Friday, September 30, 2011

October 1, 2011

Redemption means:

HE SOUGHT US

Jesus came seeking us, we didn't go seeking Him. As Romans says, "God commended His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us."  And Luke tells us that Jesus came "to seek and to save that which was lost".

HE BOUGHT US, Vv. 6-7

"to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.  In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace"

Lou Johnson was a 1965 World Series hero for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He tried for 30 years to recover the championship ring he lost to drug dealers in 1971. Drug and alcohol abuse cost him everything from that magical season, including his uniform, glove, and the bat he used to hit the winning home run in the deciding game. When the Dodgers president, Bob Graziano, learned that Johnson’s World Series ring was about to be auctioned on the Internet, he immediately wrote a check for $3,457.00 and bought the ring before any bids were posted. He did for Johnson what the former Dodger outfielder had been unable to do for himself. The RING was BOUGHT BACK or REDEEMED – like you!

A story told by Paul Lee Tan illustrates the meaning of redemption. He said that when A.J. Gordon was pastor of a church in Boston, he met a young boy in front of the sanctuary carrying a rusty cage in which several birds fluttered nervously. Gordon inquired, "Son, where did you get those birds?" The boy replied, "I trapped them out in the field." "What are you going to do with them?" "I’m going to play with them, and then I guess 'll just feed them to an old cat we have at home." When Gordon offered to buy them, the lad exclaimed, "Mister, you don't want them, they're just little old wild birds and can't sing very well." Gordon replied, "I'll give you $2 for the cage and the birds." "Okay, it's a deal, but you're making a bad bargain."

The exchange was made and the boy went away whistling, happy with his shiny coins. Gordon walked around to the back of the church property, opened the door of the small wire coop, and let the struggling creatures soar into the blue.

The next Sunday he took the empty cage into the pulpit and used it to illustrate his sermon about Christ's coming to seek and to save the lost paying for them with His own precious blood. "That boy told me the birds were not songsters," said Gordon, "but when I released ‘em and they winged their way heavenward, it seemed to me they were singing, Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed!"

REDEEMED! What a wonderful sounding word! And even more so, it is a marvelous truth! It means you have been bought out of slavery and into marvelous freedom! It means that there has been a price paid to bail you out of the prison of your sins!

That someone who has redeemed you is Jesus! And the price of your freedom was His blood shed on a cruel cross.

You have been redeemed! He bought your freedom!




 

Thursday, September 29, 2011

September 30, 2011

"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.  And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.  Ephesians 1:1-10

Paul, the Great Apostle begins his greeting to the Ephesian church by reminding them of the great redemption they have in God through His Son, Jesus. That sounds like something good but what IS redemption and what does t means?

REDEMPTION MEANS:

HE SOUGHT US, Vv. 4-5

"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will."

The well-known and somewhat controversial Tomy Campolo share this experience from one of his many out of the box outreach attempts:

I had to go to speak in Honolulu. Well, sometimes you get L.A. and sometimes you get Honolulu. If you go to Honolulu, because of the distance from the east coast where I live, there's a six-hour time difference. And I woke up at about three o'clock in the morning and I was hungry and I wanted to get something to eat. But, in a hustling city like Honolulu at three o'clock in the morning, it's hard to find anything that's open. Up a side street, I spotted this greasy spoon, and I went in. It was one of these dirty places and they didn't have any booths, just row of stools at the counter. I sat down a bit uneasy and I didn't touch the menu. It was one of those plastic menus and grease had piled up on it. I knew that if I opened it, something extraterrestrial would have crawled out. All of the sudden, this very heavy-set, unshaved man with a cigar came out of the back room, put down his cigar, and said, "What do you want?"
I said, "I'd like a cup of coffee and a donut."

He poured the coffee and then he scratched himself and, with the same hand, picked up the donut. I hate that. So, there I am, three-thirty in the morning, drinking my coffee, and eating this dirty donut. And into the place comes about eight or nine prostitutes. It's a small place, they sit on either side of me, and I tried to disappear. The woman on my immediate right was very boisterous and she said to her friend, "Tomorrow's my birthday. I'm going to be thirty-nine."

Her friend said, "So what do you want me to do? Do you want me to sing happy birthday? Should we have a cake a party? It's your birthday."

The first woman said, "Look, why do you have to put me down? I've never had a birthday party in my whole life. I don't expect to have one now."

That's all I needed. I waited until they left and I called Harry over and I asked, "Do they come in here every night?”

He said, "Yes."

I said, "The one right next to me..." "Agnes."

"Tomorrow is her birthday. What do you think about decorating the place? When she comes in tomorrow night, we'll throw a birthday party for her. What do you think?"

He said, "Mister, that is brilliant. That is brilliant!" He called his wife out of the back room. "Jan, come out here. I want you to meet this guy. He wants to throw a birthday party for Agnes."

She came out and took my hand and squeezed it tightly, and said, "You wouldn't understand this, mister, but Agnes is one of the good people, one of the kind people in this town. And nobody ever does anything for her, and this is a good thing. I said, "Can I decorate the place?"

She said, "To your heart's content."

I said, "I'm going to bring a birthday cake...

Harry said, "Oh no! The cake's my thing!"

So, I got there the next morning at about two-thirty. I had bought the streamers at the K-mart, strung them about the place. I had made a big poster – ""Happy Birthday Agnes" and put it behind the counter. I had the place spruced up. Everything was set. Everything was ready. Jan, who does the cooking, she had gotten the word out on the street. By three-fifteen, every prostitute was squeezed into this diner. People, it was wall-to-wall prostitutes and me!

Three-thirty in the morning, in come Agnes and her friends. I've got everybody set, everybody ready.

As they come through the door, we all yell, "Happy birthday Agnes!" In addition, we start cheering like mad. I've never seen anybody so stunned. Her knees buckled. They steadied her and sat her down on the stool. We all started singing, "Happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday to you!"

When they brought out the cake, she lost it and started to cry. Harry just stood there with the cake and said, "All right, knock it off Agnes. Blow out the candles. Come on, blow out the candles." She tried, but she couldn't, so he blew out the candles, gave her the knife, and said, "Cut the cake, Agnes."

She sat there for a long moment and then she said to me, "Mister, is it okay if I don't cut the cake? What I'd like to do, mister, is take the cake home and show it to my mother. Could I do that?"

