What is the matter with your teaching? That of course is the implication.
2. You will notice that there is not a single suggestion that there is a violation of the revealed word of God. Their complaint had nothing to do with a violation of the Law of Moses. Not a thing!
3. But it had everything to do, with “the tradition of the elders”. These oral traditions had been passed down for centuries, and make up what is now considered to be the Talmud. Filled with opinions and traditions of rabbis of hundreds of years past. What happens with these traditions is that they are laying aside the word of God in favor of tradition.

II. HOW JESUS RESPONDED – How does Jesus respond?

A. First, Jesus quoted Isaiah. Jesus says in Mark 7:6 - “He answered and said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: `This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.” Now that is a part of Isaiah 29:13. Let’s look and keep your finger at Mark chapter 7 while you turn with me to Isaiah 29:13 - “Therefore the Lord said: "Inasmuch as these people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,”

1. What is the situation? What is the problem that Isaiah is addressing? I want to note a couple of things here.
2. Isaiah is addressing people who are ostensibly religious people. He is also addressing people whose religion consists of ritual and precepts that are of human origin. He is not addressing people who are honoring God honestly with their hearts and their lives. They are honoring God with their lips, but their hearts are far from God and their hearts are given to this man-made religion for they are “taught by the commandment of men”. Where does that leave them? They are the adherents of a spurious faith.
3. Folks, listen, this is exactly the situation of the scribes and the Pharisees in Jesus day. They are religious, no one denies that. But their religion consisted of rituals and beliefs rooted in the traditions which had been passed down through the generations... not rooted in the law of God. So here Jesus makes an application of the passage in Isaiah.

B. Read with me in Mark 7:7 – “And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'” These people had the same problem as the people of Isaiah’s day. I wonder, does that still happen today?

1. Jesus takes a passage from Isaiah and because of who Jesus is, He applies that passage to the situation that exists in His time. Jesus says that the religion that is being taught by the scribes and Pharisees is “vain” religion. It is empty and it is meaningless.
2. When tradition is elevated to the position of law, when precepts of human origin, become the basis for religion, the religion is vain.
3. One can be honest and sincere in the pursuit of religion ... and be as wrong as were the scribes and Pharisees.

C. Let us look now at Mark 7:8-9 - “For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do. And He said to them, All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.”

1. Look at the words “For laying aside the commandment of God … All too well you reject the commandment of God”. Wait a minute. These are religious people. They have made their religion their life’s work. Yes, they are and yes, they have. As do many, many people in the world today. They have a religious language, they look religious, and they go through religious activities and rituals.
2. Most of them would probably declare “we have not laid aside the commandments of God”. Certainly the Pharisees and scribes would!
3. The denial of the laying aside of the commandments of God, however, cannot change the facts. When we wander away from, when we alter, when we minimize in any way God’s revealed word… we are laying it aside. In the religious activities of our world today, though people are religious, and very likely sincere, and faithful, they can be just as wrong as the scribes and Pharisees. You can find in the literature of these religious groups all sorts of things written about regulation and traditions and practices and beliefs, and you might even find some scripture references, but that does not make them right when they have abandoned the scripture in favor of these other things.

D. Next Jesus carefully gives them a contemporary illustration of their error in Mark 7:10-13 – He starts out and reminds them what the Law of Moses says. “"For Moses said, `Honor your father and your mother'; and, `He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' "But you say, `If a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban (that is, dedicated to the temple)''; "and you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, "making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.''”

1. Jesus first cites the law of Moses in part at - Exodus 20:12 & at Leviticus 20:9
2. The very people to whom He quoted these things could well have said, should have said, “Amen”
3. But you see, rabbinic tradition had given them a “loophole” in the Law of Moses. Now I need to say this, the loophole is not there as far as scripture is concerned. You can’t find it there, but if you elevate tradition to the level of law, then you can use it for your loophole.
4. The loophole is in the word “Corban”. The word means, generally speaking, a gift devoted to God ... but still in one’s possession ... still under one’s control and use, until it is actually placed into the “collection plate” so to speak. Further, I can say it is given, it is Corban, a gift to God and I can keep it and use it until I die.
5. Here then is the situation. I have needy parents, they are not able to take care of themselves and they come to me and say, “Son, we need your help, we need for you to pay our rent.” I reply, “Oh, well the money I would use to pay your rent I have called Corban, I have devoted it to God you see, and because I have devoted it to God I can’t give it to you.”
6. This is what they were doing to be free of parental obligations! I’m remembering I Timothy 5:8 – “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” That is the law of God!
7. Look though at this tradition of the rabbis, this well-known practice among the religious Jewish leaders. It was how they got around keeping the law of God. “By our traditions, because our traditions are law.” Their traditions have made the “word of God of none effect”
8. Jesus made it clear that this “tradition” violated the word of God. And He declares that this tradition was only one of “many such things”.

