Jim's Footnotes

Thursday, December 22, 2005

Christmas (12-25-05)

Christmas 2005
Bible Study Time 12-25-05

This morning I am going to start by simply reading Matthew’s account of the birth of Christ. I’ll be reading from the New Living Translation, and I’ll start with verse 18 of Matthew, Chapter 1.

Matthew 1:18-25 (NLT)
18 Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
19 Joseph, her fiancé, being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly, so as not to disgrace her publicly.
20 As he considered this, he fell asleep, and an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit.
21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
22 All of this happened to fulfill the Lord's message through his prophet:
23 "Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and he will be called Immanuel (meaning, God is with us)."
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded. He brought Mary home to be his wife,
25 but she remained a virgin until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Matthew 2:1-23 (NLT)
1 Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking,
2 "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have seen his star as it arose, and we have come to worship him."
3 Herod was deeply disturbed by their question, as was all of Jerusalem.
4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law. "Where did the prophets say the Messiah would be born?" he asked them.
5 "In Bethlehem," they said, "for this is what the prophet wrote:
6'O Bethlehem of Judah, you are not just a lowly village in Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.' "
7 Then Herod sent a private message to the wise men, asking them to come see him. At this meeting he learned the exact time when they first saw the star.
8 Then he told them, "Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!"
9 After this interview the wise men went their way. Once again the star appeared to them, guiding them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was.
10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy!
11 They entered the house where the child and his mother, Mary, were, and they fell down before him and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 But when it was time to leave, they went home another way, because God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.
The Escape to Egypt
13 After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up and flee to Egypt with the child and his mother," the angel said. "Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to try to kill the child."
14 That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother,
15 and they stayed there until Herod's death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: "I called my Son out of Egypt."
16 Herod was furious when he learned that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, because the wise men had told him the star first appeared to them about two years earlier.
17 Herod's brutal action fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah:
18 "A cry of anguish is heard in Ramah — weeping and mourning unrestrained. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted — for they are dead."
The Return to Nazareth
19 When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and told him,
20 "Get up and take the child and his mother back to the land of Israel, because those who were trying to kill the child are dead."
21 So Joseph returned immediately to Israel with Jesus and his mother.
22 But when he learned that the new ruler was Herod's son Archelaus, he was afraid. Then, in another dream, he was warned to go to Galilee.
23 So they went and lived in a town called Nazareth. This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophets concerning the Messiah: "He will be called a Nazarene."

Matthew 3:1-6 (NLT)
1 In those days John the Baptist began preaching in the Judean wilderness. His message was,
2 "Turn from your sins and turn to God, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near."
3 Isaiah had spoken of John when he said, "He is a voice shouting in the wilderness: 'Prepare a pathway for the Lord's coming! Make a straight road for him!' "
4 John's clothes were woven from camel hair, and he wore a leather belt; his food was locusts and wild honey.
5 People from Jerusalem and from every section of Judea and from all over the Jordan Valley went out to the wilderness to hear him preach.
6 And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

Well, as the Apostle Paul said, Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners. He was sent by the Father to save the world from the guilt and penalty of sin. Matthew gives us a beautiful description of the means by which the Lord Jesus entered into the world. Paul said that,

Galatians 4:4-5 (NKJ)
4 . . . when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Indeed, He was born under Israel’s Old Covenant Law. He fulfilled every aspect of the Law, the ceremonial aspects, the moral aspects and the prophetic aspects. Then He shed His blood to atone for sin and usher in Israel’s New Covenant of peace and grace.

As we read Matthew’s account of the events surrounding Christ’s birth, we can not help but notice his emphasis upon the fulfillment of prophecy. All of the Old Testament prophecies had to be fulfilled in every detail for Jesus to be the promised Messiah. The prophets provide the confirmation, for all who have eyes to see and ears to hear, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. By the same token, Jesus Christ is the proof that the prophets were the true prophets of God. Peter said:

2 Peter 1:16-21 (NKJ)
16 . . . we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.
17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Peter said that when he heard the voice from heaven as he stood with Jesus on the Mt. of Transfiguration, he knew that this was the fulfillment of prophecy, and that it confirmed in his mind that Jesus was the Christ. Then he said that we would do well to heed this confirmation as a light that shines in a dark place.

It seems that Matthew was driving home that same point as he wrote about the many events which took place which were a direct fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. First, he mentioned that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin just as Isaiah had predicted in Isaiah, Chapter 7. Then Matthew reminded us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem as the prophet Micah had predicted.

Herod’s slaughter of the boys who were two years of age and younger was also a fulfillment of prophecy for Jeremiah had said:

Jeremiah 31:15 (NKJ)
15 Thus says the LORD: "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children, because they are no more."

Matthew then showed how the Old Testament pictures of Christ were in a sense prophecies concerning Christ. Matthew wrote about Jesus coming up out of Egypt after Herod’s death. This is pictured in Israel’s exodus from Egypt. In fact, when Moses was on his way to Egypt to deliver his people, God instructed Moses to speak these words to Pharaoh:

Exodus 4:22-23 (NKJ)
22 . . . 'Thus says the LORD: "Israel is My son, My firstborn.
23 "So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me . . . "'"

Finally, Matthew pointed to the vow of the Nazarite in the Old Testament as a picture of Christ. Adam Clarke said that the vow of the Nazarite was the greatest picture in the Old Testament of purity and perfection. Certainly, it was no coincidence that Joseph was instructed to go to Galilee or that he finally settled in Nazareth so that Jesus would be called a Nazarene.

Obviously, the life of Jesus Christ from the stable in Bethlehem to the cross of Calvary was directed in every detail by our heavenly Father. He worked out every detail of every event even before the creation, and then He revealed those details to the holy men of God who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

In Isaiah 44 the Lord reprimanded the nation of Israel for their idolatry and exposed the foolishness of worshiping man-made idols. The Lord said that idolaters cut down a tree and then use half of it for fuel, while they use the other half to make an idol. Then He said that the idolaters never even stop to think how foolish it is to worship that which they have created with their own hands. In verse 6 of Isaiah 44, the Lord said:

Isaiah 44:6-8 (NKJ)
6 . . . "I am the First and I am the Last; besides Me there is no God.
7 And who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me . . . And the things that are coming and shall come, let them show these to them.
8 Do not fear, nor be afraid; have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.'"

Only the true and the living God can declare beforehand the things that will come to pass. No idol can do that. When Matthew wrote about Jesus being born of a virgin, he knew he would need proof to substantiate such a claim. The proof for Matthew was in the fulfillment of prophecy. God had declared beforehand that all of these things would come to pass.

