ONLY ONE GOSPEL
Richard Bowman, Warsaw Christian Church
Text: Galatians 1:6-9: I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
If I had but one sermon to preach, today’s might be that sermon.
I don’t know much about recipes. I guess it is important to follow every step. If a step or two is left out, the food that results is inadequate. It’s not like grandma’s cake if the recipe is not followed precisely.
In our text, Paul marvels that the Galatians are turning away from the Gospel. False teachers gave them a distorted view of Jesus, and they fell for it. Paul is concerned about the nature of the good news of Jesus Christ. We call it the gospel. In verses six through nine, the Greek word “euangellion,” which we translate as “gospel,” is used no less than four times. The ingredients to the gospel are serious business. What is at stake is not unpalatable food but the glory of Christ and a Christless eternity for souls. That is why Paul writes with such intensity and urgency. In verse six, Paul first addresses the desertion of the gospel on the part of the Galatians.
The Greek word for “amazed” is “thaumadzo.” The word expresses amazement, and astonishment. Paul is flabbergasted by the Galatians turning away from the only Gospel and embracing a recipe for salvation doomed to fail. Paul doesn’t tell us what false Gospel the Galatians embraced. There were several distortions of the Gospel in the First Century – – – the Judaizers, and the Gnostics, for example. The critical point is not to name the false Gospel they believed. Paul says there is but one Gospel, which he preached to the Galatians.
Listen to what Paul says in verse eight, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed.” Those are some very harsh words. The Greek word “anathema” is the word we translate as “accursed.” It is used in the Greek Old Testament of things God has devoted to destruction. A person who doesn’t love God is devoted to destruction. A person who distorts the gospel is devoted to destruction. In other words, embrace the one true Gospel or go to hell.
The fact that he repeats it in verse nine, “As we said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed,” Clearly, Paul means what he says.
Paul is following the example of our Lord Jesus Christ when he gives this warning. Jesus said, and I paraphrase, “If anyone causes another to stumble, it would be better to have a millstone tied around his neck and cast out into the sea than to cause someone to stumble” (Matthew 18:6). Those are serious words. Jesus and Paul agree. If you distort the gospel, you incite people to live a Christless eternity.
That is why Paul is so serious about the distortion of the gospel. When you add or subtract to the gospel, you take away from the glory of Christ, and people stumble into hell. Both Jesus and Paul want us to embrace the one true Gospel. That is why the distinctness of the gospel is so crucial.
So, what is the one true Gospel? Unfortunately, there are lots of false gospels on the market today. For example, everyone goes to heaven regardless of what they believe. God’s love will overcome every obstacle and bring everyone safely to heaven. If that is true, our text is a lie. Or, Jesus was an excellent teacher, but He was not divine, not the Son of God. If you believe that you have embraced a false gospel. Or, if you do enough good works, you will merit a place in heaven. Good works are a part of the Christian life, but they deserve nothing. I could give more examples, but I need to move on.
We need to define the one true Gospel which saves. The Protestant reformers proclaimed the true Gospel, the biblical gospel. It is summarized in the four “solas” of the Reformation. We know what a solo is. It is one person singing a song. The four solas of the Reformation are:
Christ alone, or sola Christi. Salvation is found in Christ alone. He alone “gave Himself for our sins.” He alone is our Lord and Savior. He alone went to the cross to atone for our sins. It is not “Christ plus something…” that leads to our salvation. It is Christ alone. If someone makes an omelet with three good eggs and one rotten egg, would you eat it? It does no good to say, “Well, it is three-fourths pure. Surely the bad egg will be overwhelmed by the three good eggs”. The opposite happens. The one rotten egg pollutes the three good eggs.
In the stage production of Peter Pan, there is a scene where Hook poisons Peter Pan’s medicine. The medicine was good, but one drop of poison made it bad. Only one drop! Indeed the medicine is 99% true and will be effective – – – NOT! When you distort the gospel and make it more than Christ alone, you turn the good news into bad news. You have embraced a false gospel when you try to improve the Gospel by adding something to Christ. Salvation is not by Christ plus your good works. It is not Christ plus anything. It is Christ alone who saves us.
That leads to our second sola. How does one receive Christ? We receive Him by faith alone, sole fide. When we consider the biblical Jesus and what He has done, by faith, we receive Him. Paul writes in Romans, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (1:16). The Gospel of Christ contains power. When it is proclaimed, the power of God is present. But those who hear the Gospel must believe it. When we believe in Jesus, we have embraced the true Gospel. The Jesus in whom we believe is the Jesus of Scripture. He is the mighty Son of the living God. The Gospel focuses on His death and resurrection. He suffered for you. He died for you. He rose from the grave for you. Do you believe in Him? It is Christ alone and faith alone which brings us salvation.
That leads to a third “sola,” sola scriptura, or the Bible alone. God knew that once Jesus had ascended into heaven, how would future believers come to know Him and trust Him? Would everyone receive a private revelation? We know that personal revelations contradict one another. Should we believe the revelation of John or Mary? We are to reject private revelation in favor of the revelation of God in sacred scripture. Paul writes, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. A few weeks ago, Sandi spoke about the appearance of Jesus to two disciples on the Emmaus Road. He said, And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself (Luke 24:27).
The Scriptures point us to Jesus. They are the very Word of God, and thus are faultless and without error. The Gospel we are to believe in is in the Bible. Many books have been written about the Christian faith, but only one Book infallibly leads us to Jesus. Yes, we are saved by Christ alone and by faith alone. Make sure the Christ in whom you believe is the Christ of the Bible. Having attended a theologically liberal seminary, the Jesus I learned about in seminary was not the Jesus of the Bible. I wrote in a theological paper, “Jesus is not the divine Son of God because that cannot be rationally, empirically verified.” My, how smart I was! Of course, Jesus cannot be rationally- empirically verified. Man’s reason and perception are clouded by sin. Only the Bible reveals the true Jesus whom we are to trust. God knew that, so He gave us a perfect revelation of Jesus. How are we saved? By Christ as He is revealed in Scripture and by faith alone. Christ alone, faith alone, scripture alone.
One final sola from the Reformation, “sola gratia,” or by grace alone. Grace means unmerited and undeserved favor and privilege. We deserve destruction, but God offers the grace of Christ to us as a gift. Grace means it is ours, not by our merits or works, but by God’s gift. It is by grace that no one can boast. The gospel is Christ alone. It is grace alone.
Why did God send Jesus to be our redeemer? Did we deserve it? Do we ever deserve it? If we understand grace, we know our salvation is wholly of God. God did not look upon the human race and think, “Well, they are trying. I will send my Son to finish the job.” No, we were not trying. The Bible describes us all as sinners who fall short of God’s expectations. God did not send Jesus because we are worthy. Paul writes, But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). God was gracious to us while we were immersed in sin. Christ suffered and died for us while we were yet sinners. Why? Because God loves us and has extended grace to us.
While in seminary, I wrote a scathing letter to Billy Graham. I told him he was deceiving people with his hillbilly preaching. I told him he was out of touch with the great theologians of today. Did he understand event ontology? Did he ever read a book on existentialism? Did he realize that the Bible was full of errors? Did he realize that salvation by the blood of Jesus was an offensive doctrine? Wise up, Billy. Your preaching is false.
I was not the only one who made fun of Billy Graham. While preaching in Scotland, they laughed at “preacher Graham.” Steven Olford, an excellent Christian minister, heard Billy Graham preach. Olford was like me, a skeptic about much of the Bible. Yet, while listening to Billy Graham, his heart was touched. He realized he needed Jesus, and he bowed before Jesus in faith. He was converted.
Yes, people still make fun of the biblical doctrine of salvation. Today is no different than the First Century. Jesus was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. I recently watched the film on the Passion of Christ again. His suffering for us is graphically revealed in the film. Where do you stand? Is your faith in Christ crucified alone? Do you trust the Jesus revealed in the Bible? Or are you trusting something other than Christ for eternal life? Salvation is found through faith in Jesus. Christ alone, faith alone, Scripture alone, grace alone. If those elements are all in place in your understanding of the Gospel, you have embraced the true Gospel. Hold on to it.
FELIX: OPPORTUNITY LOST
(First Person Narrative Sermon)
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor
Background Text: Acts 24:1-9; 22-27
My name is Felix – – – full name, Marcus Antonius Felix. I was governor of Judea from 52 to 59 AD. Can you believe it? I was brought up as a slave but became the Roman Procurator of all Judea by the appointment of Emperor Claudius himself. Not bad to move from slave to Roman governor. I used to say to myself, “Felix, old boy, you have done very well for yourself.”
Here is how this change of fortune took place. If you must be a slave, the best place to serve is in the royal palace. You had to be careful not to offend some hot-headed royal family member because they might kill you without a second thought. Life is very cheap for a slave. My master was Agrippina, who happened to be the mother of Claudius. Claudius would one day become the emperor of Rome.
Before Claudius became emperor, Rome was governed by a nut case named Caligula. He didn’t last long. He was too crazy to be tolerated for very long and was assassinated after a four-year reign of terror. Fortunately, my old friend Claudius took his place. He remembered that I had served his mother faithfully. So he released me from the bonds of slavery and appointed me to be governor of Judea.
I learned a lot living so close to the seat of power in Rome. One lesson I learned is that truth means nothing. The only thing that matters is possessing power; if you faithfully serve powerful people, they may share that power with you. As governor of Judea, I had the power of life and death over the Jews, and it is exhilarating to possess such supremacy. The Jews did not love me but feared me and tried to stay in my good graces. If you have people who acquiesce to your will, who cares about love?
I also learned another vital lesson by observing how the royals lived. Morality means nothing. My moral code was simple: Do whatever it takes to hold onto power. The Jews had their moral code about lying, stealing, killing, and the like, but what did it get them? Rome ruled them with an iron hand. If I had to lie or cheat or kill to maintain power, I was living up to my moral code. You cannot rule with kindness and love. If you do, people will take advantage of you and walk all over you. Fear and force are the tools of power. This approach helped me politically. People who bowed to my authority were granted favors. It was well known that I had a group of hired assassins on my payroll, and if you opposed me, one of my men might strike you down on a dark street or sneak into your home and kill you while you slept. So to oppose me was not wise.
There is a touch of irony in my name. Felix means “happy” in your language. Those who saw to it that I was happy received my favors. Those who made Felix unhappy faced my wrath.
I had a firm grasp of economics. I received the lion’s share of all the wealth of Judea. Much of my fortune came to me through bribes. Everyone understood that if you wanted Felix to rule in your favor, fill his hands to overflowing with gold coins. I never tried to find out who was guilty and who was innocent. If a handsome bride came my way, I ruled favorably. If you could not pay a bribe, you were guilty. It was a simple, easy way to administer justice. Poor people were disadvantaged, but I cared nothing for the poor or their plight. People experiencing poverty could do nothing for me, and I did nothing for them.
I believe you are a group of people who follow the Way, that Jewish sect founded by the prophet Jesus. You may be interested in hearing about my encounter with Paul, a fanatical follower of Jesus.
Paul had stirred up some trouble in Jerusalem, and the Jews wanted to kill him. One of my commanders, Lysias, intervened in the situation. He learned that Paul was a Roman Citizen and therefore deserved better treatment than Jews who were non-citizens. He had to rescue Paul by force from the hands of the Jews. Lysias believed Paul had done nothing worthy of death. It was a religious dispute between Paul’s new version of Judaism and those who rejected Jesus. He sent me a letter asking me to review the case.
I learned that a Jewish lawyer, Tertullus, was responsible for Paul’s case Tertullus made three charges against Paul: Stirring up riots, being a ringleader of the Nazarene sect, and desecrating the Temple. I was familiar with the teachings of this new sect centering on Jesus. I knew that Jesus had been crucified, and His followers claimed He had risen from the dead. They felt this proved He was the Jewish Messiah and the world’s Savior. It struck me as a far-fetched idea, but I was curious and asked Paul to explain this new religion and answer the charges against him.
Paul spoke to me with great earnestness. He explained that he was not guilty of any crime. Some of the Jews wanted to get rid of him for proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus. Paul spoke to me of the righteousness of God; he spoke of the importance of self-control. What got to me was when he spoke of judgment. He explained that God is holy, and if we have offended His holiness, we will face His wrath. He assured me there was only one solution to the sin problem – – – faith in Jesus Christ. He urged me to repent and place my faith in Jesus, the Son of God. My heart was pounding. Fear gripped my soul because if Paul was correct, I was doomed. My sins were many, and the thought of appearing before a holy God frightened me. I had lied often, cheated when it suited me, arranged murders, and bribed – – – sinning was a way of life for me. Paul tried to persuade me that my only hope was to trust in a dead Jew whom Paul said was raised from the dead.
Frankly, I had to hope that Paul was wrong. How could I become a Christian in my position? It would indeed have cost me my governorship. What would Claudius think if I rejected all the Roman gods and embraced Jesus? Paul made it clear that I could not embrace Jesus and cling to the gods of Rome. I would have to reject the Roman pantheon and worship Jesus only. Such a decision would have cost me everything. I convinced myself that it would be foolish to take the word of this Jewish preacher. Surely one of the Roman gods would accept me. There had to be another way besides Jesus. I must admit that Paul almost persuaded me to become a Christian, but I put him off. Honestly, I was still hoping for a handsome bribe from Paul.
I spoke with Paul again several times but decided not to throw away my career for Jesus. In time I became immune to Paul’s preaching. I suppose Paul would explain my situation like this: when Felix heard the Gospel, the Holy Spirit drew him to Jesus, but he decided to wait for a more convenient time. So he waited and waited and waited. In time Felix hardened his heart against the truth and became immune to the Gospel. Perhaps such an assessment was correct, but I had to consider the cost. If I became a Christian —
1. I would have had to admit to being a sinner and repent.
2. I would have had to confess the many murders I instigated.
3. I would have to give up my position with its status and power.
4. I would lose my considerable bribery income.
5. I would have to give up my interest in magic and sorcery.
6. I would have to receive forgiveness from Jesus and live as His disciple.
Can you blame me for not wanting to give all that up? What would Jesus do for me? Supposedly He would forgive all my sins and grant me a place in paradise, but was it true? The more I weighed the alternatives, the more convinced I became to ignore Jesus and Paul, His spokesman. If Paul were wrong, I would have given up everything for nothing.
It was later, much later, I learned how wrong I was. Death is a great teacher. I realized too late that Jesus was there for me, but I turned my back on Him. I must surely qualify as the dumbest person in history. I spent many days and hours listening to Paul telling me about Jesus. The great Apostle told me the truth, but I refused to listen. I kept thinking, “Perhaps later.” Paul is undoubtedly one of the most outstanding teachers of the Gospel in all history. His writings have helped millions come to faith in Jesus. I sat with him face to face, but my interest in this world caused me to close my mind to the next.
Part of my present suffering is remembering those days I spent with Paul. I would give anything for a second chance, but once your life ends, your destiny is sealed for eternity. I grasped what I considered the good things available in this brief life and turned my back on eternity. Are some of you waiting for a more convenient time to place your faith in Jesus? I waited for a more convenient time – – – a time that never came.
IN THAT GREAT GETTING’ UP MORNING
Warsaw Christian Church, Easter 2023, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: Mark 12:18-27
18 Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that ‘if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother.’ 20 There were seven brothers; the first married and, when he died, left no children; 21 and the second married her and died, leaving no children; and the third likewise; 22 none of the seven left children. Last of all the woman herself died. 23 In the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For the seven had married her.” 24 Jesus said to them, “Is not this the reason you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the story about the bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is God not of the dead, but of the living; you are quite wrong.”
Skepticism was not invented in our day. In Jesus’ day, they were called Sadducees. In every age, some people are a part of the religious community but deny truths clearly taught in Scripture. The “god” of reason reigns supreme, and anything deemed unreasonable is discarded. Every generation has its Sadducees who cannot seem to humble themselves and place themselves under the authority of God’s Word.
In our text, the Sadducees want to take on Jesus. Jesus had spoken of that great getting’ up morning when the dead shall rise. Jesus declared that He is the resurrection and the life; all who believe in Him will hear His voice on the last day and rise to eternal life. The Sadducees think all this resurrection talk is nonsense, and they set out to prove their case by engaging in a type of argument logicians label “reductio ad absurdum.” The basic idea is to reduce your opponent’s position to absurdity, thus proving it cannot be true.
As we read between the lines in the text, we can almost hear the giggling, sneering, and laughter coming from the Sadducees. “Okay, Jesus,” they say, “You affirm that there will be a resurrection of the dead. Suppose a woman marries, has no children, and her husband dies. Moses’ law declares that her brother must marry her. So, the first brother marries her, and then he dies, and still, she is childless.” They run through seven hypothetical brothers, and when the last one dies, finally, the woman dies. As the audience chuckles with laughter, the punch line hits home. “Jesus, who will be her husband in the resurrection?” They think they have reduced Jesus’ belief in the resurrection to absurdity. They say there cannot be a resurrection because it would create these overwhelming complications.
Jesus listens patiently, and as the laughter dies down, He says, in effect, there are two significant loopholes in your thinking. Your first mistake is your stubborn refusal to believe the Scriptures. They assumed Jesus was teaching a new doctrine when He taught the doctrine of the resurrection. They did not know that the resurrection was taught in one of the key passages in the Law of Moses. Jesus reminds them of Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush, when God declared, “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Jesus asks the Sadducees two questions: Is God the God of dead people or living people? They would have to answer that God is the God of the living. If someone is dead, without life, they would not need a God. Second implied question. When Moses said those words, where were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? They had died, but God is the God of the living. Therefore, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were resurrected to life after their earthly death. If God is their God, they must be alive even though they died centuries ago.
I trust you see the force of Jesus’ argument. If the Sadducees thought about the burning bush episode, they would see that the story demands a resurrection of the patriarchs. Otherwise, God is God of the dead, which is an absurd idea. The dead need no God. Jesus turns the tables on the Sadducees and points out the absurdity of their denial of the resurrection.
The second problem in the thinking of the Sadducees is a failure to believe in the power of God. God spoke the universe into existence. God created human life. Is it too hard for almighty God to raise the dead to life? Only if the God you believe in is weak and powerless. Jesus knows that Jehovah is called “El Shaddai” in the Scriptures; God almighty, the God to whom nothing is impossible. Raising the dead is as easy for God to accomplish as it is for us to snap our fingers.
The Sadducees could not conceive of a world different than the one we live in. In our culture, there are husbands and wives, so it must be so in any future world, they reasoned. If you are married to a wife in this life, she will be your wife in eternity. It seemed not to occur to them that our mighty God would create new heavens and a new earth, and many of the things we experience now will not be present in eternity. Marriage is intended only for this present world. Through the institution of marriage, the human race is perpetuated. In eternity, there will be no reproduction and no need for the institution of marriage. In eternity you will be closer to your spouse than you ever were on earth, but it will be a new and glorious relationship that transcends earthly marriage.
While intelligence and education are not necessarily barriers to faith, they can be. The danger emerges when intelligent people begin to think that their own minds can figure out what God may and may not do. For example, I recall reading in a denominational magazine a meditation on the resurrection of Jesus some years ago. The basic idea was that Jesus made such a strong impression on His disciples that they imagined He was still with them after His death. The author totally rejected the notion that Jesus was raised bodily from the grave.
What kind of God is revealed in the Bible? Is He a weak God? Is He a God who wrings His hands and doesn’t know how to cope with His fallen creation? Is His understanding of His creation so limited that He cannot figure out how to raise the dead to eternal life?
Jesus once stood before the grave of His friend Lazarus and cried out, “Lazarus, come forth.” You see how easy it is for God to raise the dead! All it took was a word, a command, and Lazarus stepped out of his tomb alive. Jesus said that at the end of the age, “all who are in their graves will hear his voice and will come out–those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28,29). None of us can escape that final resurrection. All shall be raised, the good, the bad, and the ugly.
One wonders if some ancient or modern Sadducees will stand before God on that day and declare, “But this is impossible! This is unreasonable! This can’t be true. I died, and I want to stay dead. I do not want to face my creator.” But, like it or not, the day will come when you and I will be resurrected, either to face eternal life or eternal condemnation. What kind of God can resurrect all the dead throughout history in a moment? Indeed it is a God whose power knows no limits, the omnipotent God of the Bible, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Sadducee’s failure to grasp the incredible greatness of God’s power caused them to fall into error. There is a practical aspect to this. Many Christians fall into error in their personal lives because they fail to understand that nothing is impossible with God. Do you believe you will one day be resurrected, or is that some faint hope? How we live today is greatly influenced by what we believe about a future resurrection. How much of your life is spent on this world, and how much on the next?
Is anything too hard for God? The answer, of course, is an emphatic NO. There is no problem you face that will cause God to say, “Sorry, your problem is too hard for me. I don’t have the power to help you.”
The Sadducees thought they could expose the foolishness of Jesus’ belief in the resurrection with their silly little argument. But, unfortunately, what they exposed was their stupidity and feeble faith. They strayed into error and false doctrines for two primary reasons: they did not believe what was plainly revealed in Scripture, and the God in whom they believed was puny. I implore you not to fall into the same trap.
PALM SUNDAY, 2023
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Luke 19:28-44
I have preached this sermon before. This is the revised edition for Palm Sunday 2023. Today we focus again on Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The Jewish people believed the Messiah would accomplish His most significant work in Jerusalem. The Messiah would come from David’s house and lineage, the greatest Hebrew kings who ruled from Jerusalem. On that first Palm Sunday, the crowds believed God’s promises to Israel would finally be fulfilled. And so we sense the great excitement in the spreading of clothing and branches before Him and the cries, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” The people were excited, believing their King would finally free them from Roman rule.
I like to discover bloopers in the movies. It is amusing to catch others’ mistakes. In a Jack Nicholson movie, we see him walking past an automatic teller machine. The problem is that the movie was set in 1948, decades before the invention of ATMs. A bus appears in the background in a film set in the middle ages. It is nice to know that other people make mistakes, isn’t it?
The Jewish people must have thought His ride into Jerusalem was a colossal blooper after Jesus was arrested and crucified. He wasn’t following the correct script. How can the Messiah, the Son of God, end up on the cross? Was Palm Sunday one of those historical bloopers? The people thought Jesus was the Messiah, but the crucifixion proved to many that He was unquestionably an imposter.
Of course, Jesus was following the divine script. He went to Jerusalem to die, not to set up an earthly kingdom. He clarified to Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world. Today I want our focus on three positive aspects of the Palm Sunday story. We can learn how to properly welcome Jesus if we believe He is the Messiah, the Son of God.
First, our obedience is a proper way to welcome Jesus into our lives. According to Zechariah 9:9, the long-expected Jewish Messiah and King would ride into Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey, a prophecy made 500 years earlier. In our text, Jesus makes what must have seemed like an odd request. They were to go into the city, and they would find a colt that had never been ridden. They were to untie the colt, and if anyone asked what they were doing, they were to respond, “The Lord has need of it.” I might have said, “Lord, I need more information. Which colt are you talking about? There must be thousands of colts in Jerusalem. Can you give us a specific address? Who owns it? Won’t we be accused of stealing? Did you make arrangements for this with the owner?”
We don’t know anything about the private thoughts of the disciples. We do know that they did not always obey Jesus without question. They were like us! Earlier, when Jesus told the disciples that He must go to Jerusalem to die, Peter vehemently disagreed. He also objected when Jesus wanted to wash his feet. On this occasion, however, they did not question Him. They obeyed Him.
What about us? There are things said in the New Testament which puzzle us. There are commands given that many choose to ignore. There are great promises that sometimes call forth the response, “That can’t be true.” Here is the point. While we may struggle to understand how some things in Scripture apply to us, we need to develop an obedient heart. When we believe we have understood what God wants from us, we must obey quickly and without question.
This is the only proper way to welcome the Son of God into our hearts with unquestioning obedience. How should I respond if I understand His will is for me to give 10% of my income to promote the Gospel of Jesus? I can’t afford it? If He commands that I forgive those who have sinned against me, do I respond, “No way!” Unfortunately, many Christians never experience the blessings that come to those who obey without question.
Thousands of Germans who joined the SS swore an oath to Hitler, including the promise, ” I promise to be obedient unto death.” Many who made that promise ended up dead, and their country ended up in shame and destruction. If human beings can promise unquestioning obedience to an evil dictator, why is it so difficult for us to obey the One who loves us and desires only to bless us? On this Palm Sunday, let us all resolve in our hearts to follow Jesus, even if He should ask us to perform an act that confuses us, like going into a city and locating a donkey. The only proper way to welcome Jesus is with an obedient heart. He expressed this plainly in John 14:15 when He said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Do you love Jesus? We may say “Yes,” but He says, “prove it — by your obedience.”
In our text, we can also observe a second way to welcome Jesus: with our unbridled praise and worship. They believed Jesus to be their Messiah and King, and so they spontaneously threw themselves into a spirit of prayer and praise. They laid their garments before Him and cut branches from the trees to spread before Him as an act of worship. I can almost picture the scene. Arms are waving; people jump up and down for joy; shouts of praise rise from the crowd. Does it remind you of the way we welcome Jesus in our church?
I am not suggesting that you wave your arms and jump up and down during the service. There may be occasions when such behavior is proper, but in our Christian Church tradition, we tend to be quiet as we worship – – – and that’s okay. Some Scriptures support an attitude of quiet reverence. “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). “In quietness and confidence is your strength” (Isaiah 30:15). “Be still before the Lord” (Psalm 37:7). Frankly, if any of you start jumping up and down with your metal hips and knees and backs, I would probably have to call 911!
On the other hand, if Jesus came riding down Commercial Street in Warsaw, I would expect some noise and excitement from God’s people. When Jesus returns for His people, I hope to shout as I rise in the air to greet Him. We don’t want to be like the Pharisees present on that first Palm Sunday. As they observed the crowd lost in wonder, love, and praise, they said to Jesus, “Rebuke your disciples.” They were saying, “Jesus, your disciples are crossing the line. We can see that you are a mortal, yet the people worship you as if you were a God. Tell them to stop.” I love Jesus’ response. If I tell my disciples to be quiet, the rocks will cry out in praise to me. It would have been the first rock concert if He had quieted His disciples and the stones began to sing His praises! What an insult to these Pharisees to hear that inanimate rocks had more sense than they did. If the stones in Benton County start shouting and singing, it will be very noisy!
Here is the point. If we believe Jesus to be the Son of God, we will worship Him quietly or loudly. We will try to be present when the church meets for public worship. We will worship Him with sincerity and integrity. Our praise will be sincere. Our songs will reflect our desire to sing unto the Lord. Even those who cannot carry a tune (and I will mention no names) are encouraged to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. Because those present on that day when Jesus rode triumphantly into the city believed Him to be their divine King, they worshipped Him. If we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, we will worship Him. Yes, God can cause the stones to cry out in praise to His Son, but He would rather hear from us.
Jesus desires that we welcome Him. We receive Him with our obedience, with our worship, and lastly, with our faith. Notice verse 41. “As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it.” Jesus knew what was coming. He understood that few would stand with Him in the end. He understood that His disciples were going to forsake Him. He knew that one would betray Him. He understood that those crying “Hosanna” would soon shout, “Crucify him!” And so, as He nears the city, tears fall. He weeps not for Himself but for the many who would finally reject Him and never come to true faith. He knows who He is. He knows He is the world’s only hope. He understands that none can come to the Father except through faith in Him.
He speaks a prophetic word as He nears the city. “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now, they are hidden from your eyes. Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.” This prophecy was fulfilled in 70 AD when Rome’s armies ravaged Jerusalem and utterly destroyed the Temple. But wait, if Jesus knew all this would happen, why does He weep? If His death was prophesied, why does He weep over those who refuse to believe in Him? Are they not simply fulfilling prophecy? He cries because even events foretold by God do not exonerate the free decisions of wicked men. He knows that men will despise and reject him, even as Isaiah had prophesied. However, he also knows that those who hate and reject Him are acting freely. They are not compelled to unbelief by divine power.
He weeps because they do not recognize their time of divine visitation. He cries because He knows that when people receive an unusual visitation from God and then turn away, sometimes they become so hardened in unbelief that they become blind to the truth. He weeps because He knows there will be people in hell who could have been in heaven if they had not closed their minds and hearts to Him. If only they had believed.
These final words and actions of Jesus in our text reveal an essential truth. First, His tears tell us that He loves those who reject Him. His one desire is that they would come to Him and be redeemed. Romans 2:4 reminds us that God’s kindness is intended to bring us to repentance. If you have not given your heart and life to Jesus, He weeps for you today. He wants to forgive you. He wants to provide you with eternal life. He wants to shower you with His kindness. He can do none of this if we will not repent of our sins and turn to Him in faith. His Father had declared through the prophet Ezekiel many years earlier, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Ezekiel 33:11). God takes no pleasure because many humans die without faith. And so, our Lord weeps. He knows that thousands of human beings are being visited by the Son of God, but they have become hardened against Him, and their opportunity for faith has passed. They will suffer the consequences.
I have a series of lectures on tape from a philosophy of religion professor from Richmond University. He cannot accept that a loving God could send anyone to hell. When you use only human reason seeking to understand hell, it is a difficult doctrine. However, I believe in Jesus. He said on more than one occasion that hell is a reality. He would have no reason to weep over Jerusalem if, despite their unbelief, they would still be among the redeemed. Instead, he cries because He knows better than we could ever know what awaits those who will not bow their knee before him and affirm their faith in Him.
As we look forward to Easter Sunday, I hope we all have genuinely welcomed Jesus with our undying faith, unwavering obedience, and sincere worship. I pray that He is not weeping for any of us today because we have turned away from Him.
LET’S TALK ABOUT LOVE, Part 5
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3: 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. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
As we continue our study of that great word, LOVE, we turn this morning to one of the best-known chapters in Scripture, 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter. Our focus this morning will be limited to the first three verses. We note first the larger context of this chapter. Paul discusses at length spiritual gifts in 1 Cor. 12, a theme he picks up again in chapter 14. He places great emphasis on unity within the church. His overall purpose in chapter 13 is to remind us that the heart and core of the Christian life is love.
In 1 Cor. 12, Paul lists nine gifts the Holy Spirit gives to His people. Some of these gifts are markedly miraculous. For example, he mentions gifts of healing, miracles, speaking in unknown languages, and the interpretation of those languages. Other gifts do not seem as overtly miraculous – – – gifts such as a word of wisdom or knowledge. In all cases, however, these gifts are granted by the Holy Spirit. We learned in Bible study that this is just one of five lists of spiritual gifts in the New Testament. We do not decide which gifts we prefer to exercise in the church. The Holy Spirit makes that decision sovereignly (See Hebrews 2:4). Our task is to make ourselves open and ready to be used by God as He sees fit.
We can assume that those in Corinth did not understand the centrality of love (agape) in the Christian life. Some focused on using supernatural power as the main thing. Miraculous gifts are wonderful, and I wish I saw more at work in the church. To see someone healed by a divine miracle is a great blessing. I have had some personal experience with what is usually called “speaking in tongues,” and I have seen how that gift can bring great edification into a life.
Historically, the church has taken two very different positions regarding miraculous gifts. My ESV Study Bible summarizes these positions quite well. “The “cessationist” view is that miraculous gifts such as prophecy, healing, tongues, interpretation, and miracles were given to authenticate the apostles and their writings in the early years of the church, but those gifts “ceased” once the entire NT was written and the apostles died (c. a.d. 100). Others hold that Paul expected these gifts to continue until Christ returns, which will be the time when “the perfect” (v. 10) ways of speaking and knowing in the age to come replace the “in part” (v. 9) gifts of this age. Support for the second position is found in v. 12, which indicates that “then” (the time when these gifts shall cease) is the time of Christ’s return (p.2211). I respect both positions but prefer the latter viewpoint. I am familiar with good, solid Bible-believing Christians on both sides of this issue.
That is an aside, however, from the main point. One of the problems in Corinth is an overemphasis on miraculous gifts. One problem with such gifts is that those through whom they work may feel superior to Christians who do not possess such gifts. Churches and entire denominations in Christendom today place great emphasis on miracles. On the other hand, those who lack such gifts may feel pride that they are not fanatics like those weird Pentecostal and charismatic folks. In both cases, the more important principle of love is violated.
Paul stresses that if you can speak in tongues, for example, even if it is the language of angels, but you do it without love, your “gift” turns into an irritation – – – a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. A gift meant to bless the church becomes a curse when love is absent. Even if you have faith that is supercharged by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit so that you can move mountains (literal or figurative), if love is absent, it is nothing. What an astonishing statement Paul makes! Wouldn’t we be impressed if someone in our midst could speak to one of our mountainous problems, and the power of God would powerfully manifest itself? I would be deeply moved and impressed, but Paul says if love is absent, God is not impressed.
We must not make miracles the sign of a true church or a real Christian. If miracles come from time to time, I thank God. One of the problems with miracles is their source. The magicians in the court of Pharaoh performed some incredible miracles, rivaling those performed by the hand of Moses. Do you remember what Jesus said on one occasion about miracles? “ For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect–if that were possible” (Matt, 24:24). Paul also gave us this warning: “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders” (2 Thess. 2:9) When we see miraculous signs as the heart of Christianity, we open ourselves to deception. Paul reminds us in very memorable terms that love is at the core of true Christianity. If you practice love as defined in Scripture, that marks you as an authentic Christian. If God also miraculously uses you, that is frosting on the cake.
Paul also warns us against loveless knowledge. If we believe we are supernaturally endowed with knowledge to the extent that we understand all the mysteries of the faith, yet love is lacking, it means nothing. Some churches turn away from obviously miraculous things and then overemphasize wisdom and knowledge. Some cerebral churches assume that wisdom and knowledge are the heart and core of Christianity. Are wisdom and knowledge essential? Of course, they are. Are they the heart of the Christian faith? No, that honor goes to the word “Love.”
Do we want an educated clergy who understand the Bible, the biblical languages, and theology? Do we want an educated laity? The answer must be a qualified yes. There is certainly no virtue in ignorance and superstition. Paul himself was a highly educated man. His point is that when wisdom and knowledge are divorced from love, they become useless. If you understand all mysteries but lack love, you come across as an arrogant egghead! Loveless intelligence amounts to nothing more than spiritual stupidity. Use your gray matter to the fullest, but ensure it is bathed in love.
The presence of miraculous spiritual gifts and supernatural wisdom and knowledge are not the core of our faith. Surely, the actual core is the good works we do. As we saw last week, James said faith without works is dead, so if I am doing good things, that makes me a good Christian, right? Not necessarily, says Paul. He mentions the giving away of finances to help others. Even if we give away every dime we have but do it with a loveless spirit, Paul says we gain nothing. Why does Scripture say that God loves a cheerful giver? Because a cheerful giver is also a loving giver. Those who give only out of obligation and give as little as they think they can get by are people who give without love.
We don’t do high-pressure fundraising in this church. What good is it if you have to pressure people into giving, laying guilt on them? I assume that those who love God and love people will joyfully open their wallets and purses to promote the advancement of God’s Kingdom on earth.
Paul even suggests that if you offer yourself in sacrifice for the cause of Christ, if it is done without love, it amounts to nothing. Many Christians over the years have been burned at the stake. They offered their bodies to be burned. Yet, even that act of sacrifice is nothing unless done with love.
As I mentioned last week, this congregation does many good works. We support this church financially, we support several missionaries, we support Christmas for kids, we pray, we read the Bible, we invite others to attend our church, we give to the poor, etc., and all of this is good. However, Paul says it is only good in God’s eyes when love is the motive moving us to act. Take love out of the equation, and our good deeds amount to nothing.
I recently listened to a Joyce Meyer sermon on CD, and she hit the nail on the head. She said that our God is a God of the heart. That is, when He looks at us, what He sees is our hearts – – – the motive that lies behind our actions. He is looking for one motive in particular – – – a heart of love. So if God miraculously uses me, it must be done in love. If God grants me supernatural wisdom and knowledge, it must be expressed in love. If I have great faith so as to move mountains, it must be done in love. If I do an abundance of good works, they must be done in love.
In three short verses, Paul, an inspired Apostle, has taken several items that we may regard as central to the Christian life. Then, he moves them off to the side so we can gaze clearly at the real center, a loving heart. Christians trust God through His beloved Son, Jesus, the Christ. Who is this God? John tells us, “God is love.” Who is Jesus? He is the express image of the Father. He is love incarnate. He is love wrapped up in human form. Where true faith is present, love is also present as a central motive. Remove love from the equation; you have nothing left but an empty profession of faith.
I recently read an article about why some men do not attend church. The main point is that our message is too girly. All this love talk may appeal to women rather than to real men. Men want a God who is a real he-man. A loving Jesus strikes some men as effeminate. Well, dudes, Jesus is a mighty he-man. He spoke the universe into existence. With a word, He raised Lazarus from death to life. He spoke to the winds and waves, and they obeyed Him. He is a powerful Son of God.
If you don’t like the love part, too bad for you. God’s almighty power is mostly definitely manifested in His love. Why did He send a Savior for us? Because God so loved the world. Divine love is not a weakness, nor are men showing weakness when they operate from a motive of love. I don’t think we would like it if almighty God was unloving. We have seen in history that power without love is destructive.
Christianity manifests itself in our acts – – – music, color, sound, ritual, good deeds, and the like. Such acts are the outward manifestations of our faith, but they are not the soul. Without love at our core, our acts mean nothing. Indeed, they are an offense unto God. Make love you aim, and you will walk with God. Without love, we walk alone.
Our expanding definition of Christian love can now be stated as follows: Christian love is the voluntary expression of goodwill toward all, friend and foe alike. It is motivated by our love for Christ and acts in harmony with His commandments. Love is always opposed to sin while maintaining goodwill toward persons living in rebellion against God. Love is always active and efficient, but good acts, even miraculous acts performed without love, do not please God. May the love of Christ abound in our church.
LET’S TALK ABOUT LOVE, PART 4
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: Acts 6:1-4; James 2:14-18
We continue our examination of that key Christian word, “love.” I have two texts for your consideration this morning. The James text tells us that love acts. The text in Acts tells us that love is efficient. Let’s examine these two thoughts more closely.
First, we learn from James that love (which is closely related to faith) takes action when confronted with a need. Love does more than talk. Love does not respond to a need by simply saying, “God bless you. I hope everything works out for you. I shall pray for you.” All of that is well and good, but sometimes people need more than words. For example, if you know that someone is desperately in need of food or clothing, and you have the means to help, mere words sound hollow.
We usually think of our jobs as something we do to meet the needs of our own families. Paul says this about work. He explains that we must not be thieves or idle “but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need” (Eph. 4:28).Do you ever think that the income you have is given to you so you may have something to share with those in need? Yes, of course, we provide for our family’s needs, but most of us have discretionary money, not so we can accumulate more and more luxuries, but so we can help others.
This congregation has reached out to others in need, and I commend you for it. Our mission support, Christmas for kids, Warm House, and help with other local needs are vital to our ministry. Does the love of Christ in your heart move you to share what you have to help others, or are you more interested in adorning your lifestyle? Each of us must decide. James reminds us that agape love is sensitive to the needs of others and is willing to reach out with a helping hand. Paul says in 2 Cor. 5:14 that the love of Christ compels us. When Christ’s love is truly in our hearts, we feel this strong, compelling desire to help those in need.
Even the secular world understands this principle. In the play and film “My Fair Lady,” Eliza says this to her would-be lover: Words! Words! I’m so sick of words! I get words all day through; First from him, now from you! Is that all you blighters can do? Don’t talk of stars Burning above; If you’re in love, Show me! There are times when we find Christian principles expressed in secular modalities. Eliza is correct. We are called to do more than speak of our love for those in need. We are to show our love through our deeds. Show me!
We read in Jeremiah 17:9 a sober truth about ourselves. “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” It is easy to convince ourselves that we act from love, but we deceive ourselves. It is easy to convince ourselves that we share generously and give to others as much as possible. Again, we must evaluate our hearts and decide if we are deceiving ourselves or if the love of Christ is truly moving us to reach out to others.
I want to turn now to our text in Acts. The Apostles of Jesus were undoubtedly men motivated and compelled by the love of Christ. However, they were confronted with a problem. Certain widows were being neglected. It was a real problem that had to be addressed. Perhaps they should see to it themselves. However, they recognize a simple truth. They could not do everything, and their priorities were to proclaim God’s Word and focus on prayer. Therefore, they call upon the church to select others to handle this needed task.
There is an important principle here. Love is efficient. The needs in this church and community are overwhelming, let alone the needs worldwide. The Apostles, in most respects, were no different from us. They lived with limitations of time, talent, and financial resources. In our text, if they had taken on this task of distribution, it would have taken time away from their highest priority. Their preaching and prayer ministries would have suffered. Therefore, the help of others in the church was enlisted.
We need help to do all the good that needs to be done. We are incapable of feeding every hungry person or sharing Christ with every unbeliever. The unbeliever may say, “The world’s problems are overwhelming. I will only take care of myself.” Christian love says, “I cannot solve all the problems of the world, but I can do something, and I will.”
Agape is efficient. It does not wear itself out trying to do everything but prayerfully looks for those areas of service where the most good can be done. More than one pastor has left the ministry, suffering from burnout, trying to do more than is humanly possible. In my younger days, I worked excessively. More often than not, I wasn’t seeking to please God but to please the congregation.
One of the things we need in our church is an organist. Suppose I decided that as a pastor, I needed to do everything, including playing the organ. You would soon tire of hearing me play “Swans on the Lake” from the Thompson First Grade Piano Book. That is the only song I can play. I dropped out of piano lessons early. Volunteering to play the organ would not be a good use of my time!
While I am by no means an Apostle, I understand my primary duty is to preach and teach the Word of God. If I allow other duties (all of which may be reasonable and necessary activities) to distract me from my main goal, I am a failure as a pastor.
Suppose a quarterback on a football team loved to kick extra points. The team had a regular kicker who was far better at the task, but the quarterback spent all his practice time kicking. He spent no time working on his passing skills. He would not be an outstanding quarterback or kicker and would severely hurt the team. Once you understand what God has called you to do, you must not allow anything to usurp your time. Love is efficient. We must identify how God wants to use us and then pour our best efforts into that task, not allowing other “good” things to hinder us from doing the best thing.
Jesus was once asked to resolve an inheritance issue (Luke 12:13,14). He refused to allow this matter to sidetrack Him. His goal was to seek and save the lost. If He allowed Himself to become a financial advisor, He would have neither time nor energy for His primary mission. Therefore, he refused to be a judge and settle a dispute between two greedy brothers.
When I say that love is efficient, I mean it chooses not only the correct goal but also the means that will lead to that goal. Our primary goal as Christians is to manifest divine love to God and others. Forgive me for again using my calling as an example. One way a pastor shows his love for God and the congregation is in his faithful preaching and teaching. What are some of the means that will lead to that end? Indeed, those who preach and teach the Word must spend much time studying the Scriptures. There are other factors involved, but the study of Scripture is central. It is the necessary means to the chosen end, the faithful proclamation of divine truth. A pastor who preaches without spending time in biblical studies does not show the congregation love. Bible study is a means to an end.
I recall a pastor in Illinois who would come to church Sunday morning one hour early and jot down 3 or 4 points on a piece of paper, which constituted his sermon preparation time. If I were so busy with other things that I used this method of sermon preparation, I would be disloyal both to the congregation and God.
What would you think of a mother who said, “I love my children,” but neglected the means of contributing to the child’s well-being? What if momma prepared unhealthy meals or left her children alone for hours so she could be with her friends? What if she would not seek proper medical care for her children? What if she took no interest in their education? She might say, “I love my children,” but she loves herself more. Mothers and fathers who love their children choose the means that will lead to the child’s well-being.
What is the highest expression of Christian love? Is it not the sharing of the Gospel that those in spiritual darkness might move into the light of God’s forgiving love? This is our primary goal as a church. We do many things as a congregation, but we are not much of a church if we neglect the main thing. What are the means we must choose to achieve this desired end? If we genuinely have agape love for the lost, will we not pray for their souls? Will we not give to foreign missionaries that the Gospel may spread to other lands? Will we not want to support our local church, where we can invite those who do not know the Savior to come?
Does the love of God dwell in you? I have pointed out that Christian love is efficient in three ways. First, find God’s unique way of using you. Second, choose the means to lead to that end. And third, I have also suggested that Christian love will focus intensely on the lost, doing what we can to draw others into the Kingdom.
Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady” had it right. She was not impressed with Freddy’s verbal expressions of love. “Show me,” she demanded. I believe God says the same thing to us. So don’t just tell me you love me and that you love your neighbor as yourself. Show me.
Our expanding definition of Christian love now takes this form: Christian love is the voluntary expression of goodwill towards others, friend and foe alike, motivated by our love for Christ and acting in harmony with His commandments. It is goodwill that refuses to compromise with sin or evil in any form. Instead, it seeks to work in the most efficient manner possible. The love of a single Christian cannot solve all the world’s problems, but it can do something, and it will. May this love abound in our church.
LET’S TALK ABOUT LOVE, # 3
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: Romans 6:11-18: 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
We continue our focus on the meaning of divine love. Let’s quickly review the territory covered thus far:
1. Divine love (agape) is primarily goodwill in action toward friends and foes alike.
2. Agape love is from God. We become capable of receiving and giving God’s love only through faith in Jesus Christ, who is love incarnate.
3. Agape love resides primarily in the will as informed by the commandments of God. Therefore, it is choosing to express goodwill despite thoughts and emotions pulling us in another direction.
4. Agape love refrains from behavior designed to hurt others.
5. Our entire duty toward God and man is summed up in the word “love.” Paul writes, “The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law” (Rom. 13:9,19).
Our concern today is with a single issue. Divine love (agape) is always opposed to sin. It does not tolerate sin. Sin is anything opposed to God’s will, and since God is love, we can define sin as any action contrary to the love of God. If we are genuinely in a relationship with the living God, we will vigorously oppose anything and everything contrary to Him and His love.
This is not to say we can practice love unerringly. Only God is pure love. It is to say that Christians do not make excuses for their loveless behavior. Instead, sin (lovelessness) leads to confession and repentance. Paul said, “Make love your aim” (1 Cor, 14:1). Love is the target we aim at. While we sometimes miss the mark, we always seek to manifest love, or we repent for our failures. Once you settle down and become comfortable with sin, you have abandoned love, and those who abandon love abandon God.
We are like a boxer who takes punches from our opponent, sin. Sometimes we stagger and fall to the canvas, but we are always kept from being knocked out. When the final bell rings and the fight of life is over, we are victorious because love is stronger than sin.
Love’s opposition to sin can be broken down into three categories. Love opposes sin in our own lives; love opposes sin in the lives of others; love opposes sin in society. When God’s love gets inside us, we are very uncomfortable with sin in any manner, shape, or form.
Our battle against sin is challenging. In Hebrews 12:3, it is described as a struggle. The same author described sin as a weight that weighs us down (Heb. 12:1). Sin comes easily and naturally to us. Yet, practicing divine love at times seems so tricky. The Christian life involves struggle, tears, and much repentance. I recall a conversation years ago with a man who made what I thought was a strange statement. He said, “I sin deliberately every day. It is not a big deal because I know God forgives me.” I hope he misspoke. No Christian sins deliberately every day. Yes, we fall into sin, but we do not casually declare that we disobey God knowingly and openly daily.
Yes, God is forgiving, but remember the words of Paul when he spoke about this matter of willful sin. “What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it?” (Romans 6:1).Some who heard Paul’s message that we are justified by faith alone apart from the works of the law concluded that since God wants to forgive, the more we sin, the more God’s grace can shine through. Like my friend of many years ago, they assumed their sins were unimportant since they could always ask for forgiveness.
Notice the radical way Paul describes the Christian’s relationship to sin. We are dead to sin. This is a typical Greek idiom. To die to a thing or a person is to have nothing to do with it or him. We see this in the parable of the Prodigal Son. When the son left home, the father thought of him as “dead.” He was not physically dead, but their relationship had ended. When Paul said we are dead to sin, he said we no longer have a relationship with it. The love of God has so taken hold of us that we abhor that which is contrary to God’s will. John says in 1 John 3:17 that a Christian who has the means to help a needy person but refuses to do so is void of divine love. If a sin of omission means that the love of God is absent from our lives, what shall we say about willful sins of commission, like gossip, adultery, lying, hatred, and the like?
The bottom line here is simple. If the love of God indeed dwells in us, we will fight against sin in our own lives. We will not be casual about disobedience to God. When we know we have fallen into disobedience, we will quickly repent. This is simply the nature of agape love. Remember, love has to do with how we act than how we feel. So, my little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3:18).
When divine love is present, we also oppose sin in our fellow believers’ lives. This can get tricky, and many stumble at this point. We hesitate to confront others about their bad behavior for fear of offending them. Frankly, I am glad I do not know of any overt sins in this church because I must admit it would be hard for me to confront any of you. I hope to have the courage to face it, but it is never easy. Consider this; if we wink at the bad behavior of others, what message does that send? We are saying to others and ourselves, “Sin is no big deal. Let’s agree to hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil.” But, if the love of God is in my heart, I must confront your sins for your sake, and you must engage mine for my sake. But, of course, we must do so with kindness and love.
Jesus’ directions in Matthew 18:15-17 would surely top the list of Scriptures most often ignored in the church. “If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. Then, if the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”
Jesus offers a step-by-step process for dealing with disobedient church members. The idea is to lead them to repentance, but they will be removed from the church if they do not repent. Unfortunately, I have never seen this process followed. I hope it is because the churches I have served have not had open and rebellious sinners in the membership.
You may recall a church in the news a few years ago that followed this procedure and removed a woman guilty of adultery from the church. When her sin was “told to the church” in harmony with the words of Jesus, she sued and won! However, churches that turn a blind eye to sinning members will be spiritually weakened. While we must obey the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 18 with great care and compassion, we ignore His words at our peril. There is more to say here, but I must move on.
The third and final place where love confronts sin is in society at large. While there is a sense that church and state are separate, that separation evaporates when the state takes up positions in conflict with biblical revelation. As Peter expressed it, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). In that case, the state sought to silence the Gospel’s proclamation. Peter and the others refused to obey such a request.
In our day, some politicians say it is okay to kill unborn children via abortion. Our love for human life, created in God’s image, compels us to speak out against this blatant violation of the will of God. I suspect God’s judgment will fall upon this nation unless there is widespread repentance. How any Christian can see abortion as being compatible with divine love is beyond me. I agree that rape, incest, and the mother’s life are mitigating circumstances, but most abortions performed in this country do not meet those criteria. I am thankful that this church supports our local crisis pregnancy center, a pro-life ministry.
There are sins in society that are not the state’s fault but the church itself. When the denomination in which I grew up, The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), began to reject the truth that Jesus Christ is the only Savior of the world, some of us felt that love required us to speak out. Jesus Christ as the world’s only Savior is the cornerstone doctrine of our faith, and to deny His unique role as Savior is to overthrow the entire Christian religion. It is the worst of sins to deny that Jesus is the only Savior, a sin that must be confronted. I am thankful that this church joined this movement to keep Jesus Christ at the center of our faith.
I must bring this message to a close. I have skimmed over some critical issues relatively quickly. I am always willing to discuss these issues further if you have questions. Our Wednesday Bible study is also an excellent time to discuss things in greater detail.
I cannot leave this topic without raising one more critical issue. While love must always oppose sin, we must never allow anger against the sinner to control us. We oppose sin with kindness. We fight corruption in others because of our love for them. We must never allow hate to take control. I admit that confronting evil in self, others, or broader society can be challenging, but Christian love (agape) has no choice. We must either confront sin or deny love. When we deny divine love, we reject God, for God is love.
Our expanding definition of Christian love can now be stated as follows: Christian love is the voluntary expression of goodwill toward all, friend and foe alike. It is motivated by our love for Christ and acts in harmony with His commandments. Love is always opposed to sin while maintaining goodwill toward persons living in rebellion against God. May such love abound in our church.
LET’S TALK ABOUT LOVE, Part 2
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: 1 John 4:7-12
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
We began our study of Christian love (agape) last week. I mentioned three Greek words, which we translated with the one English word, “love.” Eros is the Greek word used to describe romantic love. Philos is the Greek word used to describe love between friends and love within the family. Agape is the word used in the New Testament to define the love of God. We saw that divine love is goodwill that we express toward others, motivated by our love for Jesus Christ and informed by His commandments. We focused on the truth that since God is love, we must practice love in all our relationships. John says the one who does not love (agape) does not know God.
Today we begin with a common-sense distinction between three aspects present in our human nature. First, we are rational beings who think and reason. We also have the power to make choices, usually described as the “will.” Thus, we humans think, we feel, and we make choices. Some choices are determined by how we feel, while others are determined by what we believe or a combination of the two.
Christian love centers on the will under the influence of reason. It has little to do with how we feel, at least initially. The mind has embraced the truth of Jesus, and His commandments govern our choices. Since we recently completed a national election, we can use that as an example. Some people vote a certain way based on emotions planted in childhood. Others vote based on some attempt to understand the positions of the candidates. Their vote is based more on reason than emotion. May their tribe increase!
Agape centers in the will. It is choosing to act according to the teachings of Jesus even if our emotions and reason are trying hard to pull us in another direction. This aspect of love is seen most clearly in Jesus’ command to love your enemies. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you….” (Matt. 5:44). “
Some read these words of Jesus and dismiss them as impossible. How can anyone love an enemy or desire blessings on those who curse you? How can anyone do good to those who hate you and even persecute you? Jesus is not asking us to feel warm and fuzzy toward an enemy. That would be impossible. You naturally feel wary and distrustful of a real enemy. Your reason may tell you that you have a right to get even. We even have a saying, “I don’t get mad; I get even.” The idea that we have the right to wish bad things to happen to those who have hurt us is typical. Revenge is built into our fallen DNA.
What is Jesus commanding in this verse? He is asking us to want good things to happen to our enemies. He asks us to act towards them with goodness and pray for them. And why should we do those things? Because our highest commitment is to Jesus Christ, and He has commanded us so to act. He is not asking us to “feel” anything but to act positively toward those who have hurt us. Feelings are involuntary. Even God cannot command us to feel things we do not feel. You feel sad for the family if you hear of a child’s tragic death. You can’t help it unless you are so hard-hearted that the suffering of others doesn’t move you.
Jesus is simply telling us to act with goodwill toward our enemies. He tells us to act toward them in ways that will promote their happiness and pray for them. Do we trust them? No, of course not. Do we want to be with them socially? Probably not. Your mind and your emotions may be screaming, REVENGE! However, you refrain from vengeance because of your love for Jesus and His commands. Divine love has little to do with how we feel and everything to do with how we choose to act. If vengeance is needed, we follow Paul’s advice and leave that to God: “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Rom. 12:19).
Let me be as plain as I can be. If you claim to be a Christian, every time you act in a way designed to hurt another person, you are working against Christian love. You are rebelling against God and His Word. The heart not ruled by agape/love does not belong to God. Jesus said that no one could serve two masters. Only one master will finally dominate; if that is not Jesus, we are in trouble. If our master is self, pride, ego, pleasure, power, or vengeance, agape has fallen by the wayside.
Jesus illustrated this principle in Matthew 21:28ff with a brief parable about two sons. Both were told by their father to work in the vineyard. One didn’t feel like it and refused. Later he apologized and did what his father asked. The second son said he would go and work in the vineyard, but he did not follow through. He said the right thing but did not act in the right way. The one who obeyed the father was the one who did not feel like working in the vineyard, but he did it anyway to please his father.
You will not feel like being kind to your enemies. If, however, you are a mature Christian, you will not be driven by emotion but by the word and will of God. The premier example of agape is Jesus Himself. His feelings rebelled against the idea of going to the cross. He prayed for the Father to remove this cup of suffering. Yet He submitted to the Cross, not because He felt like it but because He knew it was the will of His Father. He also prayed for forgiveness for those who nailed Him to the Cross.
What motivates your behavior? Is it how you feel? Does emotion drive you? Do your ideas about life motivate you? Are you the master of your ship, the captain of your soul? When your feelings and your clever reason are overpowered, and you seek to promote goodwill in every situation, then the agape love of God has triumphed in your life. The test of whether or not divine love is motivating us is seen most clearly in how we relate to enemies.
Some don’t attend church because they don’t feel like it. A young man once told me he dropped out of church because the previous minister had sinned. I know of several persons over the years who dropped out of church because someone hurt their feelings. Should not our participation in Christ’s Church be motivated by our love for Him and God’s people? Those who go through life driven by emotions and their ideas about life are like a rudderless ship. We need to be able to say with Paul; the love of Christ compels me (2 Cor. 5:14). Those motivated by agape love will find themselves in the center of God’s will. Those driven by their feelings and unsanctified reason are flying blindly through life.
How important is it that we practice agape love in all our relationships? It isn’t easy to overstate the importance. Sometimes people are asked, “Are you a born-again Christian?” The question makes no sense because it implies there are Christians who are not born again. Every genuine Christian has been born again, but what exactly does that mean? Some would stress that those born again have had some ecstatic experiences. They have felt the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Many have such experiences, but that is not the mark of the new birth. Maybe just those who are trained in biblical theology are the favored ones. Yes, intelligence does play a role in defining and understanding Christian truth, but it is not the most significant mark of the new birth.
John defines the new birth in the first words of our text. “Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” Those who have been born again through the Gospel of Jesus Christ are those who are ruled by divine love – – – agape. To be sure, no Christian manifests love without fail. True Christians are, however, persons who consistently display goodwill toward others, even enemies. Those who love are born of God, and, says John, they know God. The more the love of God fills our hearts, the closer we are to the Father.
Our expanded definition of agape/love now reads: “Christian love is behavior directed toward others motivated by our love for Jesus and in harmony with His commands. It extends to our enemies as well as to friends. It does not seek retaliation but leaves that to God. It is the most critical evidence of the new birth.
As I said last week, I don’t think we can afford to be unloving people. We neglect this truth to our peril. If we are not practicing agape/Christian love, John says our claim that we are Christians is a lie. Yes, it is still and forever true that we are saved by faith, not by the quality of our love. It is also a divinely revealed reality that true faith brings the Holy Spirit into our hearts, and wherever the Holy Spirit is present, love is present. Paul wrote in Romans 5:5: God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Faith is the root, and love is the fruit of redemption. If the fruit is absent, the root is also missing. We will continue our exploration of this important topic next week.
LET’S TALK ABOUT LOVE, PART 1
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text:1 John 4:8-12
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No-one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
There is almost universal agreement on the importance of love. Everyone agrees, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love.” If love would only prevail in the world, an earthly paradise would result. Since there is a universal agreement concerning the importance of love, one wonders why we don’t see more of it. We sing about it; we write books about it; we all want to see more of it, so what is the problem?
One possible explanation is that some do not understand love’s source. There are many ideas about the nature of love. As Christians, we want to know how God defines love. What does the Bible say about love? So today, we begin a quest that will take several weeks to complete. We aim to look closely and carefully at love as God defines it.
Part of our problem is seen in the fact that the English language has but one word used for different kinds of love. We love God; we love our family; we love our friends; we love our dog; we love ice cream, etc. The word “love” has different meanings in these expressions. I hope we mean something deeper when we say, “I love Jesus,” than when we say, “I love ice cream.” I am sure you have heard before that the Greek language of the New Testament uses several different words for “love.”
When the Greeks spoke of love in the sense of feelings for friends, they usually used the word “phileo.” Our words “Philadelphia” and philanthropist” are based on this Greek word. When the Greeks spoke of the strong, intense attraction between a man and a woman, they used the word “eros.” Our word “erotic” derives from the Greek term. When the New Testament writers spoke of the love of God, they used the word “agape.” As Christians, this is the love we are to manifest toward others. In all there are eight words in the Greek language translated as “love.” We need not concern ourselves with each one.
Our focus in this series will be on that highest form of love, agape. It is the love characteristic of God and is characteristic of Christian people. We are all familiar with the statement in 1 John 4:16, “God is love.” The term used is “agape.” We learn in this brief statement that love is central to the divine nature. God has other attributes besides love, but love is His chief attribute. God is a being whose love embraces the entire human race. That is expressed in the oft-quoted words in John 3:16, “God so loved the world . . .” But what does “agape/love” mean? For now, I will suggest that this divine love can be understood as “goodwill.” We can count on the fact that God’s goodwill covers us no matter who we are or what we have done. When Jesus was born, we read that He came to bring peace on earth and goodwill toward men (Luke 2:14).
Some jump too quickly to the conclusion; therefore, hell cannot be real. The
re can be no such thing as the wrath of God. Such thoughts are seen as conflicting with God’s universal goodwill. If we allow the Scriptures to guide our thinking, we learn that divine wrath is also an attribute of God. But how can God’s love and goodwill be compatible with divine wrath? Let’s look at a human example. A human judge may be a man of goodwill, yet he will sentence a criminal to death because the law requires it. He has no personal animosity toward the criminal. He would prefer to act with kindness, yet he will pronounce the death sentence.
Isaiah spoke of God’s wrath as his “strange work.” He wrote these words about God’s wrath pouring out upon His people, Israel. “The LORD will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim, he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon—to do his work, his strange work, and perform his task, his alien task” (Isa 28:21). The idea seems to be that judgment does not bring pleasure to God. It is necessary, yet it is “strange” to Him. God delights in showing mercy, grace, and kindness, while His anger and wrath are described as His “strange work.”
Just as human society is organized around laws, so is God’s kingdom. The sum of the matter is this: Those who trust in God and submit to His will receive nothing but love and goodwill from Him. Those who rebel against God will experience His strange work. God takes no pleasure in expressing His wrath, but He must and will punish wickedness. Ezekiel 33:11 says, “As I live, says the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?” God takes pleasure in us when we turn from our wicked ways and seek to walk in the paths of righteousness.
Nevertheless, those who defy the will of God will experience His wrath. Agape love and divine wrath are not incompatible. We must never assume that we all have a free pass into heaven because God is love.
We need to notice that John says, “God is love.” He does not say, “Love is God.” If we say, “love is God,” then we are tempted to define love as we wish and declare it good. The young man who whispers into his beloved’s ear, “If you love me, you will submit to my desires,” may be expressing erotic love, but he is not communicating the love of God. We dare not assume that, as long as we feel “love,” then whatever we do is godly. Love, as we define it, is not God; instead, God is love. He explains when and how His love acts.
Humans sometimes try to drag God into our illicit “love” affairs, proving that we do not understand God’s love. We think abandoning our spouse and entering into a “love affair” with our neighbor is okay. “If you knew my wife (husband), you would understand.” Erotic love is not Christian love. The Bible is clear: erotic love gains the approval of God only within the bounds of marriage between a man and woman. Having an affair with a lady who seems prettier and sexier than your wife may feel like “love,” but God calls it “sin.”
Our next step in understanding the nature of divine love is to recall that Jesus Christ is God in human form, the incarnate deity. Jesus is love incarnate. If you want to know what agape is, watch Jesus. Everything you ever wanted to know about love and were afraid to ask is revealed in the words and deeds of Jesus. First, we are called upon to love and trust Him. Second, He then declared, “If you love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15). They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them (John 14:21). If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” (John 15:10).
We express divine love when we trust Jesus, love Jesus, and obey Jesus. We thus arrive at the following definition of Christian love. “Christian love (agape) is goodwill directed toward others motivated by our love for Jesus, and in harmony with His commands.” Agape love can only be known and experienced in relationship to Jesus Christ. You will not find this love in the secular world where Christ is unknown. You can find erotic love (eros) or friendship love (phileo), but agape is found only in those who love and trust Jesus.
The other forms of love are transformed when agape is present. For example, unbelieving parents have a natural affection for their children. This love will move the parent to feed, clothe and protect the child. Unbelieving parents do want the best for their children. When agape is added, the parents now have a deep concern for the eternal well-being of the child. Christian parents, who abide in God’s love, have a new priority: their children’s salvation. No Christian parent is content as long as they have a child living outside the grace of Jesus. Christian parents still have the same concerns about food, clothing, protection, education, etc., for their children, but the eternal well-being of the child now moves to the top of the list.
God’s love is expressed in obedience to the commands of Jesus. Therefore, it behooves us to be earnest students of Scripture. The Bible is our handbook on how to practice love. Some may be thinking, “But doesn’t love just come naturally? You can’t command love.” It is true that, to some extent, the human forms of love seem natural. Most of us did not need much instruction on expressing erotic love, and the love of family and friends seems natural, at least to some degree. However, it is different from agape. Christian love is difficult and challenging. Not only does it not come naturally, but it is also contrary to our fallen human nature. Those who think they can practice divine love without a thorough knowledge of Scripture and the ministry of the Holy Spirit are sadly mistaken. The Bible tells us what to do, and the Holy Spirit gives us the strength to do it.
I hope all of us are committed to learning and practicing Christian love. It requires our sincere faith in the Son of God and a willingness to learn and practice His commands. If you are not presently motivated in this direction, I close with a few reminders from God’s Word. When John wrote, “God is love,” he added this line: “Whoever lives in love (agape) lives in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16). He also said, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:8). He also wrote these sobering words: “Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen” (1 John 4:20).
We cannot afford to be unloving persons with such words before us. If we are not practicing agape/Christian love, John says our claim to be Christians is a lie. We will continue looking at this fundamental matter next week.
I AM THE TRUE VINE
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: John 15:1-10: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
Jesus knows the cross is near. He is about to experience the full wrath of God. Many of the Jews He came to save will turn against Him. The Jewish leadership will plot to crucify Him. One of His disciples will betray Him. The other 11 disciples will desert Him in fear when He is arrested. He had come to save them all, but the world turned against Him. In anticipation of this dreadful future, Jesus again speaks of His identity. Once again, the divine words “I AM” come from His lips. “I am the true vine.”
As elsewhere in this Gospel, “true” means “genuine.” Jesus is the final, real “vine,” as compared to Israel, which was a type of foreshadowing the reality. Israel is called God’s “vine” or “vineyard” in the Old Testament. In Jer. 2:21, we read, “I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine?” God judges Israel for not bearing fruit. Jesus refers to Himself as God’s true vine. He is genuine, authentic, without hypocrisy, and a trustworthy picture of God Himself.
Jesus identifies His followers as branches. “I am the vine, you are the branches” (vs. 5). This is a powerful metaphor. Branches receive their life from the vine. We receive our life through our attachment to Jesus. When we exercise faith in Jesus, we are united with Him. We abide in Him, and He is in us. His life, His love, and His grace pour into us. We enter a new life because we are attached to Jesus. The old life fades away, and we are born again into a new life. What a glorious thing it is to be joined to Jesus. Then we are told to abide in Him. That means staying connected to Jesus. We do not confess our faith in Him and continue living our old way of life. How do we abide or remain in Christ? Several things come into play.
The first thing we do when we come to Christ is repent. We confess we have sinned against God. We remain in Christ by keeping a close watch over our behavior. When sin sneaks in, we are quick to confess. Those attached to Christ do not allow sin to dominate their lives (1 John 1:6-10).
We abide in Christ when we live in fellowship with Him. He is never far removed from our thoughts. Prayers often flow from our hearts. We believe He is with us always, and we live in harmony with that truth. We seek daily to live by His commands. Those who abide in Christ rely on the Holy Spirit to keep them on the right path.
We abide in Christ when we live in love and harmony with other believers. We desire to be with other believers, so we are active in Christ’s church. When we lose close fellowship with other Christians, we begin to slip away from Jesus. Scripture tells us that God is love, and those who abide in Christ will reflect that love. We love God and our brothers and sisters in the faith. When love temporarily escapes, those who abide in Christ quickly repent. The two great commandments, love for God and love for others, dominate the lives of those who abide in Christ.
We abide in Christ when we have a deep love for the lost and do whatever we can to draw them to the Savior. We pray, give, witness, and use whatever gifts God has given us to draw others to Jesus. It is horrible to be lost. We understand the awful reality of hell. Over the years, I have met people I dislike. However, I have never met someone I hoped would end up in hell. Even the people we dislike need to hear the Gospel and come to faith. Then we will like them!
We come now to the most troublesome part of this text. Who are the unfruitful branches? What is their destiny? Are these Christians who give up on the faith and are lost, or are they hypocrites who were never true Christians? If you believe in “once saved, always saved,” the unfruitful branches refer to hypocrites in the church pretending to be branches but are not and never have been true Christians. They are cast forth and gathered up and thrown into the fire.
The other option is that the unfruitful branches refer to genuine Christians who are unfruitful. This is amplified by 1 Corinthians 3:15: “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” He may get to heaven smelling as if he had been bought at a fire sale, but he will not lose his salvation as long as faith in Jesus is alive.
In any event, being cast forth and thrown into the fire cannot be pleasant! Whether it refers to the fire of hell or the fire of discipline, I leave it for you to decide. The main point is for us to abide in Christ and bear fruit.
What is the fruit that results from our abiding in Christ? We can add to what I said earlier in two words: evangelism and character. Fruit-bearing Christians are concerned for the lost and do what they can to draw them to Jesus. Apple trees produce apples. Christians produce Christians. You cannot abide in Jesus without drawing others to Christ. In terms of character, we refer to the fruit of the Spirit. Paul writes, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). You cannot abide in Jesus and not reflect these characteristics. Jesus says it in these words from our text, verse 8: By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
There is more to be said about bearing fruit (I preached on that theme before), but I must hasten on to the last point. Jesus says in verse 7: If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. So, I can pray for whatever I want, and God will grant it, right? Let’s not overlook the condition. Don’t overlook the word “if.” If you abide in me and if you abide in His words, then you can pray and expect to receive whatever you desire. However, if you abide in Christ and live by His word, your desires will be in harmony with His desires. When your desires harmonize with Christ’s desires, your desires will be realized. If we pray and our desires do not coincide with His desires, no answer will be forthcoming.
I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: John 14:1-6, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
We continue examining the Gospel of John’s seven “I am” statements. Jesus has just promised His disciples a home in heaven. He tells them they know the way. They have been with Him for three years and have listened to Him explain that He is the Messiah and is preparing a place for them in heaven.
Thomas is confused. Jesus assumes his disciples know He is returning to heaven, and that He is the way leading to eternal life. Thomas says to Jesus, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus gives the disciples a summary of the Gospel in a few words. I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. This morning, we inspect Jesus’ words closely.
I am the way. The Greek word “way” is also translated as “road.” Jesus is the way or the road that leads to eternal life. Not only is Jesus the way, but He is also the only way. The Father cannot be accessed except through Jesus. If you wish to relate to God, that can only be done through Jesus. Using our resources, we cannot access God. No matter how smart we are or how hard we try, we are forever separated from God. If you plan to live in the Father’s house, you must do business with Jesus. What about Moslems and Hindus, and Buddhists? The verse applies to them as well. If you want God, you must go through Jesus. There is no other way.
You recall that the Jews worshipped in the Temple under the Old Covenant. The average person was shut off from entering the most holy place. A heavy veil served as a warning not to enter. Only the high priest could enter where the ark of the covenant rested and where God’s presence was overwhelming. They tied a rope to the foot of the high priest in case the presence of God was so powerful that he had a heart attack and died. No one was allowed into the most holy place except the high priest, so they could pull him out by the rope his if he died.
Notice what happened in the Temple when Jesus died. Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart – – – (Matthew 27:50—51). The curtain which separated the multitudes from God was torn from top to bottom, an act of God. This suggests that through Jesus, we all have access to God. No curtain or wall is separating us from access to God. Jesus is the only way that leads us straight into God’s presence. Many people believe they can access God independently; no help is needed. Don’t be misled. Jesus is the way, the only way. No one comes into God’s presence except through Him.
Jesus is the way through the unknown when faced with an uncertain tomorrow. Jesus is the way out of our slavery to sin and misery. Jesus is the way through all our difficulties. Jesus is the way into life abundant. Jesus is the way to God. Jesus is the way to eternal life. Jesus declared that He was the only way. Do you believe Him? Is your faith in Him secure? Are you looking for a way to God that bypasses Jesus? You will search in vain.
I am the truth. A non-Christian can know many facts. The truths of science, math, history and the like are open to all. However, spiritual truth is hidden from men’s eyes. How can I know God? How can I find forgiveness? How can I receive eternal life? These truths are unknown to the most learned of men. The most important truth of all is our relationship with God. The only one who can solve that problem is Jesus. If you don’t know God’s truth, you are in ignorance and darkness.
Do you know Christ, who is the truth? If you don’t know Jesus, whatever else you know, you know nothing of importance. What good will it do you in hell that you knew all the sciences in the world, all the events of history, and all the busy politics of your little day? Jesus alone is the truth that leads us to God. He clarifies – – –no one comes to the Father except by Him. Jesus speaks a universal truth: no one, no one, no one can find God without Him. Then He gives the glorious exception to the universal truth—no one – – – except through me.
How important is it that we trust in Jesus? Our eternal life depends on it. Jesus once asked if it would be any profit to man to gain the whole world and lose his soul (See Mark 8:36). Will anyone in hell celebrate and declare, “I was a king. I was an emperor. I was a millionaire. I had it all! I did it my way.” I don’t think there will be any celebrating in that place where nothing but weeping and wailing is heard. Is there something in this world that you treasure more than Jesus? Please give it up! Only when you grasp the truth of Jesus will you find real peace, happiness, and eternal life.
I trust the Bible because Jesus said, “I am the truth.” Yes, fallible human authors wrote the New Testament, but Jesus oversaw the process so that what we have in the Bible is the infallible Word of God. He who is the truth would not allow any errors to slip into His story. If you want to know the truth about God, read the book!
Finally, Jesus declares, “I am the life.” We get a picture of what this means from the Old Testament. In Ezekiel 37:1-14, we read the familiar vision of the valley of dry bones. The prophet speaks, and the bones come to life. Flesh covers the bones, and they live. In New Testament terms, we are dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1).
It is a picture of the house of Israel and also a picture of us. Before we receive the life of Christ via the new birth, we are like dead bones. It seems we are in a hopeless situation. Then we hear the Word of the Lord. We hear such things as “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves. but in God who raises the dead (2 Corinthians 1:9). And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). I could quote many more verses reminding us that apart from Christ, we are spiritually dead.
Then we heard the Gospel. We heard that those who trust in Jesus are raised from death to life. Through Christ, our old dry bones come to life. What we need is a new birth. In John chapter three, Jesus details the necessity of the new birth. He tells Nicodemus he must be born again. First, you must be joined to Christ, for He alone is the life. Without Him, you will be dragged down to eternal death.
I have heard stories of persons who lost a finger or a hand or an arm, but through modern medicine, that severed body part that is dead can be reattached and come to life again. Because of sin, we are cut off from God. We have no life in us. By faith in Jesus, we are born again. We are attached to Jesus, and His life flows into us. Before faith was born in us, we were like a severed arm, dead in our sins. By faith, we are joined to Christ and reattached to God. Those who are united to Christ find His life flowing into them. We are spiritually resurrected! Can you say with Paul, I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20).
One final Scripture. The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who refuses to believe in the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him (John 3:36). If you want life, real life, it is found only in Jesus. Faith in Him leads to eternal life. Those who refuse to believe in the Son will not see life.
I have heard people say, “I have my religion. I commune with God on my own. I don’t need any help. I don’t need a church. I don’t need a Savior.” I don’t know whom such people are communing with, but it is not the true and living God. Remove Jesus from your religion, and you have removed God.
I recall hearing at a church convention years ago, “God is known in Jesus. God is known in Islam. God is known in Hinduism. God is known in Buddhism.” If you believe that, you might as well throw your Bible away. It declares that God is known only through Jesus. “No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Jesus makes an astonishing claim in our text. He is the way leading to the Father’s house. He is the truth of God incarnate. All who trust in him will have spiritual life. Do you want to know the way that leads to eternal life? Trust Jesus. Do you want to know the truth that will lead you to a relationship with God? Trust Jesus. Do you want the life of God in your soul? Trust Jesus. Do you want to find God and bypass Jesus? Mission impossible.
FACING THE NEW YEAR, 2023
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: John 12:42; Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. (and Luke 6:26).
Once again, we are at the threshold of a new year. We have no idea what lies in our future, but there are enough dark clouds on the horizon to cause us some concern. One of the issues we need to face has to do with our goals for the New Year. One of our goals should be to grow in faithfulness to our Savior and Lord. A key question for each of us as we face the future is this: are we more concerned with what men think of us or what God thinks of us?
While our Lord usually spoke very plainly, there were statements He made that sound strange to us when we first hear them. They are the kind of statements that cause us to scratch our heads, furrow our brows, and exclaim, “I wonder what He meant by that.” For instance, He said, “Woe unto you when all men speak well of you” (Luke 6:26). This is an odd statement at first glance. It goes directly against what we might expect. Why is it woeful when others speak well of us? We rather like it when others approve of us, and indeed we often go out of our way to do those things which will cause others to speak well of us. Should I be concerned if every member of this church speaks well of me? Should you be worried if everyone in Warsaw who knows you speaks well of you? Are we not more likely to be concerned if others do not speak well of us? Did it ever occur to you to be worried when no matter where you go, people say, “There is a highly respected person; everyone likes him.” Would that upset you? What on earth is going on here? Why would Jesus say, “woe unto you when all men speak well of you?”
The answer is grasped when we understand the relationship between popularity and another vital word, faithfulness. We, as Christians, enjoy it when we attain some popularity when others do indeed speak well of us. But we also want to be faithful to God as we know and understand Him in Jesus Christ. The problem is that popularity and faithfulness often come into conflict. There is nothing essentially wrong with wanting to be popular. It is a very usual and healthy desire. We would think it strange if someone said he wanted to be unpopular. We all need to be liked, and it feels good to have the approval of others. I must confess that when people tell me they enjoyed my sermon, it makes me feel good. I like that approval, partly because this job carries many insecurities, and I often think I am accomplishing very little for the kingdom of God. So, when you contradict my often-hidden fears and speak well of me, I feel better about myself.
Teenagers know what I am talking about. They know how important it is to be popular – – – to be well-liked by other teens. They understand that the worst thing that can happen is the feeling that others reject you or make fun of you behind your back because you don’t wear designer clothes, or are too fat, etc.… We can certainly understand the drive within us to be popular.
If you are a genuine Christian, you also desire to serve the Lord Jesus with total faithfulness. We want to give our best to the Master. I doubt that any of you would like to be known as a “lukewarm Christian.” We know the Bible speaks of such persons, of Christians who are more worldly than spiritual, but we hope such designations are meant for others and not ourselves. We know that Jesus spoke of a group of believers in Him who were ashamed to be openly faithful for fear of offending the Pharisees and being put out of the synagogue. They believed in Jesus but kept their faith secret because popularity with men was more important to them than faithfulness to God (see John 12:42-43). Such compromising is despicable to us; surely, we would never be guilty of such duplicity. We want to be faithful at any cost, don’t we? We want to hear Jesus say on judgment day, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” We certainly do not want Him to say, “Your entire life was a disaster, and you did very little that can qualify as faithful service, but you did trust in me, so enter my Kingdom.” We don’t want to enter heaven by the skin of our teeth. No, we want to be declared faithful by our Lord.
Thus, we have these two legitimate desires; the desire to be popular and the desire to be faithful. The problem is that it is often impossible to satisfy both desires. They clash with each other all too frequently, forcing us to choose one or the other. Many teens struggle with this issue. “Shall I take drugs with the other kids to maintain popularity, or shall I be faithful to Jesus and risk losing my popularity?” Adults face the same conflict. “Shall I apply Christian ethics in my secular job when everyone else is living by different rules, or shall I go along with the crowd, relaxing my standards and improving my popularity?” Pastors are not immune from this problem. What will I do as a pastor when I know that certain truths must be preached, but I also know that certain important members of the church who are also big givers will be upset and offended if those truths are proclaimed? Shall I preach only those things that I know the congregation likes to hear and improve my popularity at the expense of my faithfulness? One TV preacher refuses to talk about sin and judgment because these are not popular topics. He is very popular.
The false prophets of the Old Testament were often very popular with the people because they preached what the people wanted to hear. The true prophets said, “woe unto you” because of the people’s sins, while the false prophets said, “You are doing fine. God is pleased with you.” The true prophets would declare that the judgment of an angry God was coming upon the people, while the false prophets said, “God will bless you wonderful people with peace and prosperity.” The true prophets thundered against the people and said that God hates your worship services, your solemn feasts, and assemblies because you only worship God with your lips, but your heart’s not in it (see Isaiah 1:13,14), while the false prophets declared that God was well pleased with their worship, and everything was just fine. We are probably not surprised to learn that the people preferred the false prophets to the authentic, God-inspired prophets. Is it any different in the church? It takes a mature believer to respond appropriately to divine judgment, and Israel seemed short on maturity. They preferred good lies to the hard truth. Thus, Jeremiah, a true prophet, lamented, “The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end” (Jer. 5:31)?
