05-22-2022 – The Case of the Empty Tomb

Speaker: Jim Shepherd |

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May 22, 2022
“The Case of the Empty Tomb”

1. How would you convince the men who crucified Jesus that he had risen from the dead?

2. What did the people closest to Jesus think about the resurrection on Easter morning?

a) Disciples?

b) Women who went to the tomb?

3. Two arguments that support the resurrection.

a) The tomb really was empty on Easter Sunday morning.

b) Jesus appeared to hundreds of people after his death.

4. Two absolute facts celebrated every Easter.

a) The resurrection is the primary cornerstone of our faith and the ultimate miracle.

b) Jesus defeated death when he rose from the dead.

5. Peter’s Pentecost Message

(Acts 2:22-32)

22 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know–

23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.

24 But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.

25 For David says of Him,

‘I SAW THE LORD ALWAYS IN MY PRESENCE;

FOR HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND, SO THAT I WILL NOT BE SHAKEN.

26 ‘THEREFORE MY HEART WAS GLAD AND MY TONGUE EXULTED;

MOREOVER MY FLESH ALSO WILL LIVE IN HOPE;

27 BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES,

NOR ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY.

28 ‘YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE;

YOU WILL MAKE ME FULL OF GLADNESS WITH YOUR PRESENCE.’

29 “Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

30 And so, because he was a prophet and knew that GOD HAD SWORN TO HIM WITH AN OATH TO SEAT one OF HIS DESCENDANTS ON HIS THRONE,

31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY.

32 This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.

6. Jesus’ Easter message

(Revelation 1:18)
18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am
alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.

Speaker:
Jim Shepherd

05-15-2022 – The Messiah Confirmed: Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior

Bible Text: Luke 3:21-38 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: Luke |

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May 15, 2022
“The Messiah Confirmed: Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior”

Read Luke 3:21-22…
21 Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He
was praying, heaven was opened,

22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice
came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”

The people were coming out to the Jordan River to be baptized by John,
and on one of those days, Jesus, being the righteous Son of God, and an
obedient son of Israel, came to be baptized.

Jesus looked like any other Jew, and the fact that He was God’s Son, the
Messiah was not distinguishable when He walked into the water to be
baptized by John. But what happened at that event clearly confirms Jesus
as the Messiah.

Matthew 3:13-15,
13 Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized
by him.

14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and
do You come to me?”

15 But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is
fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him.

John the Baptist said,

John 1:31,
31 I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came
baptizing in water.”

John the Baptist said, “I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be
manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.”

Jesus came specifically to be baptized by John, “to fulfill all
righteousness,” a reference to God’s plan and purpose for Jesus’
relationship with humanity, which must include man’s sinfulness.

Jesus submitted to a baptism for sinners, although He had no sin in
Himself

(1John 3:5),

“He appeared in order to take away sins; and in Him there is no sin,”

(2Corinthians 5:21),

21 He [God the Father] made Him [God the Son] who knew no sin to be sin on
our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Jesus was setting an example for all those who would follow Him, and
therefore, John consented and baptized Him.

Notice again in

Read Luke 3:21-22…
21 Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He
was praying, heaven was opened,

22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice
came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”

Jesus is praying, talking to His Father, and what happened next is
amazing, “heaven was opened.” Whenever that happened in Scripture,
God either spoke, or manifested Himself in some other way.

Ezekiel 1:1,
1 Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month,
while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened
and I saw visions of God.

While Stephen was being martyred

Acts 7:56,
56 and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man
standing at the right hand of God.”

And John the apostle said,

Revelation 19:11,
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is
called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.

Notice again in

In Luke 3:22a,
22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and
a voice came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”

the Holy Spirit descended from heaven, in a form like a dove. This is not
saying that a visible dove like bird was actually seen at Jesus’ baptism,
but that there was a visible movement in the air, i.e., “The manner of the
Spirit’s decent was like the way a dove floats gracefully through the air”
[Darrell L. Bock, Luke 1:1-9:50 Commentary, pg. 338].

Jesus wasn’t receiving the Holy Spirit; He already had the Holy Spirit, in
fact He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and filled with the
Holy Spirit while He was in the womb.

Psalm 2:7,
7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.

The OT taught that God would give the Spirit to the Messiah.

Isaiah 11:2,
2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him,
The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and strength,
The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

Isaiah 42:1,
1 “Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold;
My chosen one in whom My soul delights.
I have put My Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth justice to the nations.

The dove was associated with sacrifice by the Jews of the day; bulls were
used by the rich, lambs were used by the middle class, but doves were the
sacrifice of poor, and this sign confirmed that Jesus was indeed God’s Son
[Immanuel]; He would serve as the sacrifice to save us from the penalty
of sin [Jesus].

Jesus identified Himself with the lowly sinners He had come to save, even
setting the example of baptism even though He had no need to repent of
sin. God the Son, while He was in the flesh, although His human nature
was sinless and perfect, He voluntarily submitted Himself to the will of
the Father and to the power of the Holy Spirit while He was on earth.

Notice again in

See Luke 3:22b…
22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a
voice came out of heaven, ‘You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-
pleased.’” This actually the main point of this passage, that God the
Father is giving audible approval of His beloved Son, of who the Father
says He is well-pleased [continually pleased].

In Matthew 17:5,
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a
voice out of the cloud said,
“This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”

at the Transfiguration, God the Father speaks from heaven concerning His
Son, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to
Him!”

And so, Jesus begins His public ministry with the expressed confirmation
coming from God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, in fulfillment of
God’s Sovereign Word.

Philippians 2:5-7,
5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a
thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the
likeness of men.

Read Luke 3:23…
23 When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age,
being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli,

I’m not going to read through the whole genealogy, but instead point out
its importance, and some of the key information contained in it.

There seems to be a renewed interest today in genealogy, as many people
seek to learn more about their ancestry. For many, it is just a curiosity,
but for some, they are seeking to find some important person in their
family tree.

For Israel, genealogy was very important, beginning with the original
division of the land of Canaan among the twelve tribes

(cf. Numbers 26:53-55).
53 “Among these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the
number of names.

54 To the larger group you shall increase their inheritance, and to the smaller
group you shall diminish their inheritance; each shall be given their inheritance
according to those who were numbered of them.

55 But the land shall be divided by lot. They shall receive their inheritance
according to the names of the tribes of their fathers.

it was indeed critical for the people to know their ancestral line, e.g.,
when Joseph and Mary returned to Bethlehem for the census, it was
because Joseph’s ancestors came from the area of Bethlehem

(cf. Luke 2:4).

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city
of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of
David,

Lineage was very important for determining who would serve as priests

(cf. Ezra 2:61-62);
61 Of the sons of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of
Barzillai, who took a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and he was
called by their name.

62 These searched among their ancestral registration, but they could not be
located; therefore they were considered unclean and excluded from the
priesthood.

to carry out the religious rituals and sacrifices at the temple.

The Old Testament has many genealogies written into the Biblical record.
The Jews kept accurate and copious genealogical records, but most were
destroyed in A.D. 70, by the Romans, when Jerusalem was ransacked and
the Temple was burned.

But the most important role of ancestral records in Israel has to do with
the line through which the Messiah-King would come. The genealogies of
Jesus are recorded in both Matthew and Luke:

Matthew, writing mostly to Jews, begins

(Matthew 1:1),

“The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of
Abraham,”

and so Matthew traces Jesus’ ancestry through Joseph’s lineage,
beginning with Abraham

(Matthew 1:2,

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father
of Judah and his brothers.

the father of Israel) and moving through Solomon, the son of David

(Matthew 1:6,

6 Jesse was the father of David the king. David was the father of Solomon by
Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah.

the king of Israel), to the final entry

(Matthew 1:16),

16 Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born,
who is called the Messiah.

Joseph’s father Jacob, “the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by
whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.”

Luke, writing to both Jew and Gentile says

(Luke 3:23),

23 When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age,
being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli (Mary’s father, who was
Joseph’s father-in-law, whereas, Eli was actually the blood grandfather of Jesus);

and so Luke traces Jesus’ ancestry through Mary’s lineage back through
Nathan, the son of David

(Luke 3:31,

31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the
son of David,

the king of Israel), to Abraham

(Luke 3:34, the father of Israel),
34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the
son of Nahor,

ending with Adam

(Luke 3:38).
38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

So why the two genealogies? Matthew’s genealogy gives Jesus the legal
right to the throne of Israel, through his legal father’s (Joseph’s)
ancestry; whereas Luke’s genealogy gives Jesus the blood right to the
throne of Israel, through His biological mother, Mary. These genealogies
establish credible proof that Jesus was indeed a descendant of David.

Adam

(cf. Luke 3:38)
38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

as a son of God at creation, was made in the undefiled image of God, but
then Adam disobeyed God and this brought the curse of sin upon himself,
his sons, and all those born after him, except for one, Jesus Christ.

Genesis 1:27,

“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male
and female He created them.”

Genesis 1:31,

“God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was
evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”

Genesis 4:1-2,

“Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to
Cain, and she said, ‘I have gotten a manchild with the help of the Lord.’ Again, she
gave birth to his brother Abel.”

Genesis 5:3,

“When Adam had lived one hundred and thirty years, he became the father of a
son in his own likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth.”

Jesus was a son of Adam

(cf. Luke 3:38),

38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

but without any sin

(Hebrews 4:14-15),
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the
heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,
but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

Jesus as a son of David

(cf. Luke 3:31),

31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the
son of David,

will reign as KING of Kings and LORD of Lords, forever

(Luke 1:30-33),
30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with
God.

31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall
name Him Jesus.

32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God
will give Him the throne of His father David;

33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no
end.”

The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor
with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and
you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of
the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father
David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom
will have no end,”

(Revelation 11:15),
15 Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven,
saying,
“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ;
and He will reign forever and ever.”

Jesus was a son of Abraham

(cf. Luke 3:34),

34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the
son of Nahor,

to whom the promised blessings were given to those who are in Christ

(Genesis 3:14-15,
14 The LORD God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,

Cursed are you more than all cattle,

And more than every beast of the field;

On your belly you will go,

And dust you will eat

All the days of your life;

15 And I will put enmity [blood feud or war]

Between you and the woman (Eve, mother of humans except for Adam),

And between your seed [offspring- children of the devil]

and her seed [offspring- children of God];

He [a certain offspring, Jesus Christ]

shall bruise you on the head,

And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

Galatians 3:16,
16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say,
“And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that
is, Christ

Galatians 3:26-29,
26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with
Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is
neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs
according to promise.

Read Romans 5:12,
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death
through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned–

Romans 5:15-17,
15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the
one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of
the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

16 The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one
hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but
on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in
justification.

17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much
more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness
will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:21…
21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through
righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Death and the condemnation brought on by sin’s penalty, came through
Adam to all humanity; but eternal life and the justification of God’s
righteousness which redeems us, was provided for everyone who repents
of sin, confessing Christ as Lord, believing in Him as Savior, and following
Him by obeying God’s Word.

Christians are a blessed people who have been set free from sin’s penalty
and condemnation; for it is by God’s grace we have been saved through
Christ, that we might have an intimate relationship with God the Father,
God the Son, and God the Holy Spirt, while serving God here on earth.

We are eternally blessed through Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Lord and Savior;
Who

(1Corinthians 15:3-4)

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died
for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He
was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

and He is coming back to take all those who believe to Him, to be with
Him in forever, in heaven!