Matthew went immediately from the birth of Jesus to the ministry of John the Baptist who, in accordance with prophecy, went preparing the way of the Lord. Matthew said:

Matthew 3:3 (NKJ)
3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.' "

The Spirit of the Lord was upon John as he spoke for “Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.” People came from far and near to give their hearts to God.

As we celebrate the birth of Christ today, let us think not only of the birth of Christ, but let us rejoice in the fact that if we believe that Christ died for our sins and that He was buried and that He rose again the third day, we can be saved. Jesus Christ came to save sinners, and all those who come to Him in faith, confessing their sins, will find the peace that comes with forgiveness and the hope of everlasting life.

If you feel the Holy Spirit drawing you to Jesus Christ this morning, do not wait another minute to respond to His prompting. Confess your sins to God and open your heart to Jesus Christ. Jesus said:

John 6:37-38 (NKJ)
37 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

It’s God will for all people to be saved. God wants you and me to enjoy the glorious fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said:

Revelation 3:20 (NKJ)
20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

If you want to experience the peace that passes understanding and joy unspeakable, if you want to know Jesus Christ in a person way, ask and you shall receive, knock and the door shall be opened unto you.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that there are many ways to God. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me.” There is no other God besides the God of the Bible. He’s the God who tells about things before they come to pass.

I see our time is gone. Thank you for the opportunity to share with you this morning. I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and I’ll look forward to being with you again next week at the same time.

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

Church links:

Monday, December 12, 2005

Ephesians 4 Part 12 (12-18-05)

Ephesians 4 Part 12
Bible Study Time 12-18-05

In Ephesians, Chapter 4, the Holy Spirit pleads with us to walk worthy of the high calling with which we have been called as members of the Church which is the Body of Christ. With all humility, we should endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. With all diligence, we should study the word of God and take advantage of every opportunity to learn from those men who have been gifted as evangelists and pastor-teachers.

As we grow in our understanding of the word, we will not be tossed about by every wind of doctrine, nor will we be susceptible to the trickery of men or the cunning craftiness of those who plot to deceive. With understanding, we will be able to go out and speak the truth in love, thus diffusing the fragrance of Christ in every place.

If we do these things, we will grow up into Christ, who is the Head of the Church which is the Body of Christ. When Peter spoke to Jesus in Matthew 16 and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God,” the Lord said:

Matthew 16:17-19 (NKJ)
17 . . . "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
18 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of (Hell) shall not prevail against it.
19 "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Some take these words to mean that Peter was the first head of the church to which we belong today, that Peter was the first head of the Church which is the Body of Christ. However, when we study the scriptures rightly divided, we see the Lord could not have been speaking of the Church which is the Body of Christ.

Paul’s prison epistles include Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians, and these epistles declare that the revelation concerning the Church which is the Body of Christ was given only to the Apostle Paul, and that it was never revealed to anyone until it was revealed to Paul. In Colossians 1, Paul said:

Colossians 1:24-26 (NKJ)
24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church,
25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,
26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.

Paul confirms this in Ephesians 3, saying:

Ephesians 3:3-6 (NKJ)
3 . . . by revelation (God) made known to me the mystery
5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:
6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,

To be sure, God never told anyone about the church of our present age until He revealed it to Paul. Therefore, the Lord Jesus could not have been talking about the church of our present age when He spoke to Peter and said, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church.”

Well, what church was the Lord talking about in Matthew 16? We know from Matthew 10 that Peter would have thought the Lord was talking about a Jewish church which had the hope of the kingdom. You will recall that in Matthew 10, the Lord sent out the apostles and said:

Matthew 10:5-8 (NKJ)
5 . . . "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, . . .
6 "But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7 "And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
8 "Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

You may be thinking, that’s true, but the church of Matthew 16 was a future church because Jesus said, “upon this rock I will build My church.” If you’re thinking that the Lord was referring to the Church of Acts, Chapter 2, I think you are exactly right, but let’s take a close look at the church in Acts, Chapter 2.

When Peter stood up to speak, he said, “Men of Judea heed my words.” Then later he said, “Ye men of Israel hear these words.” This too was a Jewish church. In his message Peter never mentioned the fact that Jesus Christ died for our sins, but he did mention that, according to prophesy, the Christ would have to die and be raised from the dead before He could sit upon the throne of David. The church of Acts 2 was not only Jewish, but it had the hope of an earthly kingdom as well.

When the Jews heard Peter’s message, they were cut to the heart, and they asked, “What shall we do?”

Acts 2:38-39 (NKJ)
38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."

Therefore, the church before the cross was totally Jewish, and it had the hope of an earthly kingdom, while the church after the cross was totally Jewish and had the hope of the earthly kingdom, but what set this church in Acts 2 apart was the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Many people have concluded that the giving of the Holy Spirit marked the beginning of the church of our present age, the Church which is the Body of Christ. However, as Peter said, the giving of the Holy Spirit was a promise which was made to the Jews and to their children in relationship to the promised kingdom. In the book of Ezekiel, God spoke to Israel and said:

Ezekiel 36:24-28 (NKJ)
24 " . . . I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.
25 "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
26 "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
28 "Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.

Ezekiel 34:25-27 (NKJ)
25 "I will make a covenant of peace with (you), and cause wild beasts to cease from the land; and (you) will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.
26 "I will make (you) and the places all around My hill a blessing; and I will cause showers to come down in their season; there shall be showers of blessing.
27 "Then the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. (You) shall be safe in (your) land; and (you) shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of (your) yoke and delivered (you) from the hand of those who enslaved (you).

This was the promise to which Peter referred in Acts, Chapter 2, when he said, “This promise is to you and your children and to as many as the Lord our God will call.” This covenant of peace had to come before the promised kingdom could come. When the Lord ate the Passover just before He was crucified, He drank the wine and said:

Matthew 26:28-29 (NKJ)
28 " . . . this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
29 "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."

The blood of the New Covenant had to be offered as an atonement for sin, before the promised kingdom could come. The Holy Spirit had to come to live within the hearts of the believers before the kingdom could come. But as Paul revealed the great truths regarding the Church which is the Body of Christ in Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians, he continued to emphasize the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, but he never said a word about the New Covenant because the New Covenant with its kingdom hope had been set aside.

Today, Jesus Christ officially serves not as the King of the Church but as the Head of the Church which is His Body.

Ephesians 1:22-23 (NKJ)
22 (For God has) put all things under His feet, and (has given) Him to be head over all things to the church,
23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Colossians 1:18-19 (NKJ)
18 And (Jesus Christ) is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,

Ephesians 5 describes what it took for Jesus Christ to qualify as the Head of the Church. Verse 25 says:

Ephesians 5:25-27 (KJV)
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Serving as the Head of the Church means having the capacity to love the Church with an undying, unconditional love. The Head of the Church had to be able to provide for the safety, protection and purity of the Church. Christ alone is worthy of such a position. He gave His own life that He might sanctify and cleanse the Church and present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.

