Chardon church of Christ

My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less

 
Matthew 7: 24-27 & Luke 24

A man approached a little league baseball game one afternoon. He asked a boy in the dugout what the score was. The boy responded, “Eighteen to nothing and we’re behind.” “Boy,” said the spectator, “I’ll bet you’re discouraged.” “Why should I be discouraged?” replied the little boy. “We haven’t even gotten up to bat yet!”

A man told of going through his father’s possession’s after his dad died, and among the things he found was his father’s 7th grade report card. Back in the Fall of 1941 this 7th grade report card showed the grading scale on the back of it. There was A, B, C, D, F, and something he’d never seen before: the letter G!
Who would have thought there was a grade you could get that was below F. But back then there was. “F” of course meant FAILURE. But apparently there was something worse than an F ... a G! On the back of the report card, beside the letter G was this one-word explanation: “HOPELESS!”

In one of our parallel texts today, we find two men walking along the road, and their lives have become rated “G.” They have become hopeless. Their lives have fallen apart.
They said in Luke 24:19-21 “Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people... our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.”
They had HOPED Jesus would be the answer to their dreams. They had HOPED He would change their lives. They had HOPED He would make a difference in their world... but He was dead now.
In their mind...there was no longer any hope. They were filled with despair, defeat and discouragement.

A number of years ago researchers performed an experiment to see the affect hope has on those undergoing hardship. Two sets of laboratory rats were placed in separate tubs of water. The researchers left one set in the water, and found that within an hour they had all drowned. The other rats were periodically lifted out of the water and then returned. When that happened, the second set of rats swam for over 24 hours. Why?
Not because they were given a rest, but because they suddenly had hope! Those animals somehow hoped that if they could stay afloat just a little longer, someone would reach down and rescue them. If hope holds such power for unthinking rodents, how much greater should its effect be on our lives.
David wrote in Psalm 33:18: “Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who HOPE in his steadfast love” . And again in Psalm 71:5: “For you, O Lord, are my HOPE, my trust...”
As children of a living God, we need hope in our lives. In fact, we can’t SURVIVE without hope.

Song #120: My Hope is BUILT on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and RIGHTEOUSNESS! This song is based on Matthew 7: 24 – 27.

ILLUS: An Air Force Instructor once wrote something called the Rule Of Threes: “You can survive 3 weeks without food;
You can survive 3 days without water;
3 hours without shelter;
Or 3 minutes without air,
BUT you CANNOT SURVIVE more than three seconds without hope.”
When I first read that I thought – “Yeah sure – you can’t survive without hope? Of course you can. I know plenty of people who survive without hope.
But then I got to thinking... this is a military expert explaining the truth that SOLDIERS cannot survive without hope.
For any of you HISTORY BUFFS reflect back on some of the greatest military battles of history.
The armies that lost their hope... lost the battles. They either believed that the other army was so powerful that they had no hope of stopping them, or they discovered that their leader had been killed or had run away.
Either way, because they had lost hope, they often would turn and run; and when that happened the opposing army would chase them down and slaughter them on the field of battle.
We need to understand as Christians, we cannot survive without hope. Now what I found interesting about the story in Luke 24, is that these men (walking to Emmaus) didn’t realize who they were talking to. They didn’t realize it was Jesus.
I wonder why Jesus didn’t just say: “Hey guys, it’s me! I’m alive. It’s not a hoax! Here, put your fingers in the nail prints, put your hand in my side”
Didn’t Jesus say those exact words to someone else?
Thomas. So... Thomas gets a 5 minute “show and tell” and these guys on the road to Emmaus get a 3 hour dissertation. What’s going on here?
Well, this is my guess!

I believe Jesus took the time to deal with THEIR hopelessness so that we’d know how to deal with OURS. All of us have faced times in life when we’ve become discouraged, downhearted and filled with hopelessness.
Times when we’ve lost our jobs, or when our health was deteriorating, or when People were mistreating us,
or times when things just weren’t going right.
Most, if not all of us, have faced times when we felt boxed in and trapped.

I believe what Jesus did for these 2 men on the road to Emmaus was recorded for our encouragement and hope. I believe the things Jesus did for these men were tools God gives to US for times when we get discouraged.
Notice the first thing Jesus does. Luke 24:25-27 “And he said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”

What did He do there? He opened the Bible for them. Too many times, Christians forget that the Bible was the tool God gave us to give us encouragement. In fact, that’s what we’re told in Romans 15:4
- “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have HOPE.”
The scriptures were written so that we might have.... WHAT? (HOPE) The Bible is God’s tool to change our lives and give us hope. And it is a powerful tool.
Hebrews 4:12 tells us “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to the dividing the soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
There is power in the pages of your Bible. If we are not reading it, we are robbing ourself of the potential God wants to give us. It is in that book that we find power to become overcomers in a difficult and challenging world.
Now I want you to notice, when Jesus walked with the men to Emmaus, He didn’t just do a Bible study with them. He didn’t say “Let’s turn to the book of Leviticus and see if there is some kernel of truth we can apply to our lives today.”

Oh no. As He walked with them, He taught them about what the Bible said about His resurrection. “Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
It was a very targeted study of the Bible. A study that focused ENTIRELY on Jesus and what He had come to do.
Now there’s all kinds of important things to learn out of the Bible but THE most important thing we can learn about --- is Jesus. Without Jesus, there is no hope. And without His death, burial and resurrection, this life is all you have.

ILLUS: There’s an old Gospel hymn that declares: “I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today. I know that He is living, whatever men may say.” Jesus is our living HOPE!
That’s why Baptism focuses on the fact that – to become Christians – God calls us to die with Christ, be buried in a watery grave and rise from the dead as Christ did.
Just to become a Christian, we reenact the living Hope of a risen Savior.

Now I would like to step back for a moment and take another look at Thomas.
Thomas is a pretty good guy.
In fact, it helps to know that Jesus prayed all night before He selected His 12 disciples... and Thomas made the cut.
He’s a man who shows promise.
He’s a man who has the ability to believe and act on his belief.
In fact, all the other times Thomas shows up in the Gospels... he looks pretty good.
When Jesus is determined to go to Jerusalem in the midst of a dangerous situation, “Thomas said to the rest of the disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.’” John 11:16

And later, when Jesus told His disciples that “In my Father’s house there are many rooms”... and I’m going to prepare a place for you... You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:4

Thomas piped right up and said: "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" John 14:5
And Jesus responded: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6
So, in Thomas we have the picture of a committed follower of Christ.
He loves Jesus.
He walks with Jesus.
He’s willing to suffer and even die for Jesus.

But then he shows up late to the party after Jesus rose from the grave.
The other disciples try sharing their excitement with him but he’s having nothing to do with it.
You can almost sense the anger in his voice:
“Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will NOT believe it.” John 20: 25

Whoa! I WILL NOT BELIEVE IT???
Not, “I have my doubts.”
Not, “I’m having trouble accepting it.”
Not, “You’re kidding me, right?”
No --- I WILL NOT believe it!
The Other Disciples may have had their doubts until they saw Jesus but they NEVER said
“I WON’T believe!”

That’s a dangerous way to deal with God.
I mean, doubt is one thing, but telling God WHAT you’ll accept as proof is another thing entirely. Telling God to come down and settle things on your terms is not generally a good idea.
So, Thomas is being so unreasonable here.
But if Thomas is being unreasonable why would Jesus even bother to show up?

Why let Thomas put his fingers into the holes in his hands and his side?
Why would Jesus show mercy to him when Thomas REFUSED to believe?
You know what the answer is? (PAUSE)
I don’t have a clue. I don’t know, the Bible doesn’t say.
All I know is that Jesus DID show Thomas mercy.
And it’s a good thing too, that Jesus showed him mercy.
Have you ever said anything stupid to God or about God?
If Jesus could show mercy to Thomas here, it’s good to know that He’ll probably show us mercy as well.
But notice, Jesus did tell Thomas to “stop it.”
“STOP doubting and believe.” John 20:27

Now I want you to notice what Jesus said to Thomas after allowing him to touch His wounds:
"Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:29

You know what Jesus was saying? He’s saying: I’m going to cut you some slack here Thomas but you have to realize not everyone is going to get this break. People will have to make up their mind to believe in me without touching.

Hebrews teaches us: “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things NOT SEEN.” Hebrews 11:1
And it also tells us: “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists AND THAT HE REWARDS those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

To have faith you have to be able to believe what you can NOT see.
And not only that - you not only have to believe that God exists... but that He actually DOES stuff.

Let’s use an earthly illustration for this:
When a man says, “I believe in my wife,” is he saying the same thing as “I believe that I have a wife?”
Of course not! If a man says “I believe I HAVE a wife” that means he can verify it by going back to the house and seeing if she’s still there. But if he believes IN his wife, that means he believes he can trust her. He knows that she’ll speak well of him, do things for him, and encourage him and not hurt him.

Thus, when we say we believe IN God... that’s different from saying I believe God exists.
You can’t say: “I believe IN God and then say I don’t believe that He could do what the Bible says He can/did do.

Thomas had all kinds of information. He’d walked with Jesus for 3 years and had seen Christ heal 100s of people by just touching them, feed 1000s with just a small amount of food, and raise people from the dead.
He had far more information than you or I have, and yet because he sought that little bit extra, he almost ruined his relationship with Christ.

And at some point along the line in our faith... you and I have to make that choice about following God. We have to CHOOSE to believe. We have to decide that we believe God can actually do things in our lives. We accept that we can not fully understand Him... but we believed IN Him.

And you’ve got a living Hope in Jesus. He offers something that many in this world do not have. When peoples’ lives fall apart around you, you need to tell them about a risen Savior who’s in the world today. A Savior that loves them so much that He wants to give them hope in a hopeless world.

INVITATION

Based on a sermon given
by Jeff Strite

Persecution Is Worth It

Acts 14:1-28

INTRO: As we continued our look at the book of Acts, the last time we left Paul and Barnabas they were shaking the dust from their feet after the Jewish leaders stirred up trouble for them in Antioch in Pisidia. While this was going on Luke informed us that the gospel was being spread all over the country.

Today we move on to Acts 14. This chapter concludes the account of the first missionary journey, detailing the experiences of Paul and Barnabas in Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. We see them revisiting all of the Galatian cities, strengthening the congregations, appointing elders, and preaching at Perga which had been skipped at the beginning. It concludes with an account of their return journey to Syrian Antioch and the report of their labors to the sponsoring congregation.

Paul and Barnabas have left the saints at Antioch very happy and full of the Spirit and moved on to Iconium.

Before we get on with the lesson let me tell you a story.
A schoolteacher injured his back and had to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body.
It fit under his shirt and wasn't noticeable.
On the first day of the term, still with the cast under his shirt, he found himself assigned to some the toughest students in the school.
Walking confidently into the rowdy classroom, he opened the window as wide as possible and then busied himself with desk work.
When a strong breeze made his tie flap, he took the desk stapler and stapled the tie to his chest.
As you can imagine, he had no trouble with discipline that school term.

I guess the point of the story is that there are some occupations where you might expect the possibility of trouble and being a schoolteacher is one of them.

I. Since Paul and Barnabas had the occupation of preaching the word of God, you can be sure that trouble isn’t very far away from them. Acts 14:1-3 – “Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke, that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren. Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.” [NKJV]

A. I wonder, when you go traveling, what are the things you check out first. Maybe you check out the accommodations you will use, the local shopping or perhaps the entertainment. How many of us though would check to see if there was a local congregation of the saints who meet in that city first?

1. When an apostle of Christ went into a new city, the first place they would go is to the local synagogue if that city had one. When Paul and Barnabas arrived in Iconium, they immediately went to the synagogue and seized an opportunity to preach.
2. It’s interesting that Luke doesn’t go into details with the exact words that Paul and Barnabas spoke, but he does let us know that the message was powerful enough to move a great multitude.
3. Their words were so powerful they moved many of the people, including both Jews and Gentiles, to the point of obedient belief.

B. It was the extensive Gentile character of the Iconium population which I think resulted in the "signs and wonders" God performed there by the hands of the apostles, thus "confirming the word" was from God. In situations where the population was more completely Jewish, such confirmation through the apostles were not necessary. The Jews already professed to receive the Scriptures as the word of God; but the Gentiles knew little or nothing of the Scriptures; hence the appearance of signs.
C. The opposition mentioned above in Acts 14:2 was perhaps frustrated by the mighty miracles performed by the apostles. At any rate the preaching continued without abatement for some time.
D. I have heard it said that some vainly suppose that if modern Christians only had faith like the apostles, they could perform miracles of healing; but such a view does not take account the purpose for the miracles given in the apostolic age. The miracles in view here were God's way of "bearing witness to the word of His grace," and were in no sense merely for the benefit of the suffering.
E. Again, what we see happening here is the purpose of the miracles being fulfilled. Miracles were designed to confirm the word being preached. Remember Hebrews 2:3-4 – which says; “how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?” [NKJV] The miracles stood as a testimony of the preachers’ words showing the words were true and from God Himself.
F. As always we find there are people who love nothing better than to cause trouble. Luke tells us there were a bunch of Jews who refused to obey the gospel and they did all they could to poison the thinking of the Gentile citizens, as well as the authorities. Because of the trouble these Jews caused, Paul and Barnabas could do no more where they we at.

II. I think you can usually tell when someone doesn’t like you. Some people just ignore you all together and others will tell it to your face. There are those people who like to spread lies about you, but be assured that there are some people who will cause trouble anyway they can.

A. That’s what’s happening in Iconium. I’ll paraphrase what we read next in Acts 14:4-7 – “The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. There was a plot afoot among the Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, where they continued to preach the good news.” [para]

1. Luke tells us that the city was divided into two groups—those who obediently believed the preached word and those who demonstrated their lack of belief by refusing to obey. It’s those latter people who conspired to work physical harm on the preachers, even to the point of stoning.
2. I have never been in a situation where people have been after me to kill me. That must be a terrifying ordeal for anyone to experience.
3. I read a story about a man who lived through World War 2. He said; “I had a comparatively easy time of it the war. I did not go through any of the private hells of men on ships in the Navy, of the Marines at Guadalcanal, or of infantrymen everywhere.

a. I saw and felt enough to empathize with those men.
b. I learned one profound lesson: don't panic.
c. Did your car just break down 30 miles from nowhere? You’re on the ground, not at 12,000 feet.
d. You're not in enemy territory. It's only Ohio.
e. Did you loose your job? There will be other jobs. You've known people who've been out of work so long they can't remember what kind of work they're out of.
f. What I got out of World War II and I'm grateful for it, was a crash course in growing up. I suppose over a lifetime I might have learned what I learned during that war. Maybe, but what I and others got from that short span over a half-century ago, was an undying appreciation for the every day, resilience of the human spirit.”