What messages do you want to hear from God in our church in the New Year? Do you want to hear that some of you are robbing God with your tithes and offerings? Malachi preached that to Israel, and many did not want to listen to it (Malachi 3:8-11). Many pastors get into hot water with their congregation because they preach tithing. Some of you may need to hear that message, but do you want to listen to it? If I come down on you too hard in that area, perhaps some of you will be offended, and I may lose some of my popularity. Should I choose favor or faithfulness?
Shall I preach that some of us are far too wrapped up in our secular society and that we give too little time, effort, and energy to the work of Christ’s Church? It is painfully true for some church members, but is that what they want to hear? If I harp too much on that theme, some may go to another church where they are forever positive and where the people are told how wonderful and dedicated they are. What will it be for us in the New Year, popularity or faithfulness?
Shall I talk about how some Christians accept positions of leadership and responsibility in the church but then choose to be very slack and indifferent about fulfilling those responsibilities? Can I preach on such a topic even if it is true? Will I not step on sensitive toes and risk losing popularity?
We are ambassadors for Christ, and that means we represent Him in our daily lives. I recall observing the Iraqi ambassador on TV a few years ago. I noticed he never gave a personal opinion on matters. He spoke for the government of Iraq, period. He had no personal opinions; if he did, he kept them to himself. You are also an ambassador according to the word of God, not for some power-hungry tinhorn dictator, but for the Lord of heaven. You are obligated to speak for Him, promote His government, and surrender your opinions to His holy and righteous will. Is that your goal for the New Year? If you work hard at pleasing Christ, many will not approve of you. You may lose some popularity.
Some Christians are better ambassadors for our humanistic society than they are for Jesus. Some Church members would never think of dropping their secular interests because they needed the time to serve the Lord. Shall I tell you, “Oh, that’s okay. God doesn’t mind playing second fiddle to your secular interests. Just come to church now and then, and give Him a few bucks, and all will be well with your soul.” Shall I lie to you to gain popularity, or shall I faithfully seek to proclaim God’s message and risk losing your support? Every pastor faces this dilemma.
Do you see the problem I face and that you face? The problem is that if we are determined to live faithfully before God, taking our role as ambassadors for Christ with the utmost seriousness, proclaiming God’s love for sinners and the wrath of God against the disobedient, we will have to sacrifice much in the way of popularity. And so Jesus spoke, woe unto you when all men speak well of you. The humanistic society that surrounds us, in which we live, move, and have our being, does not approve of Christ and His ways. Some individuals and businesses will not even say “Merry Christmas.” If you are determined to live for Jesus, you will be subjected to rejection and ridicule by many. You can kiss your popularity goodbye, at least with some people, if you work hard to be a faithful Christian. What about me? What about you? Are we willing to risk losing the approval of others to be faithful to Jesus? Or would you rather cling to popularity and let go of faithfulness?
I wish I could tell you that you can have your cake and eat it too. I wish I could say that faithfulness to Jesus increases your popularity. I wish I could tell you that you can have it all, serve Jesus faithfully, be loved and admired by everyone, and have all kinds of wealth and prosperity thrown in as a bonus. It’s tempting to be a false prophet, to tell people what they want to hear. What is your choice in 2023? What kind of “prophet” will you be? Do you choose faithfulness or popularity when those two words conflict and you can’t have it both ways? If popularity is your choice, I ask you the question asked by Jeremiah. “What will you do in the end?” How will you explain that choice when you stand before the throne of divine judgment, your beloved secular world is gone, your unbelieving friends are gone, and it’s just you — and God. “What will you do in the end?”
CHRISTMAS BASICS
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Galatians 4:4-7
But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, bornof a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 Therefore, you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
We can get so caught up in the secular side of Christmas that the real meaning, while not forgotten, is pushed into second place. While we don’t know the exact date of Jesus’ birth, we do know He was born. This morning I want to look at the Christmas basics outlined in our text. What is Christmas all about?
Paul begins by stating that the heart of Christmas is that “God sent forth His Son.” We see, in the first place, the divine origin of the Savior. Before the familiar manger story, Jesus existed with God the Father. Jesus was sent to us from heaven. We read in John 1:1 that Jesus existed in the beginning and that He was “with God and is God.” In eternity past, Jesus existed with the Father. He lived in loving fellowship with His Father. He lived in the beauty and glory of heaven, where nothing evil existed. From heaven, “God sent forth His Son.”
The Son of God did not object to being sent to our fallen planet, where sin reigned supreme. Listen to Philippians 2:5-8: Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
How can we illustrate this profound change that our Savior made? Any analogy falls short. This is the best I can do. Suppose you are raised in the home of a billionaire and live in a mansion. You have everything money can buy. You are surrounded by luxury. Do you want a Cadillac? Pocket change. You can have anything your heart desires and never run out of money. Suppose your father says he wants to send you to the poorest village in Africa to help those people. He gives you a choice. Would you go? Jesus had that choice. He said “Yes” without hesitation. He abandoned His status as the Son of the Most High, humbled Himself, made himself of no reputation, and became one of us.
Then Paul tells us that He was born of a woman, just like all of us. The Son of God took on our humanity. He identified with us. He was a man, the Son of Mary. He knew hunger and thirst, He ate and drank, He laughed and wept, He felt pain and bled, He faced temptations and prayed, and finally died as a man.
Why did Jesus undergo this miraculous change, emptying Himself of His divine prerogatives? For one reason, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. He lowered Himself to raise us up. We possessed God’s perfect Law established to bless the obedient. However, we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. We have trampled God’s holy Law under our sinful feet. What is God to do? He had declared, “The soul that sins shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:20). We know the rules, but we don’t keep the rules. We stand under the penalty of death, spiritual death, and eternal separation from God in hell.
Thank God for Ephesians 2:1: And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins. Thank God for Galatians 3:15: Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”). Thank God for the blessed words of John 3:16: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. And thank God for that great prophetic Scripture from Isaiah 53:4-6: Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
He was born in a stable in Bethlehem for one reason. To save us from the doom we brought upon ourselves. He came as our Savior. The angel said to Joseph, you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21). His very name, “Jesus,” means “Jehovah saves.”That is the heart of Christmas. “Free from the law, oh happy condition. Jesus hath bled, and there is remission. Bruised by the fall and cursed by the law, but grace hath redeemed us once and for all.” (Author unknown).
But there is more. What happens to us when we place our faith in Jesus? We are adopted into the family of God (Galatians 4:5). Jesus moves us from slavery to sonship. Sin removed us from the family of God. By faith, we are adopted into His family. Are you trusting in Jesus today? If so, you are a child of God. Those who lack faith in the Son of God belong to their father, the Devil. Jesus speaks to unbelievers in John 8:44: You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.
Christmas means we are removed from under the foot of Satan and adopted into the family of God. I cannot think of a more incredible Christmas gift than that. But there is more. In our text, we read, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father! As if forgiveness of our sins is not enough, God piles on yet another blessing. By the gift of the Holy Spirit, Jesus lives in our hearts. His presence assures us that God is our “abba,” our Father. God the Son lives in our innermost being. We have relationships with other people, but they exist outside of us. Jesus is closer to us than anyone else can be because He lives within our hearts.
Yes, enjoy the Christmas trees, the Christmas concerts, the gifts, and the family dinners. They are part of our Christmas celebration. But make sure they take second place to the Christmas basics, which are – – –
1. God sent His Son. The Son willingly left the glories of heaven to live among us.
2. He took on our humanity. The Son of God became the Son of man.
3. He came to redeem us, and all who trust in Him are redeemed and adopted into the family of God.
4. He dwells in our hearts. His presence assures us that God is our Father.
Those four blessings top any pleasures we receive from Christmas trees, gifts, and family dinners. May you all have a very merry Christmas. Next Sunday is Christmas day. The day set aside to observe His birth in Bethlehem. We will come together next Sunday to celebrate the Christmas basics once again.
I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD
Warsaw Christian Church Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: John 10:1-23
Jesus calls us sheep. What are sheep like? They are passive and quite dumb. Sheep are not hunters. They do not take much initiative. The shepherd is the one who takes care of them. They seem unable to find the green pastures without a shepherd to lead them. Many animals are taken as mascot names for schools. We have our Warsaw Wildcats. Wildcats are fearsome animals. The University of Missouri uses tigers as its mascot. Do you know of any school that uses sheep as a mascot? How would it sound if our Wildcats changed their mascot to sheep? Go, sheep, go! Warsaw fighting sheep! Go Warsaw BAH, BAH, BAH. It just doesn’t work. When Jesus refers to His disciples as sheep, I don’t think He is complimenting us! He is just stating a fact. We are dumb sheep who will most certainly lose our way unless the Good Shepherd leads us.
Our text contains profound statements regarding Jesus, our Savior and Lord. In my opinion, John’s Gospel is the most spiritually profound of the four Gospels. Again and again, John drives home the truth that Jesus Christ is the only Savior, which is also our text’s thrust today. We have seen that Jesus is the only door that leads to salvation. Others claim to be able to lead us to the Father, and some claim to have found God apart from Jesus. Of this latter group, Jesus declares them to be thieves and robbers. He firmly states that He is the only door that leads to eternal life. We are compelled to conclude that Jesus is either the most arrogant man who ever lived or He is the Son of God to whom we must listen.
But how do we know if we have indeed entered the right door? Jesus clarifies. His sheep are those who listen to Him and who follow Him. The Holy Spirit works this desire to hear and obey in us. His sheep will not listen to other voices. So, when Buddha says we must follow the four noble truths and the eightfold path, the sheep of Jesus do not listen to him. When Mohammed declared that he had found a new and better way to God, the sheep of Jesus did not listen. When the Hindus say there are many gods, the sheep of Jesus do not listen. Jesus speaks to us in Scripture and through the Holy Spirit. His sheep recognize His voice, and they will not listen to any voice that contradicts the words of Jesus. Jesus refers to all others who claim to know God apart from Him as thieves and robbers. They would rob you of eternal life.
We have heard these claims of Jesus often, and sometimes we do not stop to think about how amazing they are. Those who first heard these words thought Jesus was demon-possessed or raving mad. Others, having seen the opening of the eyes of a blind man, wonder how a madman could accomplish such a fantastic miracle. Jesus does not allow us to refer to Him as a great man, a remarkable prophet. He does not claim to be a mere man or a human prophet. He claims to be the Son of God, and everyone who hears His voice must make a choice. We cannot say that Jesus is one of many doors leading to God, a claim many today make. He clearly and emphatically declares that He alone is the door that leads to eternal life. Make sure you have entered that door. And when you hear voices that conflict with Jesus, make sure you close your ears.
Jesus drives this truth even deeper by declaring that there will ultimately be but one flock (church) and one shepherd. I think He speaks here of the invisible church made up of all who have been born anew through faith in Jesus. In all denominational manifestations, the visible church is never perfect. The one true church on earth sought by many does not exist. There is no perfect church, only a perfect Savior. Therefore, do not count on this church or any church to serve as a guarantee of eternal life. Only Jesus can make such a guarantee. Make sure you have true faith in Him.
Jesus then explains what He intends to do for His sheep. He came to bring us abundant life. This statement has implications both for the present and for the future. Ultimately, the abundant life He promised we receive after death. But He also makes this present life more abundant. He watches over His sheep with care. He protects us, and He blesses us. Our earthly life is never perfect due to the presence of sin, but it is far more abundant with Christ than without Him. As the hymn writer expressed it, what we receive in this life is but a foretaste of the glory divine we shall receive in eternity.
In eternity His sheep will know abundant life in a way that is impossible in this life. It will be a life without pain, tears, or death. It will be a life overflowing with God’s blessings and love. It will be abundant beyond anything we can imagine at present. Adam and Eve tasted this abundant life in the Garden of Eden. Before sin entered the picture, they possessed eternal life in a beautiful paradise. I believe the last paradise will be even more impressive. We shall know abundant life without end.
In our text, Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. This is the heart of the Gospel message. No other religious leader has ever made such a claim. Moses gave the 10 Commandments, but he had no authority to die for the redemption of his people. Mohammed gave the Koran, but he had no power to die for the salvation of his people. Buddha gave us principles to live by, but he had no authority to die for the redemption of his people. Only Jesus, the Son of the Living God, had the power and authority to die for the salvation of His people. Like a shepherd who may lose his life in protecting his sheep from wild animals, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, laid down His life for us, His sheep, redeeming us from the power of Satan.
Jesus makes it clear that no one has the power to take His life. Had He wanted to escape the cross, He could have done so. Jesus could have called on legions of angels to deliver Him (Matthew 26:53). He willingly went to the cross for our sakes. He gladly took upon Himself the judgment we deserve. All who believe in the power of His death to save are forgiven of their sins and granted a place in heaven. He adds that not only does He have the power to surrender His life. He also has the power to resurrect Himself. When He rose from the grave, the case against us was closed. Our sins are forgiven, and the gift of eternal life is ours. As Jesus Himself stated, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life (John 5:24 KJV).” Those who hear and believe the words of Jesus will never face condemnation but pass from death to life.
As Jesus spoke in this manner, there was a division among Jews. Some charged Him with insanity, others with demon possession. They could not comprehend how any human being could make such claims. What sane man would claim to have the power to restore life to Himself? What normal person would claim to have the authority to die for His people and thereby redeem them? Who can believe such nonsense? Others listened to His words but also looked at His deeds. They wondered, could a demon-possessed man open the eyes of the blind? They had never seen or heard of a man born blind having his sight restored. I once worked with a man born blind. Bryan had two glass eyes and had no concept of what it was to see. We once asked him if he saw when he dreamed. No, his dreams were all in sound, not sight, because his brain was not wired to see.
Some had sense enough to weigh the evidence. Jesus said some remarkable things but also performed a noteworthy miracle that those present had witnessed. They concluded that no insane or demon-possessed man could open blind eyes, and many believed in Him.
This is the same issue we all face. I can recall speaking with people who ridiculed the idea of a divine Savior. Popular books are written today that dismiss the biblical accounts of Jesus as a myth. Those who hear and believe are born again and begin to experience that abundant life that leads to eternity. I hope none of you have any reservations about Jesus. I pray none of you will harbor doubts about the meaning of His death and resurrection. I encourage all to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. There is no other way.
This section of Scripture is reminiscent of John 14:6, where Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me.” There is only one way to receive eternal life, one source of knowledge about God: Jesus. The world still seeks its humanistic, political Saviors- its Hitlers, Stalins, Maos, Pol Pots, Republicans, or Democrats. Only too late do they learn they are thieves and robbers with no ability to create a utopia. Jesus is correct; it is not the Christian doctrine of heaven that is mythical but the humanistic dream of creating a just world. If you trust politicians to save the world, you will be disappointed. If you trust Jesus, you will enter life abundant and, finally, life eternal. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who alone will take care of His sheep, now and forever. Trust Him, follow Him, obey Him. He always leads His sheep to green pastures and still waters.
I AM THE DOOR
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: John 10:9: I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
Jesus declares Himself to be the door. This is the third of Jesus’ “I am” statements in the Gospel of John. Remember that “I Am” is God’s special name revealed to Moses at the burning bush. Jesus uses the door metaphor in reference to sheep. “I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:7). What does He mean?
Of course, He is not a literal door with hinges and a door knob. He speaks of Himself as the door knowing that we will understand that He is using a metaphor. He is a spiritual door.
We know that a door is a way in. You came through the church door this morning to enter the church. Notice first that Jesus does not say, “I am a door.” This would imply that there are other doors. He uses a definite article. I am THE door. He is speaking of Himself as the only door leading to eternal life. There are not many doors leading to salvation, as some say today. Many do not agree with Jesus. They claim there are many paths, many doors, leading to God. Jesus refers to other “doors” (vs. 8) as thieves and robbers. Anyone who claims he can lead you to God through another door is lying to you. Only the door marked “Jesus” will lead you to salvation. We all deserve to live eternally separated from God. Jesus went to the cross to suffer in our place. No one else could accomplish this feat. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). He alone is the door leading us into the presence of God.
A door is of no use unless it is entered. Our church door is open to all, but many do not use it. It is precisely the same with Jesus. Who can access the door leading to God and eternal life? The text says “anyone.” You don’t have to be anyone special. Race makes no difference. You don’t have to be predestined to eternal life. If you are in the category of “anyone” the door to salvation is there for you. Jesus will save anyone who enters the right door. Paul writes, This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3-4).
A door also suggests safety. We have all seen films where someone is being chased by a madman, and they arrive at a home and bang on the door. The door opens, they enter, the door is locked and they are safe. We have an arch-enemy who is out to destroy us. We read that the devil goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). When we enter the door marked Jesus we enter into safety and protection.
The devil has many helpers. We live in a world where so many are energized by Satan. They become enemies of those who belong to Jesus. We are no match for our arch-enemy. His wisdom and seductive charms will overpower us every time. However, the devil is no match for Jesus. Stay close to Jesus, and you will live in safety. Remember 1 John 4:4: You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. The devil and his minions are operating in our world. We overcome their allurements through Jesus. He is far greater than any enemy you may encounter.
Our life is in the hands and care of our gracious God and Savior. Thus, there is safety and security in being a Christian, in being part of the household of faith, and living within the sheepfold of Jesus. The Lord promises that they that enter through the door “shall be saved.” Saved from what? Here are a few samples. We are saved from the penalty and power of sin, from self-centered life and the power of Satan; from fear, from ignorance, from helplessness, from weakness, and yes, from the wrath of God and an eternal hell. Every day we are confronted by ‘enemies’ stronger than we are who seek to attack us, and without Christ, we will be conquered. But the Door (Jesus) keeps us safe. In order to get at us, Satan and the other enemies of the church have to overcome Jesus. And, they can’t possibly be successful. So don’t fear! Don’t be afraid! Take courage! Take heart! For Jesus is the gate to the sheep-fold. And against Him, Satan and sin can never prevail.
A door also suggests separation. There are those who enter the door and those who do not. A while back, Marie and I had a weird stranger at our door, but we did not open the door for him. He turned out to be harmless but none of us want to open the door of our homes to a weird-acting stranger who knocks on your door in the middle of the night. We remember the story of Noah’s ark. Once the door was shut no one else could enter. Right now, the door of salvation is open to all, but the day will come when Jesus returns, and the door will be closed. Those who have entered the door will be safe forever. Those on the outside will be lost forever. Now is the time to enter the door!
But how do we enter the Door? The process is simple. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. Listen to these verses from God’s word:
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! (Romans 5:9). Those who believe that the shed blood of Jesus has secured our salvation will enter into safety.
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 19:9) Faith in our resurrected Savior brings salvation. The door of salvation is open to all who believe.
I have a vivid memory that occurred when I was 10 or 11 years old. Our family was returning home from some event, and it was raining. I wanted to get out of the rain so I rushed up the porch steps and tried to enter the front door of our home. It was dark, and the door was dark, and I thought it was open, so I ran smack dab into the door. I emerged with a bloody nose and the laughter of my brother. I have no idea why I expected the front door to be standing open!
We often make the doors to our home inviting by putting out a “welcome” mat. Those who come to Jesus will never find a closed door. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away (John 6:37). Jesus never slams the door in the face of those who come to Him with faith. God loves you and wants to save you. He has chosen to do so through the work of His Son, Jesus. All who trust in Jesus have entered the door. As long as faith is alive in our souls, we have entered the door leading us to God’s eternal kingdom.
Finally, we learn that those who enter the door will find pasture (John 10:9). David spoke of this in Psalm 23 when he said, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Sheep need green pastures and still waters. So, just as a sheep finds all its needs met when it is securely in the care of the shepherd, sinners will find all the nourishment they need when they enter life eternal through Jesus. There is nothing cramped and limiting about the life Christ gives. Jesus came that men might have life and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10) This phrase means to have a surplus, a super-abundance. When we come to Christ, we begin to live in the joy of the Lord and the power of the Holy Spirit. There is grace to help in every time of need and the joy that comes from constant fellowship with the Lord, which far outweighs life’s trials.
Can you imagine a life free from tears, pain, death, and sorrow – – – things that plague us in this life? This abundant life that will come to fruition in eternity is available to you. The door is open. Trust in Jesus and you enter that door into a new life. Your sins will be forgiven. You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. And you will know that Jesus has gone ahead to prepare a place for you.
I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: While I am in the world, I am the light of the world (John 9:5). But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7).
As we continue our examination of the 7 “I AM” texts in John’s Gospel today, we consider Jesus’ words, “I am the light of the world.” As was the case with Jesus’ declaration that He is the bread of life, we are confronted with another metaphor. Jesus is not literally “light.” He did not shine like a spotlight when He was in the world. He will not glow in the dark, so you can find your way in a dark room. Clearly, He speaks of spiritual light. What did Jesus mean when He spoke of Himself as the light of the world?
Let’s consider for a few minutes what natural light does. The sun gives us warmth and light, and it causes things to grow. We understand that if there were no sunlight, there would be no life. By the miracle of creation, the sun is exactly where it must be to provide life. Somewhere I read that if the sun were 1% further away from earth, it would be so cold there could be no life. If it were 1% closer, it would burn up everything making life impossible. It is the same with the Son of God. There is no hope of life apart from His light. He has done what needed to be done to redeem us.
When Jesus declared Himself to be the light of the world, He made an astonishing claim. For one thing, we learn in Scripture that God is light. John writes, This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him, there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). God is pure light. Spiritually, light means goodness. Darkness is evil. Darkness in the Bible is associated with wickedness. God is nothing but light with no darkness in Him. We can always count on the goodness of God. He will never act in a manner that reflects evil, deceit, or any other wicked way.
When Jesus declares Himself to be the world’s light, He declares He is God. He entered our world to shed abroad the light of God. As with God the Father, there is no darkness in the Son. He came to do us good. He is the only person who lived His life without sin. Okay, so how does this relate to us?
First, because of our first parents, sin has entered the world. All of us are infected with the spiritual virus of sin. It is far worse than Covid or any other virus. Our natural condition is darkness. When we open our hearts to Jesus, the first thing He does is shine a light upon our sins. We see clearly how we have offended God. That leads to repentance.
I like the illustration that J. Vernon McGhee shared in his commentary. He describes a hunting trip. A rainstorm ruined the trip. There was a cave nearby, so Dr. McGhee entered the cave to escape the rain. He sat there for about 30 minutes. He was getting cold from the rain, and so he lit a fire. When he did, the light of the fire revealed to him that he was not alone in the cave. He describes the presence of spiders and other vermin in great numbers. He saw a snake that seemed to be staring at him. He exited the cave in a hurry! The light revealed things he had not noticed before. That’s what happens to us when the light of Christ shines into our souls, revealing the presence of sin in a manner we had not noticed before. We see our sins as dark and ugly. We want to be free of them. This leads to repentance and new birth. We no longer wish to offend the God who loves us.
Those who reject Jesus remain in darkness. Until we open our hearts to Him, we are without hope. Our sins will drag us down into hell. “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.” (John 1:9-10). How sad that so many, then and now, do not recognize Jesus as the world’s light. He desires to save us, but we must open our minds and hearts to Him.
The first step toward salvation is the recognition that we are sinners. Until we admit our lost condition, we remain lost. When we hear the story of Jesus, how He came into the world to save sinners, and we acknowledge that we are sinners and we trust in Jesus to redeem us, our salvation begins.
We must understand how it is that Jesus saves us. When His light shines into our souls, it illuminates the cross. God does not save us because He is love, and He will not condemn anyone. He revealed His saving love to us in a particular manner. His Son went to the cross on our behalf. Jesus bore our judgment on the cross. He absorbed the penalty we deserve. He died for us. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. (1 Peter 3:18).
Before becoming a Christian, I assumed I was okay with God because I was a fairly decent person. God is love, and I was not a big-time sinner, so I thought I would go there if there was a heaven. All us decent folks will go there, right? So, the idea that I needed a dying Savior was offensive to me. Then, in the 1960s, the light of the Gospel entered my soul. I can remember it as if it were yesterday. The very first thing I realized was that Christ died for me. I now embraced the very thing I had rejected the day before with joy and understanding. I once thought that Bible-believing Christians were stupid and uneducated. Then I became one! The cross became precious to me it has remained so through the years.
Your coming to faith was probably different than mine, but all true conversions have one thing in common. We are sorry for the cross because it hurts us to realize our sins placed Jesus on the cross. We also love the cross because we know it has brought our salvation. Our forgiveness hinges upon our faith in Jesus, but our faith is never fuzzy and unclear. It is firmly rooted in the cross. Our salvation depends upon Christ, our crucified Savior.
Once we come to salvation, then what? This leads to our second text. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7). Jesus is the light of the world and the redeemed now have a choice to make. Shall I walk (live my life) in the light, or now that I am saved, perhaps I can do as I please.
Notice the conditional word in the verse – – – IF. If we walk in the light (implying we can do otherwise)- – – living my life devoted to doing good, seeking to follow the teachings of the Bible, and fighting to avoid the darkness of sin, two things follow. First, we have fellowship with Jesus (and by extension with one another). Are you living daily in fellowship with Jesus? Jesus is no longer physically present. How do we walk with Him in the light? Look at Psalm 119:105: Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. If you have a Bible, you have the means to walk in the light. As you practice the teachings of Scripture, you are walking in the light and in fellowship with Jesus. You do not see Him, but He is with you. The moment you step outside the light and allow sin to enter, you lose fellowship with Jesus. You do not lose your salvation, but you walk alone. Jesus cannot and will not be in harmony with anyone walking outside the light. But does not this create a hopeless situation? We all fall into sinful thoughts and acts at times. We never attain sinless perfection in this life.
We must remember that walking in the light is not a one-time event. Just because you made a confession of faith and were baptized, that is no guarantee that you are walking in the light today. Those are the beginning steps. They introduce us to Jesus, the light of the world. These first steps must be followed up with a daily decision to walk in the light.
Light, of course, provides navigation. Before modern technology, ships were guided by the light of the stars. You would be in trouble on a cloudy night when no stars were visible. A few years ago, Joan and my daughter Michelle and I (along with our dog, Connie) were walking in the woods in unfamiliar territory. The sky was cloudy, so we couldn’t see the sun to determine our direction. We were not sure how to get home. It was kind of scary, but we finally just kept walking in one direction and came upon highway BB. After that experience Connie never wanted to go into the woods! We need light to guide our way.
Jesus, the light of the world, provides us with navigation. As long as we are in His light, He guides us, so we do not lose our way. I spent many years without His light, and I ended up very confused. We need His light to guide us.
This leads to the second point in our text. When we are aware that we have broken fellowship with Jesus by our bad behavior, we turn again to the cross. We confess our sins to Him, and His blood purifies us. Jesus gave us the Lord’s Supper to help us. I never live a week without saying or doing something I shouldn’t. I want to remain in the light in fellowship with Jesus, but I realize that all too easily, I slip. I try to confess my guilt regularly, and I want the weekly reminder of how it is that my sins are cleansed and forgiven. The blood of Jesus continues to be effective today.
We need to remember that Jesus is the ONLY light of the world. If we get caught up in other “lights” – – – politics, philosophy, other religions, people’s opinions, famous people, etc. we may find ourselves wandering again in darkness. Don’t look for any different light. If you have Jesus, you have all the light you need for now and eternity. If you follow other lights, you will end up in darkness.
Finally, when we are walking in the light, we are also the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). We are commissioned to bear the light of Christ to others in the world. Jesus’ presence in the world now depends on the faithfulness of His disciples. We are the body of Christ. As we walk in the light, we not only have fellowship with Jesus and are continually cleansed of our sins but we also become light-bearers. Those without faith are to look at us and be drawn to the Savior. Our kindness, gentleness, and goodness should be evident to others. The light of Jesus is to shine out of our lives, drawing others to Him. Jesus said, In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16). Jesus is the light of the world. We are to reflect His light. What do others see when they look at you? Do they see in you the light of Jesus?
I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: John 6:25-70
This morning I am beginning a series of 7 sermons based on the “I am” statements of Jesus. We will be looking at seven statements from the Gospel of John. These statements reveal much about our Savior. Who am I? I am the child of Loyle and Mary Bowman born on a specific date. The day will come when I leave this life. When Jesus used the “I am” statements about Himself, He was declaring something unique about His identity.
In Exodus 3:14 at the burning bush episode, Moses asks God to define Himself. Whom shall he tell the Israelites sent him? They will want to know God’s name. God says, tell them “I AM” has sent you. Why did God identify Himself using the first-person present tense? He was declaring His eternity. God has no “I was” or “I will be,” just “I am.” God is timeless. In Malachi 3:6, God declares He is the Lord and does not change. He is forever the same. His character never changes. God is without beginning and end. He is a Being too complex for us to wrap our minds around. We all have a past (I was), a present (I am), and a future (I will be). God is simply “I am,” existing eternally.
When Jesus used “I am” statements to identify Himself He was declaring His deity. He is God incarnate, God in human flesh. Like the Father, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). At Christmas, we sing the familiar carol, “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.” We sing in verse 2, “Veiled in flesh the godhead see, hail the incarnate Deity.” Charles Wesley declared the biblical truth that Jesus is God in human flesh.
In John 18:4-5 Jesus is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. As the soldiers approached Him, He asked whom they were seeking. They reply, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Most Bible translations have Jesus replying, “I am He.“ The word “He” is in parenthesis because it does not appear in the Greek text. Jesus simply said, “I AM” and when he spoke those words, the soldiers fell to the ground. They could not stand in the presence of God the Son, the great I AM.
Jesus did use “I Am” language in our text concerning Himself. It is one of many phrases used by our Lord which indicate who He is, the Son of God. Today we look at the phrase, “I am the bread of life. “Who would dare make such a claim and expect to be taken seriously but the Son of God? (A diversion for a simple bread joke. Why did the baker become a thief? Because he kneaded the dough. Okay, on to more serious matters.) In John 6:37-40 we learn that faith in Jesus leads to eternal life. Those who come to Him will never be cast out. In Greek there is a double negative. “Not never.” Poor English grammar. We might say no way, never. No one who come to Jesus in faith will ever be rejected.
Jesus made this claim in the context of a familiar miracle, the feeding of the 5000 (John 6:1). Jesus took a few loaves of bread and some fish and fed 5000 persons. When He wrought that miracle He expressed a concern that some might want to follow Him for the wrong reason. “I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill” (John 6:26). Jesus feared that some might come to Him simply because He met physical needs. They might see Him only as a free meal ticket — one who will solve our earthly problems, whether it be hunger, illness, crime, etc. Jesus wanted people to believe in Him and follow Him, but for the right reason.
The crowds place a challenge before Him. Why should we believe in you, they ask? We want you to work a miracle – – – something spectacular so we will have a reason to believe what you say. Feeding the 5000 was not a big enough miracle, for they say to Jesus, Do something like what Moses did. He fed the whole nation daily with manna from heaven. Your little miracle of feeding 5000 people is not in the same league.
It is in this context that Jesus makes His astonishing claim. He says to the people that the manna from heaven was not the true bread from heaven. He explained that there is another heavenly bread, even the One who comes down from heaven. Those who partake of this heavenly bread are promised everlasting life. The people respond, “Give us this bread always” (Jn. 6:34). It is at that point that Jesus responds, “I am the bread of life.” He promises that those who come to Him will never hunger or thirst again and that those who believe in Him will receive eternal life.
Then we read these sad words: “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him” (Jn. 6:66). They were especially perplexed when Jesus spoke to them about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. This made no sense to them, and they did not wait around for an explanation. They abandoned the One who said, “I am the bread of life.” They turned away from the only Man who can grant to others the gift of eternal life.
Eating flesh? Drinking blood? (John 6:53-59). It sounded like cannibalism. It was incredibly offensive to Jews whose law forbade blood drinking (Gen. 9:6; Lev. 7:26 etc.). They gave up on Jesus in response to His crass reference to eating His flesh and drinking His blood. At that point, Jesus turned to the 12 apostles and asked them if they also planned to abandon Him. Simon responds, No, Lord, we cannot abandon you. We believe you to be the Messiah, the one who speaks the truth concerning eternal life.
Did they understand what Jesus was talking about? Perhaps not, but they stayed with Him, and later learned the meaning of His words, “I am the bread of life.” We might react initially like those disciples who walked away from Jesus. We may find ourselves confused over his reference to eating His flesh and drinking His blood, even though He explained that His words were not to be understood in a coarse, literal fashion. He explained that His words were meant to be understood spiritually (6:63). He was using a metaphor to explain a spiritual truth. Do you know what it is to be spiritually hungry?
If you came to Christ as an adult as I did, you probably know. If you grew up with faith in Jesus Christ you may not understand spiritual hunger. Spiritual hunger is that empty feeling I once had, looking for ultimate truth in all the wrong places. Spiritual hunger can only be satisfied by partaking of “the bread of life.”
When we come to true faith in the Son of God, one way we know that has happened is because Jesus satisfies our spiritual hunger. Most of us, when we were young, sat around and discussed the meaning of life. “Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going? Is there a God? When you come to Jesus with true faith, all such questions are answered. The hunger to know the answers to life’s deepest questions is forever satisfied. When we partake of the bread of life, deep peace and contentment settle over the soul. Just as eating physical bread satisfies physical hunger, so partaking in the bread of Life satisfies our deepest spiritual longings.
And how do we partake of the bread of Life? The words are easy enough to say. We repent of our sins; we believe in the Lord Jesus; we confirm our faith in the waters of baptism, and live as His disciple (Acts 2:38). I certainly went through all those motions in my early life, yet I had not partaken of the bread of life. Like many, I wanted to be in control of my life, even my religious life. I went through the motions, but I never really surrendered my heart to Jesus.
What about you? I know you are church members, persons who have confessed faith. My question is this: Do you feel a deep sense of inward satisfaction and certainty about life and eternity because Jesus is a living presence in your soul? Has your deepest spiritual hunger been satisfied? Or are you still asking questions like who am I? Where did I come from? Is there a God? Once you receive the bread of life, you stop asking such questions.
There is yet another way you can tell if you have partaken of the bread of life. It is reflected in your attitude toward the Lord’s Supper. Later on, long after this episode in John 6, Jesus said to those disciples who remained with Him, “Take and eat. This bread is my body which is broken for you. This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for many for the remission of sins.”
Those who have partaken of the bread of life understand the importance of the table of the Lord. They understand that Jesus’ death was vicarious, that He shed His blood for the forgiveness of our sins. Paul said that to partake worthily, we must discern the Lord’s body. What do you see when you hold the bread and drink from the cup? I hope you see more than a piece of cracker and a small cup of grape juice. I hope your mind goes back to Calvary and that you see Jesus hanging upon a cross, His body broken, and His blood shed because of our sins. He willingly went to that cross to take the judgment we deserve.
I hope when you partake of the Lord’s Supper, you see the body of Jesus hanging on that cross and that you hear Him whisper, “For you, for you, for you.” I believe He wants our minds to focus on an event that occurred 2000 years ago, at a hill called Golgotha. He wants us to remember how we receive pardon and eternal life. He wants us to dare to believe that the crucified One is the Messiah, the Son of God. He wants us to remember who we are and who He is as we partake of the bread and the cup. He wants us to believe in the depths of our souls that we have entered the Kingdom of God through His broken body and shed blood; that He is the bread of life.
Do you ever tire of the Lord’s Table? Is it an empty ritual for you? If that is the case it is a sign of a serious spiritual problem within your soul. Those who have partaken of the bread of life, whose souls have been transformed and indwelled by the living Lord Jesus, will never find communion to be an empty ritual. It is another way in which we partake of the bread of life — a way to draw near to Jesus, and drawing near to Jesus is never an empty ritual.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, shed His blood at Calvary so that we might be forgiven and find a place in heaven. When we come to the Lord’s Table let us come with great faith, with humility, always discerning the Lord’s body hanging upon a cross. Look beyond the piece of bread — look beyond the cup of juice — and see Jesus Christ crucified for you. Thanks be to God; our suffering Savior has redeemed us. Our Lord is the bread of life who gives eternal life to all who believe in Him. He satisfies our spiritual hunger forever.
There is much food for thought in John 6. We have just scratched the surface this morning. Let me summarize what we have covered this morning.
- Jesus claimed that He alone can grant eternal life.
- That gift is granted to us simply by believing in Him.
- Jesus will never, never reject one who comes to Him in faith.
- Those who trust in Him are secure forever.
- We especially believe in His atoning death on the cross, an event we participate in weekly through the Lord’s Supper. In this one great sacrifice He secured for us forgiveness of all our sins and everlasting life.
If these five principles are alive and well in your soul, you are a forever citizen of the Kingdom of God. I pray it will be so for all of us. In Jesus name, Amen.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE LOST?
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Ephesians 2:1-2: And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
Have you ever been lost? I have, more than once. Some years ago, when I was working for DHF I was trying to find a church in Missouri. It was on one of those alphabet highways, let’s say Highway C. I found highway C but there was no church to be found. I barely made it to a gas station. What I did not realize was that every county used the alphabet soup to identify rural roads. Highway C in one county was not the same as highway C in another county. Now I understand that but then I did not, and so I was lost and frustrated.
Being lost physically is unpleasant. Being lost spiritually is a disaster. What does it mean to be lost spiritually? I want to suggest three basic consequences that follow from being spiritually lost. The first is to be spiritually dead. Paul describes our condition before conversion as “being dead in trespasses and sin.” Those spiritually dead are so lost as to be entirely cut off from God. A person dead in sin can do nothing to resurrect himself from his lostness. He is in a hopeless situation. Lost, with no way out. The lost are in that position by their own fault. They have rejected God and chose to live a self-centered life marred by sin.
What would it take to bring life to one who is dead? The dead cannot raise themselves. No human power can bring life to a dead body. We know from Scripture that Jesus brought life to the dead – – – we think of Lazarus. He was dead four days but Jesus called him back to life. The only hope for the spiritually dead is for Jesus to raise them to life. More on that later.
Second, the lost are living in slavery. When you are cut off from God who directs your steps. The lost believe they are in charge on their lives. They do not realize that Satan is working behind the scenes to control much of their lives. Paul refers to Satan in our text as “the prince of the power of the air.” We don’t have much first-hand knowledge of slavery. We have never been physically enslaved. We do know that slaves have no choice over how they shall live. The slave owner controls them. I cannot imagine how awful that would be. Thank God our country came to its senses and finally abolished slavery. Many blacks in our country were born and died as slaves, subject to the whims of their masters. Some were treated well, many were abused, but all were slaves. Physically slavery is awful, but spiritual slavery is far worse.
Our text tells us that Satan is working in the lives of those who are disobedient to God. While we may not know how Satan influences the disobedient, we know that he does. His presence is so significant that the lost are living in slavery, and Satan is a hard task-master. I recall reading about a minister who was hounded by an unknown caller who constantly ridiculed his faith. After many months of enduring such ridicule, he received a call from his nemesis. The man was in the hospital and asked if the pastor would come and see him. Fearing more ridicule, the pastor went nonetheless. The man was near death. He whispered to the pastor, “serving the devil pays off all right, but the devil pays in counterfeit money,” I guess it was a half-hearted apology. He then slipped away to meet the God he had ridiculed.
Paul reminds us not to look at others and say, “He is in slavery to Satan.” He reminds his Ephesian friends that they once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind . . His point is clear. Christians, before being redeemed by Jesus, were also once in slavery to Satan. I can look at my pre-Christian life now and say “Yes, I was once a slave to Satan.” However, at the time I had no belief in the devil, let alone thinking that he had me enslaved. I was fulfilling 2 Corinthians 4:4, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe… I was being manipulated by a devil I did not believe in and did not see.
Do you realize that? If there was ever a time in your life when you lacked faith in Jesus, guess who was calling the shots? Those who lack faith in Jesus are blinded by Satan to the awful position they are in. They are slaves who think they are free.
It surely can’t get any worse. To be dead in sin, isolated from God, and in bondage to Satan is as bad as it gets. Our text tells us one more consequence of being spiritually lost. The lost are “children of wrath.” I am sure you understand that we have moved from bad to worse. There is nothing worse that can happen to any of us than to be under the wrath of God. But isn’t God a God of love? Yes, He is. He has expressed His love for the world by sending His only begotten Son to be our Savior. But what will become of those who ignore or reject the Savior? They will bear the wrath of God in hell forever. It is not a pleasant subject but one we need to face.
The reality is that there are those who want nothing to do with God. Perhaps they have heard about the message of Jesus, but they will not accept it. Some are atheists who despise the idea of God. Some are universalists who believe everyone will be saved so there is no need for a Savior. In our former denomination in one of their reports, we read this: “no human being is ultimately rejected and nullified by God.” (Commission on Theology report, p. 15 in appendix of my booklet “A Brief History of Disciple Renewal). If no human being is ultimately rejected by God, then Paul is a false prophet when he warns us about the wrath of God. If no human being is ultimately rejected by God then hell is a myth; Jesus is a false prophet; the Bible cannot be trusted.
I understand the appeal of universalism but it is diametrically opposed to the teachings of Jesus and Paul. Paul warns unbelievers that they are children of wrath. He expands on the idea in Romans 2:5: But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
Why does Paul speak so harshly about the wrath of God? It is because he understands that God’s wrath is real. God’s love is also real. Romans 2:4 says, Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
Yes, God loves you. Yes, God desires to save you. He desires your salvation so much that He gave His beloved Son to die on a cross, absorbing the judgment we deserve. God has acted with extreme kindness and patience with us in giving us His Son. All of God’s love is wrapped up in Jesus. Later in Romans 5:6 Paul writes, When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.
Yes, Jesus died for you. We read in Romans 3:22: We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. But how can I believe if I am dead in sin? But remember, those dead in sin are not dead mentally. They can still hear the good news about Jesus and place their faith in Him, no matter who they are. When we do so faith sets us free from Satan’s bondage and places us in the Kingdom of God. The wrath of God is removed from us and we abide under God’s love.
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The message of the Bible is summed up in John 3:16-1:18 – – – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
There are two kinds of people in the world. The redeemed and the condemned. Which category you are in hinges on one thing. Jesus – – – you either believe in Him and are saved, or you do not and you are condemned. Do you know for sure which category you are in? God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world. He sent Him to bring salvation to the world. Having taken such an extreme step to save the world God has no choice now but to condemn those who will not believe in His Son. Whether we like it or not John 3:18 says, but whoever does not believe stands condemned…
God has made the salvation process simple. Our salvation does not depend on what we do. It does not depend on belonging to the right church. It depends on one thing; whether or not we believe in Jesus. Fortunately, true faith begins a process that we can observe in our own souls. Faith brings new birth. Jesus was clear about that when He said, “You must be born again.” Faith brings a new life. That new life centers on living our lives to please God. It centers on keeping His commandments. Faith leads us to repentance when we fail God. Faith places us into the church established by Jesus. Faith leads us to love the two ordinances He left to us, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Faith brings a deep love for Jesus. While we love family and friends, faith places Jesus as our first love. As we see the fruits of faith grow in our souls, we know that our faith is real.
What about those who say they believe but show no evidence that the fruits of faith are present in their daily lives? Whether their faith is real or not I cannot say. God is the only one who can make true judgments. Let’s just say I am concerned about those who claim to believe but the fruits of faith are missing.
But let’s conclude on a positive note. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. Believe with sincerity. Open your heart to Him. He will save all who come to Him with true faith. God wants you to be His child. He has done everything necessary to bring you into His eternal kingdom. Will you believe?
FINAL PRACTICAL MATTERS, ROMANS
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor
Texts, Romans 12-16
We have come to the end of the book of Romans. In the first 8 chapters, the emphasis is primarily on the new birth. Chapters 9-11 address the situation of Israel now that the Messiah has come. Chapters 12-16 discuss practical matters. They address the question, “Okay, I believe in Jesus. What’s next?” We will be looking at a few highlights from these chapters. We have already looked at a few of the practical matters – – – God’s blueprint for the church, our relationship with the state, and presenting ourselves to God as living sacrifices in Chapter 12. I close this series on Romans by hitting some highlights on how we are to live as redeemed Christians.
First, Paul admonishes us to serve Christ with our spiritual gifts. He writes, Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them(12:6). God has gifted us with gifts designed to help others and promote the Gospel. Our gifts differ. You may think that whatever gifts you have are small. Whether large or small we are all called to serve Christ. Serve Him with the gifts He has given you. Use them for the glory of God.
The next bit of practical wisdom says a lot in a few words. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good (12:9). We are to practice love with genuineness. We are to turn away from everything evil and hold on to what is good. While none of us fulfill this verse perfectly, it ought to be the direction of our lives. Love others, love God, reject anything evil, and do your best to be a good person.
We move next to Chapter 13. Paul writes: But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts (13:14). I spoke earlier on the struggle between our new self and old self (Chapter 7). Paul refers to our old self as “flesh.” Our old self still exits but we also have a new self, even the indwelling presence of Jesus. If you allow your old self too much latitude you will drift away from Jesus. If you allow the indwelling Christ to dominate your behavior you will be a productive Christian.
Paul spends quite a bit of time focused on the liberty we have in Christ. In Chapter 14 he cautions us not to be too harsh and judgmental over those who are weak in the faith. He speaks of eating habits and special days. We are not to be harsh with those whose dietary practices differ from ours. I should not criticize those whom I think should be on Weight Watchers! Some observe special days. Do you like Christmas? There have been Christians who do not observe Christmas. Neither position should judge the other side. These are matters where Christian freedom must dominate. There are different opinions in the church about many matters. We agree on the basic Christian doctrines but we disagree on other matters. Are you a Democrat? You are welcome here. Are you a Republican? You are welcome here. Do you have no use for any political parties? You are welcome here. We hang banners in the church. We have stained glass windows. We sing with an organ These are neither commanded nor forbidden in Scripture. They are matters in which churches have the freedom to have them or not.
Paul ends this section in 14:12-13 with these words: So then each of us shall give an account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way. Will I have to answer for your behavior on judgment day? No, I will answer for my behavior. So let us not be harsh over matters where opinions vary. And of course, we want to avoid causing another brother to stumble or fall because of our bad behavior. In the place of trivial criticism, we need to practice love.
Moving to Chapter 15 Paul speaks of weak and strong Christians. The strong are admonished to bear with the weak. We all believe in Jesus. Some are more mature than others. We don’t want to look down on a weaker Christian and shower them with criticism. We want them to grow in grace, not leave the church because a more “mature” Christian was too critical. I like the way Paul ends this section. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6 that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (15:5-6). God is patient with us. Let us be patient with one another. Our goal as a church is to have one mind and heart focused on how we may glorify the Father and the Son.
In Romans 15:30ff. Paul requests prayers that he will not be weakened in his ministry because of unbelievers. In Paul’s day, he was often hounded and persecuted by those who rejected Jesus. Paul is not going to adjust his message to accommodate unbelievers. He needs to be undergirded by the prayers of the church. While Christians in this country are not usually persecuted, they still need the prayer support of God’s people. Neither Tom nor I can be effective ministers without the prayers of God’s people. A church saturated in prayer will be an effective church. For those who pray for Tom and me regularly, we thank you.
In Romans 15:3-16 Paul mentions several persons by name who have served the Lord Jesus. Notice he has nothing but praise for the people he lists. I am sure they had faults but Paul only focuses on their service to Christ. Some are commended for risking their necks for Paul. Others are commended for their much labor in the cause of Christ. Some have been such strong servants of Jesus that the Apostles have taken note of their service. Several are addressed by Paul as “beloved.” Name after name is commended by Paul.
How do we speak of one another? Do we praise others for their service to Christ, or do we gossip about their weaknesses? We all have our virtues and we all have faults. When we speak of one another let us focus on what is good in them.
Paul then turns his attention to a negative subject. He mentions those who stir up divisions in the church. Such persons are to be avoided. They stir up divisions by preaching doctrines that conflict with what the Apostles taught. Paul struggled with this problem in several of his epistles. I don’t think we have this problem here. While we may disagree on some fine points of doctrine, we agree that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, our Savior, and Lord. We agree that He went to the cross to atone for our sins. We believe He is coming again. We believe that salvation is received by faith in Jesus, plus nothing. We believe the Bible is the inspired and authoritative Word of God. We accept all persons who believe in Jesus and are seeking to follow the teachings of the Bible.
If someone in a position of leadership – – – for instance, if a pastor or elder were to suggest that there are many paths to God, or that homosexuality or abortion are okay with our heavenly Father, or that the Bible is full of errors and contradictions, we would try first to correct them. If they resisted correction we are to avoid them. That is Paul’s inspired direction to the church.
As we bring the Book of Romans to a close there is a final matter we need to understand. When we read all this practical wisdom about how we are to live as Christians it may cross our minds to wonder if we are really saved. Do I follow these practical instructions without fault? Is my love for God and others consistent? Do I always abhor what is evil and strive for the good? Am I always kind to weaker Christians? Am I sometimes judgmental over matters where Christian freedom should prevail? Do I always speak kindly about others? Yes, when we accept Jesus we are called to live a new life. If I fail to live that new life consistently, am I lost? Do I forfeit my salvation?
Listen carefully. Your salvation – – – eternal life – – – are gifts to you. You cannot earn a gift. You can accept it or reject it. You accept God’s gifts by trusting in Jesus. Those who trust in Jesus enter into the family of God. They agree to live life by God’s rules. They do that not to earn their salvation but out of gratitude for salvation already received. I want to make two points as we close.
First point: If you consistently reject the commandments of Jesus there is a problem. If you have an attitude that says, “I will do what I want. I will not submit to anyone, even Jesus,” there is a problem. Faith in Jesus brings the gift of the Holy Spirit who begins to lead us to a new way of living. If there is no sign of new life in a person who proclaims to be a Christian he is a hypocrite.
Here is the second point. When a Christian falls into disobedience he quickly confesses and repents. “God I am sorry. Help me to do better.” If he continues to practice disobedience and yet has true faith in Jesus, he will be disciplined by God. This is similar to what we do as human parents. If a child is disobedient we don’t kick him out of the family. We apply discipline. If you are a true child of God with sincere faith in Jesus, but you have stumbled, God does not boot you out of the Kingdom. He applies discipline to lead you to change your ways.
As long as your faith in Jesus is alive God will never reject you. He will, however, bring discipline into your life to correct you. God knows far better than we, that disobedience to Him is not helpful to us. Unchecked disobedience to God will ultimately lead us to pain and misery. Because God loves us He will not stand by idly and watch us self-destruct. The author of Hebrews says it clearly. Speaking to Christians who are undergoing physical, emotional, or spiritual pain we read. .. you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives” (Hebrews 12:4-6). Yes, God will punish us when we disobey Him. He does it because He loves us.
We need to distinguish between salvation and performance. Salvation is a gift. Jesus Christ suffered and died to secure that gift for us. Salvation is an either/or proposition. Either you trust in Jesus or you do not. Performance is different. Some Christians perform at a high level. Others perform at a lower level. When our performance does not meet God’s standard and there is no repentance, brace yourself. Divine discipline is coming.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO REPENTANCE?
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman
Whatever happened to repentance? A few years ago it was a common word heard in our churches, but we don’t hear the word today as much as we did in the past. Often today we hear the word faith used as the key word leading an unbeliever to eternal life. Sometimes that word faith is used with no reference to repentance. And yet when we read the New Testament faith and repentance seem to be two sides of a single coin. Indeed, the word repentance is often the word used to summarize the entire salvation process. Thus, in Luke’s version of the Great Commission (24:47) Jesus says that repentance and the forgiveness of sins must be preached in His name to all nations. We might have expected Jesus to say that the gospel should be preached, and indeed He does use that word at times, but here He does not say, “proclaim the gospel” but “proclaim repentance.” We note this same phenomena at the beginning of our Lord’s ministry. Where we might say, “Believe the Gospel and enter the Kingdom of God” Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matt. 3:2; 4:17).In Acts 26:20 Paul summarizes his preaching ministry by saying, “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.” We might have expected him to say that he preached Christ, or the Gospel, but in this case Paul says he preached repentance. We might expect to read in Scripture that faith leads to salvation, but in 2 Cor. 7:10 Paul says that repentance leads to salvation. It would not surprise to us read in Scripture that God commands all persons to come to Christ — to exercise faith in Him in order to receive the forgiveness of sins. In Acts 3:19, however, Peter says that repentance leads to the forgiveness of sins. Indeed, when the gospel was first preached in its fullness on the day of Pentecost, Peter did not say “Believe in Jesus and you will be saved.” He said, “Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins …” (Acts 2:38).
It is clear that this word “repentance” is a vital part of the biblical message. It is repeatedly tied to personal salvation. Thus, when we call people to faith it must be a faith that also embraces repentance. When we call persons to come to Christ for salvation we must also call them to repentance. There is no such thing as true faith apart from repentance, and therefore it behooves us to sharpen our understanding of the biblical word. Persons who have not experienced heartfelt, authentic, biblical repentance may think they are Christians, but there is no such thing as saving faith without repentance.
It is therefore of the utmost importance that we understand what true repentance is and how we may know if it is present in our lives. I fear that we have persons in our churches whose faith is unreal because it is a faith divorced from repentance. Many in our day have been told, “Just trust in Jesus and you will be saved” without also being told that without repentance true faith is impossible. What a terrible shock it will be to stand before the throne on judgment only to learn that one’s faith is insufficient — that we have never really come to a true faith in Christ because we have never come to true repentance. In order to make sure none of us are in that category let us take a closer look at a most important biblical word: REPENTANCE.
My aim is to define as clearly as I can the nature of true repentance. Your task is to examine your heart to see if true repentance is present there now — not last week or last year or when you first came to Christ — but NOW.
Most Christians have heard ministers explain that repentance in the Greek language means to change the mind. This “change of mind” involves several things. In the first place, when repentance is present in the heart of a believer there is a change of mind with respect to sin. Even sinners have some sense of the awfulness of their sins. However, the sinner does not hate his sins, but tends to excuse them. “Nobody’s perfect.” “I hope I do enough good to cancel out the sins I have committed.” “Everybody’s doing it.” “My sins are not as bad as other folks.”
Such language is never spoken by the mouth of a repentant believer in Jesus Christ. When true repentance is present in the mind there is an abhorrence of sin. Sin is seen to be detestable and vile. The repentant persons flees from sin. He hates the things he has done which have offended God. Is this you? Are you a person who has truly repented? — but there is more.
When we change our mind about sin we agree with God that our sins deserve to be punished — that we are unworthy to be in the presence of our Heavenly Father. The impenitent person may admit to being a sinner but does not see the seriousness of the situation. He does not feel the heat of God’s wrath against all who rebel against His holy commandments. When repentance grips the soul we agree with God that our sins will send us to hell. We feel in our hearts that hell is exactly what we deserve. Is this you? Are you a person who has truly repented? — but there is still more.
The repentant person sees careless sinners all around, and is moved with compassion to reach out to the lost. He knows that unless those who are his friends and family repent, they shall perish. He prays for their salvation. He looks for opportunities to share Christ, that those who know Him not might come under His gracious influence. Is this you? Are you a person who has truly repented? — but there is still more.
True repentance leads to a change in conduct. Because the repentant persons sees the vilness of all acts of rebellion against God, there is a real effort to live life in conformity with the will of God. Every act of disobedience brings grief to the soul and new prayers of repentance, along with prayers that God through the ministry of the Holy Spirit will help us become ever more faithful. Is this you? Are you a person who has truly repented.
Are these four marks of true repentance present in your life. Do you abhor sin? Do you acknowledge that your own sins are so heinous as to deserve the eternal wrath of God? Are you moved with compassion to reach out towards the unredemed who are carelessly and foolishly moving ever nearer to a Godless eternity? Are you growing in faithfulness?
Oh, but wait! We Disciples believe all we must do to find salvation is believe in Jesus. I don’t fit you description of repentance, but I believe in Jesus and therefore I am among the redeemed. Are you trying to confuse Jesus simple message of salvation?
When repentance is not included in our definition of faith we are badly distorting what the Bible means by “faith.” Who is Jesus? — Is He simply our teacher whom we strive to follow? If so, then repentance is unimportant. He is indeed the master Teacher, but He is more than that. —– Is He merely a human prophet who proclaimed some wonderful ideas about God? If He is nothing more than a great human prophet, then we can dispense with repentance.
The Bible tells us we need more help than can be offered by a teacher or prophet. The Bible reveals to us JESUS THE SAVIOR. And how does He save us? He saves us by and through His suffering and death on the cross. He bore our sins in His own body on the cross (1 Peter 2:24). If Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and if He suffered on the cross because of our sins, then repentance is critical. There can be no saving faith in Jesus the Savior apart from repentance.
The message of the New Testament is not simply “Believe!” Jesus message in Mark 1:15 at the beginning of His ministry was, “Repent and believe the good news.” Our Lord declared on another occasion, “Unless you repent, you too will all perish” (Luke 13:5). Paul declares that God commands all people everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30). Did you hear that? —– All persons are commanded by God to repent. The failure to do so leads to condemnation. Peter writes that God is “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). God does not desire the condemnation of anyone. He has done everything that needs to be done to bring the world to salvation. But He has also made it very clear that anyone wishing to do business with the True and Living God must come to God through the name of Jesus, our crucified Savior, and we must come with hearts full of repentance. Are you here (today) with a deep sense of repentance toward God in your heart? Yes, of course we must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ in order to be saved —– Do we also understand that there is no true faith without heartfelt repentance? May God grant to all of us that Godly sorrow which brings repentance that leads to salvation (2 Cor. 7:10).
BEWARE OF GRACE ROBBERS
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor
I have said it many times. Our salvation comes to us by the grace of God. We are forgiven of our sins and promised a home in heaven because of God’s grace. This morning I want us to be aware of things that can steal our grace.
We are familiar with Egyptian archaeologists who try to find treasures in the tombs of Egyptian kings. Unfortunately, often when they enter the tomb they find that some grave robber has been there before them. The one exception I am aware of is the tomb of King Tut which did seem to be intact and contained many wonderful Egyptian artifacts.
This morning I want to focus on grace robbers. Several things can enter our minds and hearts and steal away our dependence on the grace of God. Since it is the grace of God that brings salvation to us we must understand exactly what grace is, and how grace can be stolen from us.
We begin by asking the question, how is it that any of us are saved and have the assurance of God’s pardon and everlasting life? Our text from Ephesians chapter 2 is very clear. It is by grace you have been saved. Does that mean that while God’s grace is the primary factor bringing us salvation we must also contribute something to receive eternal life? Does God do 75% of the work and we do the remaining 25%? Or does God do 99.9% of the work but we still have to contribute our .01%? No, salvation is 100% completed by God’s grace.
Grace is such a valuable thing we never want to lose it. Grace is more valuable than gold or silver. Two thousand years ago, the Apostle Paul was in prison when he heard some false teachers were going around to the churches and teaching a doctrine that said Christians had to obey the Old Testament laws of God to be accepted by God. The theological label given to these false teachers was, “Judaizers,” because they were telling believers they had to live like law-abiding Jews before they could be real Christians. They were grace-robbers, and we have a new generation of them with us today. They stand in pulpits, teach Sunday School classes, write books, and fill the pews of many churches. They would never call themselves legalists or grace-robbers, but they just haven’t discovered the liberating power of grace. Because this is such a problem today, I’m going to devote this sermon to the matter of grace. I want all of you to “Beware of Grace-Robbers!”
I recall many years ago hearing a Sunday school teacher tell the children she was teaching that to be saved and go to heaven they had to obey the 10 commandments. Is that true? Do we trust in Jesus and that secures a portion of our salvation but to complete the process we must obey the 10 commandments? If that is indeed true then I fear none of us will ever see the Kingdom of heaven. We need to get it in our heads that salvation is 100% a matter of grace. God through his son Jesus Christ has done everything that needed to be done to secure our salvation. If you have the notion that God must do His part and you must do your part to secure your salvation, that is a lie. It is a grace-robbing idea.
Does God want us to obey the Ten Commandments? Yes, He does. Should we try to obey the Ten Commandments? Yes, we should. However, our ability to conform our lives to the Ten Commandments always falls short. The grace of God then enters the picture to assure us that through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus we have the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life if we will trust in Him. Paul spells it out for us in Galatians 2:16: We know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
A jailer in Acts chapter 16 asked Paul, what must I do to be saved? Paul answers that we don’t have to do anything. He said “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). Believing is not doing anything. Believing is simply trusting in Jesus Christ as your Savior. If you think there is anything you need to do to secure your salvation, someone has stolen grace from you. Paul’s heart was broken for his Jewish brothers and sisters. They were still trying to do something to merit eternal life. Paul wrote, : “They are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes” (Romans 10:2-4).
Jesus described salvation as a new birth in John Chapter 3. Think for a moment about your physical birth. I was born on March 3rd, 1936. I have never said, “Mom did her part and I did my part.” No, I was passive when I was born. I didn’t do anything. And when I was born again I didn’t do anything either. All I did was believe. Believing and doing are two different things.
J. Vernon McGee writes about a country boy down South years ago who wanted to join the church. In this church, the deacons examined everyone before they could join. They asked him, “How did you get saved?” His answer was, “God did his part, and I did my part.” They were a little concerned with this answer, so they asked him, “What was God’s part, and what was your part?” His answer is classic. He said, “God’s part was the saving, and my part was the sinning.” That is our only contribution to the salvation process.
Grace robber # 1 is to think we have to help God in the salvation process. If you have the notion that you did something good that contributed to your salvation you have run away from grace. It is grace alone and faith alone that saves us. Remember our text: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Faith is not an act of doing. Faith is simply the hand that reaches out to God to receive the gift of salvation.
Grace robber # 2 has to do with feelings. Years ago, I had a neighbor who affirmed that unless you felt God’s presence you were not really saved. He connected this “feeling” with speaking in tongues. If you did not speak in tongues, you would not have the feeling of God’s presence. Therefore, you are not saved. He was a kindly gentleman and a good neighbor but I believe he was mistaken in his theology. He was assuming that everyone’s spiritual experience of coming to Christ must be identical. I believe the salvation experience varies greatly from person to person and feelings have nothing to do with it.
Yes, I have to admit that when faith was born in my heart, I did feel the presence of God. I came to faith as an adult while many people simply grow up believing in Jesus and have no particular feelings about when they were converted. They just grew up believing in Jesus. Billy Graham’s wife was like that. She couldn’t tell you when she was converted, She was taught about Jesus from an early age and she grew up believing in Jesus.
Let me inject some bad humor. Be prepared to groan. Did you hear about the molecular biologist who discovered how to clone himself? He was so busy he decided to make a clone so he could accomplish twice as much. His clone looked identical to him, except for one major difference. While he was calm and soft-spoken, his clone turned out to be hot-tempered and foul-mouthed. His clone was constantly spouting obscenities and using filthy language with everyone. The scientist realized his problem but didn’t know how to get rid of his clone. So, he devised a plan. He invited his clone to accompany him to a tall mountain where they could stand on a cliff and watch a gorgeous sunset. As they stood there, the doctor said to his clone, “Isn’t this beautiful?” His clone said, “This is the blankity-blank-blankest stupid idea you’ve ever had.” Suddenly the scientist pushed his clone off the cliff and he fell to his death. Later the doctor was arrested and charged with a crime. Do you know what the crime was? Making an obscene clone fall.
Yes, we are all different. You do not have a clone who does everything identical to you. Our salvation experiences are all different. Salvation does not belong exclusively to this church. God will not ask you on judgment day if you joined the right church. He will ask you if you trust in the right Savior, Jesus. The issue is not “what did you feel when you trusted in Jesus?” It is simply, “Are you trusting in Jesus.”
Our summary to this point is simple. What do I have to do or what do I have to feel to know that I am a Christian? The answer is you don’t have to do anything and you don’t have to feel anything. You just have to believe in Jesus.
If you have concluded that grace means I can do whatever I like you have missed the point. If you think that grace means you can sin all you want to you are sadly mistaken. When you understand God’s grace you will want to obey His commands. You will want to obey the Ten Commandments, not to earn God’s favor but out of gratitude for His grace. Plus, life on this earth goes much better for us when we obey God. The difference between legalism and grace is in the MOTIVE behind your obedience. If you obey God with the belief it will improve your standing with God, or that He will love you less if you don’t, then grace is slipping away. But if you obey God because you love Him and know you are deeply loved, then you are basking in the warmth of His grace. I study my Bible because I want to. I pray because I want to. I go to the Lord’s Table because I want to. I preach the Gospel of Jesus because I want to. Do I think that these activities will improve my chances of being saved? Not a chance!
Grace changes us. The new birth changes us. We become new persons in Christ. I know there is nothing I can do to add to what Jesus has done to save me. He has done it all. My contribution was simply faith – – – believing in Jesus and what He has done for me.
One closing thought. If salvation is a gift to us from the grace of God based 100% on Jesus, why can’t I sin to my heart’s desire? Well, in a way you can. We need to make a distinction, however, between salvation and receiving God’s blessings in this life. Yes, as long as your faith in Jesus is genuine you are assured of a place in heaven. However, if you live a selfish, self-centered life disregarding the commands of God He will not bless your earthly life. He will discipline you. Your life will be miserable. And if you persist in living life disregarding the commands of God you may find that your faith will shrivel up. The only way to enjoy a blessed life now is to obey God. The only way to enjoy a blessed eternity is to trust Jesus.
What is grace? In a word, grace is Jesus. Grace is not a power or a force. It is a person. God loves you and wants to forgive you and shower His love upon you. God’s grace is all wrapped up in the person of Jesus. If you think you have to do something to merit God’s grace, it is no longer grace. If you think you have to feel a certain way to be sure of your salvation, grace is no longer grace. Trust Him and ask Him to fill your life with His presence. Don’t let anyone rob you of God’s amazing grace.
God’s Blueprint for the Church
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Romans 12:3 – 8 (NKJV) 3For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
There are many local churches in every corner of the world. We are one of those local churches. As we consider reflecting on the practical items which flow from salvation the question we are considering today is this: What is God’s blueprint for this church? What does a faithful church look like? And the most important question of all, how closely does the Warsaw Christian Church follow the divine blueprint?
First, there is a personal word addressed to each one of us. We are told to engage in a bit of personal evaluation. How do you view yourself? We are cautioned not to have too high an opinion of ourselves. We are not too look down on others in our church family. We are not to be full of self. There is no place for pride or arrogance in the Christian community. The ideal church blueprint calls for each member to practice humility. There is a call here for each one of us to reflect on our personalities. Some of us have strong personalities and strong opinions. Those among us who are more timid are sometimes intimidated by strong personalities. Jesus tells us here not to run roughshod over the feelings and opinions of others.
Another way to express this is to say that we must respect one another. If someone expresses an idea that is just plain wrong, you may not want to follow the idea, but respect the person. We all get things wrong sometimes, like the old German man who came to America but was slow to pick up on our language and customs. He and his wife received a wedding invitation, and at the bottom were the initials “RSVP.” They tried and tried to figure out what those initials meant. Finally, the husband declared, “I tink I understand it! It is a vedding invitation, right? So, RSVP must mean, Reqvest send vedding present.” Well, he got it wrong, and sometimes your brothers and sisters in the church get things wrong. Jesus calls us to respect one another and not to be all high and mighty about how superior we are. Our text reminds us that God gives the gifts we possess for use in the church of Christ, so we have nothing to boast about, and looking down on others is just plain contrary to the mind and will of Christ. Therefore, think about yourself with humility, and think about others with respect.
God desires that His church be characterized by unity. As we learn to love and respect one another, unity prevails in the church. A church characterized by disputes, arguments, hurt feelings, gossip, the rejection of one another, or a lack of respect for the feelings and opinions of others will never be a church that is of any use to the Kingdom of God. Back in Romans 2:24, Paul stated that the name of God is blasphemed when God’s people fail to act in love. We are representatives of Jesus Christ. Let us not act in such a way that His name is ridiculed because of us. The problem we must overcome lies in the next part of our text. God gives to each of us various gifts, abilities, and ministries which we are to perform in the Body of Christ. There are no spectators in the church. Our problem is that because some may be more gifted than others, feelings of jealousy sometimes emerge.
We are always to remember that we belong to one another. We are a body of believers, with Christ as our head. As we listen to Him and move according to His will, there will be unity and harmony in the church. We are all gifted by God in a variety of ways. We need each other. The closer we are to Christ, the closer we shall be to each other. If we drift away from the Savior, personal relationship problems will erupt in the church. When I think of God’s blueprint for the church, I can think of nothing more fundamental than that we love and respect one another. If we view one another through the eyes of Christ, we will see a group of beautiful people. If we fail here, the rest of God’s blueprint for the church will collapse.
Let us move on to some of the details contained in God’s blueprint for the church. I love this list of spiritual gifts or charismata used by Paul. Paul’s list of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 13 intimidates some Christians. There we find lots of supernatural stuff. Miracles, healings, speaking in tongues, the interpretation of tongue, discernment of spirits. Many Christians look at that list and say, “I have none of those gifts, so I guess I am not very spiritual.” Today, we set aside 1 Corinthians 13 and focus on our text from Romans. Except for the first item mentioned, every one of us, young or old, can manifest the gifts Paul enumerates in our text.
We begin with the gift of prophecy. Certainly, in the first century, the gift of prophecy referred to men like Paul and Peter, James and John, men inspired by the Spirit who wrote the New Testament. Whether or not anyone today is an inspired prophet in that sense is a debated issue in the church. We will not join that debate this morning. However, prophecy also has a secondary meaning. It refers to one who proclaims the Gospel and Christian truth as revealed in the Bible. Several commentaries believe this is the primary meaning of the New Testament gift of prophecy (MacArthur, Lenski). Thus, when a preacher preaches biblical truth centered on Jesus with the anointing of the Holy Spirit, that is a prophecy in the lesser sense. Your prayers for your pastors will help enable that gift to be manifested.
The next gift mentioned is that of ministering. The Greek word is “diakonia” which basically means “to serve.” Our word “deacon” derives from the Greek word. All of us, regardless of age, are capable of manifesting this gift. It refers to those things we do which serve others. Diakonia is when we reach out a helping hand to another. A kind word, a card sent to the sick, a visit to one in the hospital, an encouraging phone call, a meal for the bereaved, serving as an elder or deacon or in some other capacity – – – there are many opportunities for us to serve one another. Even those confined to bed can serve others through their prayers. Has God called you to service? Then serve with enthusiasm and joy.
Paul next mentions the gift of teaching. It is a special form of service. If you can teach others the great truths and principles of the Christian faith, that is a wonderful service. Maybe teaching is not your gift, but we thank God for those in our midst who exercise this gift. I have hundreds of books written by men and women who have taught me much about the Christian faith. I always benefit from the teaching of Sandy or Nathan or Tom in our adult class. All of us have benefited from those who teach. When it is done prayerfully, and in the power of the Spirit, it is a wonderful gift.
The next item on the list is “exhortation,” also translated as encourage. Again, we are never too old to encourage others. All of us who can speak can speak words of encouragement. The one who exhorts takes the messages of Scripture and encourages others to act upon them. Last week we heard Paul exhorting us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. We all get discouraged at times. We grow weary in well-doing. Sometimes Christians want to throw in the towel and give up. We need people who encourage us to continue in the faith. Is God calling you to be an encourager? All of us need encouragement through life, and how we appreciate those who speak words of encouragement to us. Need I point out that there is no spiritual gift of negative criticism? We seem to be able to carry out that activity without any help from God!
I recall several years ago when Kevin Ray unexpectedly left the ministry of Disciple Renewal. This left me with the task of planning our annual conference with very little time. I recall the comments of several ministers after the conference. One said, “I hope next year’s conference is better planned than this one.” Ouch, that hurt, but others said, “This year’s conference so blessed us.” The church has enough critics and complainers. What is needed is encouragement. Pray and ask God if He wants you to be an encourager, and then do it.
Next is the gift of giving. All of us can serve God in this manner. We all have income, some more, some less. If you feel there is not much you can do in the Kingdom of God, you can always give. We are all called to promote the work of Christ’s church through our giving, but some are abundantly blessed and are called to give generously out of their plenty. When we give to local or world missions or personally to help another in need, we are fitting our lives into God’s blueprint for the church.
Paul next mentions leadership. Every church needs leaders who lead with grace. If God has placed you in a leadership position, you have an important calling. Paul says, “lead with diligence.” That means to lead with efficiency. Leaders are not to rule with an iron hand, lording it over those they lead. We are to lead in the Spirit of Jesus. Christian leadership is dripping with love.
Finally is the gift of showing mercy, again, something we can all do. God has mercifully forgiven us in Christ. In the world and also in the church, there is much suffering and sorrow. Many Christians struggle with guilt and feelings of failure. The merciful reach out to them with love and without condemnation. When we are down on ourselves, how blessed it is to have a brother or sister approach us with mercy, assuring us of the love and forgiveness of God.
The list we have looked at is certainly not exhaustive. There are many ways that God’s people are gifted. Our text contains a list we can all embrace. We can all find a place in God’s blueprint for the church. We proclaim the Gospel, we teach, we encourage, we give, we lead, and we show mercy. None of us are useless in the church.
I see many of these gifts operating in our church in Warsaw, and I thank God for each one. As many have said, “When all else fails, follow the directions.” Here we have some clear and specific directions for our church. The church thrives as we find our place of service and carry it out in the right spirit. We do not all have the same function. As we work together, each one finding that unique way in which we can serve, God’s blueprint moves off the drawing board and becomes a reality.
WHAT IS A LIVING SACRIFICE?
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: Romans 12:1 – 2I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
The Book of Romans is divided into two main sections. In Chapters 1-8 the mphasis is on salvation. In Chapters 9-11 Paul focused on the Jewish question. In Chapters 12_16 the focus is on personal ethics. How should we live as redeemed children of God? It is vitally important that we understand first that we are saved/justified by faith and by faith alone. By faith, we renounce any and all attempts to save ourselves, and we turn the matter over to Jesus. He is the Savior.
Once that basic truth is grasped, then what? Paul explains what follows in Chapters 12-16. Our text today lays an essential foundation. The first word in the Greek text is the word “therefore.” Therefore, certain things will follow because of what God has done for us in Christ. Paul beseeches or urges us to pay close attention to what he says and what he does not say. He does not say, “I urge you because you are such a wonderful and talented person”… He does not say. “I beseech you as one who has earned God’s favor through your good works…” He urges us to certain behavior changes based solely on one factor: THE MERCY OF GOD.
Paul wants us to take a hard look at the mercy of God. We who deserve nothing except God’s eternal wrath have been lifted from the pit of hell and placed into the Kingdom of God because God chose to be merciful to us. God’s mercy is now extended to the world on one condition: faith in His Son, Jesus. We who have done nothing to deserve God’s favor can receive it by faith because God is merciful. We are so familiar with the Gospel message we may lose sight of its power. God has extended to us, the unworthy, a place in His eternal Kingdom. Our entire hope in this life and forever is rooted in the word “MERCY.”
Why does Paul urge us rather than command us to respond to the mercy of God? He could have said, “I command you in the name of the Lord Jesus…” but instead, he urges or admonishes us to respond. Luther suggested that God does not want us to respond out of duty to a command. Instead, he wants us to respond willingly and freely out of appreciation for what He has done for us. The issue here is not, “Do this or you are damned.” It is instead “Do this out of love and appreciation for what God has done for you.”
Therefore Paul urges us to respond to the mercy of God in a reasonable, logical manner. The Greek term he uses is “logikos.” We can recognize our word “logic” (“reason”) from the Greek term. What Paul urges us to do is to present our bodies as living sacrifices. He states that this is the only reasonable thing to do. It is illogical and unreasonable to accept God’s mercy with all the benefits and refuse to serve Him. Such benefits as total forgiveness of our sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit, peace with God, access to God, and the love of God shed abroad in our hearts, culminating in life everlasting.
Paul, who speaks with apostolic/divine authority, appeals to all who believe in Jesus to present their bodies as a living sacrifice unto God. But what does it mean to present your body as a living sacrifice? It can only mean that we offer our entire selves in service to God in thanksgiving for what He has done for us. Jesus presented Himself on our behalf as a dead sacrifice, dying to satisfy the justice of God. Sin must be punished. His death was vicarious. We, in contrast, are to be living sacrifices. We are to be persons whose highest aim in life is to serve God. It is the only reasonable response to the mercy of God.
The implications of what Paul says are enormous. His summary of what this means is expressed first negatively. “Do not be conformed to this world.” And then positively, “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” We all live under terrific pressure to conform to the world around us. Paul understands that the influence of Satan in the world is potent. We read in 1 John 5:19, “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” Paul refers to the age in which we live as “evil” (Gal. 1:4). It is evil because of the presence of Satan, the “god” of this age (2 Cor. 4:4). If you have a TV in your home, you know the truth of these inspired statements.
While this notion of non-conformity to the world has sweeping implications touching every aspect of life — political, economic, psychological, social, religious, etc. — I want our focus to be specifically on the moral implications. Morally, we must not conform to the world. We march to the tune of a different drummer. We could list examples at this point, but instead, let us focus on the principle: As you live your life with faith in Jesus, let His will transform your mind. Present yourself to Him as a living sacrifice, a person who lives to carry out His will. This is the only reasonable, logical response to the mercy of God.
If we take Paul seriously, we will be non-conformists in every respect. If we don’t take Paul seriously, what right do we have to claim that we are Christians? As Christians, we will not make moral decisions based on what the politicians say, or what Hollywood says, or by what we see on TV, or what our friends and neighbors say. Instead, the Christian mind will embrace the Bible’s comprehensive worldview. If non-Christians look at us and see no difference in how we live and how they live, there is a problem.
This new way of life does not come about easily. It is not something we can achieve in our own strength. God gives us two aids in the renewing of our minds. First, he gives us Holy Scripture so we can fill our minds with the thoughts of God. Second, He gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit, who enables us to think straight and to apply the Scriptures rightly. The Bible provides us with the data we need in our minds, while the Holy Spirit enlightens our understanding and helps us apply God’s Word to specific situations.
Whenever we read in Scripture words urging us to certain ways of thinking and acting, we have to ask ourselves the hard question. Is my life one of conforming to the world, or have I presented myself to Jesus as a living sacrifice? Does the world guide my daily decisions, or does Jesus?
None of us, of course, ever reaches the level of absolute conformity to the will of God. When God’s high moral standards are set before us in terms of divine law, we face a “mission impossible” situation. Israel declared three times in Exodus that they would keep all the Lord’s commands (19:8; 24:3; 24:7). God told them that despite their pledge, they would fail, and fail they did. Is our moral power of a higher level than that of the ancient Jews? I hardly think so. The reason why God saves us through his mercy is that there is no other way. The only other option would be to require absolute obedience, the very thing we cannot obtain.
Why, then, does Scripture speak to us regarding God’s absolute requirements if we cannot live up to them? We don’t consistently present our lives unto God as a living sacrifice. We are all too often living in conformity with the secular standards of the world. Our minds are not perfectly transformed into the mind of Christ. So what is the point? The point is that once we realize that despite our miserable failure to live up to God’s requirements, God has mercifully forgiven us. Now we want to know how we can live to please God. If pleasing God is not your highest purpose in life, what do you mean when you say, “I am a Christian?” God cannot weaken His standards. He cannot say, “Do the best you can.” He must say, “You, therefore, must be perfect.” He cannot ask us to present ourselves in service to God on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. He must require that we be a living sacrifice daily.
God’s absolute standards now become a test for us to evaluate the reality of our faith. God knows that if we truly understand His mercy, and if we have embraced Jesus as our suffering Savior, we will want to give our best to the Master. We will want to aim high in our daily lives. Maybe I cannot present myself to God daily as a living sacrifice in a manner that conforms 100% to His will, but I am so thankful for His mercy that I want to try. I want to know the standards, and I want to aim for them. Don’t you?
Those who declare, “I am a Christian,” but then live in conformity to the world, giving little serious thought to serving God, are running the risk of destroying their faith. Faith lives and grows when we are striving for faithfulness. But unfortunately, faith is weakened and may eventually die in the hearts of those who take their cues from this fallen world.
One concluding thought. Paul ends by saying that those who strive for faithfulness, who want to be a living sacrifice, will know the will of God. Many seek the will of God in some new revelation. Paul says you cannot help but discover the will of God as you live your life in a way that reflects your undying appreciation for the mercy of God. The way we live reflects what we believe. If we live for this world, it is a sign that we have no genuine faith in Jesus. If we desire to live for Jesus, even though our efforts are imperfect, it is a sure sign that we have understood and embraced God’s incredible mercy. I close as I began, with the words of our text: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
INDEPENDENCE SUNDAY, 2022
Patrick Henry
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor
On this independence Sunday, I want to share a few thoughts with you about a Great American patriot, Patrick Henry. In particular, I want to read in your hearing excerpts from a short speech he made at a church in Richmond, VA on March 23rd, 1775 and make a few comments on it. But before we hear this stirring call to freedom again let us recall a bit of history. In March of 1775, the American colonies were on the brink of war with England.