It seems that many today have never thought about the unique position to which Christ has been appointed in the church of our present age. We should be very careful to note accurately this position which Christ holds. Paul said that there are consequences for those who fail to recognize Christ as the Head of the Church. He says in Colossians 2:

Colossians 2:18-19 (NKJ)
18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

Those who follow after men and the traditions of men will find themselves in a sea of spiritual darkness, intruding into those things which are neither profitable nor edifying. If we fail to recognize Christ, Himself, as the true source of our strength and power, we will inevitably turn to a superstitious faith in the trinkets and rituals and doctrines of man’s own making. Those who turn to such idols will stumble and fall,

Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)
31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

As we approach the Christmas holidays, let us realize that the baby who was born in Bethlehem, not only came to be the King of Israel and the Savior of the world, but let us rejoice in the fact that He came to be the Head over all things to the Church which is His Body.

Thank you for listening this morning. I trust that you will enjoy the blessings of Christ throughout the Christmas holidays. I’ll look forward to being with you again next week at this same time.

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

Church links:

Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Ephesians 4 Part 11 (12-11-05)

Ephesians 4 Part 11
Bible Study Time 12-11-05

Last week in our study of Ephesians 4, we saw that we need to grow in our knowledge of the Son of God in order to grow in the unity of the faith and into the full measure of the stature of Christ. This is God’s ultimate goal for the Church which is the Body of Christ. We must look to the word of God for our knowledge of Jesus Christ, for all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable in that it fully equips us for every good work.

The Bible is our only completely reliable source of information concerning Jesus Christ in that it was the only book which was written by the Holy Spirit of God. Fortunately for us, the one who interprets the Bible for us is the Holy Spirit of God who lives within us. Without the working of the Holy Spirit, the Bible can not be understood. The Apostle Paul told the Corinthians that no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God, but we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

Ephesians 4 gives us two reasons why it’s important for us to grow in our knowledge of the Son of God. First, we need this knowledge to avoid being tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine. As we grow in our knowledge of Jesus Christ there will be fewer and fewer doctrines which threaten our faith. The preacher in the book of Ecclesiastes spoke in very human terms and said:

Ecclesiastes 1:9 (NKJ)
9 That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.

If someone tells you that their religion is a brand new religion, you’d better take that with a grain of salt because there’s really nothing new under the sun. Their religion may have a new name, and it may have been tweeked a little here and there, but the chances are pretty good that it’s just a variation of one of the age old religions.

When we are young in faith and young in knowledge, we are more vulnerable to the deceptive ploys of the devil. Some of those who come to us with false doctrine may be very sincere even though their doctrine is deceitful. However, we can rest assured that false doctrine will always be exposed by the word of God. If we faithfully and prayerfully study the word, the Holy Spirit will lead us into that which is correct.

In Ephesians 4, Paul particularly warns us about those who come by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. It would be a grave mistake to think that all religious people have pure motives. The Apostle Paul knew from personal experience the cunning craftiness and deceitful plotting of religious people. He may well have been one of those who offered payment for the false testimony which was given at Stephen’s trial, and the Bible plainly declares that Paul stood there and watched as Stephen was stoned.

Paul told Timothy that some who teach false doctrine have been robbed of the truth and think that godliness is a means to financial gain. Well, whether their motive is financial or political, we must be on guard for such hypocrisy. Paul made sure that nobody could accused him of serving the Lord for financial gain. He worked as a tentmaker providing for his own financial support even though he had every right to claim support from his followers. In I Corinthians 9, he said:

1 Corinthians 9:11,12,18 (NIV)
11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?
12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.

When Paul warned the Ephesians about being tossed about by every wind of doctrine, he was not giving them or us an excuse for closing our minds to any doctrine that we’ve never heard before. Nothing could be further from the truth. The essence of growth is an open mind. How can we grow, if we never learn anything new?

Paul praised the Bereans because they were willing to search the scriptures to see if his doctrine was true. To be sure no one had ever heard Paul’s doctrine before because this was something that was new. Paul clearly stated in his book to the Galatians that he did not get his doctrine from men, but it came to him as a direct revelation from God.

Paul, himself, at one time stubbornly held to the doctrines of the Pharisees, but after he met the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus, he realized that his motivation was selfish and worldly. As he grew in his knowledge of the Jesus Christ, he said that he counted the selfish glory of his former religion but loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ. God went to great lengths to reveal Himself to this man who was very close minded. Ultimately, Paul opened his mind and his heart to Jesus Christ.

As Paul defended himself before Festus and King Agrippa, he told of his conversion and of the fact that Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead and had actually spoken to him from heaven. Festus closed his mind and his heart and said, “Paul, much learning has made you mad.” King Agrippa on the other hand, opened his mind but not his heart and said, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”

The first step to having an open heart is having an open mind. But if we have an open mind, how can we avoid being tossed about by every wind of doctrine? That is a dilemma which every believer must face. If we really study the scriptures, our beliefs will be challenged because some of our beliefs are wrong, and God wants to change our minds on those things. Would any of us claim to be infallible in our doctrine? If we do, there’s something wrong.

In general terms, the solution to this problem is to keep an open mind, keep studying the word, and keep praying for discernment. Some items we just have to put on the back burner for a while. God will give us a perfect understanding of all things in His own time.

It’s also important to remember that knowledge is not the end of the growth process, but it is the beginning. II Peter, Chapter 1, says:

2 Peter 1:5-7 (NKJ)
5 . . . giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,
6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,
7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

This indicates that true knowledge will lead us to a more perfect love. In I Corinthians 13, Paul agreed and said, though I have all knowledge and have not love, I am nothing.

The knowledge which is offered by the Holy Spirit will lead us to love, but there is a type of human knowledge which leads not to love but to arrogance and pride. Paul spoke of this kind of knowledge when he said:

1 Corinthians 8:1-3 (NIV)
1 . . . Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
2 The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.
3 But the man who loves God is known by God.

Again, love is seen a superior to knowledge. Paul probably had the people at the tower of Babel in mind when he wrote Romans 1 and said:

Romans 1:22-25,28 (KJV)
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 (Ultimately, they) changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, . . .
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

The knowledge which comes from the Holy Spirit leads us to know and love Jesus Christ, but the people at the tower of Babel had closed their minds to God because they did not want to retain God in their knowledge. Those who refuse to believe in God have to close their minds to the truth, but those who love God have no reason to fear the truth because truth always leads to Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life.