4. My point of telling you his story is that you didn’t have to have been there to learn a lesson from it.

B. The apostle Paul was aware of what it means to be persecuted. That’s why he could write to his young friend Timothy and say in 2 Timothy 3:12 – “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”

1. We were not there, but we can learn a lesson from the experience of their persecution. Paul and Barnabas didn’t hang around while these people were out to kill them. They moved on.
2. They moved on and preached the gospel in Lystra and Derbe. Just like they did at Antioch, they shook the dust from their feet with these troublemakers and went to new pastures. As we saw in a previous part of Acts, don’t waste your time in a place you’re not welcome anymore.

III. I understand there are times we think we must spend as much time as possible with some people. Folks, there are times when it’s not just worth the trouble. Creating trouble is a troublemaker’s job description. It seems to be their life goal and what they enjoy doing the most. Proverbs 24:1-2 – “Do not be envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them; for their heart devises violence, and their lips talk of troublemaking.”

A. When you come across people like that just do what Paul and Barnabas did—move on. Look with me now at Acts 14:8-10 – “And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother's womb, who had never walked. This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet!'' And he leaped and walked.”
B. Luke tells us that Paul and Barnabas arrived at Lystra, which was around 18 miles to the east of Iconium. Remember what I said earlier? Usually they would check out the local synagogue when they arrived at a new city but Lystra doesn’t have one. What they did find was something which was very familiar, even to us today—a crippled individual. This man had been crippled since birth and had never walked.

1. It appears he paid close attention to the words of the apostle. Paul recognized that the man fully believed he could be healed through the name of the Jesus which Paul preached. When Paul commanded him to stand on his feet, he leapt up and walked.
2. Notice also that this man was not asked to pay for ‘a healing.’ Unlike the wealthy so called “faith-healers” of today. When Jesus or any of the apostles performed miracles and healed people they did not do it for financial gain.
3. Now let’s consider 1 Timothy 6:3-5 – “If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.”

C. As we said Paul and Barnabas had no ulterior motives for healing the man. In Biblical times, miracles always had a worthy motive, and signs were not done for the purpose of personal elaboration.

1. Though Jesus’ miracles established the validity of His claim of being the Son of God, that designation was not assumed out of personal interest. The reason that Jesus and the apostles performed miracles was purely motivated by a love for man’s salvation.
2. As we are about to see, if Paul and Barnabas were after personal gain or praise the perfect opportunity for them was about to arise.

IV. We are now in Acts 14:11-14 – “11. Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!'' 12. And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13. Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes. 14. But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out”

A. Apparently the people of Lystra were a very superstitious lot and when they saw the lame man walk, they concluded the gods had come to be with them. In their finite wisdom they also decided Barnabas was Zeus, the ‘patron god’ of that area, and Paul was Hermes who was called the ‘god of Eloquence’.
B. You might be wondering why Paul and Barnabas didn’t stop this straight away. I suspect the simple answer to that question is: they didn’t know what was happening straight away, since the people spoke in the language of the Lycaonians.
C. It wasn’t until they saw the priest who served in the temple of Zeus on the road leading to the city gate and bringing oxen with garlands on their heads to be sacrificed, that they realized what was happening. They tore their clothes and ran in among the crowd shouting. Acts 14:15-18 – “15. and saying, "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, 16. "who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. 17. "Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.'' 18. And with these sayings they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.”

1. This text shows us they weren’t looking for self-praise, but they wanted to share the love of God with them to bring them to salvation. They asked the people why they would do such a thing since they were mere mortals just like they were. They pleaded with the people to turn from their empty worshipping of idols to serve the true God who is the creator of the universe.
2. The true God who had for years, allowed man to ignorantly pursue his own path, even though God always provided mankind with good things, like the rain and the harvest. Luke tells us that the speech was successful in stopping the intended sacrifice.

D. You may have had the experience of hearing people or reading of people that are talking about Christians, and they call us hypocrites. I find that very amusing in a lot of ways, especially when these very same people often deny the existence of God in the first place.

1. They say things like, how can there be a God with all this suffering going on in the world? How can there be a God when my seven-month-old baby died? They are all very quick to question God when bad things are happening. You do not hear these same people saying, thank you God for my life and good health. Thank you, God, for all the food and water you supply every day. Thank you God for the world of beauty and wonder you have provided.
2. Matthew 5:45 – “... for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”
3. These same people that call Christians hypocrites refuse to look around them and ask the question where does all this come from.

E. Paul talks about this over in Romans 1:18-25 – “18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19. because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21. because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22. Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23. and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things. 24. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25. who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.”

1. Paul says these people have no excuse for not concluding that there is God. Then Paul tells us people know that there is God, yet all they want to do is be ignorant and create their own personal gods.
2. Ignorance is no excuse and God will not take ignorance into account. Psalm 19:1-4 – “1. The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. 2. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. 3. There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. 4. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,”
3. The truth of the matter is these same people do not like to be reminded that there is a God, and they are going to persecute our efforts.

V. Some people are so stubbornly full of hate that they will not stop until the object of their attention is destroyed. These people who have caused Paul and Barnabas a lot of trouble are continually following them around and they won’t stop until Paul is dead. Luke continues in Acts 14:19-20 - “Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.”

A. Luke tells us that these hostile Jews from Antioch and Iconium soon came to Lystra and persuaded the people to stone Paul. They dragged his seemingly lifeless body outside the city, thinking he was dead.

1. What happened next is just incredible. Luke says that the disciples gathered around Paul, perhaps in mourning and the next thing you know Paul’s back up on his feet and what does he do? He walked straight back into the city. He spent the night there and left the next day with Barnabas.
2. I find that incredible because if that were us, I suspect we would be looking for the nearest way out of town. Paul and Barnabas travelled some 60 miles to the east to the city of Derbe, which was on the eastern most edge of Roman Galatia.
3. It seems here at least their message was well received because they won a large number of disciples over for the Lord.

B. So they went on to Derbe but Paul decided he had unfinished business as we are about to read. Acts 14:21-23 – “And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.'' So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”

1. What did they do? They returned to the very cities where they were receiving a lot of persecution. They went back to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch for a reason. That reason was to urge the brethren to remain faithful in spite of the persecution which was sure to come and to choose men in each city to serve as elders in the congregation.
2. Obviously, their appointment was intended to help strengthen the church since Paul and Barnabas also prayed and fasted with them while urging them to rely on the Lord in whom they had placed their trust.
3. I noticed it says they prayed with fasting. It is true that there was no formal or ceremonial fast prescribed for Christians, either by the Lord or by any of the apostles, but it is quite evident that fasting was an approved device and that even apostles observed occasions of fasting. There is no reason why devout people in any age should be criticized for following their example.

VI. It is my understanding that when someone is supported in full time evangelism they usually have to write update letters to their supporters. What they do is report about all the work done as a congregation. They keep everyone updated with how the work is going and how the saints at the congregation they are working with are doing.

A. I bring that up to let you know that this is not a new idea. It comes right out of God’s employment handbook for mission workers reports. Luke tells us in Acts 14:24-28 – “24. And after they had passed through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. 25. Now when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26. From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed. 27. And when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. 28. So they stayed there a long time with the disciples.”
B. Paul and Barnabas retraced their steps all the way back to Antioch in Syria, where they had first been separated to the work. When they returned there, they got the whole congregation to assemble and related to them all God had accomplished on their journey. Notice two important components about the report.

1. First, they wanted the whole congregation to know what had been done because they were the ones who sent them on this mission trip in the first place. They gave them an honest report of all that had been done and the opening of the door of faith to the Gentiles.
2. The second thing which I believe is highly important—they gave God all the credit. There is none of this ‘look how wonderful I am’, ‘I have done this and I have done that’ and ‘I managed to open this door to share the gospel with someone’. God did it all and so we should give God the credit where credit is due.

C. Paul and Barnabas finished their report and stayed for a good while with the brethren in Antioch. We have a message to take to our friends and family and the people who live in this community and that message is simple.

CONCLUSION:
Let me conclude; If you want to become a Christian, you must be willing to face persecution. Anyone who has ever said, ‘become a Christian and your life will be a bed of roses’ is neglecting to give you the full picture. Just ask Paul and Barnabas and they will tell you that persecution is very real. They would also tell you that the persecution they received was worth it because many more souls came to Christ.

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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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Reference Sermon: Mike Glover

Behold The Man

John 19: 1 – 22

INTRO:  A group of people volunteered to do a parachute jump for charity. On their first day of training, the instructor made an important point about preparing for landing at 300 feet off the ground. One woman asked “How do you know when you’re at 300 feet?” The instructor smiled and said: “Good question. At 300 feet you can recognize the faces of people on the ground.” The woman thought about this for a moment and then said: “What happens if there’s nobody there I know?”

Recognizing people... it’s an important part of living. It’s embarrassing when somebody comes up to you and they know you but you’re pretty sure you don’t know them!
In our text today, we have a number of people who don’t know WHO Jesus is. “The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. They came up to him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ and struck him with their hands.” John 19:2-3
THEY DIDN’T REALLY BELIEVE HE WAS A KING... BUT HE IS!

“The Jews answered (Pilate), ‘We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.’” John 19:6-7
THEY DIDN’T BELIEVE HE WAS THE SON OF GOD... BUT HE IS!

“Pilate said to them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar.’” John 19:15

THEY DIDN’T BELIEVE JESUS WAS THEIR KING and yet Philippians 4:9-10 tells us the day is coming that “At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
The soldiers, the Jews and the chief priests none of them recognized who Jesus was! But there’s one man on the scene who seemed to get it right. One man who spoke as if he almost knew who Jesus was. Pontius Pilate
He stands before the masses and declares: “Behold the man!” John 19:5
And again, Pilate speaks and says: “Behold your King!” John 19:14
And he asks: “Would you have me crucify your King?” John 19:15
Each phrase has power. Each phrase has a deep a powerful meaning. Each phrase was spoken as if they were the very words of God. It’s almost like... Pilate is reading from a script. In fact, I think he was reading from a Script... God’s script.
Acts 4:27-28 declared that “Herod and Pontius Pilate ... did what (God’s) power and will had decided beforehand should happen.”

You see, there was a script and Pilate and Herod were reading from that same script. It was a script God had written LONG beforehand. And this wouldn’t have been the first time that somebody read from God’s script: In John 11:48-51 we’re told “Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, ‘... You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation’”
Caiaphas didn’t speak on his own he was reading from the script. And I don’t think Pilate said what he said (that day) on his own. I personally believe that the words that Pilate spoke that day were the words that God spoke... through Pilate

For example, Pilate stood before the crowd & declared “BEHOLD THE MAN!”
Now, this puzzled me for a little while. The phrase didn’t seem to make any sense! Why Pilate would say that? It just doesn’t seem to ... mean anything.

Then someone noted that Pilate didn’t want to crucify Jesus. Pilate saw this whole episode as totally unnecessary and irrational. He didn’t understand the hatred that drove these people. And so, Pilate’s made this declaration “HERE IS THE MAN you find so dangerous and threatening: can you not see he is harmless and somewhat ridiculous?”

Essentially, Pilate is mocking the Jews for their cruelty, and he’d like to shame them into changing their minds. And that’s probably what drove Pilate to say what HE said. But there’s another layer of meaning to that statement: “BEHOLD THE MAN.” There’s a layer of meaning that I believe GOD wants us to see.
You see, without realizing it, Pilate had quoted a Messianic prophecy from Zechariah 6:12 “BEHOLD THE MAN whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD.”
Jesus... was THAT man! He’d come to fulfill even that prophecy from Zechariah: “Behold The Man.”
It’s also interesting that, when Jesus stood before Pilate, it was on a Friday morning. Friday. Does anyone know what day of the week that is? It’s the 6th day of the week, isn’t it? Do you recall what God created on the 6th day of creation? MAN! Genesis 2:7 tells us “the LORD God formed THE MAN of dust...”

That MAN was ADAM.
And the Bible teaches us that “The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam (Jesus) became a life-giving spirit.” (1 Corinthians 15:45) And it goes on to say: Because that FIRST Adam chose to sin “... by A MAN came death, (and) by A MAN (Jesus) has also come the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” (I Corinthians 15:21-22)
You see, Jesus, was the 2nd Adam. He was THE MAN who took away my sin and disgrace. He was the ADAM who defeated death and gave me everlasting life!
So... what God is saying to us here is this: DO YOU BELIEVE THAT? Do you believe that Jesus is “The Man” who took away your sin and disgrace, and has brought you eternal life? BEHOLD (says God) THIS IS THE MAN!... Do you believe in Him!

Pilate also asks the Jews “Would you have me crucify your King?” It’s like he’s pleading with the Jews to reconsider their decision. But notice how the Jews respond: “We have no King but Caesar” John 19:15
We have no king but Caesar? Seriously?

Now, just a history lesson for those of you who don’t know this - the Jews hated the Romans, and they despised Caesar. Rome controlled and dominated Israel, and the people longed to be an independent nation where they could be in charge of their own lives. they were not a free people – and they hated that.
And yet, when asked if they would crucify their King (Jesus) they basically said “we’d rather be enslaved than accept Jesus.”

ILLUS: I am pretty sure that many of us have seen that kind of attitude numerous times. We may of even had a troubled and miserable young man tell us – “Your Christianity may work for you but it doesn’t work for me” In other words, “I’d rather suffer MY way. I’d rather be miserable all MY life than to turn to Jesus for help.” He wants to freed from his unhappiness, but he doesn’t want Jesus’ help.
And yet Jesus said: "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:34-36) In other words – if you want to be freed from your burdens and troubles... turn to Jesus! If the Son sets you free, you’ll be free indeed!
Lastly, let’s take a look Pilate’s words: “Behold Your King!” (PAUSE) Now, I don’t think Pilate really thought that Jesus was a King. I think Pilate was just annoyed by the Jewish leaders and he wanted to get their goat. And so he says “BEHOLD YOUR KING” ... and the Jews take the bait! “They cried out, "Away with him, away with him. Crucify him!”