Patrick Henry was a respected leader in the revolutionary era. He served in the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1776 and as governor of Virginia from 1776 to 1779. He was instrumental in having the Bill of Rights added to the constitution.
On March 23rd, 1775, the second revolutionary convention met at a church in Richmond, VA. The question before the budding nation was a crucial one. Shall we continue to submit to British rule, or shall we go to war to free ourselves from foreign domination? Many of the colonists had close ties to England and wanted the colonies to continue under British rule. Others we’re tired of the numerous injustices received at the hands of their British overlords. They were ready to go to war. Several speeches were made at the revolutionary convention calling for pacifism, yielding to British demands, and continued British domination. Many feared that the ill-equipped colonies would be no match for the highly trained armies of the redcoats. Some liked the security of British rule and feared that disaster would result if that stability were removed.
As the debate raged in Richmond, ship after ship arrived from England, and as more and more British troops poured into the American shores, it seemed clear to many that the handwriting was on the wall. Great Britain was preparing to squelch any rebellion in the American colonies through the use of military power. Those who were calling for peace at any price hoped to avoid bloodshed. Others preferred death to British oppression. Several speakers finished their presentations. Some call for negotiations, peace talks, appeasement, or virtual surrender to the British. Listen now as Patrick Henry rises to speak.
“The question before the house is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery, and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject there ought to be freedom in our debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offence, I should consider myself as guilty of treason toward my country and an act of disloyalty toward the majesty of heaven which I Revere above all earthly kings.
Let us not, I beseech you, deceive ourselves longer. Sirs, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on us. We have petitioned; We have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded, and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne.
Besides Sirs, we shall not fight or battle alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us
The battle Sirs is not to the strong alone; It is for the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, Sirs, we have no choice if we were base enough to desire it it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged – – – their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston. The war is inevitable, and let it come! I repeat it Sirs let it come. Van Holman may cry “ peace peace” but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next Gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms. Our brethren are already in the field. Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentleman wish? What would they have? Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but As for me, give me liberty or give me death.”
A few short weeks later, on April 19th, 1775, hostilities broke out, and a bloody war commenced which lasted until October 1781. Finally, in 1783 the great nations of Europe approved the Treaty of Paris, which recognized the United States of America as a free and sovereign nation.
Men like Patrick Henry were instrumental in creating this nation we enjoy today. I want to point out two things from his speech that will help us understand why God’s blessings have been upon this nation, and why we can anticipate the withdrawal of divine favor and protection when the principles that guided Patrick Henry are no longer present in our national life.
First, Patrick Henry’s crucial speech clearly reflects his personal faith in God. He was a Christian politician in the true sense, a politician who incorporated his faith into his understanding of the world around him. In his will there appeared the following statement: “I have now disposed of all my property to my family. There is one more thing that I wish I could give to them. That is the Christian religion. If they had that and I had not given them one shilling, they would have been rich; and if they had not that and I had given them the world, they would be poor.”
Patrick Henry was a Christian. He said, “I Revere God above all earthly things.” He encouraged the colonies to trust in God, and since their cause was just and right, he believed God would lead them to victory. May God give us politicians today who are unashamed to name the name of Jesus, and who believe that God rules in the affairs of nations, and only those nations who submit to the only true God can expect to succeed. And may God give us ordinary citizens who look at life through the lens of faith. May God give us churches that shine as beacons of divine truth in this land so that our country can truly be one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Second, in his famous statement memorized by every American schoolchild, (or at least it used to be), give me liberty or give me death, you hear a principle rarely understood today with the clarity which existed several hundred years ago. We have never known anything but freedom. We have become much too selfish and materialistic as a people. Some Americans used to say, better red than dead. We need to recapture the appreciation for freedom that motivated Patrick Henry. He had lived under British oppression and now was beginning to taste the sweetness of freedom. His preference for death over slavery became a rallying cry which inspired a nation.
What is our preference today? Would we prefer to live life under oppression? Do we still understand that life without freedom is not worth living? There is only one kind of person who is willing to give his life for the cause of freedom, and that is a person who believes in God, who believes in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the eternal life which he promised. Those who have been set free by Jesus Christ from the chains of slavery to sin, self, and death, cannot abide the thought of living in slavery, whether political, religious or otherwise. Christians know that we have an eternity of freedom to enjoy, and prefer death to life in bondage. It was this spirit that forged this nation, the United States of America. It is this spirit that will sustain this nation in the present and the future. It is the absence of that spirit that will spell the ultimate collapse of this great nation.
Life in America has changed a lot in the past several 100 years since the Declaration of Independence. Yet we are still the freest and most prosperous people on the face of the earth. Strident voices are crying out today, get God out of government out of the schools out of the marketplace. They are foolish cries because, in the words of Patrick Henry, there is a just God who presides over the destiny of nations. Our God rules over the affairs of nations. He is present in our schools and our marketplaces. The will and wishes of man cannot remove him. We have only two choices: submit to God as individuals, as a church, as a nation, and expect his blessings to follow. Or, turn away from Him, push Him out of national life, and reap his judgment. The one thing we cannot do is banish God from the affairs of men. He will not be banished. The nations of the world are as clay in the hands of the almighty, and no nation can resist his will. It is true today and has always been true. Blessed is that nation whose God is the Lord.
Let us call to mind these divinely revealed truths. 2 Chronicles 7:14 – 15 (NKJV) 14if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.
“Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales” (Isa. 40:15). “If any nation does not listen (to me), I will completely uproot and destroy it” (Jer. 12:17). Do you believe that? What will happen if America becomes a godless state? God will uproot and destroy this nation.
Let us join our prayers to thousands of other Christians and implore our Father in heaven to restore our nation. Let us implore Almighty God to give us political leaders like Patrick Henry, Christian men, and women who understand that God rules in the affairs of nations. There are political leaders in power today who want the United States to be a secular, godless state. They want God removed from politics, schools, and public life. They have enjoyed much success as our nation becomes more and more secular. Here is the truth. Remove God from public life and you will soon lapse into political slavery. If God does not rule, Godless men and women will rule. And when God is removed from public life and we are ruled by godless politicians slavery will be the final result. If this drift toward a secular society continues you can kiss your freedom goodbye.
James Madison, the chief architect of our Constitution, said this: “We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, so sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.” Like Patrick Henry, he understood the relationship between freedom and faith n God.
Many politicians close their speeches with the words, “God bless the United States of America.” God will bless our nation if we acknowledge our faith in Him. Where God rules, freedom prevails. We need an army of political leaders like Patrick Henry who understand that “blessed is that nations whose God is the Lord.” We need political leaders today who can say, “Give me liberty, or give me death.”
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor
This sermon is a follow-up to Romans 9-11. I did not address fully a question that has plagued theologians for centuries. What is the nature of the Kingdom of God? Is it a future kingdom that will unfold on this earth during a one-thousand-year period called “the millennium?” Will it be a time when Israel shall receive the kingdom promised to them in many Old Testament Scriptures? At the time of the second coming, will Jesus reign for one thousand years on earth? I have a three-volume commentary on the Bible which goes over Scripture after Scripture to conclude that the kingdom promised to Israel will be realized on earth with the return of Jesus, the King of the Jews. Here are two examples from the Old Testament. Ought ye not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the Kingdom over Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons (2 Chronicles 13:5) Then I will establish the throne of thy Kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel (1 Kings 9:5). Many sincere Christians believe there will be an earthly thousand-year reign with Christ ruling as King of Israel.
Others, myself included, have a different understanding of the Kingdom of God. God declared in the Old Testament that a new covenant was coming. It was to be different than the Old Covenant, which Israel broke. Jesus declared that He was inaugurating the Kingdom of God, stating that the kingdom was at hand (Matt. 3:2, 4:17). The Kingdom of God under the New Covenant took on a new form. It was not an earthly kingdom as it was under the Old Covenant. Jesus said the Kingdom of God is invisible. It is not a physical kingdom that can be observed. It exists in the hearts of those who love and trust Jesus. The Old Covenant with its visible theocratic kingdom was displaced. In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. (Hebrews 8:13). If the Old Covenant is obsolete and ready to vanish away in the first century, I conclude that it has vanished along with the promises of an earthly kingdom.
But doesn’t the Old Testament declare that God’s rule through David and his successors is eternal? Yes, from God’s side the promises to Israel were eternal. But Israel broke the covenant. “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more” (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
It seems clear to me that God planned to vacate the Old Covenant because of Israel’s unfaithfulness. The New Covenant centers on the forgiveness of sins and God’s truth living in our hearts. The details of Jeremiah’s prophecy are worked out in the New Testament. Note these words of Jesus: Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the Kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:20). The Pharisees were thinking of an earthly kingdom. Jesus replies that the Kingdom of God cannot be seen with the eyes. It is already present within the hearts of those who trust in Jesus. Jesus was clear that when He arrived the Kingdom of God arrived. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the Kingdom of God has come upon you (Matthew 12:28).
Jesus declared that the Kingdom of God would be taken from Israel and given to a nation bearing fruit. Jesus told a parable to illustrate this truth. Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 34 Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. 35 And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 37 Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?” 41 They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’? 43 “Therefore I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it (Matthew 21: 31-43).
What is this new nation? It seems He is referring to the church, made up of Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus. Peter describes Christians in these words, But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light… (1 Peter 2:9). Peter refers to Christians as a “holy nation.” Israel, as a nation, ceased to be God’s holy nation. The church, made up of all races and peoples, languages, and cultures, became God’s chosen people. The church is the Israel of God. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. (Galatians 6:16).
If you ask the question, “Who are the children of Abraham?” The Old Covenant answer is “the people of Israel; the Jews.” But notice the shift that has occurred with the coming of Jesus. If you ask Paul, “Who are the children of Abraham?” he answers this way. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:29). Those who belong to Christ are the seed of Abraham. The promises God gave to Abraham are fulfilled in the Christian community. Those who belong to Christ are the true heirs of the promises God made to Abraham.
But doesn’t this mean that God broke His promise to Israel to establish his covenant with them forever? Hear the Word of God in Hebrews 8:6: But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. Think of it like this. If I promised to give you $100 if you cleaned out my garage and said, “This promise is good forever.” You worked on cleaning my garage and did a wonderful job. Then I said to you, “I have decided to give you $500 because you did such a wonderful job” Would you complain and say, “You promised me $100, and now you have broken your promise!” Probably not! I gave you something better than what I promised.
God did not break His promise to Israel. On the contrary, he gave them something better than an earthly kingdom. God’s promises to Isreal were conditioned upon their faithfulness.
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine (Exodus 19:5). Isaiah says, The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, Because they have transgressed the laws, Changed the ordinance, Broken the everlasting covenant. God’s promise to keep the covenant forever was based upon God’s unchanging nature. Israel’s task was to keep the covenant. Notice the word “if” in the above text. If you obey me and keep my covenant, then God’s blessings would follow, but Israel failed. They broke the everlasting covenant. How would have done it if we were under the Old Covenant? Would we obey God’s voice? Would we keep His commandments? We know the answer. Like Israel, we need a New Covenant not based on our performance but based on the performance of Jesus. We need a covenant based on forgiveness, not on our ability to keep God’s commandments. And that is what we have.
I suppose God might have said to Israel, “I am done with you! You have violated my covenant again and again. You embrace false gods. You engage in magic and other detestable things. I am done with you!” Paul stresses in Romans 11 that God has not forsaken Israel. Instead, he offers them a better covenant, a covenant of grace. Instead of an earthly kingdom, He promises them an eternal heavenly kingdom. If the Jewish people believe in their Messiah, Jesus, they will find forgiveness and eternal life. And the new covenant is expanded to include Gentiles (us!) as well. Paul describes us as wild branches attached to the tree of salvation. Many Jews were broken off because of unbelief. But many Jews in Paul’s day embraced Jesus. They are described as a remnant.
When Jesus established the New Covenant, the old covenant faded away. Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant… (Hebrews 13:20). At the Lord’s Supper, we read these words. Likewise, He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you (Luke 22:20). Jesus shed blood is the foundation of the New Covenant. All who believe He spilled His blood for us and thereby brought the forgiveness of sins into reality will find a place in God’s eternal kingdom.
If the Kingdom of God is present with us now, why did Jesus ask us to pray, “Thy kingdom come” in the Lord’s prayer? Yes, while the Kingdom of God is present today, we pray that His Kingdom will be present in our hearts. We are praying that we will be faithful citizens in God’s Kingdom. The kingdom is present in the hearts of all who believe. We pray that our lives will reflect honor to our King, Jesus.
Despite what I have shared with you this morning, to be fair I have to add that many good Christians disagree. There are Christians who look for an earthly Millennial kingdom with Israel as the central country. They do not look for heaven to begin until after a 1000-year earthly millennium. They teach seven years of earthly tribulation will precede the millennium. They look for the church to be raptured out of the world before the millennium begins and then return with the second coming of Jesus. Those who hold this viewpoint are seeking to be faithful to Scripture, as am I. I respect them even though I do not agree. It’s simply a reminder that good Christians do not always agree about what the Bible teaches. All who agree with the basic Gospel message and the authority of the Bible are welcome here.
I have given you a lot of Scripture this morning. I will close with a summary. The coming of Jesus, the Messiah, brought great changes. No longer was the earthly kingdom promised under the Old Covenant to be realized. Jesus brought something better. Instead of a $100 earthly kingdom, Jesus brought a Million dollar heavenly kingdom based on God’s grace and forgiveness. That kingdom is available to Jews and Gentiles alike. We enter that kingdom by faith, and we remain there as long as faith is alive.
GOD AND THE JEWS
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Background Text: Romans 9-11
Some of the sermons I prepare are more difficult than others. This one has been extremely difficult for me. We will cover a lot of historical and theological data, and I fear I may put some of you to sleep! But, if you can stay with me, I promise there is an important practical side to this sermon.
When the issue of God’s relationship with the Jewish people arises, we find a variety of opinions in the Christian world. Two major questions arise. First, what about eternal salvation for the Jewish people? Second, will Israel play any role at the end of the age? The second question is the more difficult of the two, and time will not allow an examination of both questions. Therefore, our focus will be on the question of salvation for the Jewish people.
I am not reading a text this morning. As we proceed, I will read or refer to various sections from Romans 9-11. One of the main themes in these three chapters is the Jewish question. God was intimately involved with the Jewish people for centuries, but it seemed that the Gospel was going mainly to the Gentiles in Paul’s day. In the early part of Chapter 9, Paul laments that so few Jewish people are coming to faith. He longs for their salvation. He even states that he would be willing to lose his own salvation if that would save the Jewish people. But, he also knows that he cannot do anything to affect the salvation of the Jews. What needs to be done for them has already been done, not by Paul, but by Jesus. Jesus is the Messiah of Israel, their Savior. All the children of Israel, then and now, can receive salvation by accepting their Messiah.
Paul makes a crucial distinction in his discussion of Israel. He says in Romans 9:6, “For they are not all Israel who are of Israel” Here, Paul points out that the word “Israel” has two meanings. It can refer to ethnic/national Israel, or it can refer to believing/spiritual Israel. All Jews belong to ethnic Israel, but only some belong to spiritual Israel. Paul clarifies that spiritual Israel consists of Jews, like himself, who believe in Jesus as the Messiah and Savior. Paul declares in Romans 11:1: “I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.” The first Christians were Jews like Paul. God never rejected Israel, but the point is that God never promised to save every single Jew. No person, Jew or Gentile, can be saved apart from faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 10:9 says, “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.” These words apply to one and all, Jew and Gentile alike.
Paul uses the illustration of an olive tree to make his point. It is the tree of salvation. God desires that all Jews come to accept Jesus as their Messiah and be saved. All Jews have access to the tree of salvation, but many were broken off – – – cut of from the salvation God provided. Why? Those broken off were Jews who failed to embrace Jesus, but not all Jews fit into that category. There has always been a “spiritual” or believing Israel. In Romans 9:27, Paul quotes from the prophet Isaiah.27Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea,The remnant will be saved.As those of you who buy or collect material know, a remnant is just a small piece of the whole. Even under the Old Covenant, a distinction was made between Israel, the nation, and believing Israel, the remnant. Just as we today cannot say, “Because I am a member of the church, I am one of God’s chosen people,” neither can a Jew say, “Because I am an Israelite, I am one of God’s chosen people.” Just as there are two Israels, so also there are two churches. Theologians sometimes use the terms “visible church” and “invisible church.” The visible church consists of all those around the world who belong to a church. The invisible church consists of those who have true faith in the Messiah.
Let me try to summarize the road we have traveled thus far. Paul discusses this: Why has God turned to the Gentiles in such great numbers while the Jews seem to be rejected? What about God’s promises to Israel? Those promises have not failed. God has never abandoned His covenant people.
In the process of his argument regarding the state of the Jews, Paul issues a warning to those of us who are Gentiles. We are grafted into the tree of salvation by faith. If that faith does not continue, we, too, will be broken off. Thus, he writes in Romans 11:20 – 21 in reference to unbelieving Israel . . . Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. We Gentiles in the church cannot assume that we shall be saved based on our church membership or because we were once baptized in water. We possess salvation and everlasting life by faith – – – by faith – – – by faith, and if we allow faith to die, we too shall be separated from the grace of God. There are church members who lack true faith, and there are people of faith who, for one reason or another, have no church home.
We think of Israel as an elect nation, elected by God. When we hear the word “election,” we need to ask, Election for what? At this point, we need to distinguish between two types of election. There is an election to service and an election to salvation. God certainly elected national Israel for a grand and glorious service. National Israel was to prepare the world to receive God’s Messiah. God’s election of Israel to play a key role in the drama of redemption does not mean that every Jew will be elected to salvation. Paul spells out how Israel fulfilled her election to service in Romans 9:4 – 5 (ICV): They were God’s chosen children. They have the glory of God and the agreements that God made between himself and his people. God gave them the law of Moses and the right way of worship. And God gave his promises to them. 5 They are the descendants of our great ancestors, and they are the earthly family of Christ. Christ is God over all. Praise him forever! Amen.
When the Messiah arrived on the scene, Israel had fulfilled her election to service. It was the greatest possible service to bring forth the Messiah. But again, we have to note that a call to service is not a guarantee of personal salvation. God called Assyria to punish unfaithful Israel when they had strayed so far from faith in Jehovah. Assyria performed a service for God, but service must always be distinguished from salvation. The Assyrians were by no means a redeemed people, but they did perform a service for God. Judas was called to serve Jesus as an Apostle, and he did serve in this manner. However, when he lost faith in Jesus, he also lost all hope of personal salvation. Service and salvation are two different things. I believe I am called to serve Christ as a minister of the Gospel. Does that call to service guarantee my personal salvation? Absolutely not! My salvation is based on one thing only: faith in Jesus Christ. Are there ministers who serve God but who lack personal faith in Jesus? Having once been in that category, sadly, yes, there are.
National Israel was called to a special and unique service. The Jewish people were also called to salvation. Israel’s unique service was performed by the entire nation. Israel’s call to salvation only benefits those who believe. If many Jews refuse to believe in their Messiah, does that mean that God’s call to Israel has failed? Paul would say, “Of course not!” He reminds us once again that the situation in his day is no different from in the past. Elijah despaired that the entire nation of Israel had turned away from God. Elijah laments, “Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”? But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace “(Romans 11:3-5).Again, national Israel includes every Jewish person. Spiritual Israel consists of Jews with true faith in their Messiah.
Please notice Paul’s phrase, “election of grace.” There is a difference between election to service and the election of grace. Paul uses Israel to illustrate the point he labored to make in Chapters 1-8. Just because we may serve God does not mean we are saved. That would be salvation by works or merit, and Paul repudiates the idea that our works earn salvation for us. The election of grace hinges on one single factor – – – faith in God and God’s Messiah.
Why does Paul labor so hard to assure us that God has not forsaken His covenant people? Many early Christians may have wondered, “Can we really trust God to save us? Israel was an elect nation. They were entrusted with the Law of God. The Messiah was a Jew, born into the nation of Israel. But it seems now that God has turned His back on Israel.” If God has not kept His promises to Israel, will He keep His promise to redeem us through faith in Jesus?
Paul makes it clear that God loves the Jewish people, then and now. The anti-Semitism so prevalent in many societies even today places you in opposition to God. To hate the Jews is to hate God. Radical Islam seeks to destroy Israel, but it will never happen. God has promised to protect the Jewish people forever. One of the greatest miracles we have seen in our lifetime is the restoration of Israel to her ancient homeland. The Jews managed to maintain their identity for 2000 years without a homeland. Where are the other ancient nations which were conquered and dispersed? Where are the Amorites, the Moabites, the Hittites? They were assimilated by the nations that conquered them, and they lost their ancient identity. Why didn’t that happen to Israel? Because they are a special people. Paul writes in Romans 11:28 – 29these words concerning the Jews: Concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. God loves the Jewish people even though they are, for the most part, enemies of the Gospel. If God loves the Jews, so must we. For the sake of His promises to their fathers, Israel is forever beloved of God. When God makes a promise, it is irrevocable.
Israel survives today because God has promised to redeem them if they turn to their Messiah, Jesus. If Israel had ceased to exist like the Moabites and Amorites, they would have no opportunity to believe. Many Bible scholars believe that there will be a mass conversion of the Jews to faith in Jesus in the last days. We don’t have the time to delve into that issue. The main point for us is to realize that God loves the Jews and will redeem every Jew who exercises faith in the Messiah.
Paul’s word to us Gentiles is simple. Do not be arrogant about your salvation. Do not take your salvation for granted. It is yours because you trust in Jesus. If faith ever dies in your soul, you will be broken off the tree of salvation just as was unbelieving Israel. So what is the practical bottom line to learn from God’s dealing with Israel? It is simply this: Never take your relationship with God for granted. Guard your faith; nourish your faith; exercise your faith; strengthen your faith; live your faith; hold on to your faith in Jesus as if your life depended upon it because that is precisely the situation. Your eternal life depends on it.
THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Warsaw Christian Church, Pentecost 2022, Richard Bowman, Pastor
Texts: Various
Today we celebrate the birthday of the church. This will be the Reader’s Digest version of the 8 week course I taught recently during Wednesday Bible study. The church was born on Pentecost when God poured out His Holy Spirit into the infant church. It is difficult to overstate the importance of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. All preaching, all teaching, all our worship through song and prayer, and all attempts to follow Jesus are without value unless the Holy Spirit is actively working in them. All our “Christian” activities can be done with or without the Holy Spirit. You can preach, teach, worship, and attempt to follow Jesus without the aid of the Holy Spirit. It happens all too often, and the result is meaningless.
How do we come to salvation in the first place? We hear the good news of Jesus, we believe it and we are born of the Spirit. True faith in Jesus Christ always brings the Holy Spirit into our lives. We have looked at Acts 2:38 on several occasions. “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.” True faith includes repentance (admitting that we have sinned against God and desire to live a new life), trust in the name of Jesus Christ, giving outward expression to our inward faith through baptism, and being forgiven of our sins. When we do as God has commanded we are assured of receiving the Gift of the Holy Spirit.
We note first of all that He seals us. “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Eph. 4:30).We learn two important truths from this text. The Holy Spirit marks us with an invisible seal seen only by God indicating that we belong to Him. The Father knows when true faith is present and the Holy Spirit brands us, kind of like cattle are branded so they can be correctly identified. Or it is like the Good Housekeeping seal of approval. The Holy Spirit places on us an invisible seal that identifies us as God’s children. The seal serves notice to the devil, “Hands off! This is God’s property.”
We note also another important truth from Eph. 4:30 stated in the words “grieve not.” Yes, we are born of the Spirit, but He can be grieved. That happens when we try to live the Christian life relying on our wisdom and strength instead of relying on the Holy Spirit. He is with us but He does not work automatically. We need to call upon Him regularly to be active in our efforts to follow Jesus. Perhaps He does not leave us when we ignore Him, but He is grieved. And certainly He is grieved when we disobey.
Second, we learn from Scripture that the Holy Spirit empowers us. Acts 1:8 is clear: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” You have received power when you were born of the Spirit.
The power of the Holy Spirit is given in particular to make us strong witnesses for Jesus. That means several things. We witness to Jesus by living faithfully as His disciples. Those who are unredeemed should look at us and want what we have. Christians who are full of love, joy and peace, who live exemplary moral lives, who bear witness to their faith through their active church involvement. who are kind, patient and forgiving – – – reveal to others the nature of Jesus. Acts 1:8 doesn’t say you may be a witness for Jesus if you wish. It simply says, “You shall be…” You are a witness for Jesus. The question is are you a good witness or a poor witness? Does the Holy Spirit shine through your daily life? Or is He grieved by your words and actions?
Third, the Holy Spirit teaches us. John 14:6 and 1 Corinthians 2:13 tell us that the Holy Spirit teaches His people. I believe His primary textbook is the Bible. As we immerse ourselves in Scripture, praying for wisdom to understand God’s Word, the Holy Spirit goes to work. Luther once said that we should read Scripture on our knees. He meant we should pray as we read, praying that the Holy Spirit would give us understanding. And beyond that, the Spirit enables us to practice what the Bible teaches. He does not merely help us to understand what it means to love and forgive. He empowers us to practice love and forgiveness. He empowers us to obey the will of God revealed in sacred Scripture.
Fourth, the Holy Spirit guides us. We learn that from John 16:13.” However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you…” Again, we have a choice to make. I can live my life depending on my wisdom, or I can make decisions relying on the Holy Spirit. Have you learned yet that when you are self-reliant you make poor decisions? We learn from Proverbs 3:6, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” As we live by faith, inviting Jesus to guide our lives, the Holy Spirit springs into action and directs our paths.
Fifth, another important activity performed by the Holy Spirit we see in John 14:16; 14:26, and 15:26. There we learn that He is our comforter. The NIV translates the Greek word as “advocate.” The Greek word used in those texts (paraclete) means “one who is called alongside us to help us.” The Holy Spirit is like a counselor who comforts us when we need to be comforted; He is like a judge who stands alongside us in a court of law and defends us against the darts of the enemy. Sometimes life hits us hard. We lose loved ones and we need the comfort only the Holy Spirit can give. At times the enemy attacks us hard and we need the Holy Spirit to stand against him as our advocate.
Sixth, we learn from Romans 8:26 that the Spirit of God intercedes for us. “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” I frequently do not know how I should pray. I don’t know how to pray correctly. God says I know that. Just pray what is on your heart and trust the Holy Spirit to bring your prayers before God in the proper manner. How this works is a mystery to us. We just need to know that when we pray the Holy Spirit will help us. If I pray something contrary to the will of God, the Holy Spirit says to the Father, Richard prayed for x but what he really needs is y.
Our fallen and finite human natures can never properly address our holy God. So we pray “in Jesus’ name” while relying on the Spirit to translate our words to the Father. The Holy Spirit is our translator. If I say a prayer in German, like Vater unser der du bist in Himmel geheiligt werde dein Name…, most of you would not know what I was praying about. It is the first line in the Lord’s Prayer, which we pray in English so we know what we are praying. So we pray what is in our hearts, and trust the Holy Spirit to translate it into the will of God.
Seventh, we learn that the Holy Spirit gives us gifts that enable us to serve Christ. Some of these gifts are listed in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. We don’t have time to discuss spiritual gifts in detail. I will just emphasize verse 11: “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” Here is the main point I wish to make. There are different ways the Holy Spirit gifts us. We do not decide what gifts we want. He decides. But every true Christian is gifted in some way. There are no spectators in the Body of Christ. We are all on the team and we all participate. I can’t tell you what gift the Holy Spirit has given you. I can tell you He has given you a gift to use in the service of Christ. Our job is simply to be open and trusting, praying that God will use us in His kingdom as He sees fit. Those who are not serving Christ through the gifts given them are grieving the Holy Spirit.
Point #8, and my final point. Ephesians 5:19,20 reads, DO not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt. Grieving the Spirit is one thing. Quenching the Spirit is more serious. Paul’s expression is literally, “Do not pour water on the Spirit,” comparing the Spirit’s work to a fire that can be doused with water. That Paul has the Spirit’s work of prophecy in mind is made clear with the next command. The Bible is a book of prophecy. It is a book that God inspired. It is His Word to us. To ignore or disobey God’s inspired instruction is to throw water on the fire of the Holy Spirit. Since the Holy Spirit works through the Word (see Ephesians 6:17), when we neglect the Bible, we are quenching the Spirit. Open your mind to sacred Scripture through Sunday School, sermons, Wednesday Bible study and home Bible study and you will increasingly know the work of the Holy Spirit. When you neglect God’s written Word, you are dousing the fire of the Holy Spirit with water. Needless to say, that is never a good idea!
I recall a song from a Christian musical from the 1970s that went like this: I want you to use me Oh Lord, but not just now. The song goes on to talk about all the worldly things the singer has to do first. There are debts to pay, marriage issues, children to raise, job issues, houses to build, psychiatrists to visit, retirement to plan, etc. The song ends with this line: I want you to use me oh Lord, just as soon as I am dead! How easy it is to so fill our lives with worldly issues so there is no time for Christian service. I hope that is not our song. I hope we can all sing, I want you to use me Oh Lord, and use me NOW. Such prayer brings the Holy Spirit actively into our lives. As one who believes in Jesus you have received a gift; the gift of the Holy Spirit. The question to reflect on is this. Is the Holy Spirit active in your life?
VICTORY IN JESUS
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor
Romans 8:1 has to stand as one of my favorite passages in the Bible. THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS. Let’s begin by reflecting on these glorious words for a few moments. Paul begins Chapter 8 with the words, “No condemnation.” At the end of the chapter, we find the words “Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.” No condemnation – – – no separation!” How blessed are those who hear and believe these words!
Everything hinges upon our being “in Christ Jesus.” How does that happen? We have already seen the answer. By faith, we are joined to Christ, and as long as faith remains, we can never be condemned – – – never separated from the love of Christ. As we have seen, we struggle to live out our faith, and we often stumble. But as long as faith in Jesus is alive in our hearts, we remain forgiven, our sins are covered by the blood Jesus shed for us. Nothing can ever separate us from the love of Christ as long as faith is alive and well in our hearts. What a glorious promise!
Peter denied three times that he even knew Jesus. He was acting out of fear, and his fear temporarily overwhelmed his faith. But faith remained, and Peter is in heaven today, a forgiven sinner. Likewise, King David committed sins too numerous to mention under the Old Covenant. Yet faith remained, and he is in heaven today, a forgiven sinner. Paul persecuted the church of our Lord Jesus yet found forgiveness. We have failed God time and time again, both before we became Christians and afterward. Yet, because we have faith in Jesus, we will join Peter and David and Paul in heaven, forgiven sinners.
Paul seems to want to remind us of the good news before getting into how we can achieve victory over sin in this life. He will tell us how to overcome sin, but he also knows our ability to master sin will never be perfect. Therefore, at the outset, he brings to our minds the Gospel. We are justified by faith, not by our complete mastery over our sinful inclinations. How wonderful it is to live out the Christian life without fear, knowing that our failures will not result in our condemnation.
Resting on the secure foundation of salvation by faith alone, through Christ alone, we move on. Paul continues to recognize the two natures we looked at previously. In Chapter 7, the emphasis was on the fact that sometimes sin conquers us. In Chapter 8, the focus is on how our old nature need not defeat us. The secret is to remember that we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within. This is such an important truth that Paul makes it a defining characteristic of a faithful Christian. “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” TheHoly Spirit here referred to as the Spirit of Christ, is God’s gift to every believer. This truth was clearly established on the day of Pentecost when Peter preached the Gospel to the crowd on that historic day. 38Then 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 (Acts 2:38).
Having received the Spirit, the challenge for the Christian is to walk in the Spirit. Paul describes the victorious Christian as one “who do(es) not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Clearly, we have a choice to make. It is, in the first place, a life choice. One voice tells us, “Live for Christ.” Another voice tells us, “live for self.” Have you ever said to yourself, “I make a life choice to live for Christ and not by my old sinful nature?” Both voices are present within our minds and souls. We decide which shall take precedence. This life choice then becomes a daily choice. We are daily confronted with thoughts and circumstances which tend to pull us away from life in the Spirit. Again and again, we have to make the decision, “I choose to follow the leading of the Spirit.” When we make that choice, the Holy Spirit gives us the strength to carry it out.
I recently read about a family who adopted a 12 year old boy named Roger. When Roger first entered the family he had trouble adjusting to their ways. His old life kept impacting his behavior. His new father kept saying, “Roger, that is not how we act in this family.” Did Roger have to change his ways to remain in the family? No, he was in the family regardless of his behavior. In time his ways began to change even though it was hard work. He changed his ways not to enter the family but to adjust to the ways of his new family. We become adopted children of God through faith in Jesus. We don’t change our ways to become a Christian. We change our ways to conform to our new family. Sometimes the Holy Spirit whispers in our ear, “That’s not the way we act in the family of God.”
Paul puts it like this in verse five of our text. “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” Whatever you allow your mind to dwell on will manifest itself in behavior. If we live life with the attitude, “What’s in it for me? How can I can an advantage here? What will bring me personal pleasure?” such thoughts will lead to sinful behavior. Those who walk in the Spirit are constantly thinking, “What would Jesus have me to do? How can I please God? What does the Bible say about this situation?” The International Children’s Bible has a clear translation of Proverbs 4:23: Be very careful about what you think. Your thoughts run your life. If you allow thoughts of revenge, hatred, adultery, immorality, envy, strife, greed, selfishness, and the like to dominate your mind, those thoughts will run your life. However, if your thoughts are focused on Jesus and divine truth, your behavior will once again follow your thoughts. Be very careful about what you think. Your thoughts run your life.
I used to ride the tilt-a-whirl with the kids at Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota. Hurling around was fun for awhile, but sometimes the ride went on too long, and soon, I felt queasy in my stomach. So what began as fun ended up in misery. I would suggest it is that way with sin. It seems like such fun initially, but we soon become miserable if we continue on that path. So be careful what you allow to control you. The verse in Hebrews 11:25 expresses this thought well. Speaking of Moses, we read, “He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. Yes, sin brings pleasure, a fleeting pleasure that soon turns to misery. But, on the other hand, faithfulness to God brings lasting peace and joy.
In my baseball playing days, the coach often expressed that you have to keep your eye on the ball to be a good hitter. Unfortunately, it didn’t always work for me! I watched the ball alright, right into the catcher’s glove! Those who live by the Spirit keep their attention focused on Jesus and biblical truth. Remember the children’s song with the line, “Be careful little eye what you see?” If our eyes are fixed upon Jesus, our behavior will change. To make it fit Proverbs 4:23, we should sing, “be careful little mind what you think.” Your thoughts run your life.
There is a powerful truth here, yet many are blind to it. Corporations spend millions of dollars on advertising because of the principle Jesus is talking about here. They know what goes in the mind will affect the human heart and thus impact behavior. Movie theaters have promotional ads coming up before the movie pointing people’s attention to the snack bar. They know once it goes through the eyes into the mind, it will have the desired effect causing pop and candy sales to go up. You know that the news media does much more than report the news. They want to influence your thinking. So when we continually hear an idea repeated over and over on the TV news, we think it must be true. Joseph Goebbels figured that out in the 1930s and ’40s. The Germans heard so much about the wickedness of the Jews that they began to believe it. A culture that produced Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Shiller, Goethe, and Luther became convinced that slaughtering millions of Jews was right for God and country. Be careful what you allow into your mind. Your thoughts run your life. Ideas have consequences.
Every moment of the day, we feed either the old man or the spiritual man. The one we feed will grow in our minds and hearts and overflow into our words and deeds. Just as our bodies reflect what and how much we eat, our behavior will reflect what we feed the mind and soul.
Spiritual Christians are not perfect, but daily they turn away from the flesh and consciously allow the things of the Spirit to fill the mind and heart. When tempted, they invite Christ to fill their lives, and they close the door to all that is contrary to the will of God. When they sin, they ask for God’s forgiveness and strength to help them overcome the next temptation. They continually seek to offer themselves — heart, soul, mind, and strength — to Christ to be used for His purposes. In this way, the Holy Spirit gains control of our lives, and His incredible presence and power is enjoyed. Victory over sin is increasingly experienced.
Paul makes sure we understand the importance of the topic before us. Note his words. 13For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. If we allow our old nature to gain control over us we are on the pathway leading to death. As we walk by faith, yielding to the Holy Spirit, we experience life as it was meant to be lived. Not all who declare, “I am a Christian” are redeemed souls. The true sons of God are those whose way of life is predominantly Spirit-led.
Living in the Spirit is not complicated. There is no ethereal, eerie, otherworldly process we must go through. It is largely a matter of decision-making and paying attention to what goes into your mind. Martin Luther said that evil thoughts are like birds. We cannot always stop them from entering our minds, but we do not want to build a nest for them. God has given you the gift of the Holy Spirit. Use it – – for your own sake and for the glory of God.
Let me close by sharing an ancient Greek myth relevant to the issue at hand. Most of us studied Homer’s “Iliad” and “Oddesy” in school. You may recall the dangerous sailing trips taken by Odysseus. One adventure takes them past an island inhabited by the sirens. These creatures have the bodies of birds, the heads of women, and lovely voices. When the sirens begin to sing, passing sailors are so entranced that they rush toward the island to encounter these beautiful creatures, only to be smashed to pieces and destroyed on the dangerous rocks and the treacherous surf around the island. Now Odysseus didn’t know how he would be able to bypass this trap. Finally, after exploring options with his crew, someone came up with a solution. There was on board the ship a man who was the most incredible harp player of them all, Orpheus. Orpheus made the most beautiful music on his harp— far more beautiful even than the singing of the sirens. Thus as the men listened to the music of Orpheus, they were not tempted by the songs of the sirens.
A NAMELESS MOTHER’S FAITH
Warsaw Christian Church, Mother’s Day, 2022, Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text, Matthew 15:21-28:Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” 23 But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” 24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” 26 But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” 27 And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
In some respects, this is a strange story. A Canaanite woman, a Gentile, is in desperate need of help. There are things not explicitly stated in the text where I will try to fill in the blanks. I want to focus mainly on this mother’s faith this Mother’s Day.
First, who is this woman? We are not even told her name. She is a Gentile, not affiliated with the house of Israel. Yet we must assume she had heard of the God of the Jews and the promise of a coming Messiah. She knows about King David, and she knows that the Jewish Messiah will come from the house of David. The woman cries out to Jesus, “O Lord, Son of David.” This is one of several stories where the faith of Gentiles is greater than that of Israel. We think of the Good Samaritan, a person despised by the Jews who comes to aid a man beaten by robbers. The Jewish leaders ignored the man. We think of the Centurian who asked Jesus to heal his son. He is a gentile Roman. Yet, he is told that his faith exceeds that of the Jews (Matthew 8:5-13). There are times when the true heroes of the faith are not from the house of Israel! This is undoubtedly the case with this Canaanite mother.
Jesus is the Jewish Messiah whose grace will also reach out to the Gentiles. This episode occurs early in His ministry, a time when His focus is primarily on Israel. Yet a Gentile mother comes to Jesus in her hour of need. Her beloved daughter is demon-possessed.
All mothers have problems. You who are mothers and grandmothers or surrogate mothers who care for children know that the road is not always smooth. When a child is sick or has a special need, the mother usually seeks an answer. We are not told if this woman has a husband. If she does, he remains in the background. Mothers, where do you go when a child is in need? This applies to mothers who have children at home and mothers who have grown children. Mothers do not cease being mothers when their children are grown. This mother ran to Jesus. She was desperate. She had heard of this miracle worker. When she addresses Him as Lord and Son of David, she believes that He is the Jewish Messiah. All mothers should imitate this Gentile woman. She goes to Jesus for help. Jesus should be our first thought when our kids are in trouble. Our first cry should be, “Jesus, I need You.”
Perhaps your children are not demon-possessed, but many kids today are certainly influenced by demonic forces. Drug and alcohol abuse is rampant. Who is behind this issue? Certainly not God. If not God, who? The only other option is Satanic influence. Whatever the problem your children may have, turn to Jesus first. Blessed is the mother who knows where to go with her problems.
Notice some qualities about this mother. First, as we have seen, she believed He was the Messiah, the promised Son of David. How she came to that belief, we are not told. Jesus is not like a plumber, a doctor, or an electrician who can do a few things, but some things are beyond His power. No, He is the Son of God. He is God in the flesh. Nothing is beyond His power. Some human helpers may say, “Sorry, I can’t handle that issue.” Or sometimes, we human helpers try to help but only manage to make matters worse. Years ago, my mother had a leaky faucet. My brother could not fix it. Aha! A chance for me to outshine my older brother. By the time I finished with that faucet, water was spraying all over the bathroom! Jesus will never face a problem beyond His reach, and He will never step in to help and make matters worse. Moms, do you have issues with your kids, kids at home, or grown-up kids? Turn to Jesus first.
This mother believed in the deity of Jesus. How do we know that? Because she worshipped Him (vs. 25). This gentile mother knew that only God was to be worshipped. She worshipped Jesus. Therefore, she believed in His divine nature. She knew Jesus could heal her daughter. If you doubt the deity of Jesus, how can you seek His help with faith? When you seek the help of Jesus, do you have full confidence that He will hear and answer your request? Do you believe that He is the Son of the Living God with all your heart?
Next, we notice this mother’s persistence. What is Jesus’ initial response to her? He hears her cries, 23 But He answered her not a word. He is silent.He speaks not a single word.What do you do when you approach God in the name of Jesus and you are ignored? That’s what happened to this Canaanite mother. Her last hope is Jesus, but He seems to ignore her. Not only that, the disciples tell Jesus to send her away. The woman seeks help and meets with rejection. Jesus is the Son of God. The disciples are surely the godliest men who ever lived. Why would they ignore this mother’s cry for help? What is going on here?
This momma is not going to give up. After being ignored by Jesus and His disciples, you would think she would have given up. You would think the next verse would read something like this: “The woman put her head down and went home weeping.” Instead, she persists. She worships Jesus, acknowledging His divine nature. He does not correct her. He does not say, “Don’t worship me! Only worship God.” He accepts her worship. Again she asks for His help.
Now she hears Jesus speak. He says It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs. Now we would really expect her to give up. At this stage in His ministry, He is only dealing with Israel, whom He describes as “lost sheep.” Jesus is first of all the Jewish Messiah. Later His ministry will expand to embrace the entire world. How will this mother respond to this second rebuke? How would you respond if you had sought the Lord’s help and twice been denied?
This is the only time I can remember when someone engaged in a dialogue with Jesus and got the better of Him. Her reply was magnificent. She says, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” She agreed with His description completely. Taking the place of an unworthy Gentile, she cast herself on His mercy, love, and grace. She said, in effect, “You are right! I am only one of the little dogs under the table. But I notice that crumbs sometimes fall from the table to the floor. Won’t You let me have some crumbs? I am not worthy that You should heal my daughter, but I beseech You to do it for one of Your undeserving creatures.”
Surely this is a lesson on persistence. This mother was not going to give up. How soon do we give up on our prayers when we do not see a quick answer? How serious are we when we pray? Are we going through the motions, expecting no answer? Or do we pray like this mother who will not take “no” for an answer?
Jesus is astonished by her faith. She will not be denied. He refers to her faith as “great.” I would love to learn that my faith is great, wouldn’t you? This mother wanted her daughter healed, and she persisted. Then Jesus speaks the word, and her daughter is healed.
What would you like to be commended for? We like to look our best and hope that others see us as beautiful or handsome. We don’t know what this mother looked like. It is not important. It is her faith that is commended, not her appearance.
We might like to be commended for our professional success. We like to hear that we are doing a good job. However, there is something far more important – – – our faith.
We like to be people of influence. I have authority. People respond to my leadership. I like it when others admire my influence. This mother probably had little influence in her community. But Jesus commends her for her great faith. Great faith trumps everything. If you are not beautiful, if you lack professional success, and have no influence in society, does that mean you are a loser? None of those things matter if Jesus looks upon you and sees a person of great faith.
The main lesson in this story is clear. Mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, no matter who you are. Take your problems to Jesus. Take your wayward children’s problems to Jesus. Yes, there may be obstacles in your way. Perhaps the answer you seek does not come quickly. If the matter is essential to you, don’t give up. If Jesus seems to ignore you, persist. If you think you are unworthy, you are! This mother had done nothing to deserve God’s favor. She simply would not take “no” for an answer. She loved her daughter and fought through several obstacles before finally receiving the answer she sought.
Mothers (and fathers too), you have it within yourself to change the world. God is still looking for great faith, and when He finds it, He is quick to respond. Are your children’s problems too great for Jesus to overcome? Are Warsaw’s issues beyond the reach of Jesus? Is the world going to hell in a handbasket, and poor Jesus is powerless to help? Mothers, learn from a Canaanite woman. Years ago, the prophet Jeremiah reminded us of a basic truth: Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You (Jeremiah 32:17).
I remember reading about one of the leading reformers, Philip Melanchthon, a close associate of Martin Luther. Melanchthon was ill, near death. Luther believed the church desperately needed this man and his theological skills, and he talks about storming the gates of heaven with his prayers, refusing to give up, and Melanchthon was healed. He lived to write the Augsburg Confession, which remains today as a basic statement of Lutheran faith.
Jesus, in harmony with the Father and the Holy Spirit, spoke this magnificent universe into existence. No problem is beyond the reach of “great faith.” There is absolutely nothing we can pray about, and God will throw up His hands and says, “This is too hard for me.” The problem is never with God. He chooses to work in the world through our faith. The problem is with us. Do we pray with tepid faith or great faith? Learn to pray from a nameless Canaanite mother.
REVELATIONS ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS
Warsaw Christian Church, Easter 2022, Richard Bo0wman, Pastor
Text: Luke 24:13-32: Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.” 25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
Cleopas and his companion are walking seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They are in a state of mind that can best be described as sad and confused. They are discussing Jesus. They had hoped He would redeem Israel. Jesus, whom they describe as a prophet mighty in word and deed, had been crucified. Thus their sadness. Jesus seemed so wonderful. Their redeemer had come, but now their hopes had been shattered. How could the redeemer of Israel be crucified on a cross?
But they were also confused. They had heard the testimony of the women who went to the tomb and found it empty. They heard that some of Jesus’ apostles had also gone to the tomb and found it empty. They were in a state of confusion. Was he dead or was he alive? What did these two men learn on the road to Emmaus?
1. They learned of their foolishness. A stranger approaches them. It is Jesus, but they do not recognize Him. How could they? He was crucified, dead, and buried. The “stranger” tells them they are foolish. He reminds them that their Scriptures, the Old Testament, clearly taught that the Messiah would be put to death, rise again and enter into glory. He rebukes them because they do not believe the Scriptures.
He might have referred them to Psalm 22, where the death of the Messiah is spoken of in great detail, even to the casting of lots for his garments. He no doubt referred them to Isaiah 52 where the prophet speaks of the suffering of the Messiah. Why are they shocked by the death of Jesus? That death had been clearly foretold in Scripture. Many verses like Psalm 2:7. Isaiah 53:10 points to the resurrection of the Messiah. Why would they doubt the testimony of the women at the tomb? Their problem was they could not bring themselves to believe what was written in Scripture.
The lesson for us is clear. We have the Old Testament, where the Messiah is prophesied over and over again. I have a nice thick book that points out every Scripture in the Old Testament that Jesus fulfilled. And we have the New Testament, where Jesus is revealed in all His glory. If our faith is to grow, we must be diligent students of the Bible. Jesus cautions two disciples and us not to be foolish by failing to read, study and believe all that is written in sacred Scripture. Let me ask one question. We are about 1/3 of the way through 2022. How much time have you spent in serious Bible study? I read that Martin Luther had memorized the entire New Testament. I know John 3:16, the Lord’s Prayer and the 23rd Psalm, and a few other verses. I certainly am not as diligent in my Bible study as was Luther. Am I doomed for my lack of diligence?
2. We also learn that Christ loves foolish people. He did not reject these two disciples for their foolishness. He appeared to them to set them on the right path. I am thankful that Christ does not turn His back on fools, for I fear I have been a fool more than once. Do I study the Scriptures diligently? Do I believe what is written? Do I obey what is written? I cannot give an unqualified “yes” to those questions. But I can still experience God’s glorious salvation by believing in Jesus and His resurrection. Thankfully, God has made the path to salvation clear for all of us who are fools. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.
3. There is a third lesson for us in our text. The two disciples are sad and confused because they think Jesus is dead, graveyard dead! Do you ever feel sad and act as though God were dead? Don’t we sometimes forget the resurrection and wallow in our troubles as though God were absent? We don’t see the resurrected Jesus as did these two disciples. But if we will believe in His invisible presence with us every day, we can cope with anything. Sometimes our prayers are like this: “God, help me, but I don’t believe You will.” We don’t say our prayers using those words but don’t we sometimes pray thinking nothing will come of it? We must never forget, “We serve a risen Savior’” one who has promised to be with us always. Believe it, and your life will change forever.
4. Fourth, the two disciples realized the stranger was Jesus. When did they know His identity? It was when He took bread and broke it and gave it to them. Does that remind you of anything? Does the Lord’s Supper come to mind? Immediately, their eyes were opened, and they saw that the stranger was Jesus. He had indeed stepped out of the grave alive.
Jesus left us the Lord’s Supper as a reminder of how we are redeemed. We remember His body, broken for us as we partake of the bread. We remember His blood which established the New Covenant – – – blood shed for us as we partake of the cup. It is a special time when we remember Jesus. We remember what He has done for us in the distant past at Calvary. We also remember that He is with us today, a living Savior. I believe the Lord’s Supper is a special time when our eyes are opened, and we know that Jesus is with us.
5. Finally, we see what happens when our eyes are opened, and we know He is with us. The two disciples are suddenly afflicted with heartburn. It’s not because they ate some bad food. It is what happens when we realize Jesus is alive and in our presence. They now know that Jesus is indeed the Messiah. Their hearts on fire is a figure of speech meaning they were suddenly filled with joy and excitement. Their lives were changed forever.
Following the resurrection, these two disciples, the Apostles, the women disciples, and Paul, the Apostle untimely born, went all over the ancient world proclaiming the name of Jesus. Their lives are changed radically by the resurrection.
What about us? Tim Zingale tells about a pastor standing at the door of his church on Easter Sunday. “I’ve never seen such a crowd in church,” a woman exclaimed. The pastor didn’t know her, but apparently, she was impressed by the number of people at church for Easter worship. Then, as she shook his hand and moved toward the outside of the church, she added, “Do you suppose it will make any difference? “He held on to her hand so she couldn’t get away, “What do you mean?” he said. “Will what make a difference? “Easter,” she shot back. “Will Easter make any difference for all these people, or will life tomorrow be the same as it was yesterday?” Has Easter made any changes in your life, or is it just one more holiday to observe before returning to our usual routine?
It certainly made a difference in the lives of those first disciples. They knew that Christ had conquered death, which caused them to surrender everything they had, including their own lives, to get the word of The Gospel out to others. Has Easter made a difference in your life? Wouldn’t you like to have the kind of confidence in the power and purpose of God that those early followers had? You can, you know. It is God’s gift to all who will receive it.
There was a young lawyer who descended into the valley of despair. Things were going so poorly for him that his friends thought it best to keep all knives and razors away from him for fear of a suicide attempt. In fact, during this time, he wrote in his memoirs, “I am now the most miserable man living. Whether I shall ever be better, I cannot tell. I fear I shall not.” The young lawyer became one of America’s greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln.
Do you think, as Lincoln did, that your situation is hopeless? Don’t give up. There is a friend closer than you think. He is calling your name. He is offering you a gift. It is the gift of abundant and eternal life, and it is available to you. Will you receive it? There is but one simple condition: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. Saved eternally and saved from living in perpetual darkness in this earthly life. Has Easter changed your life?
DEAD TO SIN? Romans # 8
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: Romans 6:1 – 10
In the earlier chapters of Romans, Paul had proclaimed the Gospel of salvation by faith alone, through Christ alone. Since we are saved by God’s grace and not by our works, certain questions came up in the minds of some. Paul expresses one question in the first verse of our text. “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” On the surface, it seems like a logical question. If salvation is a free gift that comes to us from the grace of God, perhaps as Christians, we need not worry about sin anymore. Therefore if we continue to live our old sinful lives, won’t this magnify the grace of God in saving us? The more I sin, the more God’s grace is manifested in forgiveness.
So, does it not follow if I keep on sinning to my heart’s content, God can keep on forgiving me, and His grace will be magnified? This seemed to be a question on the mind of some. They reasoned, “The more I sin, the more God’s forgiving love is magnified. Therefore, I am doing God a favor by immersing myself in wickedness.” So, shall I not keep on sinning that God’s grace may abound?
Paul’s answer is unambiguous. “God forbid!” (KJV); “Perish the thought” (Lenski); “Of course not” (Living Bible); “Certainly not” (TEV); “No, No! (New English Bible). The English translations vary, but the meaning is plain, and Paul explains why.
I like the story of a minister who preached a sermon on sin. A parishioner came to him afterward and said, “Pastor, that was a wonderful sermon. We didn’t know what sin was until you became our pastor.”
Paul writes, How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? He describes what happens to persons who genuinely trust in Jesus. Faith brings with it a host of changes in our lives. We saw a few weeks ago that faith brings peace with God; it gives us access to God; it gives us everlasting hope; it brings the love of God into our hearts. Now Paul adds another item to the list of things God does for those who trust Him. We become persons who are dead to sin. If we die to sin, we cannot continue to live in it. If we want to continue to practice our sins, it only means we have never truly trusted in Jesus.
There was a time when I read that passage and thought, “I am certainly not dead to sin. Perhaps I am not a real Christian.” What about you? Are you “dead to sin?” We need to look closely at what God tells us in this text.
Moses Lard, a 19th century Christian Church author, wrote these words in his “A Commentary on Romans “(1875). I think his words help us here: “To die to sin is to be wholly disinclined in mind to commit it, and consequently not to do so. The expression is a bold one, and not to be construed too strictly (literally, RB); for no one in the flesh can be said to be absolutely dead to sin, since no one lives and sins not. To be dead to sin is to be so as a rule, but not to be so without exception. . . The best and only evidence we can give that we are truly dead to sin is our aversion to it, and cessation from it” (pp 195-196). This helps me. If the verse calls for a life of sinless perfection, I am lost, and all of you are as well. I have not met a Christian who lived a life totally free from sin.
Okay, sinless perfection is not Paul’s intention, but he certainly means that Christians have a new relationship with sin. Perhaps a bit of personal history here will help. I was not a dedicated Christian as a youth. I had some sense of right and wrong, and I was active in church, but it did not bother me to do things I knew were wrong. As long as I wasn’t caught, my sins were acceptable. I was comfortable with my bad behavior. When I was converted to Christ in 1965, my attitude changed. If I am guilty of wrongdoing, I feel guilty, and I turn to God in repentance. The Holy Spirit living within the believer makes us feel dreadfully uncomfortable when we disobey God. The only relief is repentance and confession.
Paul explains why this is so in our text. We encounter the word “baptism,” which has caused much disagreement among the theologians. Paul writes, “3Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Please try to remove from your mind any ideas you have concerning baptism and look closely at the text. He describes Christians as persons who were baptized into Christ Jesus. What does that mean? Here it cannot mean “baptized in water.” There is a difference between baptism in water and baptism into Christ. Simon, the magician, was baptized in water but not into Christ (Acts 8). The thief on the cross was baptized into Christ but not in water (Luke 23).
We know from the Book of Acts that the early church baptized in water, probably by immersion. When was a person baptized in water? I suggest that water baptism followed baptism into Christ as a symbolic portrayal of what happens when we are baptized into Christ. The Greek word baptizo has several meanings. One of the meanings was “to dye” a piece of cloth. That meaning is significant to understanding what it means to be baptized into Christ. What happens when a white cloth is immersed into a pan of red dye? The cloth comes into contact with the dye and is transformed by it. It is no longer what it once was. Baptism into Christ is simply another term for conversion or rebirth. When we believe in Jesus, we are joined with Him even as the dye is joined with the cloth. When we are joined to Christ, in fact, we are transformed. His presence permeates our entire being so that we experience what Jesus called “a new birth.” We become different persons. We become Christ-oriented and are no longer sin-oriented. Our text describes it as follows: “we also should walk in newness of life.” You cannot be joined with Christ and remain the same. You can be baptized in water and remain the same as before, but you cannot be baptized into Christ without your life being dramatically changed.
We need to keep this distinction clearly in mind. Water cannot bring about the effects Paul describes in our text. Water cannot cause you to die to sin. Water cannot cause you to walk in newness of life. Water cannot bring about a new birth. But, when by faith we are joined to Christ (baptized into Christ by the Holy Spirit), these changes take place. So, why do we bother with water baptism? The obvious reason is that it is commanded in Scripture, and if we believe in Jesus, we will do as He commanded.
Furthermore, water baptism is a meaningful symbol of what has happened to us when we trust in Christ as our Savior. We are buried in the water to signify our death to sin and to the old self. We are brought up out of the water to symbolize that we have been spiritually resurrected to live a new kind of life. Our sins are washed away, not by water, but by the death of the Messiah in whom we trust. Therefore, water baptism is essential as long as we understand its significance.
Perhaps comparing water baptism to a marriage ceremony will help. Why does a couple marry? Does the marriage ceremony create love that was not there before? Do they hope that love will be generated by going through the marriage ceremony? Of course not! The love relationship is established first. The marriage ceremony is a public declaration of a love that is already present. There is a parallel here (but not a perfect one) with water baptism. Baptism in water does not create faith. It is a public declaration of faith already present. The one baptized in water has previously been joined to (baptized into) Christ.
The bottom line in our text is simply this: If you have been united with Christ by faith, that will be evidenced by your living a new life. Of course, it will never be a perfect life, free from all sin, but it will be a new life no longer dominated by sin, but by righteousness.
Now here is the tricky part. Just how new does this new life have to be? Am I reflecting enough “new life” to prove that I am a faithful Christian? It is the wrong question, and those who follow that line of thought will end up in despair. The Christian does not practice spiritual naval-gazing to see if he is doing enough to satisfy God’s requirement to live a new life. If you look at your performance and ask, “Am I doing enough,” the answer is always, “NO.” We could all do more; we could all do better. Our gaze must never be focused on self but on Christ. As we focus on Him, He leads us to ever-increasing faithfulness.
Paul expresses a key thought when he declares that we are no longer slaves to sin. Before faith in Christ entered the picture, we were slaves to sin. Paul says later in Romans 14:23, “for whatever is not from faith is sin.” Unbelievers may do good works that receive praise from men, but God considers everything we do as sinful if it does not proceed from faith in Christ. Whatever we do as Christians, we are to do in the name of Jesus, and God is pleased when we act in this manner: “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col. 3:17).
Christians have a unique perspective on life. We do not think simply of sin and righteousness, good and evil. We think of what is done in the name of Jesus (with faith in Him), and God declares all such actions to be righteous. We are not trying hard to be good. We are trying to keep Jesus foremost in our thoughts because we live a life pleasing to God when we do. When we move into Chapter 7, Paul will add a bit of complication to this whole matter of Christian living. For now, we must embrace the truth that we who trust in Jesus are no longer enslaved to sin. We are not entirely sinless, but we consider ourselves now to be slaves to Christ.
We end up where we began. Can a Christian continue to live a sin-centered life? Of course not! Those who claim to belong to Christ but do not yield to Him are deceived. We must never forget that true faith in Jesus brings changes into the heart and life of the believer. The difference we are looking at today is this: Faith in Jesus brings the Holy Spirit into our hearts. The Holy Spirit is that inward voice moving us to yield to Christ. Titus 3:3-6 says: (NKJV) “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. 4But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior…” Do these words describe what is happening in your life? Do you know the abundant outpouring of the Holy Spirit leading you away from sin and towards Jesus Christ and righteousness? This is the experience of every true believer.
In the words of our text, we have been joined to Christ, baptized into Christ; we have died to sin and are eager to pursue righteousness. We walk in newness of life. If this description seems far removed from your Christian experience, you should wonder if your faith is genuine. Make sure the faith you proclaim with your lips is also the faith of your heart.
ADAM AND JESUS, Romans #7
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: Romans 5:12 – 17 (NKJV) 12Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
There are some complexities in the verses I just read. I will try to untie some knots. As we observe the work of terrorists worldwide and crime in America on an unprecedented scale, we ask, “What is wrong with the human race?” Why can’t the world’s peoples learn to live and let live? In the approximately 4000 years of recorded human history, little has changed. Murder, theft, lies, deceit, war – – – they are all present in the Book of Genesis, and they plague us today. So why can’t we humans make a decision that we are going to be kind and good?
Paul gives us the answer in our text. I believe in the divine inspiration of Scripture because it gives a solid explanation for all the big questions life throws at us. Sin entered the world through one man, Adam. Men like to blame Eve, but God blames Adam for introducing sin into the human race. Paul explains why Adam is to blame in 1 Timothy 2:14 (NKJV) “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” Adam was created first and was responsible for the future spiritual development of the human race. Satan deceived Eve. Eve had a defense: “The devil outsmarted me.” Adam was without excuse. He was not deceived but disobeyed God openly and knowingly. He just ate what the little woman put on the table even though he knew better. Thus, he is considered the author of sin.
This text raises the question about the historical accuracy of Genesis. Were Adam and Eve real people, or is this a mythical story about the origin of the human race? Paul, an inspired Apostle, writes that Adam and Eve were historical persons in our text. In Luke 3:38, Adam is mentioned last in the genealogy of Jesus. That settles it for me. If Jesus is a descendant of Adam, Adam was a real person.
Paul’s argument in our text makes no sense if Adam is a mythical man. Mythical men do not commit sins that impact the entire human race. Only a historical man can do that. Paul recalls that everything was declared good when God created the heavens and the earth. The first humans were placed in an ideal environment. They received clear directions from God regarding not eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Even though God had promised that death would come if they disobeyed, Adam disobeyed. He defied God.
Theologians like to speak of “the federal headship of Adam” and “original sin.” Let’s avoid theological language and stay with the words in our text. Adam sinned, and through him, sin infected the entire human race. We know that is true because all men sin. However you explain it, all humans are guilty of sin against our holy God. Is it somehow in the genes or the environment? We don’t know. We just know sin impacts every human being from Adam through today.
This is why I object to those who remove statues of historical leaders and change school names. People do it because they discover flaws in our past leaders. Well, what do you know? Our founding fathers were sinners! Jefferson was a slave owner. That is not a good thing. Yet, we honor Him because he was one of the main authors of our Constitution, one of the greatest political documents ever written. If we destroy statues of everyone who was ever a sinner, we will have no statues, no remembrance of our past.
Death was the promised consequence of sin, and in due course, Adam died. All his offspring died, and today we all live under the curse of death. How would an atheist explain the propensity to evil that haunts our world? All he can say is, “It happened by chance.”
The Bible gives a more realistic picture of reality. There will never be a perfect human being (Jesus is the lone exception). All humans are inclined to disobey God and will act on those inclinations. There will always be terrorists, murders, thieves, etc., because sin has infected the human race. That is what Scripture teaches, and that is what we observe today and throughout history. Therefore, it should not surprise or shock us to see America at war against Germany or see wars continuing today. We say, “Boys will be boys,” and boys who become men do terrible things. The world we live in is precisely the kind of world we should expect based on the teachings of Scripture. The perfection we long for will not happen until Jesus Christ returns to usher in His eternal kingdom. Until then, do not be surprised by man’s inhumanity to man.
Let’s look again at several Scriptures which teach this fundamental truth regarding the wickedness of human nature just to refresh our memories.Romans 3:23 (NKJV)“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Galatians 3:22 (NKJV) “But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” 1 John 1:8 (NKJV) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us Psalms 14:3 (NKJV) “They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one” (Romans 3:12).
One might object, “Why should we be held responsible for Adam’s sin? Why should we be under judgment?” Paul does not say that God punishes us because of Adam’s sin. Note again verse 12: “and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” Why do we disobey God? Is it because we have no choice in the matter? Is it all Adam’s fault? No, it is because we choose to sin. When we disobey God, we are doing precisely what we want to do, and thus we are held responsible. Unbelievers prefer to live life apart from the wisdom and authority of God.
Paul’s main interest in this text is to compare two men. Adam and Jesus are presented as the two pivotal figures in human history. Adam introduced sin and death into the world. Jesus Christ provided the solution. One way to think of this is to point out that we are either sons/daughters of Adam or God’s children through Jesus Christ. There is no third option.
There are essential differences between these two figures, Adam and Jesus. One crucial difference is this: you need to do nothing to inherit Adam’s sinful nature. It comes to us when we are born. It’s “automatic” in one sense, but in another sense, we have a preference for our fallen nature and freely rebel against God. Thus, we are responsible for our behavior. It is otherwise with Christ. Notice the language in our text in verse 17: “For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” The two key words here are “gift” and “receive,” and also the phrase “much more.” What Christ achieved is much more than what Adam initiated. Adam sinned and died. The offspring of Adam sin and die. It is a simple quid pro quo. You sin, you die. From the fall of Adam and our fall, we receive exactly what God promised, no more, no less.
It is very different with Christ. Salvation is offered to the world as a gift. It is a gift we may receive or reject. Our sins bring us just what we deserve, death. Christ brings to us that which we do not deserve, eternal life.
Usually, gifts come to us wrapped in pretty paper. Someone hands us a gift, and we hold out our hand to receive it. Eternal life is a gift that cannot be gift-wrapped. It is an intangible gift. We cannot touch it or experience it with our physical senses. How, then, do we receive a supernatural gift? It is obtained by faith. We hear the Gospel that Jesus, God’s Son, has come to rescue us from death and hell. His promise is clear: all who believe in Me shall not perish but have eternal life. Those who hear that message cannot receive the gift offered with their hands. We accept it with our hearts when we place our trust in Jesus. When we affirm, “I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, and I accept Him as my Lord and Savior,” the gift is ours. Then, we begin to live as His faithful disciples out of gratitude for what He has done for us.
It isn’t easy to find an everyday analogy, but perhaps this will help. Sometimes children receive money in a trust fund paid out later, perhaps on their 21st birthday. If you are a 12-year-old child who receives one million dollars at age 21, when do you have the money? You have it at age 12 because you believe in the integrity of the one who gave it to you. You possess it by faith. On your 21st birthday, you possess it in reality.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, we possess eternal life now, by faith, because we believe in the integrity of the One who died for us. We now possess a heaven we do not see. We possess it by faith because we have total confidence in the truthfulness of Jesus. And as we abide in faith, the day will come when we shall enter our eternal home where there are no tears, no sickness, no death, no terrorists, no wars, and no murders; just Jesus, God the Father, the redeemed saints, and everlasting joy. In due course, I hope to see all of you there.
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: Romans 5:6 – 12 (NKJV) 6For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
When we trust Jesus Christ, we receive total forgiveness of all our sins. When we confess to God that we are sinners, we declare something else. We tell God that we are unhappy about our sins. Those who are content to live life clinging to their sins are not unhappy about their disobedience. They would be unhappy if they knew they were headed to hell, but they don’t believe in hell, and so they are content to live a sinful life. A Christian knows that sin has made him miserable. Being unhappy with their sins, the Christian not only seeks forgiveness but the power to live a new kind of life. His prayer is not only, “Forgive me,” but also, “Change me.” We saw last week some of the beautiful changes that God introduced into our lives: peace, access to God, hope, and love.
Our text begins with a human example. Sometimes a human being might die for a good friend (not often, but it sometimes happens!). We have all seen movies where the hero leaps into the path of a bullet to save his beloved. In the old western “Destry Rides Again,” Marlene Dietrich takes a bullet for Jimmy Stewart. Paul’s point is that we would never sacrifice ourselves for someone we regarded as an enemy. None of us would want to step in front of Osama bin Laden and take the bullet meant for him.
As Paul reflects on these things, he is utterly amazed by the love of God. Christ died for the ungodly. God demonstrates His love for us by reconciling us to Himself while we were His enemies. God looked down from heaven and saw nothing but enemies. He might have justly decided to condemn the entire human race. That is what we deserve. Yet, God’s love for fallen humanity is so great that He acted to redeem us instead of condemning us.
It is difficult for us to grasp the significance of what God has done for us and the terrible price He paid. God sent His Son out of the glories of the eternal world into a world full of sin and corruption. The Son of God was stripped of His eternal glory and clothed in human flesh. The Father watched while the Son was humiliated, rejected, abused, tortured, and killed on a cross. All the sins of the world were laid upon Jesus. He suffered for your sins and mine. The Father turned His back upon Jesus as He hung upon the Cross and watched in silence as the Son cried out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” All the wrath, anger, and fury of God were poured out upon His beloved Son. Why did God do this to His own Son? Why did Jesus endure this shame? We know the answer. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
From what are we saved when we trust in Jesus? Through the shed blood of Jesus, says Paul, we are protected from the wrath of God. The wrath of God is not our favorite topic, but it is so important that we understand this aspect of God’s nature. Paul spoke powerfully last week and again in our text today of the love of God. God is love, says John, and it was the love of God that caused Him to reach out to the human race with an offer of amnesty.
How can a God of love also be a God of wrath? The two concepts may seem contradictory at first glance, but they are compatible. We need to keep them in balance. If we go overboard on the love of God, failing to take into account His wrath, we will come to the false conclusion that everyone will be saved. If we go overboard on the wrath of God, failing to give due place to His love, we will end up scaring people to death and leaving them with a feeling of hopelessness. Balancing these two concepts, love, and wrath, is very important.
In our world today, the tendency is to overemphasize the love of God to the exclusion of divine wrath. “Hellfire and brimstone” sermons in many churches are a thing of the past. I will grant that too much emphasis on the agonies of hell can have a negative impact. Jonathan Edwards preached a famous sermon in the 1700s entitled “Sinners in the hands of an angry God.” He spoke of sinners dangling over the fires of hell by a single thread that might break at any moment, plunging them into eternal torment. Perhaps that is a bit too graphic for our modern sensibilities. In Dante’s famous work, “The Divine Comedy,” he had s sign over the gate to hell, which read, “Abandon every hope, ye who enter here.” Is that too shocking for the modern mind?
Those who think the wrath of God is a doctrine we have outgrown are not paying close attention to the text of Scripture. Paul’s language in verse 9 of our text is clear. “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” God is angry with the human race because of sin. His just wrath will result in some souls being forever lost in hell. God’s wrath is real; hell is real. Jesus, the Son of God, has acted to shield and save you from the wrath of God. He bore that wrath for you.
We will understand more about what has happened to the human race as we continue in the Book of Romans. For now, we must realize that there are only two classes of people in the world. Some are under the wrath of God, and some are under the grace of God. Paul will explain later that we are all born into the first category. You enter into the second category only through faith in Jesus Christ. The apostle John expresses this truth with characteristic clarity and simplicity. “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him“(John 3:36). We have a clear choice to make: Believe in the Son and receive everlasting life, or refuse to believe in Jesus and remain under the wrath of God.
Paul now adds another factor into the love of God. He writes, “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” If the death of Jesus reconciled us to God WHILE WE WERE ENEMIES, much more we shall be saved by His life. I like that phrase, “much more.” How much more will God do for us after having overwhelmed us with His love in the death of Jesus? God’s word tells us we shall also be saved by His life. What could that possibly mean? It means that Jesus is not simply a Savior who died for us and remained dead. Jesus is alive, resurrected from the tomb, and He is now at the right hand of God the Father, interceding for us (Heb. 7:25).
While Paul does not elaborate in our text the full implications of being saved by the life of Jesus, from other Scriptures, we receive a glorious picture of what that means. We say, “Forgive and forget,” but Jesus does not forgive us and then forget us, leaving us to struggle through life alone. One of Paul’s favorite phrases is “in Christ.” He uses it 13 times in Romans alone. Persons of faith live their lives “in Christ.” We are joined to Him spiritually, and He is there for us in every situation. We read in John 15:26 (NKJV), “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” The Holy Spirit works in our human spirit, revealing the presence of Jesus to our innermost being. Thus, Paul cried out, I live, yet not I; Christ lives in me, (Gal. 2:20). We not only have a Savior who died for us but a living Lord who dwells in our hearts. Fellowship with the living Christ is the greatest of all Christian benefits.
How can we view live pictures of what is happening in New York, or Iraq, or London while we sit in our living room? Powerful electronic signals are sent from the TV Station or from a satellite, and if you have the right receiver, you can pick up the signal and view live pictures from all over the world. We are like TV receivers. The Holy Spirit is sending out the signal “Jesus” worldwide. When you are justified by faith, you can tune in. Jesus is no longer off in heaven somewhere or dwelling in the distant past. He is an immediate presence in the heart of every believer. How great is the love of God that God the Son not only died for us while we were His enemies but also takes up His residence in our hearts!
Sometimes Christians wonder what happens after being justified by faith if we fall into sin. Once again, Jesus comes to our rescue. Look at 1 John 2:1 – 2 (NKJV)My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” And then 1 John 1:9(NKJV) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
John first states the ideal case; he calls upon the redeemed to avoid sin. Then he becomes practical because he knows that the very best Christians fall into sin. When sin enters the lives of those justified by faith, we should quickly remember two critical truths: Jesus is our Advocate with the Father. He is our defense attorney. He reminds the Father (to speak in a human sense) that He is the propitiation for the sins of His people. He has paid the price for our forgiveness. However, we must perform a duty, and that is to confess our sins to God sincerely. As we repent and confess, the blood of Jesus once again removes the stain of guilt from us.
PAUL
(A First Person Sermon)
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor
My name is Paul. I was given two names because I was both a Jew and a Roman citizen. Paul is my Roman name. Saul is my Jewish name. I was born in Tarsus in Asia Minor, a country you know as Turkey. I was a Pharisee who studied the law under the great Gamaliel. I was born in the tribe of Benjamin. By profession, I was a tentmaker.
I was a very dedicated Jew, as were most of the Pharisees. I believed in the Law of Moses. The idea that someone better than Moses would come along was foreign to me. Moses was a great prophet of God. Moses was the one to whom God revealed His law. How could anyone come alone who would be superior to Moses?
In my early years, there was an upstart prophet named Jesus. I never knew Him.
He was crucified as a false prophet claiming to be the King of the Jews. Many believe Him to be the Messiah promised to Israel by God. The prophets had promised a Messiah would come, but so many years had gone by that many of us no longer believed a Messiah would actually come. So we reinterpreted the messianic passages in ways that need not concern us this morning.
I hated the Christians, and I was not too fond of Jesus, their false prophet. They were replacing Judaism with a new religion. Jesus had gained so many followers that something had to be done. If they were allowed to grow, they would replace orthodox Judaism. I could not permit that to happen.
I became what you would call a policeman for the high priest. I was given the authority to hunt down Christians. I had them punished, jailed, and even killed. I believed I was doing God’s work. One of their leaders was a man named Stephen. He was nothing but trouble. He accused us of being stiff-necked and of resisting the Holy Spirit. How anyone could make such false accusations against faithful Jews was beyond me. We put an end to his lying mouth. I happily stood by and watched as he was stoned to death. Just before he died, he had a hallucination. He thought he saw Jesus in the heavens, and then he prayed that those who stoned him would be forgiven of their sin. Sin? What sin? It is not a sin to kill a babbling false prophet. I continued to hunt down Christians and turn them over to the authorities. I was sure we had to stamp out this new false religion. I was proud of the work I was doing. I was confident that Jehovah approved.
Damascus became a trouble spot for this new religion. I was assigned to go there and round up as many Christians as possible. I went there with a well-armed contingent of soldiers. On the way, something very unusual happened. You may find what I am about to tell you hard to believe. Nevertheless, it was such a powerful experience that it changed my life.
Suddenly I saw a bright light; it seemed even more brilliant than the sun. I was knocked to the ground. The light was so bright I was blinded. It was all very confusing. Suddenly I heard a voice. Those who were with me did not hear a voice, just a sound, and I cannot explain why. I’m just telling you what happened. Oddly enough, the voice addressed me by my Hebrew name, Saul. I distinctly heard these words, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” I could not see, so I responded, “Who are You, Lord?” Was this some Christian ghost that I had arrested and had been put to death? Then the voice spoke to me clearly, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”
In an instant, one thing became clear to me. This Jesus whom I persecuted was the Messiah promised to Israel by God. He was indeed resurrected, as His disciples claimed. In a moment of time, it was clear that I had been fighting against God. I was scared to death! What would He do to me? Strike me dead for my folly? Keep me forever blinded? Send me straight to hell?
With fear and trembling in my voice, I said to Him, “What do You want me to do?” With great anxiety, I waited to see if He would respond. He told me to go to Damascus and await further instructions. In Damascus, a disciple named Ananias came to me. He restored my sight and baptized me. In the blink of an eye, I went from enemy of Jesus to friend of Jesus. I now wanted to serve Jesus, but I wondered what that would involve. Ananias told me what would happen. He told me I was a chosen vessel of Jesus. I would preach about Jesus to kings, Gentiles, and the children of Israel.
I was feeling puffed up by this news. I was to be someone important in the Christian movement. To preach before kings! To take the message of Jesus to the Gentiles! I supposed my sins were forgiven, and I was going to lead a new and glorious life of service to the Master.
Then Ananias burst my bubble. He told me that I was to suffer for Jesus. If you think following Jesus will lead to a life filled with nothing but good things, you might want to think again. Yes, I was called to fulfill a great and important task. Eventually, I preached the name of Jesus all over the ancient world, but there was a cost. Ananias was right. Suffering became my lot.
I began preaching in Damascus. I went to the synagogues and told my fellow Jews that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. Many were puzzled. They knew I had been persecuting the church, and now I was proclaiming the name of Jesus. I wondered if they thought I had lost my mind! These particular Jews were not too pleased with my message. They plotted to kill me! Ananias was right. Following Jesus does not always lead to a bed of roses.
I guess you could say I became a basket case. Some of Jesus’ disciples helped me to escape those who sought my life by letting me down over the city wall in a basket. But, that was just the beginning of my sufferings. Pastor Bowman said I could only talk for 25 minutes, so I will just share some highlights.
During my first missionary journey, I preached with Barnabas, a fellow Christian, and a dear friend, in Cyprus, Perga, Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. The experience at Lystra was interesting. Jesus healed a disabled man through me, and the pagans in Lystra thought I was a god! They thought I was the god Hermes and Barnabas they called Zeus. Well, we had to put a stop to that. We explained that we were mere mortal men and proclaimed the living God to them.
Some Jews saw what happened in Lystra and decided that I must be executed. Just as I had once persecuted Christians, I was being persecuted because I was a Christian! I was cornered by a group of Jews who stoned me. They thought I was dead and dragged me out of the city like a sack of garbage. The disciples gathered around me and prayed. I am not sure if I was dead or not, but Jesus raised me up, and we went on our way.
On my second missionary journey, I had an interesting experience in the city of Phillipi. A young lady followed us around and shouted, “These men are the servants of the most high God who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” What she said was true enough, but she was clearly demon-possessed. You don’t want a demon-possessed girl running around advertising on your behalf! I turned to her and commanded the demon to come out of her in the name of Jesus. She was instantly set free. Unfortunately, she had some masters who used her fortune-telling skills to make money. They were not too happy when their money supply was suddenly cut off.
We were dragged before the magistrates as trouble makers and cast into prison. Silas was with me, and we decided to have a songfest around midnight. We sang hymns praising God. Suddenly there was an earthquake, and the prison collapsed like the walls of Jericho. All the prisoners were set free from their shackles. The jailer was beside himself. He thought all the prisoners would escape and he would face the death penalty, so he decided to take his own life.
We intervened and halted his suicide attempt. He was so distraught and fearful. He cried out to us, “What must I do to be saved?” I didn’t know if he meant saved from the wrath of his superiors or what he meant, but I decided to tell him about Jesus. I gave him a very brief Gospel message. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” He did believe in Jesus, and we taught him and his family in greater detail about the Christian faith. A wonderful baptism service followed this, and we celebrated by having a feast together.
I remember one occasion when we were sailing to Rome and were shipwrecked. The soldiers wanted to kill all the prisoners (of which I was one) lest we escape. God had told me that everyone would survive the shipwreck and a Centurian stepped up to stop the killing. Everyone made it safely to shore as God had promised. We swam to the island of Melita. The island inhabitants were regarded as barbarians, but they were very kind to us.
They kindled a fire for us as we were wet and cold. I was throwing some sticks on the fire when suddenly a viper latched onto my hand. I shook the serpent off my hand into the fire. The natives knew the snake was poisonous, and they waited for me to die. They thought perhaps I was a murderer, and vengeance finally caught up with me. When I did not die, the island inhabitants assumed I must be a god! I assured them I was not. Nevertheless, they thought God was with me, so they brought their sick to me to be healed. I prayed for the sick, and God delivered them. Although they were considered to be barbarians, we were there three months and were treated with kindness. When we finally set sail again for Rome, they saw to it that we had everything we would need. I was treated better by these barbarians than I ever was by “civilized” Romans and Jews!