I said, "It's your cake." She stood up, and I said, "Do you have to do it now?" She said, "I live two doors down. Let me take the cake home and show it to my mother. I promise you I'll bring it right back." And she moved toward the door carrying the cake as though it was the Holy Grail. As she pushed through the crowd and out the door, the door swung slowly shut and there was stunned silence. You talk about an awkward moment. Everyone was motionless. Everyone was still I didn't know what to say. So, I finally said, "What do you say, we pray?" It's weird looking back on it now. You know a sociologist leading a prayer meeting with a bunch of prostitutes at three-thirty in the morning in a diner. But, it was the right thing to do. I prayed that God would deliver her from what dirty filthy men had done to her. You know how these things start some ten, eleven, or twelve year old girl gets messed over and destroyed by some filthy man and then she goes downhill from there. And men use her and abuse her. I said, "God, deliver her and make her into a new creation because I've got a God who can make us new no matter where we've been or what we've been through." And I prayed that God would make her new.

When I finished my prayer, Harry leaned over the counter and he said, "Campolo, you told me you were a sociologist. You're no sociologist, you're a preacher. What kind of church do you belong to?"

In one of those moments when you come up with just the right words, I said, "I belong to a church that throws birthday parties for whores at three-thirty in the morning."

I'll never forget his response. He looked back at me and he said, "No you don't, no you don't. I would join a church like that!"

Tony Campolo saw an opportunity to show redemptive love to a young lady who never experienced true love. She had only known lustful use and abuse which diminished her as a peson and made her an object. Agnes was trapped in a dead-end life with no way out. That is until someone with real love sought her.

Wow! That sounds a lot like you and me! We were lost in our trespasses and sins. We were trapped in the slavery of darkness and desire. But "God commended His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8

Redemption is a wonderful thing! Redemption means that God sought you!


September 29, 2011

"And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Hebrews 9:10-14

The value of anything is a function of its demand and its availability.

Also, value is determined by the price someone is willing to pay.

This is why redemption is such a highly prized commodity. Everyone would love a second chance in life but those are hard to come by. In fact, it was impossible to have a second chance until Jesus purchased it through the shedding of His blood upon the cross of calvary. On that cross He bought back in blood what Adam had lost by his sinful rebellion against God.

Adam sold us out when he disobeyed God in Eden. God had created him especially to tend the garden and produce food to meet the needs of his family. When he allowed himself to be decieved by Satan he surrendered the power and authority given him by God. Jesus, born sinless and living without sin, He became the sacrifice tfor our sins to settle the debt for those sins.

Being redeemed means you have been bought back out of slavery and into God's glorious freedom. Through the shed blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God, God paid the price to ransom you from slavery to sin and death and hell. As the song declares, "He paid a debt He didn't owe to release you from a debt you couldn't pay".

When God redeemed you from slavery He didn't take you as a slave but He adopted you as a child! As a child of God you are a joint-heir of all the riches and all the authority that belonged to Jesus. So, redemption means you were set free - you were bought back from abject poverty and absolute slavery into glorious freedom as God's child! You have gone from having nothing to having everything!

"Redemption" is a term of endearment! Now you understand why?!




Tuesday, September 27, 2011

September 28, 2011

"Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect."  I Peter 1:17-19

There is an old story about a man by the name of John Griffith, who lived in Oklahoma in 1929. He had lost all he had in the stock market crash. He moved to Mississippi where he took a job as bridge operator for a railroad trestle. In 1937 he was involved in a horrible accident. One day his 8 year-old son, Greg, spent the day with his Dad at work. The boy poked around the office and asked dozens of questions - just like little boys do. The bridge was over a river and whenever a ship came John had to open the bridge to allow the ships to pass. The day the boy was there with his father a ship was coming so John opened up the draw bridge. After a moment or two he realized his son wasn’t in the office and as he looked around, to his horror, John saw his son climbing around on the gears of the draw bridge. He hurried outside to rescue his son but just then he heard a fast approaching passenger train, the Memphis Express, filled with 400 people. He yelled to his son, but the noise of the now clearing ship and the oncoming train made it impossible for the boy to hear him. All of a sudden John Griffith realized his horrible dilemma. If he took the time to rescue his son the train would crash killing all aboard, but if he closed the bridge, the boy we be crushed in the gears. John would sacrifice his son. He made the horrible decision, pulled the lever and closed the bridge. It is said, as the train went by John could see the faces of the passengers, some reading, some even waving, all of them oblivious to the sacrifice that had just been made for them.

Can you imagine being in that awful moment of having to decide between your son and a group of strangers?

I cannot.

God can. God did.

John Griffith sacrificed his son to rescue the lives on that train. God offered His Son to redeem every life on earth.

The term "redeem" is extremely significant. To be redeemed means to be "bought back". It denotes the payment of a ransom in order to release a captive. The original language paints the image of a slave who has been bought out of slavery and into freedom.

When God endured the horror of watching His only Son brutalized on a Roman cross He was paying the price to "redeem" you and me. We had been sold out by Adam's sin and held captive in the kingdom of darkness but Jesus, the Second Adam, offered His life's blood to pay our ransom! Jesus' shed blood was the price to buy us out of slavery!

John Griffith's son was crushed to save a few but God's Son was crushed to redeem all who will believe in Him.

You have been redeemed by the shed blood of Jesus on the cross of Calvary! You were bought out of the slavery of sin and into the glorious freedom of life - eternal life - through the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Through redemption you have:

Deliverance from the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13; 4:46)
Total and complete forgiveness of sins (Isaiah 44:22; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 9:15)
Justification before God. (Romans 3:24)
Sanctification is possible through God's Spirit. (Ephesians 5:25-27
Basis for an eternal inheritance (Hebrews 9:15)
Basis for strategic victory in the spiritual realm. (Colossians 2:14-15; Hebrews 2:14-15)
Basis for adoption as His children. (Ephesians 1:5)


Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child and forever I am.
Refrain:

Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed,
His child and forever I am!

Redeemed, and so happy in Jesus,
No language my rapture can tell;
I know that the light of His presence
With me doth continually dwell.
Refrain

Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, redeemed,
His child and forever I am!







Monday, September 26, 2011

September 27, 2011

”Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.” Ephesians 1:1-10


It was almost 1:00 in the morning when the phone rang. Dr. Leo Winters, the highly acclaimed Chicago surgeon, was abruptly awakened. There had been an accident and his skill hands were needed for immediate surgery. The quickest route happened to be through a rather tough area, but with time being a critical factor, it was worth the risk. At one of the stoplights his door was yanked open by a man with a gray hat and a dirty flannel shirt. “I got to have your car!” the man screamed, pulling him from his seat. Winters tried to explain the gravity of the situation but the man would not listen. When the doctor was finally able to get a taxi to the hospital over an hour had elapsed and it was to late as the patient had passed away 30 minutes earlier. The nurse told him that the father of the victim had gone to the chapel wondering why the doctor never came. Dr. Winters walked hurriedly to get to the chapel and when he entered he saw the father… he was wearing a gray hat and dirty flannel shirt. Tragically, he had pushed from his life the one who could save his son.