So, when Jesus hung on the cross, Pilate tweaked them again. Pilate had a plaque placed above Jesus head declaring "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." (John 19:19) Pilate wanted to remind them:
“You wanted to Crucify this man, Then KNOW that you have crucified your King.”
And that was the message that God wanted the Jews to remember: “You crucified your king!” Once again, I believe God inspired Pilate to make that statement, because God brought that topic up again about a month later. The day was Pentecost – and a huge number of Jews had gathered in Jerusalem to observe that feast. God got their attention when the Spirit came upon the Apostles, and they began to speak in languages they’d never learned telling of the mighty works of God. It was so unusual - that a large crowd gathered.
Peter began to preach to them explaining from Old Testament prophecies that Jesus was their Messiah - the KING they had waited so long for. And then, Peter told them, “YOU CRUCIFIED HIM!”
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know
— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, YOU CRUCIFIED AND KILLED by the hands of lawless men.” Acts 2:22-23

Later, in Acts 3, Peter is driving home the same point to a different crowd: “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him... YOU KILLED THE AUTHOR OF LIFE, whom God raised from the dead.” Acts 3:13 & 15
God drove it home, over and over again – YOU crucified you King. Did you realize that that’s what Scripture says to you and I did? It was because of our sins that Christ was on the cross. In 1 Peter 2:24 we’re told “(Jesus) himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
It’s important that we understand that truth: Jesus died to take away YOUR sins... and MINE.

ILLUS: Back in the 1600s there was a famous Dutch painter named Rembrandt. He did numerous famous paintings but there was one that particularly unique called “The Raising of the Cross.” There at the base of the cross Rembrandt painted... HIMSELF. (We showed the artwork on the overhead with Rembrandt circled in yellow). Rembrandt wanted his audience to understand that he believed that it was his sins that put Christ on the cross.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh, were you there when they crucified my Lord?
(Ohh, sometimes it causes me to tremble)
Tremble
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they nailed Him to the cross?
Were you there when they nailed Him to the cross?
(Ohh, sometimes it causes me to tremble)
Tremble
Were you there when they nailed Him to the cross?
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
(Ohh, sometimes it causes me to tremble)

CLOSE: Now, one last thought here: Jesus died on the cross for our sins, but He died there because He VOLUNTEERED to be crucified! It was His idea. He died there so that our sins could be forgiven and so we could be changed. Look again at 1 Peter 2:24 “(Jesus) himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, (SO) THAT we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
Jesus didn’t do what He did because He hated you! He didn't do it because He thought "I've got to do that, but I don't want to do that, and I don't even like these people!" No. He died on the cross because YOU mattered to Him.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." He LOVED YOU.
You see, Jesus wasn’t nailed to the Cross BY our sins! He volunteered to be nailed there... FOR our sins. Jesus freely offered His life in exchange for yours and mine; because He wanted to free us from our sins.
That's the whole concept here. He died so that you could be free. And the way in which you accept His free gift is simple. It's not complex. He's not making you jump though hoops. It's very simple. In fact it talks about in Acts chapter 2. You want to change your life? Do you want to be forgiven of your sins? Well, all you have to do is “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 2:38
The idea is - it's talked about in Romans 6 - that just as Jesus died FOR your sins, you choose to die TO your past.
You say "I don't want to be that person anymore!" And then, just as Jesus was buried in the ground, you allow yourself to be buried in a watery grave. You join with Jesus. Jesus died and was buried for you. And now you die (to your sins) and are buried with Him. But you don't stay there! You see, Jesus didn't stay there. He rose from the grave to give us a new life. And so, YOU rise from that watery grave to "walk in newness of life." It's that simple.
INVITATION

Growing through Worry

 
Matthew 6:25 – 34

 

INTRO: It was a cold, rainy Sunday evening in the North of Scotland. The preacher was standing at the front of the building and as he looked around the building there was only him and a scruffy looking guy right at the back of the church.
When six o’clock struck, the preacher walked over to the man and said. ‘Look, it’s cold, it’s wet; it’s only you and me. Do you think we should just cancel the service’? The guy looks up at the preacher and says, ‘Son, I’ve farmed in this area for thirty years. Hail, rain or shine, I go out to feed my sheep. I don’t worry if one turns up or a hundred turn up. I do my job and feed the sheep’.
This upsets the preacher, so he storms down the front, marches into the pulpit and preaches solid for an hour and a half. When he finishes, he walks smugly up to the man at the back and says, ‘Well, what did you think of that then?’
The shepherd looks up at the preacher and says, ‘Son, I’ve farmed in this area for thirty years. Hail, rain or shine, I go out to feed my sheep. I don’t worry if one turns up or a hundred turn up. I do my job and feed the sheep. But, son, if only one turns up, I don’t dump the whole load on it!’

I would like to start this morning by asking you to think back to December 31st, 1999. Do you remember people getting hyped up for, one, singular event? It wasn’t just the start of a New Year, it wasn’t just the start of a new decade, it wasn’t even the start of a new century but the beginning of a New Millennium. For me, one of the most used phrases of that year was, ‘The last ‘whatever’ of the millennium’. The last Baseball World Series of the millennium. The last eclipse of the millennium. The last opening of Parliament of the millennium. The last New Year’s Eve of the millennium.

But, what was the one thing that was going to concern us most, in this New Millennium?
Do you remember the Worry about the millennium bug!!!! Why, because no matter what precautions had been taken, we were still not certain what was going to happen just seconds into January 1st 2000. Many people thought that ALL computers would stop working. Some thought it was the end of the world.
Now fast forward to now... this morning and I would like you to ask yourself, what is the one thing, you are afraid will hit you hard? A financial crisis? A job crisis? A relational crisis? A spiritual crisis? What is that one thing you are most afraid of happening to you, this week?
I believe that one of the most difficult commandments found in the Bible is found in Philippians 4:6 ‘Do not be anxious’.

But how many times have you heard someone say that they are worried sick? Do you know that doctors are prescribing more and more drugs for anxiety than any other illness? And do you know that the single most sin that will steal our joy is the sin of worry?

Today, instead of going to our own doctor, let’s go to the Great Physician. Please open your Bibles to Matthew 6:25- 34 and let’s go ahead and read it. Jesus has just finished talking about storing up treasures in heaven and He goes to say in Matthew 6:25-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Every time we read a familiar passage of Scripture like this one, I believe we always get something new out of it. Look at the first few words in verse 25, ‘Do not worry about your life’. Have you ever considered this?
2 Worry is the fine we pay when we look for life in all the wrong places. When we look for life in things that weren’t intended to give life, worry will be the tragic, yet the inevitable result. Notice in this passage that Jesus admits that we are all going to be seekers. We will all pursue something with a great deal of zeal. We’re all created by God to need something to live for; something to give meaning to our existence and something to set our hearts upon. Notice, Jesus didn’t say in verse 33 ‘Stop seeking’. That’s not the issue, the issue is, what are you going to seek this week?

Note that we can’t control tomorrow. If you are trying to find life in the wrong places you will be a worrier.
Thomas Carlisle, the famous writer used to write in an attic room to get away from distractions. Even though he was sitting in the solitude of the attic there was still One thing that bugged him, a neighbour’s roster, which crowed three times daily. This drove Carlisle nuts. So he went to his neighbour and complained. The neighbour couldn’t see the problem, the roster only crowed three times a day.
But, Carlisle said that ‘it was the suffering he endured waiting for it to crow’. And that’s what worry does, we suffer while we wait for something we fear might be coming.

There’s something unique about worry, because worry is a pain. It can steal our joy and it can make us miserable.
Some things will come this week that we can’t predict, but we will just have to handle. But there’s a difference in what we can’t predict and worry. Worry is a pain we inflict upon ourselves, that does not have to be there. It can’t make us one inch taller, it can’t make us live one day longer according to Matthew 6:27 although it can shorten our lives considerably.

What good is it going to do us to worry? We are inflicting ourselves with a pain that is absolutely useless and does not help us one iota. The fact is that all of our worrying will not give us control of tomorrow, it will only make us miserable today. Jesus has an even sharper rebuke against the sin of worry. Jesus says in Matthew 6:25, ‘You are more than just a body; you were created for more than just eating and dressing.’
Jesus is here to tell us that we are more than just a machine to be maintained. If we were only here today and gone tomorrow, then I would tell us all to go out and eat, drink and be merry, go for it. Because we only go around once and if that’s true, just go all out for all the materialism you can handle and worry yourself to death, about whether or not you will have any tomorrow.
Is that true? Pagans say, ‘Yes it’s true, you only go around once in life’, but Jesus says ‘that’s not true’. 3 He says that kind of orientation is absurdly unworthy of what a human being really is and He is calling us to a higher ambition.

Jesus says, ‘We are much more than something to be fed and dressed’. In our text He tells us the thing we should want most and that is God’s kingdom and doing what God wants. We will worry tomorrow, not because our problems are too big,
but because our goals are too small. We were meant for more than just preserving the body; we were created to enjoy and to promote the Rulership of God in the world.

If that is our priority, we can see that goal, this by the way is the only goal, which is truly worthy of what a human being really is. We can seek that goal no matter what happens, illness can come and we can still seek the goal of enjoying and promoting the kingdom of God. We can lose our job; an investment can go wrong but nothing can happen to us tomorrow that can keep us from the goal that is worthy of who we really are.
God is bigger than whatever we might try to find life in. We worry because our ‘goals are too small’ and also it’s a sign that our God is too small, it says we don’t understand who God is or what He’s like.
Psalm 145:16 says, ‘You open your hand, and you satisfy the desire of every living thing.’

The Bible says we are in the hands of God, He opens up His hands and provides every living thing with what it needs and we are in good hands with God. The problem with worry is it ‘makes us forget the promises of God’.
Romans 8:32 ‘God didn’t spare his own Son but handed him over to death for all of us. So he will also give us everything along with him.’ That doesn’t mean we still don’t work, working is one way God gives us the ability to provide, He gives us the ability to work. It doesn’t mean we ignore other’s needs. When we see a need we shouldn’t say, ‘Trust in God, He’ll meet your needs’, God could be meeting that need through our generosity.
When Jesus says don’t worry about food or drink, He’s not saying don’t work and don’t share. He’s not even saying we won’t have problems; He did say every day has its own troubles in Matthew 6:34. What He did mean is this?

God knows what we need and God is faithful, God will see to it that we have everything we need to put His kingdom first. We will not have any excuses tomorrow to put His Kingdom first because we needed something we didn’t have. God’s going to make sure everything we need to be what He’s designed us to be and to pursue what He wants us to pursue, we will have. He will keep His promise on that.

We are not born worriers, worry is a learned habit and since it is learned that means it can also be unlearned. When worry knocks on our doors tomorrow, we don’t have to let it in, just because we let it in, in the past. In education today, the buzzword is coping strategies. Let me suggest to you some coping strategies for worry. Talk to God about your worry, if there is one resolution we should make for tomorrow, let it be, to improve our prayer lives.

Can you imagine what would happen if we spent time praying instead of worrying? We would have much less to worry about. God will always listen to any of our problems and by improving our prayer lives we are recognizing that it’s God that controls tomorrow, not us.

Something else will happen, when we pray we receive the greatest cure for worry, because we experience the touch of the eternal. Philippians 4:6 says ‘Do not be anxious’, but look what else it says, ‘But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests, while giving thanks.’ God is going to respond to our prayer when we talk to Him about our concerns.
He will respond in 2 ways. He will do something about that concern if it’s in accordance with His will and He is going to send us a peace that cannot be explained away. God will touch us with the eternal. Look at Philippians 4:7 ‘Then God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus.’

When we pray, God sends us a peace that we simply cannot understand because it’s beyond our understanding.
God protects us from unnecessary worry, then we have to turn the worry over to God. Give it to Him in prayer, but remember when we are finished praying, don’t take your worry back because that defeats the purpose of finding peace, leave the worry with God.

In Psalm 55:22 it says, ‘Turn your burdens over to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will never let the righteous person stumble.’ Perhaps this is what Peter had in mind when he wrote in 1 Peter 5:7 ‘Turn all your anxiety over to God because he cares for you.’ You see loved ones that word ‘worry’ or ‘anxiety’ is the Greek word ‘merimna’ and it means ‘distraction’. And what Peter and Jesus are both saying is, don’t let your basic everyday needs distract you from seeking God’s kingdom today.

To turn it over to God means to let go of it, let God take care of our distractions because He’s not going to get distracted from meeting your needs. Oh, you will still have those things on your mind, but when you give them to God, you won’t be controlled by your anxieties because you trust God to take care of them for you.
Let’s get in the habit of turning our worries over to God. When Satan tries to creep up on us to remind us of our distractions, just tell him, ‘Satan, I gave that to God, that’s His worry now’. We might as well give our worries over to someone who can do something about tomorrow, because we can’t. Talk to God about it and turn it over to Him and trust Him with today.

That’s what Jeremiah says in Lamentations 3:22+23 “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” How often does he share His compassion with us? Every day, every morning.
When the Israelites were in the desert how often did God supply the manna for them? Exodus 16:4 “Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day.”
The Lord supplied their food needs every day. Jesus said earlier in Matthew 6:11 “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Finally, trust God and enjoy today in His Kingdom. How many times have we missed today’s blessings by worrying about tomorrow’s possibilities? Worry is a sin, because it makes us miss today’s grace. God gave us food today, He gave us clothes today, He gave us friends today and a place to worship in today.
Are we missing our reason to rejoice today because of something that might happen tomorrow? Don’t let tomorrow keep you from living today fully. We’ve got today to hug our kids or kiss our wife or husband. We’ve got today to give someone a smile. We’ve got today to make a new friend or do something for an elderly person. We’ve got today to read our Bibles and get down on our knees to worship God. We’ve got today, don’t let tomorrow waste it.
Jesus says listen, don’t let food, drink, clothes or even tomorrow distract you from serving God today because He’ll take care of those things for you. Psalm 118:24 says ‘This is the day the Lord has made. Let’s rejoice and be glad today!’

I don’t know what will come to each and every one of us tomorrow. I don’t know what distractions will come our way but I do know that when worry knocks, we don’t have to let it in, we can let faith in instead. And we let faith in by reminding ourselves of the chorus which says, ‘The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end. Therefore, I will hope in Him’. Now if you’re not a Christian you’ve got to ask yourself an honest question. What are you worrying about? What’s happening in your life which is stopping you making Jesus Lord of your life? Wouldn’t it make more sense to give your worries and your life over to Someone who can control tomorrow? You can’t control tomorrow, politicians can’t control tomorrow, your friends and family can’t control tomorrow but God can. Let me encourage you to speak to someone today about how Jesus can remove all your anxieties and help you live your life for Him one day at a time.

Shake The Dust From Your Feet And Move On

  Acts 13:26-52

INTRO: Good morning. We are continuing in our study of the Book of Acts. The last time we were together we left Paul and Barnabus in Antioch preaching in the synagogue after being invited to do so. Paul did what we all should be ready to do, and that is—seize the moment.

Before we get started with our text today let me tell you a story I heard from some years ago. It’s about a professor of European history at Oxford University. Pressure of advanced learning combined with the freedom of being away from home and finding oneself living among others of the same age, can produce an environment that is difficult for a young person to manage. When faced with writing a paper, which is a lengthy process, sometimes the student is tempted to find time saving methods, and in this case the professor spotted a plagiarized term paper.
He called the student into his office and said, "This isn't your work. Someone typed it for you straight out of an encyclopedia."
The student glared at the professor and said, "You can't prove that!"
The professor showed the student the paper and on the last page, he had circled the final sentence.
It read: "Also see article on communism."