E. Clearly, there is a warning here for all time, and I believe it is a crucial lesson for our time and place.

1. We have in our community and in our country; numerous religious groups of people whom I believe are very sincere.
2. They are governed in their religion by documents of human origin which teach and illustrate both beliefs and practices which are not authorized in God’s word. Yet the words in these documents are sincere.
3. In many church buildings we see so many beautiful things. Wonderful artwork. Objects that are so majestic and awe inspiring. We see people going into those buildings, sitting with heads bowed and praying. We realize that these are sincere people. Those folks have given much of their lives, and dedicated their time, and a portion of their wealth, be it great or meager. I would never question their sincerity for a moment. But you see, sincerity isn’t enough before God.
4. When by our traditions we have laid aside the word of God, our religion, no matter how sincere, has become vain. It has become empty. Such religion is vain because it rests on the traditions and the commandments of men, and not in God’s Word.
5. That said, my real concern today is not with those folks, but with you and me. That we, you and I, always honor the word of God, carefully. Obeying it in love, and with all joy, because it is the word of God, the word of our Father.

III. THEIR TEACHING – What did these religious leaders expect?

A. Let me ask this question. How did the religious leaders expect the disciples to know to wash their hands? Because that washing was what was taught. What is the Biblical word to describe teaching, or that which is taught? Doctrine.

1. The Jewish doctrine, or what was taught, included their traditions.
2. How do we teach? Well, we teach by holding classes, by preaching, by writing articles and tracts, and by our actions, the things that we do. Let me illustrate, how do very young children learn? One way is by observation. The way we behave in front of those youngsters teaches them things. We show them our doctrine.
3. I’m quite certain that by using the term “doctrine” I have made somebody a bit uncomfortable. The word “doctrine” has become an unpleasant word even among some Christians. Today the word is defined as a specific or particular principle or policy purported or advocated by a particular government or religion. In the times of the New Testament, the word had a much more generic sense, and its meaning is simple to understand, it is instruction, teaching, or that which is taught. We teach all the time by words and actions.

B. Another question; What do we teach? The religious leaders included in their teaching things which had developed as tradition. These things came from the mind of man, not from God. Their error was they taught the commandments of men.

1. Does that mean tradition is bad or wrong? Not at all, as long as it is not in conflict with the Word of God.

a. Let me give you an example. We have for many years when conducting communion, had some of the men pass the bread and the fruit of the vine to the congregation in serving plates. That was our tradition and it is the same in many congregations.
b. Along came COVID and we desired to limit close contact between the members to decrease the likelihood of disease spread. We switched to prepackaged bread and grape juice which people individually picked up before service.
c. Did that new tradition conflict with the word of God? No. We still provide the emblems for each person who wishes to partake. Scripture does not specify how they are provided only that we are to partake.

2. We made the necessary change in how we do things as an expediency to be able to continue to do what scripture tells us. What if there were supply issues and grape juice became impossible to find around here so we deided to provide apple juice as an alternative? Would that violate God’s word? Yes. Because the Bible specifically says to use the fruit of the vine.
3. Traditions are really quite useful. They help us remember what needs to be done. They also provide a framework to help us do things decently and in order.

CONCLUSION:
I am concerned, and we all should be, that we do not do anything to establish traditions which we then elevate to the position of law. That we would not do anything, which by the doing would violate the word of God. Do I think we have done that in this congregation? Generally speaking, I do not believe we have. Yet on the other hand if you talk to people individually and you listen to the expressions of their deep seated opinions, you wonder.

To these things that Jesus has said here you might say, “You know, great. Wonderful history lesson, Jewish history, we are glad we talked about that this morning, what is next?” Folks, listen, what Jesus said here has a great application for our present time and place. For what we see, even within the Lord’s Church, is a gradual abandoning of the clearly defined word of God in favor of feelings and opinions. No matter how well meaning or well sounding those feelings and opinions may be, if they are contrary to God’s word, they will result in a religion that is vain.

In congregations of the churches of Christ we are to teach the Bible and not a “church of Christ doctrine”. Yet things creep in and we need to be on guard, study the word and be prepared, perhaps even against resistance and hard feelings, to root out error. Any teaching which is more important than the unity of the body and promotes division, is nothing less then a doctrine of men rather than the gospel. It is a tradition of men that is loved and preferred more than a loving relationship with one another. Too often what we have become comfortable with becomes our doctrine, rather than “thus saith the Lord.”

I suggest that this is one of the critically important lessons of Jesus for our time and place. The drift away from what scripture authorizes in favor of feelings and opinions, no matter how well meaning, is a very present reality. What we may find written in the revealed word may not be what we find practiced out in the religious world. What we find written in the Bible, is the word of God and we must never be found laying it aside in favor of some tradition.
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We learn from God’s word in the New Testament how to be saved. We need to hear the word; believe in Jesus; repent of our sins; we must confess our belief that Jesus is the Son of God; and be baptized for the remission of our sins… If we follow these steps, the Lord adds us to His church.

Perhaps there is someone in the assembly today with the need to be buried with Christ in baptism. If you have faith like Rahab we urge you to step out, come forward and be baptized. If anyone that need or desires the prayers of faithful Christians on their behalf, we encourage them to come forward while we stand and sing.

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Reference Sermon by: Cecil A. Hutson