Pastor Mike
>’(((><

05-08-2022 – John, the First Witness for Christ

Bible Text: Luke 3:15-20 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: Luke |

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May 8, 2022
“John, the First Witness for Christ”
Luke 3:15-20

Read Luke 3:15-17…

15 Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ,

16 John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

17 His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

The people were expecting the Messiah to come, and they wondered if John was Him, but John made it clear he was not the Messiah

(John 1:19-20),

19 This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

20 And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

John was not the Christ, however, the people believed him to be a prophet

(Luke 20:1-6),

1 On one of the days while He was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders confronted Him,

2 and they spoke, saying to Him, “Tell us by what authority You are doing these things, or who is the one who gave You this authority?”

3 Jesus answered and said to them, “I will also ask you a question, and you tell Me:

4 Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?”

5 They reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’

6 But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”

(Luke 3:16)

John came to baptize in water, calling the people to repente; but the One who was coming from God, the Messiah, would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

Water symbolizes a desire for a clean conscience, i.e., to acknowledge your sins, to publicly state you have sinned against God and are seeking God’s forgiveness.

The Holy Spirit symbolizes spiritual birth into God’s family, as a genuine believer who is marked and protected by God’s Spirit.

Fire symbolizes judgment, for those who reject Christ do not have the Holy Spirit in them, and so they are condemned to the Lake of Fire.

The OT was clear that God was going to send His Spirit

Ezekiel 36:27,

27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.

(Ezekiel 37:14),

14 I will put My Spirit within you and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken and done it,” declares the LORD.’”

See again Luke 3:17…

17 His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

[bibleref.com] The metaphor used here involves the process of separating usable grain from inedible husks and stems. The first step is threshing, to knock grain loose from stalks. Next is winnowing. A farmer would use a pitchfork or similar tool to throw threshed grain into the air. This would allow wind to blow the light chaff to the side, while the good grain would fall back into the pile. [The good grain would be kept, while the] Inedible or useless material would be collected and burned

(Matthew 25:30–31).

30 Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.

Both the Old and the New Testaments use fire as an illustration of divine judgement

(cf. Isaiah 29:6;

6 From the LORD of hosts you will be punished with thunder and earthquake and loud noise,

With whirlwind and tempest and the flame of a consuming fire.

Isaiah 30:33;

33 For Topheth has long been ready,

Indeed, it has been prepared for the king.

He has made it deep and large,

A pyre of fire with plenty of wood;

The breath of the LORD, like a torrent of brimstone, sets it afire.

Ezekiel 38:22;

22 With pestilence and with blood I will enter into judgment with him; and I will rain on him and on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, a torrential rain, with hailstones, fire and brimstone.

Matthew 7:19;

19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

John 15:6;

6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.

Hebrews 10:27;

27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.

2Peter 3:7;

7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

Revelation 19:20;

20 And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.

Revelation 20:10).

10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

The wheat

(Luke 3:17)

17 His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

is symbolic of true believers, while the chaff, to be burned up, with unquenchable fire, are those who reject Christ.

Read Luke 3:18-20…

18 So with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people.

19 But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the wicked things which Herod had done,

20 Herod also added this to them all: he locked John up in prison.

John preached for many months in the wilderness of Judea, near the Jordan River, calling the people to repent of theirs sins, for the Messiah, who alone could save them, was coming.

John’s message was not confined to those who came to the Jordan River, Herod evidently heard that John was calling people to repent of sin, or suffer the penalty of hell; this clearly offended Herod, who had John arrested and put into prison.

John’s message and ministry overlapped with that of Jesus, for time, as both the disciples of Christ and the disciples of John were baptizing people. But we need to go to John’s Gospel to get more information concerning that time period.

Read John 3:22-30…

22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing.

23 John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized–

24 for John had not yet been thrown into prison.

25 Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification.

26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.”

27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.

28 You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’

29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

John the Baptist’s ministry gives way to the ministry of Jesus. After Jesus’ baptism and time of testing in the wilderness, He spends time alone with His disciples, before He begins His public preaching ministry.

Matthew tells us

Matthew 4:1,

1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

(Matthew 4:12),

12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee;

(Matthew 4:17),

17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Look again at John 3:22…

22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing.

Jesus left Jerusalem and wet to Judea, “where He spent some time [a considerable amount of time] with His disciples, baptizing.”

John 4:2

2 (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were),

clarifies that, “Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were.” Jesus did not baptize anyone!

During this time, John the Baptist went north to Samaria, baptizing at a place called Aenon [lit. springs];

(John 3:23),

“because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized.”

Jesus’ ministry was increasing, yet many were still going to John to be baptized. Notice

(John 3:24),

24 for John had not yet been thrown into prison.

this was before John was put into prison. Why did John the apostle record that information?

Well, perhaps because the Synoptic Gospel accounts

(Matthew 4:12;

12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee;

Mark 1:14;

14 Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God,

Luke 3:19-20)

19 But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the wicked things which Herod had done,

20 Herod also added this to them all: he locked John up in prison.

begin their narrative of Jesus’ public ministry after John the Baptist had been arrested and placed in prison; whereas, John the apostle, in his gospel account, makes it quite clear that Jesus began His ministry before John was arrested.

When John wrote his gospel, the Synoptics had been circulating for many years, so in order not to cause confusion or seem to be in contradiction with what the other gospel accounts recorded, John simply clarifies that Jesus actually began His ministry while John the Baptist was still alive and baptizing in Samaria.

John the Baptist never wavered in his subservient role to Christ.

In John 3:28,

28 You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’

we are reminded how John told his followers, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him,’ and in

John 3:29,

29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.

John the Baptist images himself as the friend [i.e., the best man] of the bridegroom [who is Christ].

Note: Before a Jewish wedding, the best man has many responsibilities concerning the details of the wedding, one of those was to bring the bride to the bridegroom, so the ceremony could begin; but once the bride and groom are brought together, the best man’s work is done and all the attention moves to the bridegroom.

There was never competition between John and Jesus, in fact, proclaiming Christ’s coming, and directing the crowds to Him, was John’s greatest joy; in

John 3:30

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

John the Baptist says, “He [Jesus] must become greater; I must become less.”

John’s purpose was to declare Israel’s sin against God, and their need to repent and seek forgiveness through Jesus, God’s Messiah [Savior].

Back to Luke 3:19-20…

19 But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the wicked things which Herod had done,

20 Herod also added this to them all: he locked John up in prison.

John the Baptist’s teaching, evidently reached Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee, who took personal offense at John’s condemnation of sin. We are told that Herod was reprimanded by John, the verb here means a continuous, again and again, rebuke.

Herod Antipas, like his father (Herod the Great, who died in 4 B.C.) was a sinful man who showed no regard for God’s judgement or authority.

It would appear that John’s rebuke targeting the illicit and sinful affair between Herod Antipas and his brother Philip’s wife, Herodias.

John the Baptist’s continual rebuke of Herod’s sin, along with the increasing popularity of John’s ministry, brought him into direct conflict with Herod, leading to John’s incarceration.

Luke ends the story of John the Baptist here, so we’ll go to Mark’s account to get the rest of the story.

Read Mark 6:17-29…

17 Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place; and there was a large crowd of His disciples, and a great throng of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon,

18 who had come to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were being cured.

19 And all the people were trying to touch Him, for power was coming from Him and healing them all.

20 And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

22 Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man.

23 Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets.

24 But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full.

25 Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.

27 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

29 Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either.

Herod liked to listen to John and considered him to be a holy man, but John condemned Herod’s relationship to Herodias (who was actually Herod’s niece, and was married to Herod’s brother, Philip). Most likely, Herod convinced Herodias to leave her rather weak and nondescript husband, in order to be his wife, and enjoy much more power and prestige.

OT Law prohibited any sexual relationship with a blood relative [that is incest], but Herodias and Herod were also committing adultery, because Herodias’s divorce from Philip was unlawful, and therefore, her marriage to Herod, was both sinful and unlawful.

John called it what it was, and Herodias wanted him put to death, to shut him up. But because Herod kept John in prison, Herodias couldn’t get to him.

Then came the big celebration for Herod’s birthday, with all the influential people of the region attending. Herodias’s daughter (Salome), came in to entertain the guests by dancing; she was evidently very beautiful and seductive, and she greatly pleased the guests, so that Herod, wanting to look good, offered her whatever she wanted, up to half of his kingdom.

Salome went to her mother Herodias, to inquire what she should ask for from Herod, and Herodias said, “The head of John the Baptist,” so Salome made her request, and Herod reluctantly complied, because he had sworn an oath in front of all his guests, and had to keep it.

And so, John was beheaded, and John’s disciples, when they heard of his death, came and took away his body to lay it in a grave.

John’s ministry was very short, but John serves as an example of greatness

(Luke 1:15-17),

15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb.

16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God.

17 It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

No wonder Jesus said

(Matthew 11:11a),

11a Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

John’s life reflects characteristics of Biblical greatness: He was a powerful man, yet he served humbly

(cf. Matthew 3:4-6,

4 Now John himself had a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

5 Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan;

6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

Matthew 3:11,

11 “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Matthew 3:13-15).

13 Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him.

14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”

15 But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him.

He displayed courage and was uncompromising in both his message and his life

(cf. Matthew 3:1-2,

1 Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,

2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 3:7-10).

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance;

9 and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.

10 The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

John 1:29,

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

when John saw Jesus coming toward him at the Jordan River, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! The greatest work of John was to direct lost sinners to the Savior, Jesus Christ: the only Way to God, the only Truth of God, and the only Life with God. Proclaiming God’s truth cost John his life on earth, but he gained eternal life in heaven.

The greatest thing any Christian can do is to proclaim the sovereign truth that God’s Son came to die for our sins, and to provide eternal life for everyone who will repent, believe in, and follow Him.

1John 5:11-13,

11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Do you know that you have eternal life?

2Corinthians 5:17,

17 If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

2Corinthians 13:5,

5 Test [yourself] to see if you are in the faith; examine [yourself]! Or do you not recognize this about [yourself], that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?

Romans 10:9-10,

9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Romans 10:13,

13 Whoever will call on the name of the Lord [for the forgiveness of sin] will be saved,

(Acts 4:12),

12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

(Acts 4:12),

12 There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved,” [only Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Who is both Lord and Savior].

Still not sure about your salvation?

Admit you are a sinner: we all are.

Ask God to forgive you: He turns no one away.

Believe in Jesus for salvation: He alone can save you.

Confess Christ as Lord: He is the Creator, Sustainer, and Judge over all things.

Demonstrate your new life in Christ in this way:

Pray to God and read the Bible daily.

Obey what God’s Word says.

Participate in a Bible Believing and Practicing Church.

Tell others about Jesus Christ: Crucified, Resurrected, and Coming Again.

If you have questions about any of this, please ask me, and either I, or someone else in this church, will meet with you, pray with you, and make sure you fully understand the most important question that you will ever have to answer in this life: What are you going to do with Jesus Christ, i.e., who do you say He is?

Pastor Mike
>’(((><

05-01-2022 – “How Should We Pray?”

Bible Text: Matthew 6:9-15 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale |

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May 1, 2022
“How Should We Pray?”
Matthew 6:9-15

Every person who repents of their sins and confesses Jesus Christ

as Lord and Savior, comes into an intimate and eternal relationship w

ith God the Father, who loves us unconditionally, without measure.