Plagiarism is considered a serious matter in the academic world. But quoting words and ideas that are not your own is only plagiarism if you do not correctly cite the source. When teaching from scripture we most often quote book, chapter, and verse, (cite the reference) so that the listener can verify what is being said.

We left Paul in the middle of his sermon where he shared with those in the synagogue a Jewish history lesson.

I. We catch up with Paul’s sermon in Acts 13:26-29 – “Men and brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent. "For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning Him. "And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death. "Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb.” [NKJV]

A. Luke tells us that Paul proclaimed that the message of salvation brought by the Messiah, was being delivered to them.

1. I don’t know about you, but I find it difficult to admit to something I didn’t know I had done. I remember one time I said something in a sermon which upset someone, but I wasn’t aware of it until a few weeks later. Thankfully, they approached me, and we talked about it. I assured them that I wasn’t even aware that I had upset them. Fortunately, it was a misunderstanding of the point under discussion, we cleared it up and I apologized for not being clear and upsetting them.
2. Luke says that the Jewish leaders and other people fulfilled the prophecies about Christ's death because they did not recognize the Messiah.
3. Paul tells them that they didn’t understand what the prophets had foretold. Just like I was unaware I upset someone until they told me, the people listening to Paul’s sermon were clueless as well.
4. Paul tells them that they had crucified an innocent man named Jesus, but they had also fulfilled all the other prophecies concerning His rejection, death, and burial.

B. Remember a few months ago we had a sermon called, ‘But God’? We saw how we may have many plans for our lives ‘But God’ may have different plans for us. I love those two little words and while Paul is talking about the rejection, death, and burial of Jesus Christ, he continues now at verse 30 using those same two little words.
C. Acts 13:30-38 – “But God raised Him from the dead. "He was seen for many days by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses to the people. "And we declare to you glad tidings that promise which was made to the fathers. "God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You.' "And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: 'I will give you the sure mercies of David.' "Therefore He also says in another Psalm: 'You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.' "For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; "but He whom God raised up saw no corruption. "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins;”

1. Paul says that the Jews rejected the Christ, ‘But God.’
2. Paul says they murdered the innocent Christ, ‘But God’.
3. Paul says they buried Him in a tomb, ‘But God’.
4. All the events which happened concerning the Christ were prophesied many years before they happened.
5. Paul says, ‘But God’ did not abandon Jesus, but raised Him up from the grave.
6. Paul asks, do you want proof? He says there are many witnesses who could tell you how they personally saw the resurrected Lord.

D. Paul quotes two Old Testament passages to prove his case.

1. The first one is from Isaiah 55:3 – “Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you the sure mercies of David.”[NKJV]
2. The second one is from Psalm 16:10 – “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”[KJV]
3. Paul tells them this is what the Old Testament prophets were saying. They told the people that the Holy One promised by God was coming and Paul says His Name is Jesus.

E. I like to watch mystery shows. The shows set in modern times often use forensics to solve cases. Occasionally they must dig up an old grave to take samples from the body buried there. Most of the time they get a court order, go to the cemetery, dig up the grave, and find the remains they need to examine.
F. Most folks today can go to the cemetery and visit the grave of a loved one who is buried there. There is an organization on the web, BillionGraves.com, who has made a project of collecting pictures of grave markers from volunteers. These pictures are indexed by name and graveyard and are used by people researching their heritage.

1. If the Jews in Paul’s time wanted to visit a grave of a loved one, they could simply go down to the graveyard and visit the tomb.
2. Paul tells them, if they wanted to go down to the graveyard they could still see the tomb of King David. If they opened it up, they would still see the remains of David’s body, but Paul goes on to say that the fact that Jesus' body was raised and did not stay in the tomb, set Him apart from David as God's promised Messiah. In other words, that’s why Jesus was different from King David.

II. Why is the resurrection of Christ so important to Christians? Is the fact that Jesus rose from the grave about 2,000 years ago really all that important to a Christian’s faith? Have you ever wondered what would happen if Jesus had never risen from the tomb in which He was buried? What if you could go and see His remains in a grave today? Could we still be Christians if Jesus had never arisen?

A. I would like us to look at what Paul told the Christians at Corinth about the resurrection of Christ.

1. In a passage where Paul was writing about the reality of the resurrection of the dead at the end of time, he also mentioned Christ’s resurrection. He says in 1 Corinthians 15:14 – “And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is vain and your faith is also vain.” [NKJV]
2. If we go to verse 17 of the same passage, Paul says, “And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!”
3. What Paul is saying here is that without Jesus’ resurrection, no one would have any hope of going to heaven. Romans 3:10 – “... There is none righteous, no, not one”
4. Paul also wrote in Romans 1:4 that “... He was shown to be the Son of God when He was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.” [para]

B. As we’ve already seen with our study of Acts, the early church multiplied quickly in just a few short years. The church grew by “leaps and bounds.” People were obeying the Gospel by the thousands. One central message lay at the heart of their decision.

1. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 – “1. Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2. by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you unless you believed in vain. 3. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4. and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,”
2. Paul says the central message of the gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. In other words, if Jesus had never been raised from the grave, the Gospel never could have been preached. You see, folks, the Gospel is not about a “lifeless hero,” it’s about a “risen Redeemer.” Jesus’ resurrection gives meaning to a Christian’s faith. Think about it.

C. It’s because of His resurrection that we meet every Sunday to partake of the Lord’s Supper. Think of 1 Corinthians 11:26 – “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.” We are to remember the Lord’s death “until He comes”.

1. If Jesus were not risen however, we would have no hope of His coming again, and Paul’s statement here regarding the Lord’s Supper would be meaningless.
2. Every time Christians pray “in Jesus name,” we are relying on our risen Savior, to mediate on our behalf according to 1 Timothy 2:5. If Jesus were not risen, our prayers would not be heard, and our petitions to have our sins forgiven could not be granted.

D. The only reason that the preaching and baptizing we read about in Matthew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:15-16 are of any importance at all, is because Jesus is not dead, but alive.

1. When a person is baptized “for the remission of sins” as we saw happening in Acts 2:38, they are “... buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, they too may have a new life”. [para] Romans 6:4.
2. Folks, Christians always need to keep in mind how important Jesus’ resurrection is to our faith.
3. And we must not let the fact that Jesus’ resurrection occurred nearly 2,000 years ago lessen the importance of His victory over death.

III. Paul goes on to say in Acts 13, let me tell you something else which is different about these two great men, David and Jesus. Acts 13:39-41 – “39. and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. 40. "Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you: 41. "Behold, you despisers, marvel and perish; for I work a work in your days, a work which you will by no means believe, though one were to declare it to you.””” What Paul is saying "Therefore, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses. Take care that what the prophets have said does not happen to you: 'Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.'"

A. Paul reminds them of an Old Testament passage. This time it was the words of the prophet Habakkuk. Habakkuk 1:5 – “Look among the nations and watch be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you.”

1. Paul says Habakkuk foretold that some people would reject the one who God had clearly approved by great signs. What he was really saying to them at this point was, don’t be the ones to fulfill this prophecy.
2. Then he says “I’ll tell you why. It is because of Jesus and only through Jesus, that the forgiveness of sins is made available to all who would obey.”

IV. I have heard it said that the sign of a good visiting preacher is that he gets asked back to speak again.

A. Let’s looks at what happened with Paul and Barnabas. Acts 13:42-45 – “42. And when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath. 43. Now when the congregation had broken up, many of the Jews and devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. 44. And the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God. 45. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul.”

1. Luke tells us that as Paul and Barnabus went out of the synagogue, some people were moved to ask Paul and Barnabas to return the following week to speak again. We are told these people consisted of Gentiles, Jews and devout proselytes. Paul's great sermon had fully captured the attention of many who were inclined to accept Christianity, and the conversations regarding this apparently continued. An appointment was made for Paul to speak again in that same synagogue on the Sabbath day a week later.
2. It seems from our text that on the next Sabbath day a crowd of people came to hear them preach. In fact, Luke tells us that nearly the whole city gathered to hear God's word proclaimed. In the meantime, however, Satan would stir up opposition to the truth.
3. Some in the audience who were Jews, were jealous upon seeing the large gathering, and contradicted the message Paul delivered and spoke against God.

B. Paul did what he did the prior week, he seized the moment. Have you ever tried to share the gospel with someone, but you know they are just not interested? I suspect that many reject the gospel at least once.

1. Do you recall in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7 where Jesus is talking about judging? Remember that Jesus does not teach never to judge, but what He does teach is to judge wisely and righteously.
2. To illustrate that point about judging He says in Matthew 7:6 – “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.”
3. Jesus tells us we possess something which is unbelievably valuable, the word of God. He also says there comes a time when you will need to judge whether or not you’re wasting your time trying to share it with some people.
4. He teaches the same principle over in Mark 6 when He’s speaking to His disciples. Mark 6:10-11 – “10. Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. 11. "And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!''”

C. I think this is important for us to understand because there are a lot of people out there who really do want to know the word of God and they are the people we should be focusing on.
D. Jesus is saying that if you feel that you’re wasting your time with this person then just move on to someone else who is interested.

1. You see folks, what’s happening here in Acts 13 is that very thing. Acts 13:46-49 – “46. Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. 47. "For so the Lord has commanded us: 'I have set you to be a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.' '' 48. Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49. And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region.”
2. The apostles immediately let them know that they were required to preach to the Jews first, but if the Jews were determined to reject the gospel, then they would preach to the Gentiles.
3. As you can imagine that statement alone led to great rejoicing among the Gentiles. Because of such bold preaching all who willingly obeyed the word of God were added to the kingdom by the Lord and so the truth was spread throughout the country.

E. In Dale’s sermon on the Parable of the Seed he reminds us “there's no harvest without a seed being sown”. We are to plant the seed, God’s word. The power to save is in the seed, but the seed cannot do any good if it's not received by the hearer.

CONCLUSION:
Do you remember the old story about a man and his son taking their donkey to the fair to sell him? They came across a group of women at a well who called them silly for walking when they had a donkey. So the old man had his son mount the Donkey, and continued to walk along merrily by his side.
Next they came up to a group of old men and one said “Do you see that idle lad riding while his old father has to walk?” The old man had his son dismount and he got on the donkey himself.
In a little while they met a company of women and children. A woman yelled at the old man accusing him of riding while his son had to run along side to keep up. The good-natured old man immediately took up his son behind him.
They had almost reached the fair when a man coming the other way said; “How can you overload that poor beast? You two are better able to carry the donkey than he is you.”
The old man said; “We can try.” So they got down and with some rope and a pole they endeavored to carry the donkey on their shoulders. As they reached a bridge near the fair they attracted a crowd who broke out in laughter, frightening the donkey, who proceeded to struggle out of the rope and fall off the pole into the river. The old man and his son trudged home again, convinced that by endeavoring to please everyone they had pleased no one, and lost the donkey in the bargain.

Folks, as Christians we are not in the business of pleasing people. If I wanted to please people, I would preach lessons only on the love of God. If wanted to please people I would preach that it doesn’t matter what ‘church’ you belong to as long as you’re happy. If I wanted to please people, I would preach that it doesn’t matter how you live your life because God’s grace will overlook your sinful lifestyle.

I don’t want to please people. We don’t want to please people.
We want to please God.

Yes, God is a God of love, but He is also a God who demands justice and obedience.
Yes, God wants you to belong to a ‘church’—not just any ‘church’ but His church.
Yes, by God’s grace we are saved but that grace isn’t a license to go out and live your life however ‘you’ think is right and sin every day.

Remember back in Acts 5 when Peter is preaching to the Sanhedrin and they are trying to stop the apostles preaching in the name of Christ? In Acts 5:29 we read the apostle’s response to them, they said, “We ought to obey God rather than men.”
The apostles were not in the business of pleasing people, they wanted to please God.

Paul and Barnabas were not in the business of pleasing people. They wanted to please God.

Like we have seen time and time again throughout the Book of Acts some people will humbly accept the message while others will find it offensive. Acts 13:50-52 – “50. But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium. 52. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”

Luke tells us that while all this rejoicing was going on, the Jews stirred up the prominent women of the city and those in authority. It was because of those people who were highly offended with the message they had Paul and Barnabas persecuted and finally, cast outside the city.

Look how both Paul and Barnabas reacted to their persecution.
They put into practice the words of their master, Jesus.
Just like we looked at earlier, because these people had so rejected the message, Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet and went on to Iconium.

Despite all the opposition, those who had believed God's word rejoiced and were filled with the Holy Spirit. The message is simple today, never forget or undermine the resurrection of Christ.
It’s the center of our beliefs and hope.
In faith we share the message, we sow the seed. If people won’t accept the message that you’re trying to share with them, then simply shake the dust from your feet and move on to someone else who will humbly accept it.

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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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Reference Sermon: Mike Glover

 

Seize the Moment

 
Acts 12:25-13:25

INTRO: The last time I brought a lesson we saw Peter being miraculously released from prison by an angel of the Lord. He turned up at the house of some of the believers who were amazed when they saw him standing there at the door.

We also saw how Herod was enjoying all the praise from men and women but he didn’t give credit where credit was due to God. An angel of the Lord struck him with an illness which ultimately led to his death. While this was going on Barnabas and Saul were still busy working for the Lord and His people.

I heard a funny story about a sideshow strongman who was exhibiting his skill and as a final trick he squeezed the juice from a lemon between his hands and then offered ten dollars to anyone in the audience who could squeeze a single drop out of what remained.
Several husky men tried, to no avail.
Finally, a small bespectacled man came forward. He took the lemon in hand, and to the delight of the audience, managed to squeeze one more drop from the lemon.
As the strongman paid out the ten dollars, he asked the man, "What is the secret of your strength. How did you manage to get that last drop?"
"Oh," the man replied, "I was the treasurer for a church for 30 years."

Much as I like the story I think that if we have to squeeze money out of people to help others, then there is something seriously wrong with our hearts.

A few weeks ago we left Saul and Barnabas in Acts 11:30 delivering a special offering of money which was taken up for the needy saints in Jerusalem.

I. Today we’re going to catch up with them on the return trip beginning in Acts 12:25-13:3 – “25. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark. 1. Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.'' 3. Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.”

A. Luke tells us that right after Barnabas and Saul had completed their task of delivering the gift of money for the needy saints in Jerusalem, they returned to Antioch. This time they took John Mark with them which according to Colossians 4:10 was Barnabas' cousin.

