John 6:40  And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

… that every one which seeth the Son (Testimony)

One of the reasons that society is the way it is today with all the violence and corruption, lying and deception is that not many people see the Son of God.

How does someone see the Son of God today?

1 Corinthians 2:1  And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

• Testimony: Something you was part of.
• Witness: Telling what you saw.

Philemon 1:3 Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,

5 Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;

6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.

Hearing of thy Love

Philemon 1:5 Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints;

In verse 5 Paul mentions that he has heard the testimony of this church that is meeting in Philemon’s home. As a church you should have a good testimony or reputation within the community abroad.

Furthermore, this carries over into verse 6.

6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

This communication was more than just hearing of their good testimony, but it was a point of communication. This communication was having an effect, and Paul saw that.

Effectual

The term effectual is both a noun and a verb. It means that something not only had an effect but also the act of having an effect.

Paul could see that when people spoke to each other about the testimony of the people that were meeting at Philemon’s house that it was having an effect on their lives. That their testimony was challenging them to make a difference in their own lives and the lives of others.

If you examine the passage carefully you will note that Paul was not addressing what the this group at Philemon’s house was saying to the world (the witness)… but rather what the world was saying about the church at Philemon’s house. (their testimony!)

• People today need to see our testimony, the need to see Jesus Christ in us

An Effectual testimony, lifts up Christ

6 That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

Note again: what was causing this effect was the testimony of this church that was causing a communication. People saw all their good works and it got them talking.

It is difficult to have an effect behind closed doors.

Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

–

John 6:40  And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

If we want to change the world we must first change ourselves. What does your testimony say to others?

• Do they see Christ in you?
• Do they see someone who says they go to church, but your words deny the faith?

In order to see others saved we must show Jesus to others by our testimony.

Have you accepted Christ?

 

 

 

As this is Veterans Day, I thought I would bring some insight of someone who has been a soldier as to better understand how to be a soldier of Christ.

I served in the USAF during Desert Storm and the Bosnian Conflict. It was during this time that I worked with weapons that led to the nerve condition that deal with today.

However, for nearly 6 years I was someone who wore the uniform in the defense of this country. I also had the privilege to be in the Air Force Honor Guard and Rifle team under the 23^rd TAW. It was this detail where I would play a role of honoring those who had died in the service of their country. I would employ the funeral services and pay last respects to the fallen and their family.

What is a soldier?

A soldier is person who: has set aside themselves, their comfort, their gain and their will to be a servant to a cause.

With the desire to “be all you can be” let’s look at some facts that make a good soldier

A good soldier must be a good servant

The meaning of G.I. = Government Issue

Colossians 3:22  Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:

In basic training you had to learn to not be concerned with yourself but rather to obey those appointed over you.

A soldier knows how to endure hardness

2 Timothy 2:3  Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

When you are a servant you are a tool. This tool is used by the master to accomplish a purpose. This may require doing things that are unpleasant, uncomfortable but never unreasonable.

A Good soldier does not entangle himself with the affairs of this world

2 Timothy 2:4  No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

When I was deployed, the Federal Government would retain my paycheck, pay my bills and send the rest to my wife.

A good soldier knows the tools of his mission

Weapons, armament, communications, tactics & policies may be the very thing that keeps you alive.

I have seen to many part time soldiers get hurt because they didn’t have the understanding of the tools of the mission!

A Soldier of The Cross’s tools:

Bible – our sword

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Our Armour

2 Corinthians 6:7  By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

Our Faith

Matthew 8:5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,

6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

Fight the good fight – the cause

1 Timothy 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Know that you don’t fight alone

Philemon 1:2 And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:

3 Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

 

Ephesians 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Is it any wonder that the last several lessons we have provided are dealing with what is to come??

Everyone has 24 hours a day. It does not matter if you are the Prince, the Pauper, the President or pheasant… we ALL have the same amount of time.

One of the things that is under attack today is Time. The scripture said to redeeming the time… Redeeming – Take it back… take it back under our control…

Time has value:

• Time can be bought and sold
• Time can be shared
• Time can be stolen
• Time can be wasted
• Time can be budgeted
• Time can be managed
• Time can be redeemed
• Time can be lost
• Time can be found
• Time can be appreciated
• Time can be respected

Time can be a moment, a minute or a mindset.

With all these things you still only have 24 hours a day to use as best as we can.

Out of your 168 hours a week you will spend:

• 56-70 hours sleeping
• 18-21 hours eating
• 30-49 hours watching tv, social media, ect.
• 7-15 hours commuting
• 30-45 hours in working
• 10-18 hours shopping
• 17-21 hours grooming

If you take all the min. of each of these and add them up, it comes to 168. This means to have time to do anything else, something has to be moved or removed to make time. 

But for all these averages… what is missing?

…God

Ecclesiastes 3:1  To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

There are many things of God that require time.