Prayer is way we communicate with God. God loves to hear the

prayers of His children and to answer according to His eternal love,

majesty, and grace.

Isaiah 65:24,

24 It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while

they are still speaking, I will hear.

Read Matthew 6:7-15…

7 “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the

Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.

8 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before

you ask Him.

9 “Pray, then, in this way:

‘Our Father who is in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

10 ‘Your kingdom come.

Your will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread.

12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours i

s the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]

14 For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father

will also forgive you.

15 But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your

transgressions.

Our prayers to God should not be “meaningless repetition,

” like pagans [unbelievers] who babble on with many words;

neither should our prayers be give in rote fashion [mechanical,

mindless].

Nowhere in the NT is a prayer ever repeated or used in a

ritualistic manner. We don’t have to try and convince God of

our needs; for He knows what they are, even before we ask Him!

Matthew 6:9a…

9 “Pray, then, in this way:

‘Our Father who is in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

Pray, then, in this way:

The Lord’s Prayer is given as a guide to how we should pray.

There are six petitions in this prayer – three toward God’s sovereignty:

His Name, His Kingdom, His Will; and three toward our human needs:

daily necessities, forgiveness, protection from evil.

Matthew 6:9b…

9 “Pray, then, in this way:

‘Our Father who is in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

Our Father who is in heaven:

God is the Creator of all but the Father only of those who come through

faith in Jesus Christ, into the Family of God, having been born of God’s Spirit

(John 1:12-13),

12 But as many as received Him [Christ], to them He gave the right to

become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the

will of man, but of God.

(John 3:6-7),

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the

Spirit is spirit.

7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

Matthew 6:9c…

9 “Pray, then, in this way:

‘Our Father who is in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name.

Hallowed be Your name:

God is Holy and we are to revere, honor, worship, and glorify Him.

We are to prayerfully acknowledge Him in every detail of our thoughts,

our words, and our actions

(1Corinthians 10:31),

31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Matthew 6:10…

10 ‘Your kingdom come.

Your will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven:

Those who belong to Christ will want to express God’s rule in their lives,

as He already rules in heaven; for God’s ultimate will is not being

exhibited on earth, e.g., people sin, people die, and people go to hell;

but ut God’s will is for people to repent, believe, and live forever in

heaven with Him.

1Timothy 2:3-4,

3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

4 who desires all men [people] to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

2Peter 3:9,

9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient

toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

“The Lord is… …patient toward you, not wanting any to perish but for

all to come to repentance.”

All true believers and followers of Christ, will seek to serve God, by

knowing and doing His will.

Romans 12:1-2,

1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a

living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of

your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and

acceptable and perfect.

Colossians 3:17,

17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

We are to pray for God’s will to be done, while seeking to obey

God’s Word.

Matthew 6:11…

11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread.

Give us this day our daily bread:

Bread is symbolic of what we require for our physical and spiritual needs.

In Palestine, bread was eaten at every meal, without it, you would be hungry.

In John 6:51

51 I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of

this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the w

orld is My flesh.”

Jesus says, “[He is] the living bread that came down from heaven,”

through which the Father grants us eternal life.

Philippians 4:19,

19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in

Christ Jesus.

(2Peter 1:2-3),

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;

3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life a

nd godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory

and excellence.

The schedule for God’s provision is daily, meaning, we need to come

to Him daily for the provision of our needs, not weekly, monthly, or

yearly, but daily, sometimes hourly, or even minute by minute,

when in crisis.

Matthew 6:12…

‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors:

This is not talking about financial debts, it is talking about sin — our

spiritual debt to God, which was paid in full by Christ, for He is the

once for all sacrifice, for all sin, for all people.

Sin separates man from God and is man’s greatest enemy. Therefore,

mankind’s greatest need is forgiveness, and that is what God provides

when we confess our sinfulness

(1John 1:8-10),

8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to

cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not

in us.

God is forgiving, and therefore, all of God’s children, should be

forgiving

(Ephesians 5:1),

1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;

The only physical form of God revealed to us is Jesus Christ

(Colossians 2:9),

9 For in Him all the fullness of [God] dwells in bodily form,”

He is our example to follow.

On the cross Jesus said

(Luke 23:24),

24 And Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand be granted.

and so, Christians should exemplify the character of Christ in their lives

(Ephesians 4:32),

32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in

Christ also has forgiven you.

Matthew 6:13…

13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

[For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]

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

[‘For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen’]

*This is not found in early MSS, but is recorded in the Scriptures

(see 1Chronicles 29:11;

11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and

the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the d

ominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all.

Revelation 5:12-13;

12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and

riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”

13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth

and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne,

and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”

Revelation 7:12).

12 saying, “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and

power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

This is speaking of trials and testing that can entice us to sin

(James 1:13-14),

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot

be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.

14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

We should pray for God to place a guard over our eyes, ears, mouth, feet,

hands, mind, and heart — so that, we will not give in and do that which is

sinful.

1Corinthians 10:13,

13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful,

who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation

will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

In prayer we ask God to strengthen us against sin, to help us know His

will, and to obey His Word, in every situation of our life.

We live in a cursed world, evil is all around us, so we are commanded

(Romans 12:9),

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.

to “Abhor [hate, turn away from] what is evil; cling to [imitate, hold on to]

what is good.”. Our flesh is weak and we are not equipped in our humanity

to combat sin, or to defeat the devil’s schemes, and so, we confess our need

for the protection and provision that only God can give.

This sovereign lesson in prayer concludes with a reminder of how our forgiving

others is an illustration and reflection of how the Father has forgiven us.

Matthew 6:14-15…

14 For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

15 But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also

forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your

Father forgive your trespasses:

Please don’t misunderstand what this verse is saying. God has forever

removed the penalty of sin from all true Christians

(cf. Romans 8:1).

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

However, sin does effect our present joy and our ability to serve God;

therefore, we confess our sins in order to remain cleansed from sin’s corruption,

much like washing our face, hands, and feet when they have become soiled

by dirt or contaminated in some way.

Having been cleansed by God ourself, i.e., having received God’s eternal

forgiveness, we must forgive others; for an unforgiving spirit is inconsistent

with one who has been forgiven by God

(Matthew 18:21-22),

21 Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me

and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Peter asked, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive

him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven

times, but up to seventy times seven.”

Jesus then tells Peter a parable about a king who forgave one of his

slave’s very large debt, instead of throwing him in prison; but that slave

later was unwilling to forgive a fellow slave’s debt, that was much less

than the debt he had been forgiven by the king, and he had him thrown

into prison. When the king found out he called the unforgiving slave

before him and said

(Matthew 18:32-33),

32 Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you

all that debt because you pleaded with me.

33 Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way

that I had mercy on you?’

Why should we pray?

Prayer allows us to draw close to God, to know Him more intimately

(Hebrews 4:16),

16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we

may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

(1Thessalonians 5:17-18),

“Pray without ceasing [continually];
in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

What should we pray?

That God’s will be done through every situation in our individual lives and

in the Church of God; so that men, women and children

(Ephesians 3:18-20),

18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and

height and depth,

19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up

to all the fullness of God.

20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think,

according to the power that works within us,

How should we pray?

Constantly and reverently, bringing our petitions and praises, sorrows and joys,

concerns and considerations, before God.

Jeremiah 29:11-13,

11 For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and

not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 33:3,

3 ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which

you do not know.’

In Genesis 18:22,

22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was

still standing before the LORD.

Abraham prayed standing;

in 1Chronicles 17:16,

16 Then David the king went in and sat before the LORD and said, “Who am I, O LORD

God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far?

King David prayed sitting;

in Matthew 26:39,

39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father,

if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”

Jesus prayed lying face down on the ground.

Our physical position in prayer isn’t important; but our attitude is, we are

to revere God’s holiness, recognizing our own sinfulness; for only then will

we truly be thankful for His loving kindness, forgiveness, mercy, and grace.

Prayer is the means by which we come into and remain in God’s presence,

while separated from Him on earth.

The Holy Spirit helps us to pray for those things that bring glory and honor to

God, as we exalt the character and nature of God

(Revelation 1:8),

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who

is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 1:17-18,

“I am the first and the last, and the living One; I was dead, and behold, I am alive

forevermore.”

God has revealed Himself to us, forgiven our sins and saved us, and He desires

for us to live out our lives on earth, while trusting Him to bring us to heaven,

where we will experience

(Revelation 21:3-6),

3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold , the tabernacle [dwelling] of

God is among men, and He will [live] among them, and they shall be His people, and God

Himself will be among them,

4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death;

there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said,

“Write, for these words are faithful and true.”

6 Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.

I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.

‘It is done.’

Pastor Mike
>’(((><

04-24-2022 – John Warns Israel

Bible Text: Luke 3:7-14 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: Luke |

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April 24, 2022
“John Warns Israel” (AM insert)
Luke 3:7-14

It’s been three weeks since we were in Luke’s Gospel account, so I’m going to read the first six verses of chapter 3, as a refresher of where we left off.

Read Luke 3:1-6…

2 in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.

3 And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins;

4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

“THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS,

‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD,

MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.

5 ‘EVERY RAVINE WILL BE FILLED,

AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE BROUGHT LOW;

THE CROOKED WILL BECOME STRAIGHT,

AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH;

6 AND ALL FLESH WILL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD.’”

The setting for Luke’s account, is after 400 years of silence between God and Israel. God had set apart the Hebrews as His chosen people, to worship Him; but the Priests and religious leaders had turned that relationship into one of rituals, ceremonies, sacrifices, and law keeping.

But the truth is

(Romans 3:20),

20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

(Romans 3:23),

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

(Romans 6:23),

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The only hope for the Jewish people (really, for all people) was that the coming Messiah [Savior, God’s Son] would make everything right. He would forgive their sins and restore their relationship with God; because, although

Hebrews 9:22,

22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

(Hebrews 9:28),

28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

(Hebrews 10:4-5),

4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

5 Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says,

“SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED,

BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME;

(Hebrews 10:10),

10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

(Hebrews 10:14),

14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

(Hebrews 10:17-18),

“‘And their sins and their lawless deeds [God says] I will remember no more,’ Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin,”

because

(1John 5:7),

“the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Read Luke 3:7-9…

7 So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.

9 Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

John didn’t waste anytime softening the message he had come to give, “You brood of vipers,” “bear fruits in keeping with repentance,” “every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Wow! 400 years of silence is broken! John warns that those who do not do what is right in the eyes of God will be thrown into the fires of hell.

Those who came out to see John were well aware of what the prophets had written, that the day of the Lord would be a time of judgement upon those who reject God’s Salvation

(Isaiah 2:12;

12 For the LORD of hosts will have a day of reckoning

Against everyone who is proud and lofty

And against everyone who is lifted up,

That he may be abased.

Isaiah 13:6;

6 Wail, for the day of the LORD is near!

It will come as destruction from the Almighty.

Zechariah 14:1;

1 Behold, a day is coming for the LORD when the spoil taken from you will be divided among you.

Malachi 4:5); “the day of vengeance”

5 “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD.

in fact, three times it is called, “the day of vengeance”

(Isaiah 34:8;

8 For the LORD has a day of vengeance,

A year of recompense for the cause of Zion.

Isaiah 61:2;

2 To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD

And the day of vengeance of our God;

To comfort all who mourn,

Isaiah 63:4),

4 “For the day of vengeance was in My heart,

And My year of redemption has come.

for it will be a time “when all the inhabitants of the land [earth] will tremble.”