1. Remember that Mark's mother was Mary and Luke had just reported that the church met in her house for prayers while Peter was in prison.
2. Luke tells us that the church in Antioch was blessed to have Barnabas, the son of consolation, Simeon, also called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, who was somehow closely associated with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. These men were called prophets and teachers.

B. As these men were carrying out their various ministries for the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit called for Barnabas and Saul to be set apart for their specially chosen work. According to Luke the whole church fasted and prayed as they sent them on their way.

1. Some time ago we looked at the subject of the laying on of hands. We discovered that the laying of hands was done for one or two reasons. The apostles would lay their hands on some people to pass on miraculous capabilities but sometimes they would also just lay there hands on people to show their approval of the person they are laying their hands on. It wasn’t always done to pass on miraculous gifts.
2. The reason I brought up this point is because the laying on of hands mentioned here in Acts 13:3 was not done to pass on any special gift but it was done as a sign of the agreement they had with the good work to be done. In other words, Barnabas, John Mark, and Saul were being shown that the other disciples approved of what they were about to do.

C. Following on in Acts 13:4-5 Luke records, “So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia (say-LOO-she-uh), and from there they sailed to Cyprus. And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant.” Luke says that they first went to Seleucia, which was the port city of Antioch. It was located about 16 miles downstream.

1. Then they sailed approximately one hundred miles to Salamis, the largest city on the eastern end of the island of Cyprus.
2. Luke tells Theophilus that Barnabas and Saul preached in the synagogues in the city and John Mark served as their assistant. Just as a matter of interest, history tells us that around 50 years after Barnabas and Saul were there, there was a Jewish uprising in which 240,000 Gentiles were slaughtered. A famous man named Hadrian, who would be a future Roman emperor, put down the rebellion and expelled the Jews from the city. That has nothing to do with our sermon, but I thought you might find that interesting.

II. Let’s continue in Acts 13:6-7 – “Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.”

A. They crossed over the island to Paphos, which was the capital city and the home of the proconsul Sergius Paulus, Luke tells us he was a wise man.

1. Sergius Paulus had a Jewish adviser known as Bar-Jesus or Elymas, who Luke tells us was a false prophet and sorcerer, one who used magic and incantations.
2. When Sergius Paulus heard that Barnabas and Saul were in town, he sent for them because he wanted to hear God's word. Luke tells us that Sergius Paulus was an intelligent man and we’re going to see why in a moment.
3. I remember reading a story about a manager of a novelty shop, who was located in a popular area with a lot of tourist traffic. His shop attracted customers from all over the world. One day, a well dressed man came in and started browsing. He spotted a ventriloquist's dummy and asked the manager of the shop, "Do you have one that speaks Spanish?"
4. I suspect that intelligent people in the world are not necessarily always people with degrees and high qualifications. The most intelligent people in the world are those who recognize that there is a God. The most intelligent people are those who recognize that the planet on which we live had to have a creator.
5. The most intelligent people are those who recognize that they are created in God’s image and they have a sin problem. The most intelligent people are those who recognize there is a God and want to search for and obey the truth of our creator.

III. That’s’ why Sergius Paulus was called an intelligent man. He wanted to hear God’s word. Acts 13:8-11 – “But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, "O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? "And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.'' And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.”

A. Luke tells us that Elymas did everything he could to deter the proconsul from hearing these preachers. Why he didn’t want the proconsul to know about God I’m not sure, possibly because he feared he might lose his influence.

1. Luke also tells us that Saul, who was also known by his Greek name, Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit when he challenged the sorcerer.
2. Do you remember in Exodus when God was displaying His power to Pharaoh?

B. In Exodus 7 we find this display of God’s power. Exodus 7:10-12 says, “So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just as the Lord commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent. But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.”

1. Pharaoh’s magicians did the same thing as Moses but God displayed His power over them by having Aaron’s staff swallow up their staffs.
2. In Exodus 7:20-22 we read, “And Moses and Aaron did so, just as the Lord commanded. So he lifted up the rod and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants. And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. The fish that were in the river died, the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink the water of the river. So there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. Then the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments; and Pharaoh's heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said.”

C. While we are looking here let’s look in Exodus 8:6-7 we read, “So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.”

1. In thinking about this I have to ask of what earthly help was this action of Pharaoh's magicians? The last thing they needed was more frogs! It shows that even the efforts of God's enemies aid God's purpose. If those magicians had been able to remove the frogs, that would have helped. Their enchantment to produce more frogs was a self-defeating act. These magicians thought they could match God’s power by using their secret arts but look what happened next.
2. Exodus 8:16-19 – “ So the Lord said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the land, so that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.' '' And they did so. For Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod and struck the dust of the earth, and it became lice on man and beast. All the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. Now the magicians so worked with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not. So there were lice on man and beast. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God.'' But Pharaoh's heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had said.”
3. Folks, no one can beat God when it comes to power. Although sorcerers have got a lot of influence with the people by using methods to convince them that they are someone powerful when they are not, they can not beat the power of God.

D. Paul tells us Elymas was a deceiver who opposed righteousness and so Paul, by the power of God struck him blind for a season. "And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.'' “And immediately a dark mist fell on him” That word translated as mist in your Bible (achlys) is a medical term used to describe a dimming of the vision brought on by cataracts or disease.
E. I want us to notice something important in this text too. Acts 13:12 – “Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.”

1. This is another text which shows us the purpose of miracles during Biblical times. The teachings of Jesus which had been presented and the power of the miracle convinced Sergius Paulus to follow Christ in obedience.
2. The miracles performed in the Bible were to prove that the words which were being preached were true and from God.

IV. After blinding the sorcerer and convincing Sergius Paulus that Jesus was who He claimed to be, Luke tells us the following.

A. Acts 13:13-15 – “Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem. But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. And after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, "Men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.''” They would have landed at the port of Attalia and then gone on the short distance to Perga.
B. We don’t know the reason why but for some reason, John Mark decided to leave Paul and his companions at Perga and the rest of the group went on to Antioch in Pisidia, which, at that time, was considered to be part of Galatia.

1. Look where they went to. This missionary group went into the synagogue on the Sabbath and listened to the reading of the scriptures.
2. It was then that the rulers of the synagogue asked if they had some instruction to give them.
3. Paul did as we all should do, he seized the moment, and addressed the men of Israel and God-fearers assembled there. What an opportunity that is to share the gospel with people!

C. There are times we look at the world around us and wonder how we are going to reach all these people with the gospel?

1. Let me suggest an answer by sharing with you a story I love about a man who was walking along a beach, when he saw someone in the distance leaning down, picking something up and throwing it into the ocean.
2. As he got closer, he saw hundreds of starfish the tide had thrown onto the beach. Unable to return to the ocean during low tide, the starfish would die.
3. He observed a young man picking up the starfish one by one and throwing them back into the water.
4. After watching the seemingly futile effort, the man said, "There must be hundreds of starfish on this beach. It would be impossible for you to get all of them. There are simply too many. You can't possibly save enough to make a difference."
5. The young man smiled as he picked up another starfish and tossed it back into the ocean and said, "It made a difference to that one."
6. Folks, that is how we reach people, one at a time. One conversation, one example, one correction, one seed at a time.
7. Please don’t ever think that you can’t make a difference, That one person you share the gospel with, that one person whom you correct of a misunderstanding could be the very person whose soul you help save from drowning in the waters of sin.

V. We must be ready to seize the moment. Paul says in Colossians 4:2-5 – “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” [para]

A. Paul says the same thing over in Ephesians 6:18-20 – “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”
B. I suggest we should ask ourselves the question, are we doing that? Are we praying that God will open up doors for us to share the gospel with others?

1. Are we asking God to give us the wisdom and the words to share the message clearly?
2. Are we really making the most of every opportunity? Do we... seize the moment?

C. I don’t know about you, but I admit that I have missed many opportunities to share the gospel with people.

1. There are many times that I wasn’t being watchful.
2. I wasn’t looking for opportunities or I didn’t recognize them as an opportunity.
3. I have learned that God opens doors for us all the time.
4. It could be a simple Bible question from your neighbor or one of your friends at work.
5. It could be a simple question from someone who is asking you about your faith.
6. It could be something a friend says about what they have been taught and you know it is something that is not in scripture.

VI. We may not always recognize an open door but we need to be prepared to give an answer to those questions. 1 Peter 3:15 – “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;”

A. We may not know the answer to some questions at that specific moment but we should never be ashamed to say, ‘I don’t know the answer to that question right now, but I will get back to you with the answer.’

1. Then we need to get back with the answer, don’t leave someone’s question unanswered, go and study the question for yourself and if you still can’t come up with an answer ask someone else for help.
2. There is no shame in asking for help, after all our answer might make the difference between saving a soul and losing a soul forever because we couldn’t be bothered to study and get back to them with an answer.

B. We all need to seize the moment, and that’s exactly what Paul did next because all he wanted was to let people know about Jesus and he wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip from him. Acts 13:16-25 – “16. Then Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, "Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: 17. "The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He brought them out of it. 18. "Now for a time of about forty years He put up with their ways in the wilderness. 19. "And when He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land to them by allotment. 20. "After that He gave them judges for about four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. 21. "And afterward they asked for a king; so God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22. "And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.' 23. "From this man's seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior Jesus 24. "after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25. "And as John was finishing his course, he said, 'Who do you think I am? I am not He. But behold, there comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.'”
C. Paul did what Stephen did in Acts 7. He shared with them a Jewish history lesson.

1. He talked about how God delivered the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage.
2. He reminded them of the forty years of wilderness wandering and how God defeated seven nations so Israel could have a home in Canaan.
3. He also reminded those assembled that God had ruled in Israel for 450 years using judges.
4. When the people asked for a king, God gave them Saul, then, David after Saul was removed.
5. Paul says it was from the seed of David, that God raised up a Savior for His people named Jesus, but before He sent the Savior of the world, He sent John the baptizer to prepare the Way for the Savior by preaching the baptism of repentance.
6. Paul finally reminds them that John had told the people he was not the Messiah, but the One coming after him was.

CONCLUSION: We’re going to look at the rest of Paul’s sermon another time but for now let me leave you with this thought.

Our God has always been in control of this world. He was in control in the beginning and He was in control throughout Israel’s history and He is still in control today.

As Maltbie D Babcock writes, “This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget. That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet. This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done: Jesus Who died shall be satisfied, and earth and Heav’n be one.”

Folks, God will open up doors for us. God will give us the answers for those who ask questions about our faith. The point though is, we must first ask God to do that for us.

There’s no point in dropping 1000 leaflets into people’s homes if we don’t first ask God to bless the hearts of those who are going to read them. There’s no point in organizing a gospel meeting if we don’t first ask God to open people’s hearts to come and hear His word.

Challenge yourself this week to pray like you’ve have not prayed in a long time.
Challenge yourself to ask God to open up a door for you, so that you can share the gospel with someone.
Challenge yourself to ask God to help you with words so that you can get back to someone when they ask you a question.

Church, one of the reasons that you and I are here today, and a part of the Lord’s body is because someone saw you as an open door.
They saw an opportunity in you to share the good news about Jesus and they seized the moment, just like Paul did.

May God bless our prayers and all our efforts as we seek His blessing first before we try to reach the lost.

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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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Reference Sermon: Mike Glover

The Parable of a Seed

 
Mark 4:26-29

INTRO:
Today’s sermon, kind of reflects the last song that we just sang. It talks about God’s Word and of faith in general. The title of the sermon this morning is called The Parable of a Seed. We will touch on a number of scriptures. You can, if you like, write them down because I may go a little fast in some areas. Let's start off by reading this Mark chapter four verses 26 to 29.
When we read Mark 4:26-29 it says: And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
This is Mark 4:26-29.

I. Christians are like farmers.

A. This parable teaches us the importance of the seed. The germ of life is in the seed, within the seed. Man sows the seed, but the power is not within man. It is not within us. Neither is the power within the soil, though, the soil may be good soil. The power is within the seed. Life is within the seed. Man must sow, the soil must receive, but the power resides within God’s word. The power is within God’s word.

1. Paul said this in First Corinthians chapter three and verse six. I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
2. The scripture says: For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11.

II. So our first subtitle here is; The Kingdom of God is like seed cast upon the Earth. The seed of God's kingdom is equal to the word of God. Luke 8:11 which says: Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

A. Therefore, the seed is indispensable. If we have no seed, there is no harvest. And if there's no harvest, there is no kingdom, just like a literal farmer. If a farmer has no seed, there's no farming. You cannot farm without seed. If he's not farming, there's not going to be any harvest for the farmer. In both cases, the soil may be good, and the heart may be prepared or the soil may be prepared, but there's no harvest without a seed to be sown.
B. We can think about the many honest and good hearts that are around us. We include family members, friends and neighbors and so forth. Without someone like you, without someone like me planting the seed, that is to say God's word, they would never become God's children, of course, unless they read God's word for themselves and seek it out being baptized and so forth. But if they don't do that, they will continue to be in the bosom, in the arms of Satan, as the scriptures would say, the children of Satan.

1. The Bible says: Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. That's first Peter 1:22-23. The seed must again be sown. The sower soweth the word says Mark 4:14.
2. James 1:21 says; Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
3. Notice the word must be received. It must be accepted. It must be taken into the heart. If not, there's no saved soul. There's no salvation. Romans 1:16 says: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

C. The power is within the word, the gospel, but it must be sown first. Then it must be received and believed. Why must God's word be taught? Well, the word must be preached and taught because there is no saving power for example, in a poem. The poem may be provocative, may be cherished, there's no saving power in the poem. There's no saving power in a personal testimony. Once again, there's no saving power in personal testimony, though that testimony may be interesting, may be very interesting, but there's no saving power there and there's no saving power in fables and things like that. They may be historic in nature and they may be renowned, but there's no saving power in them.

1. Notice there's no saving power in those things. There is power perhaps in all word. Notice, Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad. Proverbs chapter twelve twenty five.
2. If I tell you that someone was an accident, your heart could be heavy because of that person you hear about is in a car accident, but at the same time a good word can be that they are OK. They survived. By hearing those words, your heart could be glad your heart can be lifted up. Well, that has nothing to do with salvation.
3. A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it! Proverbs 15:23.
4. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver Proverbs 25:11.
5. A word fitly spoken is equal to an apple of gold in a pitcher of silver. Words can be very attractive and that's a form of power. So a word can have power, but have nothing to do with salvation.
6. At the same time for those of people we see on TV, like false teachers or TV evangelists say, for example, like a Joel Osteen, there's power, in his words, power to make you feel better. They may be positive, but there is no salvation in those words if the gospel is not preached. We cannot place our faith in such words to obtain salvation.
7. Why not? Because the Bible tells us: So faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17. So the pure seed must be sown. Rotten seed will not produce a harvest, nor will a hybrid seed produce a genuine crop. It may produce something like, for example, the Baptist Church which I came out of, but it will not produce a New Testament church or the New Testament Church, or it will not produce Christians.
8. Notice these words in Galatians 1:6-9. I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
9. False doctrines of false teachings cannot produce Christians. Whenever the gospel or the word has been added to or taken away from, it's ceases to be pure.

