Thursday, April 30, 2009

The Kingdom of God

Let’s pick up this week at Galatians 5:24 where it says, “And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” In other words, Christians shouldn’t be doing these things. Paul further elaborated on this in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 when he said, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

Let’s take a closer look at that verse. First it says that the unrighteous will not go to Heaven. The unrighteous are those who are not “right” with God. Some of the things that they do that expose their “unrighteous” standing with God include fornication. Fornication is sexual relations between two people who are not married. That’s quite a common thing in our day, but nonetheless sinful. Also they are idolaters. That means that they worship other gods which is in direct contradiction to the first of the Ten Commandments which says that we are to not have any god’s before the One True God. Also they are adulterers in that they do not honor their wedding vows. By the way, there are only three Biblical reasons for divorce: death, abandonment and adultery. Notice that money, the in-laws and someone cuter are not among them. Divorce is usually the result of selfishness.

Notice also that the “effeminate” and “abusers of themselves with mankind” will not go to Heaven either. The word “effeminate” means “to become womanly or have the qualities of the female sex or to be soft to the touch or delicate to an unmanly degree.” Yes, it is dealing with the sin of homosexuality. No, God does not approve of the lifestyle regardless of what Hollywood, our new President and those who voted for him says.

Notice also that “thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” either. Now, this does not mean that those who have
struggled with, or even failed in these areas will not go to Heaven. Instead, it speaks of those who flagrantly and blatantly continue in them. Some would suggest that those who do these things have “lost their salvation.” Might I suggest that they were never truly born again in the first place?

Monday, April 27, 2009

Jude 1-7

I have attached a copy of the message that I taught at Calvary South Austin last weekend under "Most Recent Studies".

Spiritual Fruit

Let’s pick up our study in Galatians 5:18, “But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.” In other words, if you consent to the teachings of the Holy Spirit, it will free you from the constraints and the punishment of the Law.

Notice vv.19-21, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Here we see what someone looks like who is walking in the flesh. The first thing I noticed in these verses is that the first four all have to do with sexual sins. Is it any wonder why our society is so driven by sex?

Notice vv.22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Here we see what someone looks like who is walking in the Spirit. It’s been said that God wants spiritual fruit and not religious nuts. The question for us is, “I have all of the Holy Spirit, but does He have all of me?” The way to know is the spiritual fruit that results. The best way to see if some really is a Christian is to look at their fruit. Jesus said in Matthew 7:17-18 “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.”

The bottom line is that good trees produce good fruit and bad trees produce bad fruit. It is not possible for the good to produce bad nor the bad to produce good. The writer James further addressed this issue when he said in James 3:11-12, “Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.” No my friend, it is simply not possible to be both good and bad or salt water and fresh at the same time. You are simply one or the other. Which one are you?

Friday, April 17, 2009

Happy Passover, Part 2

Last week we began looking at the first Passover in Exodus 12. We noticed first that they were to select a Lamb on the 10th day of Nisan (v.3). Second, the Lamb was to be an unblemished male (v.5). Third, the Lamb was to be kept among them for what amounted to 3½ days (v.6a). Fourth, the Lamb was to be killed on the fourteenth of Nisan (v.6a). Fifth, the blood of the Lamb was to be applied to the top and sides of the door of their home (v.7). Sixth, once the Lamb was dead, it was to be roasted in fire (v.8). Seventh, they had to eat the Lamb (v.11a). Eighth, we also notice in v.46 that none of its bones were to be broken. Ninth, they had be girded (dressed) and ready to go (v.11b). Tenth, the blood on the household caused God's judgment to pass over it (v.13). Eleventh, once the Lamb was killed, no leaven was to be eaten or even found in the house (v.15).

Now let’s see how our Lord Jesus fulfilled all of these. First, Jesus entered the eastern gate on the 10th day of Nisan (April 6th), thus the lamb was selected. Second, Jesus was an unblemished male. There was no fault found in him (John 18:38). Third, Jesus walked the streets of Jerusalem for 3½ days after He had entered the city on the 10th day of Nisan. Fourth, Jesus was killed on the fourteenth day of Nisan which on our Julian calendar is April 10th. Fifth, Jesus has made his blood available and it is the only way that we are going to escape judgment and death. Sixth, Jesus endured the fire of God's judgment, by descending into Hell and taking our punishment upon Himself. Seventh, we too, must appropriate Jesus Christ by partaking symbolically in Communion and literally by accepting him into our lives as Lord and Savior. Eighth, none of Jesus’ bones were broken (John 19:31-36). Ninth, we too, should live in expectancy of the imminent return of Jesus Christ and should always be ready to go. Tenth, when we apply the blood of Jesus to our lives, God's judgment passes over us. Eleventh, once we have applied the blood of Jesus Christ to our lives, sin (leaven) should not be found in our homes. How about you? Is Jesus your Passover Lamb?

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Happy Passover, Part 1

Today, in lieu of the holiday, I want to take a little detour to celebrate the Passover. Unfortunately, we call it Easter today after the Babylonian goddess Astarte: the Queen of Heaven. That’s an entirely different sermon that would probably get me into trouble anyway. Be that as it may, we are celebrating the Passover, not Easter which was a pagan festival that was adapted into Christianity.

This study will be in two parts. Today I want us to see that Jesus was the ultimate fulfillment of the Passover Celebration. Yes, He is our Passover Lamb! It says in 1 Corinthians 5:7, “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” Open your Bible and follow along as we go through Exodus 12. This is going to be quick, but worthwhile if you will take time to open your Bible and follow along.

The Passover was introduced by God to the Israelites in the book of Exodus right before He was about to bring the tenth plague on the Egyptians that would kill the firstborn male child in every home. However, he told the Israelites in Exodus 12 that if they wanted their firstborn males to live, they would have to go into their flocks and do the following eleven things.

First, they were to select a Lamb on the 10th day of Nisan (v.3). Second, the Lamb was to be an unblemished male (v.5). Third, the Lamb was to be kept among them for what amounted to 3½ days (v.6a). Fourth, the Lamb was to be killed on the fourteenth of Nisan (v.6a). Fifth, the blood of the Lamb was to be applied to the top and sides of the door of their home (v.7). Sixth, once the Lamb was dead, it was to be roasted in fire (v.8). Seventh, they had to eat the Lamb (v.11a). Eighth, we also notice in v.46 that none of its bones were to be broken. Ninth, they had be girded (dressed) and ready to go (v.11b). Tenth, the blood on the household caused God's judgment to pass over it (v.13). Eleventh, once the Lamb was killed, no leaven was to be eaten or even found in the house (v.15). Next week, we’ll see how all eleven of these things were fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Love Your Neighbor

Let’s pick up our study in Galatians 5:14, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” This is a quote from Leviticus 19:18 and from the Lord Jesus himself. Jesus quoted it as part of the great commandment in Matthew 22:37-39.

Notice v.15, “But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.” This is what will happen if we don’t love each other. It is the comparison of two wild beasts that wound each other in a fight. How many times do we see this happening inside and outside of the church? It is sad that we can use that little member called the tongue to inflict so much damage on each other. When James spoke of the tongue in James 3:8-12 he said, “…the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”

Notice vv.16-17, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” Ah, here is the answer that we have been looking for. If we would just walk in the Spirit, we wouldn’t have so many problems with our flesh. You mark it down, when a brother is biting and devouring another, he is not walking in the Spirit, but the flesh. Sometimes they need a little reminding.

Listen, the Bible tells us that we have an obligation to correct fellow brothers when we see them “in the flesh.” The Apostle Paul admonished young Timothy in 1 Timothy 5:20, “Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.” Yes, we have an obligation to hold each other accountable even when it’s not very convenient. Sometimes the most loving thing one can do is bring a fault to his brother’s attention. This “live and let live” mentality in the church today did not come out of the Bible.