We learn from Matthew that the religious leaders were most likely leading the crowds who were coming to see John

(Matthew 3:7),

7 But when he [John] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

John calls the religious leaders a “brood of vipers,” because they belong to their father, the devil. Speaking to the religious leaders

John 8:44,

44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Revelation 20:2,

2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;

(cf. Genesis 3:1-5,

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”

2 The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;

3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’”

4 The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die!

5 For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Genesis 3:13-15;

13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

14 The LORD God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this,

Cursed are you more than all cattle,

And more than every beast of the field;

On your belly you will go,

And dust you will eat

All the days of your life;

15 And I will put enmity

Between you and the woman,

And between your seed and her seed;

He shall bruise you on the head,

And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

2Corinthians 11:3;

3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

Revelation 12:9).

9 And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

The religious leaders who come out to John were hypocrites, (Gk. hypokrisis, hoop-ok’-ree-sees, meaning “play actors”), for although they make a big show of coming out to John, supposedly for a ‘baptism of repentance,’ they had no intention of repenting or changing their deluded belief that they were somehow right with God because they were descendants of Abraham, and they were very religious: keeping the Sabbath, celebrating the yearly feasts, praying out loud for all to hear their eloquent use of words, giving to the poor in public, then cheating God of what is His

(2Timothy 3:5),

5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these

I want to share with you a quote from John MacArthur’s Commentary on Luke (Volume 1, pg. 217), where he captures this conflictual relationship between John the baptizer and the religious leaders at the Jordan River, very nicely: “Did they think they could escape the inferno of God’s wrath by slithering into the Jordan River like snakes fleeing a brush fire?” Clearly these guys were a brood of snakes!

God hates hypocrites, those who live out lies as if they are truth, those who flaunt a works-oriented religion. Speaking of Israel God says

(Isaiah 29:13),

13 Then the Lord said,

“Because this people draw near with their words

And honor Me with their lip service,

But they remove their hearts far from Me,

And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote [habitual repetition].”

In Luke 3:8,

John exposes the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, and anyone who may be following in their spiritual footsteps; for their false penitence is clear to John, who challenges them to do the works of God that display true repentance

(cf. John 6:28-29).

28 Therefore they said to Him [Jesus], “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?”

29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

Genuine repentance is accompanied by belief in God’s Son for the forgiveness of sin, and all those who have received salvation will demonstrate a changed life that seeks to do what pleases God

Ephesians 2:10,

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

The Jews main hope for salvation was that they were descendants of Abraham.

John 8:31-33,

31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;

32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”

John 8:36,

36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

John 8:39a,

39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham.

John 8:43-44a,

43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word.

The Jews believed they were saved as a nation, through the promises God made to Abraham; but salvation is received one person at a time; not by a family or by a nation

(Romans 10:13),

13 for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”

Romans 10:17,

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

In Luke 3:8b,

John tells the Jews that God could make children for Abraham our of rocks if He wanted to, but the truth is, every Christian becomes a child of God and a descendant of Abraham, by faith, by believing in God’s Son, Jesus Christ

(Galatians 3:26,

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:28-29),

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.

Those who trust in their own goodness, or ethnic heritage, or religious practices to save them, are on the broad road that leads to hell. Jesus commands us to get off the broad road of unbelief

(Matthew 7:13-14),

“Enter through the narrow gate [Christ]; for the gate is wide and the way is broad [religious belief and practice] that leads to destruction [hell], and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

The reason there are only a “few” is that prideful and arrogant people reject Christ, they aren’t seeking forgiveness, so they aren’t looking for a Savior.

In Luke 3:9,

9 Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

John’s warning to repent and demonstrate genuine belief leading to salvation, is premised with a graphic image meant to get the attention of the people. Jesus uses this same metaphor in

Matthew 7:19,

19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

More people will be damned to hell by religion, then by anything else

John is saying that every tree [person] that does not bear good fruit [i.e., demonstrate a changed life], will be thrown into the lake of fire

(Matthew 25:41),

41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;

(Revelation 20:15),

15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Read Luke 3:10-14…

10 And the crowds were questioning him, saying, “Then what shall we do?”

11 And he would answer and say to them, “The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.”

12 And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”

13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.”

14 Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, “And what about us, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.”

Some of those in the crowd are taken back by John’s warning and strong image of destruction; so they ask him what they need to do to avoid such a fiery end, i.e., how do they show they have true repentance.

Luke 3:11

11 And he would answer and say to them, “The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.”

John provides simple general instruction: if you have more than what you need, you should share it with those who have none, whether it is food or clothing or any other basic necessities, give freely to those in need.

Luke 3:12-13

12 And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”

13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.”

some tax collectors, coming to be baptized, ask John what they should do to demonstrate true repentance. John told them to treat the people fairly, justly, and not to extort money for taxes the people are not required to pay, i.e., don’t do what is unlawful, do what is right.

Luke 3:14

soldiers who are there begin to ask John what they should do, how should they treat others. Note: We don’t know if these are Roman soldiers under the authority of Pilate the Governor, or personal soldiers of Herod Antipas, the Ruler of Judea, or perhaps temple guards or soldiers who serve the Chief Priests.

John tells them not to use their authority to intimidate or extort money from the people, perhaps by making false accusations against someone, expecting to be paid off, so that they will not arrest them. John tells them to be satisfied with their own wages and to treat people justly.

John’s instruction seems simple, in fact, it is representative of the Golden Rule, “treat others the way you want them to treat you.”

Jesus taught

(Matthew 7:12),

12 “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

(James 2:8),

8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well.

This teaching comes from the Greatest Commandment

Matthew 22:36-40,

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”

37 And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’

38 This is the great and foremost commandment.

39 The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’

40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Romans 13:10,

10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

John warns that apart from repentance that leads to salvation, no one will escape the coming judgement of God; true repentance always demonstrates a life that is no longer characterized by sin and self-interest, but instead, by love for God and for others, a life of good works that are pleasing to God.

1Thessalonians 5:15-18,

15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.

16 Rejoice always;

17 pray without ceasing;

18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Pastor Mike
>’(((><

04-17-2022 – “Resurrection Sunday Demonstrates Eternal Life”

Bible Text: various | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Links from Our Website:

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April 17, 2022
“Resurrection Sunday Demonstrates Eternal Life”

Today is the Day of Good News, the Best News! Jesus Christ was crucified on Friday (paying the penalty for our sins); and on Sunday, He rose from the grave (demonstrating His authority to provide eternal life).

There have been more paintings, songs, and books produced about Jesus Christ than any other person who has ever lived. Why all this attention given to a Jewish carpenter from Nazareth?

The OT records hundreds of prophecies about Jesus Christ [the Messiah, the Savior], most of these written between 500-1000 years before His birth, telling how He would be God in the flesh, born in a manger in Bethlehem to a young Jewish virgin, and His Father would be Alright God. He would die on a cross as payment for man’s sins; most of His own people (the Jews) would reject Him; but many Gentiles (non-Jews) would believe in Him.

The NT records the fulfillment of all these prophecies; the greatest being, His death and resurrection, which declared Him to be both God and Savior.

(See Acts 2:22-24,

23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.

24 But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.

Acts 2:36;

36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ–this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Romans 1:1-4).

1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures,

3 concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh,

4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,

Christianity stands or falls on the truth of Christ’s resurrection! But He would have to die, if He was going to then rise from the dead.

Read John 19:31-35,

31 Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

32 So the soldiers came, and broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with Him;

33 but coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.

34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

35 And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe.

John 19:38-42…

38 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body.

39 Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight.

40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.

41 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.

42 Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Jesus died on a Friday and was placed in a tomb, but on Sunday morning His body was missing. If He did not rise from the grave, someone took His body. What do the Scriptures say?

Read Matthew 28:1-15…

1 Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave.

2 And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it.

3 And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.

4 The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.

6 He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.

7 Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”

8 And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples.

9 And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.

10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

11 Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened.

12 And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,

13 and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’

14 And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.”

15 And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.

The Jewish Leaders wanted Christ’s body to stay in the tomb, a missing body could be perceived as a resurrected body

(Please turn to Matthew 27:62-65).

62 Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate,

63 and said, “Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I am to rise again.’

64 Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.”

65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.”

The Roman Guards would have no reason to steal the body, they were stationed there to make sure it stayed put; moving it or allowing it to be taken, was punishable by death; therefore, they made sure Christ’s body remained in the tomb, at all costs, against all foes; but then, they had never seen one of God’s mighty angels, like the one who rolled away the stone.

The Disciples wouldn’t move His body and falsify His resurrection; for if they knew Jesus did not rise from the grave, they had no hope of eternal life; it would be better for them to quickly and quietly get out of town, and never again mention their relationship with Jesus of Nazareth.

So why did the Disciples continue to proclaim the risen Lord, if it indeed were not true? Why did the Jewish authorities bribe the Roman Guard to spread the “stolen body” story, if it were true?

The only reasonable explanation is that Jesus rose from the grave, just like He said He would.

Jesus told His disciples, on several occasions, that He would be arrested, put to death, and on the third day He would rise from the grave. He told them He would return to the Father; but that He would ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit to indwell them, and at a future time, He would come back to gather all Christians to be with Him in heaven, forever.

Jesus told them:

Matthew 16:21,

21 From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.

Matthew 17:22-23,

22 And while they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men;

23 and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day.” And they were deeply grieved.

Mark 8:31,

31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Mark 9:31,

31 For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later.”

Luke 9:22,

22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.”

Luke 9:44,

44 “Let these words sink into your ears; for the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”

Just days before Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time, He came to Bethany to comfort His friends Mary and Martha, for their brother Lazarus had died. Jesus said to them

(John 11:25-26),

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,

26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Please turn to John 11:38-53…

38 So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.

39 Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

41 So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.

42 I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.”

43 When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.”

44 The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

45 Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.

46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done.

47 Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were saying, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs.

48 If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all,

50 nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.”

51 Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,

52 and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.

53 So from that day on they planned together to kill Him.

LAST PASSOVER:

Matthew 26:1-5,

1 When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples,

2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion.”

3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas;

4 and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him.

5 But they were saying, “Not during the festival, otherwise a riot might occur among the people.”

John 14:1-3,

1 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.

2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.

3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.

John 14:29,

29 Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe.

POST RESURRECTION:

Luke 24:44-48,

44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,

46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day,

47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

48 You are witnesses of these things.

After His resurrection, before ascending back into heaven, Jesus appeared to many of His followers:

Mary and other women near the tomb

(Matthew 28:9-10)

9 And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.

10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

Two disciples walking to Emmaus

(Luke 24:13-32)

13 And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem.

14 And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place.

15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them.

16 But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.

17 And He said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they stood still, looking sad.

18 One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?”

19 And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people,

20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him.

21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened.

22 But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning,

23 and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive.

24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.”

25 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!

26 Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?”

27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

28 And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther.

29 But they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them.

30 When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them.

31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight.

32 They said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?”

Peter

(Luke 24:33-34)

33 And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them,

34 saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.”

10 disciples, Thomas absent

(Mark 16:14;

14 Afterward He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen.

Luke 24:36-43;

36 While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be to you.”

37 But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit.

38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?

39 See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”

40 And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.

41 While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?”

42 They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish;

43 and He took it and ate it before them.

John 20:19-25)

19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

20 And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

23 If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

11 disciples, Thomas present

(John 20:26-31)

26 After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”

27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;

31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

7 disciples by the Sea of Galilee

(John 21:1-14,

1 After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way.

2 Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.