Unbelievers who profess themselves to be wise have a knowledge which is not based on truth. Those who believe in evolution, for example, profess themselves to be wise, but their doctrine ignores the evidence. Knowledge which ignores the evidence is false knowledge. Paul warned Timothy about those who possess false knowledge when he told him to avoid profane and idle babbling and all that is falsely called knowledge. Paul went on to say that those who are obsessed with disputes and arguments are destitute of the truth.

Human knowledge puffs up and leads man to think that he no longer needs God. But the knowledge which comes from the Holy Spirit leaves us kneeling before our Creator with a humble desire to learn more. As we open our hearts and minds to the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit, we grow in our knowledge of the Son of God and this knowledge keeps us from being tossed about by every wind of doctrine.

In Ephesians 4, Paul give us another reason to grow in our knowledge of the Son of God, and that is that we might be able to speak the truth in love. To grow up into Jesus Christ, who is the head of the Church which is His Body, we need to learn about Him, and we need to speak about Him. And, of coarse, God would have it no other way but that we should speak the truth in love. In II Corinthians 2, Paul said that we are to diffuse the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ in every place.

When my wife, Joan, and I go into a department store, you can bet that Joan will eventually find her way to the perfume counter. She loves to check out any new fragrance and the older ones too. There’s just something special about a beautiful fragrance. It’s not something you can easily forget.

When the people around us sense the fragrance of Jesus Christ, they will be drawn to Him. I saw a Louis Palau television special the other day in which the actor Stephen Baldwin gave his testimony. When he and his family moved to Los Angeles, they hired a housekeeper who spoke often of her faith in Jesus Christ. Stephen and his wife could not help but notice the joy and the peace that this lady brought into their home. Today the Baldwins serve Jesus Christ and are very active in several youth ministries in the southern California all because this housekeeper brought the fragrance of Jesus Christ with her to work. When people see the Lord Jesus for what He really is, they will seek Him, and they will find Him.

If you are listening this morning, and you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior, you can accept Him today. By simply believing God’s word, that Jesus Christ died for our sins, and that He was buried and that He rose again the third day, you can become a child of God and receive everlasting life, and God will begin to reveal the fragrance of Jesus Christ in your life.

If you’re listening this morning, and you already know Jesus Christ, let us dedicate ourselves to Christ so that everyone around us will sense the beautiful fragrance of Jesus Christ. May the lost see Him through us and come to Him for healing, for cleansing and for everlasting life.

I see our time is gone this morning. Thank you for listening. I’ll look forward to being you again next week at this same time.

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

Church links:

Thursday, December 01, 2005

Ephesians 4 Part 10 (12-4-05)

Ephesians 4 Part 10
Bible Study Time 12-4-05

When Jesus Christ ascended on high after His resurrection, He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men which for us today includes evangelists and pastor-teachers. The purpose of evangelists and pastor-teachers is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. God created us in Christ Jesus unto good works, and He has given us all that we need to do every good work. All scripture is God-breathed and is a package deal which in and of itself thoroughly furnishes the believer for every good work.

When I go into my house, I find it helpful to have a table at mealtime. I enjoy having a chair to sit in when its time to read a book. I enjoy having a bed to sleep in when its time to sleep. I can only imagine how frustrating it would be if I had no furnishings in my house. I can just imagine myself standing around wondering what to do.

Well, God did not create us in Christ Jesus to be a bunch of stand around Christians so He made it possible for us to be thoroughly furnished unto every good work. Everything we need is furnished for us in the word of God.

God has called us to reach out to the lost and tell them that Jesus Christ died for their sins. But then when the lost get saved, they are immediately baptized by the Holy Spirit into the Church which is the Body of Christ. That means that at any given time there are many different kinds of people in the body of Christ, and each one of us is at a different level of maturity in our relationship with Christ. Therefore, it is also God’s will for us to minister to one another under the leadership of our pastor-teachers until we:

Ephesians 4:13 (NKJ)
13 . . . come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

God has a plan for us that encompasses a whole lot more than just going to church on Sunday and placing an offering in the offering plate. One of the critical factors in our capacity to grow into the measure of the stature of Christ is our knowledge of the Son of God.

The other day a young man in our church services said something very profound. He said, “What’s really important is what God thinks!” I’ve thought about that quite a bit since then, and I thought about the fact that it’s easy to get all wrapped up in what people think because we have so much exposure to man’s thoughts.

We have libraries full of books. We have coffee tables full of newspapers and magazines. We have talk shows on television and radio. The opinions vary on any given subject from one end of the spectrum to the other. But what really matters is what God thinks. That’s why we need to grow in our knowledge of the Son of God until we come into the unity of the faith.

The Son of God, of coarse, is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Shortly after the Lord Jesus fed 4000 hungry people with seven loaves of bread and just a few small fish, He traveled with His disciples to Caesarea Philippi. He asked His disciples, “Who do people say I am?” They said, some say you’re John the Baptist, others say you’re Elijah, while others say you’re Jeremiah. When Jesus asked, who do you say I am?, Peter boldly declared, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

When the Ethiopian made his confession to Philip the Evangelist, he simply said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

The Apostle John spoke of Jesus as the Word and said:

John 1:14 (NKJ)
14 . . . the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

But John also said:

John 1:1,3,4 (NKJ)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

The work of the ministry relates directly to the knowledge of the Son of God. We have so much to learn, and we need to dedicate ourselves to learning and teaching doctrine which leads to an increase in our knowledge of the Son of God. Even the Apostle Paul, after revealing the great truths concerning the supremacy of Christ, said he would gladly give up all of the glory of this world for the excellence of the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

The Bible is the word of God, and it is our only reliable source when it comes to growing in the knowledge of the Son of God. To gain this knowledge we must study the scriptures, rightly divided, to show ourselves approved unto God as workers who need not to be ashamed.

The Apostle Peter confirmed that all scripture is given by the inspiration of God. In II Peter 1, Peter said:

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NKJ)
20 . . . no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,
21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit wrote the Bible, and we just happen to have the Holy Spirit living within us. That means that the Holy Spirit can apply each word with precision to accomplish God’s purpose in our lives.

There are those who think that they should get an earth shattering revelation every time they read the Bible, and that can be a problem. Although there are times when God simply leaves us astonished, there are other times when we just get some information. The Bible calls this information doctrine, and it says that this information is profitable in the sense that in the long run, it makes us complete and thoroughly furnished unto every good work.

Much of this doctrine comes to us in the form of history. Who did what and when. Some people tell me that they don’t like history. They say it’s too boring, and that amazes me because I love history. But really history is fascinating because it is so apparent that God has been directing every aspect of history all along the way.