My time is about up. There is so much more I could tell you about my life, but I don’t want to preach too long and risk the displeasure of Pastor Bowman. I once preached so long that a young man sitting in an upper story window fell asleep during my sermon and fell to his death. I felt responsible, so I asked Jesus to restore him to life, and he did! I wouldn’t want that to happen to any of you. I close with this. My life was hard. Following Jesus was no picnic. I was often beaten, stoned once, imprisoned, and shipwrecked. I was finally put to death for my faith in Rome. I hope my story doesn’t discourage you from following Jesus. Yes, there may be times of hardship, but Jesus has the words of eternal life. The blessings of following Jesus far outweigh the hardships. The sufferings of this world are not even worth comparing to the glory that awaits us in the future. So, I say to you what I said to the Philippian jailer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” Whatever happens to you in this life, Jesus gives eternal life to those who trust in Him. You can count on it.
The Faith of Abraham, Romans # 4
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Romans 4:1 – 5 (NKJV) 1What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 4Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. 5But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.
Romans 4:18 – 25 (NKJV) (Abraham) who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 19And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 23Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.
I have been asked more than once the following question: If faith in Jesus is necessary for salvation, are all persons doomed who lived before Jesus was born? I hope I don’t offend anyone, but the person who asks that question has not read much of the Bible. The text I just read affirms that the message of salvation was present in Abraham’s day, and we learn from Genesis 3:15 that the Gospel was revealed to Adam and Eve.
Our text reveals for us the essential nature of saving faith. It is not complicated. Paul argues that long before the time of Jesus, Abraham was a redeemed man. The reason is that Abraham believed God. Abraham’s faith was tested on several occasions; first, when he left Ur of the Chaldees, not knowing where he was going. Why did he do that? Because God told him to go. His faith was tested when he was prepared to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice. Why would any father sacrifice his own son? Because God told him to do it. In our text, Abraham is tested again. God tells him he will have a son. Abraham and Sarah were about 100 years old when God gave them this message. Being a woman of the world, Sarah knew there was no way she could bear a son, so she laughed at this bit of news. God seems to have a sense of humor, so when Sarah did bear a son he was named “Isaac,” which means “laughter” in Hebrew. God had the last laugh. Our text tells us that Abraham believed God. He had faith in what God had promised. He was fully convinced that God would perform the impossible. Then notice the crucial words, “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
Now listen carefully: Abraham was not a totally righteous man. We don’t have the time to go back to the Old Testament and list all the times he sinned. Abraham was not righteous in terms of his own behavior. God, however, accounted him righteous; treated him as though he were perfectly righteous. Why? Because he believed what God said. IF YOU WANT TO BE COUNTED AMONG THE REDEEMED, YOU MUST BELIEVE WHAT GOD SAYS. In its most basic and straightforward form, saving faith means learning to take God at His word. If you do not believe what God says, then you cannot enter into His salvation. It is not enough to believe IN God. We must also believe what He says.
God has spoken much in Scripture. While the wise person will believe every Word that God has spoken, there is one thing He has said that is of special importance for those who live under the New Covenant. Paul expresses it in our text: First, verse 5: 5But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. Speaking of the fact that God imputed righteousness to Abraham, Paul then adds, “It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.”
God tells us plainly that we are to believe in His Son, who suffered on our behalf and then was raised from death. Let’s take a very close look at our text. Whom does God redeem? Does He save good people? We have already seen that in God’s eyes, there are no good people (Romans 1). God justifies the ungodly. I have no problem admitting that my life is cluttered with ungodly thoughts, words, and deeds. How about you? The first thing we must believe about ourselves is that we are ungodly. God says so, and we can agree with Him or disagree. Disagreeing with God is never a good idea!
Paul mentions another factor in our text that we need to grasp firmly. In reference again to Abraham, Paul says he has nothing to boast about as a redeemed man. Boasting would enter the picture if we could say that our good works contributed to our salvation. But Paul excludes good works from the salvation formula. If Abraham had done something to deserve God’s favor, then he could boast. Instead, he received God’s favor, not by his works but by believing God.
We Christians must never look at those outside the faith and think, “We are better than they are. We are Christians.” No, we are not better than they are. Those who believe in Jesus, and those who do not, are described by God with the same word: ungodly. Boasting, whether expressed or only thought in our minds, is an integral part of human nature. If a baseball player has a batting average of .300 or better, he can boast about that. If you have a skill that earns you a large salary, you can boast about that. But if you are a redeemed person, you have nothing to brag about. Jesus did all the work; all you contribute is faith, believing what God says about His Son. Believing God is not a virtue we can boast about, but the failure to believe God is utter stupidity.
Okay, I admit I am an ungodly person, and I believe what God says about Jesus, that He is the Son of God, that His death was an atonement for my sins. Then comes the good part. God regards those who believe what He says about His Son as perfectly righteous. Their sins are forgiven. If our sins are not counted against us, they have no power to damn us. We are set free! Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
What exactly does it mean that righteousness is imputed to those who believe in Jesus? It does not mean that we embark on a life of perfect righteousness from the moment we believe in Jesus. Imputation is a forensic term, a legal term. It has to do with legal proceedings. In theology, the term means that our being justified before God is a legal declaration made by God that in itself does not change our inner nature or character. We say to God, “Father, I am an ungodly sinner. I trust in your Son to pay the penalty for my sins and to redeem me.” God says to us, “Because of what my Son did for you, and because you believe in Him, I now regard you as having a clean slate. I consider you to be perfectly righteous. I receive you as my adopted child. You shall dwell in heaven with the redeemed for all eternity.”
Consider O. J. Simpson for a moment. A jury declared him “Not guilty” of murder. As far as the law of this country is concerned, he is not guilty. Many believe he was guilty, but he is free from any punishment once a court declares that O. J. is not guilty. Of course, if he really is guilty, he will have to face the judgment of God, but that is another story. The point is that once the Court of Heaven says, “All his/her sins are forgiven,” you are free forever.
The church has sometimes complicated the simple salvation message. For instance, some say that our good works do indeed contribute to our salvation. God says they do not. Some say we must weep and cry and beg God to forgive us. We have to “pray through” to salvation. It is an insult to beg God to do something He has already done. You don’t need to beg or even ask God to forgive you. YOU NEED TO BELIEVE IN JESUS. Some say you have to feel “something” in your soul before you are really saved. You don’t need to feel anything. You need to believe in Jesus.
God does have something to say about good works and feelings, but that comes later when we talk about living life as a forgiven sinner. We will see how good works fit into the picture as we proceed through Romans. For now, it is vital to grasp the fact that God has done everything that needs to be done to secure your eternal well-being. All he asks of us is that we believe what He says regarding His Son.
What about those who hear the message and do not believe it? The Apostle John addresses that issue in 1 John 5:10 (NKJV)He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. If you refuse to believe in Jesus after hearing God’s testimony concerning Him, you are calling God a liar. Calling God a liar is a serious offense. Yet, there are hundreds of people right here in Benton County who ignore the message of Jesus. They may believe that God exists, but they do not believe what He says about His Son. They cannot seem to humble themselves and admit their need. If you are in that number, I implore you to believe what God says and put your faith and trust in Jesus. Saving faith is not merely saying, “I believe God exists.” Faith also declares, “I believe what God says.”
Abraham was saved because he believed in an implausible story. He believed that a couple near the age of 100 could conceive and bear a child. That would require a miracle, and God is a God of miracles. And God said to Abraham that I will accept you and treat you as a righteous man because you believe what I said. Another woman, Mary, was told that she would bear a Son. She did not understand how that could be since she had never been intimate with a man. When she was given God’s explanation, she said, “Be it unto me according to your word.” She believed what God said, and she gave birth to another miracle baby, even the Son of God. What must I do today to be saved? Do you believe what God says concerning Jesus? If you do, you will live in heaven forever. If you don’t believe what God says concerning His Son, you are calling God a liar,
God loves you and wants to redeem you, but that will not happen until faith is born in your heart, a faith that says to God, “Not only do I believe that You exist, but I also believe what You have said concerning Your Son.” May God grant true faith to all who are gathered here today.
ROMANS # 3: GOD’S WAY OF SAVING THE WICKED
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: Romans 3:21 – 26 (NKJV) 21But now the righteousness of God apart from the Law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Life is full of questions and decisions. What vocation should I pursue? Should I marry or remain single? Where should I invest money (if I have any to invest!)? And when we get down to the lesser issues of life, the list of decisions we make is very long: Which doctor? Which dentist? Where to vacation? Where to shop? You get the idea. Life is full of questions and decisions. The most crucial questions of all are religious ones. How do I find peace with God? Can I know that I am redeemed? Is heaven to be my final destiny? Is hell a reality I should fear?
Last week we saw that God has a dim view of the human race. He created us for righteousness and fellowship with Himself, but the human race universally has thrown that away. We all have a predisposition towards rebellion against God and prefer to live life our way rather than God’s way. There are no exceptions to this grim picture of the human race. So Paul says, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Vs. 23). None of us can measure up to what God requires of us. We are all in the same boat. We live under God’s wrath. Unless something changes, we are all on our way to hell.
Paul reveals to us that something did change. We need to look at God’s solution to our problem. Our problem is this: God, who cannot lie, has declared over and over again that the penalty for sin is eternal death, hell. Ezekiel 18:4 says it clearly. God is speaking. “Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the fatheras well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.” Paul said in Romans 6:23 (NKJV) “For the wages of sin is death…” In Matthew 23:33, we find Jesus speaking sharply to the scribes and Pharisees: “(you) Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell?”
That is the question for all of us. How can we escape the just condemnation of hell? Because of our sin, what options does God have? We might assume that He will say, “Golly, I spoke too quickly. I don’t want to send everyone to hell. Just tell me you are sorry, and I will forgive you.” But, on the other hand, he could have thought, “Well, I have to stay with what I said. Therefore everyone must be damned to hell.” Neither of these possible solutions existed in the mind of God.
Paul describes God’s “problem” in our text. God must be just, but he also wants to justify the sinner. God must punish sin, but He also wants to show mercy. The solution, of course, is in Jesus, God’s Son, and the Gospel He brought into the world. Paul refers to this solution as the revelation of God’s righteousness.
We notice that God’s solution is apart from the Law. There is no salvation to be found in the Law of God. God does not say to us, “Okay, you have broken my Law. Try again, and if you get it right this time, I will save you.” Nor does He give us a new Law that is easier to keep than the Ten Commandments. So if you want to find eternal life, forget about laws, rules, and commandments.
God’s solution is to save all who trust in Jesus. Since all have sinned, salvation is offered to all. God’s grace is universal. It is for you if you will receive it. God says to the world, “believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” This offer is freely extended to us, with no strings attached. Paul says in verse 24 that we are justified freely by God’s grace. Later in 6:23, Paul describes our salvation as eternal life given to us by God as a gift. Please grasp this idea and hold to it firmly. Eternal life is a gift. Sometimes we want to jump ahead in the story and talk about Christians’ good works. Please forget that idea for now. It will come up later. Before we can talk about the works of a Christian, we must be confident that we have entered into salvation.
To receive God’s grace and salvation, you must forget about God’s Laws, forget about good works; you must even forget about serving God, at least for now. You need but one thing to be saved: FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST. FAITH ALONE, PLUS NOTHING. That is why the Gospel is called “good news.” We stand before God as sinners without merit and receive His grace and pardon freely by trusting in Jesus. That is why a person can turn to God on his death bed, calling upon the name of Jesus, and find pardon and eternal life. That is why a thief who has wasted his life and ends up on a Roman cross can turn to Jesus at last and enter Paradise.
But what about the penalty for our sins I spoke about earlier? The answer is in verse 25. Speaking of Jesus, Paul writes speaking of Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed… We need to look at the word “propitiation.”The Greek word “hilasterion,” means a sacrifice, a covering, a satisfaction, a payment, appeasement. Jesus Christ took the penalty for our sins upon Himself. He satisfied God’s demand that sin be punished. His shed blood is sufficient payment for the sins of the world. He died for us, the just for the unjust (1 Peter 3:18).
But if the penalty for sin is eternal death, how can the death of Christ, which lasted but a few days, pay for our sins? Because of the majesty of His Person, Jesus can satisfy God’s requirement for justice. He is the Son of God. His suffering on the Cross has infinite value because of who He is. God considers Jesus’ suffering of sufficient worth to atone for the sins of every person who has ever lived. He is described by John the Baptist as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
If any of us volunteered to die for the sins of the world, God would say, “impossible.” Our lives do not have that much clout in heaven. We are sinners, so how could our death possibly pay for the sins of another? Jesus is the sinless Son of God. When He hung on the Cross, God regarded His suffering as having more than enough value to atone for the sins of the world. He suffered on our behalf, so we do not have to suffer the eternal pain and darkness of hell.
In our justice system, we understand the concept of double jeopardy. If you have been tried for a crime and been found innocent, the state cannot try you again. You cannot be compelled to go through trial after trial until the prosecution gets a guilty verdict. You cannot be placed in jeopardy more than once. If the jury says, “Not guilty,” the matter is over, even if you happen to be guilty.
The same idea relates to our spiritual life. Jesus atoned for your sins. If God were to send you to hell, He would be committing double jeopardy. He would be punishing your sins a second time. Your sins were already punished at the Cross. You cannot be punished for them again.
There is one little catch in our text. God justifies only those who believe in Jesus. Let’s look at John 3:16 – 18 (NKJV) “For 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.”
There is an important point we need to grasp here. God did not send Jesus because He wanted to condemn us. The world was already under God’s condemnation. Jesus came to save us. For us to receive salvation, faith is required. If you believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and if you believe that He bore your sins at Calvary, you will never face divine condemnation. You are loved, forgiven, and bound for heaven.
Notice why some still face condemnation despite what Jesus has done. They are not condemned because of their sins. Christ has taken away the sins of the world. Every condemned person is condemned “because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” The issue between God and me is not that I have sinned. Jesus atoned for my sins. The issue is this: do I believe in Jesus, who atoned for my sins? In God’s mind, all the sins I have ever committed are a drop in the bucket compared to the damning sin of refusing to believe in Jesus. God has gone way out of His way to redeem us. To scorn the blood of Jesus as our only means of salvation is the most heinous sin anyone can ever commit.
God’s way of saving sinners humbles us. First, we must admit that our sins make us candidates for hell. Many see themselves as reasonably decent people and cannot acknowledge that God will justly condemn them. Then we must believe that God Himself, in the person of His Son, paid the price to redeem us. Finally, many like to think that there must be something we can add to what Jesus has done. For example, we can help Jesus complete the saving process by our good works. It is humbling to admit that God’s beloved Son had to suffer on our behalf. But this is the Gospel, the only Gospel that will save anyone. Jesus is the Savior, and He does not need our help! What He desires is our faith.
Suppose someone gave you an expensive gift because they love you. Would you say, “This gift is too costly. Let me help pay for it.” The giver would feel insulted. Once you help pay for a gift, it ceases to be a gift. Salvation is a gift, and if you try to do something to earn it or pay for it, you are insulting God, the gift giver, and that is never a wise decision! God offers us the gift of eternal life. Faith receives the gift with an everlasting “Thank You!”
If you have enough humility to bow before the Cross and put your trust in Jesus, there is pardon for you. Is there another way to find God apart from trusting a bleeding Savior? The Bible offers no hint of any other way. It is Jesus or hell. So, brothers and sisters, be absolutely sure that you have true faith in Jesus. It is truly a matter of life and death.
ROMANS # 2: FORSAKEN BY GOD
Warsaw Christian Church, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Romans 1:18-32 says:
Romans 1:18 – 32 (NKJV) 18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20For 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, 21because, 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. 22Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.
We are faced with a text that contains so much instruction that we can only skim the surface this morning. Without a detailed exposition of each item in our text, I hope we can get a clear look at the big picture. Last week I mentioned a poll where Christians were asked if good people who are not Christians can be redeemed. Paul answers the question for us.
Sometimes we humans overlook the obvious. I always enjoyed the stories and movies about Sherlock Holmes because he saw things others overlooked and thus was able to solve the crime. His sidekick, Dr. Watson, often failed to see what Holmes saw. There is a cute story about Holmes and Watson, which can introduce our text. Holmes and Watson went on a camping trip. After a good meal, they lay down for the night and went to sleep. Some hours later, Holmes nudged his friend and woke him up. “Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see.” Watson replied, “I see millions and millions of stars.” Holmes asked, “What does that tell you?” Watson pondered for a minute. “Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo. Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three. Theologically, I can see that God is omnipotent and that we are small and insignificant creatures. Meteorologically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow.” “What does it tell you, Holmes?” Holmes was silent for a minute and then spoke. “Watson, you idiot. Someone has stolen our tent!”
Watson thought he had covered every possible answer to the meaning of the stars, but he failed to deduce the obvious. He should not be able to see the stars while sleeping in a tent! We are faced with a similar situation when we talk about “good people” going to heaven. Actually, I agree with the premise that good people go to heaven. But let us not miss the obvious. Who are we talking about? Can you name a good person according to God’s standard, the only standard that matters?
If you were to ask Paul, “Can good people who have no faith in Jesus be saved,” I think he would ask a question in return. “Where do you find any good people?” In our text, Paul describes human behavior and belief as it manifests itself universally throughout history in all nations and cultures. It is not a pretty picture. The quality of goodness is utterly lacking. He begins by speaking of the wrath of God, which rests upon the entire human race for three reasons: men are unrighteous; men are ungodly; men suppress the truth about God so that they may continue their unrighteous behavior.
There is a popular book entitled Why Bad Things Happen to Good People. Paul would respond to that title by declaring, “There are no good people.” Humans may have relative goodness, which gains the approval of others, but in the eyes of God, there are no good people. The Law of God requires perfection from us. Israel was not told, “Just do your best, and I will forgive the rest.” Listen to this text: Exodus 24:3 (NKJV) So Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the Lord has said we will do.” The history of Israel is a history of how they failed to keep their promise to do what God had commanded. God does not grade on a curve. He does not say that He will receive into heaven all those whose goodness score is 51% or better.
Paul first sets out to demonstrate human godlessness and unrighteousness. The easiest way to understand what he refers to is to remember the two great commandments spoken of by Jesus: Love for God and love for neighbor. The human race does not love God as required, nor do we show consistent love for neighbors. No person in history except Jesus has kept the two great commandments.
Paul is telling us not to fail to notice that the tent has been stolen. I have heard discussions where people ask, “But what about good Hindus, or good Moslems; or native Americans who worshipped the great spirit? What about good Americans who never darken the door of a church? What about good people who have never heard about Jesus? What about Gandhi?” Such discussions can go on and on with no one stating the obvious. “Give me an example of a truly good person.” Later in Chapter 3, Paul says it plainly in Romans 3:10 – 12 (NKJV)As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”
Apart from Christ, all stand under the just wrath of God. Paul says the problem is compounded by the fact that God can be known to the natural man if he would not overlook the obvious. Paul declares that the invisible God is seen clearly in the things He has made. Paul invites us to look at nature and explain the marvelous realities we see in the heavens and on the earth and explain them apart from God. He declares that reality demands belief in a tremendous power that brought nature into being. Such power, declares Paul, cannot exist naturally. It points clearly to the existence of God.
But what has the human race done with this precise knowledge of God? What have we done with the God who shouts at us in the creation and says, I EXIST! I AM! From the earliest days, we humans tend to suppress the truth. We try to devise a worldview that eliminates God. Evolution, of course, is the most common attempt to explain reality apart from God. Although promoted in society as a scientific certainty, evolution explains nothing. It postulates a “big bang” that created our universe but cannot explain where the stuff that went “bang” came from. When we come to faith in Jesus Christ, we look at the universe with redeemed eyes and declare, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
If you can look at the universe and not see a powerful God behind it, you are described by Paul in verse 22. Professing to be wise, they became fools.” Paul then describes the awful spiral into ever greater sin that follows when we lapse into foolishness and overlook the obvious – – – the existence of a great and powerful God. First, we fall into idolatry, superstition, and magic. Second, Paul describes how human behavior becomes degraded. He describes homosexual behavior as one of the consequences of men trying to outsmart God (see verses 26-27). If you have friends or family members who embrace homosexuality as I do, love them, but pray for them too, that they might see their behavior in the clear light of Scripture. We tend to want to redefine God to suit ourselves. If a particular behavior works for us, we conclude that it is okay with God.
I do not worship idols and am not gay, so Paul is not speaking to me. Paul then gives a catalog of sins that plague the human race. I wonder if any of us can escape verses 29-31 in our text: 29being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 1undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful. . .
Because of sin, we all face the judgment of God. I am on that list at several points, but I prefer not to elaborate on my sins! Why does Paul dwell so much on this negative stuff? Because he knows that until we embrace the dark truth about ourselves, we will never be able to receive the good news. We who are Christians already know the good news. We are saved through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul will elaborate on that theme next week as we jump ahead into Romans 3.
Would you want to go to a doctor who would only tell you good things? As he examines you, he finds several signs of illness, but he believes in positive thinking, and so he says, “You are in perfect health.” He does not want you to feel discouraged and depressed about your illness, so he declares everything is well. Such a doctor will kill you by withholding the truth you need to hear.
Yes, we want to be positive. We want to hear that God loves us and that heaven is our home. We want to sing “It is Well With My soul,” and “Everyday with Jesus is Sweeter than the Day Before.” And there is a time and place for Christians to rejoice in the positive benefits of the Gospel, but first we must embrace the bad news. We have a fatal illness called sin. It will lead to our eternal death. God is angry with us. We stand under His wrath. Once we embrace the bad news and declare, “Yes, it is true. I am a sinner who has offended God repeatedly. What am I to do?” Then and only then are you ready to hear the message, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” The more you feel the power of your sins, the more you will appreciate the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ.
The Gospel is for sinners, and until we face up to the darkness of our personal sins, we will not understand or embrace the Gospel. The law of God must be taken seriously, and when it is, we are driven to despair. We cry out as they did on Pentecost, “What can we do?” Is there any hope for us? Once we understand the bad news, we are in a position to receive the good news. There is a Savior. His name is Jesus. Trust Him and trust in His atoning sacrifice and you will be forgiven and enter into the love of God.
THE GOSPEL, ROMANS # 1
Warsaw Christian Church, (January 16, 2022) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: Romans 1:1 – 6; 16-17 (NKJV
The Book of Romans is a glorious revelation of what Paul believed; it is a statement of his fundamental theology. It was a verse in Romans that led to the conversion of Augustine. It was a verse in Romans that led to Luther’s conversion. He referred to Romans as “the chief book in the New Testament.” It was a verse in Romans that led to the conversion of John Wesley. It is a book that presents us with what we are to believe as Christians. Paul did not write this letter to meet some specific problems of the church as he did in his first letter to the Corinthians or even to combat the false teaching of the legalists in his letter to the Galatians. He was not writing to straighten out some doctrinal errors, like the Thessalonians’ misunderstanding regarding the Lord’s return. Since he had never visited Rome, he was writing to ground the believers in Rome into the very essentials of what Christ had revealed to him. Some people shy away from doctrine, but for Paul, doctrine was important. A false understanding of Christ and the Gospel has led many souls astray.
I want to spend some time examining the message of this great epistle over the next few months. Everything you need to know about the Gospel of Jesus Christ is in this book. I am frequently surprised to learn how many people, even church people, do not clearly understand the Gospel. Some time ago, I learned about a poll taken in 2005 by Newsweek Magazine. The question was asked, “Can good people go to heaven even if they have no faith in Jesus?” 83% of Protestants said, “Yes.” Even among evangelical Christians who claim to believe the Bible is the infallible word of God, 68% said “Yes.” 79% of Christians polled said they believe there are many paths to God. The liberal theologians among us have done an excellent job of bringing confusion into the church. I believe the New Testament is accurate, and therefore I believe there is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ. There are not many paths to God. Jesus spoke of a wide path that seems to lead to God, but it leads to destruction. He also spoke of a narrow path that alone leads to the Father. Jesus is that path. “I am the way,” he said. “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
Since there is widespread confusion in the church regarding the Gospel message, it seemed like a good time to take a close look at the biblical Gospel and the basic truths that flow from it. Paul introduces several basic themes, which he will elaborate on later in Romans. In our text, he introduces us to the critical elements of the Gospel itself.
There are seven items in our text that I want to comment on. I will spend more time on some than others. A seven-point sermon, giving complete exposition to each point, would keep us here until early afternoon. If I preach into the early afternoon, I suspect I will be alone by the end of the sermon!
1. First of all let us note how Paul refers to himself. Your pew Bible uses the word “servant” in verse 1. Paul used the common Greek word “doulos,” which means a slave. A slave belongs to a Master and does the Master’s bidding. Paul sees himself as a slave of Jesus Christ. As Christians, we belong to Jesus, and our primary goal in life is to please Him. That is what slaves do. They live to please the Master. Christians are not captured slaves who serve Jesus out of compulsion. They volunteer to serve under the banner of Jesus, their Master. And Jesus is not a harsh taskmaster. On the contrary, he loves His slaves, and He always works to promote our good. To be a slave of Jesus is a great blessing.
2. I will not dwell long on the second point either, although it is essential. Paul refers to the Gospel as that “which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures” in verse 2. Jesus did not introduce a new religion into the world. He brought to completion the ancient religion of Israel. He is the Jewish Messiah prophesied in many places in the Old Testament. Sometimes people refer to the Old Testament as a Jewish Book. Luther referred to the Old Testament as a Christian book, for in its pages, a Messiah is promised. Jesus is that Messiah.
3. The third point in our text has to do with the nature of the Gospel. 3″concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord…” The Gospel is not about rules; it is not about religious rituals; it is not about us. The Gospel is solely and entirely about Jesus. I recall hearing Rudolf Hess declare in a Nazi propaganda film, “Hitler ist Deutschland, und Deutschland ist Hitler.” Hitler is Germany, and Germany is Hitler. The German people made a bad error in judgment when they saw Hitler as the embodiment of Germany. But we can apply this sentiment to Jesus. Jesus is the Gospel, and the Gospel is Jesus. Christianity is Jesus and Jesus is Christianity. Paul will spell out what that means as we go through the great texts in Romans. Any definition of the Gospel that does not center on Jesus is false. One theologian of the 19th century, Adolf Harnack, defined the Gospel as the universal Fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man. The problem with this Gospel is it is false at the core. God is not the universal Father of all persons. God becomes our Father through faith in Jesus. In addition and more importantly, Harnack’s Gospel is false for it fails to mention the name of Jesus. Any definition of the Gospel which omits the name of Jesus is false, period!
4. Forth, in our text we are introduced to the mysterious two natures possessed by Jesus, “who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” The Jesus who brings us the Gospel is an utterly unique person. He is a human being like us, but He is also the Son of God. His humanity came through the family of David, as the prophets of old had prophesied. His divinity was revealed initially by His virgin birth. It was confirmed when He rose from death. His human nature began at a point in time in the first century AD. His divine nature has no beginning or end. Jesus is God and man united in one person, a mystery to us, but a clear revelation of Scripture. There is a powerful spiritual reason why the Savior must be both God and man. He must be a man to identify with us, but He must also be God so that His atoning death will have infinite value. The death of any man, no matter how great he may be, has no power to atone for our sins. The death of the man who is also God can atone for the sins of the world.
5. Fifth, 5″Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, 6among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ…” Paul and the other apostles received grace and their apostolic calling from Jesus. The rest of us are those whom Jesus Christ has called. The call of Jesus Christ has gone to the whole world. No one is excluded. All are invited to receive the grace of salvation. Those who say “yes” to Jesus will spend all eternity full of gratitude towards the Savior who redeemed them. Those who say “No” to Jesus will spend all eternity in anguish, regretting the fact that salvation was so near to them, but they did not partake of the grace of God.
6. Sixth, Paul describes the Gospel as the “power of God unto salvation.” He adds that he has no shame in proclaiming this Gospel. We must listen carefully to Paul at this point. While Paul will elaborate later on the content of the Gospel, for now, he wants us to realize one thing: Jesus Christ, who is God and man united in one person, is the Gospel. The grace and salvation we need came from but one source, Jesus Christ. Why does Paul speak of shame in reference to the Gospel?
I wonder if Paul had the same problem we see in Christendom today? Large ministries and well-known popular preachers will not proclaim the biblical Gospel. This is because the biblical Gospel contains elements that are offensive to humans. Many are glad to hear that God loves us and eagerly embrace the idea that God has a wonderful plan for our lives, including health, wealth, and blessing upon blessing. We like the notion that we are so valuable and worthwhile to God that naturally, He wants to shower His blessings upon us.
How many really want to hear and believe the heart of the Gospel message, that all human beings, every one of us, are miserable sinners who deserve nothing but the wrath of God? Next week, we will expand on this idea as we look at Romans 1:18-32. But for now, do you see yourself as a wicked person, or do you have high regard for who you are? Those who look upon themselves with pride will be ashamed of the Gospel because Jesus came to redeem sinners. Until you can confess that you are a rebel against God, a sinner who has violated the heart of every single divine command, you cannot embrace the Gospel. You exclude yourself from eternal life because, as Paul stated flatly, JESUS CHRIST CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS (1 Tim. 1:15), and Paul then added that when it came to sin he was at the head of the class – – – the chief of sinners. Notice that Paul is now an Apostle, a man of God, but he does not say, “I was the chief of sinners.” Instead, he uses the present tense. Yes, he is forgiven, yet his past and present sins still haunt him. He never outgrows the notion that because of his many sins his life, apart from Christ, is a stench in the nostrils of God.
Is that how you view yourself? Persons who see themselves as good and worthy human beings will be ashamed of the Gospel. Modern psychology declares that we must have high self-esteem. Some claim that the biblical idea that we are sinners is degrading and insulting. Many in our world are ashamed of the Gospel. If a bloody Savior on a Cross is offensive to you, you have cut yourself off from the grace and mercy of God. Paul was ashamed of his sin, but he was not ashamed of the Gospel. He knew it was the cure for human sin. He also knew something else about the Gospel, which leads to our seventh and final point.
7. It is not an automatic power that converts everyone who hears the message. Those who hear the message of Jesus and believe in Him experience the power of God as He brings about the new birth and makes us new persons in Christ. Can you bring yourself to agree with God that you are a hell-deserving sinner? Do you agree with God that your only hope of forgiveness and salvation is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Faith opens the human heart to the power of God. The result is salvation. The power of the Gospel is released when faith is present. My hope and prayer for all of us is that we will know fully the power of the Gospel, which alone can bring the forgiveness of our sins and everlasting life.
The essence of what Paul says in the opening verses of the Book of Romans is clear. We all need Jesus. He is there for us if we will believe in Him. He is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe. Let’s close with some self-examination. Do I really believe in Jesus? Do I know my sins have been forgiven? Do I know I am a child of God? Have I sincerely placed my faith in Jesus alone as my only hope for salvation? I hope we can all say YES.
A TALE OF TWO CITIES
Warsaw Christian Church (1/9/2022) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Romans 13:1-2
At the beginning of a new year, it is natural to wonder what lies in the future. One thing is certain. The future of this nation depends upon our government seeking to build a nation in harmony with God, our Creator.
Today I want to address the theme of human government from a biblical perspective. The sermon title has nothing to do with Charles Dickens! As Augustine said many years ago, the title of this sermon speaks to the fact that we live in two cities. We live in the city of man and the city of God. Today, we will address the question of the origin of human government. We will be looking at how the city of man and the city of God interact.
First, I want to state a basic principle. Human governments are not an idea created by man. God is the Creator of government. When this principle is forgotten, chaos is the result. Consider Romans 13:1-2: Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.God’s Word tells us that all authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, human government is God’s idea. And if you think about it, the idea makes sense. Humans are not to be a law unto ourselves, doing willy-nilly whatever we wish to do. Instead, we are to live subject to governing authorities as one aspect of our obedience to God.
The idea that God originated human governments for our good tells us something about how we are to live, and it also tells us how human governments are to conduct themselves. As individuals, we must live in obedience to the laws of society, and human governments must govern in compliance with God’s will. Christian citizens understand that our primary loyalty is to God. Therefore, we are not obligated to obey governments that violate the will of God. More on that later.
God knew that as populations increased, there had to be a system whereby society was kept under control. So God instituted human government to serve that purpose. All ancient and modern civilizations had kings, monarchs, potentates, governors, presidents – – – the titles are many. The aim is the same. Keep order in society. In Romans 7, Paul states that one-way governments maintain order is to punish evildoers (Romans 7:4-5).
God is the author of law and order. The devil is the author of anarchy and violence. When you see violence and anarchy reigning in our cities, you know who is behind it. Alexander Campbell, one of the primary founders of our church, said that governments must rule according to the law of God. Those that do not face the judgment of God.
The men who founded the United States were, for the most part, Christians. Even those who weren’t Christians recognized the reality of God and the importance of His law. When George Washington was complimented for his outstanding leadership, he responded, “The praise is due to the Grand Architect of the universe…” In his first inaugural address, he made it clear that the hand of God was directly involved in the creation of the United States. Jefferson said this: “God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed their only secure basis, a convinction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God.” John Locke, a philosopher who had much impact on our nation’s founding, indicated that laws made by men out of harmony with Scripture are ill-made.
Our founders tried to create a government that ruled under divine authority. So, yes, we live under two governments, one human, one divine. But both live under the overarching authority of God. Governments that divorce themselves from the rule of God will not long survive.
When men began to embrace the philosophy of Charles Darwin, things began to change. Darwin rejected God and believed that everything evolves. President Woodrow Wilson expresses this change from government under divine authority to government by evolution. “living political constitutions must be Darwinian in structure. Progressives desire… to interpret the Constitution according to the Darwinian principle.” This principle directly contradicts our Declaration of Independence, which affirms that human rights have been endowed to us by the Creator, and that is an unchanging principle. Wilson said that the Constitution should evolve, and things have gradually gone downhill ever since.
So which way is it? Are our rights God-given and “inalienable?” — absolute? Or do we eliminate God from the picture and assume that Darwinian principles must reinterpret our founding documents? Hitler is an excellent example of a government influenced by Darwin. Aryan, white Germans were a superior race, highly evolved. The Jews were “untermenschen,” inferior creatures who must be eliminated lest they contaminate the Aryan gene pool. That is what can happen when governments adopt Darwinian principles.
Isaiah reveals that even pagan, godless governments exist by the sovereign authority of God. The King of Assyria had his throne by divine permission. God used his governing powers to punish unfaithfulness in Israel. Then that Assyria fell when God decreed it (see Isaiah 10:5-34). Here is the point. God decreed human governments to create peace and justice among men. Woe unto those nations which think they are autonomous and turn their backs upon God. Jeremiah wrote that God is in control of the nations, and He will build them up or tear them down as He wishes, depending on their behavior. (Jeremiah 18:5-11). Daniel wrote that God removes kings and sets up kings (Daniel 2:20-21). Many other prophets proclaim this same truth. God is in charge of the nations.
Many in our society believe that abortion is a constitutional right. The only way that is true is to apply Darwinian principles to the Constitution. The right to life is clearly in our Declaration of Independence and Constitution, but you have to reinterpret the Constitution to find the right to abortion. The battle rages in our society over those who believe the unborn have a right to life versus those who see the killing of babies in the womb as a human right. Show me in the Bible or in the Constitution where abortion is allowed, and I will change my mind.
My second example is capital punishment. Many believe that executing wicked criminals is cruel and unjust. This subject came up early in revelation history. Listen to Genesis 9:5-6: And I will require the blood of anyone who takes another person’s life. If a wild animal kills a person, it must die. And anyone who murders a fellow human must die. If anyone takes a human life, that person’s life will also be taken by human hands. For God made human beingsin his own image (NLT).
The point is clear. God made human beings in His image. When you commit murder, you are trying to murder God. Capital punishment is a clear biblical principle. Yes, care must be taken that the accused is, in fact, guilty. But the principle is clear. Murder must lead to capital punishment. I close today with the words of Psalm 99:1-5: The Lord is King! Let the nations tremble! He sits on his throne between the cherubim. Let the whole earth quake! The Lord sits in majesty in Jerusalem, exalted above all the nations. Let them praise your great and awesome name. Your name is holy! Mighty King, lover of justice,
you have established fairness. You have acted with justice and righteousness throughout Israel. Exalt the Lord our God! Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!
We live in two kingdoms. Make certain that you recognize which one is most important. Only nations which craft their laws to be in harmony with the law of God will endure. What does the future look like for this nation? Time will tell. If our political leaders continue to interpret the Constitution by Darwinian principles, I believe our future looks grim. Our Constitution is laced through and through with Christian principles. For the sake of our children and grandchildren, let us do what we can to promote a godly government. Let us elect politicians without concern about their political party. Some of our founding fathers advocated electing Christians who understand that good government is godly government. I want Jesus to be in charge of theUnited States, not Charles Darwin.
Standing Tall Against a Sea of Rage and Opposition Sermon from Tom Gee
Main Text: 1 Corinthians 15:58: Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord in not in vain.
Introduction: As we look to the New Year we know given human nature that the world, our nation, our Church, and we as individuals will face new challenges that threaten who we are as a people and as members of the Church of Christ. But these threats and challenges will also provide an opportunity for spiritual growth and maturity. This world is a crucible that molds and changes each one of us.
Dr. Jan Van Yperen in his book Making Peace says, “He (Jesus) is leading, perfecting, and changing us like apprentices under the tutelage of a master. Christianity is a craft that must be learned over time, a discipline with specific habits and practices that we grow into, guided by God’s word, His Spirit, and one another.”
In the scripture above Paul admonishes the Corinthians (and us) to stand firm (steadfast) for the Lord and continue our labor despite what else is happening around them. According to Naves Topical Concordance the concept of standing firm or steadfastness appears in the entire Bible 120 times. Obviously, this is an important topic for us.
When I think of Biblical steadfastness I am reminded of saints like Corrie ten Boom and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Two devout and committed Christians who stood against the unspeakable crimes of the Nazis. Corrie a Dutch watchmaker helped to hide Jews and smuggle them out of the country to safety. She was eventually arrested and sent to an internment camp but survived the war. Rev. Bonhoeffer a Lutheran pastor in Germany preached unceasingly against the Nazis genocide and was arrested and kept in prison and finally executed. These individuals took grave risks for their beliefs and suffered as martyrs.
From these two examples and the above scripture we can see thatsteadfastness (standing firm) is being able to keep to your principles, goals, and standards all the time without wavering or changing in any situation or under any form of pressure. Whenever true steadfastness is exhibited, it shows in several practical ways including the following 3 ways:
Aspects of true steadfastness:
- True steadfastness shows in our consecration.
- Our hearts must first be established in steadfastness.
- Ps. 112: 7 says, “They will have no fear of bad news, their hears are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”
- In our hearts we must maintain an indwelling deep trust in our God.
- The closer we draw to Him the greater will be our trust.
- Ps. 112: 7 says, “They will have no fear of bad news, their hears are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”
- Our steadfastness must show in our separating ourselves from all evil.
- Job 11:14-15: “…if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then, free of fault, you will lift up your face: and stand firm and without fear;”
- We are in this world but not of this world.
- We are bombarded daily with sinful and evil messages and acts.
- We must reject these messages and devote ourselves to that which is good, pure, holy, and Godly.
- Job 11:14-15: “…if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then, free of fault, you will lift up your face: and stand firm and without fear;”
- Our steadfastness must show in our separating ourselves for all evil men, evil acts, and evil things.
- Prov. 4:26-27 says, “Give careful thought to the paths of your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”
- Stay on the straight and narrow path. (Pilgrim’s Progress) We are on a lifelong journey to eternity led by the Holy Spirit.
- But we are called to minister to people entrapped in sin and living a sinful lifestyle.
- The Bible advises that two should go to the person needing help but assist each other in guarding against being ensnared in the sin.
- Prov. 4:26-27 says, “Give careful thought to the paths of your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”
- True steadfastness shows in our consistency.
- It must show in our holding firmly to the Christian faith and principles, without wavering.
- 1 Peter 5:8-9 says, “Be alert and sober minded. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…”
- Peter Greer, the co-author of the book Mission Drift, who serves as a staff member of the Christian Non-Profit Hope International which provides low interest loans and assistance to small businesses in third world countries and also brings the Gospel to change the person, tells the following story: He was meeting with an executive of a wealthy corporation who was very supportive of the group’s work and wanted to make a significant contribution. However, since it was a publicly owned corporation the executive wondered if Hope could tone down its Christian mission because certain stockholders might object. Peter’s choice: compromise their mission and get the big bucks or not and lose the big bucks. He chose to lose the big bucks. Peter heard the roar of the lion and stood firm in his faith in God’s mission.
- It must show in our closely following and obeying God.
- Joshua 1:7 says, “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law My servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.”
- Again, stay on the righteous and obedient path and do not stray.
- There is much help for us in this area provided through prayer, Bible reading and meditation, attending worship services, working in the church, fellowshipping with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Perhaps you can think of many more ways.
- It must show in our being able to endure hardship for the sake of Christ without yielding.
- James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
- Think again about Corrie Ten Boom and Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
- Our challenge now a days is to not be swallowed up by the increasingly secular and godless society we find ourselves in.
- True Steadfastness shows in our constancy.
- It must show in our being able to persevere up to the end.
- In Matthew 10:22 Christ said, “You will be hated by everyone because of Me, but the one who stands firm (steadfast) to the end will be saved.”
- The humanists among us would dearly love to eliminate or at least marginalize the influence of Christ’s Church and His people.
- Remember evil hates the good and cannot abide by God’s Truth and His Holy Word. Evil will rage against us and oppose us at every turn.
- It must show in our being able to move daily towards our goal.
- Luke 9:51 says, “As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set-out for Jerusalem.”
- The Lord was well aware of what was before Him but He did not shirk His duty but proceeded resolutely.
- Do we as a congregation know our goal? Let me suggest this goal: To serve Jesus Christ by presenting the Gospel to the lost and shepherding believers to spiritual maturity.
- Can we dedicate our lives and resources to a goal like that?
- It is important for congregations to have a written overarching goal or mission statement to help them resolutely stay on course in their service to the Kingdom.
- Luke 9:51 says, “As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set-out for Jerusalem.”
- It must show in our being serious with God’s work and doing it with all our might.
- 2 Timothy 4:5 says, “But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”
- Stay focused on the mission, do not be distracted and work for a bountiful harvest of souls as we labor for Our Master.
Conclusion: True steadfastness must first be established firmly in the heart, must next be manifested in practical consistency, and must finally show in our being able to persevere up to the end. True steadfastness does not change with situations and circumstances as the secular humanist would have us believe! By God’s grace it maintains its principles, goals, and standards all the time.
Let us always remember the following, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” (I Peter 2:9)
Prayer: Father God in a turbulent sea of chaos and rebellion in which we find ourselves we crave Your comfort, guidance, and strength. We know if we take our eyes off of You we will sink into the abyss of this dark world. Help us to remain steadfast, obedient, and engaged in the work of Your kingdom. We know You are for us so no one can stand against us. We look forward to the time of the coming of our Savior who will destroy evil and usher in the new age of peace and the triumph of Your Kingdom. And we will all join together in the New Jerusalem. Maranatha, the Lord is coming. In Christ’s holy name we pray. Amen.
Recommended reading:
The Hiding Place byCorrie Ten Boom
The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Sermon from Tom Gee
THAT WORD WHICH MUST NEVER BE SPOKEN…
SIN
- Introduction:
- Perhaps when you were young you experienced a mouth cleansing with soap when you said a word you should not have said and your mother heard it! Ivory soap does not taste good, ugh!! Certain words we just don’t say in polite society.
- Now to some the word SIN is one of those words and is anathema to them and a vulgar word and must never be discussed or acknowledged or said aloud!
- For you see there is a certain viewpoint that totally rejects this idea of sin and believes that personal accountability is left up to the individual.
- This morning we are going to look at two opposing viewpoints that are very much actively in conflict and perhaps are at war.
- And then we will spend some time looking at how the Bible defines sin.
- Secular Humanism (Man centered) Worldview
- Secular humanism: is the belief that humanity is capable of morality and self-fulfillment without belief in God.
- There is no God and mankind is its own god.
- Each person is a law unto themselves.
- Morality is fluid and is situational in nature and is dependent on the individual’s needs and desires.
- Lifeboat example: Two sailors find themselves in a lifeboat after a shipwreck. However, they know where they are and in 10 days they will reach land. Problem: only enough food and water for 5 days for 2 people. One has a pistol. The humanist would say the one with the gun has every right to kill the other person so he can survive the ten days. The situation dictates the ethics and his right to survive supersedes the other person’s right to live. Might makes right!
- The idea that God exists and He provides laws and guidelines for mankind’s behavior is thought to be foolish and is rejected.
- Sin which is a violation of God’s will does not exist for the humanist.
- Because sin connotes a wrongdoing for which one is responsible to God.
- A humanist does not want to see himself in this light because he believes he determines what is moral and ethical.
- So that horrible word sin must never be spoken.
- The rise of humanism started with the “Age of Enlightenment” which came out of the Renaissance.
- In many ways it was a reaction to the excesses and barbarity of certain powerful individuals within the church.
- Burning so called “heretics” at the stake was common practice.
- The use of torture by the Spanish Inquisition (not the only one but the most infamous one) was used to “save” souls.
- Other excesses dealing with wealth accumulation and abuse of power also frequently occurred.
- These evils were perpetrated by immoral men under the guise of proper church practice and the desire to force others to follow strict, legalistic dogma in an effort to save them.
- We know about the Pilgrims and other groups who fled Europe to escape this church sponsored religious tyranny.
- But God wants people to come to Him in faith, voluntarily and in love. Force in never appropriate. Such practices come from the evil one.
- I believe we have learned how monstrous, and anti-biblical these practices and methods were and have eliminated them.
- I can understand why people rejected a church which participated in such abhorrent practices.
- But they have failed to recognize that this didn’t come from God but from fallen, evil men.
- How many times have people within the church failed in such a way as to stain the reputation of God’s people and His kingdom?
- This hurts because people will pay attention to the “sensational” and completely ignore the millions of Christians who labor daily to serve Christ and their fellow man.
- The main problem with humanism is by rejecting God as the moral authority who sets universal standards and establishing man as the moral authority you eventually come down to “might makes right.”
- “The Lord of the Flies.”
- A story about children who were shipwrecked on an island and how their society devolved without higher, adult authority. The bigger kids ruled in a tyrannical fashion.
- “Animal Farm”
- A story about farm animals rebelling against their humans (the higher authority) and ruling themselves.
- This society too quickly devolves with the larger, more powerful animals harshly ruling.
- One final example, the Nuremberg Trials.
- At the end of WWII the allies came together to deal with the perpetrators of the Holocaust. They wanted to put them on trial for their egregious crimes.
- But there was a problem. What law had they broken for which they could be tried?
- As hideous as it might be the Germans were following the laws of their country.
- Under humanism each group has the right to define morality, ethics, and laws. They are their own authority.
- There was no international laws at the time to use.
- The dilemma was this, they couldn’t use God’s law, “thou shall not kill,” because the Soviets would object being atheist/humanist.
- So they came up with “Crimes against humanity” and tried and executed and imprisoned many of the perpetrators as they rightfully deserved.
- But notice that it was the victors who defined crimes against humanity. In other words, “Might makes right.”
- This happens when you remove God and His moral authority from the picture.
- Fortunately, in this case the good guys won.
- “The Lord of the Flies.”
- Christian (God centered) Worldview
- This is diametrically opposed to Secular Humanism.
- To the Christian we live in a fabulous God created universe.
- We believe in a Holy God who loves and cherishes us and is active in our lives on a daily basis.
- Our God is all powerful, all knowing and is ever present.
- He and He alone is the ultimate authority and He makes the rules for His universe and He is the moral authority of all.
- All of mankind are His beloved children and like a good parent He watches over us and tells us what is right and what is wrong. And this is for our benefit.
- For we also believe that basic human nature is self-centered and this leads to selfishness.
- Whereas the Christian view is we are to be God-centered and others-centered.
- So rules and training become necessary to teach children how to live at peace with each other and to help others in need and to put the needs of others above their own.
- And these rules must transcend human authority and be based on the authority of God and are not subject to the whims of the powerful.
- If all mankind would follow His laws for living as shown in the Holy Bible all would be at peace and the lamb could lie down with the lion.
- Unfortunately, this did not happen because Adam and Eve went against the will of God and ate the fruit from the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
- They were no longer in a state of innocence but became aware of good and evil.
- And with that awareness coupled with free will sin entered into the world and corrupted it.
- So what exactly is SIN. We’re going to look at some Biblical words (Greek) that describe sin and its various aspects.
- Anomia: without law; lawlessness.
- 1 John 3:4 says, “Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.”
- The end times anti-Christ is called “the man of lawlessness.”
- Planao: to wander astray.
- Hebrews 3:10 says, “sinners always go astray in their hearts.”
- This word implies deliberate, not accidental erring.
- Harmartia: to miss the mark.
- This is deliberate failure to miss the mark, the standard set by God.
- It is a willful failure for which one must accept the blame.
- Adikeo: without righteousness.
- Sin is unrighteousness.
- Purposely not conforming with the laws of God.
- Apeitheo: disobedience.
- This is refusal to in any way follow God’s will.
- Including rejecting His grace and salvation.
- Parabino: to transgress.
- To break or violate one of God’s laws.
- This is the essence of sin, to transgress God’s laws.
- Anomia: without law; lawlessness.
- A common element running through all of these varied ways of characterizing sin is the idea that the sinner has failed to fulfill God’s law.
- This is anathema to the humanist but truth to the Christian.
- And the beginning of salvation through knowledge of the law.
- Conclusion:
- The theologian R. C. Sproul wrote the following in his book Holiness:
“Sin is cosmic treason. Sin is treason against a perfectly pure Sovereign. It is an act of supreme ingratitude toward One to whom we owe everything, to the One who has given us life….We are saying no to the righteousness of God. We are saying, ‘God your law is not good. My judgment is better than Yours. Your authority does not apply to me. I am above and beyond Your jurisdiction. I have the right to do what I want to do, not what You command me to do.’”
b. We have seen throughout human history what the lawlessness of
mankind has wrought and how it leads to might makes right.
c. Only under obedience to God’s laws can mankind find peace and
salvation.
d. Let us pray as David did, “Make me walk in the paths of Your
commandments,” and “How blessed are those whose way is
blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord.”
Prayer: Our righteous and heavenly Father we confess our propensity for sinning and our selfish human nature. Abide with us through Your Blessed Holy Spirit who will guide us and convict us if we stray. We thank You for Your Law that has taught us that we need Our Savior to bring us to salvation. Help us to share this good news with others so they too may be saved. Give us the courage and determination to stand against the sin we see in our society, and to shed the light on the evil that has infiltrated this world so that others may also see and are no longer blind to it. We give You all the honor and glory. In Christ’s holy name we pray. Amen.
Recommend reading:
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
FAITH AND THE NAME OF JESUS
(Final sermon in Faith series)
Warsaw Christian Church (12/12/21) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: John 16:23-28 and various
We have looked at the word “faith” from various angels. As we bring this series to a close, I will be saying things I have said before, things that bear repeating. Over the past few weeks, I have tried to point out that there is more to it than we might first think. It is not simply asking God for something in harmony with His will. We have looked at faith’s foundation. We talked about the importance of how we view life and the words we use.. We have seen the importance of renouncing all known sins and the importance of forgiveness. Last Sunday, we looked at the relationship between gratitude and faith. What if I don’t perfectly meet these criteria? While we strive to fulfill all the requirements we have examined to date, we face a problem today.
The problem is that no one meets all the criteria we have looked at over the past weeks in a flawless manner. Why would God honor the faith of morally imperfect people? It is because they approach Him IN THE NAME OF JESUS. It is for Jesus’ sake that God has forgiven our faults and blemishes. Jesus taught us this truth when he declared, “On that day you will ask nothing of me. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you“ (John 16:23 NRSV). This same idea is repeated in John 14:13, 14; 15:16; 16:24, 25. When Jesus repeats something five times, we know He is addressing a fundamental matter. EXERCISING FAITH IN JESUS NAME IS A CRUCIAL ASPECT OF LIVING A LIFE OF FAITH. We must understand this principle.
At one time, being influenced by teachers I respected, I thought “to have faith” meant to have unwavering confidence that God would do whatever I asked. The “trick” seemed to be not to blink — never to allow doubt to enter one’s head. The problem was I blinked every time! The idea that God must do whatever I ask if I possess a faith that never doubts its own power is not faith IN GOD. It believes in the power of one’s own faith. It is faith in faith, or simply faith in ourselves. Our access to God is not brought about through the strength of our own faith, as though relating to God depended solely upon us and the strength of our faith. We draw near to God through faith in the blood shed by the Son of God at Calvary. “Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful (Heb. 10:19-23, NRSV).
There is a huge difference between having faith in your own faith and faith in the crucified Savior. To exercise faith is not a matter of having confidence in the power of your own ability to believe. It is to approach God based on the fact that all our sins have been forgiven through the blood of Jesus. Because of the esteem God has for His Son, for His sake, and only for His sake, He responds to our faith. Thus, the heart of faith or “believing” is the confidence we have that God hears us for Jesus’ sake.
In other words, God answers our prayers on the same basis by which He redeems us. We are forgiven of our sins and declared to be among the redeemed through the blood of Jesus. When we hear the gospel story and respond to it with a humble “Yes,” God receives us into His kingdom for Jesus’ sake. And when we pray, trusting in the blood of Jesus to cleanse us from all sin, God hears us for Jesus’ sake. If it should enter our minds that God has some other basis for dealing with us — our good deeds, our faithful service, we tried our best, etc. — we have ceased to exercise true faith. Or, to put it more precisely, our faith has shifted from God to self, a disastrous shift indeed!
In our day and age it has become popular in some circles to affirm that there are many paths to God, with Jesus being only one of the many. Some affirm, “I believe in God, but I don’t really believe everything the Bible says about Jesus. This notion of Him being equal with God, for instance, is too much for me. And I can’t really believe we must pray in His name in order for God to hear our prayers. That would mean that Hindus and Buddhists and persons of other religions would have no access to God. Aren’t you a bit arrogant when you say that God can be approached only through Jesus?” If it were only me speaking, then, of course, I admit to having no authority to say anything definitive about God.But it is a different matter altogether if it is God who tells us that we cannot approach Him apart from His Son Jesus.
I recently read an article about the state of religion in America today. In a Barna survey, the most popular religion in America is called “Moralistic Therapeutic Deism,” or MTD. It is basically a watered-down, feel-good, fake Christianity. Live a good life, and all is well with you and God. Deism is the idea that God created the world but has nothing further to do with it. Dietrich Bonhoeffer referred to this as “cheap grace.” He said,” It is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ.” It is grace without relying on the blood of Jesus. If you reject the atonement, you reject Christianity.
The Jews of Jesus’ day assumed they had a relationship with God through Moses and the prophets. They believed they belonged to God, but Jesus declared them to be children of Satan, a harsh judgment for anyone to make except God!Angrily, they huffed at Jesus, “The only Father we have is God himself.” They wanted God, but they did not want Jesus. Listen carefully to the response of Jesus. “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God … You belong to your father, the devil …” (John 8:41-44). Jesus cannot be separated from God. To love and trust God the Father is to love and trust Jesus, and vice versa. Those who separate Jesus from the Father end up with neither.
According to the New Testament, there simply is no such thing as a relationship with God apart from Jesus. When I make that claim, I am not putting forth my own opinion. I am simply repeating God’s own declaration in Scripture. The text in John 8 is clear, stating that those who claim God as their Father but who also reject Jesus have another father, even Satan. It would be a terrible thing for me to make such a statement based on my fallible human knowledge, but these are the words of Jesus. Those who acknowledge Him as their Lord and Savior will not hesitate to embrace everything He teaches.
The implication of this truth for our faith is profound. Will God hear me because I use the right words? Will He hear my prayers based on my “status” as a pastor, elder, deacon, or church leader? Does He respond to us because our need is so great? God cares nothing for our linguistic skills. He hears the cries of our hearts before we ever utter a word (Psalm 139:4). Our so-called “status” carries no weight at all with God. He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). It is true that God is compassionate and cares about our needs. It is also true that God sometimes responds to the needs of persons who may not know Him at all. However, when we learn that our greatest need is to trust in Jesus and approach God in His name, He will hear and answer.
God responds to our faith because we are forgiven sinners who believe in the power of Jesus atoning death to bring us into the presence of God. Never, never, never, say to God, “Hear me for my sake.” It must always be, “Hear me for Jesus’ sake.” The issue in faith is not who we are in and of ourselves, but who we are in relationship to Jesus Christ. We see this truth in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee expected God to hear his prayer because of his great spirituality. He was approaching God in his own name. Any time we expect God to answer our prayers because of who we are, we are on the wrong track.
To live by faith in God is to approach Him as we know Him in Jesus Christ. It is to believe that God alone is the only One in the universe to whom we can give our unqualified trust. When we pray “in Jesus’ name,” we are declaring two things: First, that the God in whom we believe is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Second, we have zero confidence in our personal ability to cause God to move in response to our faith. Our confidence rests entirely in Jesus. It is His virtue and merit which causes God to act on our behalf.
As Christians, we have become new persons in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15). Through the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit, we have received a new heart, a new mind, a new will, new desires, new hope, new confidence in God, a totally new way of life. However, we take no credit for these changes, and we recognize that even though God has changed us, we are still far from perfection. We rely on the blood of Jesus to keep on cleansing us from all sin and unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). It is not our name that opens the heart of God. It is the name of Jesus, and so when we pray, regardless of the words we use, we must have an internal attitude that says, “Father, hear me for Jesus’ sake. I come before you in His name. I trust in His merit rather than my own. I trust in His atoning blood.” When God sees that our hearts are firmly resting upon Jesus, we can have confidence that He will hear and answer our prayers. Only then are we exercising true faith.
Let me share one final example to try and clarify this important truth. If I were to write a check for one million dollars on my own checking account and sign my name to the check, and then attempt to cash the check, the bank would either laugh at me or have me arrested for fraud. My name is not worth a million dollars at any bank anywhere in the world. On the other hand, if I had a check for that same amount signed by Bill Gates, President of Microsoft Corporation and one of the richest men in the United States, the bank would honor that check. His name is worth a million dollars.
When you pray to God, don’t flaunt your own name before Him. Don’t expect Him to hear you because you are such a wonderful and faithful Christian. Your name, my name, is worthless in heaven. Our names carry no weight at all. But when we ask God to hear us because we are persons redeemed through Jesus Christ, His ears perk up at the name of His beloved Son. To end our prayers with the phrase, “in Jesus’ name,” is much more than a formula. When we utter those words with sincerity, God bends low to hang on to every word we pray.
While we strive to manifest humility, forgiveness, faithfulness — those attributes which enable us to exercise faith according to the will of God — we always fall short. When we stand alone before God, clothed in our achievements, we are bankrupt. When we approach God with a sense of total dependence upon the name of Jesus, God will hear and answer our prayers. Faith exercised depending upon the name of Jesus is powerful. Remove Him from the equation, and faith will not work. Do your best to follow all the principles in the Bible related to faith. Then rest your faith in the name of Jesus, relying on His shed blood to forgive all your failed efforts to obey Him. Then you will be exercising faith.
FAITH AND FORGIVENESS
(Faith series)
Warsaw Christian Church, (12/5/2021) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: Matthew 18: 21-35
When I think of exercising faith, I can think of no word that has greater significance than the word “forgiveness.” I have preached on this theme several times before. You may have heard some of the things I will share today in a previous sermon. However, I want to use this text again because it is so important to our theme: developing a solid faith. Although the Christian message is filled with numerous insights which cover every phase of human life, the heart of the gospel message is the good news that our sins are forgiven through the cross of Jesus Christ. Because we have been forgiven, the Bible places enormous emphasis on the fact that we must forgive those who have wronged us. The failure on our part to practice forgiveness is so serious that it may cancel out our claim to be counted among those whom God has forgiven. I believe failure to forgive is a sin that will do more to undermine faith than anything else.
When Jesus taught “The Lord’s Prayer” to His disciples in Matthew 6, he elaborated on only one phrase of that prayer. He expanded only on the phrase, “forgive us our debts,” with this further clarification. “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matt. 6:14,15). Let me read that last line again slowly. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins
The words of Jesus are unambiguous. There is no mistaking His meaning. Clearly, we cannot exercise faith according to the will of God if we are harboring an unforgiving spirit. Before we begin listing all our needs as we pray, we might want to ask ourselves, “Is there someone I need to forgive?”There is no point to our praying if we have someone in our lives whom we refuse to forgive. Indeed, the matter is even more serious than that. Jesus says God will not forgive us if we do not forgive others, and if we are unforgiven, that means we have no hope of salvation. Therefore, this matter deserves our utmost attention.
A seminary professor asked the class to draw a picture of someone they hated who had done them wrong. One student drew a picture of the girl who stole her boyfriend. Another drew a picture of his brother. One student even drew a picture of the professor because he hadn’t given him the “A” he richly deserved. The professor took the pictures, and the next day, the students saw their enemy posted on the wall. The professor then invited each student to throw darts at the picture of his enemy. They thought this was great fun and threw their darts with gusto, tearing into the faces of their enemies. The professor quietly removed the tattered pictures, and behind each one was a picture of Jesus, also torn and tattered. The professor then quoted these words, “Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.” They got the point! When we practice revenge instead of forgiveness against those who have hurt us, we attack our Savior.
Jesus told a parable in Matthew 18 to help us grasp this truth. In the parable, a man is forgiven a huge financial debt and then refuses to forgive a small debt. We owe an immeasurable debt to God. We have offended Him times too numerous to count. The listing of the sins of the average adult would fill a large book. When we were doing evangelism training a few years ago, one of the illustrations we used was called “Three sins a day.” If I have averaged three sins a day during my 85 years, that amounts to a total of 93075 sins! And truth be told, I am sure my average is higher than three sins a day. God is under obligation to condemn us, having warned us that the wages of sin is death. How is this outstanding debt of sin to be canceled? Can we cancel out our sins by doing good deeds, by joining a church, by saying our prayers? Such activities have no impact on our past sins.
Our only hope is to embrace the suffering and death of Jesus, to receive Him as our Savior and Lord. Then, when we are born again after hearing and believing the Gospel, our sins are forgiven. All of them! All 93075+ of my sins are forgiven. As far as the east is from the west (an infinite distance from our human perspective), so far has God removed our sins from us in and through His Son (see Psalm 103:12). In Christ, we are completely, totally, eternally forgiven of our sins. This is the meaning of part one of Jesus’ parable.
Part two of His parable speaks of how we relate to others after God has forgiven us. The point is that we must forgive others even as we have been forgiven. The offenses others have committed against us are tiny when compared to the mountain of offense we have committed against our heavenly Father. How foolish is the man in the parable who will not forgive a small debt after having been forgiven such a large debt? It is unbelievable!
On the other hand, don’t you know some fools who act like this man? “My wife doesn’t measure up to my expectations, and I cannot forgive her.” “I will never darken the door of that church again because someone hurt my feelings. “”I’m not going to speak to my old friend ever again because she hurt my feelings.” “Ten years ago my husband hurt my feelings, and I intend to punish him for that for the rest of his life.” One man told about an argument he had with his wife. He said to his friend, “I hate to argue with my wife. Every time I do she gets historical.” The friend responded, “Don’t you mean hysterical?” “No,” the man responded. “I mean historical. Every time we argue, she drags up every offensive I have ever committed.” What about you? — and me? Is there someone in your life you cannot forgive? Is your case so unusual that God will change the rules for you and allow you to be an unforgiving person?
When we demonstrate an unchanging hardness of heart against others, it can mean but one thing. We have never really understood and accepted God’s forgiveness. We must think carefully about what it means to be unforgiven by God. Is it so important to cling to an unforgiving spirit that you are willing to be rejected by God rather than practice forgiveness? According to Jesus, that is exactly what will happen. Will those in hell declare, “It was worth it! I’d rather be in this place of misery than forgive those who wronged me.” Hell is a place of weeping and wailing caused by the realization that many in that dreadful place are there because they rejected God’s grace in order to continue to hate someone. They refused to forgive.
Jesus admonishes us to forgive first, then pray with faith. Can’t we forgive most of the people who have hurt us but hold on to a few who have REALLY hurt us? The Bible tells us to forgive ANYTHING. If we think there are indeed persons we need not forgive, Jesus says ANYONE (See Mark 11:25). If you have anything against anyone, first forgive them, and if you cannot, then pray for the grace to enable you to forgive. If we pray to the Father who allowed His Son to endure the cross to secure our forgiveness while harboring an unforgiving spirit in our hearts, we only anger God. He might say to us, “What is wrong with you? I forgave all your sins. I rescued you from hell. I allowed my Son to suffer for you. And now you insult me by refusing to forgive others? Don’t you realize how utterly foolish you are?”
Often, when churches are unhealthy, and individuals are drifting away from Christ, an unforgiving spirit is the problem. Congregations full of grudges (justifiable ones, of course!) and resentments are often “cold” because the warmth of God’s presence is absent. When the God who knows our hearts sees an unforgiving spirit lodged there, He has but one thing to say: IF YOU WILL NOT FORGIVE OTHERS, NEITHER WILL I FORGIVE YOU.
Before deciding to ignore God’s Word to us concerning forgiveness, please weigh the alternative carefully. One need not be a Rhodes Scholar to figure out that forgiving others, however painful it may be, is far less painful than the alternative.
Some who hear these words might find them troubling. Is Jesus saying that we are not saved by grace after all? If we forfeit salvation by our unforgiving spirit, does that mean we earn salvation by practicing forgiveness? If we are saved through the atoning death of Jesus, how can we lose that through an unforgiving attitude?
Jesus does not contradict the abundant biblical material that assures us we are saved through Christ, through grace, by faith, and not by our good deeds. He is not saying, “You be good and forgive others, and then God will reward you by forgiving your sins.” I believe He is saying, “If you cannot forgive others, you have never really understood or accepted God’s forgiving love and mercy. You are a hypocrite claiming to be a believer.” We do not earn God’s favor by anything we do. However, our behavior demonstrates whether or not God’s grace has transformed our hearts. If we “see” the enormity of God’s forgiveness towards us — if we indeed have received that forgiveness, we will be quick to forgive others. How can we withhold forgiveness from others when God has forgiven us so much?
Here is another factor we need to consider. Someone has hurt you deeply. You refuse to forgive. But answer this question: Is God willing to forgive that person who wounded you so deeply? Yes, because God will forgive anyone of anything through Jesus Christ. What does it mean to say that God is willing to forgive, but we are not? I guess it means we think we are wiser than God.
Can we ever truly exercise faith while holding on tightly to a spirit that refuses to forgive others? Again, scripture is clear; praying to God with true faith is impossible while clinging to an unforgiving spirit. Someone put it like this: “He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every man has need to be forgiven.”
As we have studied the word faith for several weeks, perhaps you have met every challenge and see yourself as a person of strong faith. I hope that is true, although as I have preached this series, I have to confess that I have some growing to do. If you have passed every other faith test but flunk on this matter of forgiveness, you have failed completely. If you can think of someone this morning you need to forgive, call them up, or send a letter and express your forgiving spirit. Don’t let someone else’s bad behavior stand between you and God. As long as an unforgiving spirit lodges in your heart, faith will shrivel up and die. Strong faith and an unforgiving spirit cannot coexist. Contemplate the many sins God has forgiven you, and then forgive others. It truly is a matter of life and death.
FAITH AND GRATITUDE
(Series on Faith)
Warsaw Christian Church, (Nov. 28, 2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:16: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
As we continue our study on faith today, we look at the relationship between faith and gratitude. We just celebrated Thanksgiving so it seems appropriate to continue our theme on faith and link it to gratitude. Gratitude not only builds faith but there are a host of other blessings associated with a thankful heart.
Rudyard Kipling was a great writer and poet whose writings many have enjoyed. Unlike many old writers, Kipling was one of the few who had the opportunity to enjoy his success while he lived. He also made a great deal of money at his trade. One time a newspaper reporter came up to him and said, “Mr. Kipling, I just read that somebody calculated that the money you make from your writings amounts to over a hundred dollars a word. Mr. Kipling raised his eyebrows and said, “Really, I certainly wasn’t aware of that.” The reporter cynically reached down into his pocket and pulled out a one-hundred-dollar bill and gave it to Kipling and said, “Here’s a hundred-dollar bill, Mr. Kipling. Now, you give me one of your hundred-dollar words.” Mr. Kipling looked at that hundred-dollar bill for a moment, took it and folded it up and put it in his pocket, and said, “Thanks.”
I guess we can say that Kipling learned that it pays to say “Thanks.” Are you a thankful person? If expressing a spirit of thanksgiving is not your cup of tea, I want to tell you that you are missing out on some wonderful benefits. Spiritually mature Christians have learned to express thanksgiving to God daily, and the practice blesses them. Before we address gratitude’s impact on your faith, let’s look first at some other benefits.
1. First, let’s consider a practical, psychological benefit. Did you know that a thankful heart will improve your mental health? Psychologists today tell us that sincere gratitude, a grateful attitude, is the healthiest of all human emotions. Hans Selye, who is considered the father of stress studies, has said that gratitude produces more positive emotional energy than any other attitude in life. The Psalmist understood this when he wrote, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance” (Psalm 42:5). Praise is a form of thanksgiving. When he was cast down, depressed, he turned his thoughts to God and looked to God for help. Even before the requested help arrived, he started to feel better. He knew God would lift him up, and as he praised and thanked God, his soul moved from being cast down to being lifted up.
When you feel depressed, as you begin counting your blessings and thanking God, the cloud of sadness lifts, it is impossible to be genuinely thankful and depressed at the same time. Personally, worrying is one of my spiritual gifts! I seem to have inherited the trait from my father. We all get down now and then, and even Christians need professional help at times. There is no shame in that. However, a grateful spirit will do wonders for every discouraged soul. The popular tune contains much truth – – – “When you’re worried, and you can’t sleep, just count your blessings instead of sheep . . . Count your many blessings, name them one by one, and it will amaze you what the Lord has done.”
2. There is a second, practical benefit to being a thankful person. Thankful people are pleasant to be around; more likable than those who prefer grumbling over gratitude. A lady known as an incurable grumbler constantly complained about everything. At last, her preacher thought he had found something about which she would be happy, for her farm crop was the finest for miles around. When he met her, he said with a beaming smile, “You must be delighted, Mary. Everyone is saying how healthy your potatoes look this year.” Mary responded, “True, they’re pretty good, but what am I going to do when I need bad ones to feed the pigs.” Some folks are never satisfied and can always find a reason to grumble. Don’t you enjoy being around happy, upbeat persons more than the constant complainer?
3. Third, thankful people open their lives to more and more of God’s blessings. Thankful people see the hand of God at work in their lives. That is why they are grateful. Ungrateful people seem to be blind to the working of God in the world and their lives. When we thank God, recognizing Him as the source of all that is true, good, and beautiful in our lives, our hearts are open to receive even more of God’s blessings. We are all familiar with the story in Luke 17 concerning the ten lepers who Jesus healed. Only one returned to thank Him. Did you ever wonder why Jesus said to him, “Your faith has made you whole?” All ten were healed, but this thankful man was made whole. I suspect Jesus was referring to his spiritual condition as well as the physical healing. The thankful man received more from the hand of Jesus. He was made whole spiritually as well as physically. The ungrateful ones were healed, but they were not open to receiving anything else from God. I wonder if eventually, their leprosy returned.
4. Thankful people avoid divine discipline. The Israelites were miraculously fed by God for 40 years in the wilderness with manna from heaven. It was a bread-like substance with a honey flavor (Exodus 16:31). There is very little to eat in the wilderness. Without this divine intervention, they would have starved. Were they grateful? Not for long. They grew tired of this heavenly diet and began to long for the excellent food they ate in Egypt. They seem to have forgotten that they were slaves in Egypt. They wanted meat in addition to the manna. And so, for 30 days, God gave them quail to eat. God told them he would give them so much they would stuff themselves until the quail became nauseating. And that is what happened (Numbers 11:18-20).
Here is the point. People who grumble and complain about their lot in life are complaining against God. When you grumble against God, you deprive yourself of His blessings, and you may find His hand of judgment upon you. Even when things are not to your liking, get into the habit of the Psalmist. “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 107:1). Give thanks to the Lord. Remember that He is good. Then watch and see if God does not pour out even more of His goodness into your life.
5. Returning to our theme of faith, a thankful heart causes faith to grow ever stronger. A complaining heart causes faith to shrink. In Rom. 1:21, Paul says, “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” This passage states that people who are ungrateful to God lose their ability to think straight. Their hearts will become hardened against God. Faith shrivels up and dies in the heart of an ungrateful person. People whose prayers are laced with “thank you” will find that their faith is growing by leaps and bounds.
Paul says in II Cor. 4:8, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed…For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen.” Paul learned to maintain a thankful heart, even amid severe difficulties. He focused his mind on the unseen God, the unseen Jesus, and not on the troubles that beset him. Notice his strong language regarding his personal situation. “Hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted, struck down.” Paul knew about trouble. He knew that God would come through in the end, if not in this life certainly in eternity. Paul refused to abandon his faith when life was difficult, and he became a giant in faith.
I think it works like this. When you look at your life, thanking God for everything you see, you express faith in His provision. As I have said before, thank God for your home, vehicles, neighbors, family, church family, income, vacation time, leisure activities, daily bread, and the many blessings you enjoy beyond your basic needs, etc. The more you express gratitude, the more your faith grows. From time to time, walk through your home and thank God for every item you possess.
6. There is a final benefit I want to mention that comes to those who practice thanksgiving. Our brief opening text tells us that as we give thanks, we are fulfilling the will of God. No matter what your circumstances, writes the Apostle, a thankful spirit places you directly into the will of God. Do you want to fulfill God’s will in your life? How do we do that? One way is to cultivate a thankful heart.
Many people struggle and wonder what they need to do to fulfill the will of God in their lives. Should I head to Africa like the Woods and Caziers? Should I share my faith with five people daily? Should I pray for three hours daily? Sometimes we burden ourselves with seeking to please God. Why not begin with the simple and the obvious? It is God’s will that you trust Him, believe He is at work in your life, and thank Him daily. Yes, there is more that we may do to fulfill the will of God, but a thankful spirit is a good place to start.
With all these benefits associated with a thankful heart, why don’t we resolve to practice thanksgiving more faithfully? As a result, you will be healthier mentally; you will be more pleasant to be around; your life will be more open to God and His blessings; you can escape some unpleasant discipline from the hand of God; your faith will grow, and you will be fulfilling the will of God.
These are good reasons to encourage us to develop hearts overflowing with thanksgiving. I close by returning to our theme of faith. Strong faith dwells in a thankful heart. Gratitude begets faith. As you pass through each day with a grateful heart, your faith will grow by leaps and bounds. If we fall into the habit of grumbling and complaining as Israel did in the desert, our lives will become like theirs, a wilderness.
FAITH AND THE FOOLISHNESS OF PREACHING
Warsaw Christian Church ( 11/14/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text, various
The fundamental principle leading to a successful Christian life is this: “The just shall live by faith” (Habakkuk 2:4 and Romans 1:17). The Christian life begins with faith — faith in Jesus Christ as the one who secured our forgiveness, bringing us into a right relationship with God. Once we have placed our faith in Jesus, part two of the Christian life is to live by faith. Those who have been declared just (justified by faith) should live each day by faith. That means that our daily choices, decisions, are faith-based. It means that we are continually focused on Jesus, seeking His guidance and direction for our daily lives.
One way to look at it is to remember that the only thing we possess that pleases God is faith in His Son. We read in Hebrews 11:6: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” The simple truth is this: God is not pleased with you or me. We have all sinned and fallen short of His will. We have behaved in a manner that merits for us a front-row seat in hell. Remove faith from our hearts, and we cannot please God. The attempt to please God apart from faith is doomed to fail. It is impossible. Only because of our faith in His Son, God accepts us as His children and rewards us when we seek His will.
As we have seen, to live by faith is to apply faith to every problem, difficulty, and life situation we face. This morning I want to suggest three life circumstances that undermine faith. I am referring to the past, the present, and the future. If we are not careful, any one or all three of these issues can rob us of our faith. So let’s take a look.
We begin with the past. We all have a history. We have said things and done things in the past that we regret. Some, like the Apostle Paul, have done horrible things in the past. Paul persecuted the church, committing acts that were a total rejection of Jesus. Paul was fighting against Jesus and His message of grace and salvation. Had Paul chosen to dwell on his past mistakes, his faith would have been paralyzed.
What sins have you committed in the past that seem to undermine your faith in the present? For example, did you commit adultery in the past, and you can’t seem to move beyond it? Do you think your parents failed you in the past, and your resentment of them is so deep that you can’t let it go? Did you make a wrong decision in the past, and dwelling on that decision follows you into the present, undercutting your faith? Do you find yourself thinking or saying things like, “If only I had not made that decision 5 years ago, if only I had done things differently, I would be happy; if only…if only…”
In the years I worked as a counselor, I can’t count the number of people I encountered who were miserable because of circumstances that happened in the past. Unfortunately, sometimes Christians (who should know better) are paralyzed by the past.
I wonder how many people today are miserable because of their past, perhaps trying to find relief in drugs or alcohol? Or maybe just feeling so discouraged that we share our misery with those around us. Misery loves company, we say, but most of us don’t like to be around chronically unhappy people. It tends to rub off.
The thing about the past is simply this: the past is what it is; you can’t change it. All you can do is allow it to haunt you into the present or let it go. Paul put it in these words: “but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13). The cure for a troubled past is to forget it. If you need forgiveness for past mistakes, Jesus has provided for it. If you need to forgive others who have hurt you in the past, Jesus will give you the strength to forgive. In other words, apply your faith to the past and ask Jesus to heal your past. He has done that for many others, and He will do it for you. Don’t let yesterday rob you of joy today. Satan says, “You have no right to a meaningful life because of what has happened to you in the past.” He is a liar and a robber. Jesus says, “Let me heal your past.” If you are troubled by your past, will you ask Jesus to set you free?
Not only does the past rob some Christians of faith, but so also does the present. As we move through life, we all face everyday problems and temptations. When you are stuck with a problem that seems overwhelming, what is your first response? Is it depression? Feelings of hopelessness? Why does this always happen to me? Or when a difficult issue arises, do you say to yourself, “Well, I don’t like this, but I will turn to God for help. I will apply my faith to this problem.”
I have mentioned before that I was a starting guard on the Washburn High School Sophomore basketball team in Minneapolis. (repeatedly!). I assumed I would move on to the varsity in my junior year. I was wrong. I did not survive the final cut. I was devastated. Do you know what I did to protest this injustice? I took up smoking because if I couldn’t play varsity basketball, I thought, “Why try to be healthy?” So, in order to get back at the coach who discarded me on the garbage heap of those who failed to make the team, I decided to ruin my health. I guess I showed him!
Ten years later, I went through a real struggle before I was finally able to quit smoking. My immature reaction to a difficult situation created severe problems for me down the road. I think I am doing better now. When I hit a deer a few years ago and was sitting on highway 65 with a disabled car, I did not wish for a cigarette. I did not cry out, “Why me!” I did the sensible thing – – – I called Marie!
The point is this. We all face unpleasant circumstances in the course of life. Maybe it’s a disabled car, a financial problem; a health issue; a people problem. Whatever issues we face in the present, don’t allow Satan to rob you of your faith. Instead, apply your faith to the issue, whatever it is. The more we apply our faith to life’s circumstances, the more open we are to receiving divine help. If God doesn’t deliver us from the problem, He will give us the strength to live through it.
There is a passage in Habakkuk that is one of my favorites. The prophet wrote, Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls—18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19 The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills (3:17-19). Yes, of course, the prophet would prefer that the fig tree produce figs, the vines produce fruit, the crops grow food, and that his barn would be filled with healthy animals but, sometimes those blessings do not happen. Does he turn against God in anger? Does he cry out, “Why me?” Does he give in to depression? No, he says, “Hallelujah anyhow! No matter what my circumstances, I will rejoice in God. I will continue to trust Him.” If you can follow his example, you can cope with all the negative things that happen to us in the present.