3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.

4 But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

5 So Jesus said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.”

6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish.

7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea.

8 But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about one hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish.

9 So when they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread.

10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.”

11 Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn.

12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples ventured to question Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord.

13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and the fish likewise.

14 This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead.

John 21:25)

25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.

The apostles just before His ascension

(Acts 1:3-26)

3 To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.

4 Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me;

5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

6 So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”

7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;

8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them.

11 They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.

13 When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

15 At this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said,

16 “Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.

17 For he was counted among us and received his share in this ministry.”

18 (Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out.

19 And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms,

‘LET HIS HOMESTEAD BE MADE DESOLATE,

AND LET NO ONE DWELL IN IT’;

and,

‘LET ANOTHER MAN TAKE HIS OFFICE.’

21 Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us–

22 beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us–one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

23 So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias.

24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen

25 to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.”

26 And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

Paul records other appearances

(1Corinthians 15).

The 12 Disciples

(1Corinthians 15:5)

5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

500 disciples

(1Corinthians 15:6)

6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;

James

(1Corinthians 15:7)

7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles

Paul

(1Corinthians 15:8;

8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.

Acts 9:1-8;

1 Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,

2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

3 As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him;

4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,

6 but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.”

7 The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.

8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus.

Acts 18:9-10;

9 And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, “Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent;

10 for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city.”

Acts 23:11)

11 But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”

The Bible declares everyone guilty of sin, deserving punishment; but God, in His great love for us, has provided forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Everyone who trusts and believes in Him, receives God’s unmerited favor, God’s G R A C E, expressed in and through the sacrificial death and sovereign resurrection of God’s Son

(Romans 3:23-24;

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;

Romans 6:23;

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8;

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 8:1;

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 10:9-10,

9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Romans 10:13).

13 for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.

When you repent of your sins, trusting in Jesus Christ’s death to provide forgiveness for your sins, you are saved.

Christ’s resurrection demonstrates His sovereign power and authority over sin, death, and judgment; He alone provides eternal life.

The only reasonable explanation for the empty tomb is the one that is repeatedly revealed in Scripture:

Jesus Christ rose from the grave, by His own divine power and authority

(John 10:17-18), Jesus declared,

17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again.

18 No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

Revelation 1:8,

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 1:17-18,

17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last,

18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.

1John 5:11-13

11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is God’s greatest demonstration of eternal life; Jesus Christ is the Resurrection and the Life; and therefore, everyone who believes in Him will live forever, and although we may physically die, we will, at that very moment, come into the presence of the Lord.

Resurrection Sunday celebrates eternal life for everyone who believes in Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Lord and Savior: crucified, resurrected, and coming again to take all those who belong to Him to be with Him in heaven, forever.

And therefore, we can earnestly proclaim,

He Is Risen!

He is Risen indeed!

He lives, He lives,
Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life’s narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives:
He lives within my heart.

Pastor Mike
>’(((><

04-10-2022 – “The Messiah Presents Himself to Israel”

Bible Text: Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-46; John 12:12-19 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale |

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April 10, 2022
“The Messiah Presents Himself to Israel”
Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-46; John 12:12-19

Today we begin what is called Passion [Holy] Week, it is set off by our Lord entering Jerusalem on Sunday, while the people praise Him; but five days later, on Friday, the people will cry out for His death, after which, He will be crucified and laid in a tomb, but on Sunday morning, one week from when He entered Jerusalem, He will rise from the dead, just like He said He would!

There is much in Scripture about Jesus’ last week in Jerusalem (Matthew 21-28, Mark 11-18, Luke 19-24, John 12-20). Out of a total of 89 chapters that comprise all four Gospels, about 1/3 of them are devoted to this one-week period of Jesus’ life!

When I taught through Mark’s Gospel, I prepared 20 sermons on this one-week period of Jesus’ life; in Matthew’s Gospel, I prepared 22 sermons; and in John’s Gospel, I prepared 30 sermons on Passion week.

This week is highly charged and extremely important, because it contains God’s greatest expression of love for mankind, i.e., sending His own Son to die as payment for all our sins, then raising Him from the grave to provide eternal life.

Apart from Creation Week, when everything was made that has been made, the crucifixion and resurrection of God’s One and Only Son, are the most marvelous, majestic, and miraculous events that have ever happened.

There are many OT prophecies fulfilled by the Messiah during Passion Week, here are a few of those.

None of the bones of God’s Lamb were to be broken. (1400 B.C.)

Exodus 12:46…

46 It is to be eaten in a single house; you are not to bring forth any of the flesh outside of the house, nor are you to break any bone of it.

His hands and feet will be pierced. (1000 BC)

Psalm 22:16…

16 For dogs have surrounded me;

A band of evildoers has encompassed me;

They pierced my hands and my feet.

Lots will be cast for His garments.

Psalm 22:18…

18 They divide my garments among them,

And for my clothing they cast lots.

He will be given vinegar to drink.

Psalm 69:21…

21 They also gave me gall for my food

And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

He will be despised, forsaken, led like a lamb to the slaughter; He will be pierced for and put to death for our sins (700 BC)

Isaiah 53:1-12…

1 Who has believed our message?

And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot,

And like a root out of parched ground;

He has no stately form or majesty

That we should look upon Him,

Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.

3 He was despised and forsaken of men,

A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;

And like one from whom men hide their face

He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore,

And our sorrows He carried;

Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,

And by His scourging we are healed.

6 All of us like sheep have gone astray,

Each of us has turned to his own way;

But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all

To fall on Him.

7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted,

Yet He did not open His mouth;

Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,

And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,

So He did not open His mouth.

8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away;

And as for His generation, who considered

That He was cut off out of the land of the living

For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?

9 His grave was assigned with wicked men,

Yet He was with a rich man in His death,

Because He had done no violence,

Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.

10 But the LORD was pleased

To crush Him, putting Him to grief;

If He would render Himself as a guilt offering,

He will see His offspring,

He will prolong His days,

And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.

11 As a result of the anguish of His soul,

He will see it and be satisfied;

By His knowledge the Righteous One,

My Servant, will justify the many,

As He will bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great,

And He will divide the booty with the strong;

Because He poured out Himself to death,

And was numbered with the transgressors;

Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,

And interceded for the transgressors.

He enters Jerusalem on a colt. (500 BC)

Zechariah 9:9…

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your king is coming to you;

He is just and endowed with salvation,

Humble, and mounted on a donkey,

Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

He will be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver

[Exodus 21:32].

32 If the ox gores a male or female slave, the owner shall give his or her master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

Zechariah 11:12…

12 I said to them, “If it is good in your sight, give me my wages; but if not, never mind!” So they weighed out thirty shekels of silver as my wages.

His friends will desert Him.

Zechariah 13:7…

7 “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd,

And against the man, My Associate,”

Declares the LORD of hosts.

“Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered;

And I will turn My hand against the little ones.

He will rise from the dead.

Psalm 16:8-11…

8 I have set the LORD continually before me;

Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;

My flesh also will dwell securely.

10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;

Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.

11 You will make known to me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

He will ascend back into heaven.

Psalm 110:1…

1 The LORD says to my Lord:

“Sit at My right hand

Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”

Next Friday at 3 pm, we’ll study the events of the day of Christ’s crucifixion; and next Sunday, we’ll study what the Bible tells us about His resurrection.

Today, I will read mostly from Mark’s Gospel, the most succinct narrative among the four accounts; but I will also cite information from the other accounts, so as to provide a more complete picture of Passion week’s events.

Read Mark 11:1-3…

1 As they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples,

2 and said to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here.

3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ you say, ‘The Lord has need of it’; and immediately he will send it back here.”

Jesus and the 12 approached Jerusalem, coming near Bethphage [“house of unripe figs”], a small town near Bethany (the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus

(cf. John 11:1)

1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.

on the SE side of the Mount of Olives.

The Mount of Olives is just across from the Temple Mount; it was there that Jesus taught about End Times Events (cf. Matthew 24). And it was here Jesus ascended back into heaven

(cf. Acts 1:9-12),

9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them.

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.

and it is here that He will return to the earth

(cf. Zechariah 14:3-5).

3 Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as when He fights on a day of battle.

4 In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.

5 You will flee by the valley of My mountains, for the valley of the mountains will reach to Azel; yes, you will flee just as you fled before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD, my God, will come, and all the holy ones with Him!

Jesus sends two of His disciples into Bethphage to acquire a young donkey; telling them that if anyone asks why, tell them “The Lord has need of it,” evidently the people knew Jesus, for He had visited there several times; they also knew that He was referred to as “The Lord.”

Read Mark 11:4-6…

4 They went away and found a colt tied at the door, outside in the street; and they untied it.

5 Some of the bystanders were saying to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?”

6 They spoke to them just as Jesus had told them, and they gave them permission.

The disciples find the donkey and are given permission to untie it and take it

(Matthew 21:2)

2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me.

records that there was also a mare with a colt.

Read Mark 11:7-10…

7 They brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it; and He sat on it.

8 And many spread their coats in the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields.

9 Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting:

“Hosanna!

BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD;

10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David;

Hosanna in the highest!”

The people’s display is based on the ancient practice

(cf. 2Kings 9:12-13)

12 They said, “It is a lie, tell us now.” And he said, “Thus and thus he said to me, ‘Thus says the LORD, “I have anointed you king over Israel.”’”

13 Then they hurried and each man took his garment and placed it under him on the bare steps, and blew the trumpet, saying, “Jehu is king!”

of showing homage to a new king; the people seemed to express acceptance of Christ as the Messiah, and King of the Jews.

Matthew 21:5

5 “SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION,

‘BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU,

GENTLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY,

EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A BEAST OF BURDEN.’”

The people were excited, throwing down their outer garments and

(cf. John 12:13,),

13 took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, “Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, even the King of Israel.”

palm branches; these are symbolic of their hope and desire for the Messiah-King to come and free them from their Roman oppression.

The people shouted

(Mark 11:9)

9 Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting:

“Hosanna!

BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD;

“Hosanna!” meaning “Save!” The actual Hebrew word is Hosha’na, is a contraction of the words “save” and “please,” this is a shout of prayerful expectation, exhibiting adoration, praise, and joy to the One who has come to save them, e.g.,

Psalm 118:25-26,

25 O LORD, save us;

O LORD, grant us success.

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD,

from the house of the LORD [i.e., heaven] we praise you.”

The people are acknowledging that God has indeed come down from heaven in this Jesus [Immanuel], to save His people.

John 1:1-3,

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 He was in the beginning with God.

3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

John 1:14,

14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:18,

18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

Jesus came down from the Father, to show us the Father, to save us! Jesus’ name means “God saves,” or “God’s Salvation.”

In Mark 11:10

10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David;

Hosanna in the highest!”

the people praise the coming Davidic Kingdom when the Messiah-King will rule on earth for 1000 years.

The Jews were waiting for the Messiah to come and liberate them from their Gentile oppressors [the Romans], just as God had done when He set the Hebrews free from Pharaoh in Egypt.

The Jews believed the Messiah would bring prosperity and peace, and that He would sit on the throne of David; but they didn’t understand that at His first advent, He would free them from the penalty of sin, and at His second (future) advent, He would sit on the throne of David the Shepherd King, for the Bible says Jesus is

The Good Shepherd;

(cf. John 10:14,

14 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me,

The Chief Shepherd

1Peter 5:4,

4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Matthew 21:10-11,

10 When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?”

11 And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Read Mark 11:11a…

11a Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple;

Jesus goes to the Temple, and He looks around the inner and outer courts; nothing is hidden from His eyes, and what He sees enrages Him.