• Coming to Church, takes time
• Prayer, takes time
• Reading your Bible, takes time
• Bible study, takes time
• Inviting others to church, takes time
• Teaching a class, takes time
• Preaching a Sermon, takes time

The list goes on and on.

What we do with our time today will determine our time for tomorrow and beyond.

Matthew 6:33a  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; …

As a Christian we must look to eliminate those things of the world that take our time and replace them with the things of the Lord.

There is a balance to be sure… but as time goes by the world presents more and more that takes our time… leaving less time for the things of God.

Giving time to God rather that finding time.

Isaiah 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

The tithe is giving 10% of our financial increase back to God… what about 10% of our time?

Part of understanding time is to understand that there isn’t much of it left…

Ephesians 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Isn’t interesting that there is never enough time to do the things of the Lord, but there seems to be enough time to watch a 2 hour movie, a 3 hour sporting event…

James 4:14  Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

• Let me ask you: Is your time more important than the one who gave you the time to start with?

There are things out there that steal your time…

2 Corinthians 2:11  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

TV, Media players, phones, tablets, computers and using programs like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, twitter and snapchat can all be devices used by satan to get an advantage.

Idleness – social media

1 Timothy 5:13  And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

Proverbs 31:27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

Proverbs 20:3  It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.

Before we look for time tomorrow we must make sure today is secure

2 Corinthians 6:2  (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

 

 

1 John 5:13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

We are all sinners

One must be lost to be saved and there are so many in this day and time that have been so taught that they are not at fault, they are not to blame; and it carries to their thoughts about salvation. One must see themselves as God sees them as a sinner before they will seek a saviour.

Note these verses:

1 John 1:8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Romans 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Galatians 3:22  But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

Proverbs 24:9  The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an abomination to men.

Sin has a wage

The payment for sin is death. Furthermore, God calls it a wage; simply meaning we earn it. The death that it speaks of is a spiritual death in a place called hell. It’s amazing how many preach people into heaven and not out of hell, simply trying to make salvation so enticing that people will choose to go. But is that salvation if you not getting saved from something???

Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

2 Peter 2:13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

Hell is not meant for us

God’s desire is that all should come to repentance. When hell was created it wasn’t created as some mean spirited place to unjustly punish us, it was an abode created to store those angels that fell in sin to the earth. While it was not created for us it IS the destination for those who would reject the gift that God has provided.

Matthew 25:41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Matthew 13:41  The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

42  And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

God’s Desire is that no one should perish

Throughout history God has ALWAYS created a way to get to Himself through obedience. Most of the time that obedience was a single task or restriction; such as:

• Don’t eat the fruit of the tree (Adam)
• Get on the boat (Noah)
• Arise and go to a land I will show you (Abraham)
• Accept the Gift of Christ (anyone today)

As a result of God always making a path we know what His desire is and what we need to do. He never hides this direction and makes the path clear.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

How we get saved

Salvation isn’t a process or even a relationship; it’s a choice. The choice is simple: to accept God’s gift of His Son Jesus Christ. Religion takes the simplicity of salvation and adds to it baptism, church membership, speaking in tongues, ceremonies, etc.; but God didn’t place those things on the modern church. We don’t require signs or wonders, just a choice. Often people are led to say… I’m too far gona a sinner to be saved… or that there is a need to improve yourself then “present yourself to God”… again that is the religious mindset talking. Jesus died for us at our lowest state:

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

The Gift that God gives is like any other. If someone buys you a birthday present and you never open it, did you “receive it?”

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

This gift comes without price to us, but it is very expensive; the life of Jesus. He gave His life for ours so when we receive this gift, we fulfill God’s purpose of salvation.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus is the only way, like mentioned above; religious works won’t do it… it’s Jesus and Jesus alone.

Romans 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Whosoever means anyone, in any state, at any age, in any circumstances.

1 John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Once the sin debt has been paid… it’s paid in full.

The Gospel

The Gospel is something that has been so thrown about by the modern church that people often loose sight of what it really means. The Gospel has different uses in the New Testament but is considered the “Good News” of what Jesus did in the area of salvation. The power that it has is what you are accepting when you get saved. The acknowledgement of the truth of the Gospel and following this truth.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

1 Corinthians 15:3  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4  And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Now is the day of Salvation

We are not promised tomorrow. If the Lord is dealing with your heart… get saved today!

2 Corinthians 6:2  (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Assurance

Once someone received the gift of God, Jesus Christ; the devil immediately attacks you with doubt. This is why it is SO important to read your Bible and get in church to learn more about what God has in store you you.

John 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye 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 unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

Addl.

Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

1 John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

When you are doing something you are not familiar with you will do one of 3 things:

1. Read an instruction manual (Bible)
2. Try to figure it out
3. Watch or ask others

So many people try to do the same thing about spiritual things. They simply try to figure it out or just follow the crowd RATHER than reading the instruction manual.