Past events can rob us of our faith; current events can rob us of our faith. Finally, the future can rob us of our faith. Do you worry about tomorrow? What if the stock market falls and I lose my retirement? Back in 2015, I read an article predicting that the Social Security system would crash in 2016. Another false prediction. What if I lose my health and death looms? What if the terrorists win out, and our whole nation falls? What if my wife or husband precedes me in death, and I am all alone? You may fill in your own “What if.” Some people are so worried about what may happen tomorrow that they live in fear and misery today. They allow worrying about tomorrow to cripple their faith.
Jesus addressed that issue head-on in the Sermon on the Mount. 25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:25-33).
Jesus reminds us that worrying about the future changes nothing. All worry does is short-circuit our faith for today. Returning to my short-lived basketball career, I used to wish I was about 6’ 6” instead of 5’10”. If I were only taller, I would have been a star at the University of Minnesota and then a pro career with the Minneapolis Lakers. (To you youngsters, the present Los Angeles Lakers used to be the Minneapolis Lakers.) If only, if only – – – worry, worry, worry. Jesus reminds us that worry will not make you any taller! What he means is that worry does nothing to change the future for the better. What it does is rob you of faith for today.
Jesus wants our focus to be on the Kingdom of God. If we live by faith, the future will take care of itself – – – or rather, God will take care of the future for those who trust Him. You can count on Him, always – – – past, present, or future.
Are you miserable because of things that happened in the past? Are you overwhelmed and depressed by problems confronting you today? Are you fearful about what tomorrow may bring? The solution for all three of these faith robbers is the same. We end where we began: THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH. Apply your faith to the past and ask Jesus to bring healing. Apply your faith to present problems and ask God to navigate you through to victory. Apply your faith to future fears and watch them dissipate like the morning fog. Live by faith, and those three faith robbers will flee from you. Apply your faith to the past, present, and future, and watch God go to work on your behalf.
Warsaw Christian Church (10/31/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Romans 10:6-17
We continue our study on faith, turning our attention this morning to the preaching of the Word of God that takes place in our church every Sunday. Does preaching have anything to do with faith? According to Scripture, it does indeed. Notice verse 8 of our text where it refers to “the Word of faith which we preach.” Then drop down to verse 17: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. “The NIV translates vs. 17 in these words: Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
Listening to faithful preaching is very important in developing strong faith. But, of course, God wants to make sure we preachers do not get a big head, and so we have this word from Paul to keep us humble: “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Cor. 1:21). Two things are contrasted here: worldly wisdom and the foolishness of preaching. If you do not possess a degree in philosophy or some other area of human wisdom, not to worry. Even if you have several Ph.D.’s, you will never come to know God through the wisdom of this world. God has hidden Himself from the wisdom of the wise.
So how do we come to know God? How do we develop a strong faith? In part, by listening to fools like me! God uses those who faithfully preach Christ and biblical truth to create faith in the hearts of those who listen with an open mind. Yes, there are plenty of atheists and agnostics around who will boldly proclaim that they have concluded that God does not exist. They do not seem to realize that they are simply affirming the truth of 1 Cor. 1:21, that human wisdom will never lead anyone to God. But if your Mom or Dad, or the preacher in your church, or a Sunday School teacher, proclaims Jesus to you, God is pleased to use that means to generate faith. It seems foolish to the world, but it is God’s plan, and it works. As the Gospel and biblical teaching is preached, heard, and received, faith is born and grows.
Am I saying that we need to be faithful in church attendance and listen to some country-bumpkin preacher for faith to grow? No, I am not saying that. God says it. If the country-bumpkin preacher is preaching Jesus and Bible doctrine, God will use that preaching to help you grow in faith. The Bible is clear: faith comes by hearing, and what we must listen to is biblical, Christ-centered preaching. Paul did not regard himself as a great orator. Listen to his evaluation of his preaching. “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Corinthians 2:3-5). Paul did not regard his preaching as persuasive by human standards. There were others in his day who were more gifted. Nevertheless, Paul’s words were Spirit inspired and have endured for over 2000 years. His words have been used by God to draw millions into the kingdom.
Thus I can say that I have the greatest job in the world. If I faithfully preach Christ, I am helping people grow in faith. I listen to many sermons, and most of the preachers I listen to are far better at the preaching task than am I. But even if my rhetorical skills are below average, if I preach Jesus, God will use it to help others grow in faith. When Sandy proclaims Jesus in Sunday School, the same result will happen. Wherever Christian truth is declared, no matter by whom, faith will grow.
Of course, such growth does not occur automatically. One can hear the truth concerning Jesus and reject it. In Acts 19, we learn that Paul is preaching in the synagogue at Ephesus. He proclaimed the name of Jesus for three months (19:8). We might be inclined to think that anyone hearing the great Apostle preach would be moved to faith. But listen to verse 9: “But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.“
If some heard Paul preach and refused to believe in the Jesus he proclaimed, I suspect some listen to me preach but do not believe. However, if a preacher preaches faithfully for 50 years and has zero converts, he has done what God asked him to do. He has preached the name of Jesus. Paul had to leave one area of Ephesus because the opposition was so strong and move to another part of the city. Yet, he continued to preach the name of Jesus regardless of the response.
In Acts 8, Phillip is preaching. We note this response in 8:12: “But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.” Belief leads to salvation, then to baptism. Sometimes I wish that when I preached Jesus, faith was automatically generated in people’s hearts. Alas, it does not work that way. You have a responsibility when you come to church. As you open your mind and heart to the preaching of the Word, faith grows stronger. If you take a snooze, allow your mind to wander, or refuse to believe what is preached, you will receive no benefit from being in church.
Preaching the Word is my primary responsibility. Churches do other things. We enjoy our fellowship groups, our choir, our eating events, etc., but the main thing we do is preach and teach the Word of God.
Notice the importance of preaching in the New Testament. “Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ…” (Rom 8:25). Our faith is established and grows strong through the preaching of the Word. “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:42). They did not cease preaching Jesus because that was their primary calling. Paul speaks of the Gospel as Jesus “manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior” (Titus 1:3). When the early church faced fierce opposition and had to flee Jerusalem, we learn, “Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). They did not conclude that they had better quit preaching in the face of opposition. When they were scattered, they preached. One more: So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the Gospel in many villages of the Samaritans (Acts 8:25). Do you get the picture? Preaching was a priority in the early church.
Today some churches are deemphasizing preaching. High-powered music and dramas have taken center stage. Entertainment has often eclipsed biblical preaching. Sermons avoid hard truths such as judgment, the wrath of God, and hell. The idea seems to be to appeal more to modern man. People are turned off by old-fashioned preaching. But if biblical preaching is what God uses to cause faith to flourish, those churches which prefer happy little non-offensive sermonettes are depriving their members of the food they need.
We all have friends and family members who are Christians who sincerely believe in Jesus, but they are not active in the church. Yes, I think you can be a true Christian and avoid the church, but if you shut yourself off from biblical preaching, your faith will suffer. Remember that faith comes by hearing, and what we must hear is Christ-centered Bible-centered preaching. You can hear such preaching apart from a local church, of course. There is lots of good preaching on television (and some bad preaching!). Marie and I listen to Dr. Charles Stanley, David Jeremiah, and others. However, I consider such preaching to be supplemental. To be with my brothers and sisters in this place is the main course.
Whether we like it or not, it pleases God through the foolishness of preaching to build the faith of those who hear and believe. The one preaching does not have to be outstanding in the field of rhetoric. Even if you have to listen to an over-the-hill preacher such as yours truly, if biblical truth is proclaimed, faith will grow.
Consider in closing these words from our text: How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Persons must call upon the name of the Lord in order to exercise faith, but first, they need to hear the message proclaimed with clarity. Thus, while all of us can bear witness to Jesus, Paul calls for a class of persons referred to as “preachers.”
The church calls and sets aside certain individuals to serve in the ministry of preaching. This person is unencumbered by a secular job and is thus able to devote much time to the study of the Scriptures and to the preaching of Christ. This is to ensure that the message is communicated clearly and accurately.
Paul’s question serves to remind us that the preaching ministry is absolutely essential in the spiritual life of the local church. People wander in and out of churches. Our concern for those who wander in is that they hear Christ proclaimed clearly and accurately. A church can be friendly and have lots of fun activities, but if Christ is not clearly proclaimed by the man who stands in the pulpit, the church’s spiritual life suffers. Thus, the ministry of preaching is a critical tool God uses to spread the message of Jesus.
To be sure, we all know of preachers who are not perfect paragons of virtue, present company included. Preachers are redeemed sinners. However, if the preacher preaches Jesus in harmony with the biblical revelation, he will be a blessing to the church. If he does not do that, throw the bum out and find someone else! The church cannot survive without an army of preachers who faithfully proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ. Now we may think there is undoubtedly a better way to proclaim the Gospel. However, Scripture makes it clear that preachers are necessary for the fulfillment of God’s plan to help us grow in faith. Therefore, a church that is spiritually alive will place great emphasis on preaching.
It is a bit awkward talking about this theme since I am the preacher. Just know that with all my faults, my heart desires to help you spiritually – – – to help you grow in faith. I will try hard to do my part if you do your part by your regular attendance with an open mind to the message. Growth in faith occurs not because the preacher is outstanding but because the Jesus we proclaim is exceptional.
HOW MUCH FAITH DO WE NEED?
Warsaw Christian Church (10/24/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Luke 17:5-6
We live in a world where in many areas, bigger is better. If your house is twice the size of your neighbor’s house it is obviously better. A big Lincoln or Cadillac is obviously better than a Chevrolet Cruze. If you have 100 acres of property that is surely better than living on 1 acre, isn’t it? Pastors who serve mega-churches are surely better than those who serve churches with 100 members. I used to receive a monthly sermon CD from Christianity Today which is advertised as “the best sermons from today’s best preachers.” Every sermon I received was from a pastor of a large church. I doubt that Christianity Today solicits sermons from pastors of small churches. Some of those mega-church sermons I listened to are excellent. Others are quite ordinary, no better than what you might hear in rural or small-town America. But bigger is better, and sometimes that spills over into the Christian world.
The disciples of Jesus evidently were infected with the “bigger is better” virus. In verse 6 they say to Jesus, “Increase our faith.” The assumption is that they have some faith, but if they have more faith – – – a larger amount of faith – – – that would be better. They could do bigger and better things in service to the Master.
What exactly, I wonder, did they expect Jesus to do? Did they want a miraculous increase of faith to take place in their hearts by the decree of Jesus? Did they want Him to touch them and declare, “Your faith is increased.”?
Notice carefully the response of Jesus. He informs them that even a very small amount of faith can be used to uproot a tree and cast it into the sea, or to move a mountain and cast it into the sea (Matthew 21: 21,22). I believe His point is this. Faith does not really come in sizes. Our focus must not be on “how much,” but on genuineness. In one sense, faith is an either-or phenomena. You either possess genuine faith, or you do not.
This raises the question of the nature of faith. We need to distinguish between two kinds of faith; the faith that saves, and the faith that serves. It is the latter type of faith discussed in our passage. Before we look at it more closely let us focus briefly on saving faith. What does it mean to possess saving faith? In essence, we possess saving faith when we have examined Jesus as He is revealed in the New Testament, and we have concluded that He is the Messiah, the Son of the living God, our Lord and Savior (see Matthew 16:16 in context). We are willing to openly and publicly declare our faith in Jesus. In the matter of salvation, there are no degrees of faith. You either believe Jesus is your Lord and Savior, or you do not. We would probably not regard the thief on the cross as a man of gigantic faith if we were to think of faith in terms of size. Perhaps in desperation, he reached out to Jesus with genuine faith. However “small” or “weak” it may have been it was sufficient to gain him a place in Paradise.
Saving faith is a genuine trust that because of Jesus we have been forgiven and promised a home in heaven. Again, you either believe that, or you do not. To speak of the size of one’s faith is irrelevant, a distraction.
Now let us look at faith that acts in service to the Master. Two basic elements come into play. As redeemed persons, our desire is to serve Jesus. To do that we must believe in His power to act and His will to act. Faith says, “I believe Jesus has the power to do this, and it is His will to do this.” Most of us have no problem believing that God has the power to do whatever He wishes. The problem we face is often uncertainty concerning the will of God. So we conclude our prayer with “Thy will be done.”
Jesus is encouraging His disciples and us to forget about “more faith” and use the faith we have. His statement is that even if you think your faith is as small as a mustard seed, if it is genuine faith it can speak to a tree and it will be uprooted and cast into the sea. Or it can speak to a mountain and remove it into the sea. What are we to make of these statements? Are we to take Jesus literally 0r figuratively? Both! He is using a figure of speech to say that no matter how large your problem may be, God’s power is greater. God can unleash His power independent of us, but often He chooses to act through our faith.
If your faith is rooted in God through Jesus Christ, and if it is necessary for a tree to be uprooted to promote the cause of Christ, the power of God will work through human faith to accomplish the impossible. Of course, we have to add that it is difficult to imagine when the uprooting of a tree would serve the cause of Christ, but that is beside the point. Jesus is simply encouraging His disciples to realize that when God works through human faith, nothing is impossible. Jesus said this in plain language in Mark 9:23. In speaking to a father whose child was demon-possessed, Jesus said, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
I suspect the disciples were shocked at Jesus response to their request for more faith. They seem to think of faith like gasoline in a gas tank (Okay, I know they did not have cars in those days. This is just for illustration purposes.) Does your gas tank have to be full for the car to run? Of course not. It will run just as well on a half tank, or even on one gallon. The issue is not how much gas will run a car. Any amount will do if it is genuine gasoline. So it is with faith. The disciples do have faith. They just need to apply it more broadly to various life situations.
In short, the disciples did not need more faith. They needed more faithfulness. They needed to use the faith they already possessed. Faith does not come in sizes. As we begin to apply faith to some of the smaller issues of life, and we see God act, we are encouraged to apply our faith to life’s larger issues. We may have a headache and pray for relief. We believe God will respond, and He does. However, when we are face to face with cancer we are not sure our faith will work. We may pray, but our hearts are full of doubt.
If we look at the wider context of our text we note that Jesus warned them of the dangers of causing little ones to stumble. He then taught that we must be ready to forgive no matter how many times we have been offended. I suspect the disciples were afraid they could not meet these challenges unless they have more faith. Jesus is simply saying you do have enough faith. Even if you think your faith is small, even the size of a mustard seed, if you ask God to act and what you are asking is in harmony with His will, even impossible tasks like trees being uprooted and mountains being moved will happen.
This should not have been a surprise to the disciples, or to us. Jesus demonstrated that He was in complete control over nature. He was using faith when He turned water into wine. He spoke to the wind and waves and they obeyed Him, He walked on the surface of the water, blind eyes were open, the dead were raised, a few loaves and fish were multiplied to feed 5000 people.
The point is that God can do anything. Faith can accomplish the impossible because it is God who works through faith. He does not work miracles just to show off His omnipotence. However, when we need His help to carry out His will, and our faith seems no larger than a tiny seed, if it is genuine faith, God will act on our behalf.
Faith is the gift of God. So is the air, but you have to breathe it. So is bread, but you have to eat it. So is water, but you have to drink it. So how do we accept this gift? Not by a feeling, for “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). It is not for me to sit down and wait for faith to come upon me with a strong feeling of some kind. I need not cry out to God and say, “Give me more faith.” Rather, faith comes when we immerse ourselves in the Word of God and then learn to take God at his word. Faith is believing God. It is trusting in God’s character, His mercy, His power.
But faith is not faith in itself. It is not faith in faith. The disciples were perhaps confused here. They thought if they had more faith, greater faith, they could do more and greater things. But that implies that they believe in the power of their own faith – – – that they have faith in their own faith. True faith does not look inward to see how much faith is there. Rather it looks to God. Faith is seeing God’s greatness. Faith knows that God is truthful and dependable. Jesus does not say anything to the disciples about how they may increase their faith. His way of answering the disciples’ request is simply to describe to them the great power of genuine faith. Size is not the issue. Authentic faith can speak to a mighty Oak tree and, if Jesus wants that tree removed and cast into the sea to further His purpose on earth, it will be done. In the vernacular, He seems to say to His disciples, “You guys don’t need more faith. You need to use the faith you have. If you do, you can move mountains.” As we exercise the faith we have and see God’s hand at work we will be emboldened to apply our faith to more and more situations. .
The bottom line is this. I don’t need more faith. I need to put into practice the faith I have. As we take our eyes off the sometimes discouraging circumstances that surround us and walk by faith, there are literally no limits to what God will do in our midst. Faith is a powerful force, not because our faith is so large and mighty, but because the God we trust is a mighty God.
THE THREE STAGES OF FAITH
Warsaw Christian Church (10/10/21) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: John 4:46-53
I have preached on faith before. Since faith is the foundation of our relationship with God I want to do a series on faith. In this episode in the ministry of our Lord, we learn that the word “faith” passes through three stages. Our story begins with a royal official — a man under the authority of King Herod, the tetrarch of Galilee. He may be a relative of Herod, or he may be an employee, but he is highly connected in either event. Perhaps he is a man who for years thought he could solve all his own problems. Sometimes the rich and powerful become very self-centered and self-sufficient. He is a man accustomed to getting what he wants.
As so often happens in life to all of us sooner or later, suddenly, this royal official has a problem he cannot solve. Have you ever been there? I have, and I am sure you have as well. Herod cannot help him; his wealth cannot help him; his status cannot help him, for his beloved son is sick, close to death. We can assume he had already sought the best medical help available, but they have said, “We cannot help your son. He will die from this disease.”
This nobleman is desperate. Like most fathers, he loves his son deeply, but he stands helpless before this unnamed disease killing his son. Rumor has it that Jesus, the reported miracle worker, is in the area. It is a twelve-mile trip from Capernaum to Cana where Jesus was, but the father willingly and hurriedly makes the journey. His faith at this stage is an act of desperation. He doesn’t know if the rumors about Jesus are true, but he is willing to try anything. Our relationship with God often begins out of desperation. It may be an illness, relationship problems, financial problems, or any number of things. We see no way out of our situation, and so we seek after God. Perhaps we give little thought to God ordinarily, but now we face a crisis, and like the nobleman, we turn to God out of desperation. We sometimes laugh over what the military calls “fox hole religion” or what the prison system calls “jail house conversions.” Yet, I am certain that many persons found the living God when they began to seek God out of fear and desperation.
In fact, I believe God puts us in tight spots from time to time to help us see our severe limitations. If we can handle life on our own, we think we don’t need God. However, when He puts us in a situation we cannot handle, the likelihood increases that we will turn to Him. Unfortunately, even Christians sometimes live their lives as if God is unnecessary. If you allow your life to slip into that mode, you can be sure God in His loving providence will put you into a tight spot where your only option is to turn to Him.
When we find ourselves in a hopeless situation, we need to listen carefully. God may be calling to us, inviting us to seek after Him. Thus, while our turning to God is frequently a matter of desperation, there is nothing wrong with turning to God when we are in great need. That leads us to stage two.
The official who sought Jesus had made the first move towards God, but we note several interesting features as the story continues. First, Jesus knows immediately that this man has not yet come to a complete faith. All he is interested in is a miracle for his son. He begs Jesus to come and work the desired miracle.
Jesus responds, ‘Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders … you will never believe.” If Jesus will come and heal his son, then he will believe in Jesus. Like so many today, he demands a miracle prior to faith. Like the young person years ago who told me he would believe in God if I could make a glass of water float across the room. In contrast, God expects us to take Him at His Word because He is God before His Word is verified in our experience. God will not “prove” Himself to us. Because He is God, He expects us to believe what He says. Is this an unreasonable request? Do we not want people to take us at our Word? When do you trust the Word of your doctor who says you need a serious and risky operation? When I had open-heart surgery, I had to trust the doctor based on his reputation before I had any proof that the operation would be successful. You can’t withhold your trust until after the operation is a success. You must trust the doctor’s reputation and Word that you have a good chance of recovery before you have any evidence other than his Word.
We make a horrible mistake when we ask God to “prove” Himself to us, withholding faith unless we see signs and wonders. The Bible never makes an effort to “prove” God. It rather assumes that any rational person who is in touch with reality knows that God exists; that apart from God nothing makes sense. The Bible offers no “proof” for God’s existence. It simply calls you a fool if you deny the reality of God. The reason people are confused about God is not for lack of evidence. It is because our souls have been corrupted and distorted by sin, and we can no longer think straight.
Jesus knows immediately that this nobleman is not inclined to believe anything without evidence, in this case, a miracle. Jesus does not consider such an attitude to be one of complete faith, and so He pushes this worried father to a new level of faith. He does not go to the sick child as the father requested. He simply says to the father, “You may go. Your son will live.”
It is a moment of truth for the father. He is not inclined to accept a miracle based on the Word of a stranger. We must assume there was something about Jesus, a sincerity and compassion that was quite compelling. Add to that his frantic concern for his son, and he makes what we might call a “leap of faith.” The text says, “The man took Jesus at His word, and departed.” At first, the man in his anxiety about his son simply sought someone who might have the power to heal his son. He would believe in such a person after the healing took place, not before. Jesus refuses to meet his criteria and challenges the man to take Him at His Word, to believe Him without any evidence other than His Word. This is the second level of faith. He is no longer just seeking after God the Father because he does not know where else to turn. Now he believes the Words of Jesus. Some can never make this move to level two, and thus never experience complete faith. They are forever searching but never willing to take Jesus at His Word. Until you have made that move, your faith is not complete while it may be ever so sincere.
Let’s apply this principle to the question of salvation. If you died today, are you certain you will end up in heaven? There are only three possible answers: yes, no, or I don’t know. If you say “No, I don’t know for sure I will go to heaven. I will believe it when I see it. I hope I will go to heaven, but I can’t be sure.” You are still at level one in your faith walk. You’ll believe only when you see. Mature Christians walk by faith, not by sight.
A person of mature faith will move into the second level. He has been challenged to take God at His Word and believe something is true simply because God says it is true. He needs no evidence other than God’s Word.
Repeatedly, the Bible tells us that those who trust in Jesus will have eternal life. Therefore, those who have learned to trust Jesus, believing what He says, know they have eternal life. They have never seen heaven and have no clear conception of what it will be like. Nevertheless, they know they are going there because Jesus said so. Therefore, they do precisely what the royal official did. They take Jesus at His Word. Jesus said that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. If I believe what Jesus says, I know that heaven is my home. To doubt that you are heaven-bound is to doubt the words of Jesus, and to doubt the words of Jesus reveals that we lack true faith in our hearts.
If you want certainty concerning your salvation, and if you wish to do business with God in the course of your earthly life, you must learn to take Jesus at His Word and then act on that Word. If you say, “Until I see proof, I will not believe,” you are without saving faith.
This royal official learned this lesson on the spot because he was desperate. Have you discovered it yet, or are you withholding your full surrender to Jesus until He has worked some miracle to compel you to believe? God does not accommodate Himself to our terms. He commands us to accommodate ourselves to His terms. At the point of salvation, His terms are simple. TRUST IN MY SON. If we ask, why should I? the answer is simple: BECAUSE GOD SAYS SO.
Faith in its first stage may be nothing more than a desperate search for God. In the second stage, we learn to trust in His Son, taking Him at His Word. The final stage occurred for the nobleman when he arrived home and experienced the fulfillment of Jesus’ words. His son was well, and he became well at the seventh hour, the very hour when Jesus had said, “Your son will live.”
When we search for God, find Him in the person of Jesus, and begin to live by His words, we begin to experience the presence and power of God at work in our lives. When the father saw firsthand that his son was healed, the text says, “he and all his household believed.” He believed at one level when he sought out Jesus. He believed at another level when he took Jesus at His Word. Now he believes at yet another level. He has seen in his own experience the compassionate power of God.
In the realm of salvation, when we take Jesus at His Word and begin to believe that He is our Savior and that our sins are forgiven, something marvelous happens. We enter into stage three, and we experience the reality of the new birth. We are born of the Spirit of God. We experience the reality of God. No longer can anyone present to us arguments causing us to doubt the reality of God. Those who have experienced the new birth can never doubt the reality of God.
Does this text mean that God will heal everyone today if we can just get to that second stage of faith? I have applied this text to salvation even though it addresses the matter of divine healing. The difference between physical health and eternal life is immense. God does, at times, work healing miracles today, but we have no promise that everyone will be healed. Unless one has a specific word from God promising healing, as was the case with the royal official in our text, we have no specific promise to believe. Yes, in the ministry of Jesus, much physical healing took place. We have no record that He ever turned down a request for healing except for Paul’s thorn in the flesh. We learn from that episode that there are times when God does not grant a request because He has a higher purpose. He explained that to Paul. He does not always explain His ways to us. So, we pray for healing, but we trust the matter to God.
It is different from salvation. Numerous texts are telling us that “whosoever will may come.” God’s saving, forgiving grace is offered to the entire world (John 3:16). It is not God’s will that any should perish, but all should come to repentance and faith (2 Peter 3:9). We have many clear promises inviting us to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and enter into salvation.
In closing, I want to stress an important truth. A true and living faith operates at all three of these levels simultaneously. We do not pass from stage one to stage two and then to stage three. We remain in stage one as we pass to stage two, and we remain in stages one and two as we pass to stage three. That is, we never lose that first stage of seeking after God out of desperation– of wanting His help with a difficult problem. Even after finding God, we continue to seek Him, wanting to know more of His nature and will.
We certainly can never leave stage two. We must learn to live each day, taking Jesus at His Word. As we learn more and more of His teachings, believing and acting on everything He has spoken, our experience of the living presence of God in our daily lives grows and grows. We move into stage three, where we experience not only the new birth but we walk in the presence of the living God. We see His hand everywhere.
Until you are living in all three of these stages simultaneously, your faith is incomplete. Learn from a royal official to seek after God, to take Jesus at His Word, and to experience the presence of the living God. Such faith brought health to a nobleman’s son. Such faith will carry you into heaven, and bring innumerable blessings in this life.
THE GOSPEL: SIMPLE OR COMPLEX
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Warsaw Christian Church (Oct. 3, 2021)) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: 2 Corinthians 11:1-4 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me. 2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicitythat is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!
This morning’s sermon is on a theme I preach on often because of its importance. A recent discussion in our Wednesday Bible study made me think it is time to examine this topic again. How do we receive salvation? How do we enter into peace with God? The Christian religion is both complex and straightforward. The Bible is a large book and addresses many topics. Before I began thinning out my library, I had hundreds of books dealing with various aspects of the Christian faith. The different theological doctrines making up the totality of the Christian faith can give one an Excedrin headache. Here are some examples: Theologians speak of Theology proper; Christology; Pneumatology—- these three together making up the doctrine of the Trinity. Then comes anthropology; hamartiology, soteriology; ecclesiology; and eschatology. The point is there are enormous complexities involved in the Christian religion. Theologians write big fat books: Lutheran books, Calvinistic books, Arminian books, Roman Catholic books, and they often disagree with one another. If you like complexity, I can think of no better profession than becoming a theologian.
Now I must confess that I love the study of complex theological doctrines. I could probably do fairly well on Jeopardy if the topics focused on theology, but they rarely do. If the Jeopardy question was, “Who is known as the angelic doctor? I would say “Thomas Aquinas.” If the question was, “during the Reformation, who was known as the other Martin?” I would push the button and declare, “Martin Chemnitz.” I am a member of “The Evangelical Theological Society.” Here are a few articles in a recent issue (Read). I think Karen would say, “What difference does it make?” The Apostle Paul also understood the complexities of the Christian faith. He wrote on such complex topics as predestination, the deity of Jesus, the work of the Holy Spirit, and many others.
While there is a time and a place to study the complexities of the Christian faith, there is also a danger. On the positive side, those who are adept at understanding the complexities of theology can often destroy the arguments of unbelievers. I have mentioned before a student in seminary who claimed to be an atheist. (I have no idea why an atheist would want to go to a theological seminary!) He mentioned his unbelief to Dr. Moore, professor of the New Testament. Dr. Moore quizzed this student as follows: what do you think of the cosmological argument for the existence of God? The student was unfamiliar with that argument. Dr. Moore then asked what he thought of the teleological argument, and again the student claimed ignorance. Dr. Moore then asked him about the ontological argument, and again, ignorance. After a few more similar questions, Dr. Moore looked at the student and said, “You are not an atheist. You are just ignorant.” The student was put in his place.
There is a need in the church for well-trained theologians who can go toe to toe with atheists—one more example. I have mentioned before a debate I listened to on tape between a Christian theologian and an atheist. The atheist was Jewish and declared that most of his family died in the holocaust. If there is a God, why would He allow such unspeakable suffering? Having recently viewed the Auschwitz Exhibit in Kansas City, I was reminded of how horrible things were under the reign of Adolf Hitler. The Christian theologian expressed sympathy for his loss but then asked a question. “Sir, if there is no God as you say how can you say the holocaust was evil? In Nazi ideology ridding the world of Jews was a good thing. On what basis can you call it evil if there is no God?” The theologian agreed with his opponent that the holocaust was evil, but the reason he believed it was evil was based on God’s commandments. He challenged his opponent to define evil apart from the existence of God. The reality is that if God does not exist then might makes right.
OK, enough on the importance of the church having well-trained theologians who understand the complexities of the faith. In our text, Paul expresses a fear. He is afraid that some believers might stray from the faith because they do not grasp the simplicity of the Gospel. What does he mean?
Yes, there are complicated doctrines in the Scriptures, but the Gospel which saves us is simple, a truth that must never escape our attention. What is the simplicity that is in Christ? Let me quote a few essential Scriptures. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ( Romans 1:16). But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness (Romans 10:4). For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. (Romans 10:9). 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 (1Cor. 1:21). knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.(Gal. 2:16). But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: (John 1:12). 36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life (John 3:36).
In the manuscript version of this sermon, I have underlined the keyword appearing in each of these texts. That keyword is……You got it: BELIEVE. There is a specific condition leading to eternal salvation summed up in the word “believe.” John 3:36 says it simply and directly: He who believes in the Son has everlasting life. Do you possess everlasting life at this very moment? Let’s look at it logically.
Premise # 1: He who believes in the Son has everlasting life. (Note the present tense, “has,” not “will have” in the future.
Premise # 2: I believe Jesus is the Son of God.
Conclusion: I have everlasting life.
If the premises are true, the conclusion follows logically. The first premise is true because it is the very Word and promise of God. The second premise is true if you genuinely believe in Jesus. The conclusion follows. What do you have? I have everlasting life.
When you stand before the judgment seat of God, if you are asked to give an adequate summary of what the Bible teaches about theology, pneumatology, Christology, anthropology; hamartiology; soteriology; ecclesiology; and eschatology – – – I fear we would all be in big trouble.
Satan loves to whisper in our ears, “You call yourself a Christian? You have so little understanding of the Bible. You have never read a book on theology. How dare you call yourself a Christian!”
Here is what we learn from Scripture. The one issue we will all face on judgment day is simply this: Do you believe in the Son of God? Paul warns the Christians in Corinth not to allow Satan to deceive them. Do not assume that the understanding of complex doctrines is necessary for salvation. Do not assume that good works are required for salvation. These all have a place in the life of a Christian but they are unrelated to the question of salvation. The one thing necessary is belief – – – belief in the Son of God. This is the simplicity of which Paul speaks.
However, we must never fail to forget, as I have said before. Belief in Jesus brings us the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells within the heart of every believer in Jesus. And He is not idle! He creates within us a hunger to know more of God. He directs us to the waters of baptism. He leads us into the church to learn more of Jesus and enjoy fellowship with other believers. He creates a hunger to serve Jesus out of gratitude for what He has done for us. He leads us to a life of prayer. He reminds us that even as Christians, we offend God by our acts of disobedience. So we are regularly present at the Lord’s Table to receive again the elements that speak to us so eloquently of the cost of our salvation.
As we submit to the presence and leading of the Holy Spirit, we grow in faithfulness. However, these acts of obedience add nothing to our salvation. Jesus Christ has done everything necessary to secure our salvation. He is the Savior, and He does not require our assistance to complete the process. Again, He who believes in the Son has everlasting life. When Paul spoke of the simplicity of our salvation, he was encouraging us to believe in the Lord Jesus. Yes, many things follow after we believe. They are the fruits of faith, not the cause of our salvation. But if the question is, “What must I do to be saved,” the answer is always simple – – – “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” If the question is what happens after I believe, brace yourself for the coming of the Holy Spirit and the fantastic changes He makes in our lives. He does not leave us as He found us. We become new persons in Christ. The old passes away, and the new arrives. Yes, faith alone saves us, but as Luther said, faith is never alone. Faith, when it is authentic, utterly changes our thoughts, words, and deeds. We experience a new birth.
In conclusion, there are two questions we must answer. Question # 1, Do you believe in the Son of God? Question # 2, are you aware of the wonderful changes brought about by the new birth? If you say “No” to the second question, it calls into question the reality of your faith. Maybe you cannot explain the complexities of the faith. Perhaps you cannot give an adequate summary of the theology of Augustine, or Thomas Aquinas, or Martin Luther. Maybe you have never read “The Institutes of the Christian Religion” by John Calvin. Such complexities have their place in the church, but they have nothing to do with salvation. But you do know whether or not you believe in Jesus and whether or not you see the changes brought about by the new birth. Don’t let the complexities of the Christian religion rob you of its simplicity. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved…. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicitythat is in Christ. Don’t let it happen to you.
DIVINE GUIDANCE FOR ORDINARY FOLKS
WARSAW CHRISTIAN CHURCH (9/19/2021) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: Proverbs 3:1 – 8 (NKJV) 1My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands; 2 For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you. 3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, 4 And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil. 8It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
There have been times in the past (and in the present also) when God made His will known in some extraordinary manner. Sometimes He spoke directly to the prophets enabling them to thunder out the phrase, THUS SAITH THE LORD. The apostle Paul was knocked to the ground and blinded when Jesus encountered him. John, the apostle, had a strange vision on the Isle of Patmos wherein God revealed to him things that pertained to the future. There are persons today who claim that God has spoken to them directly.
This sermon is not about unusual guidance. This is a sermon for folks who, like me, have never heard God speak directly. While we all need divine guidance, God does not always provide it extraordinarily. On the other hand, God has promised to guide His people. Our task is to try and understand how God guides us ordinarily, apart from His speaking directly to us, or granting us a dream or vision, or knocking us to the ground.
I want to use as our basic text Proverbs 3:5,6: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” The text ends with the promise, “He (God) shall direct your paths.” We want to examine how it is we reach the point where we can say with confidence that God is directing our path.
There are three concepts in our text we must understand. First, there is wholehearted trust; second, refusing to trust oneself; and third, acknowledging God in all things. Once those three items are in place in your life, you can rest assured that God is directing your steps, even when you have no supernatural experience of His guidance. We begin with the word TRUST. The Hebrew word is “batach”, (baw-takh’); a primitive root that means to go someplace for refuge. If you went into a cave to get out of the rain, you had “batach” for the cave; trust or confidence that it would keep you dry. Thus, the word came to mean to be confident or sure: to put confidence in someone, or just plain old “trust.”
Thus, trusting in God means going to God as our place of refuge, to have confidence that He will protect and direct us. Solomon, the author of many Proverbs, adds, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” If we wish to be directed by God, we must become people whose trust in God is wholehearted. This is basically a repetition of the First Commandment. A wholehearted trust in God means that He has first place in our hearts in life. Such trust is both logical and necessary. God is the creator of everything that exists. He is worthy of our total trust. Therefore, logic demands that we trust God supremely.
If we trust anyone or anything more than we trust God, we are acting illogically. To put it bluntly, we are acting stupidly. It is so easy for us to allow something other than God to rise to the top of our “trust list.” Jesus told a parable about a man who did just that. He had money, full barns, and he felt safe and secure. He thought these things would protect him against any eventuality, and so he trusted in them. The problem was that he would die that very night, and of what value would his wealth be when standing before God (Luke 12:16)?
God has promised to direct the paths of those who trust Him completely. That which we trust becomes our guiding path in life. If we trust money and things, our way will be directed by the stock market or interest rates. If we trust supremely in ourselves, our paths will be guided by ourselves. If we trust in some humanistic philosophy, our path will be guided by that philosophy. If we trust in God, then He will guide our steps. So take care where you place your trust, for that which you trust will direct your path.
Our text now adds a thought to clarify what it means to trust in God. We are told, “lean not on our own understanding.” In other words, don’t trust your analysis of life situations. We tend to examine problems and opportunities and quickly initiate a plan of action based on our human perceptions. We are, of course, to use our intelligence in trying to cope with life. We are not instructed to plunge into irrationality. We are not to sit back and do nothing and expect God to guide us. We do not want to put our minds into neutral. Instead, we are not to place any final or ultimate trust in our wisdom. We are to seek out the wisdom of God through Scripture and through prayer, trusting God to correct the failings of our human wisdom so that our ultimate trust is in God.
Let’s use an example. Suppose I have decided taxes are too high (that won’t take much supposing!), and therefore to make taxes fairer, I decide to cheat on my income tax. It may seem like a logical thing to do. This action will hurt no one, and the government will never miss the money. Having once worked for the government, I know firsthand how much money is wasted in government bureaucracies. Human wisdom may reasonably conclude, “Go ahead. Cheat on your taxes.” But as a Christian, I have to go beyond the thoughts of my own brain and search God’s Word. Does God’s word say anything about taxes? Yes, it does. Romans 13:7 reads as follows: “Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes. . .” Is there anywhere in the Bible where cheating and lying are set forth as virtues, as a proper means to rectify an unjust situation? As I pray about the matter, will God tell me to go against His revealed Word? No! As I approach decisions in this manner, allowing God to have the final word and then act according to the will of God, who will be directing my path? Of course, the answer is God.
Our text continues on with these words: “In all your ways acknowledge Him.” First, trust, then acknowledgment. What is the difference between trusting God and acknowledging God? The Hebrew word used here is “yadah.” It is a primitive root meaning to know or to ascertain by experience. It means to discern or discover; to come to know.
It is very difficult to take one Hebrew word and translate it with one English word. For example, when I see the word “acknowledge” in English, it seems like much too weak a word to translate accurately what our text declares. Acknowledge in my mind can mean something simple, like waving to a friend in acknowledgment that you see him. On the other hand, the Hebrew word is a strong word meaning to have firsthand experiential knowledge of God.
The verb is in the imperative mood, meaning it is a command or even a shout. KNOW GOD! Thus, whatever I am doing or planning to do, I bring God into that situation. I am to seek Him in all of life’s circumstances. Another way to express this is to say that the believer’s desire to know God is so intense that God is in the mind and heart in every situation. Thus, God is present when you do your taxes; when you relate to your wife and children, God is there; when you are engaged in your vocation, God is there; when you face sickness, God is there. The Psalmist expressed this truth in these words: “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:7-10).
Is your trust in God so deep and sincere that even in those irrational times when you think you might want to flee from His presence, you cannot? That is “yadah” — that is what it means to acknowledge God in all your ways, a relationship with God so intense and so real there is no escaping. But, of course, we don’t want to flee from God’s presence in our better moments.
We can immediately see a relationship between trusting God and knowing God. We must know God to trust Him, and the more we know Him, the more we trust Him. In terms of the new covenant, we came to know God when we learned of Jesus and placed our trust in Him. As we live our lives rooted in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ, our trust grows, and our knowledge of God grows. When we reach the point where our trust in Jesus is wholehearted, and our knowledge of God is such that He is present with us throughout each day, then we have the assurance that God is guiding our way; He is directing our path.
Isn’t that what we want? Have you ever said, “I wish I had a clearer idea of God’s will for my life? I wish I knew more of His guidance and direction. I wish God would speak to me in a loud and clear manner.” We may be looking for God’s extraordinary guidance while overlooking God’s usual manner of guiding our lives. If God chooses to speak to you unusually, then so be it. If He doesn’t, don’t assume that you are without divine guidance. There is guidance for every Christian in the plain and simple words of our text. Trust God with all your heart; know God intensely through His self-revelation in Scripture and through a personal faith relationship with Jesus. Let God have the last word in your life decisions, and He will direct your path.
There is a brief practical thought I wish to add that is not present in our text. Use the means of grace God has provided. I mean such things as faithfulness to Christ’s Church, prayer, Bible study, the Lord’s Supper, and obedience to the revealed will of God. God’s guidance often comes to us through these means of grace. Make full use of them. By the faithful use of these things God has provided for us, we acknowledge God.
One final thought. Those who seek to walk with God quickly learn that such a life always generates opposition. Even within the church, the more serious Christians are sometimes opposed by the less serious. And when we try to follow Christ in this godless, secular world around us, there will be strong opposition. Many Christians get tired of the struggle or are too eager for the world’s approval, so they let up. They grow weary in well-doing. We need Paul’s reminder that if we refuse to give in to spiritual weariness and if we press on in our desire to be faithful to Christ, we shall reap the reward of knowing God’s blessing and guidance upon our lives (see Gal. 6:9).
Follow this path, and you will eventually know deep inside that God is directing your steps. You may not hear God speaking audibly; you may not have dreams and visions; you may not have any outward manifestation of the divine presence, but you will know in the depths of your innermost being that God is guiding your life. He has promised to guide us, and God always keeps His promises.
PROVERBS, WEALTH AND POVERTY
Warsaw Christian Church (9/12/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor
As we continue our study of the Book of Proverbs, our theme today is money. Solomon, the world’s richest man in the ancient world, has a lot to say about wealth and poverty. He knows much about wealth, and the good news is that his advice is free!Solomon understands that wealth can be beneficial, but it can also be harmful.
We begin with Proverbs 15:16: Better is a little with the fear of the Lord,
than great treasure with trouble. Solomon likes to make contrasts, and we will see more of that as we proceed. Here he contrasts a person who has much and one who has little. If your wealth leads to trouble, you are worse off than the poor man who lacks wealth but knows God. His point is clear. The greatest treasure we can ever have is knowing God. If you don’t have a relationship with God, all the money in the world will not compensate for what you lack.
If God blesses you financially, that is wonderful. But if your wealth leads you away from God, you are in big trouble. It is better to be poor with God than to be rich without Him. That is Solomon’s first observation.
In the next verse (15:17) we read this: A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate (NLT). Solomon pictures for us two families. One is wealthy and can afford the finest beef. But it is a household full of hatred. The other family is poor and can only afford to eat vegetables. But it is a house full of love. What would be your preference? A simple meal with someone you love, or a lavish meal with someone you hate? Again, Solomon’s point is clear. There are things more valuable than money. If you are in a loving environment, you are better off than a wealthy family where hate prevails. Personally, a dinner with nothing except a bowl of veggies is not my preference, but if love is present, it becomes a banquet.
Solomon continues making contrasts in 16:8: Better is a little with righteousness, Than vast revenues without justice (NKJV). I like the way the verse is translated in the New Living Testament: Better to have little, with godliness, than to be rich and dishonest. Again we see a contrast between those who have God, but little else, and those who have much that was gained dishonestly. There is nothing wrong with wealth per se, but it becomes a curse if it pulls you away from God. If you have to lie, steal and cheat to gain wealth, better to be poor and have a relationship with Jesus. The most incredible wealth we can ever possess is knowing that the love of Jesus has redeemed us. If we lack that, no amount of money can make up the difference.
Solomon hits on this principle over and over. We read in Proverbs 28:6: Better is the poor who walks in his integrity Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich. Who makes a better friend? The person with integrity, one who is honest and reliable, or one who is perverse, dishonest, unreliable? A poor man who possesses integrity is a better friend than a dishonest rich man.
On the other hand, there are those who are poor through their own fault. Solomon addresses this issue several times. Proverbs 21:17: Those who love pleasure become poor; those who love wine and luxury will never be rich (NLT). Those who seek only pleasure, who are addicted to alcohol, will never have much in the way of wealth. Solomon has told us there are riches gained in the wrong way, and now he points out that poverty can happen through our own fault.
This same p[principle is repeated in 23:21: Those who love pleasure become poor; those who love wine and luxury will never be rich (NKJ) For both the drunk and the glutton will end up broke, sleeping life away, and clothed in rags (VOICE). There are those who love pleasure so much that they will not discipline themselves to hard work. They tend to end up poor. And again, those devoted to much wine and food and who are devoted to sleep will end up clothed in rags.
Solomon extols the virtue of hard work in 28:19: He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough! (NKJV).One man works hard on his farm, and he always has plenty to eat. Another man is devoted to frivolity and ends up in poverty. Here is another translation. Anyone who tills the land will have plenty of bread, but one who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty (NRSV). A good New Testament example is the prodigal son. He had plenty of money from his Father but devoted his life to worthless pursuits and ended up with nothing. Being poor is not always a blessing, nor is being rich always a curse. It all depends on how you got where you are. Honesty and hard work lead to gain. Devoting your life to worthless pursuits leads to poverty.
Here are some more insights on prosperity from Solomon. Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight is His delight (11:1). Most of us don’t use scales dishonestly (except perhaps when we step on the scale to see what we weigh!). The idea here is that all forms of dishonesty to gain profit is an abomination to the Lord. The Hebrew word translated “abomination” is a very strong word. It means that which is abhorrent or repugnant to the Lord. Any time we act in a dishonest fashion to gain greater wealth, we become repugnant to God! Do any of us really want to be in that category?
God is a God of truth, and whenever we resort to dishonesty, we disgust the heavenly Father. As I said in the series on the Ten Commandments, when we resort to dishonesty, we are declaring that we do not trust God to take care of us. Dishonest gain makes us enemies of God until we come to our senses and repent and resolve to live our lives honestly.
Solomon continues this theme in 20:17. Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel (NKJV). We may think we are very clever to gain income by deceit. I have heard people brag about how they got over on some business or institution by deceit. Solomon uses graphic language, telling us that deceit may seem sweet for a time, but eventually, it becomes like eating gravel. That cannot be too pleasant!
Solomon defines true riches for us in 10:22. The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it. True wealth is to be blessed by God. God blesses those who live life honestly and above board. Those who go down the crooked path will eventually come to sorrow and grief, and God cannot and will not bless us when we are practicing dishonesty.
Solomon is clear that God does not oppose wealth. He opposes dishonest gain. Let’s look at Proverbs 8:18-21. Riches and honor are with me, Enduring riches and righteousness. 19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, And my revenue than choice silver. 20 I traverse the way of righteousness, In the midst of the paths of justice, 21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.
True wealth comes when we honor God. Those who love God will inherit wealth and God will fill their treasuries. Solomon’s meaning is clear: those who love God and seek to obey Him are rich. Slomon himself learned that lesson early in his reign. At the beginning of his reign, he was not seeking riches, but wisdom to govern Gods people. God gave him both.
There is nothing wrong with wealth in the hands of those who love God. They will use their resources to honor Him. Solomon often praises hard work. When hard work is joined with honesty and a love for God, a double blessing occurs. We find we have more than enough to meet our needs, and we also know that we will enjoy God’s blessings forever.
Let’s look at one final theme related to wealth. One of the main themes in the Book of Proverbs has to do with the poor. God expects those who have abundance to help the poor. Look at Proverbs 14:31: Anyone who oppresses the poor is insulting God who made them. To help the poor is to honor God (TLB). Everyone walking on the face of planet earth is God’s creation. Whether we are rich or poor God cares for us. When you turn your back on the poor, you are insulting God. Insulting God is never a good idea! When we help the poor, we honor God. God loves the poor, and so must we.
There are many other Proverbs related to the poor and our obligation to help those in need, but I must bring this sermon to a close. Our basic theme is wealth. Solomon says riches are worthless when we stand before our Maker. Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death (11:4). When judgment day arrives, and we all stand before God to give an account of our lives, it will do no good to say to God, “Look at all the money I made.” What He is looking for is righteousness. We who live under the New Covenant understand that righteousness has two meanings. Paul expressed it clearly in Phillipians 3:9: where he spoke about his desire to be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith. Paul anticipates the day of his own judgment. He understands that his own personal righteousness will not save him. He refers to himself as the chief of sinners. The true righteousness which saves is the righteousness of Christ which we receive by faith.
When we trust in Christ, we are reborn with a heart that pursues righteousness. Solomon urges us to practice personal righteousness by being honest and avoiding dishonest gain. Paul would agree and clarifies it is not our personal righteousness that saves us. It is faith in Jesus and His redeeming act that saves us. Those who turn to Jesus will trust in His righteousness to redeem them, and then they will pursue personal righteousness – – – the righteousness which Solomon advocates.
2021 Sermons
THE POWER OF WORDS
Warsaw Christian Church (8/29/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Texts: Selected verses from Proverbs, James 3:1-6
Solomon reveals considerable interest in what we say in the Book of Proverbs. He references words, mouth, and tongue about 150 times. He understands that our words tell a great deal about what is in our hearts. Therefore, those who guard their tongue and think before they speak are more likely to speak words that honor God. The Apostle James picked up on this idea and said some profound words about the way we speak.
We begin with Proverbs 16:24 and 15:1: Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones (NKJ). A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. In these two verses, we learn two things. Pleasant words are sweet. When you speak pleasant words to another, you are promoting their health and well-being. Don’t you love those people who always speak with kindness behind their words? They lift us up. They encourage us. We may be feeling stirred up inside, and someone speaks a soft, kind word to us. Our internal anger and agitation are calmed.
In contrast, how does it make you feel when someone speaks harshly to you, with biting criticism in their voice? When someone speaks to me in an angry tone, it does me no good. More often than not, I withdraw from that person. I may still be in the room, but mentally, I have withdrawn.
Look at Proverbs 15:4: A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, But perverseness in it breaks the spirit. Have you ever seen a person utterly defeated because others speak perverseness to them? Words can destroy people. During those few years when I worked as a rehabilitation counselor for the State of Illinois, I remember so well interviewing a young man with a low IQ. As we talked about vocational possibilities for him, his father said, “He is too stupid to learn.” The young man sat with his head down. His spirit was broken by the words of his father. Words are powerful things. They can lift us up or tear us down.
Solomon drives home this point in Proverbs 12:18 (no pun intended). There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health. Are your words ever like a sword that pierces the soul of another, leaving them to feel wounded? Or do you speak wisely and thus promote the health of another? Some people’s words are like a sword that cuts into us and tears us apart. Do you tend to stab others with your words, or do you speak words of wisdom? Wise words promote health in another.
Look at Proverbs 15:25: Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad. Unfortunately, we live in a sinful world. Trouble is everywhere. Violence in our country has become an epidemic. Wars and rumors of war are always with us. Husbands and wives often struggle to make their marriage work, and some people rub us the wrong way. Children can drive us to distraction. Even our pet animals can cause anxiety. Solomon knows that living in this kind of world will cause stress leading to depression.
People spend millions of dollars on counselors to help them overcome depression. Solomon declares that we can all be good mental health counselors by the words we speak. When you struggle with depression, isn’t it wonderful when someone says a good word to you? But, dear people, you can exacerbate people’s depression when your comments are harsh, critical, cutting. There are good words, and there are bad words. There are helpful words and harmful words. Some words bless others, and some words curse others. What kind of words do you speak? Are they useful words or toxic words? Are you a good mental health counselor because you speak good words, or do your words pour gasoline on the flames of another’s anxiety?
Let’s look at a longer section in the Book of Proverbs. He who hates, disguises it with his lips,
And lays up deceit within himself; 25 When he speaks kindly, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart; 26 Though his hatred is covered by deceit,
His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly. 27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him. A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, And a flattering mouth works ruin. (26:24-28).
The main theme in this section is the use of deceitful words. There are those who may use words of flattery to hide their hatred. We must be careful as we listen to others speak. Not everyone speaks the truth. Some will try to gain an advantage over others by the use of deceitful words. Solomon warns us that flattery believed can lead to ruin.
This is a tough one for me. I like to assume that all who speak to me are truthful. Solomon warns us that we cannot be so naïve. Have you ever believed the words of a salesperson who sold you his product only to find out later that his words about the product or the service they would provide were deceitful? As I have said before, I want to believe that a used car salesperson will speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Unfortunately, many have been burned by the slick, deceitful words of a salesperson.
I guess the lesson here is to be cautious about believing people you do not know. And sometimes, people we do know have deceived us so often with their words that we don’t believe anything they say. So be careful that you do not gain a reputation as an untrustworthy person. You may speak the truth at times, but others have been burned by your words so often that they doubt everything you say. As Christians, we need to work at gaining a reputation for speaking the truth.
We all know the stories about pastors who speak one thing from the pulpit but then make a total mess of their lives by bad behavior. I recall meeting one person who gave up on the church. Why? Because the pastor of his church was carrying on an affair with a member of the church. His preaching and his behavior didn’t line up.
We might expect Solomon to say something about gossip, and indeed he does! It is a frequent subject in the Book of Proverbs. Here are a few examples: He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates friends (17:9). What do you do when you observe another Christian acting inappropriately? Do you cover the issue perhaps with prayer? Or do you repeat what you have seen or heard to others? Gossip tends to separate friends and even families. Do you want to make sure that others know about the shortcomings of another? Are you really trying to help, or perhaps you intend to cause some damage? Ask yourself, do I need to gossip about the behavior I have seen in others? You say, “But it is the truth.” When your words hurt others, you are sinning, truthful or not.
Look at Proverbs 11:13: A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter. So when you are aware of some juicy gossip, do you conceal it or reveal it? Are you a person of faith or a talebearer?
Or consider Proverbs 20:19: He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips. Solomon, speaking for God, suggests that we avoid persons who gossip. Those who go about spreading gossip are to be shunned. Even if that doesn’t happen in human relationships, gossips are shunned by God. Don’t fall into a way of life that results in a loss of fellowship with the Father.
Not only are we to avoid spreading gossip. We are warned not to devour gossip. Look at Proverbs 18:8: The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, and they go down into the inmost body. We speak of juicy gossip. Solomon cautions us that much gossip is like a tasty morsel. We not only like to gossip, we like to devour it as well. The Hebrew word used means to swallow greedily. Those who swallow gossip are then eager to pass it on. And remember this. People who gossip to you about others will also gossip about you.
Let’s move to the New Testament as we close. James 3:5-6: Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. Just as a small match can start a flame that devours thousands of acres, our words can cause considerable damage if we are not careful. James tells us that the flames of gossip are fueled by the fires of hell. Gossip does not put you in touch with God. It puts you in touch with Satan.
The old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me,” is a lie. Our words are powerful. They can build up or tear down. They can cause joy, or they can cause sadness. Words can encourage us or drive us to depression. The words we speak can bless others or curse them. I remember a woman in our church in Decatur, born in Germany, who remembers how her father referred to her as “eine dumme Gans,” or a dumb goose. She never forgot those biting words.
We learn from Solomon to pay careful attention to our words. As Christians, we need to pray that God will muzzle our tongues. Listen again to the words of James: But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. The tongue cannot be tamed. Gossip and other words of evil will flow from us unless we ask God to tame our tongue. He can do what we cannot do. We praise God with our words, and then we speak evil from the same mouth. It ought not to be like that, says James, but we need to pray to the only One who can tame our unruly tongues.
A closing reminder. Proverbs is not a book telling us how to be saved. Eternal life is the gift of God given to all who trust in Jesus. If you speak unhelpful words, it does not necessarily mean you are a lost soul. However, harsh words spoken to others do hinder our sense of fellowship with God. When we know we have spoken hurtful words we dare not say, “It does not matter.” What we are to do when we become aware that we have spoken harsh words, insulting words, hurtful words, gossip ect. is to apologize to the person hurt by our words, and then apologize to God and seek His forgiveness.
THE FOOL
Warsaw Christian Church, (8/22/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Selected verses from Proverbs.
One of the recurrent themes in the Book of Proverbs deals with the nature of fools. The word “fool” occurs 39 times in the book of Proverbs. The fool is often contrasted with the one who follows divine wisdom. There are several Hebrew words translated as “fool” in Psalms and Proverbs. Let’s begin with a basic definition. A “fool” in Scripture is not a person of low intellect. He may even be a genius. A fool is a person who does not live by divine wisdom. He may have a high IQ, but God describes him as a fool. Psalms 14:1 reads as follows: “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.'” The fool rejects the notion that the fear of God is the foundation for wisdom. He rejects the very idea of living under God’s authority and therefore has no choice but to live by human wisdom.
Human wisdom can be impressive. Human wisdom and knowledge can build the great pyramids and other magnificent architectural structures. Human wisdom can create great literature and works of philosophy. We still read the ancient writings of Plato and Aristotle, of Cicero and Pliny, works reflecting human wisdom. When I was in college, I studied the writings of David Hume, Immanuel Kant, and other philosophers who spoke great words of human wisdom. Human wisdom speaks forth great ideas, but when it is not rooted in the wisdom of God, it is foolishness.
In my college days, I embraced the ideas of the great philosophers and rejected the writings of Scripture. I thought the Bible was nothing but fairy tales. Real wisdom was found in the writings of philosophers. Human reason was king in those days, and I found so much in the Bible that seemed to conflict with reason, so I rejected most of the Bible. What was I? In the eyes of God, I was a fool.
Those who choose to live as fools manifest specific behavioral characteristics described in the Book of Proverbs. We want to examine the fool, not so that we can imitate him, but to avoid foolish behavior. Remember, we are not using the word fool in an insulting manner. We are speaking of the spiritual fool, the one who rejects divine wisdom.
In the first place, a fool is a person with a divine learning disability. The truth of God is just as available for him as it is for the spiritually wise. Look at Proverbs 18:2 (NKJV) “A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart.” The spiritual fool is interested in one thing: his own ideas. He hears divine truth but takes no delight in it. Proverbs 10:8 gives us the consequences. “The wise in heart will receive commands, But a prating fool will fall.” The fool loves the sound of his own voice and babbles on and on with his verbal silliness, speaking of things that have no decisive importance. He will not receive the commands of God, and as a result, he falls. He falls farther and farther away from God and divine truth. Once a human being decides, “There is no God,” he lapses ever deeper into foolishness.
I need to say that the fool is not an atheist. Solomon is writing to Israel, the people of the covenant. He is writing to believers. The fool believes in God but lives his life apart from God’s commands. The result is predictable. He not only falls into sin, but he also enjoys it. Notice Proverbs 10:23 (NKJV) “To do evil is like sport to a fool, But a man of understanding has wisdom.” The fool may be a most enjoyable fellow. He loves to party; to enjoy life. He never stops to consider that much of his enjoyment is contrary to the will of God. If something pleases him, he does it. Evil is a sport. He never stops to consider what it will be like for him when he stands before the judgment throne of God. God does not enter into his life decisions even though he may profess to be a believer.
We read in Proverbs 14:16 (NKJV) “A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is self-confident.” Those who possess spiritual wisdom depart from evil. Oh, they enjoy life, probably even more than the fool. They find enjoyment in living in harmony with God. Like the fool, the wise man seeks the good life but recognizes God as the source of good. On the other hand, the fool rages on in his evil, confident that no harm will come to him. The spiritual fool is a pathetic individual racing towards judgment without a care in the world.
The fool, of course, has friends and family who care about him. They may try to help him and point him in the right direction, but it is useless. Notice Proverbs 17:10 (NKJV) Rebuke is more effective for a wise man Than a hundred blows on a fool. This is an amusing figure of speech. You tell a wise man that he is doing wrong, and he listens. You tell a fool he is doing wrong, and even if you were to beat him with a rod 100 times, he would not listen. His situation is described in Proverbs 26:11. “As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.” The wise learn from their mistakes. They are constantly evaluating life from the perspective of divine truth. The fool sins and sins and sins and never learns. He repeats his folly. This attribute is stated amusingly in Proverbs 27:22 (ICB). “Even if you ground up a foolish person like grain in a bowl, you couldn’t remove his foolishness.” This figurative language leads us to see a fool being ground up like grain in a bowl, perhaps becoming a loaf of bread, but the bread will be foolish bread. Solomon describes the fool as intractable, resisting every attempt at correction. If you get all huffy and defensive when someone disagrees with you, be careful. You may be headed toward foolishness.
Even when the spiritually wise address him and try to bring correction into his life, the fool despises every attempt to change him. Proverbs 23:9 (NKJV) “Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words.” The wise are admonished to keep quiet in the presence of an absolute fool. Save your breath, says God, for the fool will only despise your wisdom. When a fool is chattering on and on in an unchristian manner, the wise remain silent. They know that any attempt to bring divine wisdom into the situation will only make matters worse.
Jesus stated this in a different way when he said, “Do not cast your pearls before swine.” Pigs do not understand the value of pearls, and they trample them underfoot. Some fools hear the Gospel and immediately reject it as useless mythology. When you encounter such a fool, a concrete person who is all mixed up and set in his ways, save your breath.
We also learn from Proverbs that a fool is a dangerous person. This is said in a humorous way in Proverbs 17:12 (NKJV) “Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly.” Meeting a bear robbed of her cubs would not be a pleasant experience. If that happens, you better be a fast runner. Solomon says that you will have better luck with the bear than with a fool.
Why would Solomon declare that it is better to meet an angry bear than a fool? It is, of course, a figure of speech. The point is a bear might destroy your life, but a fool can destroy your soul. Listen again to what God’s Word declares about the fool. He disregards God and His commandments. He is in love with evil. He cares only for his own opinions. He ignores every attempt to point out the folly of his ways. Sometimes fools recruit others to join in their folly. Herein lies the danger. If you listen to a fool, he will corrupt your thinking and may cause you to lose your religion. Better to be mauled by a bear than to allow a fool to drag you down to hell. God warns us in Proverbs 26:4 (NKJV) “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him.” Here is the danger. Sometimes fools are very persuasive. They often aggressively address issues so that others are afraid to respond, fearing even more aggression from the fool. Sometimes fools get their way, and those they influence become like them.
When you think of this description of a fool as we have it in Proverbs, does anyone, in particular, come to mind? Well, I must confess that I thought of several people who fit nicely into the fool category. One of those I thought of was myself. I sensed the Holy Spirit nudging me away from thinking about others and leading me to apply these texts to myself. Aren’t we all fools at times? Don’t we all say and do foolish things? I hope you see yourself in these texts.
Solomon presents us with two choices: the way of wisdom and the way of the fool. If we can recognize our own foolishness, there is hope that we will repent and begin to walk more and more in divine wisdom. Faith in Christ demands that we choose the path of wisdom. We all have a choice to make. Will we listen to God, or will we walk the path of the fool?
THE DEMANDS WISDOM MAKES
Warsaw Christian Church, (8/15/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Last week we noted that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Those who fear God are the ones who can receive the love of God revealed in the Gospel. Once we have chosen to follow the path of divine wisdom, we discover that such wisdom makes demands upon us. This will be our theme this morning as we explore several texts in the Book of Proverbs.
We read in Proverbs 3:7 , “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.” Wisdom demands that we turn from evil. We fear God because we know we have sinned against His holy will. We fear God because we know the eternal consequences of sin. Then we discover the forgiveness Jesus provides for us. We despise the fact that our sins have so offended God that drastic measures had to be taken to redeem us. What will be our attitude toward evil as redeemed sinners? We will want to depart from evil and devote our lives to that which is good. A mature Christian who is indifferent to sin is a contradiction.
This gives us a means of testing the reality of our relationship with God. Unfortunately, some find their way into the church but fail to grasp the fullness of the Gospel. There are lost souls who attend church regularly. One way to evaluate the reality of your own faith is to ask this question: what is my attitude toward sin and evil? Those who fear God and who have then entered into the love of God will “depart from evil,” according to our text. A mature believer never says, “Everyone sins, so I don’t take my evil ways seriously. I assume God will forgive me.” Yes, the very best Christian indeed sins, but he never, never takes it lightly. He hates evil when he sees it rising in his heart. When a Christian knows he has fallen into evil, there is immediate repentance. He will quickly confess his sin and pray for forgiveness. He will be at the Lord’s Table regularly to receive again the forgiveness we receive in the sacrifice of Jesus.
Wisdom demands that we turn from evil. Some make the mistake of thinking, I don’t commit any of the major sins. I don’t murder others, I avoid adultery, I don’t worship idols, I don’t steal, so the little sins I do commit are acceptable. Resentment against others, gossip, rudeness – – – these “Christian” sins are permitted as long as I avoid the biggies.” No, those who have genuinely entered into divine wisdom turn away from all kinds of evil. Christians love God so much and so appreciate the salvation He has provided they devote their lives to goodness, avoiding all forms of evil. I hope I am describing you. If you are indifferent to the evil present in your life, a big yellow “caution” light should go off in your soul.
2. Second, divine wisdom demands that we turn away from egotism and conceit. Proverbs 26:12 says: “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.“ Solomon doesn’t beat around the bush. If you have a high opinion of your wisdom, seeing yourself as one of the elites in society, God says you are worse than a fool. A spirit of humility marks those who have entered into divine wisdom. Whatever human wisdom they possess, they give God the glory. They cannot boast of their spiritual knowledge since it is a gift from God. No credit belongs to us.
Years ago, after I had moved away from my early liberal theological beliefs and embraced the Bible as God’s Word, I was sharing with a group of ministers. One was a hard-core liberal, and as he listened to me sharing my conservative faith, he said to me, “Richard, you need help. Just write out your beliefs for me, and I will be happy to correct them.” He was wise in his own eyes. I hope he has gotten over it because God says there is more hope for a fool than for him. Humility is the soil in which spiritual wisdom can grow. Egotism is a killer weed that will choke spirituality to death.
3. A third demand wisdom makes is a teachable spirit. Proverbs 9:9 says, “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” This principle is related to the issue of humility. Those who have entered into divine wisdom are eager to learn more. I have heard people say, “I got enough of Sunday School and Church when I was a kid.” Those who have embraced spiritual wisdom say, “I want to learn more about God, about Jesus, about the Bible.” They understand that spiritual truth is inexhaustible, and they are ever seeking to learn more. “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser,” says God through Solomon. Solomon also says, “Fools despise wisdom“ (1:7).
Once again, we note the plain speech of God. I remind you again that Proverbs is not a book about salvation. It is about godly living. Among those who profess faith in God and His Son, you find two categories. The wise are teachable and are ever hungering to know more. Fools despise wisdom, and there are Christian fools. I would not want to call anyone a fool, but God’s Word pulls no punches. A fool assumes he knows enough about God, so there is no need to seek more instruction. He has no interest in digging deeper into the things of God. He says, “I know Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to provide my forgiveness. What else is there?” Fools despise wisdom.
What happens to the wise as they grow ever wiser in the things of God? They receive more and more of the benefits of grace. Understanding causes faith to grow, and as trust grows, the windows of heaven are open to us more and more. What happens to those who despise wisdom, who arrive at a place of satisfaction, believing they know all they need to know about God? They miss out on many of God’s richest blessings. That is why God calls them fools. God encourages us here to continue to seek spiritual wisdom, and we shall be richly rewarded.
4. A fourth demand wisdom makes upon us builds on what has already been said. We turn now to Proverbs 10:8. “The wise in heart will receive commands, But a prating fool will fall.” The spiritually wise not only want to learn the commands of God but receive them gladly. A fool looks at the commands of God and says, “I cannot accept this command,” and he falls. He stumbles through life, continually missing the blessings of God attached to obedience.
Some Christians miss the boat here because they reason as follows: Salvation is a free gift of God unrelated to my obedience. Therefore, obedience to the commands of God is not all that important.” The first statement is true. Salvation is indeed a free gift unrelated to obedience, a gift we receive through faith and faith alone. The second statement is false. It simply does not follow. God has promised to bless obedience, and so compliance is essential. God has never said, “Just trust me. It matters not to me whether or not you obey my commands. Trust me, and do as you please.”
Those who strive to obey the commands of God are described as wise. They know that living in harmony with God is the best way to live. They understand that obedience to God brings divine blessing. They know that God’s commands will lead to a fulfilled life. The happiest people I know are committed Christians who want more than anything else to build their lives around the will of God.
A prating fool will fall, says Solomon. Another word for prating is “babbling.” The fool talks nonsense and babbles on about things untrue. He declares, “God forgives sin, so it does not matter how I live. As long as I trust Jesus, I can sin to my heart’s content.” That is the prating of a fool, the babbling of a person who has never thought very deeply about the things of God. The Christian fool, in his disobedience, falls into sin and wonders why his life is full of problems.
5. I could add several more numbers to my list, but we will close with number five. We turn now to Proverbs 13:10. “Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.” Wisdom requires that we be open to the advice and suggestions of others. I suspect this is one of the most demanding requirements of all. In our text, human pride is contrasted with persons who embrace divine wisdom. The proud tend to reject all advice from others because they see themselves as wiser than others. They don’t even consider whether advice from a friend or spouse might be valid. When others have ideas that differ from theirs, they want to quarrel.
I suspect we have all been in “discussions” with persons who know it all. I recall a board member in Decatur years ago who fit this description. He always knew what was best, and everyone else was wrong. One board member was so frustrated by this fellow that he said, “If the board votes to observe Christmas on December 25th, he will vote against it.” It was a voice of frustration in trying to deal with a “know it all.”
Notice our verse in Proverbs. “Wisdom is found in those who take advice.” The person who possesses godly wisdom understands that on many matters, others may know best. This does not mean we let other people run our lives and make all our decisions. Fools are also inclined to give advice, and we should not listen to them.
Did you read the conclusion by a Florida State University professor that the Sea of Galilee was capable of forming ice thick enough to hold a man? He tells us that Jesus did not walk on water, a physical impossibility. Instead, he probably found a floating piece of ice capable of holding His weight and floated out into the storm to the boat to calm His frightened disciples. His premise, of course, is that Jesus is not the divine Son of God. If you accept that premise, then, of course, no mere mortal can walk on water. But the New Testament declares that Jesus is the divine Son of God. If that is true, He can walk on water, or turn handsprings on water, or even stand on His head in the middle of the Sea of Galilee if He wishes to.
This professor is wise in worldly wisdom but a fool in the wisdom of God. To heed the “wisdom” of this man is folly. I thought if his theory is correct, we have an even greater miracle. First, anyone who would go sailing on a block of ice on a raging sea does not have both oars in the water, as we say. But if Jesus was floating on a block of ice, what a miracle it was that He was able to steer the ice through the storm to the boat without falling off.
On the other hand, there are wise and godly people in this church. A wise person will not hesitate to learn from others. When others have advice for you, at least listen. If their advice is like that of the “nutty professor” from FSU, ignore it. On the other hand, we can learn from the wisdom of others. We don’t want to be a “know-it-all” and thus miss out on the wisdom God wants to give to us through the mouth of another.
6. Conclusion: We have covered a lot of ground today and last Sunday. Let me give a brief summary of the key points regarding divine wisdom. It begins with a healthy fear of God which drives us to the cross and the love of God. Those who truly possess godly wisdom will turn away from evil. They will be marked by humility, not conceit. The wise have a teachable spirit. They ever hunger to know more of God. The spiritual wise embrace the commands of God, recognizing their value. Finally, a truly wise person will be able to receive wisdom from others.
These are some of the demands divine wisdom imposes upon us. Those who embrace the wisdom of God will find more and more of the reality and blessings of God. Human wisdom, apart from divine wisdom, leads to confusion and sin. Those who embrace the wisdom of God live a fruitful, meaningful life.
THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM
Warsaw Christian Church (8/1/21) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: Proverbs 1:1-7 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: 2 To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding, 3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity; 4 To give prudence to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion— 5 A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, 6 To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Today we switch gears, moving into the Book of Proverbs. This will not be a verse-by-verse series, but we will be looking for key thoughts directly bearing on how to live a Christian life. The issue in the Book of Proverbs is not salvation. The message is not “obey these Proverbs, and you will attain eternal life.” We know from the New Testament that we receive forgiveness and the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. Proverbs assume that the reader has a relationship with God. As God’s redeemed people, how shall we live our lives? Proverbs gives us much wisdom for Christian living after we have found salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.
Many of the Proverbs are attributed to King Solomon, a man of great wisdom until he turned away from God. We begin with the words of Solomon, who informs us how we may become wise. True wisdom has little to do with secular education. We can learn a lot in public school, but we cannot understand the wisdom that comes from God. Solomon will not tell us how to become street-wise; instead, he tells us how to become God-wise.
If you want to know what life is all about (vs.2); if you’re going to be a person who manifests justice (vs. 4); if you want to reflect divine judgment as you relate with others (vs. 4); if you want to be a fair person (vs. 4); if you want to help others come to an understanding of God (vs. 5); if you want to understand the Proverbs and some of the enigmatic language of God (vs. 6), then Solomon can help you.
If your main interest is getting ahead in this world, making money, gaining fame, and being someone important, Solomon cannot help you. Dale Carnegie and others like him can mentor you to a “successful” earthly life. Solomon can help you to be successful in living a godly life. The first question we face in the Book of Proverbs is this: Do I want to live a worldly life or a godly life?
I wonder how many of us believe verse 7? Solomon tells us that godly wisdom begins with a fear of God. Do you believe that? What do the words mean? Aren’t we to love God rather than fear Him? Are you afraid of God? You should be, for only through fear do we come to know the God who loves us.
Sometimes preachers seek to weaken the power of the word “fear” by declaring that it means awe or reverence. While those words do have a place in understanding the word “fear,” they will come later. The basic meaning of the Hebrew word fear (yirah) is revealed in Deuteronomy 2:25 (NKJV) 25This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the nations under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you, and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.’ The same word (yirah) used in Proverbs 1:7 is also used here. In the Deuteronomy passage, it is clear that “fear” means just what we think it means when we hear the English word. The nations had no reverential awe for Israel. They were scared to death of them, a fear God put in their hearts. They trembled in fear and felt anguish because of the strength and power of Israel.
I have told this story before, but it helps to illustrate just what fear is. Some years ago, I flew to Los Angeles to meet with a church having problems. I was sitting next to an elderly black lady who was flying for the first time. Facing us were the lady’s two daughters. They were having some fun playing on their mother’s fears. They would say things like, “Look out the window, Momma, and see how high we are.” The frightened lady was too afraid to look. When the plane banked, they would say, “Look Momma, the wing is pointing almost straight to the ground.” Momma clenched her eyes shut. When the plane hit turbulence, the daughters’ would say. “Oh isn’t this fun, Momma? Just like riding a roller coaster.” Momma was not having fun. The frightened lady and I had some friendly chit-chat whenever her daughters grew tired of playing on Momma’s fears. At one point, she asked me what I did for a living, and I replied, “I am a minister.” Momma raised her hands and cried out, “THANK YOU, JESUS.” Her fears were gone. She assumed (wrongly, of course) that God would protect the plane because I was on board. This woman knew what would happen to her if the plane went down, and she was afraid. We are to fear God similarly. He has the power to do us eternal harm, and that causes fear to arise in us.
Fear often has to do with a perception of the power present in the object we fear. Fear is our recognition of the incredible power of God. He has power over our life and death. He has the power to send us to heaven or to hell. He has the power to heal us or destroy us. If we are to progress in spiritual wisdom, we begin with a healthy fear of God. Those who want to think of God as an old softie, who, like Santa Claus, will finally bring us all good presents, need to take a closer look at Scripture.
God is a fearful God. The God of Israel is fear-producing because of His majesty, power, works, transcendence, and holiness. Yahweh is a “great and terrible God” (Neh. 1:5); He is “fearful in praises, doing wonders” (Ex. 15:11); His name is “fearful” (Deut. 28:58) and “terrible” (Ps. 99:3). God’s magnificent works, His omnipotent power, His glorious majesty, His perfect holiness evoke fear on our part. Spiritual wisdom begins with the fear of God.
Fear of God is rooted in a simple, fundamental truth. We, who are made to honor God and live following His will, have utterly failed in this regard. Paul reminds us that the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). Jesus reminded us whom we should fear in Matthew 10:28 (NKJV) “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”The only one who can destroyus in hell is God. Therefore, Jesus says, fear Him. I hope those words send shivers down your spine. Jesus tells us clearly to fear God. Fearing God is not the end of the story, but it is the beginning.
We have some fear of terrorists who seem determined to kill people, especially Americans. Jesus reminds us that the worst the terrorists can do is kill the body. They cannot kill the soul. We should fear God because He alone has the power to destroy both body and soul in hell. I have read statements by well-intentioned people who say that there is nothing in God but love, and it is not healthy to fear God. If you have never offended God, then you have no reason to fear Him. If you have ever offended Him, bear in mind the biblical teaching that the soul that sins shall die. There is a second death, a lake of fire, a place of torment awaiting those who sin against God. If that does not frighten you, I suspect you do not take the God of the Bible very seriously. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb. 10:31).
But why is the fear of God the beginning of wisdom? Those who fear God and His tremendous power will hopefully ask the same question asked on the day of Pentecost: What shall we do? We have offended our almighty Creator God. We have crucified the Lord of glory. What shall we do? That question is the beginning of spiritual wisdom. Those who seriously want to know, WHAT SHALL I DO? are in a position to hear the Gospel. Those who presume upon God’s goodness without an understanding of His wrath cannot understand the shocking message of the Gospel.
The Gospel, of course, reveals to us the tremendous sacrificial love of God. We learn that Jesus, the Messiah, took upon Himself the judgment we deserve. We realize that our sins have been forgiven, and heaven is our destiny if we place our faith and trust in Jesus. We learn that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. But here is the point of Proverbs 1:7: WE WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO HEAR THE GOSPEL CORRECTLY UNTIL WE HAVE LEARNED TO FEAR GOD. Our God is awesome, and we have violated His will. We deserve His eternal judgment. Fear drives us to Jesus and His saving grace. The fear of God is the beginning (not the end) of wisdom.
Often it is not until one faces death that the fear of God enters the soul. The thief on the cross turned to Jesus when he knew his life was almost over. Better late than never, but better still to learn early on that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. May the fear of God drive all of us to the forgiveness of God revealed in Jesus Christ. Proper knowledge begins with God, a God we must fear because we know we have offended Him, and we know what He can justly do to us as a result. That is spiritual wisdom. God gave Solomon great spiritual understanding recorded in the Book of Proverbs. People from all over the ancient world sought out the wisdom of Solomon. I hope you are also in that number.
One final brief comment. Those who do not see God as the fountain of all wisdom, and the fear of God as the beginning of wisdom, are described as fools in our text. I hope none of us are so foolish as to reject the testimony of God spoken through Solomon. Man has the notion that he can be autonomous and gain wisdom and understanding independently of God. Some wish to challenge the wisdom God has revealed in Scripture. Some scorn the notion of fearing God. “I will not govern my life by a dusty old book from the past” has been said by many skeptics. “I will be my own man; do my own thinking; create my own life and world view.” We do have the freedom to choose that path, but it is a fool’s errand. If you want wisdom, spiritual wisdom, fear the Lord, and then let that fear drive you to the cross. There you will indeed find mercy and forgiveness. There you will learn of and receive the love of God. Fearing God is the beginning of wisdom. Trusting Jesus is when wisdom reaches its climax. Wise people fear God. Wise people trust in Jesus, who removes fear from our hearts and brings us into God’s love.
Do you want to possess spiritual wisdom? It begins with knowing what God is like. It begins with the realization that we have offended our Creator, who has the right and the power to cast us away from His presence forever. When Jesus returns, we read that some will try to hide from His wrath, but there is nowhere to hide. Those who are wise will allow the fear of God to drive them to the cross. I trust that I am speaking to wise people this morning.
AN INTERVIEW WITH A THIEF
Warsaw Christian Church (8/1/2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Luke 23: 32-43
Marie: Good morning, everyone. I am a heavenly reporter sent to interview one of our newest admissions. Some have wondered how he managed to enter into the heavenly city. Let’s see what we can learn about this fellow. Sir, would you mind answering a few questions for me?
Richard: Ask away.
Marie: First, what was your occupation on earth? What did you do for a living?
Richard: Well, I was a thief. I didn’t really have a job. I just robbed people to make a living. I tried to find jobs but I had no skills or education so there were no jobs for me. Robbery was my only way to survive. Sometimes I had to beat those I robbed into senselessness in order to steal their goods. I never knew if those I beat up lived or died. I preferred to rob people who put up no resistance. I didn’t want to hurt people. But if they did resist, they paid a price. So when my life ended on a Roman cross, I thought, “This is what I deserve.”
Marie: You must have become a Christian at some time. Only true Christians are allowed into heaven. When did that happen?
Richard: What’s a Christian? I am not familiar with that term. As I said, I had very little education. I could neither read nor write.
Marie: How did you manage to sneak in here if you don’t even know the meaning of “Christian?” I am afraid I will have to ask you some very hard questions to see if you belong here. First, please explain the doctrine of the Trinity.
Richard: I’m sorry. Trinity? I have never heard that word before. Does that mean I cannot stay here?
Marie: It means our God exists eternally in three persons but is one God. Trinity defines the very nature of God.
Richard: Boy, that is heavy. One God exists eternally in three persons? I never was very good at math but that doesn’t add up. . Am I excluded from heaven because I never even heard of the Trinity?
Marie: I don’t know. That is definitely one strike against you. Let’s dig a little deeper. When were you baptized?