Matthew 21:12-13;

12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves.

13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER’; but you are making it a ROBBERS’ DEN.”

Luke 19:45-46

45 Jesus entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling,

46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘AND MY HOUSE SHALL BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER,’ but you have made it a ROBBERS’ DEN.”

tell us, Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple; He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a robbers’ den.”

Read Mark 11:11b…

11b and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.

Mark tells us, as does

Matthew 21:17,

17 And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.

that Jesus returned to Bethany (with His disciples, “the twelve”) for the night, as it was getting late, and no doubt, it had been a very long day.

There is so much more taking place during the rest of Passion Week; as Jesus pours out His love for Israel, teaching them (mostly on Monday and Tuesday) what the Father wants them to know; Wednesday seems to be a day of rest, without recorded events, and Thursday Jesus spends Passover with the Twelve.

During the long evening of the Passover (John 13-17), Jesus makes it clear to His disciples that He is the Lamb of God who will be sacrificed, and it will be His blood that will be shed for the sins of the people.

Next Wednesday night we will study what the Bible discloses about that last Passover, when Jesus unveiled the New Covenant through His death.

Next Friday, Good Friday, we will study what took place when Jesus was arrested, beaten, falsely tried and convicted, flogged almost to death, and then executed by crucifixion, fulfilling God’s gracious and merciful plan to save us.

Romans 3:23-24,

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;

Romans 5:8,

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 6:23,

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:1,

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 1:13,

13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation–having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,

Ephesians 2:8,

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

Jesus took upon Himself our punishment, making full payment for all sin for all people, for all time. The most important decision you will ever make, will be in response to what was forever accomplished during Passion Week.

Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt with the people praising Him; but by the end of the week, they rejected, reviled, and then crucified Him.

Jesus Christ enters your life when you genuinely believe in Him for salvation.

1Corinthians 15:1-4,

1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,

2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

Romans 10:9-10,

9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Romans 10:13,

13 for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”

Romans 10:17,

17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

1John 5:11-13,

11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Do you have the assurance of salvation? If you don’t, then I urge you, right now, right here, be reconciled to God in Christ. Everyone who repents of their sin, believing in God’s Son for salvation, will be saved.

God turns no one away, He will never leave or forsake you, and He will bring you into heaven where you’ll spend eternity with Him and with all those who belong to Him, by faith in Jesus Christ.

Pastor Mike

>’(((><

04-03-2022 – “Prepare the way of the Lord”

Bible Text: Luke 3:1-6 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: Luke |

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April 3, 2022
“Prepare the way of the Lord”
Luke 3:1-6

Luke 3:1-6

1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, 2 in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. 3 And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; 4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

“THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS,

‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD,

MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.

‘EVERY RAVINE WILL BE FILLED,

AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE BROUGHT LOW;

THE CROOKED WILL BECOME STRAIGHT,

AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH;

AND ALL FLESH WILL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD.’”

Read Luke 3:1-2a…

2a in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,

Luke begins this chapter by naming seven men, and giving a timeframe, to set the historical background for the beginning of John’s ministry.

The fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar would have been A.D. 26, because Tiberius became co-regent with Augustus (the previous Caesar), in A.D. 11.

John would have been about 30 years of age in A.D. 26, because he was just 6 months older than Jesus, and Luke tells us

(Luke 3:23),

23 When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli,

Jesus was about thirty years of age when He began His ministry.

The next man mentioned is Pontius Pilate, appointed governor of Judea by Tiberius Caesar, in A.D. 26. Pilate served until A.D. 36, when he was removed, because of his inability to maintain control of the Jews.

Luke now moves to Herod and his brother Philip; two of the sons of Herod the Great (who died in 4. B.C., when Jesus was about two years of age).

The Herod mentioned in

Luke 3:1,

is Herod Antipas, who ruled the region around Galilee until A.D. 39. His brother Philip ruled the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis (northeast of Galilee); it was Philip’s wife (Herodias) with whom his brother Antipas had an adulterous affair and was confronted by John, leading to John’s death.

The third local ruler was Lysanias (not much is known about him), he ruled the area of Abilene (northwest of Damascus).

The five men we have just talked about were Gentiles, now Luke records two Jewish high priests: Annas and Caiaphas. Annas was Israel’s high priest from A.D. 6 to A.D. 15, when he was removed from office by Valerius, the man who became governor of Judea after Pilate was removed.

Annas’s son-in-law, Caiaphas was Israel’s high priest from A.D. 18 to A.D. 36. Just like previous presidents of the United States retain the title of “Mr. President,” even after they leave office, so it was with Israel’s high priests. In fact, according to Mosaic law (cf. Numbers 35:25), high priests served for life.

Annas was well connected to prominent and powerful Jews, and also Gentiles (who could benefit him). Annas was the family patriarch of the men who had ruled the high priesthood in Israel for 20 years, and as such, he held much power over the people (after Annas’s removal as high priest, five of his sons and one of his grandsons served as high priest, and now his son-in-law was high priest).

One thing that Annas and Caiaphas had in common was their hatred of Jesus, Who had (two times) disrupted their very lucrative business in the temple

(cf. John 2:13-16;

13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

14 And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables.

15 And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables;

16 and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.”

Matthews 21:12-13).

12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves.

13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER’; but you are making it a ROBBERS’ DEN.”

Another thing they had in common was their greed. They were both receiving a share of the money paid by the people who came to get an approved animal for sacrifice; they also got a share of the fees the money changers were charging to exchange foreign currency, as the temple tax had to be paid in Jewish currency.

Annas’s greed was so well known that the outer courts, where the sacrificial animals were sold and the money changers were ripping people off, became known as the Bazaar of Annas, i.e., Annas’s own private enterprise.

Read Luke 3:2b-3…

2b the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.

3 And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins;

The desolate and barren wilderness area of Judea stretched from the western hill country of Judah to the Dead Sea in the east, and then went north to the Jordan River valley. That is where John, under the power of God’s Spirit, stepped out and began calling Israel to repentant.

As I mentioned last week, we don’t know anything about John’s childhood or young adulthood. Luke tells us, at John’s circumcision, after Zacharias prophesied about the ministry his son would have

(Luke 1:80),

80 And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

We know his parents were “advanced in years”

(Luke 1:7),

7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.

and it is likely they died while he was young. But when it was time for him to step out onto the world stage and fulfill his mission Luke says, “the word [rhema] of God came to John.”

God called-out John to ministry, just as He had the prophets to the Old Testament (cf.

Jeremiah 1:1-2;

1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin,

2 to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

Ezekiel 1:3;

3 the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and there the hand of the LORD came upon him.)

Hosea 1:1;

1 The word of the LORD which came to Hosea the son of Beeri, during the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.

Joel 1:1;

1 The word of the LORD that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel:

Jonah 1:1;

1 The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying,

Micah 1:1;

1 The word of the LORD which came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

Zephaniah;

Haggai 1:1).

1 In the second year of Darius the king, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,

“The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Jonah, Micah, Zephaniah, Haggai.”

John went from being an unknown, to being a Prophet of God, proclaiming the word of God, breaking God’s silence with Israel, calling the people to repent of sin.

Israel had turned the special relationship they had been given with God [as His called-out people], into a legalistic, ritualistic religion based on human works.

During Jesus’ first sermon (Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7), He made it clear that religious rituals and law-keeping will not save anyone, because God’s standard for relationship with Him is perfect holiness.

Eternal relationship with God

(cf. Matthew 5:1-12)

1 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.

2 He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

is granted to those who are poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who are gentle, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, those who are merciful, those who are peacemakers, those who are persecuted because of Christ; they will inherit the kingdom of heaven, for they are sons and daughters of God.

The prideful and showy public displays of praying, fasting, tithing, and giving to the poor, as the religious leaders of Israel exhibited, were nothing but outward acts, reflective

(cf. Matthew 7:13-14;

13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.

14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Matthew 7:21-23)

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’

23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

of those who are on the broad road that leads to death and destruction in hell, rather than the narrow path (that only a few find) that leads to life and exaltation in heaven.

Jesus made it clear that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, those who realize they are damned apart from the saving grace that has come through God’s Son.

The Jewish people knew forgiveness was promised through the prophets.

Jeremiah 31:34,

34 They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

Psalm 32:1-2,

1 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,

Whose sin is covered!

2 How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,

And in whose spirit there is no deceit!

Psalm 32:5,

5 I acknowledged my sin to You,

And my iniquity I did not hide;

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”;

And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.

Psalm 130: 3-4,

3 If You, LORD, should mark iniquities,

O Lord, who could stand?

4 But there is forgiveness with You,

Isaiah 1:18,

18 “Come now, and let us reason together,”

Says the LORD,

“Though your sins are as scarlet,

They will be as white as snow;

Though they are red like crimson,

They will be like wool.

Micah 7:19,

19 He will again have compassion on us;

He will tread our iniquities under foot.

Yes, You will cast all their sins

Into the depths of the sea.

Zacharias had prophesied

(Luke 1:76-77)

76 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;

For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS;

77 To give to His people the knowledge of salvation

By the forgiveness of their sins,

that John would declare forgiveness from God, to all who acknowledge their sin and repent, to receive forgiveness.

Ezekiel 18:30-32,

30 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,” declares the Lord GOD. “Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you.

31 Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel?

32 For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord GOD. “Therefore, repent and live.”

Romans 12:9,

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor [hate, turn away from] what is evil; cling to [follow, do] what is good.

Repentance is to turn away from sin and turn toward God.

Biblical repentance is to turn away from sin and turn toward God for salvation; This kind of repentance is not just about regret, guilt, or shame; but it strongly implies making a decision to turn around, do an about face, and head in a new direction; to hate life apart from God, and to love life with God, through Christ.

1Corinthians 1:18-21,

18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

19 For it is written,

“I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE,

AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.”

20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

2Corinthians 7:9-11,

9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.

10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.

11 For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.

True repentance that brings salvation is a willful response to the Holy Spirit’s conviction in your heart

(John 16:8-9),

8 And He [the Holy Spirit], when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;

9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me [Jesus Christ].

John the baptizer was

(cf. Luke 3:3)

3 And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins;

The baptism of John was not Christian baptism symbolizing the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; because Christian baptism was not instituted until the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit of God came upon and indwelled the 120 believers in Jerusalem; after which, Peter began to preach.

Acts 2:21,

21 ‘AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.’

Acts 2:36-38,

36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ–this Jesus whom you crucified.”

37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”

38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

At the time of John’s appearance in Luke 3, there was no baptism for Jews in Judaism. However, the Jews did baptize Gentile converts to Judaism, Gentiles who wanted to turn from their pagan worship and idolatry to serve the God of the Jews, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth.

The Jews who came out to John

(cf. Matthew 3:6),

6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

Jews were acknowledging that they were sinners just like the Gentiles they despised. But it would seem most of those being baptized were not truly repentant, for we know the nation of Israel later rejected their Messiah [Jesus Christ], and put him to death on a cross.

Matthew 3:7-11,

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance;

9 and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.

10 The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Water symbolizes a desire for a clean conscience, i.e., to acknowledge your sins, to publicly state you have sinned against God and are seeking God’s forgiveness.

The Holy Spirit symbolizes spiritual birth into God’s family, as a genuine believer who is marked and protected by God’s Spirit.

Fire symbolizes judgment, for those who reject Christ do not have the Holy Spirit in them, they are condemned to the Lake of Fire.

Read Luke 3:4-6…

4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

“THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS,

‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD,

MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.

5 ‘EVERY RAVINE WILL BE FILLED,

AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE BROUGHT LOW;

THE CROOKED WILL BECOME STRAIGHT,

AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH;

6 AND ALL FLESH WILL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD.’”

Seven hundred years before John was born, this prophecy was made about him

(pp. Isaiah 40:3-5).

3 A voice is calling,

“Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness;

Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.

4 “Let every valley be lifted up,

And every mountain and hill be made low;

And let the rough ground become a plain,

And the rugged terrain a broad valley;

5 Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed,

And all flesh will see it together;

For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

We have already studied how John fulfilled this prophecy, calling out people to acknowledge their sin before God and to repent, for John was, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight’”

But look again at

Luke 3:5,

5 ‘EVERY RAVINE WILL BE FILLED,

AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE BROUGHT LOW;

THE CROOKED WILL BECOME STRAIGHT,

AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH;

This seems rather obscure at first reading, but further study brings to light the meaning. When a prominent person was traveling on a long journey, perhaps in country unknown to him; he would send messengers out ahead to make sure that the roads were safe and free of danger and debris, i.e., to fill in holes, and remove obstacles, so that their master could pass through without incident.

That is exactly what John did for his Master! He prepared the people for the coming Messiah! Calling them to genuinely repent, confessing their sins, and turning their hearts back to God, so that they might “see the salvation of God,” Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Lord of all, but the Savior only of those who believe in Him.

Do you believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and that He alone provides forgiveness for sin and eternal life?

John 3:16,

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

No wonder Jesus said

(John 14:6),

6 I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father

[i.e., no one is forgiven, no one receives eternal life,

no one gets into heaven] but through Me.”

There is only one way to be saved

(2Corinthians 5:20-21),

“Therefore, [as an] ambassador for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through [me]; [I] beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. [God the Father] made [God the Son] who knew no sin to be sin on [your] behalf, so that [you] might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

1Timothy 2:3-4,

“This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Remember what Peter proclaimed in

Acts 2:21,

“And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord [for the forgiveness of sin] will be saved.”

Have you done that?

Romans 10:9-10,

“if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

Romans 10:13,

“Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Pastor Mike
>’(((><

03-27-2022 – The New Covenant

Bible Text: Luke 1:72-80 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: Luke |

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March 27, 2022
“The New Covenant”
Luke 1:72-80

Last week we read

(Luke 1:67-71),

67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:

68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,

For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,

69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us

In the house of David His servant–

70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old–

71 Salvation FROM OUR ENEMIES,

And FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US;

where Zacharias is praising God for returning to Israel in order to offer salvation to all who will repent and believe in the Messiah, just as God had foretold through the prophets.

We also studied about the covenant God had made with David to be fulfilled on the earth during the Millennial Kingdom, a time of peace, prosperity and long life for all.

The Jewish people were looking for the long awaited Messiah to arrive. In their mind, He would conquer their Roman oppressors, initiate His earthly kingdom by sitting on His throne in Jerusalem, and He would restore Israel to the glory it had before it turned away from God, at which time, God departed Israel and remained silent for 400 years, until now.

Read Luke 1:72-75…

72 To show mercy toward our fathers,

And to remember His holy covenant,

73 The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,

74 To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,

Might serve Him without fear,

75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.

Today we begin with the covenant God made with Abraham, a covenant that would eternally bless both Jew and Gentile, through faith in God’s Son, made effectual by His sacrificial death and sovereign resurrection.

The covenant we are talking about is found in

Genesis 12:1-3,

“Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”

Hebrews 11:8-9,

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.

9 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;

This covenant was not just about peace, prosperity, and long life on earth of the remnant of Israel; but instead, this promise was made to Abraham’s spiritual descendants (Jews and Gentiles] who, like Abraham, were looking far beyond any earthly fulfillment, and were

(Hebrews 11:10)

10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Abraham, along with all genuine believers from all time, will live together with God in the new heavens, new earth, and new Jerusalem, where there will be no more crying, or mourning, or pain, or death, for all of eternity.

The Abrahamic covenant, through circumcision, set Israel apart from all the other nations in the world (Genesis 17), as we studied about last week. But was the blessing of that covenant based on the act of circumcision? No, it wasn’t, it was based on faith.

Romans 4:9-13,

9 Is this blessing then on the circumcised, or on the uncircumcised also? For we say, “FAITH WAS CREDITED TO ABRAHAM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

10 How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised;

11 and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,

12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.

13 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Romans 4:16-17…

16 For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all,

17 (as it is written, “A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.

Jesus declared

Galatians 3:6-9

6 Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.

7 Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.

8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.”

9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.

Galatians 3:26-29

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.

In a sense, the blessing of salvation came through the Jews, as Jesus declared

(John 4:22),

22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.

And Paul writes

(Romans 1:16),

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Salvation comes through the lineage of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Judah, but the reason for the genealogies given in Matthew 1; Luke 3, is to set forth the human lineage through whom the Messiah [Jesus Christ] would come. He would be God in human flesh [Immanuel], He would be God’s Salvation [Hebrew, Yeshua; Greek,-Jesus], He would be God the Son, Lord of all but Savior only to those who believe in Him.

True salvation has always been by faith, not by blood line, not by nation, not by religious ritual, and not by law-keeping

(Romans 1:17),

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.

The promise given to Abraham, that would be fulfilled through Jesus Christ, was meant to be an eternal covenant.

Three times in Genesis 17

Genesis 17:7

7 I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you.

Genesis 17:13

13 A servant who is born in your house or who is bought with your money shall surely be circumcised; thus shall My covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

Genesis 17:19

19 But God said, “No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

God says this is to be an everlasting covenant for Abraham’s descendants [meaning all people, Jew or Gentile, who have obedient faith in God, and have been approved by God; like those recorded in the Hall of Faith, that we studied about

(Hebrews 11:1-38),

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

2 For by it the men of old gained approval.

3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.

5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; AND HE WAS NOT FOUND BECAUSE GOD TOOK HIM UP; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.

6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

7 By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.

9 By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;

10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11 By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.

12 Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN IN NUMBER, AND INNUMERABLE AS THE SAND WHICH IS BY THE SEASHORE.

13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.

15 And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.

16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;

18 it was he to whom it was said, “IN ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS SHALL BE CALLED.”

19 He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come.

21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,

25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,

26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.

28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.

29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.

31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.

32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,

33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions,

34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

35 Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection;

36 and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment.

37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated

38 (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.

e.g., Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Samson, David.

The writer of Hebrews goes on to say

(Hebrews 11:39-40),

39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised,

40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.

Look at those last two verses again: all believers who lived before the coming of Christ, like those listed in Hebrews 11, looked forward to the promise, i.e., the coming Savior; where as, all believers who lived after the coming of Christ, like us, look back at the promise fulfilled in the death and resurrection of God’s own Son.

Old and New Testament believers receive forgiveness for sins and eternal life, made effectual in Christ

(Ephesians 2:8-10),

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;

9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

(pp. 2Corinthians 5:17)

for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

Read Luke 1:76-80…

76 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;

For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS;

77 To give to His people the knowledge of salvation

By the forgiveness of their sins,

78 Because of the tender mercy of our God,

With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,

79 TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH,

To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

80 And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

The fulfillment of the Abrahamic and Davidic Covenants is realized through salvation in Christ; for neither of those covenants can provide forgiveness for sin. And so, we now turn our attention to the New Covenant.

Please open your Bible to

Hebrews 8:7-13;

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second.

8 For finding fault with them, He says,

“BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD,

WHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT

WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH;

9 NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS

ON THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND

TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT;

FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT,

AND I DID NOT CARE FOR THEM, SAYS THE LORD.

10 “FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL

AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD:

I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS,

AND I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS.

AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD,

AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.

11 “AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN,

AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, ‘KNOW THE LORD,’

FOR ALL WILL KNOW ME,

FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM.

12 “FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES,

AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE.”

13 When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

Hebrews 9:15,

15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

Hebrews 9:27-28;

27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,

28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

Hebrews 10:1-18…

1 For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.

2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins?

3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year.

4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

5 Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says,

“SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED,

BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME;

6 IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE.

7 “THEN I SAID, ‘BEHOLD, I HAVE COME

(IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME)

TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.’”

8 After saying above, “SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them” (which are offered according to the Law),

9 then He said, “BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second.

10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11 Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;

12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD,

13 waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET.

14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying,

16 “THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM

AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD:

I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART,

AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM,”

He then says,

17 “AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS

I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.”

18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Every person since Adam and Eve (except for John the baptizer and Jesus), has been born in sin. The reason is we are displeasing to God is not because of our behavior, attitude, or speech; those are only symptoms of a much deeper and eternally deadly problem, sin

(cf. Romans 3:10-12;

10 as it is written,

“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;

11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS,

THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;

12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS;

THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,

THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”

Romans 3:23-24;

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;

Romans 6:23;

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8,

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 8:1).

1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Luke 6:45,

45 The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.

The problem that condemns us is our unregenerate hearts, as

Jeremiah 17:9-10 declares,

9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else

And is desperately sick;

Who can understand it?

10 “I, the LORD, search the heart,

I test the mind,

Even to give to each man according to his ways,

According to the results of his deeds.

The New Covenant conquers sin, through the shed blood of God’s Son.

Everyone will be judged for their sinful words and actions, because those things give evidence of a heart full of sin, bringing eternal condemnation (except for those who are in Christ).

And since neither the Abrahamic or the Davidic Covenants can provide a person with victory over sin, God provided the New Covenant that conquers sin, through the shed blood of God’s own Son.

All through the Old Testament the Israelites declared obedience to God, and yet they continued to disobey God because of sin.

Joshua 24:15-18,

15 If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

16 The people answered and said, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods;

17 for the LORD our God is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and who did these great signs in our sight and preserved us through all the way in which we went and among all the peoples through whose midst we passed.

18 The LORD drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land. We also will serve the LORD, for He is our God.”

The Law given to Moses cannot be perfectly kept by any human, because the law of sin is working in us

(see Romans 7:14-25).

14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.

15 For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.

16 But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.

17 So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.

19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.

20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.

21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.

22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,

23 but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.

24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?

25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

See Luke 1:76-77…

76 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;

For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS;

77 To give to His people the knowledge of salvation

By the forgiveness of their sins,

Zacharias was a genuine believer, a priest who understood what the prophets had written, that all the covenants and promises given to Israel would be fulfilled by the Messiah, who was to come.

Zacharias had the Holy Spirit in him as he spoke this prophecy about his own son, John, through whom God would bring an end to 400 years of silence with Israel (actually between Himself and all of humanity).

John the baptizer would come on the scene to point people to Christ; to call them to confess their sins and seek forgiveness. The Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic covenants could not change a person’s heart attitude toward sin, so God provided a New Covenant through the shed blood of Christ. Everyone who repents and believes in Him will be saved; that is what the New Covenant promises.

God chose to show mercy to hopeless and helpless sinners like you and me, in order to provide forgiveness, righteousness, and justification from God.

Notice again in Luke 1:78-79…

78 Because of the tender mercy of our God,

With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,

79 TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH,

To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

God’s tender mercy is expressed to us through His sending of the Sunrise from heaven, “To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

2Corinthians 4:4-6,

4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

5 For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.

6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

The only way to have peace with God is to have the Peace of God,

as Jesus promised

(John 14:27),

27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

(Galatians 5:22-23),

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

(Philippians 4:7),

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Zacharias’s prophecy of praise toward God, ends in

Luke 1:79. After which, Luke tells us,

79 And the child [John] continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

We are told nothing in the Scriptures about John, from the time of his circumcision to the beginning of his short public ministry, that began near the Jordan River.

See Luke 3:2-4,

2 in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.

3 And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins;

4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

“THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS,

‘MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD,

MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT.

What we do know is that John came to prepare the hearts of the people for the New Covenant, not a covenant of ancestral heritage and privilege, nor a covenant of religious rituals, laws, and acts of piety; but a covenant of mercy and grace from a faithful God who loves us so much, that He came down from heaven, put on the flesh of a man, and let His enemies kill Him, so that He could satisfy the righteous judgement of God on all sin, by paying the full penalty for all our sins.

Acts 2:21-24,

21 ‘AND IT SHALL BE THAT EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.’

23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.

24 But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.

The New Covenant in Christ, promises that Abraham, Issac, Jacob, and all genuine believers from all time, will live together with God in the new heavens, new earth, and new Jerusalem, where there will be no more crying, or mourning, or pain, or death, for all of eternity.

How you respond to God’s New Covenant, made effectual through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, will determine where you spend eternity.

1John 5:11-13,

11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Everyone who repents of their sin and believes in God’s Son is saved to eternal life in heaven, because all their sins (past, present, future) are forgiven; and therefore we are justified, being consider holy and righteous by God. Have you done that? Don’t leave where you are right now, without knowing that you have eternal life.

Pastor Mike Hale

03-20-2022 – “The Covenant Through David”

Bible Text: Luke 1:57-71 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: Luke |

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March 20, 2022
“The Covenant Through David”
Luke 1:57-71

Read Luke 1:57-58…

57 Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.

58 Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.

Last week we read

(Luke 1:13-17),

13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.

14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb.

16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God.

And so, Elizabeth gave birth to a son, and her family and her neighbors were rejoicing with her. Gabriel’s announcement to Zacharias broke 400 years of silence between God and Israel; for John would be filled with God’s Spirit, to be set apart as the forerunner of the Messiah (who would bring redemption to all people who believe in Him).

Read Luke 1:59-63…

59 And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father.

60 But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but he shall be called John.”

61 And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.”

John is 8 days old, and required to be circumcised according to the Abrahamic covenant

(cf. Genesis 17:9-14),

9 God said further to Abraham, “Now as for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.

10 This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised.

11 And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.

12 And every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations, a servant who is born in the house or who is bought with money from any foreigner, who is not of your descendants.

13 A servant who is born in your house or who is bought with your money shall surely be circumcised; thus shall My covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

14 But an uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

through which God set Israel apart from all the other nations in the world.

Circumcision also provided the benefit of decreasing the possibility of bacteria being transferred from man to woman; it is a fact that Jewish women have lower rates of cervical cancer and other diseases, then do women in other cultures, and this is attributed to the fact that all Jewish husbands are circumcised.

The practice of naming a son on the day of his circumcision is not an Old Testament requirement, but had become common place, perhaps because Abram [exalted father] received his new name Abraham [father of a multitude] on the same day he was circumcised

(cf. Genesis 17:5, 23).

5 “No longer shall your name be called Abram,

But your name shall be Abraham;

For I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.

23 Then Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all the servants who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s household, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the very same day, as God had said to him.

To honor Zacharias, some of his friends and family wanted to name the baby after him, but Elizabeth objected, saying the baby would be called John [God is Gracious]. However, some of the friends and neighbors were adamant that the baby be given his father’s name; so they made (face and hand) signs to get Zacharias’s attention, who then asked for a tablet (small wooden wax covered tablet: sort of an etch a sketch) upon which he wrote down that his son would indeed be called John.

Read Luke 1:64-66…

64 And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God.

65 Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea.

66 All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.

Zacharias hadn’t been able to hear or speak for nine months. Note: The word translated “mute”

(Luke 1:22),

22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs to them, and remained mute.

is used repeatedly in the NT and is often translated “deaf,” so it is likely that Zacharias couldn’t hear or speak.

At the moment Zacharias wrote down that his son would be called John, Zacharias began to speak again, giving praise to God. The people there were awestruck and somewhat fearful of what all this might mean.

The word about John spread throughout the hill country of Judea, as they considered all the things that had happened over the past nine months: the angel Gabriel appearing in the Holy Place to Zacharias; Zacharias becoming deaf and mute because he didn’t believe Gabriel’s announcement that Elizabeth, although barren, would become pregnant with a son who would be the forerunner of the Messiah, and then Zacharias, able to speak and hear again after naming his son John, just as Gabriel had said

(Luke 1:20),

20 And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

Read Luke 1:67-69…

67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:

68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,

For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,

69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us

In the house of David His servant–

This is awesome! Zacharias, filled with the Holy Spirit of God, prophesied [prophesy = to declare or speak forth, to proclaim and explain] the very Words of God. But, think about this: both his wife Elizabeth

(Luke 1:41),

41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

and his son John

(Luke 1:15),

15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb.

were already filled with the Spirit of God. God’s presence had again come to Israel indwelling these three servants, the first “trinity” family..

The words of Zacharias’s prophecy declare the wonderful truth that God is again blessing Israel, and has come

(Luke 1:68)

68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,

For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,

to redeem His people through the long awaited Messiah. Israel believed the Messiah would free them from their bondage under Rome, just like God had freed their ancestors from slavery in Egypt.

Israel expected the Messiah to set up His kingdom on earth and to fulfill all the blessings promised through David and Abraham; but the Jews totally overlooked the fact that those promises would not be fulfilled until the New Covenant was established, i.e., the forgiveness for all sin, for all people, for all time, made effectual by the shed blood of God’s own Son, to all who would believe in Him.

John the Baptizer would preach repentance, calling the people to confess their sin, for the Messiah would come and pay the full and final price for the sins of the whole world. Jesus Christ

(Luke 1:69)

69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us

In the house of David His servant–

would be God’s horn of salvation from the line of David.

A horn of salvation is an OT picture of a powerful conquerer, like a wild horned beast lowering its head to drive out God’s enemies and protect God’ people.

2Samuel 22:3,

69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us

In the house of David His servant–

Psalm 18:2,

2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,

My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge;

My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 92:10,

10 But You have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;

I have been anointed with fresh oil.

Micah 4:13,

13 “Arise and thresh, daughter of Zion,

For your horn I will make iron

And your hoofs I will make bronze,

That you may pulverize many peoples,

The Messiah would come through the line of David

(Jeremiah 33:14-15),

14 ‘Behold, days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth.

The Messiah would fulfill the Davidic Covenant by restoring Israel to its former glory, before it turned away from God, resulting in God leaving Israel without any message or messenger from Him for 400 years.

God was now speaking to Israel again,God’s favor had returned to Israel, and would be realized through the Messiah, the Horn of Salvation, God’s Son who would live among the Israelites, and then go to the cross to pay for their sins with His own blood, in order to redeem all those who would believe in Him.

Read Luke 1:70-71…

70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old–

71 Salvation FROM OUR ENEMIES,

And FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US;

God had spoken through the prophets concerning the covenant He made with David

(2Samuel 7:8-13),

8 “Now therefore, thus you shall say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel.

9 I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the names of the great men who are on the earth.

10 I will also appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, nor will the wicked afflict them any more as formerly,

11 even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD also declares to you that the LORD will make a house for you.

12 When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom.

13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

Isaiah goes on to declare that the Lord will restore the faithful remnant to the land promised them through David

(Isaiah 65:8-9),

8 Thus says the LORD,

“As the new wine is found in the cluster,

And one says, ‘Do not destroy it, for there is benefit in it,’

So I will act on behalf of My servants

In order not to destroy all of them.

9 “I will bring forth offspring from Jacob,

And an heir of My mountains from Judah;

Even My chosen ones shall inherit it,

And My servants will dwell there

(Isaiah 65:18-25)

18 “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create;

For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing

And her people for gladness.

19 “I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people;

And there will no longer be heard in her

The voice of weeping and the sound of crying.

20 “No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days,

Or an old man who does not live out his days;

For the youth will die at the age of one hundred

And the one who does not reach the age of one hundred

Will be thought accursed.

21 “They will build houses and inhabit them;

They will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

22 “They will not build and another inhabit,

They will not plant and another eat;

For as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people,

And My chosen ones will wear out the work of their hands.

23 “They will not labor in vain,

Or bear children for calamity;

For they are the offspring of those blessed by the LORD,

And their descendants with them.

24 It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.

25 The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain,” says the LORD.

Zacharias is full of praise as he goes on to proclaim that the Millennial Kingdom will be a time

(cf. Luke 1:71)

71 Salvation FROM OUR ENEMIES,

And FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US;

when God will deliver believing Israel from her enemies and from all who hate them; a time when the remnant of Israel and the Gentiles living among them will experience peace, prosperity, and long life.

The Millennial Kingdom will not occur until the Church has been raptured, and the Antichrist then rises up to rule the world during a seven-year period; after which, the Lord will return to the earth to bring judgement upon all the unbelieving; only then will the remnant of believing Jews (alive at that time), along with believing Gentiles, be ushered into the Millennial Kingdom where the Lord will rule on the throne of David for 1000 years.

John the Baptizer, as the forerunner of the Messiah will, at the Jordan River, declare Jesus to be God’s Son and Savior

(John 1:29),

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

(John 1:33-34),

33 I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’

34 I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

See Luke 1:70-71 again.

70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old–

71 Salvation FROM OUR ENEMIES,

And FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US

Zacharias could not have known that Israel would openly reject and brutally execute its own Messiah, its Savior-King, who would be born about 6 months after the time of Zaharias’s Prophecy being given here.

Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, as was Elizabeth, and their son John. Zacharias was praising God and prophesying about the coming Messiah who would deliver Israel from all her enemies.

Zacharias, like most of the religious Jews at that time, believed the promises of the Covenant God made with David would be realized at the time of the Messiah’s arrival; and you know, they would have been, if Israel had received Him, but they didn’t, they rejected Him and then they crucified Him.

In A.D. 70, Jerusalem was burned, the Temple destroyed, over one million Jews were [put to death be the sword, and those who survived were enslaved and/or dispersed all over the world; and the Jewish people were not allowed to return to Jerusalem until A.D. 1948.

The promises of the Davidic Covenant will not be fulfilled in Israel until the Lord returns to the earth, this time as a conquering warrior (cf. Revelation 11, 19), not as a vulnerable child, like His first arrival. At His next advent, the remnant of Israel who believe in and receive Christ as Lord and Savior, will enter into the Millennial Kingdom where they will enjoy the fulfillment of God’s promises made to David on their behalf, for the 1000 years on the earth; after which, they, along with all believers from all time, will live together with God and enjoy the new heavens, new earth, and new Jerusalem, where there will be no crying, or mourning, or pain, or death, for all of eternity.

Our God is an awesome God, a faithful God, a loving God to whom belongs all praise and honor and glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Pastor Mike
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