But the historical information that’s given in the Bible is the most fascinating historical information of all because these events were actually planned by God as pictures of future events. They were prophetic pictures or types of things to come.

When Abraham placed his son, Isaac, upon the alter, that was a picture of God sending His Son to die for our sins. The plagues in Egypt were a picture of the plagues of the tribulation period which will come to pass just before Jesus Christ returns to set up His earthly kingdom. The children of Israel were protected during the plagues of Egypt just like the believing Jews will be protected during the tribulation period.

God parted the waters of the Red Sea so that the children of Israel could pass through the its red waters on their way to the promised land. This pictured the fact that the believing Jews who enter Christ’s kingdom will be those Jews who have been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. The kingdom is for those Jews who have been baptized into the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

Do you think it was just a coincidence that the sea they crossed was the Red Sea? God worked out the details of this event even before He created Adam and Eve. The sea had to be the Red Sea because it represented the blood of Jesus Christ.

Doctrine is information which we need to be complete. God did not just give us pastors to encourage us during difficult times, but He gave us pastor-teachers to teach us this information which is so important for us if we are to grow in our knowledge of the Son of God. But, obviously, our pastor-teachers can not do all of the studying. Each of us must study to show ourselves approved unto God.

When we see how much information is available to us through the electronic media, and then when we compare that with how little the Bible is read even by believers, it’s no wonder we often feel incomplete. The Bible was given that the man of God might be complete. If the word of God is not the dominate influence in our hearts then we may well feel a void in our lives. We will feel incapacitated when it comes to self discipline and self control. When we feel incomplete or inadequate, we should turn to the word of God. There are many programs available which will take us through the entire Bible every year.

You might say that you don’t have time to read the Bible for 30 minutes a day, but the real question is this, can you afford not to read the Bible for 30 minutes every day? The Bible itself declares that the information we get will make us complete. Do we really want to face the challenges we face when we’re not functioning at full capacity? God wants us to be all we can be, and He gave us His word so that we can be just that.

Doctrine is information while reproof is that which corrections false doctrine or misinformation. Instruction in righteousness is that which teaches us how to behave, while correction changes us when we misbehave. All of this comes to us by the power of the Holy Spirit when we read the word of God.

God’s word gives direction according to Psalm 119:105:
Psalm 119:105 (KJV)
105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

God’s word gives cleansing:
Psalm 119:9 (KJV)
9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

God’s word gives hope:
Psalm 119:114 (KJV)
114 Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

God’s word gives us life:
Psalm 119:50 (KJV)
50 This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life.

When the Lord Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, He turned to the greatest spiritual force in the world to resist the devil. He turned to the word of God. When the devil said, turn these stones into bread,
Matthew 4:4 (KJV)
4 . . . (Jesus) answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"

When the devil said, cast yourself down from the pinnacle of the temple,
Matthew 4:7 (KJV)
7 Jesus said . . . It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

The devil said, all these kingdoms I will give you if you bow down and worship me, but again Jesus said:
Matthew 4:10 (KJV)
10 . . . it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

God’s word is settled in heaven, and the entirety of it is truth.

Our pastor-teachers have been given special gifts in regard to the teaching of the word. And they have special gifts which enable them to minister to the special needs of the individual members of the body of Christ. When we’re hurting, they comfort us through the word. When we’re discouraged, they build us up through the word. When we have important decisions to make, they help us to discern the will of God for our lives as they teach the various doctrines of the Bible.

The first deacons were appointed in Acts, Chapter 6, because there were so many tables to serve at mealtime. The believers all ate their meals together at that time and their numbers had grown to such an extent that it was difficult to serve everyone efficiently. The twelve apostles brought the people together and said:

Acts 6:1-4 (NKJ)
2 . . . "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.
3 "Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;
4 "but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word."

The Apostles knew that to be an apostle was to be a minister of the word, and they also knew that the work of the ministry is a work that belongs to all believers. What a wonderful opportunity we all have to take part in the work of the ministry.

There is no work that is more satisfying than the work of the ministry. Seeing people grow in the unity of the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God is such a blessing. Why is it such a blessing? Because God has made it that way. He engineered us and life in such a way that we are most happy when we are busy in the work of the ministry. Teaching the word of God so that we can all grow into that perfect man, into the full measure of the stature of Christ.

Thank you for listening to Bible Study Time this morning. It’s been a pleasure being with you, and I’ll look forward to being with you again next week at this same time.

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

Church links:

Monday, November 21, 2005

Ephesians 4 Part 9 (11-27-05)

Ephesians 4 Part 9
Bible Study Time 11-27-05

Ephesians Chapter 4 starts off with a discussion of the Unity of the Spirit and then reveals that after Jesus Christ was raised from the dead He ascended up into glory and led captivity captive. Paul confirms this in Colossians 2 when he says that Christ disarmed the principalities and powers of darkness and made a public spectacle of them by his work on the cross.

It seems apparent that it was at this time that the spirits of the Old Testament saints were taken up into the glory of heaven. Before the cross there was no basis upon which the spirits of departed saints could enter into glory. The scriptures indicate that before the cross the spirits of departed saints went to a separate place where they were safe and secure, but they were not in heaven.

The Pharisees of Jesus day taught that there was a place called “the Bosom of Abraham” which was divided into two parts with the saved on one side and the unsaved on the other. The Lord Jesus incorporated these terms and concepts when He told the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke, Chapter 16.

As you will recall, the rich man had all of the finer things of life as a result of his wealth while Lazarus was a beggar who sat at the rich man’s gate, covered with sores, hoping to receive crumbs from the rich man’s table.

The Lord said that Lazarus died and was carried by the angels, not to heaven, but to the Bosom of Abraham. When the rich man died, he went to be tormented in the fires of hell. From his place in hell he could see Abraham a far off, and he could see Lazarus there in Abraham’s Bosom.

When the rich man asked if Lazarus could come to him with but a drop of water on the tip of one finger, Abraham said, “between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.”

The picture painted by the Lord Jesus of Abraham’s Bosom is a little different from the teaching of the Pharisees. Rather than being one place that was divided into two parts, the Lord had Abraham’s Bosom far away from the fires of hell but still close enough that the rich man could still see and communicate with Abraham.

We can not tell if this was the account of a literal event or if it was a parable which Jesus told to make a point, but either way it does seem that the Lord was confirming the fact that at that time the spirits of saved people went some place other than heaven.

We can praise the Lord today that the spirits of departed saints go directly into the presence of the Lord. This is made clear in I Thessalonians 4 where Paul says:

1Thessalonians 4:13-17 (NKJ)
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

Notice that Paul says that God will bring with Him those who are asleep in Jesus. Well, who is it that He is coming to get? Those who are asleep in Jesus. In fact, Paul says that those who sleep in Jesus will rise first followed by those who are alive and remain. From this we see that those who sleep in Jesus today are with the Lord in spirit form even while their bodies lie in the grave.