Richard: Well, I once fell out of a boat into the water. Is that what you mean? I believe one of the meanings of “baptism” is to be dunked in water.
Marie: Sir, you are frustrating me! Your spiritual ignorance is appalling! Falling ouit of a boat is not baptism! Answer this question. Do you understand that our Messiah is God and man united in one person?
Richard: How can God and man be united in one person? God is God and man is man. How can anyone be God and man in one person? Are you pulling my leg? I am not very well educated but the idea of God and man being united in one person strikes me as ridiculous —– impossible!
Marie: Let’s move on. Tell me about the good works you performed while on earth. Those who enter into heaven always have some good deeds to their credit.
Richard: Let me think – – – Does this count? I once gave my wife a bracelet for her birthday. It was made of gold with precious jewels embedded. It was very beautiful. She loved it and thanked me over and over. Surely that counts as a good deed.
Marie: Now we are getting somewhere. That was very nice of you. I imagine the bracelet was expensive. At least you did one good deed during your wasted life.
Richard: Maybe I better explain. The bracelet cost me nothing. Remember, I was a thief. The bracelet was free to me. I knocked an old lady in the head and took her bracelet. — she was kind of fat so it took some work to twist it off her arm. Maybe that doesn’t qualify as a good work.—- How about this: once my neighbor’s dog was lost and I found him. He was a cute little dog, and I was tempted to keep him, but I returned him to his owner.
Marie: Well, that’s much better than knocking old ladies in the head and stealing their bracelet. — Can you think of any other good things you did in your miserable life? I am beginning to think you don’t belong here. Most of the citizens in heaven did lots of good works while on earth.
Richard: How about this. Once I was ready to rob a man who had a sack full of coins. When I realized he was blind, I decided not to rob him. I left him alone and found another man with coins who could see, so I robbed him instead. I thought I was being very considerate to leave the blind man alone. Does that count as a good work?
Marie: Sir, I don’t think you really belong here but let’s try a few more questions. Tell me about God. What do you believe about God? While you don’t understand about the Trinity, surely you have some thoughts about God.
Richard: Well, I believe in God. I guess he created everything. He wants us to obey Him, or we will be cast into hell. I guess that is where you will send me after this interview is over. Since I didn’t obey Him much, I guess I will be cast into hell. I know that is what I deserve.
Marie: Finally, a good sound spiritual answer. I agree. Hell is what you deserve.—- What do you know about God’s Son?
Richard: God has a Son? How is that possible?
Marie: It is a mystery, but I am the one asking the questions. You surely have some elementary knowledge of God’s plan of salvation. Do you have any grasp of the doctrine of substitutionary atonement?.
Richard: Mam, I apologize. I didn’t have much education, and I don’t understand those big words. Subminary atment, or whatever you said? I have no idea whatthat means
Marie: Sir, I really don’t think you belong here. Your ignorance of spiritual things is appalling. But I want to be fair so let’s keep trying. Surely, in addition to returning a lost dog to a neighbor, you must have done other good things. What is the best thing you remember ever doing?
Richard: Once my partner in crime became ill, and I took care of him. Eventually, he recovered and was able to continue his life of crime. It was wonderful having him back as my partner in crime. I got lonesome robbing people all alone. —–Oh yeh, and once when I was out looking for a target to rob, a little boy fell down in some gravel and skinned his knee. I helped him up and put some medicine on his knee. That was good, wasn’t it?
Marie: Yes, I can see you are a real paragon of virtue. One more question. How would you rate your good deeds against your bad deeds? What percentage of your life was involved in doing good, and what percentage doing evil?
Richard: hum, that’s a tougn one. If I score 51% on good deeds am I good enough to stay here in paradise? I surely did some good things I can’t recall. I don’t think my percentage of good deeds is very high.
Marie: Let me check the books. The heavenly Father keeps track of such things. Let me see what the book says. I found your name. It says, “Ashkelon. Vocation, thief. It says your life was 99% evil and 1% good. That’s the lowest score I have ever seen! So why on earth should we allow you to remain in paradise? I think you belong in hell. Where did you ever get the idea that you belonged in heaven?
Richard: There was a man on the center cross the day I was put to death. He seemed like a decent fellow. I didn’t think he had done anything wrong. The sign on his cross said, “The king of the Jews.” Some of those who mocked Him used the words “chosen of God.” They challenged Him to come down from the cross if He were in fact the Son of God. I saw Him close His eyes and utter a brief prayer, “Father, forgive them for they know not what thery do.” Who would pray such a prayer? My partner in crime on the other cross joined in the mocking, I rebuked him reminding him that we were only getting what we deserved. I felt the man in the center cross had done nothing wrong. I didn’t know if He really was a king, chosen by God, but if He was, He would have a kingdom. I just felt drawn to Him. I asked Him to remember me when He entered into His kingdom. He said, “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” Does His opinion count for anything?
Marie: That Man on the middle cross was Jesus, our Savior and Lord, and if He said you belong here, that cancels out everything else. Welcome to heaven!
THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS
Warsaw Christian Church, (July 25, 2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Mark 1:21-22: Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
It is early in the ministry of Jesus. On the Sabbath, he enters the synagogue in Capernaum to teach. Those who heard Him regularly listened to the learned scribes. They knew the Scriptures backward and forwards. They could give a good lesson, but there was something different about Jesus. He spoke as though He possessed divine authority in Himself. Those who are present that day are astonished. They do not understand where His authority comes from.
Capernaum was a fishing town located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was a fairly large city of about ten thousand people and lay along a major trade route. So when Jesus began his public ministry, he made Capernaum his home.
Immediately following, Jesus demonstrates His authority by His actions. He not only speaks with authority, He acts with authority. He casts out an unclean spirit. We don’t put much stock in impure spirits or demons today, though Hollywood has maintained a lively interest. Some of us may remember being frightened by a supernatural horror film in the 1970s titled The Exorcist. I think the film had five sequels, which indicates that it pays handsomely to scare people. But exorcism has maintained only a fringe following in our culture. Many make jokes about evil spirits, like this one-liner. What happens if you forget to pay your exorcist? . . . you will be repossessed.
Be that as it may, this is not a sermon on demon possession but on the authority of Jesus. Here’s how the story ends: Mark tells us, “The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, ‘What is this? A new teaching–and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.’ News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee” (Mark 1:27-28).
And no wonder – – – a person with that kind of authority is going to attract attention. But, where did that authority come from. That was the question that perplexed Jesus’ first-century listeners. His teaching and actions were unique. So, who is this man, and where does He get such authority?
First, Jesus’ authority came because of His unique relationship with God the Father. The teachers of the law in Jesus’ time didn’t speak with their own authority. They usually prefaced their comments with something like “There is a saying that . . .” or “Rabbi Such-and-Such has said that . . .”
Even the prophets rightly attributed their pronouncements to “Thus says the Lord . . .” But Jesus said simply, “I say to you . . .” How could Jesus do that and have people take him at his word? It was because of his relationship with the Father. It’s like the Sunday school teacher who was asking her first-grade class a question to which the correct answer was “Jesus.” One little girl called out, “God!” The teacher gently suggested she try again. Another little girl piped up, “Jesus!” When the teacher congratulated the second girl on the correct answer, the first little girl said in a huff, “Yeah. That’s what I meant–but I call him ‘God’ for short.” This, of course, was the primary source of Jesus’ authority. He said, “I and the Father one —- He who has seen me has seen the Father.” The man who spoke such words was a man of authority.
Dr. Phil Majors says that when his second daughter, Megan, was born, he took her older sister, Jamie, to see her new sister. It so happened that twin boys were in the newborn nursery with Megan and they caught Jamie’s eye. She stared at them, trying to fathom the mystery of two babies born on the same day to the same parents and so much alike. On their way home that evening, Majors says, Jamie turned to him and asked, “Dad, are God and Jesus twins?” In a human sense, the little girl was correct. Jesus and the Father are identical. Jesus is an exact replica of the Father. Jesus is God incarnate, God in the flesh. It is no wonder that His words and deeds carried divine authority. Let’s look at another source for Jesus’ authority.
Jesus’ authority also came from His genuine commitment to serving people. It made no difference who they were or what their need was. Jesus was there to help. Of course, onlookers were amazed at the change Jesus made in this demon-possessed man, but his willingness to engage with the man in the first place – – – a nobody, a troubled spirit, an outcast–impressed them. When he made a dramatic change in this man’s life, it gave them the hope that perhaps he could make a difference in their lives too.
Dr. Edward Rosenow, formerly with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, told of the experience that caused him to become associated with the field of medicine. When he was a small boy living in Minnesota, his brother became acutely ill. The family sweated it out until the doctor arrived. As the physician examined his sick brother, Edward Rosenow kept his eyes riveted on his parents’ anxious and gloomy faces. Finally, the doctor turned to his parents with a smile and said, “You can relax folks. Your boy is going to be alright.”
Young Edward Rosenow was profoundly impressed with the change that the announcement brought over his parents. In relating the incident in later years, he said, “I resolved then and there that I was going to be a doctor so I could put light in people’s faces.” Jesus put a light in people’s faces. He healed them. He forgave their sins and gave them hope. He still offers hope to people today.
Out of World War II comes the story of a platoon of American soldiers stranded on one side of a minefield they had to cross. The commander came up with a plan. One Man would walk across the minefield, leaving clear footprints for others to follow. If this first man hit a mine, then another man would walk across the field in his footsteps until finally, someone had cleared a path for all the other soldiers. With their hearts in their throats, the young soldiers agreed to the plan. Which one would be chosen to walk the field first? To their surprise, the commander began walking across the field. As their leader, he insisted on risking his life for the sake of his men. The commander crossed the field safely. Following closely in his footsteps, all the soldiers made it safely across
If you were a soldier in that commander’s company, wouldn’t his willingness to give his all cause you to respect him, listen to him, follow him? Remember that if you are ever in a leadership position, whether in your work, your community, or just in your family. Why should people follow you if they know you are not committed to the task at hand?
Of course, Jesus, above all persons, was willing to do whatever was necessary to accomplish what his Father had sent him to do. His authority came from his relationship with the Father. His authority came from his genuine commitment to serving people. And his authority came from his willingness to do whatever it took–even sacrificing his own life–to accomplish that for which he was sent. The Son of God was given a difficult task. He was to suffer and die to atone for our sins. Of all the people who did not deserve to die such a humiliating death, Jesus heads the list. And yet He agreed to do what the Father sent Him to do. And because of that willingness to suffer for us, we have the promise of everlasting life. That is authority one can respect and follow.
But there is one more reason for Christ’s authority that is important to us today. It is the continuing impact he has in our world two thousand years after his death and resurrection. No one who has ever lived has influenced human society more than Jesus.
Rodney Stark, a sociologist at the University of Washington, points out that Christians had surprisingly high survival rates when a major plague hit the ancient Roman Empire. Why? It is because most Roman citizens would banish any plague-stricken person from their household. But because Christians had no fear of death, they nursed their sick instead of throwing them out on the streets. Therefore, many Christians survived the plague. Why did Christians not fear death? Because their Master taught them that he is the resurrection and the life, and therefore death had no hold over them. And many Christians survived the plague.
One of Christ’s authority sources through the ages has been his influence on those who follow him. An anonymous author made this striking observation: “Socrates taught for forty years, Plato for fifty, Aristotle for forty, and Jesus for only three. Yet the influence of Christ’s three‑year ministry infinitely transcends the impact left by the combined 130 years of teaching from these men who were among the greatest philosophers of all antiquity. Jesus painted no pictures; yet some of the finest paintings of Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci received their inspiration from Him. Jesus wrote no poetry; but Dante, Milton, and scores of the world’s greatest poets were inspired by Him. Jesus composed no music; still Haydn, Handel, Beethoven, Bach, and Mendelssohn reached their highest perfection of melody in the hymns, symphonies, and oratorios they composed in His praise. Every sphere of human greatness has been enriched by the humble Carpenter of Nazareth.
“His unique contribution to the race of humans is the salvation of the soul! Philosophy could not accomplish that. Nor art. Nor literature. Nor music. Only Jesus Christ can break the enslaving chains of sin and Satan. He alone can speak peace to the human heart, strengthen the weak, and give life to those who are spiritually dead. Jesus is a marvelous example and proven leader for Christians to emulate and serve.”
That’s authority. No one who has ever lived had the authority Jesus had. It came from his relationship with his Father. It came from his genuine commitment to serving others. It came from His willingness to give His all to accomplish His mission. It comes from His ongoing influence on the world still today. Jesus’ words and acts were filled with divine authority. Are you impressed with the authority of Jesus? I believe you are, and that is why we confess our faith in Him as our Savior and Lord.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS: CONCLUDING THOUGHTS.
Warsaw Christian Church, (7/18/2021) Rev. Richard M. Bowman
Text: Matthew 22:34-40
This morning we come to the final sermon on the series dealing with the Ten Commandments. The basic premise we will be looking at this morning is this: If we fail to understand the difference between God’s Law and God’s Gospel, we will end up confused about our relationship with Christ. God has spoken two kinds of messages to the human race. One of His messages we call “The Law of God.” In His Law, God tells us how we must live if we are to please God. In the Law, we read the commandments of God: Do not kill, Do not steal, honor your father and mother. These we call the Ten Commandments. In addition to the Ten Commandments, hundreds of case laws in the Old Testament amplify the Ten Commandments’ meaning. The Law of God also appears in the New Testament. Jesus commands us to love God with all our hearts. That is Law. In Romans, we are commanded to be subject to the governing authorities, not seek revenge, live in harmony with one another, and avoid deceit, to name a few of many laws appearing in that book. The Law of God answers the popular slogan of today, “What Would Jesus Do?” The answer is, Jesus would obey the Law of God.
The Law of God reveals the will of God, telling us what we must do to please God. The Law also threatens us with dire punishment if we fail. Note Deut. 27:26: “Cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out.” This general curse is preceded by about a dozen specific curses dealing with such matters as dishonoring parents, having sex with animals, moving a boundary marker, leading a blind man into a ditch, and the like. Eternal punishment in hell awaits every human being who has broken the Law of God. James reminds us that if we violate even one of God’s commands, we have violated them all.
When taken seriously, as it should be, the Law of God ultimately leads us to despair because we know we have violated the commandments of God again and again. When we look closely at the Law of God and our own lives, we see how despicable we are in the eyes of God. Unless God has something to say to us other than His Law, we face a godless eternity in hell, that outer darkness of which Jesus spoke.
Of course, it is theoretically possible to find salvation through the Law of God. Jesus told the rich young ruler that he would find eternal life if he obeyed the Ten Commandments. The rich young ruler had the same problem we have; he had not kept God’s Law perfectly despite his claim to the contrary. Once again, the Law of God, which promises life to those who obey it, ends up condemning us because we do not keep it. We need another kind of message from God if we are to have any hope.
Thanks be to God, He has spoken an entirely different kind of message to us in the Gospel, that word which means “good news” in the Greek language (euangellion). In the Gospel, God has solved a “problem.” How can God redeem people who have violated His Law? He has clearly stated that violation of His Law means eternal death, and He certainly cannot go back on His Word. So how can He manifest His love for humanity while also upholding the integrity of His Law? Enter Jesus. God’s plan is this. God must punish sin. God cannot be like a doting parent and sweep our sins under the rug. Sin must be punished, and sin will be punished, either in your life or in Christ’s life. The Gospel is good news because Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God, decided to stand in our stead and take the punishment we deserve at Calvary. He suffered vicariously, the just for the unjust. Because of who He is, the majestic Son of God, His sufferings are a sufficient atonement for the world’s sins. John the Baptist declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
God has two issues with us. First, He asks, have you obeyed the Ten Commandments? The answer for all of us must be an absolute NO! The second issue is this. Will you trust my Son to take the punishment you deserve and thereby receive my forgiveness and the promise of eternal life? That is good news indeed! We who have utterly failed God are offered amnesty, pardon, forgiveness on one condition – – – that we trust in Jesus, accepting Him as our Lord and Savior. Please note this condition. There is a hell awaiting those who reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Salvation is not universal. The Law makes multiple demands upon us and then condemns us for failure. The Gospel makes but one demand on us – – faith in the Son of God and promises eternal life to all who believe. Without a living and active faith in Jesus, we stand condemned. We all know John 3:16, but let us read on to verse 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.” We learn here of two classes of people: condemned and not condemned. Notice that the condemned are not rejected because of their sins. They are condemned because they refused God’s offer of pardon by not believing in Jesus.
Okay, I get it. I have broken God’s Law, but if I trust in Jesus, all is well, right? I can trust Jesus and live as I please, continuing to violate the commands of God, right? Not exactly! Consider this line of reasoning carefully. If I believe it is wrong to break God’s Law, and if I acknowledge my guilt and repent and trust in Jesus for forgiveness, I will want to please God daily. I will be so grateful for his redemption I will want to spend the rest of my life seeking to serve and please Him. And how do I do that? Enter the Law once more. As a pardoned and redeemed sinner, I now want to keep the Law of God. The Law first condemns me; then Jesus saves me; then the Law returns as my guide for living the Christian life. Jesus says to us as believers, “if you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
The point, I trust, is clear. If you truly believe that Jesus Christ suffered on your behalf, setting you free from the eternal punishment you deserve, how will you respond to the Law of God? It was Luther who strongly emphasized we are saved by faith alone. He would quote Scriptures stating that we are saved by faith. Since nothing was added to those statements he deemed it appropriate to add the word “alone” To those who would add good works as being necessary to be truly saved, Luther spoke in typical Luther fashion, , “Do you suppose the Holy Spirit is so stupid that He could not have added these words?” On the other hand, Luther also understood that true faith always produces fruit. He stated that if faith does not produce the fruit of good works, it is false faith. True faith changes us, and we desire to do good works for the sake of Christ, but the good works do not add to salvation which is a gift freely given to faith alone.
Thus, we do not discard the Law of God once we place our faith in Christ. We love God’s commands and desire to observe them. We do this not to earn God’s favor. We can never earn God’s favor. We obey Him for two reasons: out of gratitude for the salvation given to us freely in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and because we now understand that obedience to God is the only path to happiness and meaning in this life.
There was an example of this truth in the movie “Saving Private Ryan.” Private Ryan’s brothers had been killed in combat, and the decision was made to find the surviving brother. Tom Hanks played the lieutenant in charge of the platoon searching for Private Ryan in Normandy following D-Day. The lieutenant loses his life in the process of trying to save Private Ryan. At the end of the film, we see an elderly Ryan going to the grave of the man who saved him. He wonders if he lived a life worthy of such a sacrifice. He wanted his life to count for something so that the one who died saving him will not have died in vain.
That is precisely how true Christians feel about Jesus. He made an extraordinary sacrifice to save us. Now we want our lives to count for something. We want to honor Him with our words and deeds. We serve Him with thankful hearts, overwhelmed with gratitude that He should love us so.
As we conclude this series on the Ten Commandments, I want to (finally!) turn to our text. There is a “secret” we need to learn if we want to fulfill the Law of God. Jesus admonishes us to love God, and love our neighbor. Notice how the text in Matthew 22 concludes. “On these two commandments hang all of the law and the prophets.” Paul picks up on this thought with these words from Romans. “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:8, 10).
The “secret” that enables us to please God and keep His commandments is to always ask this question before speaking or acting: what would love do? We say, “What would Jesus do?” It is the same question. Jesus would act with love, and when love is behind our words and deeds, we have satisfied the demands of the Law. When our lives are motivated by love for God and our neighbors, we will make mistakes. Love does not always know the best course of action. The point is this. When love motivates us, God is pleased. We have fulfilled the Law. When anger, vengeance, hatred, and the like motivate us, we have stepped outside the will of God, and it is time to repent again.
Law and Gospel constitute two very distinct divine messages to the human race. We need both, but we must clearly understand what each one does. We must not confuse Law with Gospel or Gospel with Law. A group once asked Jesus a crucial question in John 6: 28, 29: “Then said they unto him, what shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, this is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent.” They asked a law question. What works can we do to please God and earn His favor? Jesus answered, not with a law answer, but a gospel answer. Do you want to do the work of God? Here is what you must do – – – believe in me.
Paul said at the conclusion of his great chapter on love in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” These brief words give us a wonderful summary of what it means to be a Christian. Faith in God and in His Son is the foundation upon which we rest. Hope for the future, both in this life and for eternity, grow out of faith. Finally, true faith brings the love of God flooding into our souls: “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5).
God’s love is in us, and when that love motivates us, we have fulfilled the demands of the Law, albeit imperfectly. It is the Holy Spirit who pours God’s love into our hearts, and as we rely on the Holy Spirit to help us love will grow. And notice the words: the greatest of these is love — because God is love. If you want to fulfill the Law of God, trust in Jesus and make love your aim. Rely on the Holy Spirit to work in your heart, giving you a new power to live as a faithful disciple. If you want to one day hear the words, “well done good and faithful servant,” trust in Jesus and aim at love.
I have concluded each sermon in this series by saying, I hope you take God’s commandments seriously. I assure you God does. Now I add this. I hope you take the Gospel of God seriously. It is your only hope for salvation.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, # 10
(Thou Shalt not Covet)
Warsaw Christian Church, (7/11/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Exodus 20:17; Hebrews 13:5
17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s. Hillbilly version: Don’t be hankerin’ fer yer buddy’s stuff.
A minister was putting his sermon title on the outside bulletin board. The pastor from the church across the street saw him and came out for a brief visit. The first minister put in the letters for his sermon title: “Thou Shalt Not Covet.” The second minister said to him, “I sure wish I had a nice outside bulletin board like you have.”
We finally come to the last of the Ten Commandments, where God commands us not to covet. Our first task is to define the word “covet.” It is not a word in everyday use today. In the biblical languages, to covet means to have a strong, intense desire for something, leading to action. The word is used in both a good and bad sense. In 1 Cor. 12:31, Paul encourages us to “covet” spiritual gifts. To have an intense desire to know God and receive His blessings is a good kind of coveting. The coveting prohibited in the Tenth Commandment is when our intense cravings focus on things belonging to others. Coveting, for example, can lead to adultery. The Tenth Commandment begins with a prohibition against having a strong desire for your neighbor’s wife, desires which lead to sinful action. The Commandment ends by referring to your neighbor’s goods. We are not to have an intense passion for anything belonging to our neighbor and then allowing the desire to lead to forbidden action.
Coveting can lead to a multitude of sins. David coveted Bathsheba, a clear violation of the Tenth Commandment which led to adultery, a violation of the 7th Commandment. When he tried to cover up his sin, he lied to Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, breaking the 9th. When lying and deceit did not work, he had Uriah killed, breaking the 6th. In all this, he dishonors his parents, breaking the 5th, and he dishonors God, breaking the first three commandments. It all began with coveting. Remember when Nancy Kerrigan was seeking to win a gold medal in Olympic ice skating? A competitor coveted the gold and the glory for herself but feared she could not defeat Nancy legitimately. So she has her friend injure the leg of her superior opponent. It began with coveting.
When things go wrong in our hearts, and we allow covetous desires to grow within, such desires will soon lead to actions which God forbids. It happened to David, and it will happen to us unless we learn to curb covetous desires.
You may be thinking, “Well, I may admire my neighbors home, or his beautiful wife, and his many possessions, but I would never act to harm him. I would never think of stealing his goods. I guess I am not a covetous person.” However, covetousness can rear its ugly head in ways that may not occur to us at first glance.
Suppose I allow my covetous feelings to turn to jealousy. While I may not steal my neighbor’s goods, perhaps I will try to cut him down to size through gossip. If I begin to think, “My neighbor thinks he is something with his fancy house and expensive cars. I’m as good as he is. Maybe he won’t be so high and mighty after I start a whispering campaign suggesting that he gained his wealth inappropriately.” Covetousness can lead to envy, and envy can lead us to lie about another, violating not only the 10th Commandment but also the 9th.
Or suppose someone has a home that is far superior to yours, and you admire that home. No sin has been committed. But if a jealous and covetous heart develops, and you plunge your family into a hopeless debt to obtain a home equal or superior to the one you admire, sin has entered the picture. Covetousness has lead to foolish action, and a family is harmed.
I once spoke at the installation service for a Disciple Heritage Fellowship minister. The church liked him, and I thought he was a dedicated Christian man. Unfortunately, the truth came out six months later. It turned out that he had lied about his background, his education, his vocational background, and even his military service. I don’t know for sure what motivated this man, but he was apparently coveting a position, titles, honor, etc., which he had not earned. He coveted to be something he was not, and when the truth finally came out, his reputation was ruined.
I have sometimes said to people who research their genealogy, “Why not just make one up. Tell people you are related to George Washington or Thomas Jefferson. No one can really check it out.” Now I am joking when I say that, but I suspect some people create a false genealogy just because they covet a sense of being important, and that is one way to achieve that end. I really am related to Daniel Boone, although the gene pool must have been diluted over the years. I have been lost in the woods more than once, including the woods behind my old house!
Sometimes coveting status and prestige is more of a problem than coveting things. For example, suppose I said to you, “When I was in high school, I played basketball and was the leading scorer in our conference.” Now, the statement is true. What I failed to mention was that I wasn’t playing for my high school team. I was playing in an intramural league. Sometimes we tell half-truths or distort the truth to inflate our reputation. Coveting is an insidious sin that can lead to a multitude of other sins.
On the positive side, the Tenth Commandment calls upon us to be content with our situation in life. If we can grasp that truth, it will save us from much coveting. While we are certainly free to try to improve our life situation by lawful means, we are not free to covet and then obtain that which is not ours by unlawful or immoral means. God’s Word says in Hebrews 13:5, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Mature Christians are content. They are content with what they have and with who they are. When we become disgruntled and begin to think, “If only,” we are headed for trouble. If only I had more money, then I would be happy. If only I had better health, then I would be satisfied. If only I had a better spouse, then I would be satisfied. Contentment is the spiritual opposite of covetousness. Why does Scripture admonish us to be content and thereby avoid covetousness?
The reason we need not covet anything we lack is that we are in a relationship with the living God who promises, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” God is on our side; God is for us, and therefore we lack nothing. We have the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ, we have God’s promise to be with us, we have eternal life – – and if those spiritual blessings do not bring contentment to us, then I doubt that anything would satisfy us. People who covet think that if only they had this or that, then they would be content. Here is the plain and simple truth. Only when we have found peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ will we find lasting contentment. Winning the lottery will not bring happiness to people who do not know God.
Christians can create misery for themselves by focusing on the wrong thing. Covetousness occurs when we focus on what we do not have instead of on what we do have. Eve thought she could find greater happiness by partaking of the forbidden fruit. She had everything she could ever need, including intimacy with God. Like Eve, sometimes we think our lives would be better “if only”. . . If only we had what our neighbor has. This is why God says to us, “be content with such things as you have.” We may not have the grandest house or the fanciest car, and we may not look like a movie star, but the reason we can be content is because God loves us. What more do we need than that?
No one said it better than Paul in Philippians 4:11-13. “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 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. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
From this statement, we assume there were times when Paul had lots of “stuff.” There were times when he ate well, times when God blessed him materially. There were other times when he wondered where the next meal would come from, times when he endured much suffering. He says, “It does not matter. I am content no matter what my outward circumstances.” Now how can one be equally content when being blessed and being beaten? For Paul, the answer was easy. He had Christ. Jesus had redeemed Him. He knew he was forgiven and that whatever his state in life, eternity awaited.
This helps us understand why coveting is such a serious matter. Jesus warned against it (Luke 12:15); Paul spoke of it on five different occasions (Rom. 1:29; 7:7; Eph. 5:3; Col. 3:5; 1 Thess. 2:5). Those who are discontent, always desiring more and more, only reveal that they may lack confidence in Jesus. Coveting is a sign of either weak faith or no faith at all. When Christ dwells in our hearts, we can say to the world, “Bring it on.” When God blesses us, we say, “Thank you.” When trials come, we say, “Hallelujah anyhow.” Because we have Jesus, we know that we have an eternity to enjoy His blessings. Therefore our status in this world becomes a matter of relative indifference. No matter what our state in this life, we are content. That was Paul’s testimony, and may it be ours as well.
Danny Simpson, twenty-four, robbed a bank in Ottawa, Canada, of $6,000 in 1990. He was caught and sentenced to six years in prison. He used a .45 caliber Colt semiautomatic in the robbery, which turned out to be an antique made by the Ross Rifle Company, Quebec City, in 1918. It was worth up to $100,000 — much more than Simpson stole. If he had just known what he carried in his hand, he wouldn’t have robbed the bank. He coveted money, so he robbed a bank, but he already had more than he needed.
I read about a Lutheran church in Maine where someone slipped arsenic into the coffee at church. It was the first Sunday after Easter, and the 50 people in attendance headed to the fellowship hour to have some coffee. Some people complained that the coffee was bitter, but people usually complain about church coffee, so they didn’t think much about it until some people began to get violently ill. By the end of the day, 16 people were hospitalized, and one of them would die the following day. Police discovered that arsenic had been dumped into the 30-cup coffee maker, making this the nation’s worst case of mass arsenic poisoning. The next shock was that a well-respected church member, 53-year-old Danny Bondeson, a potato farmer, was found dead at home from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Here is the story behind the story. There was a disagreement in the church over the communion table. For years the church had a communion table against the wall, and the blessing of the bread and wine was done while facing the wall. The Bondeson family had donated a new altar so that the blessing could be pronounced while facing the congregation. But traditions die hard, and the board seemed unwilling to replace the old altar, even though a new one had been donated. They did not want to offend some of those who wanted the bread and wine blessed while facing the wall as it had always been done. Speculation is that Bondeson and other members of his extended family had become as bitter as the church coffee and decided to teach some people a lesson. Danny Bondeson left a suicide note admitting that he had poisoned the coffee. The family coveted the honor they were entitled to by their generous donation. When deprived of that honor, murder and suicide resulted. We think, how could such a minor issue lead to such horrible consequences? When covetousness grasps the heart, all manner of evil follows in its wake. Remember the words of Jesus: BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS (Luke 12:15). Why? Because covetousness may send us to hell. But there is hope.
What is the cure for covetousness? The cure is the same for all the commandments when we violate them. Once we sense covetousness arising, we quickly repent and pray for forgiveness and for strength to live without envy. But, like any sin, if we cling to it without repentance, it will kill us spiritually.
I hope you take the 10th Commandment seriously. I assure you God does.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, # 9
(Be TruthfuL)
Warsaw Christian Church, (6/ 27/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Exodus 20:16; Proverbs 6:16-19: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. The Proverbs text will come later in this message.
I was amused in reading about a survey taken among women. It was found the 15% tinted their hair, 38% wore a wig, 80% wore facial makeup, 98% wore eye shadow, 22% wore false eyelashes, 93% wore nail polish. 100% said they disapproved of any false packaging.
Children, at times, are painfully honest. One school teacher learned this when she was in the hospital recovering from surgery. She received a card from her 4th-grade class. The card read, “Dear Miss Fisher. Your 4th-grade class wishes you a speedy recovery – – – by a vote of 15 to 14.” Sometimes the truth hurts!
A columnist for Time magazine once wrote: “The injunction against bearing false witness, branded in stone and brought down by Moses from the mountaintop, has always provoked ambivalent, conflicting emotions. On the one hand, nearly everybody condemns lying. On the other hand, nearly everyone does it every day.” The 9th Commandment requires us to speak the truth all the time. The command is rooted in the very nature of God. God always tells the truth. He does not lie, or deceive, or speak half-truths designed to confuse. We read in Numbers 23:19, “God is not a man, that he should lie.” The verse implies that we humans do indeed lie, but God can always be trusted to speak and act truthfully. Since God’s nature is to tell only the truth, it damages our relationship with God when we lie. We cannot make a practice of lying and expect to relate to the God of truth. In Revelation 21:8, we learn that some will finally be cast into the Lake of Fire. On that list of unfortunate souls who are forever separated from God, we find “liars.” Yes, lying can damn the soul.
Lying is so commonplace in our society it may be hard for us to believe that impenitent liars will end up in hell. It certainly should alert us to the fact that God considers lying to be a severe crime. If you have never said to God, “Lord, I have often lied and twisted the truth. I am sorry. Help me to be a truthful person,” it may be time for you to correct that oversight. Every time we lie or distort the truth, we conflict with Jesus. To lie, we must temporarily set aside our faith in Jesus Christ. When lying becomes habitual, trust in our Savior is compromised.
Corrie ten Boom knew that Jews were hiding in her home during World War Two, but she lied to the German soldiers seeking to round up and deport all the Jews. Did she violate the Ninth Commandment?
What exactly is a lie? I want to suggest that for a lie to take place, three factors must be present. First, a lie comes from an evil intention. Second, the liar knowingly speaks a falsehood. Third, the falsehood must be told in a situation where one is obligated to speak the truth. Corrie made false statements to the German soldiers with a good intention, to save the lives of the innocent Jews. You are not obligated to tell the truth to someone who will use the truth to harm others. If some crazed killer comes looking for me, and you know where I am, I hope you won’t tell the truth about my location!
Those who love to gossip sometimes try to convince themselves that they are only speaking the truth about another person. But even to speak the truth about another with evil intent is a sin. The perpetrator may not have technically lied, but the desire to harm another is a sin
Our goal in the church is to build up and encourage one another. If we are aware of some behavior in another person that rubs us the wrong way, we are under no obligation to tell others. Paul admonishes us to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), and anytime we speak without love behind our words, we would do well to hold our tongue.
Why do politicians work so hard to tear down the reputation of their opponents? They know we all love a juicy story, a bit of political gossip. They seem to grasp that far too many of us vote based on negative information. What would happen if a politician refused to trash his opponent and only stated what he or she intended to do if elected? Chances are, that politician would never be elected. Our society has created a climate where lies and distortions are more influential than truth. The more dirt you can dig up on your opponent, the better. As Christian people, we have a duty not to be sucked into this distorted way of thinking. Jesus calls us to be a people who speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
One minister who was going to preach on the Ninth Commandment announced to the congregation that they should read Chapter 14 in the Book of Hebrews in preparation for the next Sunday. The following Sunday, he asked for a show of hands if they had read the assigned chapter. Many hands went up. The minister said that his sermon topic was lying, and he was talking to people who needed to pay attention because there are only 13 chapters in Hebrews!
This little anecdote reveals the motive behind many of our lies. We want to make ourselves look better in the eyes of others, and so we lie or stretch the truth to achieve that goal. Ministers do this all the time. A gathering of ministers is much like a gathering of fishermen. With the fisherman, the fish grow larger with each telling and the quantity increases. With the ministers, the attendance figures and offering amounts are inflated. Why? So they will appear to be more successful in the eyes of their colleagues. Such lying may seem harmless, but it is a sign of weak faith. Why do we have to lie to appear successful in the eyes of men? In the last analysis, God’s judgment is the only one that matters, and lying will not work on judgment day. We may deceive our friends with our distortions of the truth, but God is not deceived. Whatever advantage we think we gain by lies and distortions of the truth, it is insignificant compared to the disadvantage of offending our holy God.
The worst kind of lying is spiritual. When we speak to others of faith in God and salvation through Jesus Christ, we must bend over backward to speak accurately. To distort the Gospel message about Jesus is a sin against God. God warns us against spiritual liars and deceivers who would turn people away from the one true God. We are warned that false teachers at times even perform miracles, but we must be careful in evaluating the claims of miracle workers. God’s Word takes precedence over everything, even miracles. Only those who point us to the biblical God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, can be trusted.
Paul issues a warning in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-15 when he speaks of deceptions that will come in the future. The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, lying wonders, and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved…So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter. Here is a clear warning that very powerful deceptions will come, but we must hold fast to Jesus Christ and the apostles’ teachings. Otherwise, we face becoming confused by the lies of Satan.
When we started Disciple Renewal many years ago, we faced this very issue. Some of us found ourselves in a denomination that declared that all the world religions, all the cults, can lead one into a right relationship with God. One need not trust in Jesus to be saved. One need not abide by the text of Scripture. The Koran, the Upanishads, the Book of Mormon – – – all the writings of the great religions may be regarded as Scripture. Those who insisted on following Jesus alone and Scripture alone were seen as narrow-minded bigots by denominational leaders. We were told that we offend persons of other faiths by our insistence that Jesus alone can save a lost sinner. Surely God is more broad-minded than that.
We began an effort to persuade our denomination to return to the historic faith of the church. We insisted that all persons need to come to faith in Jesus Christ, not because we said so, but because He said so. We emphasized that the church must embrace the Scriptures as the inspired and infallible Word of God, not because we say so, but because God says so.
Many people in the world and the church have embraced a spiritual lie. It takes many forms. Some believe that one religion is as good as another; we are all heading to the same place. Jesus says otherwise. Some cling to the lie that salvation is universal, that all will be redeemed. Jesus says otherwise. Some have embraced the lie that if we live a decent life, we will be saved. Jesus says otherwise.
There are lots of spiritual lies floating around, and they have deceived many. Jesus declared that He alone knows the Father and He alone can bring us to salvation. If you believe an earthly lie, it may cause some temporary pain. If you believe in a spiritual lie, it will lead you to eternal pain. Let’s resolve to be truthful people who speak and act in harmony with God’s Word, and to seek immediate forgiveness when we slip into lying. If you think that lying and deceit can bring advantages into your life, please think again.
As we close listen to the words of my second text from Proverbs 6:16-19: These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren. Two of the seven things God hates have to do with lying. Clearly, God does not like it when we tell lies or act with deceit. We have all lied. Have we repented?
I hope you all take the Ninth Commandment seriously. I can assure you, God does.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, # 8
(Thou Shalt Not Steal)
Warsaw Christian Church, (6/20/2021), Richard Bowman, Pastor
Texts: Exodus 20:15; Ephesians 4:28
You shall not steal. — Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Hillbilly version: “No swiping other folks stuff.”
Three college freshmen and three seniors were traveling home for Thanksgiving break. The three freshmen bought tickets for themselves at the train station and watched as the seniors bought just one ticket. One of the freshmen asked, “How are the three of you going to travel on only one ticket?” “Watch and learn,” answered one of the seniors. They all boarded the train. The three freshmen took their seats as all three seniors crammed into a bathroom together and closed the door. Shortly after the train departed, the conductor came around collecting tickets. He knocked on the bathroom door and said, “Ticket, please.” The door opened just a crack, and a single arm emerged with a ticket in hand. The conductor took it and moved on.
The freshmen observed and agreed it was a clever idea. They decided to do the same thing on the return trip and save some money. When they got to the station a few days later, they bought a single ticket for the return trip. The seniors were also there, but they didn’t buy a ticket at all. Perplexed, one of the freshmen asked, “How are you going to travel without a single ticket?” “Watch and learn,” answered a senior.
When they boarded the train, the three seniors crammed into one bathroom, and the three freshmen crammed into another one across the way. Shortly after the train was on its way, one of the seniors left their bathroom and walked to the bathroom where the freshmen were hiding. He knocked on the door and said, “Ticket, please.” When we come to the eighth Commandment, we have to realize that there is no end to the ways we can break it.
The Eighth Commandment is simple and straightforward, but, as with the other commandments, it has implications that may not occur to us at first glance. For one thing, the Commandment supports the right of ownership. People have the God-given right to own property and other materials, and God forbids stealing that which belongs to another. If you own a house, a car, a television, china dishes, silver and gold, stocks, bonds (assuming you acquired these things lawfully), God absolutely prohibits anyone from stealing your possessions.
The Eighth Commandment is a logical outgrowth of Genesis 1:27, often referred to as the dominion mandate. The text reads, “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God has given mankind dominion over the earth. We are free to farm the land, raise cattle, sheep, or other animals, build houses, schools, factories, etc. Those who work in this world and accumulate possessions are entitled to private ownership by God’s command.
However, private ownership is not an absolute right. It is a God-given right, and therefore it is a right that we must exercise under God’s Lordship. The situation regarding property is this. God, the Creator, owns this world and everything in it. Psalm 50:10-12: For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.. . . For the world is Mine, and all its fullness. God owns it all, and He commands us to make use of this world and its goods under His authority.
There is a grave danger involved in private ownership. The risk is that we will work hard to accumulate wealth and property for self-aggrandizement rather than seeking to honor God. When we assert our right to private ownership apart from God’s will, we are headed for spiritual disaster. God warned of this danger in Deut. 6:12ff: When you have eaten your fill and have built fine houses and live in them,13 and when your herds and flocks have multiplied, and your silver and gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied, 14 then do not exalt yourself, forgetting the LORD your God . . . 17 Do not say to yourself, “My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.” 18 But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth .
Private ownership turns from a blessing to a curse when we believe we have obtained our property through our intelligence and hard work, and therefore, we can do as we please with that which is ours. Every human being is required to exercise the right of private property under God’s authority. Christians, of all people, ought to understand that truth. One of the reasons God blesses us materially is so we will be able to help the poor (Eph. 4:28). When we fall in love with our money and possessions, loving them more than the God who has blessed us, much evil is the result. Paul makes this point in 1Tim. 6:9,10 : “But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.”
The 8th Commandment does grant us the right of private ownership. Stealing is not to be tolerated. However, we must remember that our goal in life is to glorify God, not self. Paul asserts that some once had true faith, but they have wandered away from the faith in their eagerness to be rich. Ownership of possessions replaced Jesus Christ in their hierarchy of values, and when that happens, faith is destroyed. We have the right to protect our property from theft, but we must also make sure we are not stealing from God in the way we use our possessions.
A Sunday School teacher was giving a lesson on the 8th Commandment. She said to the class, “If I were to get into a man’s pocket and take his billfold and all his money, what would I be?” Little Johnny raises his hand and answers, “You’d be his wife!” We smile at such a story, but theft is a serious business for two reasons. First, it is a violation of God’s moral law. Second, the one who steals is saying in effect, “I cannot trust God to meet my needs, so I must steal.” In Philippians 4:19 and elsewhere, God has promised to provide for all our needs. He has commanded us not to attempt to meet our needs through theft. The thief reveals that he has no respect for God’s Law and no faith in God.
Since salvation is by faith, stealing is a grave sin because it conflicts with faith. How can we say, “I trust Jesus to take me to heaven when I die,” but then turn around and cheat on our income taxes? Our actions speak louder than our words. When we engage in any theft, we are saying that we cannot trust God to meet our earthly needs. If we question God’s ability to provide for us in the here and now, do we trust Him to grant eternal life? Any time we steal or cheat to gain some financial advantage, we are declaring our lack of trust in God. It is never wise to behave in a manner that conflicts with faith.
But doesn’t everyone cheat on their taxes now and then or try to figure out some dishonest way to gain a few bucks? It may surprise you to learn that many honest souls in this world trust God to meet their needs, and they do not need to resort to dishonesty. They have learned the truth of Jesus’ words, that those who seek God first have all their needs met (Matthew 6:31-33).
Those who steal from large stores often assume that the stores make so much money they will never miss the stolen items. I learned an interesting fact when I worked part-time for Sears many years ago. I was chatting with one of the store managers one day after alerting security to a theft I observed in the electronic department. I asked him, “How much does Sears lose each year to theft.” He said, “We don’t lose anything. Through our studies, we know that this store will lose about $70,000 annually to theft. We raise the prices a little on other items to make up that $70,000!” So who pays for the stolen items? The honest shoppers who would never steal!
We have all read stories about thieves who were not very bright. One thief entered a convenience store, placed a $20.00 bill on the counter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the register, the thief pulled out a gun and demanded all the bills. The clerk obliged, giving the thief $16.00 from the register. The thief nervously ran out of the store, leaving his $20.00 bill on the counter! In his case, crime indeed did not pay.
The antidote for stealing and cheating to get ahead is faith in God. Whenever we violate the 8th Commandment, we boldly declare our unbelief. I don’t recall reading anywhere in Scripture that we are saved through unbelief. It is faith that brings salvation, and trust is incompatible with theft.
But there are so many other ways we can break the eighth Commandment. In its first year of business, one hotel reported having to replace 38,000 spoons, 355 coffee pots, and (get this) 100 Bibles! Then there are ways we steal from the government. We underpay on our taxes, or we file false disability claims. There is also theft at work. We help ourselves to office supplies, postage stamps,etc. We pad our expense accounts. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, employee theft costs businesses over $50 billion annually. They estimate that 75% of all employees steal at least once and that half of them steal repeatedly. One of every three business failures is the result of employee theft.
We have yet to discuss the worse kind of stealing. Stealing from man is a very serious matter, but stealing from God is spiritual insanity, but it happens all the time. Malachi 3:8-11 tells the sad story. “Will anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing me! But you say, “How are we robbing you?” In your tithes and offerings! You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me–the whole nation of you! Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing. I will rebuke the locust for you, so that it will not destroy the produce of your soil; and your vine in the field shall not be barren, says the LORD of hosts.”
Some argue that the tithe (10% of your income) is an Old Testament ceremonial law that has passed away. I agree with that conclusion. The New Testament does not really teach that tithing is an obligation under the New Covenant. If, however, the giving of 10% was required under the Old Covenant, and if the New Testament is a far better covenant, I assume that 10% is our minimum obligation to God and that those living under the New Covenant will give beyond the tithe. According to studies, the average church member contributes between 1.5% and 2.5% of his total income, specifically the Lord’s work. I must say that, in my opinion, the majority of American church members are robbing God.
Martin Luther reportedly said, “When a person is converted, three conversions are necessary: head, heart, and purse, and of the three, the purse is the hardest.” For those who get nervous when the preacher brings up the subject of money, let me assure you that I am doing this for your sakes. Tithing is not God’s way of raising money; it’s God’s way of raising strong Christians! Tithing is for your benefit, not God’s. Whether or not you tithe will not affect God, but it will affect you. Please don’t assume that I am begging for money for this church. This church does quite well on the present giving of its members. What I am telling you is that you will benefit from tithing.
God promised His people that He would open the windows of heaven and pour upon them an overflowing blessing if they would be faithful in their giving. Whether we tithe or not is not a salvation issue. We are saved by trusting in Jesus, not by tithing. However, God has promised to bless those who honor Him in their tithes and offerings. When we steal from God through our bargain basement giving, we deprive ourselves of the overflowing blessings God has promised. Tithing will not benefit God, but it will help you.
The issue once again is a matter of faith. God has promised to meet all our needs, but when our giving is sub-standard, we are saying to God, “I do not believe you will meet all my needs. Therefore I must take care of myself, and all I can afford to give You is a few dollars a week.” Not only is such an attitude a violation of the 8th Commandment (robbery of God), but we are also robbing ourselves. “Put me to the test,” God said in Malachi. Do as I ask, and see if I will not bless you. Do you ever wonder what those overflowing blessings are that you are missing if you lack the faith to tithe? Suppose you need a New Testament passage teaching the same thing. How about this: “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38) Those are the words of Jesus. His promise is clear. As you give, God will provide for you. The imagery of “pressed down” reminds me of when I worked at a dairy store in Minneapolis. We hand-packed ice cream in those days, and when I was packing a pint for myself, I pressed down as hard as I could to get the maximum ice cream into a pint container. God presses down His blessings for those who are generous so that they run over. If you are a skimpy giver, do you ever wonder what blessings you are missing?
Here is the truth about generous giving. When we are faithful and obedient to God in our giving,, we demonstrate that we trust God and are willing to obey His commands. We also provide the earthly resources the church needs worldwide. And we open our lives to the blessings of God. If you invest in the stock market, you may or may not get a return. You may lose your shirt! If you invest in God, the return is guaranteed by God Himself. Do you believe Him? Are you willing to trust Him? Stealing from others is a violation of the 8th Commandment. That is unwise. Stealing from God is just plain dumb.
I hope you take the 8th Commandment seriously. I assure you God does.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, # 7
(Adultery Forbidden)
Warsaw Christian Church,(6/13/21) Rev. Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: Exodus 20:14; Matthew 5:27-28
“You shall not commit adultery.”
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’
“But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
One minister tells that in growing up, he was puzzled over the meaning of the Seventh Commandment. He knew it must be bad because it came between murder and stealing. He knew those were bad, so adultery must be bad, but what did it mean? He knew what the word “adult” meant, so he decided adultery must mean “acting like an adult.” He thought the commandment meant that kids were not to act like adults. Some have accused me of following his interpretation of the Seventh Commandment and that I am still working hard at not acting like an adult! Kids do get confused when language is used, which they don’t understand, like the child who came home and told his mother they sang a song in Sunday School about a “cross-eyed bear named Gladly.” (Gladly The Cross I’d Bear).
We who are adults are not confused about the meaning of The Seventh Commandment. It prohibits adultery or sexual activity outside of marriage. The commandment is designed to uphold the sacredness of the family. Since godly families are so crucial to God’s plan to create a godly society, there are three commandments that address the family issue. We saw that the Fifth Commandment calls for children to honor their parents. The Seventh calls upon husbands and wives to be faithful to each other. The Tenth prohibits us from looking longingly at the spouse of another. Clearly, God’s will for the human race is that we live our lives in stable families where loyalty and trust abound.
We read in Hebrews 13:4 that marriage is an honorable estate. When we uphold the institution of marriage as sacred, we are also upholding the honor of God. When we treat marriage as a human convenience and engage in adultery, we reject God’s will for us. One measure of the health of a society is to evaluate the health of the institution of marriage. When a society has a high divorce rate and encourages sexual infidelity, it is a sign that God is being rejected. Sadly, the divorce rate among Christians is not much better than among non-Christians. I am not speaking of divorces that Scripture permits (adultery and desertion), but of those divorces in our society that occur because of a lack of respect for God’s design for marriage.
The 1990 Kinsey Report states that around 50% of all married people will commit adultery during their lifetime. Other studies suggest that the figure may be closer to 70%. A 1988 survey of nearly 1000 Protestant clergy by Leadership magazine found that 12 percent admitted to committing adultery.
Our society has come to think of adultery as kind of a “victimless crime.” Many would laugh at the idea that adultery is a sin. In fact, there are even books published on how to conduct yourself when you’re in an adulterous relationship. I haven’t read any of these books, but I have read about them. In 1999, Cameron Barnes’ published a book called, Affair! How to Manage Every Aspect of Your Extramarital Relationship with Passion, Discretion, and Dignity. The publisher described it as “a thoughtful, detailed discussion of every aspect of considering, preparing for, beginning, and conducting a successful and emotionally fulfilling extramarital affair.” I suppose if you are going to disobey God, you should do it with dignity!
Adultery is a serious matter in the eyes of God. Listen to the words of Paul as he reveals to us the mind of Christ: “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (I Cor. 6:9-11).
Paul’s list of things that exclude one from the Kingdom of God is lengthy. Four of the sins mentioned are sexual: adultery, prostitution, homosexual behavior, and sexual immorality, the latter referring to those who engage in sexual behavior outside the bonds of marriage. Paul adds that many of the Corinthians at one time did engage in such behaviors. When they came to faith in Christ, however, there was repentance. The Spirit of God entered into their hearts and created a desire for holiness. Paul’s point is not that if you ever engaged in such behaviors, you are excluded from the Kingdom of God, but rather if you continually engage in such behaviors without repentance, it is a sure sign that you are not a Christian. Persistence in wickedness would indicate that their faith is false and that they have no place in the kingdom.
The human race struggles with the same issue that faced Adam and Eve. Yes, we know what God has said, but we want to be free to do whatever we wish. We want to claim Jesus as our Savior, believe heaven is our home, and engage in sexual sin. It is so easy to say, “I am a Christian.” God does not listen to our words unless our actions back them up. If we love God, if we love our Savior, we will honor and obey His commandments. Our problem is that we want God, and we want everything else on our terms. We want to take control of our own lives. We want to decide what is right and what is wrong.
Let me put it in simple terms: You cannot hold onto Christ and to adultery. One or the other will have to go. God allows you to be free to choose your lifestyle. You can disregard the Ten Commandments like Ted Turner and make up a new list (I believe he “modestly” referred to his list as “The Ten Suggestions”), but you cannot trample God’s Law underfoot and inherit the Kingdom of God. You can choose God’s way or you can choose your way. It’s up to you, but you must consider carefully the consequences that flow from your choice.
According to Michael Moriarty in his book on the Ten Commandments, 75% of children living in fatherless households (a situation often brought about by adultery) will experience poverty, compared to only 20% of those living with two parents. He adds that men who grew up without dads make up 70% of our prison population serving long-term sentences. Adultery is not the only culprit behind such statistics, but it is a major contributor.
In case you think this commandment is not about you, let’s explore deeper. Jesus tightens up the Seventh Commandment – – – he blocks certain loopholes we may want to embrace. He indicates that the very desire to engage in adultery is equal to the act in God’s eyes. What does He mean? I don’t think He means that one cannot admire the physical appearance of the opposite sex. I am sure many of the ladies of this congregation look upon my handsome countenance and muscular body and think to themselves, “He is Charles Atlas in the pulpit.” (I am kidding, of course!) We have many beautiful ladies in our church, and we men do notice them. One can admire beauty without lust. Lust enters in when admiration turns to thoughts of conquest. Lust occurs when we think about a particular person relentlessly, plotting ways and means to bring about a private affair. One can admire a pretty woman without desiring her.
Jesus understood that sin begins in the mind. We saw that same truth last week in the case of murder, and we see it again here in the case of adultery. Most of us are familiar with the name Ted Bundy. He admitted that his rampage of rape and murder began with pornography. What’s the harm of looking at such material? In an interview with Dr. James Dobson the night before his execution, Bundy said, “I’ve met a lot of men who were motivated to commit violence just like me. And without exception, every one of them was deeply involved in pornography . . . “ The more he looked, the more he began to search for ever more explicit material, even violent material. Finally, after lots of mental lusting, he decided to act. In the end, he murdered and raped somewhere between 35 to 50 women. We need to be careful about filling our minds with lustful images.
The story is told of two ministers who were fishing by a stream. A beautiful girl clad in a bikini approached. She said she needed to cross the stream but was afraid of the current. One of the ministers said, “I will be glad to carry you across,” and so he did. Later that day, his friend said, “I am not sure you did the right thing. You had to hold that young lady close in your arms. She was as close to naked as you can get. Did that experience not arouse carnal thoughts in your mind? What if one of your members saw you carry a bikini-clad bathing beauty in your arms? I mean, she was very attractive. I envied you as you crossed the stream. I wish I had jumped at the chance to carry her.” The minister responded, “I put that lady down on the other side of the river. You seem to still be carrying her in your mind.”
This issue of the mind was very important to the Son of God. He used extreme hyperbole to stress the importance of avoiding lust. In the text relating to lust, He said if your right eye offends you, pluck it out. He is not really advocating self-mutilation. Gouging out your right eye literally would not solve the problem since you would still have your left eye! If we were to remove the right eyes of all the men in this church who looked upon a woman with lust, we would probably have several one-eyed men in the congregation! The eye is not the problem. It is the mind. Jesus is saying that this issue is critically important. Those who give in to lust are excluded from the Kingdom of God. Lustful thoughts lead to lustful actions, which leads to spiritual death unless there is repentance.
Why do we engage in lust and/or adultery? It is usually a search for greater happiness than what we experience in our own marriage. However, statistics show that married couples who remain faithful to each other are far happier than are those who drift into adultery. We need to understand a simple principle: THERE IS NO HAPPINESS FOUND IN VIOLATING GOD’S WILL. A host of complications and problems soon replaces the temporary happiness that sexual sin brings. God’s will is designed to give to the human race maximum happiness. If you really want to be happy, make God’s will your highest priority in life.
What if I have failed in the past and engaged in an illicit affair? I know of a pastor who fell into sexual sin, and his response was to deny it in spite of the testimony of numerous credible women. You recall David’s commitment of adultery. He finally repented and wrote these words: “Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. 4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight; That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge … 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.”
David is still known today as Israel’s greatest king and a righteous man, not because he was perfect, but because he faced his sin with true repentance. If you are covering up some sin today, sexual or otherwise, there will be no peace for you until you repent and ask God to create in you a clean heart.
I hope you take the 6th commandment seriously. I assure you; God does.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, # 6
(Thou shalt not Kill)
Warsaw Christian Church, June 6, 2021, Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: Exodus 20:13; Matthew 5:21-22
You shall not murder.
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.”
I could preach several sermons on the Sixth Commandment. It covers several issues. I want to touch briefly on several issues before getting into the heart of what I want to share with you this morning. I am not going to spend time encouraging you to refrain from physical murder. I assume none of you have committed murder. You may have thought about it, but you have not acted! I won’t dwell on abortion except to say that the Old Testament case law in Ex. 21:22,23 treats a fetus as a person, not a blob of tissue. The Bible regards abortion as murder.
I am not going to say much about capital punishment except to say that the Sixth Commandment has nothing to do with the execution of criminals. The Commandment prohibits murder. That capital punishment is not in view is clear from the Old Testament case laws. There were at least 18 crimes punishable by death under the Old Covenant. These included murder (Ex. 21:12-14), kidnapping (Ex. 21:16), adultery, our topic for next week (Lev. 20:10), homosexuality (Lev. 20:13), to name a few. Those who argue against capital punishment based on the Sixth Commandment have not read the Bible very closely.
Neither does the Sixth Commandment prohibit killing in self-defense or killing in war. War is always deplorable, but he has not violated the Sixth Commandment when a soldier kills in combat. That is clear from the history of Israel. Jehovah frequently led His people into battle. We may disagree about whether or not a particular war was justified, but those brave men and women who risk their lives and take another’s life in combat have not broken the Sixth Commandment. We should honor them and the sacrifices they make. The same is true of police who take a life to protect another life.
In Genesis 9:6, we learn why murder is such a heinous crime. “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man.” We, humans, are a unique lot. We alone are created in the image of God. When we commit physical murder, we are striking out against God. God created life, and He alone assumes the prerogative to decide when life shall end. To destroy a life made in God’s image by murder is to take the role of God, and under the Old Covenant, the penalty for violation was execution.
Jesus led us into the heart of the Sixth Commandment in our second text. Not only are we worthy of death if we commit murder, but the same penalty applies to anger. The Apostle John adds this thought: “Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life” (1 John 3:15). Are you allowing any hatred to fester in your heart? Jesus says you are a murderer and that no murderer has eternal life. We may assume that since we have never murdered anyone, we get a free pass on the Sixth Commandment. Jesus, however, equates anger and murder.
If you have lived your life totally free from anger, please stand up because you must be Jesus in disguise, and I would love to meet Jesus face to face! My only brother and I fought from time to time, and sometimes it was not pleasant. I was mad at him one day and shoved him so hard he fell to the floor. What made it worse was that this was during World War two at a time when most of our toys were made of cardboard. It was shortly after Christmas, and my brother had labored hard to set up his cardboard castle and his cardboard soldiers. When he fell, he landed on his castle and flattened it. He was older and stronger and angrier, and he pushed me hard against the piano in the living room in retaliation. I can still hear the sound made when I crashed into the keys. The result was not “The Sound of Music,” but a horrible and painful discord! At least it didn’t play “When the Roll is Called up Yonder.”
Anger seems to rise in our hearts from time to time as we try to cope with difficult people and difficult situations. Paul suggests that Christians will experience anger, but his advice is to get rid of it as soon as possible. He wrote, “Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” His point is that as soon as you see anger flare in your life, turn to God immediately with repentance. Ask Him to help you rid your heart of this deadly emotion. If we don’t deal with anger quickly, it tends to settle down in the soul. It is like spiritual cancer that eats away at faith, leading to that dreadful conclusion mentioned in 1 John 3:15, the loss of eternal life. John’s logic is plain and simple. If you allow anger to take control, in the eyes of God, you are a murderer. You have broken the Sixth Commandment. Hell awaits.
What is the nature of a true Christian? Christians are commandment breakers who have confessed their sins to God, turned to Jesus Christ for forgiveness, and are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. True Christians then begin to follow Jesus, seeking to live by the commandments of God. The Holy Spirit begins to fill our hearts with love, driving out the anger (“God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us,” Romans 6:5). John adds, “We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. Anyone who does not love remains in death” (1 John 3:15). Love is the defining attribute of a true Christian, and when love fills the heart, anger is driven out. When we allow anger to fill our hearts, love is driven out.
If you are here today holding tightly to anger against another, God declares that you are guilty of murder. God declares that you do not possess eternal life. Notice that God does not simply say that anger leads to murder, an obvious truth. HE SAYS ANGER IS EQUAL TO MURDER. Unless we act to rid ourselves of anger, we doom ourselves to an eternity in outer darkness. Anger is a serious matter we dare not take lightly.
Some of you may be thinking, “But wait a minute. Isn’t this too strict? How can you condemn people simply because of their anger? I do trust in Jesus, but I cannot give up my anger. You have no idea the horrible things others have done to me. How can you pass judgment on me just because of anger?” I am not the one passing judgment. Jesus is the one who warns us that eternal condemnation awaits those who tenaciously cling to anger. God is the one who has declared that the one who is angry faces eternal doom. I am simply the messenger boy.
The Bible tells us that when we come to Jesus, grieving over our sins, with hearts full of true repentance, surrendering body and soul to the Son of God, our sins are forgiven. The Holy Spirit takes up residence in our human spirit, filling our inner being with divine love. Love and anger cannot coexist in the same heart. Either love will drive out anger, or anger will extinguish love. There are deceived persons who walk through life thinking they are Christians while clinging to anger and bitterness. As long as anger controls us, it is proof positive that we are adhering to our old life, the way that leads to destruction. Yes, we do get angry, but it will kill us if we hold on to it.
Did you catch the significance of Jesus’ words in our text from Matthew 5? But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.” The tongue can be a destructive weapon. Jesus cautions us against using the tongue to lash out at others. He says bluntly that if you call someone a fool, you are in danger of hellfire. Wow! That seems extreme, but they are the words of the Son of God. When you call someone a fool or some other derogatory name, you are speaking to a person made in the image of God. Verbally, you are writing them off as worthless. How I speak to you demonstrates the value I place on your life. If I call you a “fool” or an “idiot” or a “low life,” I am saying in effect, “You are a worthless human being.” Before you hurl out such insults, you might want to stop and think. Sometimes I hear such language coming out of my mouth when I hear certain politicians talk. We need to remember that we are addressing a person made in the image of God, one for whom Christ died. When you call someone a fool, you are calling God a fool. Your words should be gracious and polite because you want to do what you can to encourage them toward Christ. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that death and life are in the power of the tongue. Use your tongue to encourage, not tear down, to build up, and not destroy.
There is one more side to the Sixth Commandment I need to mention this morning. There are two ways you can commit murder. You can kill someone physically, or you can be guilty of negligent spiritual homicide. The latter is far worse than the former. What do I mean? According to the New Testament, all humans are under the sentence of spiritual death. The only escape is through faith in Jesus Christ. All true Christians know and understand this fact. When we do not act to help others come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, we are guilty of negligence leading to the spiritual death of others.
Ministers can violate the spiritual side of the Sixth Commandment if they do not preach a clear Gospel. I want to make sure that everyone who hears me preach understands that Jesus alone is the path leading to God — that no one comes to the Father and to eternal life except through Him. I don’t want anyone to be able to say on judgment day, “I attended Warsaw Christian Church, and it was never made clear to me that I need Jesus.”
What can you do as a Christian to help ensure that others hear the Gospel? If you do not feel you have the gift of personal evangelism, there are still things you can do. You can invite your unredeemed friends and family members to attend a church where the Gospel is proclaimed, a church like this one! Or you can support your local church with enthusiasm to ensure that the Gospel goes forth. You can support overseas missionaries who are taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth. You can keep a list of four or five persons who give no evidence of having been born again and pray for them regularly, asking God to bring His message of grace to them.
God has placed the redeeming message of Jesus into our hands. Paul puts it this way in 2 Cor. 5:19,20. “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” God is counting upon His people everywhere to reach out to others with love, that they may come to know the love of Christ.
If you were in a small boat and suddenly came across a drowning man, and you had a life preserver on a rope, what would you do? You would not check to see if perhaps he is someone you dislike; you would not ask him if he was worthy of being saved; you would not ask for a reward before throwing him the life preserver (I hope!). I believe you would spontaneously, without thought, throw out the lifeline and save the man. If you didn’t, would you not be partly to blame for his death? Jesus Christ is the lifeline the world needs. Be sure you are doing what you can to throw that line out to a lost and dying world.
The prophet Ezekiel addressed this issue as follows: “When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you shall surely die!’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. “Nevertheless if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul” (Ezekiel 33:7,8). If you share the Gospel with a neighbor, and he rejects it, he will die in his sin. But if you do nothing on behalf of his eternal welfare, he will still die in his sin, but God will hold you accountable. You are guilty of spiritual homicide.
But I thought the Commandments had nothing to do with eternal life. Isn’t that a gift we receive by faith in Jesus? Yes, by faith, our sins are forgiven when faith is accompanied by repentance. Where there is no repentance, there is no faith. Note these words of Paul. I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:20-22). You cannot violate the Ten Commandments with impunity. We are not saved because we keep the commandments, but we can be lost when we violate the Commandments without repentance. True faith is obedient faith, a faith that seeks to live by God’s commandments. I hope this is clear.
This world is sick unto death. You have the cure, even Jesus. God expects us to mobilize as a church and reach out to those around us with the good news that forgiveness and eternal life are available for all who will trust in Jesus. Speak, pray, give, do what you can to ensure that the saving message of Jesus goes forth. Eternity is at stake. How do you measure up to the Sixth Commandment? We have all fallen short. Have we all repented? I hope you take the 6th Commandment seriously. I assure you, God does.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, # 4
(Remembering the Sabbath)
Warsaw Christian Church, (5/30/21), Richard Bowman Pastor
Text: Exodus 20:8-12; Mark 2:27-28; Col. 2:16,17: Hillbilly version, “Get yer hide ta Sunday meetin.”
I must confess that preparing this sermon has been frustrating. As I reviewed the commentaries and sermons preached by others on this theme, it soon became clear that the church is not in agreement on the significance of the 4th Commandment. Many commentators write as if Sunday has the same importance for the Christian as the Jewish Sabbath had for the Jews. They just move the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday. Others suggest that Christians are not obligated to observe the Sabbath at all. They say if you want to follow the Jewish Sabbath, you must observe it on the day indicated in Scripture, which is Saturday. You can’t arbitrarily move the Sabbath to Sunday and then argue that you are keeping the 4th Commandment. I hope I can bring these two extreme positions into some harmony, as both views have a point.
The 4th Commandment, “Remember the Sabbath day …” (Exodus 20; 8), is unique in the Ten Commandments. For one thing, the church does not observe the Jewish Sabbath day (Friday evening through Saturday evening) and has never done so. We worship on Sunday, the Lord’s Day, not on the Sabbath. You may recall that I made a distinction between moral law and ceremonial law in introducing this series on the Ten Commandments. The Sabbath law is the only ceremonial law we find in the Ten Commandments; all the others are moral. Nowhere in the New Testament does Jesus or the apostles warn Christians about the dangers of failing to observe the Sabbath correctly. Therefore I have to conclude that the Old Testament Sabbath is no longer in force.
The Jewish ceremonial laws are done away within the New Covenant. While the Jewish Sabbath does not bind Christians, there is an abiding principle in the 4th Commandment that does apply to us, as we shall see. Paul treats the observation of special days as optional for the Christian. He writes, “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it” (Romans 14:5). Christians are free to observe special days but are not obligated to do so. Paul’s point is clear. If you do have a special “Sabbath” observance, do it out of reverence for God. If you treat all days alike, treat every day as a day in which we honor God.
Paul expressly prohibits rigid Sabbath enforcement. He writes, “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.” (Col.2:16-17). So, if you do observe a special Sabbath, we are to honor your decision. If you treat all days alike, we are to respect your decision. Once Christ came, Jewish ceremonial laws expired. Christ is the Sabbath’s essence, meaning we find true rest in Him. The church in the New Testament met on Sunday, the day of Christ’s resurrection (see Acts 20:7; I Cor.. 16:2).
You may recall the old Sunday blue laws from the past. In my younger days, many stores were closed on Sunday. One blue law still on the books comes from Studley, Virginia, where swinging a yo-yo in church or anywhere in public on the Sabbath is prohibited. It was an attempt by a society that respected God to honor Him by restricting activities on Sunday. The problem is that if you want to enforce the Jewish Sabbath, you must observe it on Saturday, not Sunday. In many yesteryear homes, Sunday was honored with the same strictness with which the Pharisees enforced the Jewish Sabbath. Children were not allowed to play, and no work was to be done. One was to attend church, pray, perhaps read, but little else was allowed. Now, of course, our society has gone to the opposite extreme. Neither in society nor in many Christian homes is any emphasis placed on Sunday as a special day.
If we are not under the Sabbath law, does it have any meaning for us today? Anytime an Old Testament law carried the death penalty, we need to pay attention!. Even the most rigid Sabbath enforcers do not want the death penalty imposed for Sabbath-breakers. But here is what the Old Covenant says is to be done to those who violate the Sabbath. “You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death (Exodus 31: 14). With such a severe penalty, there probably are some abiding moral principles involved in the Jewish Sabbath. These principles will be our concern today, always bearing in mind that we are not to judge one another in the way we observe Sunday. I recall years ago when I was working at a department store part-time. I often had to work on Sunday afternoon. One Sunday afternoon a member of the church I had served in the past saw me, and her mouth fell open in horror. “You are a preacher,” she said. “How can you work on Sunday?” I don’t recall what I said, but I should have said, “And why are you shopping on Sunday?”
Jesus had to remind the Pharisees that the Sabbath was made for man, not vice versa. (Mark 2:27; Matt. 12:12). That is, God, our Creator, knows that we need rest, and we need to worship Him. God did not say, “I will make a Sabbath Day with strict rules, and man must fit in.” Rather, He said, “I will make a day of rest and worship for man because he needs it.”
The Jews sought to enforce very rigid Sabbath rules. In their minds, man was made for the Sabbath and woe unto the one who violated this day. The Talmud, the book of Jewish traditions, has 24 chapters listing various Sabbath laws. You could not travel more than 3000 feet from your home. You were not allowed to carry anything that weighed more than a dried fig. You could not hold a needle lest you accidentally stick it into some material and thus are guilty of sewing. You could not take a bath because water might splash on the floor, and when you cleaned it up, you would be working. Women could not look in a mirror on the Sabbath lest they see a gray hair and pluck it absentmindedly. The list of rules goes on and on. With so many regulations, I would never have been able to rest on the Sabbath. I would have been anxiously wondering if I had overlooked a rule. Jesus dismissed all that and declared the Sabbath was made for man.
The rest prescribed in the 4th Commandment is an enduring need. Since most jobs only require five days of work, we are receiving the rest which the “manufacturer” says we need. Some of us retired folks rest daily! It is not a healthy lifestyle to work all the time, with no time for rest and relaxation. More than one executive has cut his life short due to the stress created when one works all the time.
There is a theological principle here as well. We need to rest from our usual labors, but it is a special kind of rest we need. The Commandment directs us back to creation, where God created the heavens and the earth in six days and then rested, contemplating His work. We can get so involved in work that we forget from whence we came. The rest that genuinely helps us is when we worship our Creator, remembering that we are not the products of chance but have come from God, and we will return to Him.
Sunday is that special day for the Christian, a day we set aside to gather together to worship God, to remember Jesus around the Lord’s Table. We need regular times of spiritual rest and worship. We need a holy day, a time for God. Otherwise, God can be forgotten or pushed aside as we rush about to do our work and then seek our rest in godless ways.
While some people get bent out of shape if they see someone working on Sunday, I would suggest a potential problem exists for those who try to turn Sunday into the Jewish Sabbath. Some folks are faithful to attend church on Sunday but then assume they have done their duty to God, and the rest of the week is theirs. That is a worse mistake, in my opinion, than working on Sunday. Some people have to work on Sunday (policemen, firemen, nurses, preachers!), and we are thankful they are on duty. Remember, Paul says we are free in Christ to observe a special day or not, as we choose. However, we must remember that we belong to God daily, and we must honor Him daily. We cannot discharge our duty to God on Sunday and then live for ourselves the rest of the week.
Most churches have no binding rules for Sunday. We do not prohibit work on Sunday as was done under the old covenant. We encourage God’s people to freely choose to make Sunday a day of worship and remembering. For the Christian, there is a sense in which all days are alike. Whatever the day of the week, we want to live in a manner that honors God.
Jesus was often in trouble with the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders because He violated the Sabbath. In Matthew 12:1ff, He and His disciples are picking grain on the Sabbath because they are hungry. The Pharisees observe this and condemn Jesus as a Sabbath-breaker. He is “harvesting” grain on the Sabbath. Jesus also healed on the Sabbath and again was accused of violating the holy day. In John 5:10ff, Jesus again heals on the Sabbath, and the Jews seek to kill Him for this violation. Jesus responded to these attacks with a clear principle: “It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath” (Matt. 12:11-12). Jesus Himself worshipped on the Jewish Sabbath because He was the Messiah of Israel. However, after the resurrection, the church felt no obligation to keep the Jewish Sabbath, preferring to make Sunday (The Lord’s Day) their day of rest and worship.
There is a principle here that is seen more clearly concerning the Sabbath command, although it applies to all of God’s commands. We can best see this principle by reflecting on the difference between childhood and adulthood. Children need rules. They do not always understand what is in their best interest, so parents establish rules for the child’s protection. Children may dash out into the street without looking amid play, and so we instruct them on the importance of looking both ways. They might prefer to eat candy and cake all the time, so we give them rules about nutrition. Little children selfishly cling to their own toys, and so we try to teach them to share.
Adults (ideally!) do not need such rules. I brush my teeth daily, not because someone laid down the law but because I understand it is in my own best interest. I look both ways carefully before I walk across a highway, not because of a commandment, but because some treat highways like race tracks! I go o church regularly, not because of the Sabbath commandment, but because I want to. In other words, mature adults do certain things not because of rules but because of enlightened understanding.
Mature Christians seek to set aside time both for rest and worship, not simply because there is a command but also because they understand it is in their own best interest. We eat our vegetables because we know they are good for us. We worship God on Sunday if possible because we know it will benefit us spiritually.
The essence of the Christian life is the new birth. Those who trust in Jesus are born again. The Holy Spirit changes us inwardly, and we live by the Spirit (Romans 8:1). Those who are walking in the Spirit obey God out of desire, not because of written commandments. We refrain from lying, stealing, and other forbidden behaviors because the Holy Spirit turns us toward righteousness. We begin to lose our desire for those things which are contrary to God. Jeremiah 31:31 predicted a day when the law of God would be written on the hearts of His people. We are living in that day. The Holy Spirit performs this task in the new birth, creating within us an internal love for God and a desire to obey Him. We do not discard the commandments. Instead, they are becoming so internalized that we do them out of holy habit rather than out of response to the written law.
The essence of the Sabbath law for Christians is this: We are not obligated to keep the Jewish Sabbath. If some Christians wish to make Saturday or Sunday a special day to honor Jesus, we respect their desire. If others engage in secular activities on Sunday, as long as they act in ways that honor God, we also respect that choice. Whether we are at work or play, whether we are at church or work, we want to honor Jesus daily.
We do not place special emphasis on Sunday as though we were doing God a favor. If we use Sunday as our day of worship and rest, it will benefit us. Our aim as Christians is to honor God every day of our lives. By coming together on Sunday morning to worship together, it helps us to focus the rest of the week on our Creator and our Redeemer. I encourage all who are able to worship on Sunday, not under bondage or obligation, but freely and cheerfully. It will help us grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and isn’t that what we desire?
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, # 3
(Respect for God’s Name)
Warsaw Christian Church, (5/23/21), Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Exodus 20:7; Psalm 72:17-19 (Hillbilly version: Watch yer mouth!)
Names are important. Joan used to wince a bit when she was called “JoAnn.” When someone calls me on the phone and says, “Is this Mr. Bauman,” I know it is a salesperson or someone who really doesn’t know me. Most of us have heard of Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet.” You may even recall the line, “What’s in a name? A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.” You may also recall that Juliet spoke those words because Romeo had the wrong last name. He is a Capulet, while she was a Montague. These two families were enemies, and Juliet’s father would never allow her to marry Romeo Capulet. Juliet thinks, “Why does the name make any difference. If you called a rose something else it would smell just as sweet.” But, she learns that names are important. She secretly marries Romeo, but it all ends in tragedy with the death of the couple.
I read about a man named George Stink. Naturally, he was kidded a lot, and his friends urged him to change his name. He hated the idea of changing his name and resisted for years. Finally, he decided maybe a name change would be in order. He met with his friends one day and said, “I changed my name, but I don’t see what good it will do.” They asked, “what name did you choose?” He replied, “my name was changed from George Stink to Harry Stink.” That may be a fairy tale, but we had a man in our Decatur church years ago whose last name was “Butt.” It is hard to believe, but his parents gave him the first name of “Harry.” He always preferred to be called “Harry Butt.” I would have used my middle name.
If you want to be known as a rough and tough cowboy in the movies, you can’t have a name like “Marion Morrison.” And so one cowboy star changed his name from Marion Morrison to John Wayne. That name conjures up an image of a rough and tough cowboy. I wonder if he would have become a star with the name “Marion.” Names are important.
Names often call to mind certain character traits. George Washington’s name brings to our minds the qualities of leadership and bravery, while the name Heinrich Himmler brings to our mind the qualities of sadism, murder, and blind fanaticism. Benedict Arnold’s name will forever be associated with treachery and betrayal.
How do we use the name of God? The name of Jesus? You may be thinking, “Well, I don’t use God or Jesus as a swear word, so I can tune out on this message.” I hope to show you that we all have work to do if we plan to take the Third Commandment seriously. We will be looking at two ways we take the name of God in vain. We can break this commandment first of all with our speech, and secondly, with our actions.
Do you realize that to abuse the name of God under the Old Covenant called for the death penalty? (“Whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death.” Lev. 24:16) Many react to such news with surprise or disbelief. Some think it would be barbaric to execute someone for taking God’s name in vain. When we react in this way it only reveals our spiritual ignorance. The way we use the name of God reveals much about our attitude toward God. The death penalty for abusing the name of God is still in effect. It has just been postponed to the final judgment. If you have ever taken God’s name in vain, you will receive the eternal death penalty unless you have repented and embraced Jesus Christ as your Savior.
Jesus once said that the mouth speaks out of the abundance of the heart (Matthew 12:34). Our words reveal what is in our hearts. If we know that God is our heavenly Father, our creator and redeemer, and that we are dependent upon Him for everything, we will want to speak His name with reverence and adoration. If we believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God and our Savior, we will want to speak His name with the greatest respect and honor.
What are we doing when we blurt out the name of God or Jesus as a swear word at a time when we are angry, frustrated, or disappointed? We are taking God’s name in vain. What does it mean when we damn someone in the name of God? We are really damning ourselves by this horrible abuse of the name of God. Have you ever shared some juicy gossip with a friend and heard the response, “Oh my God, you must be kidding!” You may be thinking, “Yes, I sometimes speak in this way, but I do it thoughtlessly. I mean no disrespect.” I would suggest that if you wish to honor God, think before you use His name carelessly.
You may be aware that the Jews tried to honor the third commandment in a rather strange way. God’s name in Hebrew contains four letters. The English equivalents are YHWH, sometimes pronounced “Jehovah,” or “Yahweh.” Ancient Hebrew contains no vowels, so whatever vowels we insert is pure guesswork. We don’t know for sure how the ancient Jewish people pronounced YHWH. We do know that they would not speak God’s proper name at all for fear of speaking it in vain. So, they came up with another term to use when speaking of God. They used the word “Adonai,” which we usually translate as “Lord.” In their minds, if they abused the name “Adonai,” they weren’t abusing God’s name since His proper name is YHWH. Of course, such attempts at cleverly dodging the Third Commandment are useless. Whatever name or title we use for God, we must always keep in mind that God’s name is to be spoken with reverence and awe, never carelessly.
It is interesting to me that the very first petition in the Lord’s prayer is the phrase, “hallowed be thy name.” It is simply putting the Third Commandment into the form of a prayer. Before we ask anything else of God, we must be sure that we hold the proper honor and respect for His sacred name. God’s name is holy, and when we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we are praying that we will personally regard His name as holy. I suspect all of us have broken the Third Commandment by saying the Lord’s Prayer thoughtlessly or carelessly. It takes discipline to pray a prayer we know by heart in a way that truly honors the name of God.
I don’t know how God rates sins in terms of their seriousness. I am sure most of us would regard murder as a worse offense than taking God’s name in vain. However, in God’s mind, the abuse of His name is listed before the commandment regarding murder. The first four commandments have to do with God. We have to be right in our relationship with God before we have any hope of treating others with righteousness. If I do not honor and revere God, I am not likely to care much for my neighbor either.