D. At the same time, however, the pure seed cannot do any good if it's not received by the hearer. Luke 8:15. We must ask ourselves these questions. Do we want to be closer to God? Do we want to have the peace and the joy that God offers unto mankind that he offers here to us? Do we want to hope that the Bible speaks of the hope of Christ, the hope of salvation? Do we want to live truly a fulfilled and a purposeful life? If so, we must receive God's word and we must obey.

E. As God’ children it's our responsibility, to prepare the soil, and to sow the seeds, First Corinthians 9:19-23, then Second Timothy 2:6.

1. First Corinthians 9:19-23, says this: For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
2. Then Second Timothy two and six. The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.

F. When we sow the seeds, we are successful because we are obeying God. That's one thing, so when we sow the seed, we are successful. Of course, we should do so or encourage people in a proper way. When the seed is sown, the result is left with God. We read in first Corinthians 3:6; I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

1. Then once again, Isaiah 55:10-11. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
2. If my understanding is correct, a farmer cannot make the seed germinate in the soil. Neither can we make someone obey the gospel. For example, the seed can be sown and the seed can be good seed, but the condition of the soil and the atmosphere of the soil, may prevent it from germinating. Likewise, the word can be sown, but previous false doctrines sown in someone’s heart can hinder them because they may be trying to hold on to something from the past. By holding on to it, they can't embrace God's word.
3. The environment or influences, for example, family members and friends have a great influence upon people. They may be hindered from obeying the gospel because they don't want to be separated from them.
4. There are things that can hinder people from obeying the gospel. Of course, I'm not saying that a person does not have a choice, but unknown factors sometimes can influence or cause people to make bad decisions.

III. The next subtitle here is Germination of the Seed is a mystery to man. The Bible says a Mark 4:27; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.

A. A man may sow the seed, but he may not understand the growth process of the seed. Yet he has faith in the seed. He doesn't doubt it when he sows it. Once the seed a sown, he goes about his life until the plant comes to fruit, that is the harvest. Likewise, we are to sow the seeds of the kingdom, but we may never know how it works in the heart of men, but we are to sow in faith, believing. Next, the process of the nature is orderly. First the seed, then the ear and then the grain Mark 4:28-29. I’ll read it again: For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

1. Ideally a person hears God's word and he or she examines God's word. The Bible tells us that such behavior is noble and we want to encourage that. We read in Acts 17:11; These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. They examined the scriptures to see if it said what they heard.
2. Next, after examining, they then count the cost if they're ready for the commitment. That takes us to Luke 14:28, which says: For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? In other words, am I ready or am I serious about this commitment?
3. Finally, if they are serious about the commitment, they obey the word and no doubt this a joyous occasion when someone obeys the word of God.
4. Acceptance of the word by one or more in a very short time can lead to acceptance of the word by many in any given community. We can think about the many large scale congregations in the brotherhood. Many of those congregations probably started with only a few faithful members. Over time the seed was being sown, the church grew. Of course, the same thing can happen here or anywhere else if the seed is sown into good hearts.

B. Next, when someone accepts the gospel, growth must continue to take place. Notice in Second, Peter 3:18. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. Grace is God's unmerited favor. God has given us the favor that we may grow and that we may mature in His presence into the likeness of His Son.

1. The knowledge is the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I understand that those who are married can always learn something new, something more about their spouse, regardless of how long they've been married. There's always something they can learn about that mate. We, being the bride of Christ, how much more of an infinite God that we can learn from? If we can learn more about people in our lives each day, we definitely can learn more about God, about Jesus.
2. Who is the groom? Also, like a young tender plant a young tender Christian needs to be cared for with kindness and cultivation. It needs encouragement. The grain ripens and then comes the harvest Mark 4:29, which reads: But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. The final reaping, in my judgment is the second coming of Christ. The Bible says in Matthew 13:41-43; The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
3. The final reaping for Christians will be eternal life. We find the Galatians 6:7-8 says: Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
4. The harvest for the soul, the faithful soul who sows good seed is everlasting life. The final reaping the disobedient will be eternal punishment. The Bible tells us in Romans chapter two verses eight or nine, But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile.

C. If today was the day of harvest, will we be prepared because we received and cultivated God's words within our lives, within our hearts? Or would we be unprepared because we didn't receive God's word or because we didn't cultivate it in our lives, in our hearts? If we're not prepared for the Lord's coming, now is the time to get ready.

IV. This means we must need to repent and to confess our sins, of course, if we are really God's children or obey the gospel from the beginning if we're not a Christian at all. The Bible says in Second Thessalonians1:6-9; Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

A. If we're not a child of God or a member of the church that the Bible describes and names, all you have to look forward to after this life is God being angry and His wrath. One, because you ignored His love, you ignored the love that He offered you through His Son Jesus, because you obeyed unrighteousness rather than obeying the truth.

1. This is like you telling a stranger there’s a fork in the road at night. For example, there's a bridge and the lights are out or down, going down the left side of the road. But on the right side of the road, there's plenty of light and the bridge is up on the road. As if you were stupid, he turns and goes down the left side of the road. No one in their right mind would call such a person wise who goes down the road where the lights are out and the bridge is out.
2. This is what happens when one hears the gospel when one hears the word and turns their back on what they hear and continue to travel down the road of darkness. That's what happens. The Bible says: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. That's Matthew 7:13-14.

CONCLUSION:
If you are not a Christian, if you are not a member of the church, the Christ died for his church, the Church of Christ, you can become a member by entering the straight gate, by obeying the gospel. If you choose not to obey, keep in mind the lack of gratitude that you are showing, the lack of gratitude to the one who died for you and to take you off that dark road that you have chosen to walk on.

The Bible says He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:16. So we must believe we must put our faith in Christ. Then Bible says in Luke 13:3, I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. God commands that we all repent, that is to have a change of mind, to turn our minds in the right direction, if you will, and by having a change of mind, it will result in a change of lifestyle, the way we live.

We also must confess, after repenting of our sins. The Bible says: Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. Matthew Chapter 10:32-33.

And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and washing away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Acts 22:16. Notice calling upon the name of Lord is not kneeling somewhere in prayer. Paul himself, which this command was given to in Acts 22:16. He was fasting and praying, I believe, for like three days. I forget the exact number. But he was praying. But by his prayers he was not saved. He was not saved at that time. He was saved later when the gentleman came to him that God sent to him. He gave him instructions by which to be saved and part those instructions was for him to get up and be baptize calling on the name of the Lord. He called on the name of the Lord not by praying but by obeying the Gospel, being baptized. The Scriptures define or explain itself. We don't need to give it a different meaning of what it says in the Scriptures.

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18. The Lord told Peter and the other that he was going to build his church. He did not tell them that he was going to build a multitude or variety of churches. He said his church. On the day of Pentecost, that was the church that was established when the spirit came upon them.

Praising God, and having favor with all the people, and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Acts 2:47. If you're here today and you want to be added to the church that the Lord promised to build, that he did build, you can do so by responding to the Gospel by once again: hearing it, believing it, repenting of sins, confessing and being baptized. If you are really a child of God, if you sinned in any manner, you can go back to your father confessing and repenting of your sins. He is faithful to forgive you all you sins. You can find that in First John 1:7-9.

If you will, let us stand at this time, if you want to come forward as we sing the song of invitation number 607.

A Joyful Heart Is Good Medicine

 
Proverbs 17:22 & John 16:33

Someone wrote: If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it was and will continue to be yours. If it never returns, it was never yours to begin with.
If it just sits in your living room and messes up your stuff, eats your food, uses your telephone, takes your money and never behaves as if you actually set it free in the first place -- you either married it or gave birth to it!

This past week I came across an interesting story concerning a guy who was a rough old coal miner who had become a Christian.
After his conversion he was so happy, so full of joy that he was shouting praises almost all the time. But that bothered people. And somebody said, “Why don’t you tone it down some? You’re just too happy. You’ve got too much joy all the time.”
He simply replied, “I can’t help it. God saved me & I can’t help it. When I put down one foot it says "Hallelujah!", & when I put down the other foot it says "Glory to God!”
“But what if you’re mistaken?” Many would ask him. “Suppose when you die you find out that you’re not going to Heaven, you’re going to Hell?”
To this question the old coal miner said, “Praise God,
I’ve been having a wonderful time in the Lord ever since I gave my life to Him. Jesus has been good to me,
& if I die & go down to Hell, then I’ll be thankful for all the joy Jesus brought into my life here."
"I’ll shout about that all over Hell, & they’ll have to send me up to Heaven because they can’t stand that kind of joy down there.”

Now, in that same vein, may I suggest that our emotions have a profound affect upon the way we feel.
Maybe King Solomon said it best when he wrote these words, "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones." (Proverbs 17:22 KJV)
Our emotions cause us to sweat, to weep, to tremble. Our emotions cause us to turn white with fear, red with embarrassment, purple with anger, & green with nausea.
Our emotions really do effect us physically.
So King Solomon was right. If you're joyful in your heart, then that is good medicine. But if you're not joyful, if your spirit is broken, then it dries up your bones. You become old & tired, & a person no one much wants to be around.
In his book "A Window on the Mountain," Winston Pierce tells of his high school class reunion. A group of the old classmates were reminiscing about things & persons for which they were grateful.
One man mentioned that he was particularly thankful for Mrs. Wendt, his English teacher, for she more than anyone had introduced him to Tennyson & the beauty of poetry.
Acting on a suggestion, he wrote a letter of appreciation to Mrs. Wendt & addressed it to the high school. The note was forwarded & eventually reached the old teacher.
About a month later the man received a response. It was written in a feeble longhand & read as follows: “My dear Willie, I can’t tell you how much your letter meant to me. I am now in my nineties, living alone in a small room, cooking my own meals, lonely, & like the last leaf of fall lingering behind."
"You will be interested to know that I taught school for forty years & yours is the first letter of appreciation I ever received. It came on a blue, cold morning & it cheered me as nothing has for years. Willie, you have made my day.”
Think about it. Who are the people to whom we are attracted? "Gloomy Gus" who walks around with a frown on his face?
The person who sees all the bad things in the world, who is thoroughly convinced that everything is going to fall apart? Is that the kind of person with whom we love to spend our time?
I don't think so! We are attracted to the person who has a smile on their face, & joy in their heart.
But someone may say to us, "Well all right, I hear you. But circumstances in my life aren't that good. Things have been tough. Just why should my heart be filled with joy?"
Let me mention 3 reasons this morning. I believe that if you will take these reasons to heart & live with them daily, that it will make a world of difference in the way you feel.

I. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A GREAT DELIVERANCE
The first one is this: “We who are Christians have experienced a great deliverance.”
The Bible teaches that while we were sinners God loved us. While we were sinners God sent His Son to die on the cross for us.
And it teaches that when we hear about Jesus, we are compelled to confess Him with our lips & with our lives.
When we are buried with Him in the watery grave of baptism that God forgives our sins & gives us the gift of His Holy Spirit.
I know that those are familiar words
Maybe so familiar that the ring of them
the wonder of them doesn't have the impact that it once had.
We have been delivered!
If that doesn't bring great joy into your heart, then I don't know what would.
It has been stated that in a Japanese seaside village over 100 years ago, an earthquake startled the villagers late one autumn evening. Being accustomed to earthquakes, they soon went back to their activities without giving it another thought.
An old farmer was watching from his home on a hill high above the village. He looked out at the ocean & noticed that the water appeared dark & was acting strangely, moving against the wind & running away from the land.
The old man knew what that meant – today we call it a tsunami. His one thought was to warn the people in the village below. He called to his grandson, “Bring me a torch! Hurry!”
In the fields behind him lay his great crop of rice that was piled high in stacks – ready for the market. It was worth a fortune to him. The old man hurried out to the stacks with his torch. In a flash the dry stalks were ablaze. Soon the big bell resonated from the temple below: Fire!
Back from the beach, away from the shore, up the steep side of the cliff came the people of the village, running as fast as they could. They were all coming to try to save the crops of their neighbor.
“He’s mad!” they said when they saw that he just stood there watching them come & staring out toward the ocean. As they reached his level the old man shouted at the top of his voice while pointing toward the water, “Look!”
At the edge of the horizon they saw a long, thin, & faint line – a line that grew thicker as they watched.
That line was the ocean, rising like a wall, getting higher & coming more & more swiftly as they stared. Then came the shock, heavier than thunder; the great wall of water struck the shore with a fierceness & a force that sent a shudder through the hills & tore the homes below into matchsticks. The water withdrew with a roaring sound. Then it returned & struck again, & again, & again.
One final time it struck & subsided, then returned to its place & its pattern. On the hill no one spoke a word for a long time. Finally the voice of the old man could be heard, saying softly, gently, “That is why I set fire to my rice.”
He now stood among them just as poor as the poorest of them. His wealth was gone – all for the sake of 400 lives. By that sacrifice he will long be remembered, not by his wealth. He was not saddened by what his sacrifice cost him; he was overjoyed at what was saved.
And in that same spirit Jesus prayed, "Not my will, but thine be done." And then surrendered Himself into the hands of those who were determined to crucify Him - all because of His love for us!
And God's Word says that when we follow Jesus and his teachings, then we have been delivered from the bondage of sin & have the gift of everlasting life.
That's reason #1 for joy in our hearts. "A joyful heart is good medicine."