It seems that when Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, He triumphed over the principalities and powers of darkness and took the spirits of the departed saints with Him into the glory of heaven.

This scene is reminiscent of the time that Abraham rescued Lot and his family from captivity. Five evil kings came up against Sodom and Gomorrah and took the cities captive. Lot and family were taken away by these invading armies. One of Lot’s servants was able to escape, however, and he went straight to Abraham to tell him the bad news. Genesis 14 tells us that:

Genesis 14:14-16 (NKJ)
14 . . . when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
15 He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus.
16 So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.

We have seen that in the Old Testament people were held captive by the curse of sin not only while they were alive but also in this holding place after they died, but when Christ conquered death, hell and the grave, His shed blood provided the necessary means by which all who believe in Him could be set free from the grip of the curse.

Satan and his band of angels were judged by the Lord at the time of their rebellion before the creation. God placed them in everlasting chains. The book of Jude says:

Jude 1:6 (NIV)
6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home-- these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.

Though bound with chains, these fallen angels have had great power over the affairs of men, but their chains serve as a constant reminder of the judgment which is to come. When the Lord Jesus was in the grave for three days and three nights, Peter says that the Lord went and preached to these angels who are bound with chains. I Peter 3:18 says:

1 Peter 3:18-19 (NKJ)
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,
19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,

Pastor R. B. Shiflet of Mineral Wells, Texas, said in the Timely Messenger, which is published by Grace Bible Church in Fort Worth, Texas, that these imprisoned spirits may well have been among the angels who intermarried with human beings during the time of Noah and that when the Lord was preaching to them, He was making a great victory speech in which He was declaring His authority over them.

When Christ arose from the dead, He made a public spectacle of these fallen angels, and it is only logical that at this same time He rescued the spirits of all of the Old Testament saints from Adam to the time of the cross.

We do not know exactly what those spirits are able to comprehend or what they understand while they are there in heaven. Do they see the things that we see and do? Do they understand the joy that we experience or the pain that we feel? We simply can not say, but as I have heard my father say that we do know this much, in the Lord’s presence there is fullness of joy, and at His right hand are pleasure forevermore, which is exactly what Psalm 16 says.

This past week we have been celebrating Thanksgiving, and this is one of those things that we should all be thankful for. In His presence there is fullness of joy, and at His right hand are pleasure forevermore. God has said it in His word, and He is not a man that He should lie. What a comfort it is to know that our loved ones who have gone on to be with the Lord are experiencing fullness of joy, and what a comfort it is to us as we face our own mortality.

I have at times heard people say that they do not want to cry when they lose a loved one because they want to be strong as a testimony for the Lord. But we need to realize that godly sorrow is beautiful in the sight of the Lord. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who morn, for they shall be comforted.”

In II Corinthians, Paul indicated that godly sorrow is different from the sorrow of the world. He said that the sorrow of the world produces death while godly sorrow produces repentance which leads to salvation.

Once, shortly after David was made king of Israel, the Philistines attacked Israel. They managed to take even the city of Bethlehem which is just a few miles from Jerusalem. David and his men fled from Jerusalem to a cave, and at one point his men overheard David saying that he would love a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem. Upon hearing David’s desire, three of his mighty men went down to Bethlehem, broke through the enemy lines. They drew water from the well and brought it to David.

When David saw what they had done, he was overwhelmed to think that God had given him men of such courage and loyalty. So David took a great big drink enjoyed every bit of it. Do you think that’s what he did? No. The Bible says that David poured that water out as a sacrifice to the Lord. It was too precious to drink. It was made sacred by the sacrifice of his men.

I believe that when we grieve with godly sorrow over the loss of a loved one, God receives our tears as a sacred offering. When our tears bring us to the point of recognizing God’s sovereignty and His goodness, this is beautiful in the sight of God. Our tears become an offering of thanksgiving for that life which He created. Ephesians four says that we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus, and God workmanship is something to behold. We have all witnessed God’s ability to create masterful works of art which stand as a testimony to His grace and His love.

When the world sees a believer whose heart is breaking, they can see the difference between those who grieve with no hope and those who grieve with godly sorrow for those who grieve with godly sorrow find comfort in the word of God and in the fellowship of the household of faith. We can only pray that such godly sorrow will lead those who have no hope to see their need for the Savior. Godly sorrow produces repentance which leads to salvation.

When our hearts are grieving, we can rest assured that God knows our sorrow, and He will not allow us to be tempted above what we are able to bear. He knows our limits better than we do.

The other day I saw an interview with Dana Reeve whose husband, actor Christopher Reeve, was paralyzed as a result of a horseback riding accident. She told about the fact that she lost her husband and her mother and was diagnosed with lung cancer all in the space of one year.

She said, “Sometimes I wonder how much one little soul can bear.” But, it was obvious that God was giving her the strength to carry through with her cancer treatments and still at the same time champion the cause of research on behalf of paralysis and lung cancer victims. God will give us the strength to sorrow in a godly way, and still carry on with the work He has called us to do.

Just before Jesus was arrested He told His disciples:

John 14:27 (NKJ)
27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid

John 16:16, 20, 22
16 "A little while, and you will not see Me; but then again, in a little while, you will see Me, because I go to the Father."
20 "Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, . . . but your sorrow will be turned into joy.
22 "Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.

We may sorrow now with a godly sorrow as we offer a sacrifice of tears, but someday our sorrow will turn to joy for we will see the Lord Jesus face to face. The Apostle John said:

Revelation 21:3-4 (NKJ)
3 . . . I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
4 "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

I see that our time is gone. May God richly bless you as you worship Him today. I’ll look forward to being with you again next week for another broadcast of Bible Study Time.

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

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Thursday, November 17, 2005

Thanksgiving (11-20-05)

Thanksgiving
Bible Study Time 11-20-05

We are fast approaching the Thanksgiving holiday, which is one of my favorite holidays because it’s not quite as commercialized as some of the other holidays, and as a result it seems to be a little more pure in its character. Without all of the commercialism, it is a little easier to sense the true importance of giving thanks to God for all that he has done for us. It’s a time when family and friends can get together with the expressed purpose of giving thanks to God.

When we think of Thanksgiving, we often think of the English colonists who settled at Plymouth, Massachusetts. After their first harvest, about fifty settlers celebrated for three days with some 90 native Americans who lived in the area. They did not call this celebration Thanksgiving, however, because when they had a day of thanksgiving, they would set aside the entire day for prayer. Such a day of prayer was usually called after some particular blessing such a rain after a drought. Obviously, the colonists knew the importance of being thankful to God for every blessing.