Similarly, scores of people push from their lives the very One who can save them from the penalty and the power of their sin. Countless numbers turn away from the One who can save them from their emptiness, confusion, hopelessness, and enslavement to sinful ways. They are to busy for the One who can deliver them from a meaningless life. They can’t seem to find time for the One who can redeem their lives. It is so sad, so tragic because things could be different for so many if they could only find time for the Lord Jesus Christ who came to earth to save us. Christ is the Savior we all desperately need.


Christ Jesus came in to the world to save sinners. In announcing His birth, the angel of the Lord declared to Joseph that “MARY WILL GIVE BIRTH TO A SON, AND YOU ARE TO GIVE HIM THE NAME JESUS, BECAUSE HE WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS.” (Matthew 1:21) Luke 19:11 says that Christ came “TO SEEK AND TO SAVE THAT WHICH WAS LOST.”

Our text uses another word for saved: redeemed. In verse 7 Paul declares that we have been redeemed through the blood of Christ. He begins his letter to the Ephesians rejoicing in the blessing of redemption. The word redemption is a commercial term borrowed from the marketplace where human beings were offered for sale to the highest bidder. Condemned to a miserable existence these slaves were powerless to escape. Their only hope was redemption, an uncommon process whereby they were purchased in order to be set free. Scripture uses the tragedy of slavery to illustrate our human predicament. Without God’s intervention, we are all hopelessly enslaved to self and sin. We are forced to live in bondage to sin and Satan. Enslaved by sin and guilt, we are unable to liberate ourselves. Jesus said, ‘…. EVERYONE WHO SINS IS A SLAVE TO SIN….” (John 8:34) Sin traps us and holds us, rendering us powerless to escape its clutches. Consequently, try as hard as we might, we are unable to overcome our sin. It might be lust, uncontrollable anger, drugs, pornography, envy, covetousness, lying, materialism, destructive behavior, harmful attitudes, or whatever. In our natural, unsaved state we are at the mercy of sin; powerless against it. In spite of the fact that sin ruins relationships, wrecks lives and brings untold pain, misery and regret we can’t seem to overcome it. Our only hope is Christ who can redeem us, setting us free from sin’s penalty and its power in our daily lives. Describing what God has done for us, Paul says in verse 7, “…IN CHRIST WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD.”


The Greek word translated redemption is a commercial term. To redeem something is to deliver it on payment of a ransom. Christ offers to set us free from bondage to sin through the ransom price of his blood.
Redemption is an amazing undeserved life-saving eternity preparing gift of God through the shed blood of Jesus on the cross! It is available to all who will repent of sin and prove it by making restitution wherever necessary.
Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

September 26, 2011

"Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect."  I Peter 1:17-19 

A story told by Paul Lee Tan illustrates the meaning of redemption. He said that when A.J. Gordon was pastor of a church in Boston, he met a young boy in front of the sanctuary carrying a rusty cage in which several birds fluttered nervously. Gordon inquired, "Son, where did you get those birds?" The boy replied, "I trapped them out in the field." "What are you going to do with them?" "I’m going to play with them, and then I guess 'll just feed them to an old cat we have at home." When Gordon offered to buy them, the lad exclaimed, "Mister, you don't want them, they're just little old wild birds and can't sing very well." Gordon replied, "I'll give you $2 for the cage and the birds." "Okay, it's a deal, but you're making a bad bargain."

The exchange was made and the boy went away whistling, happy with his shiny coins. Gordon walked around to the back of the church property, opened the door of the small wire coop, and let the struggling creatures soar into the blue.

The next Sunday he took the empty cage into the pulpit and used it to illustrate his sermon about Christ's coming to seek and to save the lost paying for them with His own precious blood. "That boy told me the birds were not songsters," said Gordon, "but when I released em and they winged their way heavenward, it seemed to me they were singing, Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed!"

You and I have been held captive to sin, but Christ has purchased our pardon and set us at liberty. When a person has this life-changing experience, he will want to sing, "Redeemed, redeemed, redeemed!"

Sin is the rusty cage and you are the bird. You are trapped in the cage and under the control of one who plans to torment you, use you and then do away with you. Such is the lot of every person born on this planet - born a prisoner to sin, condemned in life and doomed for eternity.

Is there no escape? Is there not hope? Is there any chance that anyone might purchase you and set you free?

Jesus did! He redeemed you! The price was His life's blood, but He paid it on the cross to purchase your salvation - your freedom - your pardon from guilt - so you can be set free! Through His painful death on the cross He paid a price for a debt He didn't and one you could not pay.

That is what redemption means! When you repent of your sins and when you prove that repentance by making restitution, you enter into relationship with Jesus through faith. The gift of salvation brings the blessing of redemption!

Do you know the joy of redemption? Would you like to? The price has been paid!

Saturday, September 24, 2011

September 25, 2011

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord," Acts 3:19


I came across this story today and thought it might illustrate the spiritual concept of repentance that I have been talking about.

Probably the greatest barrier of all to repentance is our pride. The story is told of a little boy who went with his sister, Mary, to visit his grandparents at their farm. The grandmother had a pet duck of which she was extremely fond. One day Johnny was playing with his slingshot. He aimed it at the duck and hit it right on the head. The bird toppled over, kicked a few times, and died. Johnny was frightened to death. He looked about and saw no one, so he took the duck and ran into the woods, dug a hole and buried it.

He and Mary always divided the chores, and that evening it was her turn to do the supper dishes. But instead, Mary turned to him after supper and said, "Johnny, you do the dishes tonight." "You're crazy," he said. "This is your night; I am going out to play." Mary said, "Come here. I saw you kill that duck this afternoon. If you don't do exactly what I tell you to do, I am going to tell Grandma what you did. You know what that means. It was her prize duck." "All right," said Johnny, "I will do the dishes."

Next time it was Mary's turn the same thing happened, and this went on for two weeks. Johnny was going around with his tongue hanging out. Every time he would bring up the matter she would always say, "Johnny, remember the duck!" At last he couldn't stand it any longer. Mary had gone to town, and his grandmother was sewing. Johnny went in and stood around and twisted his ear and bit his nails, and finally he said, "Grandma, there is something I just have to say." "What is it, son?" she asked. He said, "It is the hardest thing I have ever had to do, Grandma. About two weeks ago I was playing with my slingshot and I shot at your duck and I killed it."

The grandmother wiped a tear from her cheek, and she reached out and said, "Come here, son." She put her arms about him. "I was sitting upstairs by an open window, and I saw you kill that duck." And then she added, "I wondered how long you were going to take this bondage to Mary. I have watched her give you orders for two weeks, and I wondered how long it would be before you came to me."

Our heavenly Father has seen everything that you and I have done. He himself has taken the consequences of those things by giving his Son to die for us. He is waiting for you to come and confess it, to acknowledge it and say, "Lord, here I am. I want a fresh start. I want a new day in my life. I want a new beginning. I want a new birth. I want to be yours from this moment. I repent. I am coming home."

This will only be the beginning, but the beginning of a wonderful new relationship. Once we have repented, we will still need to confess our daily failures, but now we are heading in a new direction. We are on God's side. We are assured of his unending love, assistance and companionship. And it is a relationship that will last forever. Death itself was defeated in Jesus' resurrection so even that cannot rob us of our Father's love. The greatest things are yet to come.

Humble yourself. God knows your secret sins. Repent and run into His waiting arms!


September 24, 2011

“John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?  Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."  Luke 3:7-9

Wow! Vipers?

How would you feel if someone called you a snake?
 
John the Baptist was pretty rough on these guys. Why did He do that? It doesn't sound much like something like a preacher would say - but he did!

What had John so riled up? Why the attitude? Did he get some bad locusts for breakfast?

If you understand what is going on in these few verses you will understand why He responded so harshly to them.
 
The short, answer is they were phonies and they wanted John to sanction their phoniness. There was nothing phony about JTB (John the Baptist).
 
What they wanted is something we are all too familiar with, they wanted the perks of faith without paying the price. They wanted to be thought of as spiritual without having to make any changes on the inside. Like many Christians today they wanted something to happen TO that but weren't willing to allow much to happen IN them.
 
As you would imagine, John would have none of that! He told them that what you are on the inside will be exposed by how you act on the outside. Like you won't see peaches on an apple tree, you won't see the fruits of repentance on one who hasn't repented. They needed to repent before they could be bapized. They needed to humble themselves and enter into a personal relationship with God rather than trust in their religious ceremonies.
 
How about you? What are you trusting? Are you doing religious and depending on religious symbols and ceremonies rather than repenting to God and allowing Him to fundamentally transform your heart and mind.
 
Just getting baptized will leave you a wet hypocrite if you have not truly repented. If you have truly repented than it should be showing in your attitudes and your actions.
 
What are those fruits you should be looking for? Read the rest of the verses. I will deall with it more tomorrow.
 
Why be a snake when you can be a saint?
 
 
 
 
 


Friday, September 23, 2011

September 23, 2011

J. Edwin Orr, a professor of Church history has described the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit during the Welsh Revivals of the nineteenth century. As people sought to be filled with the Spirit, they did all they could to confess their wrong-doing and to make restitution. But it unexpectedly created serious problems for the shipyards along the coast of Wales. Over the years workers had stolen all kinds of things, from wheelbarrows to hammers. However, as people sought to be right with God they started to return what they had taken, with the result that soon the shipyards of Wales were overwhelmed with returned property. There were such huge piles of returned tools that several of the yards put up signs that read, "If you have been led by God To return what you have stolen, Please know that the management Forgives you and wishes you to keep what you have taken."

What this story illustrates is called "restitution". Restitution is a spiritual principle that means you makes things right that you have done wrong because you have now been made right.

So, the question becomes, “How do I know when someone has repented?” John the Baptist (or John the Wesleyan as I prefer to call him) gives some great insights on that very question! There would be some great value in hearing what he has to say. Turn in your Bibles to Luke 3:7-14

“John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.  John answered, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.”  Tax collectors also came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”  “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them. Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”   Luke 3:7-14

TRUE REPENTANCE IS PROVEN BY TRUE REFORM! THAT IS CALLED “RESTITUTION” AND IT IS THE POWERFUL AND CREDIBLE PROOF THAT CHANGE HAS HAPPENED.

One powerful picture of what restitution looks like in found in the story of Jesus' encounter with a tax-collector named Zacchaeus. Here's the story:

"Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”  Luke 19:1-10

In the Roman Empire a tax collector was usually chosen from among the people in that local area and he was given authority to assess and collect taxes from his our countrymen. The Romans gave him an amount that they wanted to receive from each citizen and he could charge however much above that amount as he felt he could get away with. Because of this, these tax collectors were despised by their fellow citizens.

After years of collecting taxes from his countrymen, the tax collector learned how much he could get away with charging. So he literally had a license to steal!

Zacchaeus had a strong desire to meet Jesus and spend some time learning about Him and from Him. Little did he know how much Jesus desired to be with him! After they met and he listened to Jesus teach he repented and evidenced an amazing conversion. So changed was he that he made a commitment to Jesus to give one-half of all He had to the poor and pay back 400% of any money he had stolen. This was a significant financial hit for Zach, but he was willing to do it because he wasnted Jesus so bad!


RESTITUTION IS THE HOPE ASSOCIATED WITH CHANGE! RESTITUTION IS THE PROOF OF REPENTANCE!

RESTITUTION IS MAKING THINGS RIGHT BECAUSE YOU’VE BEEN MADE RIGHT!

Let me ask you, "Have you truly repented of your sins?" "Have you experienced a deep fundamental spiritual transformation? Are you giving evidence by a changed life? Are you making things right that you did wrong prior to your supernatural transformation?










Wednesday, September 21, 2011

September 22, 2011

"In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.
Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth. And all people will see God’s salvation.’”  Luke 3:1-6

Last Sunday I began a new sermon series entitled "Terms of Endearment". These messages will reveal the amazing things that happen to one who trusts Jesus for salvation. This theology of salvation will help you understand the things that endear you to God and that should endear Him to you!

The first term we are examining is "repentance" which we began to explore last week. You might wonder how repentance can be an endearing term. When you hear the word it may conjure images of bearded people in robes and sandals standing on a busy street holding a sign that reads "REPENT!" Or, perhaps you think of a street preacher shouting Bible verses at bypassers while urging them to turn from sin and turn to God.

Actually, while you may not appreciate their methods they ARE right! And, they are following in the ways of John the Baptist, whose words we read in these Bible verses. Repentance is an endearing term from God's perspective because it prepares the way for a personal relationship with Him.

Today, I want to show you the purpose of repentance and the power of it.

The purpose of repentance is for the forgiveness of sins. In John the Baptist's ministry, baptism was the sign of repentance. People came to hear this iconoclastic preacher's message and were convicted by the power of his words and the truth he proclaimed. Some would fall under conviction for sins and came to him to be baptized. Coming forward for baptism was evidence of a desire to turn from sin and turn to faith in God. The alternative to repentance is to perish, according to both John the Baptist AND later, Jesus.

Repentance is expressed by three different words in the Greek language of the New Testament. One word means, "thinking afterward". Repentance begins when conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit causes you to begin to rethink the way you are living and to consider the Truth you are hearing. Another word has the idea of "being sorrowful" over you sins. And the third word carries the implication a change of heart that leads to changes in behavior.

Repentance carries the idea of making a "u-turn". You are born with your back toward God because of your sinful nature and you decide to repent, or stop walking away from God and begin walking toward Him.

Having understood the purpose of repentance, consider the power of repentance - "Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth."

What John the Baptist is announcing here is that repentance has the power to turn life upside down! It is a radical change in the way you think, the way you believe and the way you act. Repent "prepares the way of the Lord" by removing the sin which separates you from His holiness. It is the power of God's Spirit becoming active you your heart, mind and spirit that brings the transforming power!

Repentance changes everything! Have you repented? Have you done a "u-turn" back toward God?

Will you?






September 21, 2011

Continuing on the vitally important theme of reprentance, it is an inclusive term - all must repent. If you can put your finger on your neck and get a pulse, you are included in that need to repent group.

REPENT is A Decisive Word

The story is told of a shoplifter who writes to a department store and says, "I’ve just become a Christian, and I can’t sleep at night because I feel guilty. So here’s $100 that I owe you."

"Then he signs his name, and in a little postscript at the bottom he adds, "If I still can’t sleep, I’ll send you the rest."

"Repent" is a crucial word. "Repent" is a critical word. Repentance is an absolute necessity. It demands decisive action against sin.

When you are diagnosed with a potentially terminal disease and a radical treatment is prescribed, the Surgeon is calling for a decision from you HE IS NOT LOOKING FOR A DEBATE. The sooner you decide the better for you.

It is not a time for distraction or speculation it is time for decisive action. The Surgeon is not interested in discussing medical theories with you or wildly speculating on why some people get cancer and other people don’t, he wants you to commit to dealing with YOUR cancer.

In this encounter with Jesus these men were trying to avoid the issue by DEBATING WITH JESUS – HE DEMANDED A DECISION.

REPENT is A Productive Word

Not too many years ago newspapers carried the story of Al Johnson, a Kansas man who came to faith in Jesus Christ. What made his story remarkable was not his conversion, but the fact that as a result of his newfound faith in Christ, he confessed to a bank robbery he had participated in when he was nineteen years old.

Because the statute of limitations on the case had run out, Johnson could not be prosecuted for the offense.

Still, he believed his relationship with Christ demanded a confession. And he even voluntarily repaid his share of the stolen money!

The cancer Surgery prescribed by your Dr. and the Surgeon he referred you to is for one reason – to produce a result in your life – to extend the quality and quantity of your life! It will take you from illness to health!

The purpose of repentance is to extend the quality and quantity of you life – now AND for eternity!

Repentance is productive because:


1) It proves you understand God’s holiness

2) It proves you understand your hopelessness

3) It proves you understand how to get to heaven.

Conclusion:

Wabush, a town in a remote portion of Labrador, Canada, was completely isolated for some time. But recently a road was cut through the wilderness to reach it. Wabush now has one road leading into it, and thus, only one road leading out. If someone would travel the unpaved road for six to eight hours to get into Wabush, there is only way he or she could leave---by turning around.

Each of us, by birth, arrives in a town called Sin. As in Wabush, there is only one way out--a road built by God himself. But in order to take that road, one must first turn around. That complete about face is what the Bible calls repentance, and without it, there’s no way out of town.

There is only one way out of your sin – REPENT. EVERY SIN MUST BE CONFESSED AND REPENTED OF!

If you do not repent and turn from your sin there is only one outcome – PERISH.

“If we put off repentance another day, we have a day more to repent of, and a day less to repent in”

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

September 20, 2011

I want to pose a scenario to you this morning that is not far-fetched. In fact, this is something that no doubt could happen to you and has happened to someone you know.

You haven’t felt well for a while and so you finally decide to get checked out by the doctor. A routine examination shows a need for more tests and the tests identify a serious illness. Let’s say it is cancer. You are sent to a surgeon and he says there is a good chance it can be completely removed by surgery and you will be fine. Upon hearing this you respond, “I don’t know Doc. I am not sure I want all the cancer removed, can you leave a little of it in there?”

No doctor would agree to that! He was trained to bring healing and took an oath to use all of his skill and training to that end.

And yet that is exactly what you do with God when it comes to sin. God, through His Word and through His Spirit, reveals this terrible cancer called sin that is eating you up and destroying you now and for eternity, and yet you tell God you don’t want it all taken out.

How crazy is that?

God’s prescription for dealing with sin is called “repentance”. It acknowledges a serious spiritual problem and allows Him to come in and remove it. But you must be willing to have it all removed.

This message is the first in a series call “Terms of Endearment” that centers on helping you understand all the amazing things that God does in your life when you enter into salvation. There is redemption, there is regeneration, there recreation, is reconciliation, there is righteousness, and there is rejoicing.

”Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Luke 13:1-5

There are three key words I want to focus on this morning – “all”, “repent”, and “perish”.

I. REPENT is An Inclusive Word

Going back to our analogy, when you go to the Surgeon and shares his diagnosis with you and recommends immediate and radical action you would not waist time by wondering what you had done wrong to deserve this, nor would you point to all the people in the waiting room and ask, “What’s wrong with them?” The Dr. would ignore those questions and press you for a decision.

That is what is happening with Jesus in his portion of Scripture.

"All" need to repent. But you can only repent for yourself. It is an individual responsibility.

What Jesus is saying is there are no innocent human beings. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). "There is none righteous, no not one" (Romans 3:10). What should amaze us in our sin is not that some are taken in calamity, but that we are spared and given another day to repent. The really amazing thing in this universe is not that guilty sinners perish, but that God is so slow to anger that you and I can sit here this morning and have another chance to repent.

A. There is no escape from it

Repent or perish; all must face it. Acts 17:30 informs us that God "commandeth all men every where to repent." The desire of God is for all men to come to repentance (II Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise...."). God does not give us an option in the matter of repentance, He commands all men to repent.

Repentance is not arbitrary, it is absolute.

B. There is no excuse from it

Either you repent or perish. It is that simple.

Unless you repent you will PERISH.

The clerk will perish if she does not repent. Your children will perish, you parents will perish, your neighbors will perish, your colleagues will perish if they do not repent.

REPENT OR PERISH!

There is no escape for perishing except through repentance.

Perish is something more than simply die a physical death. Jesus is referring to something beyond death. Those Galileans were taken unawares and experienced a horrible end; however, unless you repent, you too will be taken unawares and experience a horrible end—the judgment of God beyond the grave.

The word perish often refers to this terrible judgment in the New Testament. For example in John 3:16 perishing is seen as the alternative to having everlasting life. The same thing turns up in John 10:28.

It is significant that Jesus taught repeatedly about Hell. To portray it He often drew upon the horrors of the Vale of Hinnom, the garbage dump of Jerusalem. Into it were thrown the filth of the city along with the bodies of dead animals and the unclaimed bodies of executed criminals. Maggots infested the nauseous mass, consuming fires burned constantly, and wild dogs howled and gnashed their teeth over edible portions of the garbage. Jesus said that this was a symbol of hell, and the reality is always greater that the symbol.

It is in the word “repent” that your hope lies to escape Hell.

Without repentance and a fleeing to Christ there is fire in your future.

Monday, September 19, 2011

September 19, 2011

" 'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours." Luke 15:31


Back somewhere between the invention of the wheel and the Dark Ages a group called "Air Supply" had a hit song called "Lost In Love". Actually, it was in the 80's, but that was a while ago. But that idea fits the two sons in Jesus' third parable. They were surrounded by the lavish love of a gracious father and neither of them were able to experience it. I have been examining why that was true.

The younger son got caught in the pleasure trap. He thought that fulfillment and happiness were "out there" somewhere to be captured. So he took his fortune and began a wanton search only to come up bankrupt and in bondage. He had to abuse grace to learn how to use it.

The older son was missing out because he was caught in the performance trap. He thought he could earn the father's love by his faithful service. He didn't know he could get it by grace. Unfortunately, he refused grace.

He apparently believed that since he had served the father faithfully he deserved a better deal than what he had. Since he felt he was getting cheated, he refused to celebrate with his father over the return of his little brother. It seems that people who have trouble receiving grace also have trouble giving it.

So, surrounded by lavish love, he lived feeling unloved. God's love is real. His love is free. It is unconditional. But we need to know how to receive it or we will never experience it. Feeling the need to earn love, he spurned love.
If you are like this older son and have trouble accepting the Father's love because you feel the need to earn it, learn from the younger brother. When you come to the Father confessing with a contrite heart, not expecting anything, the Father gives you everything! If you come seeking His face you receive His grace. It's not about Him accepting what you've done, it's about you receiving what He's done.

The younger son partied and the older one pouted.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

September 18, 2011

"Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”  Luke 13:1-5

I want you to imagine a scenario that you may be all to familiar with and one we all dread. Having not felt well for awhile you finally go to the doctor for a physical exam. Your doctor finds some things that concern him so he sets you up with an appointment with a specialist. As you leave your Drs. office you are anxious because he seemed so concerned.

You see the specialist and he runs several tests. Upon getting the results he sits you down and explains to you that they have found a cancerous tumor and it has to be removed as soon as possible. He seems pretty confident that if you will have surgery you should have a high probability of beating the cancer. His recommendation is to have it done as soon as you can.

God forbid that should happen, but if you were faced with that decision I am sure you would want that cancer taken out - all of it. I doubt if you would tell the surgeon to take most of it but leave a little of it in there.

And yet we often take that attitude toward sin.

We are like the shoplifter who got saved and wrote to a department store, "I've become a Christian and I can't sleep at night because I feel guilty, so here is $100 I owe you."

Then he signed his name and in a little postscript at the bottom he adds, "If I still can't sleep, I'll send you the rest!"

Repentance is to sin what surgery is to cancer. And sin is like a cancer because it can kill you and like cancer you need to get it all out. When you repent you turn from sin - every known sin in your life - and turn to God. It is a spiritual and moral u-turn! It doesn't work to repent of some sins while holding on to a few. You can't flirt around with sin. You can have in for a pet. It will destroy you if you don't repent of it.

Jesus gave this choice - Repent OR Perish! If you want to perish don't bother to repent. But if you don't want to repent then you will perish.

Wabush, a town in a remote portion of Labrador, Canada,was completely isolated for years.  But recently a road was cut through the wilderness to reach it. Wabush now has one road leading into it, and thus, only one road leading out. If someone would travel the unpaved  road for six to eight hours to get into Wabush, there is only one way that person could get out of town - by turning around and going back the other way.

Everyone of us, by birth, arrives in a town called Sin. As in Wabush, there is only one way out - a road built by God himself. But in order to take that road, one must first turn around.thacomplete about face is what the Bible call repentance and without it there is no way out of town - no way out of sin.

Jesus says to you as He did to these men, "Repent or perish."




Friday, September 16, 2011

September 17, 2011

"But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”  Luke 13:4-5

Repentance hasn’t gone out of style but it seems that talking about it has. Have you noticed that or is it just me?

John the Baptist talked a lot about it. Jesus did, too.

Why do you suppose people aren’t talking about it much today?

I can’t say for sure, but I can offer some ideas.

Maybe it has to do with a misunderstanding of grace. There are those who are of the opinion that since Jesus died for our sins all we have to do is believe in Him and He forgives us just as we are. Repentance doesn’t fit in that scenario.

Perhaps some think calling people to repentance is too confrontational and may offend people. Political correctness can lead to theological incorrectness and that can be deadly.

To repent is an admission that God is right and you are wrong. That is something the sinful nature doesn't want to do.

I fear, however, the real reason that people have lost the sense of urgency over repentance is because they have lost a sense of urgency about sin. Repentance isn’t that big of a deal if sin isn’t that big of a deal.

In the verse above Jesus mentions two times that if you don’t repent you will perish. I don’t know but that sounds serious to me! Especially when you understand that perish means more than just dying – it means eternal death or spiritual death.

According to Jesus it comes down to two clear choices: either you choose to repent of your sin OR you choose to perish in your sin. Either of those is a big deal! Repenting of your sins and finding eternal life is a big deal. Failing to repent and perishing in your sins is also a big deal.

Repentance is having a godly sorrow over sin and turning away from it. Repentance is turning your back on sin and seeking God's Face. Acts 3:19 says, "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,"

I think we ought to talk more about repentance. And we ought to do it! It’s a big deal!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

September 16, 2011

"Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself."  Matthew 26:74-27:5

God has a lot of big ideas. I guess that is one reason He's God. And, it is why you're not!

As Christ-followers it is our responsibility to get our minds and hearts around those life-changing concepts and let the mold our spirits.

One of those big ideas that doesn't get much air time anymore is repentance. I have been studying and meditating on it (and doing it) this week for my message on repentance. If you don't understand repentance you won't be able to get many of God's other big ideas.

While I was out walking my dog this morning the Spirit quickened my mind about the difference between repentance and regret. The classic examples are Peter and Judas. Both had regrets but only one repented while the other is still having regrets.

Let's examine this a little closer:

1) Both were disciples of Jesus

2) Both denied Him at critical times

3) Both did it to their own advantage

4) Both realized their mistakes and felt deep regret

5) But Peter humbled himself while Judas hung himself.

BIG difference!

Repentance is all about humility. Regret is often about pride.

Both were proud men, why did they have such different responses to their failures?

Let me offer an idea and you do some searching of your own.

Peter understood who Jesus really was. It was Peter who declared that Jesus was the "Son of the Living God". Jesus commended him for this insight. When you know Who Jesus is then you also know who you are - and aren't.

Judas misunderstood who Jesus really was. He wanted Jesus to set up His Kingdom on earth by overthrowing Roman oppression and restoring Jerusalem. He was basically following Jesus for selfish ambition. Once he realized Jesus wasn't Who he wanted Him to be he looked for another deal.

Because Peter understood Who Jesus was, he wanted to save faith after he had failed.

Because Judas didn't know Who Jesus was, he wanted to save face after his failure.

Repentance is the response of someone who really gets the big idea of who Jesus is! Living in remorse and surrendering to regret isn't.

I guess the question this morning is, "Will you be Peter or will you be Judas?"







Wednesday, September 14, 2011

September 15, 2011

"Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?  I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”  Luke 13:1-5

Repent is an inclusive word - everyone will need to repent or they will perish.

Second, REPENT is a Decisive Word

The story is told of a shoplifter who writes to a department store and says, "I’ve just become a Christian, and I can’t sleep at night because I feel guilty. So here’s $100 that I owe you."

"Then he signs his name, and in a little postscript at the bottom he adds, "If I still can’t sleep, I’ll send you the rest."

That is NOT true repentance! Repentance must be accompanied by true godly sorrow! Repentance is not motivated by the desire to feel better, it is driven by the desire to BE better!

"Repent" is a crucial word. "Repent" is a critical word. Repent is an absolute necessity. This is borne out in the following things: you must REPENT or you will PERISH!

When you are diagnosed with a potentially terminal disease and a radical treatment is prescribed, you know you receive what the Surgeon is calling for or you will perish. That is a decision that must be made sooner rather than later.

It is not a time for distraction or speculation it is time for decisive action. The Surgeon is not interested in discussing medical theories with you or wildly speculating on why some people get cancer and other people don’t, he wants you to commit to dealing with YOUR cancer.

In this encounter with Jesus these men were trying to avoid the issue by speculating about what was wrong with these other people. Jesus will not allow you to avoid the issue. Through His Holy Spirit He will relentlessly confront you and convict of your sin. That is the whole point of repentance.

Repentance is a definite decision made with the intention of turning AWAY from sinfulness and turning 180 degrees TOWARD God! Repentence is the "Christian U-Turn" in that it is a decision to immediately stop the sins that lead you away from God and turn around to return to Him by faith.

If you do not want to perish (be destroyed for eternity) then you will want to repent and return to God!

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

September 14, 2011

”Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Luke 13:1-5

REPENT is an inclusive word

"All" need to repent.

What Jesus teaches, then, is that all of us are extremely sinful. There are no innocent human beings. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). "There is none righteous, no not one" (Romans 3:10). What should amaze us in our sin is not that some are taken in calamity, but that we are spared and given another day to repent. The really amazing thing in this universe is not that guilty sinners perish, but that God is so slow to anger that you and I can sit here this morning and have another chance to repent.

A. There is no escape from it

Repent or perish; all must face it. Acts 17:30 informs us that God "commandeth all men every where to repent." The desire of God is for all men to come to repentance (II Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise....").

God does not give us an option in the matter of repentance, He commands all men to repent.

Repentance is not arbitrary, it is absolute.

It is an either / or - either repent or perish.

B. There is no excuse from it

Either you repent or perish. It is that simple.

Unless you repent you will PERISH.

The clerk will perish if she does not repent. Your children will perish, you parents will perish, your neighbors will perish, your colleagues will perish if they do not repent.

REPENT OR PERISH! Face it now or regret it later.

There is no escape for perishing except through repentance.
Perish is something more than simply die a physical death. Jesus is referring to something beyond death. Those Galileans were taken unawares and experienced a horrible end; however, unless you repent, you too will be taken unawares and experience a horrible end—the judgment of God beyond the grave.

The word perish often refers to this terrible judgment in the New Testament. For example in John 3:16 perishing is seen as the alternative to having everlasting life. The same thing turns up in John 10:28.

It is significant that Jesus taught repeatedly about Hell. To portray it He often drew upon the horrors of the Vale of Hinnom, the garbage dump of Jerusalem. Into it were thrown the filth of the city along with the bodies of dead animals and the unclaimed bodies of executed criminals. Maggots infested the nauseous mass, consuming fires burned constantly, and wild dogs howled and gnashed their teeth over edible portions of the garbage. Jesus said that this was a symbol of hell, and the reality is always greater that the symbol.

It is in the word “repent” that your hope lies to escape Hell.

Without repenting and fleeing to Christ there is fire in your future.

Monday, September 12, 2011

September 13, 2011

Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”  Luke 13:1-5

The story is told of a shoplifter who writes to a department store and says, "I’ve just become a Christian, and I can’t sleep at night because I feel guilty. So here’s $100 that I owe you."Jesus was the finest teacher who ever lived. In the passage that we read this morning, He seems to clip two tragic stories from the local Jerusalem newspaper to drive home an important truth that we all need to be reminded of from time to time.

"Then he signs his name, and in a little postscript at the bottom he adds, "If I still can’t sleep, I’ll send you the rest."
Obviously, this fellow did not understand about repentance. Unfortunately there is much ignorance about what repenance means and how important it is. That is why I will be spending several days emphasizing this vital spiritual concept.


Now no other historian but Luke records the two events Jesus alluded to. Josephus the great Jewish historian does not mention them.

Let us begin with the temple calamity. This would have been headlines in the Jerusalem Gazette. It is very likely that this event took place during the Passover, and these Galilean Jews had come down to offer their sacrifices. Apparently Pilate sends his soldiers to find some Galileans and slaughters them while they are offering sacrifices. We don’t know any of the details. But there they were, offering their sacrifices. Pilate comes, not personally, but his soldiers and finds them there and slices them up so that in a very gruesome way, a gory way, it describes their blood as being mingled with the blood of the sacrifices.


This raises the question about this calamity. These people aren’t pagan; they’re worshiping, they’re doing what the Old Testament says. They’re worshiping God, they’re confessing their sins, they’re bringing their offering. How can such a bad thing happen to good people?


And so in verse 2 Jesus responds to the intention of their bringing this incidnet up. “Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans because they suffered such things?” Jesus calls their conventional theology into question. Now do you think that the reason this happened to them was because they are the greatest sinners in Galilee? Is that what you think? Do you suppose that?


Jesus said in response, “Nay.” The Galileans who were slaughtered by Pilate were not greater sinners than others.

Let’s go to the second issue before we come back to the second half of verse 3. The first was the temple calamity. The

second is the tower calamity.


Jesus brings up another issue from the front page. “Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?” Jesus again says “Nay.”


Now let’s come to the third point, the temple calamity, the tower calamity, the true calamity. The true calamity, go back to verse 3, “Except ye repent , ye shall all likewise perish.” Verse 5, “Except ye repent , ye shall all likewise perish.” That’s the true calamity.


The real calamity is not that you were killed in the temple or that the tower fell on you or that you died by any other means. The real calamity is that if you don’t repent, when death comes you will perish.


True calamity is that you die and experience the judgment of God because you have not repented.


The issue is not how people die or when they die or by what cause they die. The issue is that they die without repenting.

Jesus is saying, “Look, don’t assume anything. You’re going to likewise perish except you repent.”

"Man is born with his back toward God. When he truly repents, he turns right around and faces God. Repentance is a change of mind."

 

Have you turned from your sins and turned to God? That's repentance!





September 12, 2011

"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!"  Philippians 1:20-22

One final thought on the 9-11 commemoration that is worth noting and has challenged me.

It doesn't take a lot of people to change the world but it does take committed people.

There were just 19 young men who were so committed to their beliefs that they were willing to die for them who brought down those towers and changed life in American for generations. Were they misguided? Certainly. Did they do evil? Absolutely!

One reason Islam is spreading and Christianity is losing influence is tragically illustrated by these terrorist. While many Christians won't get out of bed to show up for church or are afraid to risk ridicule for taking a stand on their prinicples, these guys gave up their lives. They were dead wrong but they loved their faith more than their lives.

If you have one faith that is more committed than another which do you think will win? Which one will gain more influence?

The Apostle Paul here states that he is willing to die for his faith. In fact, as he penned these words, dying looked as good as continuing to live under the constant persecution he faced. But, whether he lived or whether he died he was absolutely committed to live what he believed. He understood that anything not worth dying for is not worth living for. Christ is!

On young man Who died 2,000 years ago changed the world eternally. He believed you were worth dying for. All of the apostles died for their faith and knew it was worth it!

It won't take a lot of people to turn our world back to Christ, but it will take completely committed people!  The 9-11 commemoration was a reminded that evil is dead serious about ruling the world. Christians cannot be causal and win the day.

Are you willing to die for Christ? Then demonstrate it by living for Him today.






Sunday, September 11, 2011

September 11, 2011

You could share exactly what you were doing when you heard the news of the attacks. Am I right? Those images are burned into your brain, aren't they?

When you are haunted by the images of the twin towers burning and collapsing remember you have a strong tower and run to it!

“The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The man who does what is right runs into it and is safe.” Proverbs 18:10

You have a refuge – “The name of the Lord is a strong tower…..”

In Biblical times, names were given more significance than nowadays because they were descriptive of your essence. For example: Adam’s name meant “man”, Eve = “first mother”, Abram = “lofty father” which was later changed to Abraham = “father of multitudes”. Isaac, the long awaited son = “laughter”. Isaac’s son, Jacob = “deceiver” which later changed to Israel after he wrestled with God. Israel = “straightened by God”.

So, when the Proverb refers to the “name of God” as a strong tower it means all the attributes of God’s character and being!

Our God, our Strong Tower, is all-knowing, all-mighty, all-wise, infinite, holy, and ever-present. There attributes are reflected in some of His Biblical names:
The name of God is Jehovah - The name of God is Yahweh
The name of God is Elohim - My Creator
The name of God is El Elyon - Most High God (Sovereign Over All)
The name of God is Adonai - My Lord, My Master
The name of God is El Roi - God Who Sees
The name of God is El Shaddai - God Almighty
The name of God is Jehovah Ezer - The LORD our Helper
The name of God is Jehovah Jireh - The LORD Will Provide
The name of God is Jehovah Rapha - The LORD our Healer
The name of God is Jehovah Roi - The Lord is My Shepherd
The name of God is Jehovah Sabaoth - LORD of hosts (of armies)
The name of God is Jehovah Mekeddeshem - LORD Who Sanctifies
The name of God is Jehovah Nissi -The LORD Our Banner
The name of God is Jehovah Rapha - LORD Who Heals
The name of God is Jehovah Shalom - The LORD our Peace
The name of God is Jehovah Shammah - The LORD is There

God’s name is a “verb” while other gods are nouns……..

When you take refuge in the strong tower of God’s Name you get all of this – and more – you get to dwell personally with Him!

Thousands of people went to work that morning feeling very secure in what they assumed to be strong towers. None of them would have believed that before their morning break time hundreds would be dead, thousands fleeing the burning structures, and both towers collapsing into piles of debris.

In stark contrast to those crumbling skyscrapers, the Bible tells us we have a STRONG TOWER! How strong is it? It is as strong and secure as the Name of the Lord!

WHEN YOU ARE UNDER ATTACK DO YOU WANT A GOD WHO IS A VERB OR A GOD WHO IS A NOUN?

Your reflex – “The man who does what is right runs into it….”

When you were a child and you felt frightened by something – maybe a storm or a dog or a bully or maybe a monster under your bed, where did you run? TO YOUR FATHER, right?

That was your reflex – your default response, you didn’t think about it you just did it!

You didn’t run around the house or stop somewhere on the way, you ran straight to your father because you wanted to feel safe. You dropped whatever you were doing or whatever you were holding and got there as fast as you could.

That is how you should run to God!

Notice, it says the “righteous man”. That is because a righteous man is the only one who can run immediately into God’s presence. An unrighteous person would have to put down their sin, repent, receive God’s righteousness and THEN run to Him. By then, it could be too late.

As a child of God it should be your reflex to run to Him in times of trouble, BUT you don’t have to go to Him just in trouble, you can share your joys with Him as well!

HOW?

CALL ON HIM – Prayer

CLAIM HIM – Promises

COMMUNE WITH HIM - Presence


WHAT IS YOUR REFLEX WHEN YOU ARE UNDER ATTACK? WHERE DO YOU RUN?

Your reassurance – “….and is safe.”

Psalm 18:2, “Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my HIGH TOWER.”

Psalm 61:2-3, “From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a STRONG TOWER from the enemy.”

Psalm 114:2, “My goodness, and my fortress, my HIGH TOWER, and my deliverer; my shield, and He in whom I trust…”

Think of God’s Track Record:

Moses called on the Name of the Lord and God delivered His people from Egypt.

Shadrach, Mesheck, and Abednigo called on the Name of the Lord and they were delivered from the fire.

David confronted Goliath in the Name of the Lord and the giant fell!

Elijah on Mt. Carmel called on the Name of the Lord and the fire fell!

And, if you will call on the Name of the Lord you can know the joy of salvation for the Bible promises: “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,”

HAVE YOU FOUND A SAFE PLACE TO HIDE WHEN YOU ARE ATTACKED?

Remember your Refuge!

Run to your Refuge!

Rest in safety!