II. WE TRUST IN GOD
There is a 2nd element that brings joy to our hearts, & that is trust.
Every married person here knows that it is difficult for a marriage to survive unless there is trust between husband & wife. And true friendship requires trust. Where trust prevails then peace & harmony can also prevail.
In the same way, our Christian life can be a meaningful experience when we learn what it means to trust God to take care of all things.
Jesus has a word that He used over & over again. In the Greek language it is "tharsay." It means "cheer up," & is often translated "be courageous,” “take heart," "don’t be afraid," "fear not."
For example, a paralyzed man was brought to Him, & in Matthew 9:2 & 6 Jesus said to him, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven. ...Get up, take your mat and go home."
Immediately the man took up his mat & started glorifying God. He was able to walk, & he was filled with joy.
Again, in Matthew 14:27 Jesus walked on the stormy sea of Galilee & looked into the frightened eyes of the apostles who were trying to row in the midst of the storm. When He saw that they were afraid, thinking that He must be a ghost, Jesus said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." (Matthew 14:27)
In all the storms of life we can hear the voice of Jesus saying, "Take heart, don’t be afraid." On that last night, in the upper room, Jesus once again started telling them that He was going to die. But they just couldn't accept that.
So Jesus looked at them & said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
You & I have only a limited control over the circumstances which come our way. We are not sure what the next few months or years will bring to our homes, our families, & to our lives.
Maybe some of the bad things we fear will come to pass. But there is that trust that sacred bond which brings strength to our life. And there is the voice of Jesus saying, "Cheer up, because a joyful heart is the best medicine you can take."
An old time minister stated the following about his mother:
“My mother, Cecelia, wrote a poem about being thankful that I have always treasured. She died in 1984 with skin cancer. I thank God for every memory & every valuable lesson that she taught me about life.
Her Poem went like this...
Thank God for dirty dishes, They have a tale to tell.
While other folks go hungry, We’re eating very well.
With home & health & happiness, We should not want to fuss.
For by this stack of evidence, God is very good to us.

III. WE HAVE A GREAT TASK TO PERFORM
The 3rd reason is this: “We have a great task to perform. Most people who deal with others realize that the best medicine that can be given to a person who is depressed dealing with anxiety & distress is to give that person something to do.
The bigger the job the better, because the more involved we are in performing a task especially in helping someone else the more apt we are to forget our own problems & be healed of that which is causing us distress.
Some time ago the Christian Standard magazine featured a series of articles by missionaries who had gone to various parts of the world to proclaim the gospel.
It told how they had left their homes & families & loved ones behind. It told of some of their hardships & sacrifices. It told about many of the other things that had happened to them over the years of their service.
As I read those stories my heart went out to them & I marveled at their faith. I felt sorry for them that they had to experience all of the hardships that they had encountered.
But without exception, at the close of each article there was a fantastic testimony by members of each missionary family saying that in the giving of themselves they had found true joy.
You want a task to perform? We have one the task of carrying the gospel around the world. God gave it to us almost 2,000 years ago & it continues today. We haven't completed the task. There are still lost people, friends, neighbors, relatives people who do not know Jesus Christ.
God has said, "Here is your task. Let them know that Jesus is Lord that He is King of Kings – that He loves them & that He died for them."
There is an old legend about when Jesus ascended back into Heaven. When He arrived, the angel Gabriel came up & asked, "Lord, how did it go?" Jesus answered, "It went well. I accomplished what I went to do. I went to the cross & died for their sins."
Gabriel asked, "But do the people appreciate what you did? Do they even know?" Jesus answered, "Well, some of them do Peter, James, John, & a few others." Then Gabriel asked, "But how about the rest of the world?"
Jesus said, "They will know, too. Here is my plan. I plan for Peter, James & John, Andrew & the rest to tell some others. When those people hear about it, then they will each tell somebody else. And in turn, when those people hear about it they will each tell somebody else until the whole world knows."
Then Gabriel, knowing the weaknesses of humankind, asked "But what if they fail? What if Peter & James & John & Andrew don't tell anybody? Or what if those people don't tell somebody else? What if they forget the message? What if they become indifferent & complacent? What other plan do you have?"
Jesus looked at Gabriel & said, "I have no other plan."
Yes, that is still His plan for me to tell somebody. And then for the 2 of us to find 2 more & tell them. And then for the 4 of us to find 4 more & tell them. And for the 8 of us to find 8 more & tell them, & for the 16 to find 16 & tell them until finally the whole world knows.
There is no other plan. You want a job to do? We have one. And when we're doing it, our hearts are filled with a joy that the world will never, ever understand.
We offer you His invitation this morning. We pray that if you have a decision on your heart that you will make it today.
We pray that you will turn your life over to Him. And we pray that you will ask the Lord to have His way in your life as you live each day.

You Can Run But You Can Not Hide

 

Jonah 1:1 – 17

’Hello, this is Mark - I am unable to take your call right now, but please leave your name, number and a short message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. (beep)’ A standard message that most of you have on your answering service at work or at home - the whole point of having an answering machine is to make sure you don’t miss your calls.

BUT - there are some people who use it to screen their calls, to avoid certain callers, to sift out who they want to talk to, to work out which calls to return and which calls to ignore. Have you ever done that? Maybe you know someone who does that?

Well, Jonah is just like that when it comes to God - the message on his answering machine goes something like this - ’Hello, this is Jonah - I am unable to take your call right not, please do not leave your name, number or message, because I won’t be getting back to you, (beep)’

And that is how our lesson begins this morning. We will start in the opening verses of chapter 1 of Jonah.

1The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” 3But Jonah ran away from the LORD

Now before we go any further, it’s crucial that we understand something of the background to the book of Jonah.

Who was Jonah - where was he from? Where was Nineveh?

Well, we’re actually told in 2 Kings 14:25 that Jonah is a prophet and a servant of the Lord. He lived in Israel and he served God as his prophet - as his mouthpiece

So it’s no surprise to us when we read in v.1 that the word of the Lord came to Jonah, Son of Ammitai - it was his job to answer the call.

But unlike his other assignments which so far has been local (within Israel), this one requires that he go overseas (Nineveh). Now some of us may jump at the opportunity to work overseas - the boss says to you he needs someone to work on a project in London - and you take the opportunity. But Nineveh is not like London. Let me explain.

Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria. And Assyria was a very powerful and significant nation. Assyria was Israel’s enemy, and Nineveh was the enemy’s capital city.

The Assyrians were a cruel and heartless people - Assyrian engravings depict people being tortured, skulls worn around their necks to show their cruelty. When they took over a town in battle they would take any survivors and they would impale them on stakes in front of the town.

And it’s to this group of people, to this great enemy nation, to this enemy city that God calls Jonah to go.

And here is our first lesson:

1. Jonah, the man of God hears the Word of God and willfully disobeys it vv.1-3

God gives Jonah a very clear command - 2“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”

Jonah knows what God wants, he knows what God desires of him, he perfectly understands what God has called him to do - God’s instructions are clear … and he disobeys.

Nineveh is East, but we’re told in v.3 that he flees to Tarshish which is in the West - he goes in the opposite direction.

Why does Jonah disobey God? Here are some possible reasons for Jonah’s disobedience.

1. Perhaps Jonah was afraid - fearful for his life? Nineveh was the Assyrian capital - violent and brutal. Nineveh had walls 100 feet high and so broad that 3 chariots could run around them side by side. Perhaps Jonah thought, to preach against Nineveh was a suicide mission, so he runs away. But, the word of God does not tell us he was fearful does it.
2. Perhaps Jonah thought it was lost cause - what could one man do? who would listen to him in this great city? A city of unbelieving idol worshippers who were more interested in ’Command & Conquer’ than they were in God - so he runs away. But again, the word of God does not tell us that Jonah thinks it’s a lost cause.
3. Perhaps Jonah thought the message was severe and harsh. It was hard message wasn’t it - preach against Nineveh’s wickedness - no one likes being the one who has to bring such a message. Perhaps Jonah wasn’t too keen preaching fire and brimstone - especially to a group Assyrians - so he runs away. But again, the word of God does not tell us that Jonah was unhappy with the message.

These are all possible reasons why Jonah runs away,

but what you and I need to pay attention to is that Jonah, who was a believer, a man of God, hears God’s word and disobeys it.

Verse 3 tells us that Jonah ’ran away from the LORD’.

The person who ’runs away from the Lord’ or ’flees from the presence of the Lord’ is the one who is refusing to serve God in the task he knows God has called him to do - and that’s what Jonah is doing - he is refusing to serve God, even though he knows what God’s word says.

He goes West and lands himself into a whole heap of trouble as we’ll see. That East-West distinction highlights the radical difference between God’s way and man’s way. Instead of following God East to Nineveh, he runs after his sins to Tarshish in the West.

He refuses to serve God - he will not obey God’s word - he does the exact opposite … he ’runs away from the Lord’ … he ’flees from the presence of the Lord’.

God might not have called you to go to Nineveh, but human nature does not change (time and time again we see in our relationship to God the same scene played out here)

Jonah is the OT equivalent of a Bible believing Christian. He believes in sin and punishment, he believes that salvation is from God, he knows God’s character - God is just, yet merciful and gracious. He believes in God the creator of all things. YET - he refuses to obey God’s Word.

You can know the truth about God, and yet disobey God - a very sobering lesson. We hear the word of God - we know the character of God –

we know what it means to be faithful – to do what is right - to live God’s way - to have the right priorities and goals in life

YET, we avoid it, we make excuses, we will not listen, we choose to go in the opposite direction.

When you disobey God - when you choose to live your way - when you avoid what God says about life for you - he will not rearrange the stars in the skies to say ’STOP, do not go farther’. He lets you do what you want.

If you choose to stop reading the Bible, he does not send a storm to get you reading again. If you choose to stop coming to church, he does not send an earthquake to shake you up. If you choose to put your career or work first,

he does not send a fire to wake you up. NOT AT FIRST - he allows you to do what you want - to go downhill and to pay for your own foolishness - but his judgment lies just around the corner.

And as Jonah boards that ship he doesn’t notice the rats are getting off.

And here is our second lesson:

2. Jonah, the man of God is found out and comes under the storm of God’s judgment vv.4-16

The safest and the best and the simplest thing Jonah could have done was to go to Nineveh and preach against the city. Instead, he runs away, and God sends a major storm.

You can run, but you can not hide. You can see the contrast between v.3 and v.4. Have a look - it’s very clear. 3But Jonah ran away from the LORD …

4Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.

God in his judgment sends a violent storm - the sailors in v.5 do all they can also: they go from praying to throwing out their cargo.

And Jonah’s wake-up call finally comes to us in v.6

The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us, and we will not perish.”

In desperation the sailors then cast lots to find out who is responsible for this mother of all storms, and guess what? In the providence of God, the lot falls on Jonah - he can run, but he can’t hide. And when they question him (Who are you? What have you done to cause this?) - they learn the terrible truth.

9He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.” 10This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (Not a question, but an exclamation!)

The last place you want to be is in the same boat with a man who has disobeyed the God who made the sea - who is refusing to serve the God who made the sea.

And Jonah knows that the wages of sin, the penalty for disobedience is death - the judgment of God has caught up with him.

So they ask Jonah, What shall we do? And Jonah’s response

v.12“Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”

Do you notice - there’s no excuses, there’s no bargaining with God - he basically says: God is dealing with me justly - God is righteous - I deserve this, and God is right in punishing me.

Jonah accepts without reservation the consequences of his disobedience. He knows that wages of sin is death. The penalty for disobedience is death. (Rom.6:23 - for the wages of sin is death).

And Jonah surrenders to God’s punishment. I have sinned and I deserve to die, I have disobeyed God and I deserve the death sentence. We read v.15

Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm.

And let me say to you this morning, that like Jonah when we disobey God, when we refuse to serve God and live his way - the path only leads downhill, and like Jonah it will be a rude awakening because only judgment awaits - if not in this life, certainly in the next. The New Testament clearly speaks of judgment in the present.

When we persist in disobedience - he will discipline. If you are being disobedient in the Christian life, do not for one moment think you can or will get away with it - it is a downhill walk spiritually, and it’s only a matter of time - you can run, but you can’t hide. And when the storm comes, when the tempest comes, you will have brought it on yourself.

Hebrews warns us to take God’s discipline in this life seriously (ch.10 - it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God).

And for some of us - maybe just maybe, God is saying wake up- are you taking the word of God seriously in your life? Is there something God has clearly told you to do that you’re not doing - his word is clear, but you will not do it? Is there some hidden sin, that you will not give up!

Take heed my friend, take heed - it is not the way to start a new year - for God’s judgment looms - the wages of sin is death.

And Jonah the man of God faces the storm of God’s judgment.

And here is our third lesson -

3. Jonah, the man of God is as good as dead, and God saves him

The miracle in the story is not that Jonah gets swallowed by a huge fish, but that God saves Jonah! He is as good as dead in v.15 cast into the sea facing death, the punishment for his sin, then we read grace in v.17. But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.

Jonah expected death - he knew that the wages of sin, of disobedience meant death - and when he is cast into the raging sea - that’s what he expects - he deserves it - the justice of God. And then the great fish gulped him up - and he finds himself alive inside the fish. You and I would think - not much of a rescue, being swallowed by a large fish.

This fish becomes the instrument of God’s rescue and that rescue is nothing less than a resurrection from the dead for Jonah

Which is why Jesus compares his ministry to Jonah. Have a look with me at Matthew 12:39 . The teachers of the law and the Pharisees come to challenge Jesus - give us a sign and we will believe you - do this and we will follow you. And Jesus answers in v.39 … “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.

Jesus says that this is ultimately how we are to understand Jonah.

What we see in Jonah is an acted prophecy, an anticipation, a foreshadowing of the death of Jesus who dies and is in the grave for 3 days. Jonah faces God’s judgment for sin and is as good as dead - it teaches us that that our God is a just God, who takes our sin, our disobedience, our unfaithfulness very seriously - the wages of sin is death. Jonah’s death functions as a picture of the death of Jesus - a death which pays your sin-debt - a death that pays the penalty for your sin, a death that turns away God’s anger, a death that restores your relationship to God, a death that wipes your slate clean, a death that makes it possible for you to begin again.

But we also see in Jonah an acted prophecy, a foreshadowing of the resurrection of Jesus who is raised to life after 3 days in the grave. After 3 days Jonah is cast up upon the beach –

the big fish vomits him out (Jonah 2:10) - he came back as it were from the dead. Jonah’s rescue, his deliverance functions as a picture of the resurrection of Jesus - a resurrection from the dead over sin and death for you and me.

A sign to people in Jonah’s time and to future generations about the character of God (just, but that he is also a way for salvation.) A God who expects us to be obedient to his ways.

The story of Jonah is really the story of Jesus Christ. Just as Jonah faces the judgment of God, so did Jesus on the cross. Just as Jonah went to his death - so did Jesus. Just as Jonah remained 3 days in the grip of death - so did Jesus. Just as Jonah returned from the dead, so did Jesus.

And just as Jonah was a sign to the sinful Ninevites - so too was Jesus a sign to his own generation and to our generation and to generations to come.

A sign that teaches us that God takes our sin seriously (God is just) - the wages of sin is death, but also a sign teaching us that God is gracious rescuing and saving even the most disobedient from death - because the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.

Romans 4:25 sums it up this way. 25He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification - so that we might be declared right with God.

The sign of the prophet Jonah points to Jesus dying for our sin and rising in victory over sin and death for our salvation.

This is the most important lesson we must learn - we are as good as dead in our sins, but God saved us.