When God gave the Ten Commandments and included His name’s proper use as one of the ten, it should be clear to us that this is a most serious matter. Dear people, think before you speak. Especially think before you speak the blessed name of God. I have noticed how Moslems, when they speak the name of “Allah,” usually add the phrase, “blessed be his name.” It is an attempt to show reverence for their god, sadly, a god who does not exist.
If we sing hymns of praise to God in a thoughtless manner, we use His name in vain. If we mumble through prayers while our minds are elsewhere, we misuse the holy name of God. Much could be said here, but I will try and hit a few additional highlights and trust that you can make the proper application to your own life.
In Acts 11:26 we learn that the disciples of Jesus were first called Christians at Antioch. The word means “Christ -ones,” or, “little Christians.” Whenever we declare ourselves to be Christians, our behavior influences how the world views the Christ we profess. What do people see when they observe our behavior? Do they see the name of Jesus honored by our actions? Perhaps we don’t openly speak God’s name in vain, but what do others think when we are rude, or impatient? What do others think of Jesus when His people are known to gossip and lie? I have known church members who openly boasted about how they made money on the side and never reported it to the government. Does such behavior bring honor to the name of Jesus?
Christians are obligated to forgive those who have hurt or offended them. Revenge is absolutely forbidden to us, and yet I hear lots of talk around churches that suggest that forgiveness is not always practiced, while “getting even” is seen as acceptable behavior. When you declare, “I love Jesus,” and then refuse to practice forgiveness, you bring dishonor to the name of our Savior. You have broken the Third Commandment.
If you do not have high regard for Christ’s Church, you dishonor His name. People avoid churches for the most trivial of reasons. As a child, I once had a bad experience at a football game, but I still go to football games. I have had several bad experiences at grocery stores, but I still visit them regularly. I cannot count the number of negative experiences I have had at restaurants, but I still enjoy eating out. My basketball coaches made us practice when I would have preferred doing something else, but I never quit the team on that account. Why is it that people who have a bad experience at church drop out? Why is it that people who felt compelled to go to church as a child think that justifies staying away as adults? We don’t think that way about restaurants or grocery stores. Anyone claiming the title of “Christian” who does not honor and support the church in some manner is violating the third commandment. Yes, some cannot attend regularly because of concerns about Covid, or job hours, but they support the church with prayers and gifts. Regardless of any bad experiences we have had in church, we support the church to honor the name of Jesus.
In our church’s history, there was a deliberate attempt to avoid any human name in identifying our churches. We did not want to be named after a man, or after a form of church government, or after some church practice. We wanted our churches to be known simply as Christian Churches. We wanted to honor the name of Christ. We just wanted to be known as Christians who worshipped in Christian Churches. We bear Christ’s name, and our church bears His name. We cannot escape the fact that the way we treat His church reflects on the regard we have for His name.
I have used this illustration before, but it fits in here, so I will use it again. The story is told that a young soldier in Alexander the Great’s army fled in fear during a battle. The trembling soldier was brought before Alexander the Great and feared for his life. Alexander was in a good mood on this particular day and decided to be lenient and spare this cowardly soldier’s life. The soldier was overcome with gratitude and vowed to serve faithfully. Before Alexander the Great dismissed him, he said to the young soldier, “By the way, what is your name.” The soldier replied, “My name is Alexander.” Alexander the Great responded by saying, “Young man, either change your name or change your behavior.” This ancient king did not want anyone who bore his name to bring disgrace to that name by bad behavior.
We bear the name of Christ. Our words and deeds either bring honor and glory to His name or disgrace. I wonder if Jesus would say to any of us, “Either stop calling yourself a Christian, or change your behavior.” The goal is to live our lives so that we reflect Psalm 8:1: “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” The Third Commandment says to me, “Richard, you need to cling to Jesus with faith because you do not always honor the name of God with your words and deeds.” I have to do some serious repenting for those times I have abused the name of God. Am I the only one? If our words and deeds do not always show the proper honor for God shall we give up in despair, or shall we try harder to watch what we say and do? I trust you know the answer.
NO GRAVEN IMAGE, # 2
Warsaw Christian Church, (5/16/2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Exodus 20: 4-6
Three weeks ago, we began a series on the Ten Commandments. We saw that the Ten Commandments weren’t given as a requirement for salvation but rather as a response to salvation. God says to us; I have redeemed you freely by grace through the sacrifice of My Son. I’ve made you my people. As my people, you need to know how to live life in a manner that will honor Me and bring you the greatest blessings. Living by the Ten Commandments will meet that dual need. I’m not giving you this Law so you can earn that privilege, but, rather, so you know how to live in light of that privilege. We need to understand that you can’t separate the privilege from the response. You cannot accept a job offer and then refuse to do well the work you were hired to perform (well, unless you work for the government!). . You can’t have the salvation Jesus freely gives without receiving the commandments that come after. The two go together. So, having been saved by grace, we don’t ignore God’s Law; instead, we gladly embrace it because we want to please the One who rescued us and obeying God’s Law will bring us the most significant degree of happiness.
There is much to be said about the first two commandments. They address how we are to relate to God, which is the most crucial issue any of us ever face. We have seen that the first commandment requires us to love God supremely, with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. While none of us ever lives up to that commandment consistently, we strive to keep it out of gratitude for His saving grace because we are the redeemed of Christ.
As with the First Commandment, the negative side is the easiest to follow. Negatively, we are not to worship images. Jesus explained the positive side of the Second Commandment when He said to the woman at the well that we must worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:23, 24). It is not sufficient to obey the Second Commandment’s negative side by refusing to worship an image. We must also learn to worship God correctly. This creates a real challenge for us. Much “worship” that takes place today can often be described as superficial. We can be very casual, even somewhat detached in our worship of God. Jesus’ expansion of the Second Commandment requires us to worship God in spirit and in truth. What does that mean?
“In spirit” can have several meanings. At the most superficial level, it means that God is a Spirit, and we must not worship Him while thinking of Him as having some shape or form. It certainly means that we reject images of God. God is a Spirit who cannot be reduced to anything tangible. It also means to worship God with sincerity, to put heart and soul into your singing, your prayers, your listening. We are not here simply to perform a religious duty. We are here to meet with God, draw near Him, honor, and praise His excellent name. When we sing, we are to pay attention to what it is we are singing. We must try hard to avoid the mere mouthing of words. When I lead in prayer, you are to pray with me so that together we reach out to God in anticipation of what He will do in response to our prayers. When the Word of God is proclaimed, we must pay careful attention, opening our minds and hearts to God’s message. When we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, inwardly, we need to be reaching out to Jesus with gratitude, reaffirming our faith in His blessed atonement. To worship God in spirit is to worship Him with integrity, with utter sincerity, with a true desire to draw near to Him. We must enter into worship, whether public or private, giving God our full attention.
John Bisagno, the pastor of Houston’s First Baptist Church, tells the story of his coming there as a candidate for the pastor’s position many years ago. He said the church was dimly lit as he entered the auditorium, with just a few people huddled together. They were singing some old, slow funeral-type song that was depressing. Later that day, he took a walk in downtown Houston and came upon a jewelry store. It was a grand opening, and there were bright lights and a greeter at the door to welcome you in with a smile. Inside there was a celebration going on. People were having a good time talking and laughing with each other and enjoying refreshments. They welcomed him and offered him some punch. He said that after attending both the church and the jewelry store if the jewelry store had offered an invitation, he would have joined the jewelry store!
His point was that there was interest, excitement, joy, and fellowship in the jewelry store. In the church he visited, he found people who seemed to have little interest in what was happening, no excitement, no joy, just a group of people going through the motions of worship.
In Isaiah 29:13, God laments the fact that Israel was going through the motions of worship. Their lips were moving. Words were being sung and spoken, but the hearts of the people were far from God. It is not a matter of being loud or quiet, old hymns or modern choruses, clapping hands, or sitting quietly. There are churches today that fight over the style of worship. Some want contemporary music; others prefer traditional hymns. True worship is a matter of the heart. If the heart is not in it, regardless of the worship style, worship is not taking place, and the Second Commandment has been violated. If the heart is in it, it does not matter whether the worship style is contemporary or traditional.
While we have no stone idols, sometimes the idols of our hearts can creep into our worship. If we allow our minds to wander, thinking about dinner, or last night’s social event, or today’s baseball game, or fretting about some personal problem – – – whatever it might be. Whenever something else grabs our attention, wrestling it away from our worship of God, an idol of the mind has superseded the true and living God. We have ceased to worship God in spirit.
Just as Israel sacrificed the best of their animals in their worship, so we must bring our best into the place of worship. I wish I could say that I am never distracted in worship. I wish I could say that my focus remains on God from start to finish and that my lips and heart are always in sync. I struggle to stay focused at times, and I have to do a lot of repenting. How are you doing in worshipping God in spirit? Do you ever mouth the words of a hymn thoughtlessly? In corporate prayer, does your mind ever wander? Do you hang on every word of the sermon, eager to receive some new insight into the Christian life?
Jesus mentioned a second element to the woman at the well. We must not only worship with utter sincerity of mind and heart, but our worship must also reflect truth. Why is Jesus Christ so central to our worship? Because He is the Truth incarnate. He declared emphatically in John 14:6, “I am the truth.” True worship always focuses on the person and work of the Son. To substitute something else is to sacrifice the Truth. It is to claim that we will decide how to worship God rather than following His instructions. I had occasions when I conducted weddings and funerals where secular music was used instead of music designed to honor God. I have seen Christian groups incorporate Hindu, or Buddhist or Islamic elements into their worship. Those who indulge in such practices are no doubt sincere and perhaps seek to be creative, but they are sacrificing truth. There is but One True God as we learn in the First Commandment, and that God must be worshiped with total sincerity and with a commitment to truth.
Whenever we encounter a negative commandment such as the Second, telling us what not to do, we must go deeper and say, “Okay, I do not worship idols. How does God want me to worship Him?” Jesus answer is “in spirit and in truth.”
Returning to the worship of images, a few additional clarifications are in order. As we study Israel’s history, we learn that there were tangible items that were a part of their worship. The Temple contained the Ark of the Covenant. On the Ark were representations of Cherubim. Once God asked them to make a bronze serpent and place it on top of a pole as a means of bringing healing to the people (Numbers 21:9). So also we use tangible items to aid in our worship. We have the cross on the communion table, Christian symbols are in our windows, the tangible elements used in the Lord’s Supper, and an artist’s rendition of Jesus in our sanctuary. Are these graven images? Not unless we worship them or see them as possessing magical powers.
We can see the difference between using visual representations as aides in worship and idolatry in the brazen serpent episode I mentioned from Numbers 21. While God told Israel to make the serpent, it had to be destroyed by King Hezekiah later on. We read in 2 Kings 18:4, “He removed the high places and broke the sacred pillars, cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made; for until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it, and called it Nehushtan.” What God had given to Israel as a visible sign of healing was later turned into an object of worship. That was a violation of the Second Commandment.
The cross on our communion table reminds us of the crucifixion of our Savior. Suppose I were to suggest to you that after our worship service, you may come by and touch this gold cross, and those who do that will have the blessing and protection of Christ throughout the week? That would be giving divine power to a bronze cross, treating it like a good luck charm. It would be using the cross as a graven image. It would be a clear violation of the 2nd commandment. I will never make such a suggestion!
In the middle ages, some parishioners would take a piece of communion bread home with them as a good luck charm. That is why in some churches, the bread is placed directly into the mouth of the communicant by the priest or pastor. I assume none of you are smuggling extra communion bread into your pocket or purse as a good luck charm. Not only will such a practice not bring you good luck, but you also violate the second commandment. That is never a good idea!
All forms of superstition are violations of the Second Commandment. If you have a lucky coin, a rabbit’s foot, practice astrology, use an Ouija Board, consult a fortune teller, use Tarot cards, worry about black cats crossing your path or walking under an open ladder, the Second Commandment has been violated, assuming that such things are practiced seriously. I always read my Chinese Fortune Cookie, but I have no faith in them. I read them for fun. The point is that we are to depend upon God for everything. If the day comes when I read a Fortune Cookie and act upon it, treating it as a true revelation, then I have lapsed into idolatry. If you are concerned about the future, trust God, not the local fortune teller. If you need specific guidance, trust God, not the stars. If you seek special blessings, look to God, not to a good luck charm. A black cat crossing your path will not bring bad luck, but believing it will bring bad luck is a form of idolatry.
A Christian who engages in magic and superstition is just as guilty as a pagan who bows before a stone image. (I don’t know about you, but this series on the Ten Commandments exposes a lot of significant flaws in my relationship with God, and there are eight more to go! I knew this would happen, although I prefer stepping on your toes rather than on my own!)
Lest we all go home feeling defeated (if you take the Second Commandment seriously), or angry (if you have convinced yourself that you do keep the Second Commandment, so why does the preacher act like I don’t), let’s return to an issue I brought up in the first message in this series. The Ten Commandments are meant to crush us. They are intended to shake us out of our complacency. The Law brings to our hearts an awareness of how sinful we are and reminds us that if all we have is the Law of God, we are doomed (Romans 3:20). No one, says Paul, is justified by the Law. Yet, the Law of God does reflect the mind and will of God, and so we must take the Law seriously. Once the Law has driven us to despair, we then turn to Christ for relief. Jesus came into the world for one purpose, and that is to redeem lawbreakers. He knows that we do not keep either the First or the Second Commandments flawlessly and that God has every right to condemn us. Yet we learn in the Gospel that the worst lawbreakers can find forgiveness and enter into peace with God on one condition. They must repent of their sins and believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, our suffering Savior, the One who endured our punishment. Through faith in Jesus Christ, our burden is lifted.
Out of gratitude, we turn back to the Law and give it our best effort so that we may honor our Savior. While we understand that we are never free from guilt in our attempt to live by the Ten Commandments, yet we recognize their great value and ask God to help us to be ever more faithful. All the while, we cling to Jesus Christ with faith, knowing that we need Him as our Savior from our first day as a Christian until we breathe our last. We also have learned that since the God and Father of Jesus is the only God who exists, clearly those who strive to follow His Law will understand that the Law of God is intended to bless us.
God desires that we think of Him and appropriately worship Him. He is the One who defines what is proper. The First Commandment calls upon us to recognize no God other than Jehovah, the Triune God revealed in Scripture. The Second Commandment calls upon us to worship God properly, not with images and idols, but in spirit and truth. When we fail, God calls upon us to repent. If we violate His commands openly, carelessly, without repentance, we are in deep trouble. If we treat God’s commands with indifference, such disobedience cannot coexist with saving faith in Jesus Christ. Sooner or later, we will have to make a choice: we will trust and obey Jesus, or we will turn away from Him and His commandments. Jesus said that we could not serve two masters. If He is Master, we seek to live by the Ten Commandments. If we prefer another Master, Jesus weeps, for we have made a choice that will lead us to eternal ruin.
As I closed last week’s sermon, I close again with the same words. I hope you take the 2nd commandment seriously. I assure you God takes it seriously.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, #5
Warsaw Christian Church, (5/9/2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Exodus 20:12; Eph. 6:1-3
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
Many people are concerned about the behavior of young people. One man complained, “Youth today have luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority, no respect for older people, and talk nonsense when they should work. Young people do not stand up any longer when adults enter the room. They contradict their parents, talk too much in company … and tyrannize their elders.” Another complained that “young people today are utterly desolate and disorderly.” Grumbled another, “The youth today are rebellious, pleasure-seeking, and irresponsible. They have no respect for their elders.” Another unhappy adult wrote these words: “We live in a decadent age. Young people no longer respect their parents. They are rude and impatient. They drink too much alcohol and have no self-control.” Do you know who made those statements? The first came from Socrates, who lived 400 years before Christ! The second came from Martin Luther in the 16th century. The third complaint about youth came from the Greek philosopher Plato. The last one is an inscription on a 6000-year-old Egyptian tomb. It reminds us that every generation of young people has had issues with their parents.
I am taking the Ten Commandments out of order because the 5tth commandment seemed appropriate for Mother’s Day. I will return to the proper order next week.
Notice that the first four commandments have to do with God and our obligation to honor and worship Him. Suppose one were attempting to out-guess God (never a good idea!). In that case, one might make the following assumptions: Okay, first we honor God in the first four commandments, and I suppose the fifth commandment will have to do with honoring the government or those in authority. Or, perhaps now God will say that we should honor our spiritual leaders, priests, or ministers. Of course, such guesses would be wrong. After we give the proper honor and respect to God, acknowledging the God of the Ten Commandments as the only God who exists, and giving due attention to how He is to be worshipped, we are instructed to honor our parents. What is going on here? Why do parents follow God in this hierarchy of authorities?
The answer is not complicated. Where do you first learn about the first four commandments? Hopefully, at home from your parents. That is the ideal even though many parents fail to perform their spiritual duty. God plans that children first learn of Him through their parents. If we do not honor our parents, we will not very likely honor the God revealed in the first four commandments.
I have heard parents say, “I am not going to teach my children about Jesus. I want them to make up their own mind about religion.” I hope none of our active parents have that attitude. If Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, why would we refrain from teaching our children this vital information? Hopefully, you will not follow that policy concerning the law of gravity. Learning about gravity on your own can be a fatal experience.
The Hebrew word translated “honor” is interesting. Literally, the word means “heavy.” We honor our parents by giving them weight in our lives. We honor them by giving them weight and authority right beneath that honor which we owe to God. To honor someone is to weigh them down with respect. We still carry this idea in our language. We speak of taking someone “lightly.” That is, we do not give much weight to what they say. We do not honor them. God has given great honor to the role of parenthood, and we are to give weight to the role played by fathers and mothers. We are not to take Mom and Dad lightly.
If you ask, “Why should I honor my parents,” the obvious answer is simple: BECAUSE GOD COMMANDS IT. More than one mother has said to a child resisting her, “Do it because I say so, and I am the Mom!” God says to us, “Honor your parents because I say so, and I am God.”
There is another practical reason why we should obey the Fifth Commandment. The idea of living long in the land was more than an individual promise for long life. It was a communal promise given to Israel that their survival as a nation depended upon strong families. Godly parents who raise godly children equals a strong society. When parental authority breaks down, respect for other authorities follows, as does a lack of respect for God’s commands. When deference for authority breaks down, society collapses. The Book of Judges ends with the phrase, “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” It is a picture of a society where respect for authority has broken down. When everyone decides for himself what is right, it is a prescription for disaster. I sometimes wonder if our society is heading toward the situation where everyone does what is right in his own eyes. All the recent riots in our larger cities are a cause for concern. When crowds rule and police are despised, respect for authority is gone, and chaos ensues.
When children honor the authority of their parents, they are much more likely to honor the authority of teachers, police, government leaders, and others who play a significant role in creating a strong society. Respect for authority begins at home, and when respect for authority is absent in the home, it will also be missing in society at large.
Honoring your parents is a lifelong obligation. Even when we grow up and have our own families, we are to honor our parents as they grow older. One of Grimm’s fairy tales tells of an older man who lived with his son, the son’s wife, and the young couple’s four-year-old boy. The older man’s eyes blinked, and his hands shook. When he ate, the silverware rattled against the plate, and he often missed his mouth. Then the food would dribble onto the tablecloth. This upset the young mother because she didn’t want to have to deal with the extra mess and hassle of taking care of the old man. But he had nowhere else to live. So the young parents decided to move him away from the table, into a corner, where he could sit on a stool and eat from a bowl. And so he did, always looking at the table and wanting to be with his family but having to sit alone in the corner. One day his hands trembled more than usual; he dropped his bowl and broke it. “If you are a pig,” they said, “then you must eat out of a trough.” So they made the old man a wooden trough and put his meals in it. Not long after, the couple came upon their four-year-old son playing with some scraps of wood. His father asked him what he was doing. The little boy looked up, smiled, and said, “I’m making a trough to feed you and Mamma out of when I get big.” The next day the old man was back at the table eating with the family from a plate, and no one ever scolded him or mistreated him again.
Okay, it is time to tackle the tricky question that may be on your mind. Some of you had good and decent parents who loved you and taught you to love God. Others of you may have had parents who abandoned you or who were mean and abusive. Most of us had parents who were somewhere between these two extremes. Any of you who listen to Joyce Meyer know that her own father sexually abused her. By the grace of God, she has learned to forgive. How can we be expected to honor parents who failed badly in their parental duties? Some of you had parents who failed you in important ways. How can we give them honor? For one thing, we can try to bear in mind that even the worst parents probably had some good qualities we can honor. We can also honor our parents by forgiving the mistakes they made. Most of us who are parents, myself included, can think back and remember mistakes we made with our children. We hope and pray that our kids will rise above our failures, and we hope and pray that they will forgive us. When Joan was dying, one of her prayers was that our children would forgive her for the mistakes she made. I have had to voice the same prayer.
Forgiveness is at the heart of the message of Jesus. God has forgiven us in the Person and Work of Jesus, and we are commanded to forgive others, including and perhaps especially our parents. If you are presently raising children, your love and forgiveness for your parents can send a powerful message to your children. Remember the story from Grimm?
Sometimes to honor your father and mother means to honor the ideal that God intended for parents. Just as we respect the office of the President or Governor even when we do not agree with some of the officeholder’s policies, we can learn to honor the office of parenthood.
I must add that “honor” does not always mean “obey.” Children are to obey their parents in general, but not in matters where the parents are clearly violating the law of God. God is our highest and ultimate authority, and we have no obligation to obey any authority, parental or otherwise, if obedience leads to sinful behavior. I have heard of parents who taught their children to steal or encouraged their daughters to earn money through prostitution. Some parents fail to grasp that children are a gift from God and that parents are to honor God in raising their children. If you want your children to honor you, it helps when parents act in an honorable way.
The best example in Scripture of how to handle dysfunctional parents comes from the story of two best friends—David and Jonathan. Consider their story: David and Jonathan were spiritual brothers, bound together early in life on the battlefield against the Philistines. But they had more significant problems than the Philistines. Jonathan’s father, King Saul, was an angry, insecure, unpredictable man. During one battle, Saul swore to curse any soldier who ate anything before he avenged his enemies. Jonathan didn’t hear his father’s oath, and he ate some honey. When Saul heard of it, he said to his son, “You shall surely die!” The other soldiers intervened to save Jonathan’s life, but that shows the kind of man Saul was—he’d kill his son over a mouthful of food.
Here is the bottom line. God wants children trained to obey Him in all things when they reach adulthood. They will recognize Him as the absolute authority. As children honor their parents who have trained them to honor God, it is a simple step to transfer our obedience from parents to God and repeat the process in the next generation. Once this chain of honor and respect is broken, trouble is the predictable consequence.
Sometimes you find spiritual lessons in the comics. Most of you are familiar with the Calvin & Hobbes comic strip. Well, one Mother’s Day, Calvin is pictured standing by his mother’s bed. “Hey, Mom! Wake up. I made you a Mother’s Day card.” “My, how sweet of you.” she says. “I did it all by myself. Go ahead & read it.” She begins to read: “I was going to buy a card with hearts of pink and red. But then I thought I’d rather spend the money on me instead. It’s awfully hard to buy things when one’s allowance is so small. So I guess you’re pretty lucky I got you anything at all. Happy Mother’s Day. There, I’ve said it. Now I’m done. So how about getting out of bed & fixing breakfast for your son.” Signed, “Calvin.” “I’m deeply moved.” said his mother. “Did you notice the part about my allowance?” He asks. That is not the best way to honor one’s mother!
Finally, I must emphasize again none of us will ever obey the 5th commandment perfectly. Our efforts may be more like those of Calvin, full of self-serving thoughts. For Christian parents, however, it remains the high goal towards which we aim. But having done our best, we who are parents must turn to Jesus regularly and receive His forgiveness. By this example, we encourage our children to also turn to Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away our sins. Jesus alone kept the 5th commandment perfectly, honoring both His heavenly Father and His earthly father and mother. As we cling to Jesus by faith, and as we teach His love and grace to our children, we have honored the heart of the 5th commandment.
NO OTHER GODS, # 1
Warsaw Christian Church, (5/2/2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Deuteronomy. 5:7; 6:4, 5 – You shall have no other gods before me. Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (Hillbilly version: There ain’t but one God.)
Several years ago, the Barna organization polled Americans, asking questions about the Ten Commandments. In the poll, 75% claimed they were “completely true to the first commandment.” I suspect these folks had not thought very deeply about the meaning of the First Commandment. I have yet to meet a person who is “completely true to the first commandment.”
Let me begin with a brief review from two weeks ago. Remember that while we are not saved through keeping the Ten Commandments, they continue to serve as an essential guide for Christian living. We seek to live by the First Commandment as a way of giving honor and glory to the God who redeemed us through His Son. One error that many make is to take the grace of God for granted. German pastor Dietrich Bonheoffer, called it “cheap grace.” It is easy to think that since I am saved and forgiven by the grace of God through Jesus Christ, I don’t need to take the Ten Commandments seriously. I fear that anyone thinking in this way has never really trusted in Jesus Christ and been born again. The prophet Jeremiah told of a coming new covenant, and one of the marks of that covenant was that God would write His Law on the hearts of His people (see Jeremiah 31:31-33). If the Law of God has been written in your heart by the Holy Spirit, you will love that Law and desire to keep it. The basic principle to keep in mind is this: No one can violate the Law of God with impunity. If you disobey God’s Law and have not been redeemed by Jesus Christ, the punishment is eternal damnation (I hate to speak those words, but Scripture compels me). Those redeemed by Christ who violate God’s Law will face divine discipline until they humble themselves through repentance.
The First Commandment is the foundation of God’s Law. It is of first importance that we are in harmony with the one true God. If we are wrong about God, we will be wrong about everything. It’s like if you button the wrong button at the top of your shirt, every other button is thrown off. If we don’t get this first commandment right, all the rest of life is out of sync. There is no true happiness apart from God, for He is the Fountain of all joy. Those who place earthly joy above God break the First Commandment and end up in misery and tragedy.
The First Commandment is initially stated negatively, but the Deuteronomy 6 text says it in a positive way. Jesus seemed to prefer the First Commandment’s positive expression, loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. He expressed it as the first and great Commandment (Matthew 22:37,38). Negatively, we are to recognize no gods except Jehovah, the God revealed to us in Scripture. On the positive side, we are to love God totally and completely.
The sin against this Commandment that we are most in danger of is giving the glory and honor to any creature due to God only. Pride makes a god of self, covetousness makes a god of money, sensuality makes a god of the sex or food; whatever is esteemed or loved, feared or served, delighted in or depended on, more than God (whatever it is) we do in effect make into a god. This prohibition includes a precept that is the foundation of the whole law. We take the Lord for our God, acknowledge that he is God, adore him with admiration and humble reverence, and set our affections entirely upon him.
I suspect those who participated in the Barna poll thought that since they were not worshipping idols or acknowledging the reality of any “god” other than Jehovah, they were keeping the first Commandment. However, when we realize that the Commandment requires that our lives be characterized by a love for God that embraces all our heart, soul, and strength, who among us can claim total obedience?
Before looking at some of the First Commandment implications, I want to point out how the Ten Commandments begin. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (Exodus 20:2). God saved Israel from Egyptian bondage, not because they merited His favor. He saved them out of His love and mercy, the same way He saves us under the New Covenant. The Old Testament, like the New, teaches salvation by grace. God’s word to Israel is not, “Keep my commandments, and I will save you.” He says in effect, I have already saved you, and as a further sign of my love, I give you my Law so that you may live in harmony with Me.
When God redeems a people and blesses them with His Law, the redeemed have a great responsibility to be examples to the world. God’s “reputation” in the world rides on the shoulders of His people. If the redeemed are faithful, loving, forgiving, obedient children, the world is drawn to our God and our Savior. When God’s people are unfaithful, the unbelieving world sneers at us and rejects our God. When Israel turned away from God and openly violated His commandments, Isaiah declared, “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you” (Isaiah 52:5). The God of Israel was despised and ridiculed because of the behavior of Israel. Israel possessed the Ten Commandments, and in theory, they affirmed no “god” but Jehovah. In theory, they embraced the First Commandment. But as we read the Old Testament, we read how again and again Israel turned to other “gods,” openly violating the First Commandment. Israel’s neighbors refused to take Jehovah seriously. Why should they when Israel trampled His Law underfoot?
Today, the Church of Jesus Christ exists in significant numbers all across America. The Warsaw Christian Church is to set an example in this community, demonstrating in our words and deeds that we honor and serve but One God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This church is to be a place where love and truth are to flow out into our community like a mighty river. Our obedience to God’s Law is to be so noticeable that the community marvels at our faithfulness. And when they ask, “How is it that you are such loving and faithful people,” we answer, “Because Jesus has redeemed us, and now we live to honor His name.”
Where do we begin in the holy task of bringing honor to the God we affirm? We begin with the First Commandment. Out of love and respect for Jesus, our Savior, we turn away from all false gods, all false religions, and we honor only the Triune God of the Bible, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Celebrating the One True God is the foundation of all moral Law. It is the foundation of a just and peaceful society. There is, after all, only One God, and only His Law will work effectively in this life. The ultimate responsibility for every individual and every nation is to submit to the authority of Jehovah, the only God who has the quality of existence. When we dishonor the First Commandment, the other nine will soon fall by the wayside.
In the 1st Commandment, God is saying: “I don’t want only to be number one on your list. I want to be the One thing at the center of it all. I want to be the hub of the wheel that holds every spoke of your life together. I want to be your ultimate concern. I want to be your singular passion. I don’t want anything to rival the place that I have in your life. There can be nothing in your life that compares with me.”
Many people wonder, “What is wrong with society today?” Some say we need to change society through the right politics. Karl Marx thought society could be transformed by changing the economic system. There are politicians in our country today who are wanting to push us in that direction. Some believe education will solve the problems of crime and rebellion. Some argue that perhaps a new religion is an answer. I would suggest that before we turn to a new religion, we should try the old one. Few seem to realize the source of society’s problems. We live in a world that tramples underfoot the First Commandment. American culture is becoming increasingly secularized. As more and more Americans turn away from the First Commandment seeking to create a secular society, we need to brace ourselves, for, in due time, the judgment of God will fall. I hope and pray there are enough Christians in this land who honor the 1st Commandment that God will withhold His judgment.
Why should God hold first place in our minds and hearts? First of all, he deserves it. Notice the first few words of Exodus 29:6: “I am the Lord.” Don’t pass over that. That’s a statement about who God is. God revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush as “I am who I am.” In other words: I am the self-existing God. I am the sovereign ruler of the universe. I made it all. I sustain it all. I control it all. I’m not limited by time. I am the great I AM. Therefore, I must have first place in your heart and life.
But here is an even greater reason to grant to God our highest honor. Not only is He a sovereign God. He is also a personal God. That is why he says, “I am the Lord your God.” When he says “your God,” he uses the singular. He’s talking to individual people—to you personally. He’s not a God who exists out in the recesses of the universe and has no time for or interest in you. He’s not a distant, unapproachable king. He’s a personal God. He knows you, and he wants to be known by you. To fail to give God first place in your heart and life is an egregious violation of the First Commandment. How do we demonstrate faithfulness to the First Commandment? Let me make a few suggestions which I believe are rooted in Scripture.
First and foremost, we honor the First Commandment when Jesus Christ rules our hearts and lives. We do have other matters to attend to in life, such as work, family, friends, recreation, and other organizations, all of which are legitimate interests for a Christian. But when these legitimate pursuits crowd Jesus out, we are violating the First Commandment. Jesus Christ, Son of God, came down from heaven for us and our salvation. He suffered under Pontius Pilate. He was crucified, dead, and buried. All of this took place to redeem us. How could we ever allow anything to take precedence over Him? One has to suspect that many who claim the title of “Christian” are giving lip service only, while their hearts are far from God. Do you believe that Jesus Christ has redeemed you from an eternity in Hell? If you do, how can you not grant unto Him first place in your heart?
The First Commandment obligates us to openly confess our faith in Jesus and live out that faith. If our lives are so busy that we have no time for Jesus, we violate the First Commandment. If He occupies a secondary place in our lives, we break the 1st Commandment. If we are afraid to openly acknowledge our faith in Jesus because we fear what others will think, are we not declaring that those we fear are more important to us than Jesus? Is that not a violation of the First Commandment? You are keeping the First Commandment to the extent that service unto Jesus is your highest priority.
May I speak personally? I enjoy several social activities. I like to play chess and Words with Friends; I enjoy a good movie; I have several favorite sports teams I follow; I enjoy traveling to new and different places. Am I wrong to engage in these activities? If they interfere with my service to Jesus, yes, because I am violating the First Commandment. They have become more important to me than God. If I can receive these activities as blessings Jesus has brought into my life, and if I thank Him for these blessings, He remains at the center where He belongs. However, I must confess that this is often a struggle for me. I cannot say that my focus on Jesus is always what it should be. When we realize that is the case, God calls us to confess it as sin, repent, and ask for grace. If we do not confess and repent, divine chastisement will come. I suspect you are like me in that you allow your personal interests sometimes to overshadow your relationship with Jesus Christ. If you will admit before God that you are violating the First Commandment, and if there is true repentance in your heart, there is forgiveness for us through the blood of Jesus. If, however, we act as if our violations of the First Commandment are trivial, prepare to face God’s unpleasant discipline. One of the first questions we should ask when things don’t seem to be going well for us is this: Have I in some way violated the First Commandment? Am I under the chastisement of my loving heavenly Father?
There is another way we show our regard for the First Commandment. If we are to love God supremely, in addition to giving Jesus Christ the highest honor in our lives, we also relate to the church of Jesus Christ with the highest respect. God has ordained the Church of Jesus Christ as the earthly institution through which He pours out His blessings upon His people and the world. How anyone can turn their back on the church entirely and claim to be honoring the First Commandment is beyond me. Even those who cannot attend because of work hours or sickness can support the church with their prayers and gifts. We cannot claim to love God supremely when we are half-hearted or lukewarm in our church involvement.
How are you doing with the First Commandment? Does God receive your adoration? He wants to be the One who captures your heart, the One you cannot get enough of, the One you love to talk about with others. Does God receive your trust? He wants to be the One you depend on for everything, the One who gives you a deep sense of security because you know you can count on Him for everything, from your eternal salvation to your daily bread. Is God your primary resource in life? He wants to be the One you turn to in times of need, the One you run to when you’re in trouble. He wants to be the One you seek when you need forgiveness. He wants to be the One you turn to when you need wisdom. He wants to be the One you desire when you need encouragement. He longs to hear prayers of gratitude coming from your lips and heart. He wants to be the One you thank when your table is full—when your heart overflows with an abundance of hope and joy.
How are you doing on the First Commandment? I hope you will take it seriously. I assure you that God takes it very seriously. Let us pray…..
INTRODUCTION TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Warsaw Christian Church, (4/18/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Scripture: Matthew 5:17-20
Today we are revisiting a series of sermons based on the Ten Commandments. I last spoke on this topic in 2013, so it seemed like it was time to take another look at God’s Law. The Ten Commandments are familiar to just about everybody. Well, sort of. I heard about a class of first graders who were learning the Ten Commandments, and they got to, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Of course, the teacher was worried he would have to explain what adultery meant. But then a seven-year-old raised her hand and asked, “What does ‘commit’ mean?”
Sometimes we know all too well what the commandments mean. Like one little girl in a third-grade Sunday School class. Her teacher was giving a lesson on the Commandment, “Honor your father and mother.” The teacher asked, “Now does anyone know a commandment for brothers and sisters?” One little girl raised her hand and said, “Thou shalt not kill.”
Before we get into the content of God’s Law, I wish to share some introductory comments. Serious thinking about our Christian faith can be tedious and boring, but there are times when serious thought is essential. Christians must understand the difference between the Law of God and the Gospel of God. When Law and Gospel are confused in our minds, the results can be spiritually disastrous. God speaks to us in the Law, and He speaks to us in the Gospel, but the two messages are very different and must not be confused.
The main distinction can be stated very simply; it is the Gospel that saves us, not the Law. The New Testament teaches clearly and repeatedly that our salvation comes to us through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God graciously and freely forgives our sins in and through the sufferings of Jesus, the Messiah, and all who sincerely trust in Him enter into the kingdom of God. This offer of salvation is offered universally to the human race. Whosoever will may come. Salvation is received by faith alone (See Ephesians 2:8, 9), and all who persevere in faith unto the end will receive heavenly citizenship upon their death.
Okay, I trust in Jesus as my Savior. I am a person of faith. What are we supposed to do with the numerous laws and commandments revealed in Scripture? If I have faith in Jesus, can I forget about all those “thou shalts” and “thou shalt nots?” May I drop the 1000 or so biblical commandments and live as I please as long as I have faith? I hope to convince you that we need both the Gospel of God and the Law of God even though they serve very different purposes.
There is a right way and a wrong way to view the Law of God. One wrong way is to think that Law-keeping contributes to salvation. It does not, and the very notion that it does is an insult to the Savior. He alone achieved our salvation. To believe that our feeble and fallible efforts to keep the Ten Commandments somehow contribute to our standing before God is to belittle the sufferings of our Savior. Another misuse of the Law is to discard it altogether. In our Scripture reading, Jesus does not seem to think that discarding the Law is a good idea. He said that the Law would not pass away as long as heaven and earth endure. Again, the Law of God does not contribute anything to our salvation. How could it since we do not keep the Law perfectly? As we shall see, there is not a person in this sanctuary who has not broken every one of the Ten Commandments. Well then, what are we to do with the Ten Commandments and the other laws written in Scripture?
Every person who has found redemption through Christ is grateful to God beyond words, and from time to time, asks, “How can I now live my life as a forgiven person in a way that will bring honor and glory to God?” If that idea is not in your heart, you probably need to ask yourself if you do trust in Jesus Christ. True Christians want to please God. It is one of the inevitable consequences that flow from salvation.
The question, “How may I, a sinner redeemed freely by Christ and through faith, please God?” can be answered very simply: we please God through keeping His Law. Our failure to keep the commandments of God led to our damnation. Jesus Christ has set us free. Now we turn back to the Law, which damned us, and we receive it with gratitude and use it to live a life pleasing to God. The redeemed delight in the Law of God, not as a means to earn God’s favor (which we already have in Christ), but as a means of living a life that is pleasing to God.
Before we proceed, we do need to observe some further distinctions and definitions. In Scripture, there are different kinds of laws. Some apply to us, and some do not. Again, we must try to grasp this critical distinction. First of all, many of the laws found in Scripture are moral. Such laws are valid in every age and generation. The moral Law teaches, for example, that adultery is a sin. It will always be a sin. Stealing is a sin and will always be a sin. Lying is a sin and will always be a sin. God’s moral Law does not change. Once God declares a certain behavior to be wrong, such behavior is always wrong. He does not declare that idolatry is wrong in one generation and then, later on, permits it. Violating God’s moral Law will lead to damnation for those not under the blood of Jesus, and it will lead to divine chastisement for those in Christ. There is no way any of us can find happiness and contentment in this life by violating God’s moral Law. Thus, as we read the Old Testament laws and the New, when we are confronted with moral Law, we are under obligation to obey.
But you said heaven was a free gift, so what difference does it make if we fail to keep God’s Law? There is another distinction we need to grasp. In the divine economy, there are two kinds of blessings: heavenly and earthly. The heavenly blessing is granted freely through faith in Jesus Christ. Earthly blessings are tied to the Law of God. If you want God to bless your earthly life, you need to keep His commandments.
We also need to understand the difference between the types of laws we find in Scripture. One type of Law is religious or ceremonial. These laws had to do with how Israel was to worship under the Old Covenant. The entire animal sacrificial system falls under this category. The various Jewish holidays, such as Yom Kippur, also fall under the category of Jewish worship. Jewish worship laws are done away with in Christ. The sacrificial laws, the Jewish Temple, the holidays – – – all pointed to Christ, and once He came, they no longer need to be followed in a strict, literal sense. However, they do continue to have significance. The sacrificial laws, when studied, underscore the principle that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. They also give us insights into the meaning of the death and ministry of Jesus, as do the Jewish holidays. We see this very clearly in the Jewish feast of the Passover, which is full of divine instruction concerning the meaning of the death of Jesus. Thus, religious and ceremonial laws from the Old Testament are not to be followed literally, but we are to study them to learn how they shed light on the ministry of Christ.
The Old Testament also contains what we would call civil Law. Israel was a theocratic state, directly ruled by Jehovah, at least in theory. Much Old Testament law has to do with crime and punishment. There is no Jewish or Christian theocratic state in the world today, and so the civil laws of Israel do not apply directly to us. However, many of the civil laws contain an abiding moral principle that is relevant for today. What do I mean? Let’s look at an example.
We are commanded in Deuteronomy 25:4 not to muzzle an ox while he is treading out the grain. No one in this country uses oxen to work with the grain. That particular Law has no direct application to our society. However, it contains a principle that does pertain to us. The principle is this: if you are working with an animal or even have hired a person to help you with a task, you must meet particular needs. If you use an animal for some kind of work, you must feed it. If you ask a person to help you with a task, you should offer to reimburse them. Paul used this verse in Deuteronomy to say that the church should pay the preacher (1 Cor. 9:9). So, if you fail to pay me, you violate the spirit of Deuteronomy 25:4! Jackie Barb takes good care of me and makes sure that never happens!
In Deuteronomy 12:1ff, God tells Israel to destroy all the Promised Land inhabitants’ places of worship. They are commanded to “break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire . . . You must not worship the Lord your God in their way” (Deut. 12:3,4a). One dare not apply this literally to today and go about burning down all mosques or houses of worship which are not Christian. But again, there is an abiding principle. We are to worship God in the manner prescribed by Him. We are to worship God through Jesus Christ and in harmony with biblical principles. We cannot worship our God using Moslem worship guidelines, for example, because the God of Islam is not the Father of Jesus Christ. We must strive to relate to God and worship Him in the manner He has revealed. That is an abiding principle, even though we do not literally destroy the houses of worship of those who hold to other religions.
Yet another category of Law consists of “case laws.” Case laws are expansions of general laws, telling how to apply the general Law to a specific case. In the Ten Commandments, there is the general Law, “Thou shalt not kill.” We find a case law expanding on this in Deuteronomy 22:8, “Whenever you build a new house, put a railing around the edge of the roof. Then you won’t be responsible for a death at your home if someone falls off the roof.” I doubt that any of you have a railing around the roof of your house. We don’t normally build houses with flat roofs, nor do we entertain guests on our roofs. Literally, this case law does not apply to us, but again, there is an abiding principle. The abiding principle for us is to do all we can to make our property safe. We recently repaired some broken sidewalks. If we had left it alone and someone tripped and broke their neck, we violated the 6th Commandment.
On the other hand, Jewish case law clarifies that the 6th Commandment does not pertain to warfare or capital punishment. Israel was allowed to conduct war under the guidance of God, and the case laws of Israel listed numerous crimes punishable by death. Many today try to use the 6th Commandment to prohibit capital punishment, but to do so is a distortion resulting from the failure to take note of Jewish case law. More on that when we come to the 6th Commandment in this series.
As we work our way through the Ten Commandments, it will be important to keep these distinctions in mind. Our focus will be on the moral Law because of its unchanging character. We need to fix it in our minds that all who violate God’s moral Law cannot escape the judgment of God. Just as we cannot violate certain natural laws such as gravity without suffering the consequences, neither can we violate God’s moral Law without paying the price. Human beings face two possibilities when they violate God’s moral Law: First, all who violate God’s moral Law will suffer eternal damnation unless they have embraced God’s remedy for lawbreakers, even Jesus Christ the Savior. The second possibility is this. If the redeemed of Christ violate God’s moral Law and fail to repent, divine chastisement will be the consequence. Earthly blessing will be canceled. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us for Jesus’ sake.
God is not like a doting grandfather who may decide to overlook the sins of his little darlings completely. God is like a fair and just judge. He will never allow the guilty to go unpunished. But because Jesus Christ has taken upon Himself the judgment for the sins of the world, all who trust in Him with repentance and faith are forgiven.
As we work our way through the Ten Commandments, I will be expanding on these introductory themes. In two weeks, we will examine the first Commandment and learn that we all stand guilty before God for our blatant and repeated failure to keep that Commandment.
Frankly, at one level, the Law of God scares me to death. It frightens me because I am a lawbreaker, and I am gathered here this morning with fellow lawbreakers. The Law scares me so much it drives me to Christ, where alone I find peace with God, pardon, and divine love. One of the Law’s main purposes is to help us see how sinful we are so we will turn to Jesus Christ for salvation. Paul put it like this: Therefore the Law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor (Gal. 3:24,25). Once the Law has driven us to Christ, it has served its function as our “tutor.” We no longer took to the Law of God as a means of salvation or as contributing to our salvation in any way. The Law of God has a purpose, as we have seen, but it has no part in our salvation. That honor belongs to Jesus alone. As we study the Law of God together, may we all be driven deeper and deeper into faith in Jesus Christ. You do not want to face the Law of God on judgment day without Christ serving as your mediator.
GOD’S AMAZING GRACE
Warsaw Christian Church (April 11, 2021 ) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: 1 John 5:9-12: If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. 10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
John says it as plainly as possible, so we will not misunderstand: God has given us eternal life. That life is inseparably connected to His Son, Jesus, the Messiah. Those who possess the Son possess eternal life. Those who do not possess the Son, whatever else they may have in their favor, do not have eternal life. Let’s take a closer look at these critical words.
“Life” – – – we all enjoy the gift of life. When God created mankind in His image, He pronounced it “good.” To be sure, sin has clouded the picture, but most of us can probably agree that life is basically good. We try to avoid sickness and death as long as we can. Even Scripture regards death as “the last enemy” (1 Cor. 15:26). So what is so good about life? I could give you a long list. I consider relationships with family as good — not problem-free but good. Eating a tasty meal with friends is good. Reading an interesting book is good. Watching an entertaining TV show or movie is good. Being in church with Christian friends is good. Being able to help others through acts of kindness is good. A hot fudge sundae with nuts and whipped cream is good if I remember right. I haven’t seen one since Weight Watchers. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. Life is full of good things. Despite all the negatives that bombard us, most of us would agree that life is good. And where does life come from? It is a gift from God.
The biggest problem we all face is this. Life is basically good, but we have mucked it up so badly that we have angered our creator. Sin has alienated us from God. Everyone one of us, at one time, stood under the just condemnation of our holy God. He warned our first parents that disobedience would lead to death, but they succumbed to temptation. Paul put it clearly when he said, “The wages of sin is death.” God’s destroying of the world in the days of Noah leads us to one conclusion. God is not happy when we disobey Him. The Second Coming of Jesus and the accompanying judgment upon unbelievers in the lake of fire tells us that God does not pat the disobedient on the head and say, “It’s okay. Boys will be boys.” Scripture reveals a God who will either forgive you or cast you into hell. There is no third choice. How do we get on God’s good side? I have seen a commercial on TV repeated several times. It asks if you know for sure you are going to heaven and affirms that we can know with certainty. I do not know anything about the group putting on those commercials, but I agree with their conclusion: you can know for sure if you are going to heaven.
Our text tells us that not only does God give life, He also gives eternal life. Note the word “given” in our text. God has given us eternal life. At present, we are mortal. The life we have from God will come to an end unless we have received the gift of eternal life. Now, if you don’t like the idea of receiving eternal life as a gift, you can earn eternal life. All you have to do is live a perfect life and never sin. Anyone here live up to that standard? I believe we all understand that we had better receive it as a gift if we are to possess eternal life.
What is eternal life? We do know that we shall enjoy being in the presence of God and all the redeemed forever. That enjoyment will never end. There will be no dark days, just joy unspeakable and full of glory forever and ever. I love these words from the Apostle Peter. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3-5). We have a new birth, a living hope, an inheritance that can never perish, and through faith, God’s power shields us until that day when we receive salvation in its final, eternal form. As long as faith is alive in us, faith in God and in His Son Jesus, we have the assurance that our final destiny is heaven.
All life is a gift from God, but especially eternal life. It is a gift that can perplex us. We know we don’t deserve such a blessing. What would motivate God to give such a gift to those who had rebelled against His authority? The only motive I can think of is God’s unbounded compassion, mercy, and love. God’s grace is truly amazing. He would be perfectly just to lock us up forever in hell and throw away the key. However, our text reveals a different plan.
Eternal life resides in God’s Son. Those who have the Son have that life. How does one come to possess the Son? Does anyone here know the answer? I hope the word “faith” comes to mind. You possess the Son by faith. Paul said elsewhere that Christ dwells in our hearts by faith (Ephesians 3:17). If Christ lives in your heart, then you possess the Son. Eternal life is in Christ, and it is grounded in His cross. Jesus Christ obtained this blessing for us at Calvary. “He died for our sins…” (1 Cor. 15:3). At the Last Supper, Jesus declared, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20). In the Book of Hebrews, we read these great words: Because Christ offered himself to God, he is able to bring a new promise from God. Through his death he paid the price to set people free from the sins they committed under the first promise. He did this so that those who are called can be guaranteed an inheritance that will last forever. “ (Hebrews 9:15, GW).
Eternal life resides in the Son of God. The reason He came was to grant this life to the world. He who has the Son has this life, eternal life. He also adds the point that causes so many to stumble. Those who do not possess the Son do not have eternal life. We live in a world where it is commonly assumed that all religions lead to God. The worst insults I have ever received came about during my years with Disciple Heritage Fellowship. When I and those with me stood up and proclaimed that Jesus Christ is the only Savior, I was called a narrow-minded bigot; one pastor sent me a letter saying I was mentally ill. The worst insults I have ever received came not from those outside the church but from pastors.
Some people do not understand how God could limit His salvation to one person, Jesus the Christ. One person, I recall, declared that she could not believe in a God who rejected people simply because they had no faith in Jesus. She referred to such a God as a “monster.” I recall attending a seminar years ago at Phillips University (I probably told this story before). One of the main speakers was praising all the world religions’ virtues, declaring them all to be a pathway to God. God is known in Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, etc. I went up to him afterward and asked, “Do you realize that Nazism was basically a religion? School children prayed to Hitler. “Adolf Hitler, you are our great Führer. Thy name makes the enemy tremble. Thy Third Reich comes, thy will alone is law upon the earth. Let us hear daily thy voice and order us by thy leadership, for we will obey to the end and even with our lives. We praise thee! Heil Hitler!”
Nazism was laced through with occult religious ideas and ancient Germanic mythology. I asked the speaker, “Is Nazism a valid path to God?” He replied, “Well, to be consistent, I would have to say Yes.” I was dumbfounded. I thought, “If your theology compels you to affirm the validity of Nazism, you really need to find a new theology.” I probably was too shocked to say anything.
Yes, it offends the world and the world religions to declare that if you do not have the Son, you do not have eternal life. Maybe John was wrong to state it so strongly, but He was only repeating what Jesus had said, “No one comes to the Father except by me.” I do not understand how anyone can say, “I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God,” and then deny His clear teaching that He alone can save.
Our text refers to the record that God has given us. The record God has given to us is contained in the God-breathed book we call “The Bible.” In both the Old and New Testaments, we encounter Jesus Christ. The Bible points to Jesus and declares to the world that all who believe in Him will not perish but have eternal life. Those who do not believe in Him will perish and forfeit eternal life. That is the consistent teaching of Jesus and His apostles, recorded in Scripture.
One final point. By faith, we receive the Son of God. Several weeks ago, I reminded you that faith has two dimensions. Faith says, “I believe Jesus is my Savior,” and, “I believe Jesus is my Lord.” Faith says, “I believe Jesus is my Savior who died for me and through His death, my sins are forgiven,” Faith also says, “I believe Jesus is my Lord whose commands I will obey.” True faith strives to obey Jesus, and when we fail, there is confession and repentance. True faith never says, “I trust Jesus to forgive me, but I shall live as I please.”
John warns us in our text that if we reject God’s testimony, we are calling God a liar. Remember these words? 10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar… You never want to call God a liar! Let us value and reverence God’s record. Let us read it with diligence. Let us believe in the Savior revealed in its pages. Let us receive the gift of eternal life He offers. Let us say “Yes” to God’s amazing grace by trusting in Jesus as our Savior AND OUR LORD. When true faith is present, “the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16). God gives us the witness within ourselves when our faith is genuine. Do you have that internal witness that you are a child of God?
WHAT IF IT NEVER HAPPENED?
Warsaw Christian Church, (Easter, 2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: 1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
This morning we celebrate Easter, a year late. This is Easter Sunday, Part 2. The Coronavirus caused this delay. This is the sermon I intended to preach a year ago.
Anyone who has reflected seriously about the Christian message has had moments when the thought arises; is it true? When I was in seminary, one of the theologians we studied was Rudolph Bultmann. One of his major works was entitled, Religion Without Myth. Bultmann believed that the New Testament story of Jesus was told in mythical terms. He believed we could not take literally the fantastic miracle stories we find in the New Testament, especially the resurrection. Once we remove all the mythical stuff (Bultmann referred to the miracles as “husk”) we have the kernel of what Jesus was all about. Now there are complexities here in Bultmann’s theology we cannot explore. I believe Bultmann meant well. He thought that modern man could not accept the New Testament at face value. His goal was to make Christianity more palatable to 20th-century man. One quote will give you a taste of what Bultmann believed. He wrote, “What a primitive mythology it is that a divine being should become incarnate, and atone for the sins of men through his blood” (Kerygma and Myth, p. 7). Did you get that? The incarnation and atonement of Jesus are dismissed as myths. They never happened. All I can tell you is that this approach to Christianity ruined me spiritually for a time. I took Bultmann and others like him seriously and rejected the incarnation, the atonement, and all the Bible’s miracles, including the resurrection. I believed the New Testament was mostly mythology, not history — fiction, not fact.
God’s Word in 1 Corinthians 15 approaches the resurrection as not only a historical event but the ultimate vindication of the ministry of Jesus. Paul spells out for us the implications of refusing to believe in the resurrection as history. If the resurrection never really happened, we will be looking at the conclusions Paul arrived at in our text. Paul believed the resurrection was an essential piece of the Christian Gospel. It is a load-bearing truth, and if it is removed, the entire Christian edifice collapses like a house of cards. To reject the resurrection is to leave Jesus and all He represents behind.
Paul begins by saying that all of us who preach are wasting our time, deceiving gullible people who accept what we say at face value. Paul wrote these words around 50-54 AD. He was preaching the resurrection as a new doctrine, a doctrine foreign to many in the ancient world. Many of the Jews did not believe a resurrection from the grave was possible. We have the benefit of almost 2000 years of hindsight. Preaching the resurrection has been going on for a long time. Has it been in vain? About 1/3 of the world’s population has made some response to the message. Preaching Christ has resulted in thousands of churches built around the world. Preaching Christ was a key factor in abolishing slavery from Great Britain and the United States. Preaching Christ has resulted in the building of many hospitals, universities, and nursing homes worldwide. Preaching Christ has resulted in millions of persons dying in peace, believing they will be resurrected. From our vantage point, we can say to Paul, “The message you preached in the 1st century has gone around the globe and has done more good than you could have possibly imagined.” Preaching has certainly not been a pointless pursuit. Preaching the name of Jesus has done more good in this world than anything else. Why? Because Jesus Christ has risen indeed.
Next, Paul says if the resurrection never happened, our faith is pointless. Indeed, those who believe in Jesus are at best naïve, at worse, stupid, the word used by atheist Christopher Hutchens. If Christ has not risen, you who believe in Him believe a lie, or perhaps Jesus was sadly mistaken about His own identity. Some say, “I believe in Jesus as a great prophet and teacher. I don’t believe all that miracle stuff. Who can believe that a man can rise from the grave literally?”
Here is the problem. If the incarnation and resurrection are not true, Jesus is not a great prophet and teacher. He taught that His entire mission centered on His death and resurrection. He said, for example, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). John 2:21 makes it clear He was speaking of His resurrection. In John 10:17, He speaks of laying down His life and then taking it up again. In John 11:25, He declared Himself to be the resurrection and the life. If He did not make good on these predictions, He is not a great teacher. He is either a liar or deluded. Had I been a 1st-century disciple of Jesus, if He had not risen after three days, I would have assumed He was not the Messiah. The preliminary end of the story regarding His 12 Apostles is summarized in these words: “They all forsook Him and fled” (Matt. 26:56). What on earth induced them to come back and proclaim that Christ rose from the grave? Only one explanation makes sense. Up from the grave, He arose. Our faith is not pointless.
Paul states that if Christ has not risen, he and the other apostles are liars, false witnesses of the worst kind. The apostles went throughout the ancient world announcing that Jesus Christ is the long-awaited Messiah of Israel. His resurrection verified that He is indeed the Son of God and Savior of the world. If that is not true, they have lied to us. Perhaps Jesus is not at fault. Maybe He was a simple prophet, but not the Son of God, not the resurrected Savior. Possibly the apostles made up all those miracles. Perhaps they were so distraught after His crucifixion that they imagined He was still with them. Or maybe they wanted to justify their faith in Him, and so they embellished the story. They tried to make Jesus into a super-hero.
There is a major problem with such a theory. Why would the Apostles perpetuate a story they knew to be false when their preaching only got them into trouble with both the Jewish and Roman authorities? The disciples of Jesus were hounded, jailed, beaten, and put to death because they preached the resurrection. If they knew the resurrection was a myth they had created, they were not very wise. Why did they endure all the suffering that went along with proclaiming the resurrection? Because they knew the resurrection was an actual event. They knew that nothing could ever separate them from Jesus. To deny Him out of fear of what others might think would have been the height of folly. Those who saw the crucified Jesus alive could never deny Him, whatever the cost.
I suspect we have all read mythical stories over the years. We know that stories about “The Easter Bunny” or “Hansel and Gretel” have nothing to do with fact. They are just stories we have all enjoyed. Does the New Testament read like a fairy tale? Amazing things indeed happened in the life and ministry of Jesus, but the New Testament does not read like a fairy tale. There is a ring of truth about it that is hard to deny. The apostles do not come across as fabricators of false stories. They knew that Christ had risen because they had seen Him, talked with Him, ate fish with Him. They tell it like it is. Yes, some dismiss the apostles as false witnesses. I was once in their number, but no longer, thank God.
Paul then makes a striking statement. If Christ has not risen, your sins are unforgiven. Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. He claimed that His death would serve as an atonement for our sins. His resurrection demonstrated the truth of His claims. If He has not risen, our sins remain as a barrier between God and us. If Jesus is still in the grave, He is a man like any other man. If He is only a mortal such as we are, then His death cannot atone for our sins.
How is it that the death of a single man can atone for the sins of the world? Was Jesus a mere mortal as we are? His apostles taught that He was indeed a man, human as we are. But they also claimed that He was God incarnate, the Son of the Living God. The death of such a majestic Person would have infinite value in the sight of God. Jesus, in one sense, went up against sin and was defeated. Sin mocked Him, spit on Him, and adorned Him with a crown of thorns. Sin nailed Him to the cross. How do we know that His death can atone for our sins? Because sin lost the battle when He rose from the grave. When Jesus Christ stepped out of that borrowed tomb, He declared to sin, “I have defeated you.” He announced to the devil, “You have lost.” He proclaims to the world, “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. (Romans 10:9). Amen!
If the resurrection is not a fact, what are we going to do about our sins? No other religion has a meaningful solution. I stand before you this today believing that all my sins have been forgiven because Christ is risen. You do not want to face the judgment of God with unforgiven sins.
Paul further declares that if Christ has not risen, all your relatives and loved ones who died trusting in Jesus are not in heaven. They perished. They entered the blackness of eternal death. They are gone forever. There is no hope for them. They lived, they died, and it is all without meaning or purpose. It matters not if they were good or evil, great or unknown. It matters not if they were atheists or religious. They are extinct. That will also be our fate if Christ’s resurrection never happened.
Finally, Paul says that if Christ has not risen, we Christians are to be pitied. We have sought to serve our Lord; we have sacrificed our time to attend church; we have sacrificed money to promote the cause of Christ; we have reached out to those in need; we have supported missionaries around the world. If Christ was not resurrected on the first Easter, what fools we are to believe in Him and serve Him. We might as well eat, drink and be merry. That is what many people do. They have no faith. They anticipate no heaven or hell. They live for the moment expecting to die, and after death comes – – – nothing—eternal nothingness. In the German film about Hitler’s last days, “Downfall,” Hitler contemplates his suicide. He says, one brief moment, then “ewige Ruhe” or “eternal peace.” Yes, eternal peace for those who die trusting in Jesus, but eternal ruin for those who die without faith in His name.
It is very depressing to flesh out the implications that follow the denial of the resurrection. The church and its ministry are pointless, a colossal waste of time. Faith is stupidity. We might as well burn our Bibles, for the apostles have deceived us. We might as well sin to our heart’s content, for there is no forgiveness. Forget about being reunited with your departed loved ones. We all end up in eternal nothingness. If Christ was not resurrected, we might as well go around wearing a dunce cap, for that is what we are.
Paul ends this depressing litany on a positive note in verse 20. “But now Christ has been raised from the dead.” The 12 faithful apostles knew it to be true because they witnessed the resurrection. Paul knew it was true because the risen Christ appeared to Him and taught him. I know it is true, too. You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart. Christ is risen! Our faith is not in vain. Hallelujah!
DEMETRIUS THE SILVERSMITH
Warsaw Christian Church, (3/21/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Based on Acts 19:23-41
(In this first-person narrative sermon, I have tried to follow the biblical text closely. However, I have allowed my imagination to interject some thoughts and opinions of Demetrius, which are not actually in the biblical record. I have also added some historical background about Ephesus. RB)
I lived in the magnificent city of Ephesus in the first century AD. Ephesus was in a beautiful location, where the Cayster and Meander Rivers enter the Aegean Sea. My city was the commercial, political and religious center of western Asia. She was a great city. It is difficult to believe that little remains except for a few ruins. When I lived there, the city was teeming with life. It gave you the feeling that such a marvelous city would endure forever. But then I guess the things built by men never last forever.
Demetrius is my name. I was a silversmith in Ephesus – – – a prosperous one I might add. Let me explain how I became wealthy. Ephesus was the main city promoting the worship of Diana, goddess of fertility. “Come and worship Diana, and you will conceive in no time,” we used to say. People would come from all over to pray at her temple, and what a temple it was — an enormous structure with a roof supported by 127 ionic columns 6 feet in diameter and 60 feet high. It was the most magnificent building ever constructed in the Greek world, surpassing even the Parthenon. Diana’s temple was acclaimed as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. What a shame that none of you will ever be able to see that glorious temple.
It seemed that there were always plenty of people who needed Diana’s help. The tourist traffic was steady all year round. Childless couples from everywhere would flock to Ephesus to pray at the temple of Diana. Well, I figured everyone would want a souvenir, and so I made little silver idols of Diana, something the people could take home to remind them of their faith in Diana. I sold thousands of them and became a wealthy man. Religion was very profitable for me.
Just between you and me, I thought the worship of Diana was nonsense, but there are always suckers around who will believe in anything. The city fathers even spread the rumor that Diana’s image in the temple had fallen from heaven, a sign that Diana was a real goddess, a vindication of her reality. Yes, a large stone fell from the sky, but I don’t think it was Diana. It was nothing but a promotional gimmick, but the suckers loved it. The more lies you tell, the better some people seem to like it. I concluded that people were stupid and gullible. Me? I didn’t believe all the hocus pocus about Diana. I believed in money, lots of money, and all the things money can buy. That was my religion. And my faith blessed me and gave me great satisfaction, at least for a while.
If I can profit from other people’s credulity, why not do it? If fools and silly women want to believe in the magical powers of a stone goddess or a silver replica of Diana, why should I not profit? I hurt no one, and I gave people what they wanted. I was like a priest, encouraging people to believe in Diana. They wanted to believe, and so I helped them. Occasionally a young lady would stop by to say, “Oh, Demetrius; that silver statue of Diana has worked a miracle! I shall name the baby after you.” And I would say, “Praise be to Diana, the great goddess of the Ephesians” and then laugh as soon as she was out of earshot. I figured that such stories were good for business, and whenever a customer complained and wanted their money back, I would say, “It worked for Mrs. Smith. Perhaps your faith is weak. You must pray harder. Diana will never fail those who keep their faith strong.” I couldn’t lose. If the childless couple conceived, business increased. If they didn’t, I would blame it on their weak faith. Sometimes I would suggest they buy Diana’s king-sized silver image, hinting that this might increase their faith. People are so naïve I sometimes felt guilty about my persuasive powers. However, there is a lot of money to be made in religion, and I made sure I got my share. You don’t blame me, do you? You probably would have done the same thing.
So, I would set up my tent outside the temple of Diana, and as the suckers were leaving, I would cry out, “Come and see these beautiful replicas of Diana made of the finest silver. These statues are known to have magical powers; miracles have happened in the lives of those who own them, and today only we have a special price. Take the power of Diana right into your own home.” The fools would push and shove at each other to buy one, and I, Demetrius the silversmith, became a wealthy man. I never really believed Diana could help produce a baby, but she sure helped me produce money. I used to joke with my friends and say, “Maybe Diana is not a fertility goddess after all. Perhaps she is the goddess of wealth and prosperity.” She was a gold mine for me, or should I say “a silver mine.” I could sell my little silver statues for five times what they cost me.
Everything was fine until one day a wandering preacher came to Ephesus. He didn’t look like much, this short little bald man, but people began to listen to him. Paul was his name, and he was promoting some new religion; something about a man named Jesus who was the Son of God and who supposedly rose from the dead. What a ridiculous idea. I figured he had his money-making scheme, and he was trying to horn in on my territory. For two years, Paul preached in Ephesus, telling people to enter God’s Kingdom by trusting in Jesus. I thought the day would come when he would want to sell statues of Jesus, but that never happened. As Jesus gained in popularity, Diana’s dwindled; and even worse, my sales began to fall drastically.
Now I believe in live and let live. If Paul wanted to believe in Jesus, OK, and if he wanted to preach about Him, fine. But he was not content with that. He told the people that Diana was a phony, that man-made gods are no gods at all; there is only one true God, and Jesus Christ, God’s Son, has made Him known. He said my little silver goddesses were useless. Useless? Why those idols gave hope to thousands of people. I gave people hope, and Paul was getting in the way.
When preachers start to meddle with your pocketbook, you can’t just sit still. Religion is fine in its place, but you can’t let it interfere with business. Business comes first. Religion should be a private affair, confined to the houses of worship. Keep it out of the marketplace. If faith begins to cut into your profit, something had to be done.
At first, I thought I could simply switch over to making silver statues of Jesus. Diana? Jesus? What’s the difference? I tried to sell a few silver statues of Jesus. I just changed my sales pitch a little. “Great is Jesus, the Son of God,” I would cry. “Buy a Jesus statue, and it will protect you from sickness. It is a sure ticket into heaven.” But I quickly learned that the Christians wouldn’t buy them. They did not believe in idols or magic charms. What was I to do? My whole life was going down the drain.
Finally, I took drastic action; I gathered a crowd and made a little speech. I called together the other craftsmen whose business had been damaged by Paul’s message. I said, “Fellows, we have been making lots of money because of Diana. This Paul is leading people astray, telling people that Jesus is superior to Diana. Many fools believe what Paul says, and his new false religion is spreading rapidly. He dares to say that our idols are not gods at all! We are in danger of being driven out of business. And, worse yet, Diana’s temple if being discredited. Diana herself is being blasphemed! The world is being deprived of her divine majesty.” Well, again, I must confess that I didn’t believe my own speech, but I was a good orator, a very persuasive man. I pushed the right buttons.
Everyone got excited and wanted to defend the honor of Diana, and they screamed, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” Over and over again, the crowd cried, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” Soon the whole city was in an uproar. I had to chuckle to myself. After a while, people started shouting different things. Just for fun, I approached a man who was screaming at the top of his lungs, and I said to him, “What is this all about,” and he said, “I have no idea,” and continued shouting.
They grabbed Paul’s companions and took them to the large amphitheater. I was hoping the mob would imprison or even kill Paul and his cohorts. When the word came out that these trouble makers were Jews, pandemonium broke out. Most in the crowd were Gentiles. The Jews were perpetual trouble makers in the Roman Empire, and the crowd went wild when it became known that Paul and his companions were Jews. For a solid two hours, the crowd shouted over and over, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians.” We were not going to let these Jews bring some foreign God into our city and undermine our love for Diana. She was our goddess, and she did not need any competition from the Jews.
It looked like my little plot was going to work. I was sure the angry mob would dispense with Paul and his cohorts. But then one of the city fathers stepped in, the city clerk, I believe, and quieted the crowd. I could not believe the speech he made. He ruined everything for me. He asked the crowd to be reasonable, but I wanted them to be out of control. He reminded everyone that we had courts, but I was hoping lawlessness would win the day. He then dared to say that Paul and his companions had not broken any law. He pointed his finger at me and said, “If Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open, and they can press charges.” Don’t you hate it when someone upsets your plans and introduces the voice of calm and reason at a time when you are trying to stir things up? The city clerk’s words calmed the crowd, and everyone dispersed.
Shortly after this episode, Paul did leave Ephesus. That was the good news. The bad news was that he left behind a large number of believers in Jesus. I have to tell you, I hated the name of Jesus. That Jewish Messiah destroyed my business. I closed my mind to Paul’s message. How could I even consider following a religion which robbed me of my livelihood? Would you follow Jesus if it cost you something? It was too late for me. The damage was done, and it was irreparable. Paul’s preaching ruined my business. Even after he left Ephesus, the Christians continued to grow in strength and numbers, and the demand for my silver statues dwindled to almost nothing. Paul ruined me, ruined my business, ruined my life.
I was so angry over my loss of business that I never really listened to the message of Jesus. All I could see was money, profit, wealth, income. Money blinded me to the real treasure, Jesus Christ. By the time I realized who Jesus was, it was too late for me. The great apostle Paul was in my town for two years giving away the greatest of all treasures — salvation through Jesus Christ — and I refused to listen because Jesus was not good for business. If only I had listened. When the hour of my death came, money meant nothing; Diana was useless, and I had refused to listen to Paul as He proclaimed Jesus. I thought people were fools who believed in Diana. I was the greater fool for not believing in Jesus. I had the opportunity. I have no one to blame but myself. If only I had listened. Listen to the advice of a rich man from ancient Ephesus. Money isn’t everything. In fact, it amounts to very little in this life, and when the time comes to die, it means nothing. Don’t let your desire for money blind you to the message of Jesus. That is the advice of Demetrius, the silversmith, or should I say, Demetrius the fool.
WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?
Warsaw Christian Church (3/14/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor
The most important question we all must answer is, “What must I do to be saved.” While the answer given in the Bible is simple, confusion has clouded the issue. I want to begin by reading a series of verses that plainly teach what we must do to be saved.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: (John 1:12}
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:15).
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; (John 3:36).
For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (Romans 1:16).
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. (Romans 10:9).
But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. (Galatians 3:22).
Notice that in these verses, it does not say, believe in Jesus, plus…It says believe in Jesus period.
Paul speaks of eternal life as a gift, and it is indeed a gift. We receive the gift by fulfilling a specific condition – – – faith in Jesus. These verses state plainly that the one condition we must fulfill is faith, believing in Jesus as our Savior Lord.
So, what is the confusion? Some think the Gospel is too simple. Surely more is required than faith. Items added to the Gospel include good works, baptism, church membership. You cannot be saved unless you live a life filled with good works. You cannot be saved unless you have been baptized. You cannot be redeemed unless you are active in church, and so it goes. So which way is it? Does faith alone bring salvation, or is it just the beginning? To be sure of salvation, must you perform good works and be active in church?
Do you agree or disagree with the following? If you have true faith in Jesus, you are saved even though you display little in the way of good works. If you have true faith in Jesus and are not baptized, you do not forfeit salvation. If you have true faith in Jesus and pay scant attention to His church, you do not lose your salvation. If the verses I just read are correct, the one thing we must have to be saved is faith in Jesus. Not faith, plus good works. Not faith plus baptism. Not faith plus church involvement. Just faith.
Okay, but what is involved in faith? When you place your trust in Jesus, you accept Him as Savior AND Lord. Savior means that our sins are forgiven. His death on the Cross secured pardon for all our sins. Few have problems accepting the idea that their sins have been forgiven. But faith also trusts in Jesus as Lord. Paul summarized what that means when he described himself and all Christians as “slaves” (Greek, doulos) of Jesus. We don’t like the idea of slavery, and many modern translators translate “doulos” by the word “servant.”
A servant may be hired by a wealthy family and paid to perform specific tasks. Yet, he remains a free person. He does as he pleases outside of his working hours. A slave belongs to his master 24/7. He is not free to do as he pleases. He lives under the authority of his master. True faith in Jesus is a faith that accepts Him as both Savior and Lord. There is no such thing as a faith that trusts Jesus as Savior but not as Lord. We are slaves of Jesus. Thankfully, our Master loves us and works to promote our well-being. Nevertheless, we are slaves.
When you join our church, we ask a simple question. “Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and do you (or have you) accepted Him as Savior AND Lord?” An affirmative response means you become a willing slave to Jesus. Faith says, “I agree to live under the commands and authority of Jesus. I trust Him as my Savior who forgives all my sins, and I trust Him as my Lord whose commands I will strive to obey.”
We see this clearly in the following two Scripture references, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matt. 7:21). “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). To trust in Jesus as “Lord” means you will strive to do what He says. You will endeavor to do the will of the Father. That is how true faith expresses itself. A person who says, “I trust Jesus as my Savior, but I will not follow Him as Lord,” is not expressing true faith.
Now, you need to listen up and grasp what I am about to say. True faith affirms that Jesus is Lord and that He has the right to command my obedience, but what if I fail in my obedience to Him? Listen to John speaking to Christians. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Christians seek to walk in the light. Our walk is far from perfect. We still sin as Christians. If we deny that we sin, we are self-deceived. If we confess our sins, our Lord is faithful and just, and we receive His forgiveness. To confess in Greek is the word “homolego.” It literally means “to speak (lego) the same thing (homo).” To confess our sins is to say to God, “When I lied to gain an advantage, it was wrong. I agree with You, God, that I sinned. I am sorry, and I ask for Your forgiveness.” When we confess our sins, we are taking our sins seriously. When we excuse our sin by saying, “Nobody’s perfect,” or “the devil made me do it,” or some other excuse, we are deceiving ourselves. Our faith is not operational. The only “excuse” for our sins is to say, “I was wrong. I am responsible. I trust in the blood of Jesus to forgive and cleanse me.”
We turn now to the heart of the matter. Trusting in Christ as Savior is an either you do or you don’t situation. You either believe Jesus atoned for your sins, or you reject that idea. Here is what we need to understand. While all true Christians believe in Jesus as both Savior and Lord, how we respond to His Lordship varies. If a person says he has true faith in Jesus but does not respond to His Lordship in any manner, that person is deceived.
On the other hand, the degree of response we make to the Lordship of Jesus may be small. Medium, large, or extra-large, if you will! Consider these verses from 1 Corinthians 3:11-15. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
In these words, we see the difference between salvation and discipleship. Paul presents us with two extremes. Both extremes are Christians. All Christians are resting on the only foundation that can bring eternal life, Jesus Christ. There is no other foundation. At one extreme are those who were very faithful disciples. Their lives are figuratively described as gold, silver, and precious stones. In other words, these are Christians who were consistently faithful in their service to Jesus. People like Paul and Peter, or Luther, and Billy Graham, come to mind.
At the other extreme are those who believe in Jesus but whose faithfulness is feeble. Their lives are described as wood, hay, and stubble, things that will be destroyed on judgment day. Here are people who trust in Jesus, but they are not very faithful. They are so caught up in earthly things they have little time to serve Jesus. Nonetheless, they are redeemed. Their faith in Jesus is real. They enter into heaven.
So, why bother to serve Jesus? Both the faithful and the unfaithful enter into eternal life. Here is the difference Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 3. The faithful receive rewards. The unfaithful do not. The faithful will receive rewards from Christ that will endure throughout eternity. Those whose service is minimal will be deprived of rewards forever. Every believer in Christ already has eternal life. Jesus settled that question permanently at the Cross. But rewards for faithful service are another matter entirely. Some will receive many rewards; others will receive few or none. It depends on how we responded in obedience to Jesus.
Saving faith means we trust Jesus as both Savior and Lord. Heaven itself is a free gift given to all who trust in Jesus. Rewards, however, are given based on faithful service. While all the redeemed with be happy in heaven, some will enjoy rewards that others lack. When we trust in Jesus, we become His slaves. Some slaves joyfully enter into the work of the Master. Others do a little, but for the most part, their lives consist of wood, hay, and stubble, combustible material that is burned on judgment day.
One final thought. While being a slave may not seem very appealing, being a slave of Jesus leads to a blessed life. Those who obey His commands learn that obedience to Him brings great joy. Yes, we are slaves, but slaves who belong to a loving, benevolent Master who always promotes our highest well-being. Disobedient slaves are miserable in this life. You cannot find peace and happiness as a Christian while disregarding the commands of Jesus. Also, those who are disobedient deprive themselves of heavenly rewards. Both options are presented to us by Paul in 1 Corinthians 3. Which option do you prefer?
JOSEPH
Warsaw Christian Church, (3/7/2021) Rev. Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text, Genesis 37-50
I want to look at the life of this ancient patriarch this morning, noting some remarkable parallels between his life and the life of Jesus. Remember that the Old Testament reveals things regarding the coming Messiah. As we read the Old Testament, we expect to find truths about Jesus. We have seen this in the story of Adam and Eve, where the woman’s seed was to crush the serpent’s head, and that seed is Christ. We saw several parallels between Jesus and Noah’s Ark as well as in the life of Abraham.
The story of Joseph has many elements to it. Joseph receives as much print as Abraham, an indication of his importance in the unfolding drama of human redemption. His story begins in Genesis 37, and his death is recorded in Genesis 50, the final chapter in the Book of Beginnings. Today we will cover a few highlights, seeking to compare His life to that of Jesus. .
1. Both were despised and rejected. The story of Joseph and his many-colored coat given to him by his father Jacob is one we all learned in Sunday School. Because his father seemed to favor Joseph, his brothers were jealous. Sibling rivalry is nothing new. Joseph adds fuel to the fire by telling his brothers about a dream with Joseph as the center of attention and his brothers bowing down before him. This caused the brothers’ anger level to reach new heights. They decided their little smarty pants brother must be eliminated.
Plan A was to kill Joseph. Jacob had sent him out to locate his brothers, who were tending sheep. Joseph, an obedient son, went looking for his siblings. When they saw Joseph coming, they hatched a quick plot. They would throw him in a cistern and tell daddy that a wild animal killed him. They carry out part of the dastardly deed and throw Joseph in a cistern, but when they see a tribe of Ishmaelites approaching, brother Judah offers another suggestion. Overcome with brotherly love, Judah suggests perhaps killing their brother would be immoral. He suggests they sell him as a slave to the Ishmaelites, make a few shekels in the deal, and tell dad that an animal killed him. This would be a much more acceptable moral choice. So, they grab Joseph, take off his fancy coat, dip it in goat’s blood, receive 20 pieces of silver from the Ishmaelites, and return home to Jacob with the sad news that Joseph is dead.
Does this not remind you of Jesus? Like Joseph, He was innocent and had but one thing in mind, and that was to do His Father’s will. John 1:11 tells us that Jesus came unto His own, the Jewish people, but they received Him not. Isaiah 53:3,4 tells us that the Messiah would be despised and rejected of men. Like Joseph’s brothers, Jesus’ enemies took counsel against Him to put Him to death (Matt. 27:1). Like Joseph, Jesus was betrayed for a bit of silver.
2. Both experienced great suffering. I cannot imagine how awful it would feel to have your own brothers sell you into slavery. Nor can I imagine the feelings of the Son of God who came to redeem us and encountered rejection.
Joseph was accused of a crime he did not commit. You remember the story. After coming to Egypt as a slave, Joseph became a trusted manager in the house of Potiphar. Potiphar’s wife thought Joseph was cute and tried to lure him into an affair. Joseph refused, telling her he could not offend his master or his God. She tempted him repeatedly, but he remained steadfast. Finally, one day in desperation she grabbed him and tried to drag him to her bedroom, but he ran away, leaving this temptress with his cloak. She tells hubby that Joseph wanted to force himself on her, and Joseph ends up in prison.
Jesus also suffered for a crime He did not commit. He was accused of blasphemy against God and rebellion against Caesar. He was guilty of neither crime but was crucified nevertheless. As is the case with so many of the Old Testament stories, they were meant to foretell or illustrate the coming Messiah’s life. Joseph and Jesus were despised and rejected by their brethren and suffered unjustly. But there is more.
3. Both had a great love for those who rejected them. Put yourself in Joseph’s shoes. While my brother once threatened to kill me after I had locked him in a bedroom and wouldn’t let him out, I don’t think he really would have killed me, but I didn’t want to take the chance!. Joseph’s brothers despised him so much they were ready to kill him. They finally decided selling him into slavery would work just as well. Can you imagine anything more horrible than to be treated in this manner by your brothers? How could he ever love them again? Would he not want vengeance? Later, when he had them under his authority, why would he want to be nice to them? Yet, Joseph loved his cruel brothers.
After enduring much suffering in prison and being exalted to the high position as Pharaoh’s right-hand man, Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt seeking grain during a time of famine. They met with Joseph, not realizing that he was their brother. I would have been tempted to have the lot of them arrested, beaten, and thrown in jail for the rest of their lives. Joseph, having revealed his identity, embraced his brothers, wept for joy, and kissed them.
He is so like Jesus in this regard. Jesus was despised and rejected by his brothers, the Israelites. He was nailed to a cruel cross, enduring great suffering. Yet His love for the human race and for those who placed Him on the cross remained firm. Do you understand that you cannot make Jesus stop loving you, but you can reject Him and go to hell? We have all rejected Him in so many ways. Our devotion to Him often takes a back seat in our lives. Still, He loves us. Our commitment to His church is sometimes lukewarm. Yet, He loves us. Sometimes we refuse to forgive those who have wronged us. Still, He loves us.
Joseph set the example. Despite the worst treatment imaginable at the hands of men, Joseph loved his brothers. Despite the treatment Jesus received during His earthly life and the treatment He receives today, yet His love for us refuses to die. When we act contrary to His love, we hurt ourselves, but we do not extinguish His love. When people prefer hell to Jesus, they receive their choice, but they have to enter hell by rejecting the never-dying love of Jesus for them. When people declare that they will not submit to Jesus and end up rejected by God, they enter hell over the dead body of Jesus.
4. Both were exalted to high positions. Joseph followed a strange path. From being sold as a slave by his brothers, then to a high position in Potiphar’s house, then to jail under a false accusation, and finally to a high position under Pharaoh because of his ability to interpret dreams. Who would have predicted that this boy, sold as a slave, would one day be exalted to such a high position? He was Pharaoh’s right-hand man.
The parallel with Jesus is clear. Who would have imagined that a crucified Jewish rabbi would be exalted to the right hand of God? Paul’s great hymn in Philippians 2 tells the story. Beginning at Philippians 2:5 we read, “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death– even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. You can’t get any higher than that!
5. Both had forgiveness in their hearts for those who betrayed them. Joseph not only loved his brothers; he also forgave them for their wicked deeds. He helped them in their time of need rather than seeking revenge. Even though his brothers had acted sinfully, God intended to work out a higher purpose in Joseph’s life. Joseph understood this and readily and freely forgave his brothers.
We learn from Genesis chapter 50 that Joseph’s brothers feared that they might receive vengeance from their brother’s hand. They feared that from his position of power, he was now able to exact revenge. They say among themselves, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him” (Genesis 50:15). Joseph had already forgiven them, but they know what they deserve. They know what they would have done had they been wronged this way. They would have sought revenge. They suspect Joseph is like they are, and so they go before him and tell him that their father Jacob wanted Joseph to forgive his brothers. Their words are unnecessary. He has already forgiven them. He says to them, “Do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones. And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them” (50:21). Joseph demonstrates his forgiving heart by meeting the needs of his brothers and their families.
How strikingly similar to Jesus. He understood that those who crucified Him were acting from wicked motives, yet the Father was planning to use the crucifixion as the means of offering pardon to the world. Jesus understood this and so was able to pray from the cross, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Do you ever find yourself thinking like Joseph’s brothers? “I know God says I am forgiven through the sufferings of Jesus, but I realize how many wicked things I have done. I wonder if God will want to take revenge against me after all. I do not deserve His love and forgiveness.” Have you ever had such thoughts? I have. As I grow older, I find myself somewhat in Oscar Schindler’s position in the movie “Schindler’s List.” Shindler had saved many Jews from the Nazi death camps by insisting that he needed them to work in his factory. Hundreds of Jews owed their lives to this man who remained a member of the Nazi party throughout the war. As the war ends, Schindler is stricken with the realization that he could have done so much more. The Jews he had helped try to comfort him, grateful that through his efforts, they survived. Yet Schindler cannot help but lament, “I could have done so much more. I could have saved more.”
Sometimes I look at my life and wonder how God could ever forgive me. I can think of a few people who have said that I helped them come to faith in Christ or that I helped them grow in faith, but the numbers are small. Like Schindler, I often think, “I could have done so much more.” Sometimes I wonder how God can forgive me for all the time I have wasted over the years when I could have been doing something spiritually productive. Have I given enough, has my preaching and teaching always been faithful, and what about the people I might have spoken to about Christ but failed to act? I could have done so much more. Can God really forgive me?
This is why the Gospel is good news. None of us have done enough. None of us have done as much as we might have done. We can never stand before God and declare, “I did all I could do.” We must all admit to God, “I could have done so much more.” Christ redeems us and forgives us not because of how great we are but because of His great love for us. Hear the word of God from Titus 3:5: “he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy . . .”
Did Joseph’s brothers deserve to be forgiven? Absolutely not. They had done nothing that could atone for their wickedness. They appear before Joseph guilty and in need of both his forgiveness and his help with Israel’s food shortage. Joseph is merciful to them and meets their needs. We appear before Christ in the same way. We have done nothing to deserve forgiveness. No deeds of righteousness we may have done can make up for the sins we have committed. We need precisely what Joseph’s brothers needed—undeserved mercy, unmerited pardon, extravagant forgiveness. And that, brothers and sisters, is what Jesus offers to us.
These are just a few of the parallels we find between Joseph and Jesus. Joseph’s life helped prepare the Jewish people and the world for one who would come who would be far greater than Joseph, even Jesus our Savior. Trust Him, and let Him lift the burden of sin from your life and grant unto you a new heart.
ABRAHAM
Warsaw Christian Church, (Feb. 28, 2021) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Texts: Genesis 12:1-4; 15:5-6
12:1 Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 4 So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.
15:5 He (God) brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” 6. And he believed the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness.
Abraham is considered the father of our faith. We will examine his life as we continue our study in Genesis. In Romans 4:11, Abraham is called “the father of all who believe.” He is our spiritual father.
We move ahead in Genesis many years after the flood. Noah and his family began to repopulate the earth. God promised that He would never again flood the world and gave the rainbow as a sign of that covenant. Noah’s story continues in Genesis 9, and in chapter 10 his genealogy is listed. In chapter 11 we read the story of the tower of Babel, followed by more genealogies leading up to Abraham’s story.
In Abraham’s day, we find a world once again living in rebellion against God. Superstition abounds, and the knowledge of the true God is a fading memory. This is the unfortunate tale we read from Genesis to Revelation. We humans have a strange desire to live without God, to be a “god” unto our selves. It began with Adam and Eve, and it reached a climax in Noah’s day, continued after Noah with the story of the Tower of Babel where the human race sought once again to exalt in its greatness while ignoring God. In response, God decides once again to choose an individual in His effort to restore truth about Himself to the human race. Abram, who later became Abraham, was the man God chose.
We can learn much from Abraham, far more than I can cover in this message. I can only hit a few highlights. Our focus will be on the faith of Abraham. It is a faith that pleased God and serves as an example for us to follow. Gal. 3:7 tells us, “Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.” Many Jews in the first century assumed they were Abraham’s children because of their birth. Paul clarifies that the true descendants of Abraham are persons of faith, whether Jew or Gentile. Let us examine the faith of Abraham, asking ourselves the question, “Do I possess this kind of faith?”
1. Faith hears and obeys. While living in Ur of the Chaldees, God spoke to Abraham, a major city of ancient Mesopotamia located on the Euphrates River. Hebrews 11:8 informs us that when God called Abraham to leave his homeland, Abraham obeyed even though he did not know where God would lead him. By faith, he began his journey to an unknown destination. Some refer to this as “blind faith,” but I disagree. There is nothing “blind” about following God’s direction. It is the epitome of wisdom and intelligence to obey the God of the universe. It is the height of folly to disregard what God says. Abraham’s choice at this point was simple. He had to decide, “Is this the true God speaking to me or not?” He had no Bible to guide him. He had to trust that this was indeed the true and living God. The call was clear. God directed Abraham to follow Him and then gave to Abraham fantastic promises. He would make Abraham a great nation, and through him, all the families of the earth were to be blessed.
At this point, we need to leap forward through the centuries to Jesus. In Galatians 3:16. Paul declares that Jesus is the only true seed of Abraham. Let me read Paul’s words to you so you will know I am not misinterpreting the text. “Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ.” Not a single Jew throughout Old Testament history qualified as the spiritual seed of Abraham, save one. Jesus Christ alone is the seed of Abraham, and those who trust in Him are also declared to be the heirs of the promises God gave to Abraham. Paul states this clearly in Galatians 3:29: And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.
The promises God made to Abraham reach fulfillment in Jesus Christ, and if you are a believer in Jesus, you are the recipient of fantastic promises. The question we turn to now is, “Do you have the faith of Abraham?” Jesus has declared that He will lead you to a place you have never seen, even heaven. Do you believe Him? Jesus has declared that His death was sacrificial, an atonement for every sin you ever committed. Do you believe Him? Jesus asks you to act upon your faith, to live your life following Him. Are you doing it? We face the same issue that we met in Abraham. Is it the true and living God who speaks to us through the life and ministry of Jesus? If we answer, “Yes,” then we will follow Him. Those who have Abraham’s faith will listen to God’s every command and seek to obey.
We are like Abraham. We believe in a Savior we have never seen, and in a heaven, many say does not exist. Are we fools to commit ourselves to Jesus Christ when much of what He has promised we never see in this life? If He is the Son of God, the fools are those who live life without faith.
2. When faith falters. After Abraham was tested to see if he would trust God to lead him to an unknown future, he entered, at last, the land of Canaan, the Promised Land. He was to be the father of a great nation, yet he and Sarah advanced into old age childless. How could his descendants be a blessing to the world if he had no descendants? Once again, his faith was put to the test. God promised Abraham he would have a son. Abraham failed miserably in his response to God’s promise. He took matters into his own hands and fathered a son through one of his servant girls, and when God told him that he would have a son with Sarah despite their old age, Abraham doubted. He failed to believe God.
Abraham did fine in his first encounter with God, but his faith failed twice regarding his fathering a child with Sarah. Isn’t it comforting to know that even when our faith fails, God sometimes acts on our behalf anyway? I have no problem identifying with Abraham regarding the birth of Isaac. How many times have I faced difficult situations and tried to trust God, only to learn that my faith was weak? I can assure you I have lost count. Does this ever happen to you? We have a Bible full of outstanding and mighty promises, but some rarely study the Bible seriously. Even those who know the great promises of God often fail to take Him at His word. We have moments when our faith is strong, but we also have many moments when we struggle to believe what God says. Doubt creeps in, and faith weakens.
Despite our weakness, God does not forsake us. He did not say to the doubting Abraham, “Okay, if you don’t believe Me, I will not fulfill any of my promises to you.” God fulfilled His promise to Abraham despite Abraham’s lapses. God’s faithfulness encouraged Abraham to shake off his failures and to renew his faith in God
Have you ever found that you could not trust God in a particular situation, and you had to take matters into your own hands? Have you ever looked at a promise of God and said, “That can’t be true?” Have you ever turned away from God’s will and plunged your life into spiritual darkness? Do you often seek out the pleasures of this world more than you seek God, thus throwing faith aside?
Yet, if we cling to a simple faith in Jesus as our Savior and Lord, God blesses us anyway. Sometimes He answers our prayers despite our doubts, just as He did for Abraham. Look at how God has blessed our lives despite our repeated faith failures. Look at the cars we drive, the homes we live in – – – look at the friends who care for us and the freedom we enjoy. Many of us have lived into our retirement years, while so many others have not. Sometimes I find myself wondering why God has so blessed my life despite my repeated faith failures.
When you feel you have failed God, when your faith is weak, look around and see how God has blessed you anyway. Remember the advice we find in Proverbs 24:16: “For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again” What Abraham learned is that a righteous man is not one who never fails, but when he falls, he rises again and turns back to God. This is an important lesson on faith we learn from Abraham. Faith rule number one is this: believe God and act upon what He says without question. Faith rule number two is: when you fail rule number one, try again. Now on to rule three, we learn from the father of our faith.
Faith when God asks the impossible: We all learned the story of Isaac’s sacrifice when we were children. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, through whom all of God’s promises were to be fulfilled. Having seen his faith falter when God promised him a son, Abraham now acts decisively. He takes Isaac to the altar and is prepared to plunge in the knife and kill his only heir. How could he do that, and how could God ask that of him? We learn something of Abraham’s thought process in Hebrews 11:19, where we read that Abraham believed firmly that God’s promises would be fulfilled through Isaac. Therefore, he assumed that even if he killed his son, God would raise him from the dead. Abraham, who once doubted that God could cause his aged wife to bear a son, now is convinced that God will resurrect his son. His faith is growing stronger.
Of course, God stopped Abraham from sacrificing his son and provided a ram in place of Isaac. Of course, it is a story designed to help us understand how God chooses to redeem us. We are all under the sentence of death. The Bible is clear that the wages of sin is death, and we have all sinned. But God, in His mercy, provided a substitute, the spotless Lamb of God, even Jesus, who died in our place and secured our forgiveness. Abraham and Isaac acted out the drama of redemption. Abraham had to believe that God would somehow fulfill His promises even if he killed his only heir. You and I are asked to believe that God will forgive us and take us to heaven because of what happened at Calvary. Those who cling to Jesus Christ with genuine faith shall inherit all God’s promises.
This episode also reminds us that sometimes God places us in an impossible situation. We see no good solution. Perhaps it is a serious family problem, a financial crisis, a neighbor problem, a health problem, or an employment difficulty. Whatever your impossible circumstance may be, it is a time of testing. God wants to know what you are made of, whether or not you will trust Him or give in to your circumstances. Abraham faced an impossible situation and decided to believe in the goodness and faithfulness of God, even though he did not understand why God asked him to sacrifice his son. He thought that if he kept his faith in God, it would work out for good. God would not ask him to do something without a righteous reason, even if Abraham did not know the reason.
Are you faced with a situation that seems hopeless? We all face such conditions as we go through life. We have two options. We can grit our teeth and continue to trust God and pray, daring to believe that He is working for our good even when we don’t understand, or we can give in to hopelessness. Job, amid his hopeless situation, cried out, “Even if God kills me, I will trust Him with my dying breath.”
The worst sin we can ever commit is not murder, theft, lying, or adultery. The worst sin we can commit is to give up on God, to stop trusting in Him. God kept His promise to Abraham to bless the world through his seed. That seed is the Lord Jesus Christ. Abraham was faced with a hopeless situation. Perhaps as he prepared to slay his son, he remembered how he had doubted God in the past, how his faith had failed when God promised him a son. Now God asked him to sacrifice that son who was born miraculously to Abraham and Sarah in their old age. God had proven his faithfulness, and so by faith, Abraham placed his son upon an altar of death.
Three generals were involved in a discussion regarding the faithfulness of their troops. Each one affirmed the superiority of his own soldiers. The general from Prussia brought one of his soldiers into the room and commanded him to jump out the window. The soldier responded, “But sir, that would result in my death.” The Austrian General called in one of his soldiers and gave the same command. He responded, “Sir, I would do it if I thought you were serious, but I can’t believe you mean for me to carry out this order.” Finally, the Russian general ordered one of his men to jump to his death, and the soldier walked quickly to the window, crossed himself, and prepared to jump. The general stopped him, having made his point that his men were the most obedient.
Beloved, God wants us to trust Him no matter what. If He calls us to a task we do not understand, He wants us to trust Him for grace to carry it out. If our faith fails once, or twice, or seven times, or seventy times seven, He wants us to get back up and trust Him yet again. If we are in an impossible situation, after we have done our worrying and fretting, He wants us to trust Him. He wants us to believe that He loves us, and that He will do what is best for us, even when our circumstances seem to be telling a different story. This was the faith of Abraham, the father of our faith. Abraham believed God, says our text and was declared to be a righteous man. God will declare you to be a righteous person as well, once you possess a faith that refuses to give up.
ENOCH
Warsaw Christian Church (2/21/2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Genesis 5:21-24: Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
There are lots of people in the Bible I would love to visit with: Peter, Paul, Samson, Deborah, Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and, of course, Jesus Himself. I am going to add Enoch to that list. Long before Jesus was born, in the early days of the biblical story, before Noah’s flood, we encounter this man. We don’t know much about him. He was the father of Methuselah and had other children. For 300 years, he walked with God, and then one day, he disappeared. God took him. Now you may wonder how I can get a 25-minute sermon from such scant information. Trust me!
I wondered why nothing is said about his spirituality until he is 65 years old and has a son, Methuselah? Perhaps Methuselah was a problem child who drove Enoch to God. Children can do that, can’t they? I don’t know, but the text does say that after the birth of the oldest man in the Bible, Enoch walked with God for 300 years. This brief biography is meant to teach us something, but what? Paul tells us that all Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable.
Let’s begin by thinking about that phrase, “He walked with God.” In Scripture, human life is often represented as a path or way. The following truths are packed into those four words, “He walked with God.”
- First, it implies a knowledge of God. The revelation of God was incomplete in the days of Enoch. Enoch must have embraced all the teaching that came down from Adam and Eve and those who followed. Also, much can be learned about God from nature. Paul affirmed that in Romans 1: “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…” Enoch looked at the heavens and understood the reality of an almighty Creator. He learned from Cain that God respects human life. He learned from Adam and Eve that sin, while a terrible thing, can be forgiven. Enoch understood the nature of God. His knowledge moved him to want to walk with God. All sound religion is based on knowledge. We cannot possibly love, worship, and serve an unknown God. In Acts 17, we learn there was a statue dedicated to an unknown god in ancient Greece. But how would you relate to an unknown god? How would you know what he desired? While Enoch did not have as much knowledge of God as is available to us, he knew enough to worship and serve God.
- We know Enoch was not free from sin. No human being except our Savior was free from sin. He no doubt practiced the sacrifices that were a part of ancient religion. He believed himself to be in harmony with God. Amos later wrote,” Can two walk together unless they agree.” Enoch walked with God, striving to please him and exercising repentance and sacrifice when he failed. Again, he didn’t know God the way we do with the final revelation we have received in the person and work of Jesus, but what he understood of God, he responded with faith and obedience. That is all any of us can do.
- We can assume that Enoch cheerfully obeyed the commands of God, as best he understood them. That is what it means to walk with God. We walk with God the same way – – – through faith and obedience. Those who are not cheerful about their relationship with God will not want to walk with Him. Submission is the best test to show where our hearts indeed are. I feel confident that Enoch stumbled in his obedience over that 300 years, but he was always striving to obey God in his heart.
- We can also assume that Enoch was a man of prayer. The one who walks with God also talks with God. As he practiced the presence of God, he grew ever stronger in faith. Those who commune with God become more Godlike in their daily walk. Paul expressed this idea in 2 Cor. 3:18: But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. Those who meditate upon the Lord regularly, gazing, as it were, upon His face, are transformed. As we pray, we focus our attention on the God we cannot see, and we reflect more and more the image of God in our person. I think we can assume that as Enoch walked with God, he also talked with God.
- We can also assume that Enoch was consistent in his walk with God. It was a walk that lasted 300 years. Some struggle to walk with God for a week, yet Enoch lived a consistent, godly life for 300 years. The more he walked with God, his knowledge of God increased, his faith became more robust; his hope became brighter, his obedience more complete. The age span for human life gradually declined after the flood, so we don’t have 300 years to walk with God. We have around 70 to 80 years. If Enoch walked with God for 300 years, perhaps we can do the same with our shorter life span.
- Before moving on, let’s pause and ask the question, “What does this story have to do with us?” Remember, Enoch was a mere man. He was not divine. He was not Jesus. Yet he was able to maintain a consistent godly life. I suggest that means we can do likewise. The world Enoch lived in was evil. In the very next chapter of Genesis, the great flood occurs. Wickedness was out of control, and the judgment of God fell. That is the kind of world in which Enoch lived. He refused to follow the example of the wicked but consistently walked with God. If he could do it, we can do it. Again, this does not mean perfection. It means that through faith, prayer, obedience, and repentance, we can continuously walk with God. Sometimes we use the phrase “nobody’s perfect” to excuse our bad behavior. We need to stop making excuses and replace excuses with repentance. Those who do so can walk with God.
Part two of Enoch’s story is revealed in the outcome. He went about his daily business, consistently manifesting faithfulness in a very hostile environment, probably being tormented and ridiculed by the wicked. “Come on Enoch! Let your hair down. Join us at the local brothel. Maybe if you drank more wine, you would not be so uptight about your religion.” We know that the godlier a person is, the more likely he is to be ridiculed. In any event, Enoch continued his walk with God, and one day he disappeared. He is one of two persons in Scripture who never died. The other is . . . Elijah. One day he was gone, for God took him. Hebrews 11:5 makes it clear that Enoch did not see death. As he walked with God, one day, he walked straight into heaven.
In my liberal days, I was told that the Old Testament is vague on eternal life. Some suggested it is not taught at all. Well, it is clearly taught here. Enoch was living on earth, and then he was suddenly taken to heaven to live with God. What a blessing to be exempt from death and decay! In a world overrun with wickedness, Enoch walked consistently with God. God decided to remove him from that hostile environment and transport him directly to heaven.
There are a few more practical applications we can derive from this brief biography. The New Testament teaches that there are many human beings who, like Enoch, will never undergo the experience of physical death. Paul wrote about this in 1 Thessalonians 4: “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. 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. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
Christians disagree about when this event, usually referred to as “the rapture,” will occur. I don’t want to get into that debate. Regardless of when it happens, we are told that when Christ returns, His people will rise to meet Him. The dead will rise first, and then those who are still alive will, like Enoch, be instantly transformed into their resurrection bodies without seeing death. Does this sound cool, or what?
Finally, to repeat and underscore earlier comments, Enoch should inspire everyone to follow his example. We cannot say that our environment is so bad that consistent faithfulness is impossible. The environment Enoch lived in was far worse than ours. We saw how bad things were last week when God destroyed the earth in the great flood. Enoch lived in that environment. We can’t say that human nature is not capable of consistent faithfulness. Enoch was a human being of like nature with us. It is true that we can never achieve moral perfection. We will always need the cross and its message of divine forgiveness. Yet, a life of consistent faithfulness is possible. Enoch practiced such a life. With God’s help, so can we.
NOAH
Warsaw Christian Church, (2/7/21) Rev. Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: Genesis 7:1-6; Matthew 24:36-44
I want to talk about Noah, adding a few thoughts from other portions of Scripture. Our Scripture readings simply remind us of the relationship between the Old Testament and the New. Paul uses an episode in the life of Moses to remind us that these ancient stories have relevance for us under the New Covenant. He says in verse six that the Old Testament stories are meant to serve as examples or amplifications, shedding light on the life and ministry of Jesus. The word “examples” in the text is the Greek word “tupos,” from which our word “types” derives. Thus, in the case of Moses, Abraham, Joseph – – – and Noah, they teach us things about Jesus. They are “types” or “examples” of Jesus.
Jesus Himself emphasized this when He said, “These are the words which I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures” (Luke 24:44,45). Jesus here declares that much that was written in the Old Testament pertained to His future life and ministry. The only Bible available to the early church was the Old Testament. They used the Old Testament to lead people to faith in Jesus. Jesus declares that the things we find written by Moses, the prophets and in the Psalms reveal things about Him. Our question for this morning is this: what can we learn about Jesus from the story of Noah?
Noah was a preacher of righteousness who was ignored in his day. There is a relationship between the days of Noah and the days that will precede the return of Jesus to planet earth.
First of all, Noah represents the truth that there is but one way of salvation. There was no fleet of boats in Noah’s day. God did not say, as many say today, “There are many paths to Me. I have prepared several arks, each one representing a different religion. You are free to take your pick.” No, you either entered Noah’s Ark, or you drowned. God seems to understand our need for things to be kept simple. The test that Adam and Eve faced was simple and clear cut. Eat and die, or obey and live. They made the wrong choice. God said to the world in Noah’s day, you have two choices: repent and return to me in response to the preaching of Noah, enter the ark, and live or die in the flood.
This illustrates very well the Gospel of Jesus. God does not say to the world, “Look, there are various religions out there. Pick the one you like best and be saved. Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity – – – it doesn’t matter; the choice is yours.” Many make such claims today, but the New Testament teaches otherwise. The simple choice facing humanity today is this: Trust Jesus, or spend eternity in hell. He is the one and only door leading to eternal life. Jesus declared in a verse I quote often, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Just as the people of Noah’s day had to decide whether or not to take Noah seriously, so people today have to decide whether or not to take Jesus seriously. Many prefer the wide path of religious diversity, a path which Jesus said leads to everlasting destruction. The way is narrow that leads to life, because Jesus alone is the Savior.
I believe some persons in our society confuse two things which we must separate in our minds. Religious toleration is an acceptable political position, but when we transfer it over to the spiritual realm, it is a disaster. Our government has said, “You are free to practice any religion or no religion and still be a good citizen.” I agree with that political position. However, if the church makes the same kind of statement, Jesus has been forsaken. The church can never say, “You can practice any religion you wish and still be in God’s good graces.” That is a blatant denial of Jesus Christ as He is revealed in Scripture. The church must declare with the apostle Peter that there is no name that can bring salvation other than the name of Jesus (see Acts 4:12). As far as the state is concerned, believe whatever you wish. As far as God is concerned, believe in Jesus, or be lost.
Noah’s Ark helps us grasp this truth. We can visualize the waters pouring down, with only one boat available for safety. We may even visualize people pounding on the door of the ark and crying out in fear, but Scripture tells us that God Himself shut the door. Once the judgment began, it was too late. In the same manner, we can visualize Jesus appealing to the world, “Come unto me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” He speaks to the world with utter sincerity, with a heart full of love, with an earnest desire to save us. Preachers all over this nation and the world proclaim this glorious message of redemption through the name of Jesus. Scripture assures us that all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved, but, just as in Noah’s Day, many simply will not respond. Many simply cannot believe that salvation is limited to Jesus, and so they refuse to enter the “ark.”
We learn a second lesson about salvation from Noah. Needless to say, once you entered the ark you had to remain. What would have happened if one of Noah’s three sons had declared, “I am sick and tired of life in this ark. I am going to abandon ship and swim for safety.” There was no safety to swim to apart from the ark. Once you were in the ark, you had to stay put. Some have speculated that with all those animals aboard, the stench must have been awful. But worse than the stench in the ark was the storm outside the ark. And if you exit the ark, you drown.
In the same way, once you trust in Jesus, faith must remain firm until the end. I wonder how many persons have declared faith in Jesus, became active in His church, and then later decided to abandon ship? How many persons are there who give lip service to Jesus, but in their hearts, they love themselves and the pleasures of life far more than they love Jesus. Confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, being baptized in His name and becoming active in His church means that you are in the ark of salvation. But please pay careful attention to what I am about to say now: Entering the ark was only the first step. Remaining there is the second step. Those who take step #1 and enter the ark, but choose not to remain there will enter into the waters of judgment.
Peter spoke clearly of this in 2 Peter 2:20-22. “For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.” This is a frightening text, one that we must heed carefully. It speaks of persons who have turned to Jesus Christ with faith, but then become so entangled again with the world to the extent that they gradually drift away from Jesus. Peter compares such to a pig which has been washed, but then returns to the muck and becomes filthy once again.
Coming to Jesus is a lifelong commitment. As the song we used to sing in church camp expresses it, “I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back.” Until that is the faith of our hearts, until the decision to trust Jesus becomes a decision we cling to “no matter what,” we run the risk of turning back. I don’t know if anyone on Noah’s Ark thought about turning back. Whatever their thoughts, whatever the hardships of life on the ark, whatever the stench of hundreds of animals, they remained, and they were saved. If you trust in Jesus and abide in faith until life’s end, you will most certainly be saved. But if you waver, and become entangled again with sin, selfishness and pleasure and turn away from Jesus, you will most certainly be lost unless you recognize what has happened and return to the only One who can save you.
What else can we learn from Noah that relates to Jesus? Have any of you ever tried to build a boat? My best friend in high school decided we would build a boat in his garage. For several weeks we sawed and hammered, ending up with a square box that looked more like a coffin that a boat. We reasoned, “Our boat is made of wood. Wood floats. Therefore our boat will float.” We later learned that there was a flaw in our logic. There was something about the principle of buoyancy we did not grasp. We dragged our boat a few blocks to nearby Wood Lake in suburban Minneapolis. We pushed our creation out onto the water. By the time we were in waist deep water, our boat was on the bottom. I suspect it is still there. We would have benefited from some professional guidance. Like the Titanic, the maiden voyage of our ship ended in disaster.
One thing we need to remember is that sailing on water had not entered man’s mind in the days of Noah. The human race, just like my friend and me, had no concept of how to build a ship that would float upon the water. God gave Noah detailed instructions on the construction of the ark. He didn’t just say, “Build a ship,” because Noah would have responded, “What is a ship?” Noah had to follow explicitly and in detail God’s instructions. He was given the dimensions, the materials to use, how to make it water tight. where to put the window and door, creating compartments on three different levels — detail after detail is recorded in Genesis about how to build the ark. Why? What is the point of explaining all that detail? What do we care about the details of ark construction?
It is a twofold reminder to us. First, we must learn carefully how God wishes to accomplish our salvation. The heart of the matter is trust in Jesus, but there is a lot of detail in Scripture explaining who this Jesus is, what He has done for us, how we are to respond to Him and how the Holy Spirit works in the salvation process, and the place of the church, the Christian community, in bringing us finally to the safety and glory of heaven. There is instruction about baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, and prayer, and a thousand other matters which we must learn and practice to enjoy the fullness of salvation.
I have probably said this before, but it fits in here so I shall say it again. I have heard people say, “I believe in God but I don’t really see the need of the church.” That would be like Noah saying, “I will build the ark, but I don’t see any need of following all that detail God has given.” What if Noah decided, “Why do I need to go to the trouble of covering this thing with pitch. That black, gooey stuff is nasty. I would never be able to get it off my hands and clothes. I think I’ll eliminate that step.” The pitch was to waterproof the ark. If Noah eliminated that step the ark would have leaked like the Titanic, and would have suffered the same fate.
The details of ark construction remind us of a second truth. Christianity is more than trusting Jesus and going to heaven when we die. It is an entire life and world view touching every aspect of life. The Bible is filled with detailed instructions which we ignore to our peril. Those instructions are meant to lead us to what Jesus called “life abundant.” While eternal life depends on faith in Jesus alone, the abundant life comes about by paying attention to everything Jesus taught. Just as Noah had to follow God’s instructions if the ark was to be sound, so we must follow God’s directions in Scripture if we hope to build a life that is sound.
This truth is underscored by another fact about the ark. This large floating zoo, the length of 1 and 1/2 football fields, 50 yards wide, with three levels, had no engine, no sail, no rudder. There was no way to steer the ship. Noah and his family were at the mercy of the wind and the waves. They had no choice but to trust God to keep the ship afloat and to arrive at a safe destination.
Do you see the application? Our navigational equipment is very faulty. If we try to sail through life trusting in our own intelligence and abilities, life will overwhelm us just as surely as the waters of Wood Lake overwhelmed my boat. We must adopt Noah’s attitude, admitting that we are not wise enough to make the choices we need to make in life. We need the wisdom of God to guide us every step of the way. The good news is that if we will trust Him, He has promised to direct our every step.
Summary: Noah’s Ark reinforces the New Testament teaching that Jesus alone can save us, that we must trust in Him, and continue to trust in Him throughout life, allowing Him to navigate us into the abundant life now, and eternal life in heaven. Noah cried out, “All aboard!” but no one listened. Jesus also cries out “all aboard!” Are you listening?
THE RISE AND FALL OF LUCIFER
Warsaw Christian Church, (1/24/2021) Richard M. Bowman, Pastor
Text: Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:11-19
12 How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! 13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly on the heights of Zaphon; 14 I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High.”
I have two texts, the one I read from Isaiah and the text from Ezekiel 28, which I did not read but will refer to briefly. In our study of Genesis, we have seen the appearance of an entity called the devil or Satan. The question many have asked is this: how did evil enter the world in the first place? Adam and Eve fell into sin after being tempted by the devil. We saw the results in the lives of their two sons. Cain killed his brother over the proper way to worship God. .
But where did this devil originate? Genesis tells us that everything God created was good. This question has puzzled theologians for centuries. We do not want to say that God was the cause of evil, but how else could evil enter the picture unless God is somehow behind it?
Scripture leads us to the following conclusions. There is an order of beings created by God called angels. These beings were present when God created the heavens and the earth. Angels are superior to human beings, but they also share some characteristics with humanity. They are personal beings with minds and wills. They seem to possess the same freedom we possess.
While we are not given much detail, we learn from 2 Peter 2:4 that some angels sinned. In Revelation 12:7, we know that Satan was cast down to the earth, along with the angels who followed him. Thus, while angels were created by God and said to be good, a group of them rebelled against God, led by one who was probably an archangel, equal in rank to Michael, namely, Satan.
Satan tempted Adam and Eve to rebel against God, but who tempted Satan? In a universe created by God with nothing in it except goodness, how did Satan and the angels who joined with him fall into temptation and sin? We receive some clues in our two texts from Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28
There was no evil present in the angelic realm to seduce him. Adam and Eve blamed Satan for their fall. Who can Satan blame? The answer is found in the five “I will” statements found in Isaiah. One need not have an external tempter to fall into sin. Just as sin and disobedience can arise in the human heart without any external tempter, this is what happened to Satan. Notice how James expresses it: “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust” (James 1:13,14). Yes, Satan can tempt us to do evil, but we are quite capable of choosing to do evil without Satan’s involvement. God’s word declares that our internal desires can lead us into sin. It was Satan’s desires which led to his fall.
We assume from various Scripture texts that Satan was created good. He was both beautiful and powerful. As an archangel, the highest order of angels, he had immense authority to serve under God’s direction. While we long for more details, they are scant. The New Testament seems to suggest that Satan may have had a special authority over planet earth.
We assume from our text in Isaiah 14 that Satan engaged in some introspection and became quite impressed with his great power, wisdom, and beauty. So impressed was he with himself that the thought entered his mind, “I am as great or greater than God.” Remember one of Satan’s words to Eve? – – – “You shall be like God.” He tempted her with the same thought that entered his mind. Pride entered the heart of this magnificent being, and he fell from his lofty position in heaven and became the one we call “Satan.” Listen to what Satan “said in his heart. I will ascend into heaven.” The implication here is that he can do this on his own. He can move into heaven and function as “god.” Next, he thinks, “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God.” He sees his throne as having more status than the very throne of God. His throne shall be above the throne of God. His final, personal reflection tells the story. He looks inward at his majesty and thinks, “I will be like the most high.” Satan decides to be his own “god,” thus eliminating the true God from the picture.
What turned this holy and magnificent angel into a devil? In a word, pride. In the Ezekiel passage, we read, “Your heart became proud because of your beauty” (28:17). Isaiah says that rather than becoming a second “god,” Satan will be brought down to hell. Those angels he convinced to follow him will suffer his fate. More relevant to us, we also will share in Satan’s future if we fall under his deceptive spell. For reasons not told to us, God allows Satan and his minions to operate in this world. While Satan has been defeated by Jesus, He still roams the earth seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). He desires our allegiance and uses deception to gain it (2 Thess. 2:9).
If Satan appeared to us in a red suit with a pitchfork in hand and horns protruding from his head and called upon us to fall down and worship him, we would refuse to do so. However, Satan rarely presents himself to us as the evil being he has become. Instead, he uses deception. Paul says he pretends to be an “angel of light” (2 Cor. 10:13). He pretends to be on the side of goodness, beauty, and truth to deceive us into giving him our allegiance
It would seem that one reason God allows Satan to operate is to continually test the human race regarding our allegiance. Adam and Eve were tempted and fell. Satan’s own exalted opinion of himself tempted him, and he fell. We live in a world today where two forces vie for our allegiance; God and Satan. God promises to receive us as His dear children if we will give our minds and hearts to Jesus Christ, trusting Him as Savior and following Him as Lord. Satan’s single aim is to turn us away from Jesus by any possible means. He will promise us the moon in order to turn us away from Jesus.
Once we understand why Satan fell, we are in an excellent position to know why he is so successful with so many. Satan and his hordes want you to believe in yourself, in your importance. Satan wants you to feel proud of yourself. He wants to build up your ego. In contrast, to come to Jesus, we must admit that we are sinners; we must humble ourselves and allow Jesus to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. We must ask Him to guide us, admitting that without His help, we will go astray. Satan leads us to take control of our lives. Jesus teaches us to yield control unto Him.
The way of Jesus is the way of humility. The method of Satan is the way of pride. Just as Satan rejoiced in his beauty, wisdom, and power, he wants you to do likewise. He wants you to imagine that you are superior to others in some way and to use that superiority to your own advantage. Even if you are religious and go to church, if Satan can persuade you to have an exalted opinion of yourself, he has you in his control. If he can convince you to live your life and make your decisions in ways that promote y-o-u, Satan has you in his hip pocket.
In the late 6th Century, Pope Gregory the Great devised a list of seven deadly sins. Notice how they all revolve around self. Pride heads the list. It is an excessive belief in one’s own abilities that interferes with the individual’s recognition of God’s grace. Envy is pride that is wounded and wants to possess that which belongs to another. Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than one requires. It wants to satisfy the self, whatever the cost in terms of health and appearance. Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body. It is the self saying, “Why should I limit my physical pleasures to one spouse.” Anger is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is also known as wrath. It is the self throwing a tantrum because of some perceived injury or being deprived of something. Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain while ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is the self wanting more and more and more, never finding satisfaction. Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work. The self says, “Why should I put myself out for others or for God?”
We don’t think of seven deadly sins today. Sin is sin, but it is worthy to note that when Gregory made a list of the seven deadly sins, —Pride, ego, self, selfishness —were at the center of all seven. This is how we can tell when Satan is guiding us. Whenever we are overly concerned about having our feelings hurt, when pride and egotism and self-centeredness seem to have control of our hearts, it is not the Holy Spirit who is guiding us. Those are the fingerprints of Satan. When the Holy Spirit is guiding us, humility replaces pride. God’s will, not our ego, becomes the item of utmost concern.
One final word, and I believe it is good news. Satan cannot compel you to do anything. He did not force Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. He deceived her into thinking it would be of benefit. She made the final choice. Comedian Flip Wilson popularized the phrase, “The devil made me do it,” but the devil cannot make you do anything. All he can do is tempt, entice, suggest, while hiding behind his favorite disguise – – – the human ego.
Look at our society. Look at our movies, television, books, advertisements, and ask this question. Is our society focused more on pride or humility? Is our culture pushing people toward Jesus or away from Him? I see lots of Medicare ads encouraging you to get what you are entitled to. Who can doubt that Joe Namath is telling the truth? It is an appeal to ego. Most of our advertisers appeal to our pride and ego. I have yet to see an ad suggesting that you buy their less expensive products so you will have more to give to the church or the needy! There are even ministries that promise you double your money back if you support them. Give $100 and receive $200 back. What a deal! It is a blatant appeal to pride.
Scripture tells us that the devil goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). He cannot devour a person whose heart belongs to Jesus. He is looking for persons who are vulnerable to pride. Pride was his downfall, and he wants to drag you down with him. But take heart! He cannot do it without your permission. He cannot destroy your soul if you have taken hold of Jesus and then asked Him to take hold of your life. Satan is wise and powerful, but he is no match for the Son of God.
James says, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” How do we do that? Let me give you the simple, basic answer. If thoughts of pride, self, or ego enter your heart, assert your faith in Jesus, and the devil will leave you alone. If envy tries to make inroads into your soul, assert your faith in Jesus, and the devil will flee. If you are tempted toward greed, affirm your faith in Jesus, and the devil will turn tail. If the devil knocks on the door of your heart and says, “I wish to speak to the head of this house,” tell him, “Jesus Christ is the head of this house,” and Satan will flee. Satan is looking for persons who lack a firm faith in Jesus Christ, for such persons are susceptible to pride, and the wisest human person is no match for Satan. He will sift you like wheat, even as Jesus so warned Peter. Those upon whom Jesus has a firm grip cannot be deceived and led astray by Satan. If one of those seven deadly sins takes priority in your life that is an open invitation to Satan to influence you away from Jesus. Hold firmly to your faith in Jesus and the devil will leave you alone.
ABEL AND CAIN
Warsaw Christian Church, (1/17/2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Genesis 4:1-8
Once Adam and Eve decided to disregard God’s Word, things went downhill. Before we move into the very instructive story of Cain and Abel, we need to return to Adam and Eve for just a moment. When they sinned against God, Genesis 3 tells us that they felt a compulsion to cover their nakedness, using the well-known fig leaf. However, at the end of the chapter, we learn that God was not satisfied with fig leaves. He clothed them with animal skins.
So what? Two things need to be said. First, Adam and Eve could not cover their sins. It had to be done by God. When God clothed them in animal skins, He hinted at what was later to become a clear principle. In order for sin to be forgiven, blood must be shed. This covering of Adam and Eve with animal skins was followed in time by the whole Jewish system of animal sacrifices, leading finally to the Messiah’s shedding of blood. The principle is stated clearly in Hebrews 9:22: “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin.” What is said so clearly later in Scripture is revealed faintly in Genesis. Keep this in mind as we look at the story of Cain and Abel.
Adam and Eve were promised that the woman’s seed would crush the serpent’s head, thus nullifying Satan’s hold on the human race. They may have entertained the idea that Eve herself would bear this child. This hope is hinted at with the birth of Cain. “Cain” is a Hebrew word that suggests strength, power, self-assertion — a strong man of God. Some believe that the name “Cain” was given because of the belief he would be the promised deliverer. Adam and Eve may have entertained the hope that Cain would crush the serpent’s head and defeat Satan.
While we do not see a lot of detail, Cain turned out to be a big disappointment. Today, we might refer to him as a spoiled brat. He is egotistical and self-centered. By the time their second son was born, Adam and Eve seem to have given up the idea that Eve would deliver the redeemer. The name “Abel” means “emptiness.” I would not be too pleased if my parents named me “Empty Bowman!” But after being disappointed by Cain, they now choose a less pretentious name for their second son.
In our text, we learn several important truths about how we are to approach God, Cain’s way, and Abel’s way. The two boys went in different directions in terms of occupation. Cain was a tiller of the ground, while Abel tended sheep. Once again, we have to fill in some blanks to understand the text. We can assume that Adam and Eve instructed both boys on how to worship God. They remembered their sin could not be “covered” by fig leaves. Blood had to be shed so they could be clothed in animal skins. We can assume this information had been communicated to Cain and Abel. At this early stage in revelation history, the only proper way to approach God was through blood atonement.
Cain, however, like his parents, decides to take matters into his own hands. He probably reasoned, “Since I work in agriculture, it makes sense to me to bring a grain offering to God. Why should I sacrifice one of my animals?” And so, disregarding specific instructions that God had given to his parents, he offers God a grain offering. He is probably hoping that God will praise him for his ingenuity, and as a result, he may receive some special divine favor. Abel presents the firstborn from his flock, as instructed, and offers his sacrifice with a humble and contrite heart. We infer this from what God says in the text: And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering, he had no regard.
Notice that God was not pleased either with Cain or his offering. In contrast, He was pleased both with Abel and the offering he presented. Cain, the eldest, who’s name means strength and power, turns out to be a rebel against God. Abel, whose name means “Empty,” turns out to be a man full of faith.
We can only guess about Cain’s attitude problem. From the way he reacted to God’s effort to discipline him, it seems clear that he did not take worship very seriously. Oh, he showed up for church (so to speak), but he was casual about it. He had no real reverence for God. He had no regard for God’s specific instructions. When God sought to correct him, his evil character is revealed in living color. He becomes angry, and his heart is full of jealousy toward his brother. He finds his brother and slays him.
He seems to be saying, “I ought to be able to worship God any way I choose. I did my duty, and God rejects me. I brought an excellent grain offering, but God is so narrow-minded he wouldn’t accept it. So what if I worshipped God in a wrong spirit? I did show up, and I presented a sacrifice, and God ought to be more open and affirming towards me. And, to top it all off, my empty-headed little brother, Abel, goody-two-shoes, gains God’s approval. I am the eldest, and God should respect that. I will show God and my brother that I will not be treated in such an unjust fashion.” And so, he kills Abel, and like his parents, probably blamed God for his deed.
With Abel, it is different. Jesus Himself referred to Abel as a “righteous man” in Matthew 23:35. Abel approached God in the right spirit. It cost him his life.
A key question in seeking to understand Scripture is to ask the question, “What does this have to do with me?” Let’s make some applications, seeking to answer three questions: Why do we worship? What is the proper attitude for worship? What is the appropriate form of worship?
First, why do we worship? I have heard people say, “I don’t get anything out of a church service, so I quit going.” Let’s be clear on this matter. This church and this worship service are not intended to please you (or me). We do not pick music, prayers, sermons, Scripture readings, or anthems designed to please you. I hope this doesn’t offend anyone, but we must get this fact on the table. We worship to please God. It’s not about us; it’s about God.
If your concern when you enter a sanctuary is to respond only to those things that please you, you have gone the way of Cain. Remember his problem? Cain was satisfied with his worship. He was pleased with his offering. He could have been singing, “I did it my way.” It was all about Cain, and God’s will did not seem to matter.
We are not here for our sakes, but God’s sake. We do not attend church to please ourselves. We worship here to please God. Those who fail to understand this principle may be in church, but they are not worshipping. You can only worship when your primary motive is to please God. Of course, a fringe benefit of true worship is that we are blessed. God does bless us when our worship is focused on Him and carried out entirely for His sake. He never blesses us when we fold our arms in church and say in our hearts, “What’s in it for me.”
People leave churches for various reasons. Often, the motive has to do with one’s personal preferences. If the service is too long, or the music not to our liking. If the service is too formal or too informal, or the preaching does not suit us. If expectations are not met in some manner, many will leave a church and search for a church that pleases their personal preferences. Dear friends, I am not seeking to offend anyone, but please understand that such attitudes are focused on the human ego. The question we need to ask about the worship taking place in this church is not, “Does it please me?” but rather, “Does it please God?“
I am not suggesting that we try to pretend that we have no personal preferences. If I had my way, we would sing “A Mighty Fortress is our God” every Sunday, preferably in German! I am suggesting that our personal preferences need to move into a secondary position. If we worship God properly, our first thought must be on what pleases Him and not on what pleases us. Our heart’s desire must be to please Him. If we enter into a worship service like Cain, thinking that we are free to do whatever we like with whatever attitude suits us, and God can take it or leave it, I assure you, He will leave it. If you can check your ego at the door and enter into this sanctuary with one desire – – – to worship God, true worship that pleases God will take place even if some elements of the service do not please you!
Our second and third questions have to do with the proper attitude required for true worship and the appropriate elements that make up a worship service. How do we know what God wants us to do when we gather together? Is it up to us? Again, that was Cain’s attitude. Abel’s attitude was different. He wanted to worship God with the right attitude and in the right way.
Of course, times have changed since Cain and Able entered into worship. We are living today under the New Covenant, and our worship must conform to that covenant. However, two aspects of worship remain the same today as when Abel and Cain worshipped. The first has to do with attitude, and the second has to do with form. First, a right heart such as Abel possessed is still required. Those who worship aright today enter into the sanctuary with a sincere desire to draw near to God. If we are performing a duty, true worship does not happen. If we are sitting in church thinking, “I can’t wait until this is over,” we are not worshipping. Jesus, quoting Isaiah, warned of the danger of paying Him lip service while their hearts were far from Him. Hear His words from Matthew 15:7-9: “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: ” ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain…”
If you find your lips moving as you say the Lord’s prayer, or when you sing hymns of praise while your heart is elsewhere, you may be in church, but you are not worshipping. Jesus refers to such persons as hypocrites and describes their worship as vain or empty. It is not an easy matter to worship God. It takes concentration; it takes a real desire to honor God; it takes a heart that truly seeks God. As I prepared this message, I had to confess to God that I have spent too much time in vain worship. You may need to join me, admitting your guilt and asking God to help you stay focused when you enter into this sanctuary. Worship is all about honoring God, acknowledging Him as our Creator and Redeemer, but God is not glorified when our minds wander and our hearts are not focused on Him.
The second element of continuity between today and Cain and Abel’s days is the shedding of blood. I attended church regularly from my birth until I was almost 30 years old, but I never worshiped God in all that time. I sang; I joined in prayers; sometimes, I even tried to listen to the sermon; I took communion, but one crucial element was missing. I neither understood nor believed that the suffering of Jesus had anything to do with me. The “stuff” I brought with me into the worship service was like Cain’s offering. True worship occurs when we understand and believe that our ability to draw near to God derives from one source: the shed blood of Jesus.
Abel approached God with a blood sacrifice, and so must we. We now understand that the Old Covenant’s animal sacrifices were to help prepare us for the boundless gift made by the Son of God. There is but one narrow path leading us into the presence of God, a path the width of the Cross of Jesus. To worship God, you must approach Him in the name of Jesus, trusting that His blood has covered your sin and uncleanness. Sincerity, the right attitude, is critical, but not enough. We must draw near to God both in the right spirit and in the right way. In our church, we celebrate communion each Lord’s Day. We do it because our founders believed that was the practice of the church in the New Testament. They saw Acts 20:7 as a pattern to be followed in the church in every age and generation. “On the first day of the week, … we … gathered together to break bread. .” But there is more to it than simply following a church tradition. What better way is there to remember that our ability to draw near to God is based on our Savior’s shed blood than to celebrate the Lord’s Supper each Lord’s Day? The bread and the cup are constant reminders that there is only one person who ever pleased God, and it is not you or me. Jesus alone has pleased the Father, and we can only approach the Father through His atoning death. If you wish to worship God in spirit and in truth, draw near to the throne of grace through the blood of Jesus.
Finally, true worship must be rooted in Scripture. When we worship, we do several things: we sing hymns because hymn singing is part of the biblical pattern. We offer prayers because prayers are part of the biblical pattern. We read the Scriptures because that is part of the biblical pattern. We receive an offering because that is part of the biblical pattern. We preach Christ and biblical truth because that is part of the biblical pattern. Everything we do in worship must have a biblical foundation if our worship is pleasing to God.
I close with a summary of the ground we have covered this morning. True worship requires a sincere heart; true worship can only take place when Jesus Christ and Him crucified is the focal point, and the elements of worship must be biblically based. How are you doing in this holy duty? Are you Abel, or are you, Cain?
ADAM AND EVE
(THE GOSPEL IN GENESIS)
Warsaw Christian Church, (1/10/2021) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Genesis 3:1-15
Let’s begin with a few questions. What did Adam and Eve do when they got kicked out of the garden? They raised a little Cain. Why did Adam and Eve have such a great marriage? Adam couldn’t talk about his mother’s superior cooking, and Eve couldn’t mention all the other men she should have married. Okay, now let’s get serious.
Many wonder, “How did we get into this mess?” If a good and powerful Creator made the heavens and the earth and everything in them, where did evil come from? Today our focus will be on evil as it originated in the human race. Later, we will talk about Satan’s origin, the Tempter, who led Adam and Eve into sin in the guise of a snake.
Many wonder whether the story of Adam and Eve is real history or a fictional account. I accept it as a history for several reasons. First, no one could know how the human race began apart from revelation. I do not find it so unbelievable that God would start the human race with an initial pair. Further, the genealogy of Jesus in Luke’s Gospel traces back to Adam. Luke believed Adam was historical. In 1 Cor. 15:22 Paul states, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.” Paul, an inspired Apostle, believed Adam to be historical. He argues that Adam created the human problem of sin, and Christ has resolved that problem. All of this implies that when we speak of Adam and Eve, we speak of real history.
Our first parents lived in an ideal environment. The Garden of Eden supplied everything they needed. It was heaven on earth. How could anything ever go wrong? When God created Adam and Eve in His image, there was one issue to be resolved. All the living creatures on earth fulfill God’s plan for their lives because they are programmed to behave in specific ways. They have no choice. Humans are different. Like God, we can reason, think, and make choices.
If God had made us like the other animals, we would do exactly what God wanted, but only because we were so programmed. Adam and Eve received a mind. They could think and make choices. The issue was simple: if God gave them a negative command, would they choose to follow it? The command was clear and straightforward: Adam, you may eat from all the trees in the garden, except one. And please notice the name God assigned to this tree. They were not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It was not an apple tree!
Before the Fall took place, Adam and Eve knew only the good. They were in intimate fellowship with their Creator, a God who is altogether virtuous. If they obeyed His will, they would experience nothing but goodness, and they would have lived forever in Paradise.
In their unfallen state, they could only know good from evil by listening to God. He pointed out to them one particular behavior they must carefully avoid. If they ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they would die.
Notice how Satan tempted Eve, for his methods remain the same throughout history. First, he causes her to question whether or not she heard right. The Tempter assures her that she may have thought God said, “You shall die,” but surely, God could not have made such a statement. Satan assures her, “You will not die.” Perhaps we can try to read Eve’s mind. Maybe she began to think, “God is a good God, and it makes no sense that He would judge us so harshly for such a minor infraction. Maybe I didn’t understand God’s warning. He has said we might eat of all the trees in the garden, so why would He not want us to eat of this tree, which is so beautiful and has such appealing fruit? Perhaps this serpent is leading me to a higher view of God. Surely God’s goodness would not allow Him to make such a prohibition. We have been in intimate fellowship with Him. Why would He kill us?”
Satan then drops his big bomb. “Eve, if you eat of this fruit, you will be like God. You can decide what is good and evil without God’s help.” Might she have thought, “This makes sense. God is good, and if I become like God, I will be good. I won’t have to bother God in the future. I will become free and autonomous.” Satan even hinted that God was jealous of His divine prerogatives and was trying to keep Adam and Eve in a subservient role. Eve concluded that this voice, which contradicted the voice of God, was speaking the truth. She concluded that either she misunderstood the command or God lied. The tree looked harmless; the fruit looked good, so she ate and convinced Adam that he should also eat. Sin entered into the human race, and we have been suffering ever since.
There are three primary stages involved in this temptation. We do well to note them because we will confront them in our daily lives. (1). Satan cast doubt on the Word of God. (2). He suggested that there are no consequences to disobedience. (3) He affirmed that we could be our own “god” and live independently of the True God. Let us take a closer look at these three aspects of temptation.
SATAN CAST DOUBT ON THE WORD OF GOD. If we learn nothing else from the Fall of Adam and Eve, I hope we understand that God means what He says. Adam and Eve died that day. They continued their physical life, but they died in a more significant sense: they experienced separation from God (spiritual death), and in time their bodies died (physical death), and had God not intervened, they would have gone to hell (second death). Learn this principle well: GOD ALWAYS KEEPS HIS WORD. Whether His word is in the form of a promise or a threat, it will come to pass.
God told Noah He would destroy the earth, and it was so. God said He would destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, and it was so. God promised to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt, and they were delivered. God promised Israel that if they wanted to be like the nations around them and have a king, it would bring disaster to them, and it was so. God told Adam and Eve that disobedience would bring death, and death entered into the human race. God has issued a clear threat, “The soul that sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). Do you believe Him? Do you believe that your soul will die forever in hell unless God intervenes? On the positive side, God has intervened, promising that all who believe in His Son shall not perish but have eternal life. Do you believe Him? Do you think your unbelieving friends and relatives will finally go to heaven even though they give no evidence of faith in Jesus? Never doubt what God has declared in His Word. Your salvation depends upon your learning to take God at His Word.
Today, our world is full of people who question and doubt God’s direct word, just as Eve did. Jesus said that He and He alone could bring a human soul into the Kingdom of God, but churches all over this nation preach and teach that there are many paths to God. Jesus said, “I am the way,” but others say, “There are many ways.” God declares that His Word is forever accurate. Jesus declared that heaven and earth would pass away, but His Word would never pass away. Dear friends, I implore you to take God’s Word with the utmost seriousness. If you do not, you will learn too late the truthfulness of God. God never speaks an idle, thoughtless Word. He says what He means, and He means what He says.
Second, SATAN SUGGESTED THAT THERE ARE NO CONSEQUENCES TO DISOBEDIENCE. Many in our day admit that they sin against God, but they don’t see it as a serious matter. I have conducted many funerals over the years, and in every case, I hear things like, “He’s gone to a better place,” or “I know my loved one is in heaven.” I always hope for the best, too, but I have heard such comments about persons who gave no evidence at all of faith in Jesus. I suspect many people believe that God will save everyone, or at least that He will save our loved ones whether or not they evidence faith in Jesus Christ.
We are like the young lady in the book, A View from the Zoo. She had a baby raccoon named “bandit” she raised as a pet. A zookeeper cautioned her that raccoons go through a glandular change around age 2, and that her raccoon might attack her. She smiled and said, “I know that Bandit would never harm me. He just wouldn’t.” Three months later, the girl was undergoing plastic surgery for severe lacerations on her face. Her adult raccoon, for no apparent reason, attacked her.
Are you like this young lady? God has warned you about the dangers and consequences of sin, but perhaps you think, “it will be different with me. I will be okay. God surely would not send me to hell.” Eve concluded that disregarding God’s command was a small matter, but she paid a high price when she learned, GOD MEANS WHAT HE SAYS. No exceptions, no loopholes, no excuses. Adam and Eve tried to explain to God that they were not to blame. Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent, but God held all three accountable. He will hold me responsible too, and you.
Third, SATAN AFFIRMED THAT WE CAN BE OUR OWN “GOD” AND LIVE INDEPENDENTLY OF THE TRUE GOD. Adam and Eve learned that trying to decide what is good or evil without God’s help was not such a good idea after all. Instead of becoming like God, as Satan promised, they became like Satan. Many today live as if they were “god.” I will decide how to spend my time and my money. I will determine what is right and wrong for myself. I will be the master of my fate, the captain of my soul. I will decide what is best for me. I will determine how much time and energy I will give to Christ and His church. I will not bother to learn much about what God says. I don’t need to attend Bible study classes. I will live my life as I see fit and hope for the best.
I recall hearing one atheist say that if God wanted to send him to hell for refusing to believe in His Son, so be it. He stated there was not enough evidence to cause him to trust in Jesus. He added that a God who would send someone to hell simply because they did not believe in Jesus is not worthy of worship. I hope that man sees things differently before death strikes him down. Like Eve, he has blatantly denied the truthfulness of God’s Word.
The bottom line we need to learn from the Fall of Adam and Eve is this: Take God at His word. Believe that our decisions for or against God will have consequences. A person who wishes to be his own God, determining his life course, is a spiritual fool. Fortunately for Adam and Eve, after they sinned against God, they heard a word of grace. They listened to the first, primitive announcement of the Gospel. Did you catch that in the text? God said to the serpent, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring (seed) and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Notice the first announcement of hope after the Fall. God spoke to Satan, telling him that because of his sin in leading Eve astray, the day would come when a child would be born of a woman, a child who would redeem fallen humanity and destroy Satan.
The Hebrew text refers to the “seed” (zerah, a seed) of the woman. It does not say that a future human couple shall bear a child, but that a child born of the seed of woman will defeat Satan. How can a child be born simply through the seed of a woman, without a man’s participation? Satan later tempted Jesus, asking Him to renounce God and worship Satan (See Matthew 4). Having again failed, Satan sought to destroy the seed of the woman at Calvary. There we see the fulfillment of the promise that Satan would bruise the heel of the Messiah, but Satan himself would be issued a death blow, the crushing of his head. When Jesus was crucified, Satan thought he had finally defeated God and His promise to redeem fallen humanity, but it was the death of Jesus that God used to usher in our salvation. Rather than destroying Jesus, it was a mere “bruising of His heel” since the grave could not hold Him. His resurrection administered the death blow to Satan and his long efforts to defeat God.
You may have noticed that Mel Gibson, in his film of the Passion, showed Jesus crushing the head of a serpent with his heal in the Garden of Gethsemene. Gibson was directing us back to Genesis 3. The enmity between the Son of God and Satan continues to this day. However, the decisive battle was fought and won at Calvary, and all who trust in Jesus receive deliverance from Satan’s dominion.
There is no record that Adam and Eve ever asked God if there was any way they could recover from the damnation they created for themselves. God, in His grace and mercy, promised them deliverance even though they had not requested it. God, unsolicited, bestowed the promise of a Savior to Adam and Eve, even though they showed no signs of remorse or repentance. Their initial response was to try to hide from God, followed by the blame game. How will God respond to us if we call upon His name, admit we are sinners, and place our trust in the Savior? Will He not instantly receive us as His dear children and grant us pardon and eternal life?
That which began as a veiled promise in Genesis 3 came to perfect and complete fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Our first parents refused to believe God’s Word and plunged the human race into darkness. The way out of our mess is to reverse our first error, to take God as His Word, daring to believe that Jesus is the promised seed of the woman and that all who believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Those who doubt the truthfulness of Scripture, and who delude themselves into thinking that disregarding God’s Word will not bring any serious consequences, and who decide they can be their own “god,” will learn too late that GOD MEANS WHAT HE SAYS.
BIG BANG OR BIG GOD?
Warsaw Christian Church, (1/3/21) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text, Gen. 1:1-5
Today we turn our attention to the Old Testament. While the Christian Church is often described as a New Testament Church, you must also embrace the Old Testament if you believe the New Testament. While there are things in the Old Testament that do not pertain directly to us (dietary laws, ceremonies, etc.) there is also significant continuity between the Old Covenant and the New. Jesus often quoted from the Old Testament, affirming its divine authority. Indeed, much that we find in the New Testament doesn’t make sense unless we grasp the Old Testament teachings. We begin with the only historical account of creation on record, Genesis 1.
Of course, many who consider themselves to be sophisticated moderns would laugh at what I just said. Many, even in the church, assume Genesis to be a mythical story. The problem is that no one was present to witness creation, except the Creator. Some attempt to account for the universe keeping God out of the picture. In the beginning, was the Big Bang, and as luck would have it, this original mindless explosion resulted in the orderly universe in which we live. Further luck was involved in the creation of life from lifeless matter, which has evolved over billions of years, resulting in such complexities as the human brain and mind, our marvelous senses, the wide variety in the animal kingdom, and the plant world. Speaking personally, I do not have enough faith to believe that this universe is the result of a mindless explosion billions of years ago.
Suppose I drove up to your house in a brand new Mercedes-Benz. Suppose I said, “I made this car myself. I threw a bunch of metal and other raw materials into a pile, then I blew it up with dynamite, and the result was this beautiful automobile.” I think you would suspect I had lost my mind. You would say, “A mindless, random explosion could never produce that automobile. It is clearly the result of intelligence.” I ask you to view something far more complicated than an automobile. Glance around at the universe, the sun, moon and stars, the earth, a newborn baby – – – contemplate the immensity and complexity of it all, and you will join with Moses in declaring, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
Dr. George Wald, a Nobel prize winner from Harvard University, who rejects the idea of God creating the universe, made this strange admission. “One has only to contemplate the magnitude of this task to concede that the spontaneous generation of a living organism is impossible. Yet here we are – – as a result, I believe in spontaneous generation.” This scientist claims that living beings coming into existence spontaneously, with no Creator is impossible. Yet, he believes the impossible. He affirms that “nothing” spontaneously generated “something.” Talk about blind faith! I am not a Nobel Prize winner or a physicist, but to believe that the universe generated spontaneously from nothing is absurd. “Nothing” cannot cause anything, let alone this vast, complex universe we call home. It is much more logical to say that nothing is all you will ever have if you start with nothing. It is much more reasonable to say that God created the heavens and the earth in the beginning.
Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727), a great scientist and a Christian had a universe model made for his personal study. A large golden ball represented the sun, and through the use of pulleys and wheels, all the planets revolved around the sun in roughly the same way they orbited in reality. One of Newton’s friends, a man who did not believe in God, came by one day and marveled at this mechanical representation of the universe. He asked Newton, “Who made it for you.” Newton replied (no doubt with a twinkle in his eye), “Nobody.” His friend replied, “What do you mean, nobody made it?” Newton “explained” that all these materials just appeared in his laboratory one day, and by chance and luck, they just happened to assemble into a model of the universe. One can only hope that his friend got the point.
While I would love to spend more time on the abundant evidences for creation by God, that is not my primary purpose today. Instead, I want to move on to what we learn about God in the story of creation. We learn, first of all, that God is eternal. Genesis begins with the sublime words, “In the beginning, God…” We live in time, and we might want to ask the question, “What was God doing before He created the heavens and the earth.” It is a question for which we have no answer. God wishes us to know that He existed before time, outside of time, in eternity. As the Psalmist expressed it, “From everlasting to everlasting, you are God” (Psalm 90:2). Nehemiah declared, “Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you (Neh. 9:5,6). God has no beginning and no end. Genesis 1 introduces us to the eternal God.
I admit that the idea of a Being existing without beginning or end challenges our brainpower to the limit. And yet, given the fact that as Dr. Ward put it, “Here we are,” there is no adequate explanation for reality as we know it apart from the existence of our eternal God.
We learn further from Genesis 1 that God is creative. There is a unique word in Genesis 1:1; the Hebrew word “bara“ translated “created.” It is never used regarding human beings. Humans can make things out of pre-existing materials, but they cannot create something from nothing. God spoke the material universe into existence. The atoms and molecules that are the building blocks of the material universe were, first of all an idea in God’s mind, and then He spoke them into existence. The vastness of the universe, and its variety, reveal the creative mind of God. Who can imagine a Being who can create the planets and the stars, with so much empty space between them? The distances in space are measured in light-years, and our minds are staggered by the size of our universe. Who can imagine a Being who can create the human mind, our intricate senses, a delicate rose, the beautiful butterflies, and all the various variety we see in the world around us? Even Charles Darwin was fascinated by the human eye’s complexity and admitted that his theory of evolution could not account for it. The only explanation Darwin or any other evolutionist can give for any phenomena in the universe is to say, “It happened by chance.”
God’s creative power seen in the visible universe presents to us the reality of a God who cannot be fully grasped by the human mind. I can take a few boards and make a rough garden box and boast of my creative ability. What must God be like who can create this vast, incomprehensible universe by merely speaking it into existence? He is creative and powerful beyond human conception. The Psalmist was correct when he said, “The heavens declare the glory of God . . .” (19:1). God spoke through the prophet Isaiah, asking the question, “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One” (40:25). The answer is that there is nothing comparable to our Creator God. None can claim to be His equal. The only hope we have of ever understand the awesome reality of God is through revelation. We can know that God exists through nature, but what is He like? To answer that question, He must reveal Himself to us. Through the written revelation that we call the Bible, he has done that, and through the personal revelation, we know as Jesus, the Son of God.
From Genesis 1, we learn that God exists in eternity and that He created our time and space universe through His creative word. We know a third fact about God in Genesis 1:1. When we think of the word “God,” we may think of the Old Testament name “Jehovah/,” but that name for God was revealed later. When God is first named in the Bible in Genesis 1:1 we find the Hebrew word “Elohim.” In the beginning, “Elohim” created the heavens and the earth.
When you see “im” on a Hebrew word, it is a plural noun. We usually add an “s” to a noun to make it plural. The Hebrews knew that God was One. They were monotheists. They knew there were not many gods. They knew that the “gods” of their neighbors did not exist, and this, of course, got them into trouble with their neighbors. They conceived of “Elohim” as One God despite the plural ending for the word. Many Bible students, including myself, see this as a veiled reference to God’s triune nature. There is but one God, but a plurality of persons in the Godhead. This hint we find in Genesis 1 is fully revealed in the New Testament, where we find the One true God defined as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
This plurality within the One True God is further alluded to in Genesis 1:26, where God says, “Let Us make man in our image, according to our likeness.” The Hebrews never considered that “Us” meant multiple “gods.” They understood the use of “Us” as poetic language. This combination of the plural noun “Elohim” and the use of the word “Us” about God leads many to conclude that while God is One, there is complexity in the One God alluded to in the very first chapter in the Bible.
In the light of further revelation, we see Jesus present at the time of creation. Paul says in Colossians 1:16: “For by Him (Jesus) all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him.”
That which is hinted at in Genesis is fully revealed in the New Testament. The God in whom we believe is One, but He exists eternally in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I realize the truth that One God exists eternally in three persons, but there are not three Gods, is a revelation beyond the power of our feeble minds to grasp. Yet, the Scriptures compel us to embrace this sublime truth. To give just one of many references supporting this truth, Jesus commanded us to baptize in the name (singular) of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19). One Name, one God, but three persons within the Godhead.
We also learn from the account of the creation that God is good. Over and over in the Creation account, we read the phrase, “And God saw that it was good.” I am confident that God was concerned right from the start to make sure that we understand his essential goodness, that He never resorts to evil or capriciousness. If God’s incredible powers ever turned to evil, we would have no way to fight back. How can we ever resist the God who is so powerful that He could speak this universe into existence? We rejoice to learn that our Creator is good. God’s goodness is revealed in the first chapter of Genesis, and that goodness is magnified with the coming of Jesus to be our Savior. Because God is good, and His goodness never varies, we can depend totally upon what He says.
Because God is good, our task is relatively simple. We must listen to God, believe what He says, and act accordingly. Next week we will see how this all works out when we look at Adam and Eve and the Fall. For now, embrace the truth that God is good and only wishes to shower His goodness upon you.
Finally, I think we can find one more truth implied in Genesis 1: God is sovereign. “Sovereign” means that He is in control of His creation. All things came from God, and all things are finally under His control. While we have received the power of choice, we are not in control. Satan is not in control. Nations and human governments are not in control. God is the sovereign Lord of the universe.
There are times when our lives are turned upside down by the trials of life, and we may wonder who is in control. We see sickness, death, war, famine, murder, deceit, and the like, and we wonder, “Is God really in control.” Yes, He is, and He is a good God. Then where does evil come from? I hope to address that difficult question later on, but for now, I want to dogmatically assert, “God is in control of everything,” including your life.
I find great comfort in knowing that our mighty Creator God who is good, is in charge. I would find it scary to think that some other forces outside of God were in control. Hitler, Stalin, and Roosevelt played a large role in World War Two, but ultimately God was in control. History is moving in the direction planned by God, and while we humans can and do resist God and act like we are in control, God’s plan for the world overrules our plans. We read in Isaiah 40:15, “Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales . . .” We think of our nation as mighty and powerful, but God sees us as a drop of water, or a speck of dust! It is humbling as we gain God’s perspective on reality.
God has the right to govern His world as He chooses, and He does so rule. Again, our task is easy. We need to learn from God what He wants from us and respond accordingly. In closing, we know from Genesis 1 that our Creator is eternal, powerful beyond our imagination. He is creative. He is One, but with a plural name. He is good, and He is sovereign. This does raise the question, “So how did we get into this mess,” and that will occupy us for several weeks. The great hymn “How Great Thou Art” has the refrain, “Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee, How great Thou art.” Let us close by praising God with this marvelous expression of the greatness and goodness of God.
2020 Sermons
COME UNTO ME
Warsaw Christian Church (12/27/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Text: Matthew 11:28-39. Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Do you ever experience stress? Do you ever feel so overwhelmed by the burdens of life that you feel like giving up? What do you do to relieve stress?
A mental health foundation in the United Kingdom ran a poll on the effects of stress. Respondents to the survey said that overwhelming feelings of anxiety led them to overeat, drink, and smoke. People reported that stress made them feel depressed, anxious, alone, even suicidal. Unrelieved stress is a severe condition. We all need healthy techniques for dealing with it. These techniques may be sublime, or they may be a little ridiculous.
I read recently that many people are finding temporary relief from their stress by watching videos on YouTube. They’re watching videos of people cleaning their house. There’s a whole industry on the internet built around people who create videos to organize and clean your house. And these videos are hugely popular, with millions of fans.
Why do people like to watch videos of people cleaning up their house? Many cleaning video fans say that watching someone else organize and clean their home makes them feel less anxious, more in control of their surroundings. Hosts for the most popular cleaning shows regularly get emails telling them how their show helped fans through anxiety, depression, and various life crises. Again, this wouldn’t work for me. Watching other people clean the house would only make me feel guilty about the state of my office!
By the way, an organization in South Korea has discovered a novel way to help people deal with stress. This organization stages “living funerals.” Participants at living funerals write out a short testament of their last thoughts and wishes. Then they put on a funeral shroud and lie down in a closed coffin for about ten minutes. The purpose of living funerals is to help people gain a new perspective on life. About 25,000 South Koreans have undergone a living funeral so far. The Healing Center director says that some people have reconciled with family or friends after their living funeral. Others have changed careers—some participants contemplating suicide credit their living funeral with changing their minds.
Well, whatever works for you. Ten minutes in a closed casket would not relieve stress for me. I am sure I would panic and come out more stressed than ever. I want to suggest a better plan.
In our Bible passage today, Jesus challenges the people around him with these words, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Jesus is saying to us that weariness is not meant to be our natural way of living. That’s not what God created us to be. Jesus promises to give us rest in our souls. So, what did Jesus mean by rest for our souls?
I recently read about another group devoted to giving us rest. However, this one’s a business. In 2005, a store called MinneNAPolis opened in Minnesota’s Mall of America. Notice the name—MinneNAPolis. For 70 cents a minute, tired shoppers can rent a sound-proof room for napping. The rooms have unique themes like Deep Space, Asian Mist, and Tropical Isle. Or, if you don’t feel like napping, you can sit in the store’s massage chair, gaze at a waterfall, listen to soft music and breathe in the “positive-ionization-filtered air.” The owners of the store advertise it as “an enjoyable escape from the fast-paced lifestyle.” Some people probably find that helpful. I think it is just part of the craziness that has engulfed Minneapolis in recent years!
However, rest for our souls is not the same thing as a nap, a vacation, or breathing in positive-ionization-filtered air while gazing at a fake waterfall. It’s not a temporary respite from our stress. Rest for our souls is a re-orientation of our values and perceptions of life to match up with the values and perceptions of God, the one who created us—the source of our soul.
Listen to Jesus’ words again: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Think about those important words for just a few moments.
The first thing Jesus is saying to us is, “You have a soul.” Or, to be more accurate, you are a soul. The soul is the inner life. For now, the soul is encased in a body. God breathed upon Adam at the dawn of creation, and Adam became a living soul. Our inner life is meant to be connected to God. Sin messed that up, but there is a solution. Jesus does not promise bodily rest, but soul rest. The body may be weary, but Jesus promises us that we can have a sense of rest and peace on the inside. We can reconnect with God, and that brings peace.
Jesus is the ultimate wake-up call for our soul. Listen to some other statements He made about your soul: “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Matthew 16: 26) Or “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.” (Matthew 10: 28a) Jesus cares about our souls because he knows that our souls are a reflection of God’s image within us. So, I’ll ask the question again: Are you weary and burdened because you live disconnected from your soul— disconnected from God?
And that’s the first thing Jesus says in this passage: We have a soul, or better, we are a soul. The soul is at peace when in harmony with God. Jesus restores that harmony, and so He invites us: COME UNTO ME. Let me walk with you. I will bring rest to your soul.
Here is the second thing we need to see: We have a Savior. We have a bridge between our soul and God. Jesus did not say, “Come to me, and all your troubles will go away.” He said, “Come to me, and I’ll share your life. You won’t be alone anymore.” I believe that’s what he meant when he said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me . . .”
Jesus lived every moment, knowing that there are certain things worth living and dying for, and everything else is just noise. We have a Savior who understands what we’re facing. Jesus knows what it’s like to be tired. He knows what it’s like to be lonely and misunderstood. He knows what it’s like to pour your heart and soul into a mission and not see any results. You have a Savior who chose to live as we live—as a human being—so he could show us that our identity, purpose, strength, and hope aren’t based on our circumstances but rather on the reality of a loving God living within us.
Let me tell you about a young boy named Caleb, who was diagnosed with a nervous system disease that left him with temporary paralysis. You can imagine how Caleb’s parents ached to see their precious little boy’s slow recovery from this illness. One day Caleb’s dad came to visit him at school. From a distance, he watched as five-year-old Caleb limped across the playground. Caleb’s father was heartbroken to see the other kids playing all around his son games in which Caleb couldn’t participate. But then he saw Caleb’s best friend, Tyler, come up to Caleb. Tyler could have been off with the other kids, running and jumping and playing. But he chose to stroll alongside Caleb for the rest of recess. Tyler didn’t take away Caleb’s burdens. He walked with him and loved him in his weakness. Jesus does the same thing for us, and having His love and power freely available to us makes any burden easier to bear. “Take my yoke upon you . . .”
We have a soul, and we have a Savior. And finally, Jesus is saying to us in this passage; there is a solution to our weariness and burdens. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
In the 1970s movie Freaky Friday, a frustrated mother and her rebellious daughter suddenly exchange lives. The mother wakes up in the daughter’s body and vice versa. And each one has to live a few days with the priorities, responsibilities, and stresses of the other. And so mother and daughter learn to respect and empathize with each other because they’ve walked in each other’s shoes.
In a way, Jesus does this for us. He comes to dwell within us. Paul said, “Christ dwells in our hearts by faith.” As we live each day, realizing that Jesus walks with us, we come to know first hand that His yoke is easy. When we are yoked to Him and consciously live with that reality flooding our soul, our burdens become light. The problems we face each day are still there, but Jesus is there too. As we realize His presence, we experience peace. There is an old book titled “The Practice of the Presence of God” written by Brother Lawrence, a Carmelite monk in the 17th century. . He was a kitchen worker in a monastery, hardly a life conducive to spiritual growth. As he realized Jesus was with him in his daily routine, he was able to find peace and meaning in what was otherwise a dull and routine life. Jesus does dwell within His people. We need to focus on that reality, coming to Him daily and asking Him to walk with us. As we live in His presence, we find rest for our souls.
I want to tell you about a woman named Rose, who has experienced unbelievable stress in her life—stress that should put our anxieties into perspective. Rose is a woman in Rwanda who lost most of her family to the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. This was a horrid conflict in which Rwanda’s Hutu citizens murdered more than 800,000 Tutsi citizens in around 100 days. Rose and her two daughters survived the attacks. How does Rose deal with the shock and grief of witnessing such carnage in which she lost members of her own family? She explains it this way, “For this, I have Jesus.” Think about those words for a moment: “For this, I have Jesus.” If Rose found peace in her soul with the issues she faced, I think Jesus can do the same for us. He can give us that internal peace and rest amid horrible tragedies.
What other sources of peace or rest are you counting on besides Jesus? This life can take so much away from us. But there is a part of us that cannot be taken away. It’s not affected by outward circumstances or inward doubts. It’s that eternal stamp on your personhood that says you were made in the image of God. That’s your soul. And God loves you so much that He came in the form of Jesus to share your life and to die for you. That’s your Savior. Come to Him and submit your life to his guidance and his priorities, and you will find rest for your soul. That’s the solution. You decide: will you keep on living in a way that is disconnected from Jesus? Or will you live from the perspective and priorities of a soul that is created in the image of God? Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
For this, we have Jesus.
CHRISTMAS MEANS HOPE
Warsaw Christian Church (12/20/2020) Richard Bowman, Pastor
Scripture: Selected verses from Luke 1–2.
The real message of Christmas is about hope. Hope is one of the greatest needs of the human heart and one of the Christmas story’s most extraordinary statements. Psychiatrists will tell us that when a person loses hope, life loses all meaning. People who have lost hope are candidates for suicide. The lockdowns associated with the Coronavirus have driven many to lose hope. In the Bible, hope is confidence, assurance. It is not wishing for something. It is confidence that the things we hope for will one day be a reality. Let’s look at the hope that Christmas brings:
1. First, hope is the confident expectation that God will fulfill His promises. Look at Luke 1:45: When Mary, the mother of Jesus, meets her cousin Elizabeth, she says: “Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” That is the language of hope. Hope in the Christian vocabulary is not wishing for something we may or may not receive. It believes that what the Lord has promised will be accomplished. We may not possess all of God’s promises today, but hope says, “One day I will receive everything God has promised.” To celebrate Christmas properly, we need the confident expectation that God can be relied on to fulfill the hopes He has awakened in our hearts through the promises of His Word.
God had made an unbelievable promise to Mary. Without the benefit of a human father, she was to give birth to the Messiah. Mary might have said, “No way. Not going to happen,” Or she might have said, “I may be young, but I am not stupid. I know how babies are conceived.” She did have some initial questions about what she heard, but she finally believed the promise of God and declared, “Be it unto me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).
The Gospel that entered the world on that first Christmas would bring us numerous promises. The two big ones are (1) the forgiveness of sins and (2) the promise of everlasting life. When we say, “I hope I am forgive