Throughout Paul’s letters, he emphasized the importance of being thankful. When Paul wrote to the Colossians, he said in Chapter 1 that he was praying for them that they would be able to joyfully give thanks unto the Father who had rescued them from the dominion of darkness and had brought them into the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Later in Chapter 3, he said that they should put on love, which is the bond of perfection and that they should let the peace of God rule in their hearts, but then, very directly, he said, “Be ye thankful.”

All believers today have cause for rejoicing for we too have been rescued from the dominion of darkness and have been brought into the kingdom of Jesus Christ. We should be very thankful for the blessing of the fellowship we enjoy with Jesus Christ. In I Corinthians 1, Paul reminded the Corinthians that God had called them into the fellowship of Jesus Christ. In verse 8, he said:

1 Corinthians 1:9 (NKJ)
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

John said in I John 1:

I John 1:3 (NKJ)
3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

The fellowship that we have with Jesus Christ today was pictured by the peace offering in the book of Leviticus. The believers of the Old Testament did not have all of the spiritual blessings that we enjoy today for they did not have the indwelling of Holy Spirit, but when they obeyed the commandments of the Lord, they had much to be for. Therefore, God provided a means by which they could demonstrate their thankfulness.

In Leviticus, Chapter 7, we read that the peace offerings were to be brought to God on a voluntary basis, and they were either given in association with the making of a vow or simply as an expression of thanksgiving. Verse 11 of Leviticus 7 says:

Leviticus 7:11-14
11 "'These are the regulations for the (peace offering or) fellowship offering that a person may present to the LORD:
12 "'If a man offers his sacrifice as an expression of thankfulness, then along with this thank offering he is to offer cakes of bread made without yeast and mixed with oil, wafers made without yeast and spread with oil, and cakes of fine flour well-kneaded and mixed with oil.
13 Along with his fellowship offering of thanksgiving he is to present an offering with cakes of bread made with yeast.
14 He is to bring one of each kind as an offering, a contribution to the LORD; it belongs to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the (peace) offerings.

Those who brought a thanksgiving sacrifice were to bring with the blood offering a cake which was made without yeast as well as a cake which was make with yeast. George Williams says that the bread without yeast symbolized Jesus Christ who was without sin, while the bread with yeast symbolized man who was still in sin. Both loaves of bread were to be mixed with oil to show that it is the Holy Spirit who works to bring sinful man to our sinless savior so that he can be cleansed to walk in fellowship with Him.

Here we see that fellowship with God is dependent upon the blood sacrifice. We must always bear in mind that our fellowship with God is based exclusively upon the sacrifice of Christ. Paul said in Ephesians 2:13:

Ephesians 2:13-19 (NKJ)
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,
16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.
18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

Believers today have been brought into fellowship with God through the peace offering of Jesus Christ, and we experience a fellowship with Christ which makes us complete in Him with unspeakable joy and a peace that passes understanding. Paul told the Colossians

Colossians 1:21-22 (NKJ)
21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled
22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight--

Colossians 2:10 (NKJ)
10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Therefore, in Philippians 4, Paul says:

Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJ)
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

There are those who suffer bitter disappointments and struggle with bitterness toward God. They feel that life has given them a raw deal for one reason or another, but the Bible declares that our thanksgiving to God is not based on our physical circumstances, but it is based on our fellowship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The physical things of this world fade away. They are not eternal. But the spiritual blessings we enjoy in Christ are blessings which will never fade away. They will be ours throughout eternity. Rather than fading away, they will only grow throughout the ages of eternity. Therefore, let us be thankful for the fact that we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Jesus Christ.

Colossians 2:6-7 (NKJ) says:
6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Colossians 3:15 (NKJ) says:
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

Colossians 4:2 (NKJ) says:
2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;

Paul wanted the believers in Colosse to be thankful to God for all of their blessings in Christ, and he knew that they could rejoice in these blessings regardless of their physical circumstances. He knew this because of his own personal experience. He spoke in Philippians 4 about the love offering they had sent. He said in verse 10:

Philippians 4:10-13 (NKJ)
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.
11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:
12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

When Paul said that he had learned how to be content in all circumstances, he could say that with all truthfulness for he had been through some unbelievably difficult times. His situation was so difficult that many in those same circumstances would have simply given up. But God gave Paul the grace to continue on.

When Paul wrote II Corinthians, he spoke of his many tribulations as he justified his ministry. He spoke of his critics and said:

2 Corinthians 11:22-27 (NIV)
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I.
23 Are they servants of Christ? . . . I am more. I have . . . been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.
24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,
26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.
27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.

Paul said that he felt foolish having to justify his ministry in this way, but he was determined to use every means available to prove that his ministry was of God.

I’m thankful that Paul was forced to reveal the extent of his suffering and persecution because as we look at Paul’s writings we just don’t see Paul talking about his personal suffering or his tribulations that much. Obviously, Paul had more important things on his mind. He was too busy praising the Lord for all of His blessings.

In I Corinthians 1, Paul did speak of his personal trials, but notice the context as we read in verse 3:

2 Corinthians 1:3-11 (NIV)
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.
7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,
11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

This was just one more thing for the believers to be thankful for. God was miraculously delivering Paul from every trial. Paul was rejoicing in the Lord, and he wanted them to know that they could rejoice in the Lord always even if they had to share in the fellowship of His sufferings. God is working all things according the counsel of His own will and nothing can separate us from the His love.

Well, I see our time is gone this morning. I trust that this week your heart will truly rejoice in the many blessings God has given to you. It’s been a pleasure being with you, and I’ll look forward to being with you again next week at this same time.

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

Church links:

Sunday, November 06, 2005

Ephesians 4 Part 8 (11-13-05)

Ephesians 4 Part 8
Bible Study Time 11-13-05

Ephesians 4 and verse 7 says:

Ephesians 4:7 (NKJ)
7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.

Believers have this assurance today, that we have been given gifts that will enable us to accomplish anything and everything that God calls us to do. If God wants us to do something, He will give us the ability and the strength to do it. To the Philippians, Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13, NKJ)

Satan will set obstacles in our path any time God calls us to do something. There will be set backs along the way, and we may be tempted to quit at times. But God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape. God will supply our need and give us the victory for the sake of His own honor and glory. God alone is worthy of all glory and honor and praise.

Moses was called to bring the children of Israel up out of Egyptian captivity. He had his doubts about whether he was up to such a monumental task. After all, who was Moses in comparison with the king of the most powerful nation on the face of the earth? But God said, “Moses, I will be with you.”