John 3:16 – 20  16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

Conclusion

They Prayed Around the Clock

Acts 12:1-24

INTRO: The last time we were together we saw that in Antioch the followers of Christ were first given the name Christian. We also saw very powerfully, that the name Christian means more than a name. It’s not just a title we wear but it is a way of life.
Our every breath and action should declare to the world that we belong to Christ.

Before we start I want to tell you a story. An evangelist asked all who wanted to go to heaven to raise their hands. Everyone in the audience did so, except one elderly man sitting near the front of the auditorium. The preacher pointed his finger at him and said; 'Sir, do you mean to tell us that you don't want to go to heaven?' 'Sure I want to go” the man old fellow replied, “but the way you put the question, I figured you were getting up a busload for tonight!'

I guess the point of the story is some people are not afraid of dying but most people are afraid of how they are doing to die. Woody Allen put it this way; "It's not that I'm afraid to die, I just don't want to be there when it happens."

Remember we’ve already looked at the great persecution which was taking place against the Lord’s church. What Luke is going to share with us today, is a prime example of a person dying for the cause of Christ. Our text is Acts 12:1-24.

Around 44 A.D. we find Herod Agrippa I had succeeded in putting together the whole domain of his grandfather Herod the Great, and had been given the title of king by Claudius. He was a staunch friend of the Jews and was no doubt influenced by them to make a move to destroy Christianity.

I. Read with me Acts 12:1-4 – “1. Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. 2. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. 4. So when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.” [NKJV]

A. Luke tells us that about the time that Barnabas and Saul were taking the gift from Antioch to Jerusalem, Herod Agrippa decided to inflict pain on certain members of the Lord’s church.

1. Some time back we spoke about how the devil goes about destroying a congregation. We said that the devil always goes for those in leadership roles first because he knows if he can get rid of the leadership, he will eventually destroy the whole assembly.
2. Herod Agrippa is doing just that. He is going for the churches’ leadership, the apostles. He first had James, John's brother, taken captive and killed with the sword.
3. Herod was not just king over the Jews but a very good politician. Because of his good connections in Rome, he was able to put together the whole domain of his grandfather Herod the Great under Rome’s rule and was given the title king by Emperor Claudius.

B. Luke tells us that because Herod saw that the Jews loved him for killing James, and it had some political advantages, he immediately had Peter imprisoned, intending to put him to death as well.

1. Peter’s imprisonment was during the week of Passover. While Herod waited for the conclusion of the Passover, he had sixteen soldiers, divided into four groups of four, guard the apostle in prison. King Herod probably had a plan to publicly execute Peter on the conclusion of the feast.
2. I wonder if Peter had a different kind of Passover on his mind while he waited to be executed. What I’m thinking of is Luke 22:14-20 – “14. And when the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15. Then He said to them, "With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16. "for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.'' 17. Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18. "for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.'' 19. And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.'' 20. Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.”
3. I suspect Peter was thinking about His Lord and Savior as He awaited to be executed and while we don’t know what Peter was thinking we do know what others were thinking about while they were waiting. And folks, they were not just thinking while they waited, they were actually doing something.

C. Acts 12:5 – “Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.” Luke says while Herod waited for the end of Passover, the church waited in prayer.

1. They asked God to be with Peter, whether they were simply requesting that God help sustain his faith or have him released, we don’t know. I recall Luke 22:61 telling us of Peter’s crisis of faith when he denied the Lord. What we do know is that the Greek words used by Luke suggest there was a prayer being offered up around the clock.
2. I read a story about a man who was preaching a sermon on how the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years and their sandals never wore out. A young skeptic in the audience shouted, ‘How is that possible?’ The preacher stopped, walked up to the young man and said to him, ‘God!’ To which the young man said, ‘Oh, I understand.’ The preacher said to him, ‘No son, nobody understands.’
3. We should never underestimate the power of God, and we should never try and restrict His capabilities.
4. The Greek wording (ektenḗs, ek-ten-ace’) indicates that it was incessant prayer, always going on. It was a kind of perpetual prayer meeting that the church held on behalf of Peter.
5. Thinking of today, we know there is nothing like an eleventh hour crisis to get us praying as we should be praying the rest of the time! If we only could see it, we’re always on the brink of disaster and death, because our adversary, the devil, is prowling about as a roaring lion, seeking to devour us. At all times we should be a praying people! Sometimes the Lord delays the answers to our problems or crises so that we will recognize how much we really do need Him.
6. Scripture does not declare anything except they prayed for Peter.

II. That prayer was answered according to Acts 12:6-10 – “6. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly!'' And his chains fell off his hands. 8. Then the angel said to him, "Gird yourself and tie on your sandals''; and so he did. And he said to him, "Put on your garment and follow me.'' 9. So he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. 10. When they were past the first and the second guard posts, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; and they went out and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.”

A. Luke records the night before Herod intended to call for Peter, Peter lay chained to two soldiers with two more outside the door. One of the Lord's angelic messengers woke Peter up and caused the chains to fall off his hands. Then, he told Peter to dress and led him out of the prison.

1. Peter wasn’t sure what has happening, he thought it was a dream, but he followed the angel past the first and second guard posts, through the gate, which seemed to open automatically, and out into the street.
2. This was a supernatural deliverance—this was God answering the prayers of the saints, who spent the night in prayer.
3. I know a lot of people believe in the miracles we have recorded in the Bible, but sadly I also know of some religious people don’t believe in those same miracles.

B. I know there are many commentators who refer to this remarkable episode as an allegory. I understand that because despite the fact that the New Testament does not refer to it as an allegory, there are undeniably elements of an allegory in this event. Yet, we must be quite careful that in making Peter's condition a fitting allegory, or illustration, of the terror, helplessness, and shame of man's condition in sin—we apply it to mankind and not Peter. As an aside then I note the following:

1. Peter was a captive... 2 Timothy 2:24-26 tells us all sinners are captives of Satan.
2. He was guarded... Satan watches over his victims to prevent their escape. Often he will use the pressures of worldly life against them to keep them from obedience to the Lord.
3. He was bound with two chains... Everyone in sin is bound with chains even if just chains of habit.
4. He was asleep... In a spiritual sense, every sinner is asleep. Romans 13:11 and 1 Thessalonians 5:6.
5. He was in darkness... Sin puts a person in spiritual darkness.
6. He was naked... All sin is nakedness, Revelation 3:17-18.
7. He was condemned to death... The state of every unredeemed sinner on earth. John 3:18. Peter's condition in that dungeon of Herod is remarkably suggestive of the sin-condition of every unredeemed person on earth.

III. Now let’s go back to Acts 12 and continue in verse 11. Peter, when he found himself free and on the street, finally understood that this wasn’t some dream, this... was a miracle. Acts 12:11-17 – “11. And when Peter had come to himself, he said, "Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.'' 12. So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. 13. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14. When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. 15. But they said to her, "You are beside yourself!'' Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, "It is his angel.'' 16. Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17. But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, "Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.'' And he departed and went to another place.”

A. Luke says that Peter was awestruck seeing that the Lord had sent His messenger to deliver him out of the murderous hands of Herod. After thinking for a moment, Peter went to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark, to tell the church of his miraculous release.

1. It seems as though a girl named Rhoda recognized the voice of the apostle at the gate and in her excitement, she did not let him in but went to inform the others in the house that Peter was outside.
2. At first, everybody else thought she was crazy. Then they thought she had heard Peter's angel.
3. Peter kept knocking until he got an answer. When they saw him, they were amazed.

B. We’ve spoken about the power of prayer. The Bible says that they were ‘amazed’. Luke said that they had been praying constantly to God for Peter. They had been praying to God on Peter's behalf around the clock and now it’s almost as if they couldn’t believe their eyes.

1. James reminds us of the value of prayer in James 1:5-8 – “5. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8. he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
2. After everyone saw Peter standing at the door, Peter told them the story of his deliverance by the Lord and then he told them to inform James and the brethren before he departed from their company.

C. While everyone was amazed and rejoiced that God answered their prayers so powerfully, back at the prison it was chaos. Acts 12:18-19 – “Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. But when Herod had searched for him and not found him, he examined the guards and commanded that they should be put to death. And he went down from Judea to Caesarea, and stayed there.”

1. It should be of no surprise to us that the next morning, the prison was in turmoil because no one knew what had happened to Peter. When Herod could not find him, he had the guards examined... and then executed.
2. I’m sure you recall reading about the Philippian jailer who was going to kill himself when he realized that Paul and Silas were free from their jail cell. Acts 16:27 – “And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.”
3. Why was he going to kill himself? Under Roman law it was required that guards face the punishment which was intended for any prisoner who escaped under their watch. That’s why Herod had the guards executed when Peter disappeared.

IV. It wasn’t long after this that Herod left Jerusalem and went to Caesarea, his other capital. What happens next is very interesting as we read in Acts 12:20-23 – “20. Now Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; but they came to him with one accord, and having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food by the king's country. 21. So on a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat on his throne and gave an oration to them. 22. And the people kept shouting, "The voice of a god and not of a man!'' 23. Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.”

A. When you get a minute later today, read 1 Kings 5:9ff. What you will read is that the cities of Tyre and Sidon depended on Galilee for their food supply, as they had done in the days of Hiram and Solomon.

1. Now these cities realized that they had offended Herod, they set out to make things right. They somehow got close to Herod's personal aide, Blastus, and through him asked for peace.
2. The Jewish historian Josephus says; “When Agrippa had reigned three years over Judaea, he exhibited shows in honor of Caesar; on the second day of which shows he put on a garment made wholly of silver, truly wonderful, and came into the theater early in the morning, the silver of his garment reflecting the sun's rays, spreading a horror over those that looked .... His flatterers cried, from one place, and another, that he was a god, adding, Be merciful to us; for, although we have hitherto reverenced thee only as a man, yet shall we henceforth own thee as superior to mortal nature”

B. Herod was in a powerful place and he was a skilled politician and orator. He martyred James, seized and imprisoned Peter planning to execute him publicly after the Passover. Nowhere in the New Testament does the intervention of Almighty God on behalf of His church appear any more timely and dramatically than in this chapter. With their friend on the throne, the Jewish hierarchy had decided to exterminate Christianity; and there was no reason why they could not have succeeded... except for the intervention of the Father in heaven.

1. With Herod on the throne the plight of the Christians seemed the most precarious, and then events took place with sudden finality lifting the threat. At the precise instant when one apostle was already dead, another imprisoned and condemned, and the entire Twelve proscribed by an all-powerful ruler acting as a Jewish deputy out of a desire to please his subjects—at that very moment God sent an angel to release Peter and shortly thereafter struck Agrippa dead. The same event doomed secular Israel.
2. I find it ironic that the Jews, who had in the elevation of Herod Agrippa I, achieved for themselves tolerance and accommodation, at the same time refused to extend the same to Christians. God's thwarting of their campaign against the body of Christ by the summary execution of Herod, also by that same event removed the one man who could have preserved their own toleration by Rome. The final result of what took place when God sent an angel to destroy Herod Agrippa was realized some 20 years later when Titus and Vespasian destroyed Jerusalem. The hand of God is clearly seen in this chapter.

C. Luke records in verses 22-23: “And the people kept shouting, The voice of a god and not of a man!'' 23. Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. The Lord caused His angel to strike him because he did not give God the glory. Folks, as we have mentioned before... only God is worthy of our praise. He is the only one we should ever bow down to. He is the only one we should bend a knee to.

1. That’s why Peter wouldn’t accept worship from Cornelius. Remember that in Acts 10? Acts 10:25-26 – “As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I myself am also a man.''”
2. That’s why an angel in John’s vision in the Book of Revelation wouldn’t accept worship from John. Revelation 19:10 – “At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." [para]
3. No man or nation should ever be worshipped because it is only God who is worthy of our worship.
4. When Josephus was describing this event in his writings, he said that Herod suffered severe stomach pains and a horrible, lingering death which took five days. Folks, in whatever way he died, we can be sure it wasn’t nice. Luke’s description is that “he was eaten by worms”.
5. Herod knew enough about God that he should have seen God’s hand in Peter’s deliverance and realized that he was fighting against God. He should have remembered the story of King Nebuchadnezzar, whom God humbled for his pride (Daniel 4). But instead, Herod foolishly accepted the adulation of these people that were under his power. I see two lessons in this:

a. First - To seek glory for ourselves is to declare war against God.
b. God will not give His glory to another (Isaiah 42:8). If we seek to exalt ourselves, the Lord will surely humble us. We must all beware of the temptation of pride, of taking credit for ourselves when it is God alone in His mercy who deserves the praise.
c. Second - To declare war against God is to commit eternal suicide, because God always wins. Isaiah 46:11 – “Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.” Herod’s glory was short-lived, and his misery is eternal.

D. Despite the attacks of men and failure to give God the glory which belongs to Him, God's word prospered. Acts 12:24 – “But the word of God grew and multiplied.” Over all human interference, infidelity, unbelief, and opposition, we find this little word "BUT." But the word of God grew and multiplied. The success of God's plans is never in question. All that God intended shall surely come to pass.
E. Finally we end the chapter with verse 25; Acts 12;25 – “ And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark.”

1. This is a reference to the same journey mentioned in Acts 11:30; but here is the additional word that John Mark accompanied them. This means that they accomplished the purpose of their journey, delivering to the elders in Jerusalem the bounty provided by the generosity of other Christians to relieve the victims of that famine in the reign of Claudius.
2. The year 44 A.D. was the time of these events, this being one of the times at which Acts attaches firm dates in the secular history of the first century.
3. Luke closes this chapter by telling how the word of God continued to grow and be multiplied, and then mentions the return of Saul, Barnabas, with John Mark to Antioch. This sets the stage for the world-wide program of evangelism among the Gentiles that comprises the rest of Acts; and Luke at once moves on to the narrative of Paul's first missionary journey. The apostles and the early church suffered much, and many died violent deaths, but the word of God continued to grow. God will reward them abundantly and eternally in heaven.

CONCLUSION:
Folks, I hope that today’s message has been clear. The saints prayed around the clock and Peter was freed and the Word of God spread even more. It has been said that prayer is a mystery. Why do we need to pray when God already knows our needs? I think a major part of the answer is, so that we will recognize that we are totally dependent on Him. Yet, He can work even if my prayers fall short in their form. Certainly, I should believe in Him with a strong faith, but even if my faith is weak, He is able to do far more than I can ask or even think (Ephesians 3:20). His answers do not depend on any merit in my prayers, but only on His sovereign grace and mercy.

May we never underestimate the power of prayer.
May we never underestimate the power of God to answer our prayers.

Finally, no matter what is happening around us, no matter how much the church is being persecuted, you can be sure that God is strong enough and wise enough to keep His word spreading all over this world.

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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.

Invitation song:

Reference Sermon: Mike Glover