Prayer is just talking to God

Practical exercise: Have a student come up and ask his name. Then talk to him like people try to talk to God

So the question is: “How do I pray?” and God answers this question by FIRST telling you “How NOT to pray”

Matthew 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Instructions for prayer:

Reverence (vs. 9)

9:  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Psalm 89:7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

Submission (vs. 10)

Anticipation of the Blessed Hope (2^nd coming of Christ)

10:  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Thanksgiving (vs. 11)

With Supplication (entreat in favor of)

11:  Give us this day our daily bread.

Ephesians 5:20  Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Confession (vs. 12)

Confess the sins of the flesh for the restoration of fellowship. Then to have the heart to forgive others.

12:  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Protection. (vs. 13a)

From both what the world may do unto us and what we are liable to do to ourselves 

13:  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

Psalm 7:1 O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:

Reverence (vs. 13b)

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

• Remember Prayer is just talking to God,
• We Should pray to God through of His Son Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

 

 

Deuteronomy 26:2  That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there.

Let me start with this mindset: Fruit left on the vine, withers, rots and can no longer be useful. Fruit that has fallen to the ground, the result is the same.

So for fruit to be useful and fresh, its needs to be harvested, in its due time… at the right time.

• When looking at the fruits of the Spirit we apply this same mindset. They are all useless without being put into action (Harvested)

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Part of being a Christian that can be use of God is to take the fruits of the spirit and put them to action, to harvest (if you will) our fruits of the Spirit is putting them in a basket where they can be enjoyed and useful; not rotting on the vine, not falling to the wayside not noticed.

A principle of the harvest is how much you sow, is how much you will reap…

2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

• You want love? Sow (give) love
• You want Joy? Sow (give) joy
• You peace? Sow (give) peace

What you plant is what you reap. Does an apple tree produce apples? Do you plant beans and reap potatoes? Follow that further, the fruit needs to be tended to, weeded, keeping the bugs out… you have to tend the garden to have a bountiful harvest.

7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

For many there comes a point when we plant bountifully, tend it and watch it grow to reap the bounty… The present the basket full to God you use as HE sees fit. This is spiritual maturity where you are not working to reap the bounty for yourself… but for God’s glory.

Deuteronomy 26:2  That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there.

When we present our harvest to God, He will multiply our fruits of the Spirit for His glory, rather than ours.

1 Corinthians 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

An event that is the culmination of God’s plan is that of Jesus Christ giving His life on Calvary’s cross for us. This fundamental truth is one of the two largest points that separates Christianity from any other world religion. The other is that same Jesus raising from the dead. No other world religious leader has ever made such sacrificial gift and testament to His power over death… many have claimed it… but they all sit in the grave.

1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

This tree as it was called has become a symbol of this event. A symbol of this sacrifice, a symbol of our beliefs and burden we often might carry. It it not the glamorous cross that the world chooses to display, the clean and shiny jewelry that people wear or the beautiful artwork with the glow behind it… it was a symbol of a vicious death and suffering… so much as this old rugged cross we are told to remember each day.

A Life Changing Event Foretold

Psalms 22:16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.

18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with 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 hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

Account of the Cross

The account of the cross is told in these 4 places to give us a few different points of view of the same event. Remember you can have 4 people standing in 4 different places while witnessing the same event and testify of that event from different perspectives. This accounts do not conflict, but rather give a broader scope of the events.

Matthew 27

Mark 15

Luke 23

John 18-19

Hebrews 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Note:

John 3:16 tell us that God so loved the world (love put to action) that He gave… God’s desire to fellowship with His creation (you and me) that it pleased Him to see His Son suffer… because He knew what would happen because of it… That finally there would be a clear path to Him and His fellowship.

Isaiah 53:10  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Exodus 12:13  And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

In our main verse we start to see the beginnings of the sacrificial system of atonement for the sins of the people leading up and through the Law. In the presentation of the law of Moses we see memorial items in place and patterns established to help us not only understand what sin was… but how to avoid it… and how to receive forgiveness for it.

1 John 1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

It is important to understand, when talking about sin and forgiveness… that we can have a way to have joy.

1 John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

But when we sin… just in the days of old… God makes a way…

All throughout Biblical history we see that God always created a path to get to Him. Whether it was Noah’s Ark, or withing the faith of Abraham, the Law of God, the trust in Christ… God always made a way to get to Him.

There is a difference between getting cleaned up… and getting cleansed.

1 John 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Often in the ministry you hear of people getting “cleaned up” meaning they started going to church, or stopped drinking or stopped cussing or stopped gossip, lying, cheating, hitting others… but this “self righteousness” doesn’t deal with the sin that God sees.

Isaiah 64:6  But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

However, when God Cleanses us

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

2 Corinthians 7:1  Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

The Word of God is our soap…

Ephesians 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

The world’s programs, religious systems, self righteousness might get you clean… but your not cleansed until you’ve been washed by the Word of God. In this respect there is indeed a difference between clean and cleaned…