When God spoke to Moses from the burning bush, He said, “I am the God of your father-- the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." (Exodus 3:6, NKJ) Immediately, Moses hid his face for he was afraid. Then God said, “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. (Exodus 3:7-9, NKJ)

This must have been encouraging news for Moses for he too had seen the misery of the Jews in Egypt. God went on to say:

Exodus 3:8 (NKJ)
8 "So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, . . .

God has heard the cry of the Jews, and He is planning to deliver them. This must have been exciting news for Moses, but watch what happens next. At this point God says:

Exodus 3:10 (NKJ)
10 "Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."

All of a sudden Moses realized that God was not just giving him the scope on His plans for Israel, but that God was calling him to return to Egypt to deliver his fellow countrymen from slavery.

Moses immediately shrunk back with fear and doubt, and the first question on his mind was “Who am I.” He asked, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh.”

Then Moses asked an even better question when he asked, “Who are you?” It is nice for us to know who we are, but it is much more important for us to know who God is. Our greatest need is to learn about God and to know Him personally.

God said, “I am who I am, and I will certainly be with you.” God set forth His own personal power as Moses’ guarantee of success. But when Moses got to Egypt, He quickly learned that his success was going to be a little more complicated than he may have thought.

As it turned out, Moses went before Pharaoh over and over again. Each time Moses faced Pharaoh’s stubborn rebellion. But by the time Moses and the children of Israel left Egypt after the Passover, Moses was fully confident in the power of God. It was God who had called him to this task, and it was God who was going to bring it to pass.

We today can have that same confidence because God has given to each one of us grace according to the measure of Christ's gift. As we serve the Lord, we can rest assured that God will supply our every need so that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

First of all, God has given us His word, and we know that:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJ)
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

When my wife, Joan, and I first married, I was perfectly content to use sheets for curtains over the windows. To my mind, buying curtains would just be a waste of money. I soon discovered that Joan had a different point of view. She had the idea that our home should eventually be thoroughly furnished with all kinds of beautiful things that would turn our house into a beautiful home for us and for our children.

Well, it seems that God feels the same way about our lives. He has made provisions to fill our lives with everything we need for every good work. Through His word, He has given us doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness, that we may be completely furnished unto every good work.

But here in Ephesians 4, we learn that we have been given individual gifts as well. God gives us tailor-made gifts which are crafted according to our particular need and according to our particular mission.

During the Acts period, the gifts which were given to believers were quite a lot different from the gifts which are given today. At that time, God was offering the New Covenant Kingdom to the nation of Israel. If the nation of Israel had accepted Christ as her Messiah during that time, Jesus Christ would have returned from heaven, and He would have established the glorious earthly kingdom which had been promised to Israel from the time of Abraham.

During the Acts period, God gave many sign gifts to confirm the kingdom offer. Many believers experienced the power to heal and speak in tongues and other miraculous things. The book of I Corinthians was written during this time, and these gifts are clearly seen in passages such as I Corinthians, Chapter 12 where we read in verse 7:

1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (NKJ)
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

Even here, however, Paul goes on in Chapter 13 to show that love is greater than all of the sign gifts. Chapter 13 verse 1 says:

1 Corinthians 13:1-2 (NKJ)
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

Paul concluded that:

1 Corinthians 13:8-10 (NKJ)
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

Paul was looking into the future when the sign gifts would no longer be necessary. He referred to Christ and His kingdom saying, “When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part will be done away.” Where believers experience the fullness of Christ, there is not need for sign gifts.

By the time Paul wrote the book of Ephesians, Paul had been called to reveal the Church which is the Body of Christ, and in Ephesians 4, we see no hint of the sign gifts, such as healing or speaking in tongues. Chapter 4 verse 11 says:

Ephesians 4:11-13 (NKJ)
11 And (Christ) Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

In this passage we see that Paul is no longer waiting for that which is perfect to come for the kingdom offer had been set aside. In the program for the Church, the Body of Christ, God has given apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to build up the Body of Christ so that it may grow into the full stature of the perfect man, into the stature of the fullness of Christ.

God could have chosen to build up the Body of Christ all by Himself, just like He could chosen to deliver Israel from Egypt all by Himself. But He chose to work through a man in the Old Testament, and today He has chosen to work through men to bring the Body of Christ to perfection.

The gifts mentioned in Ephesians 4 include apostles and prophets, but we should not be confused by that. When Paul wrote the book of Ephesians, most of the apostles were still alive, and the word of God had not been completed. The Apostle John completed the word of God when he finished the book of the Revelation, and since that time Christ’s gifts to the Church include only evangelists, pastors and teachers.

When were these gifts given to the Church? According to verse 8, when Christ ascended on high, He lead captivity captive and gave gifts unto men. Paul explains in verse 9, saying:

Ephesians 4:9-10 (NKJ)
9 (Now this, "He ascended"-- what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?
10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

When Christ died upon the cross, He descended into Hell, which is in the lower parts of the earth. In Psalm 16 David said, “Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” (Ps 16:10, KJV) In Acts 2, Peter confirmed that David was speaking of the resurrection of Christ.

In Romans 10, Paul spoke again of the fact that Jesus Christ descended into the earth before He ascended into heaven. Verse 6 says:

Romans 10:6-9 (NKJ)
6 . . . the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down from above)
7 or, " 'Who will descend into the abyss?' " (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

When Christ descended into hell, He did battle with Satan and all of Satan’s forces. According to Colossians 2:15, He disarmed the principalities and powers of darkness, but when He ascended into heaven, He triumphed over Satan’s forces and made a public spectacle of them. It was at this point that Jesus Christ led captivity captive and gave gifts to men.

Through these gifts, God has provided the means by which the members of the Body of Christ can and will grow into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

We saw last week that there is one faith and that that faith is the faith which is fully invested in Jesus Christ. Faith in Christ is the one faith of the scriptures. It is disheartening that today we see so many different denominations of believers with each holding to its own brand of doctrine.

We must keep in mind that God’s purpose for the gifts today is that we might grow into the unity of the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, but we must also keep in mind that this is a spiritual unity, not an organizational unity. There can be no spiritual unity apart from the absolute truth of God’s word.

Contrary to all appearances and in spite of the many divisions within the realm of Christianity, God is moving the true Church toward the unity of the faith. No Satanic conspiracy can thwart the plan and purpose of God. As the Church which is the Body of Christ moves ever closer to the unity of the faith, it will become more and more as odds with this world system which includes the religious system of the world.

May God place within our hearts a genuine desire to grow in the unity of the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God so that the true Church which is the Body of Christ may grow into the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ who is the perfect man.

It’s been a pleasure being with you this morning, and I’ll look forward to being with you again next week at this same time.

Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com

Church links: