Bible Text: 3John | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: 1John 2John 3John |

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January 31st, 2021
3John
“Christian Hospitality: Part Two…”
 

3John:1-4
“1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. 2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. 3 For I was overjoyed when brothers came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. 4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.”

John, the aged apostle, continues to write as a spiritual father figure to those in the Church, expecting his readers/hearers to accept his teaching as being from God.

Who is Gaius?
He is a man whose walk matches his talk,
this brings great joy to John.

We don’t know who Gaius is, but it would seem that John considers him to be a son in the faith, one who is walking in the truth; this is apparently testified to by those who know Gaius and have witnessed his obedience to Christ.

John prays for Gaius’s physical health to be equal to that of his spiritual health. Here is a man whose walk matches his talk; and his reputation is well known among the believers, this brings great joy to John.

Many believers profess one thing with their lips, but their life expresses something else; not so with Gaius, his genuine belief in Christ is exhibited in and through his example as a servant of God.

3John 5-8
“5 Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers; 6 and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 7 For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. 8 Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth.”

Gaius shows hospitality to some brothers

Gaius is evidently showing hospitality to some brothers in the faith who are traveling about teaching the Word of God and encouraging the believers and followers of Christ.

Gaius is an example of those who do the good works God has prepared for us to do
(see James 2:14-17; Ephesians 2:8-10).

James 2:14-17
“14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.”

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.”

The actions of Gaius showing Christian hospitality had evidently gotten back to John, who now commends him and then exhorts him to continue helping these brothers “in a manner worthy of God,” i.e., as God would want him to treat them.

Matthew 25:35-40
“35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’”

These itinerate teachers are in service

These itinerate missionary teachers, according to 3John 7a, are serving, “for the sake of the Name.” What does that mean exactly? Philippians 2:9-11, “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father,”

3John 7a
“for the sake of the Name.”

Colossians 3:17
“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”

1John 3:23
“This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.”

1John 5:13
“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.”

These traveling teachers are proclaiming the message of Christ, “the Name which is above every name,” and they are depending upon God’s people to help provide for them (3John 7b).

3John 7b
“…they received “no help from the Gentiles [unbelievers].”

John encourages Gaius (and the Church) to continue showing hospitality to these men (3John 8).

3John 8
“so that we may be fellow workers with the truth.”

Showing hospitality to God’s servants is just as important as
denying hospitality to those who aren’t serving God,
as we studied last week,
(cf. 2John 7. 10-11).

2John 7
“7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.”

2John 10-11
“10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; 11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.”

We are to do good to all people, but we must discriminate to whom we show Christian hospitality, for it is the Holy God of Creation we serve. John is not talking about those with whom we have minor disagreements, but with those who teach falsely about the divinity and the humanity of Christ. With such deceivers we are not to associate; and we are not to welcome them into our homes, for in so doing we actually help the cause of the enemies of God.

3John 9-10
“9 I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. 10 For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church.”

It would seem that Diotrephes is
slandering John and the other Apostles.

John had evidently written an earlier letter to the church about showing hospitality to these men who boldly taught the truth of God and trusted in God to provide for their needs through His people.

It would seem, this man Diotrephes (a leader in the church) who “loves to be first,” had kept the letter from being read, for he rejects John’s authority and is bad mouthing John and the other Apostles (3John 9) “Diotrephes, who loves to be first… does not accept what we say
[Lit us, meaning, the Apostles].

Diotrephes is acting just the opposite of Gaius, whom John has commended for his Christian hospitality to traveling teachers and for living out his faith according to the truth; whereas, Diotrephes has withheld John’s teaching from the church because it goes against Diotrephes’ own bad behavior and teaching.

Diotrephes did not display Christian hospitality to those who were bringing the truth; but instead, he was promoting only himself and his own authority, while slandering John and putting out of the church anyone who was helping these itinerant teachers of the truth.

Diotrephes will have to answer to John for his godless leadership, teaching, and behavior; but he will also, more importantly, have to answer to God.

3John 11
“11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.”

John exhorts Gaius to keep doing what is right
(1John 3:7, 10) God’s children please God;
unsaved people serve the Devil.

John exhorts Gaius (and the rest of the believers) to continue doing what is right and not to imitate Diotrephes, who is doing what is evil and whose actions prove that he is not a Christian, for Christians cling to that which is right (Romans 12:9).

Romans 12:9
“Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.”

1John 3:7
“7 Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous;”

1John 3:10
“10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.”

God’s children will seek to do what pleases God; unsaved people are under the control and influence of Satan, so they do what pleases their flesh, for their heat is evil.

Jesus, speaking to the religious scribes and Pharisees,

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.”

1Peter 1:14-16
“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

1Peter 2:11-17
“11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. 12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. 17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.”

The world we live in is rapidly throwing off behavioral and belief restraints and putting away what it calls old fashioned, out-of-date, archaic traditional values, especially those morals or values that are rooted in the Word of God. Why is that?

1Corinthians 1:18
“The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

1Corinthians 2:14
“The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

God’s people will desire to please God above all.

Christians are new creations in Christ, indwelled by God’s Spirit: purchased, purposed, and eternally protected by Almighty God, that we might, each one of us, seek to honor, and serve Him with our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Jesus Christ is our example, and we must expose and turn away from all that offends God; no matter how politically correct, culturally acceptable, and lawfully protected SIN may become, we are to honor and obey God! We must fortify our hearts and minds, in order to live in accordance to the authority of God’s Word. God is the ultimate judge, not the Pope, not the Supreme Court, not the President, and therefore God’s people will live to please God above all other authorities.

3John 12
“12 Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself; and we add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.”

John has exhorted Gaius not to imitate Diotrephes
who is doing what is evil

Just as John has exhorted Gaius not to imitate Diotrephes who is doing what is evil; John now encourages Gaius to imitate a man named Demetrius, who is well spoken of among the believers and commended by John and the rest of the Apostles.

Concerning Gaius and Demetrius, we know nothing apart from what is written here, but it is clear that both of these men are known for their devotion to God, God’s Word, and God’s people.

It is very possible that Demetrius is the one delivering John’s letter to Gaius, so that Gaius can read it to the church for their instruction, encouragement and exhortation. Perhaps the combined presence and strength of Gaius and Demetrius is necessary to rebuke the teaching and self-imposed authority of Diotrephes (who it would seem, is a strong and perhaps intimidating personality).

3John 13-14
“13 I had many things to write to you, but I am not willing to write them to you with pen and ink; 14 but I hope to see you shortly, and we will speak face to face.”

John closes this letter

John closes this letter with similar language to that of 2John 12, that he has more to say, and will do so in person [face to face].

John desires to confront Diotrephes face to face; while at the same time commending both Gaius and Demetrius for their obedience to the truth of God, their love for the brethren, and their examples of Christian hospitality.

1Peter 4:7-9
“The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint.”

 
And all God’s people said, Amen!
 
Pastor Mike Hale
>’(((><

Bible Text: 2John | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: 1John 2John 3John |

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01-24-2021
“Christian Hospitality – Part One”
2 John
 

2John was written about the same time as 1&3John, sometime between A.D. 90-95, while John was serving the church in Ephesus; sometime before his arrest and excommunication to the island of Patmos.

John was elderly at this writing, but he writes as one with spiritual authority, expecting his listeners to accept and apply his instruction.

Read 2John 1-6
“1 The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 2 because of the truth which remains in us and will be with us forever: 3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 4 I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received a commandment to do from the Father. 5 Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you are to walk in it.”
John is writing to a Christian woman and her children, someone he was no doubt, close to; most likely she was well known in the church. John is commending this woman for doing that which pleases God, while living as an example of Christ in this world.

John knows this woman desires to obey and serve the Lord, and so he makes it clear, that what he is instructing her (and all who receive his letter), is not a new command, but is wrapped up in the most fundamental truth of love and obedience

(John 14:15
“15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”

John 14:21
“21 The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.””

It would appear that John has a special love and respect for this woman, and he reminds her that our love for God, is synonymous with our obedience to live out the fundamentals of our faith: the what, why, where, when, and how we live, should display our obedience to God’s Word and our love toward others.

John is reminding this saintly woman (and all his readers), that those who belong to God should live out the same attitude exemplified by Christ (Philippians 2:6-8).

Philippians 2:6-8
“6 who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross.”

Read 2John 7-11
“7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. 9 Anyone who goes too far and does not remain in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who remains in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; 11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.”

John describes these deceivers as, “those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh,” they are moved by the spirit of the antichrist and they seek to destroy the work of God, especially in the lives of those who belong to Christ.

Christians must be on guard against false teachers and false doctrine, for they are many and very deceptive, just as Paul warns us.

2Corinthians 11:13-15
“13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.”

Galatians 1:8-9
“8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, even now I say again: if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!”

Galatians 1:11-12
“11 For I would have you know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel which was preached by me is not of human invention. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.”

And one of the clearest exhortations in the New Testament, concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ is found in 1Corinthians 15:1-8.

1Corinthians 15:1-8
“Now I make known to you, brothers and sisters, the gospel which I preached to you, which you also received, in which you also stand, 2 by which you also are saved, if you hold firmly to the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
3 For I handed down 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, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; 7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.”

The Biblical record proclaims that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man; any teaching to the contrary is heresy, and anyone who teaches such heresy is not to be shown Christian hospitality.

Please turn to Romans 1:1-4
“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 according to the [Spirit of holiness [by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,” [cf. Romans 10:9-10].

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.”

God expects us to be hospitable to those who are truly in need (if we can), as we are to care for the poor, the hungry, the downtrodden, and for the widows and orphans who are without immediate family support.

Christians are to show hospitality to those in need, if at all possible, for that is what Christ would do (Matthew 25:31-40).

Matthew 25:31-40
“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. 32 And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38 And when did we see You as a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.’”

1John 2:4-6
“4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever follows His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says that he remains in Him ought, himself also, walk just as He walked.”

Colossians 3:23-24,
“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”

Yes, we are to do good, to treat others the way we want to be treated ourselves, but we must discriminate to whom we show Christian hospitality, for it is God we are serving. John warns us not to show hospitality to false teachers.

John is not talking about those with whom we have minor disagreements, but with those who teach falsely about the combined divinity and humanity of Christ [Incarnation]. We are not to associate with such deceivers, and we are not to welcome them into our homes, for in so doing so, we do evil (see 3John 11).

3John 11
“11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does what is good is of God; the one who does what is evil has not seen God.”

There are two main religious cults who promote false doctrine in our area (the Mormons and the Jehovah’s Witnesses); they send out their disciples to knock on our doors, with the desire to not only gain entrance into your home, but into your heart/mind with their deceptive and godless teachings.

When they come to your door, and you tell them, you are a Christian, they may same something like: “We are students of the Bible, just like you.” “We believe in Jesus, just like you.” But is that the truth? No!

Mormon doctrine Teaches that Jesus is a spirit child of Elohim, and is also a brother to Satan; but, through obedience and devotion Jesus obtained Godhood. They teach that there are many God’s, all of whom were once mortals like us, until they attained Godhood, through the teachings of Mormonism.

Jehovah’s Witness doctrine teaches that Jesus is not God, nor is He the Creator; but that He is none other than Michael the archangel, the very first creation of God.

So is John saying that you shouldn’t show hospitality to false teachers? Yes, I believe that is exactly what he is saying; but, and please understand, if you are equipped to authoritatively reprove these deceivers in reference to what God’s Word says in the areas where their cult has lied to them, and they will listen to you… go for it!

2Timothy 2:15,
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

If you aren’t equipped to handle the Word of God accurately, or if those who are deceived won’t listen (but only promote their own false teachings), you must turn them away. You are not to show them hospitality.

Read 2John 12-13
“12 Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made complete. 13 The children of your chosen sister greet you.”
John’s desire is to speak “face to face” [up close and in person], to this woman and those who are part of the fellowship to which she belongs.

John writes a greeting to this woman from her sister, her nieces and nephews, who all appear to be believers. Perhaps John is experiencing Christian hospitality with them, as he writes this letter to her.

There were in John’s day, just as there are today, many false teachers who roam about, for the purpose of planting doubt, propagating falsehoods and deceptive doctrines in the minds and hearts of susceptible people, attempting to lead them away from the One True God.

2Timothy 3:12-13,
“12 Indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 But evil people and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

We must always submit to sound biblical doctrine, exposing any teaching about Christ that does not acknowledge and confess that He is God: the Creator, Sustainer, Lord, Savior, and Judge over All.

Jesus is God in the flesh, He conquered sin, death and judgment forever, so that all who repent of sin, believing in and following Him, receive eternal life.

Our hospitality to others must be Holy, i.e., it must conform to that which pleases God; and so, we are not to help, in anyway, those who promote false teachings about the divinity and humanity of Christ.

As believers and followers of Jesus Christ, we above all people on the earth should be hospitable to each other, and those who need to be shown hospitality.

1Peter 4:7-9,
“7 The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. 8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint.”

Pastor Mike Hale
>’(((><

Bible Text: 1John 5:6-21 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: 1John 2John 3John |

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01-17-2021
“God’s People are Overcomers”
1John 5:6-21
Through Christ, God encourages, equips and exhorts us to devote ourselves to knowing, applying, and proclaiming God’s Word through every aspect of our lives, giving evidence that we are in Christ.

Read 1John 5:6-8
“6 This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.”

We overcome sin, death, and judgement in Christ, no wonder God gives clear testimony that Jesus is indeed both Lord and Savior. John says Jesus Christ has come by water and by blood; in fact, that there are three who testify (the Spirit and the water and the blood), and they are all in agreement:
At Jesus’ baptism both the Father and the Spirit testify (Matthew 3:16-17).

Matthew 3:16-17
“16 After He was baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and settling on Him, 17 and behold, a voice from the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.””

At Jesus’ death (Matthew 27:50-51, 54).

Matthew 27:50-51
“50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and gave up His spirit. 51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.”

Matthew 27:54
“54 Now as for the centurion and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the other things that were happening, they became extremely frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!””

Romans 1:1-3
“Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son… …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.”

Hebrews 9:11-12
“11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things having come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made by hands, that is, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all time, having obtained eternal redemption.”

Hebrews 9:22
“22 And almost all things are cleansed with blood, according to the Law, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”

Hebrews 9:27-28
“27 And just as it is destined for people 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 10:4-18
“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,
“You have not desired sacrifice and offering, But You have prepared a body for Me;
6 You have not taken pleasure in whole burnt offerings and offerings for sin.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (It is written of Me in the scroll of the book) To do Your will, O God.’”
8 After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and offerings 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 time.
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 are 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 which I will make with them After those days, declares the Lord: I will put My laws upon their hearts, And write them on their mind,”
He then says,
17 “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will no longer remember.”
18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, an offering for sin is no longer required.”

[Jeremiah 31:33]
‘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, ‘And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.’ Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.”
God has clearly given testimony, as to the deity of His Son. He has done this through the writings of the prophets, through His birth, through His baptism, through His death, and through His resurrection.
In the OT, the law required that there be two or three witnesses in order to establish truth about any particular matter:

Deuteronomy 17:6
“On the evidence of two witnesses or three witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death; he shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness.”

Deuteronomy 19:15
“A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.”

This principle of 2-3 witnesses is also clearly established in the NT:

Matthew 18:15-16
“15 “Now if your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that on the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be confirmed.”

John 8:17-18
“Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is true. I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.”

1Timothy 5:19
“Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses.”

Read 1John 5:9
“9 If we receive the testimony of people, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son.”

If we accept the testimony of 2-3 men (in agreement); how much more then ought we to believe God’s testimony about His Son, written in His Word, confirmed by His Spirit, and written upon the heart of each and every true believer who then lives as a testimony to God’s plan, purpose and provision of eternal life through Christ.

Read 1John 5:10
“10 The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son.”

When anyone genuinely believes God’s testimony about Jesus Christ, God confirms in that person’s heart that he/she has been saved, for God’s Spirit takes up eternal residence in our heart (cf. Romans 10:9-10; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13).

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.”

Galatians 4:6
“6 Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba! Father!””

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 the promise,”

God’s Spirit confirms that this testimony about the birth, baptism, death, and resurrection of God’s Son, sovereignly declares His divinity!

Those who do not believe that Jesus was God in the flesh, are calling God a liar and rejecting His Son, and to reject the deity of Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior, is to bring eternal judgment upon oneself (cf. John 8:24; John 16:8-9).

John 8:24
“24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins.””

John 16:8-9
“8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment: 9 regarding sin, because they do not believe in Me;”

John 10:24-30
“24 The Jews then surrounded Him and began saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep. 27 My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.””

Read 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 The one who has the Son has the life; the one 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 has genuinely repented of their sins, and trusted in Jesus Christ to save them, will have the sovereign testimony of God in their heart that they indeed belong to Him, for they have received eternal life.

God wants you to be secure in your knowledge that you belong to Him. If you have any doubt as to whether or not you have received forgiveness and eternal life, please, ask God right now to forgive your sins, and settle this issue once and for all, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

Read 1John 5:14-15
“14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”

As God’s children, we have the right and the privilege to enter the throne room of God in prayer, at any time.

See Hebrews 4:14-16
“14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to 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 just as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.”

But, we must ask according to God’s will.

John 14:13-14
“Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”

God’s people have God’s Word and God’s Spirit, and we can know God’s will; and so, as we come to God in prayer, we ask in accordance with God’s will.

Matthew 6:9-10
“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.”

Romans 12:2
“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.”

Read 1John 5:16-17
“16 If anyone sees his brother or sister committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will, for him, give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death; I am not saying that he should ask about that. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.”

It would seem that there is sin which can lead to a believer’s death. Sometimes Christians become so insensitive to sin that they do not repent; but instead, they may continue in sin and become unwilling to repent, this could bring about God’s judgment, leading to physical death, so as to remove the rebellious believer from being such a bad witness for God (see Acts 5:1-11; 1Corinthians 11:27-32).

Acts 5:1-11
“But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and kept back some of the proceeds for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God.” 5 And as he heard these words, Ananias collapsed and died; and great fear came over all who heard about it. 6 The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.
7 Now an interval of about three hours elapsed, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for this price?” And she said, “Yes, for that price.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.” 10 And immediately she collapsed at his feet and died; and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard about these things.”

1Corinthians 11:27-32
“27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy way, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But a person must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For the one who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not properly recognize the body. 30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number are asleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world.”

God may very well bring to an early end, the life of one of His children who continues in sin, unwilling to repent of it.

Read 1John 5:18-20
“18 We know that no one who has been born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 19 We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”
Humility and obedience are to be practiced by God’s children, for we have been given God’s Spirit and God’s Word. As you serve and obey God on earth, the devil can’t touch you; Satan is powerful, but he is still God’s devil and he can do only that which God allows him.
We have nothing to fear from the devil, as we studied last week, we have overcome the world, the devil, and the curse of sin, through Christ. As you submit to God’s will in your life, you have nothing to fear; but when you turn your back on God, living as an unbeliever, you set yourself against God, and He will discipline you because He cares for you; He may also, if you do not repent, bring your life to a premature end.
We belong to God and therefore our life must be consistent with that which pleases God. We are not to live as those who reject God’s Son, for they serve the devil who is the god of this present world system; Christians, however, belong to and serve the God of the universe, the Creator and Judge over All.
If we genuinely belong to God through Christ, we know the truth that Jesus is the Son of God and that He has come in the flesh to provide forgiveness for our sins and eternal life; this should be reflected in and through our life by obedient service to God, as we express our love for one another.

Read 1John 5:21
“21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.”

In closing this letter, John commands us to stay away from idols. Idols are representative of any and all philosophies and practices, attitudes and behaviors, that do not please God. We, God’s people, are to imitate our Father in heaven, and as has been sovereignly demonstrated by God’s Son on earth.

Ephesians 5:1-2
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”

God and God alone is to be worshipped: God’s Word revealed is our divine and sovereign instruction; God’s Son is our example, being the fullness of God in human flesh; and God’s Spirit is our indwelling Helper, Counselor, Teacher.

And why has God lavished on us His great riches with all wisdom and power? So that we should live victoriously as overcomers in this world, with our confidence placed fully upon Jesus Christ; for it is He and He alone, who has overcome sin, death and judgment forever!

Therefore, let each of us who genuinely belong to God through Christ, commit to serve Him, through every aspect of our life, with full confidence that we might accomplish every good work that God has prepared for us to do, in Christ.

Ephesians 2:8-10
“8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not 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.”

 
And all God’s people said?
Amen!
Pastor Mike
>’(((><
 

Bible Text: 1John 5:1-5 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: 1John 2John 3John |

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January 10, 2021
1John 5:1-5
God’s People are Overcomers…
1John 5:1-5
“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves the child born of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and follow His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whoever has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. 5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? ”

Read 1John 5:1-3a
“”Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves the child born of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and follow His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. ”

Being a Christian, born-again, a child of God, a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, are all synonymous with having repented of sin and trusted in God’s Son to eternally forgive and save you. If that describes you, you will desire to express God’s love toward your brothers and sisters in Christ.

God commands us to love other believers (cf. 1John 4:21); obeying God and loving those who belong to God is the same thing (John 13:35),

John 13:35
“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Because biblical love is not a feeling, you don’t have to necessarily like someone in order to love them. It can be hard enough, at times, to love someone you like, let alone those who offend you, or those who, for whatever reason, you just don’t like!

Thankfully, we are never commanded in God’s Word to “like” our neighbor, or our Christian brother or sister; but we are clearly commanded to love them.

God’s love is supernatural, it is not dependent upon our emotions, i.e., we don’t have to “feel” like loving someone, but we are to love them regardless, for love is a willful, intentional act of obedience.

As we submit to the authority of God’s Word and the control of God’s Spirit, we will be able to obey God’s commands; we will love one another, and we may even find out that we actually like one another, imagine that.

Read 1John 5:3b-5
“3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whoever has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. 5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? “”

True believers are fully equipped and quite capable of loving other Christians; for you see, God never commands us to do something that we are not able to accomplish.

The Greek verb here in 1John 5:4-5, translated overcomes, is nikao, and it means to conquer, to win, to defeat, to be victorious, to overcome. The noun form of this word is spelled nikē but it is pronounced nee-kay. The Greeks had a goddess Nikē; she was the goddess of victory, conquest, success.

God never commands us to do something that we are not equipped to do.

Through Christ, we are able to have victory over, to conquer, the corruption of sin, the cravings of the flesh, and the deception of the devil. This is possible because Christ conquered sin, death, and judgment forever, and those who belong to Him, those who are in Christ, have also overcome these things.

Romans 8:37-39
“But in all these things (verse 35, tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword) we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Jesus said,

(John 16:33)
“These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

2Peter 1:2-4
“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”
God equips and exhorts us to love our neighbor, to love one another, even to love our enemies, for in doing so, we express our obedience to, and our love for, God.

Christians are born of God.

Every person who has confessed Christ as Lord, believing in Him for salvation, is born of God (cf. John 1:12-13), to all who received Jesus Christ, “even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” [born from above, born of God’s Spirit], i.e., every true believer and follower of Christ, is able to overcome the self-centered human preoccupation with the flesh, because we have the Holy Spirit living is us.

John 1:12-13
“12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, 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 a man, but of God.”

In Matthew 1:20
an angel came to Joseph and told him, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.”

And in Luke 1:31
the angel came to Mary and told her, “you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.”

Mary responded to the angel,

(Luke 34-35)
“How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.”

Jesus was born not of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God [born from above, born of God’s Spirit], isn’t that awesome!

God’s people (those born-again, born from above), are to devote themselves to knowing, applying, and proclaiming God’s Word through every aspect of their lives, just as Jesus did!

God’s people are to devote themselves to God.

Colossians 3:17
“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”

According to 1John 2:15-17, unbelievers, during the 1st century A.D. (like those of the 21st century A.D.), devoted themselves to serving the flesh and the godless world. John describes the love of the world as “the lust of the flesh” and “the lust of the eyes,” and “the boastful pride of life.”

1John 2:15-17
“15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God continues to live forever.”

How we respond to what we see, hear, touch, and taste, will either reflect the control by,

God’s Spirit in our life or the control of the flesh.

1Corinthians 6:19-20
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

We aren’t to live like unbelievers, we are overcomers; unbelievers are losers, in fact, every person on this planet is born a loser, an enemy of God, dead in their sins, until they come to trust Jesus Christ to forgive them.

Ephesians 2:1-3
“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”

What do the following verses have in common?

Joel 2:32
“And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the Lord Will be delivered.”

Acts 2:21
“And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 10:13
for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Unbelievers are enslaved in a world system that is dominated by Satan, and the spirit of the antichrist; they are unable to overcome the lusts and cravings of this godless world because,

(2Corinthians 4:4)
“the god of this world [Satan] 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.”

Christians overcome the world system.

Christians are able to overcome the flesh and the devil, and the world system that promotes them both. How is this possible? There is only one way.

John 14:6
Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

As we believe, trust, obey, and serve Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we give evidence to the fact that we are overcomers.

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.”

We overcome eternal death in Christ, Who died, was buried, then came out of the tomb alive on the third day. Before His arrest and subsequent crucifixion

(John 11:25-26)
Jesus told Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.”

Moments later Jesus went to the tomb where Lazarus had laid dead for four days.

John 11:43-44
“[Jesus] cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ Out came [Lazarus] who had died, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to [those who were there], ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’”

John 3:18
“He who believes in [God’s Son] is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Through Jesus Christ the Lord we have overcome judgment.

John 3:36
“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

We overcome God’s wrath by believing in and obeying the Son of God.

John 5:39-40
“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.”

We are overcomers because we are in Christ.

John 6:28-29
“‘What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?’ [I.E., What does God require, that we might be made acceptable to Him who is Holy? How can we justified, i.e., how can we be without sin]. Jesus said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.’”

Believe what about Him?

John 8:23-24
“[Jesus said] to them, ‘You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He [God’s Son, the Messiah], you will die in your sins.’

John 8:25-28
“They were saying to Him, ‘Who are You?’ Jesus said to them, ‘What have I been saying to you from the beginning? I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world.’ They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said, ‘When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.’”

John 8:38
“I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.”

John 8:44-47
“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. But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”

John 10:24-26
“The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, ‘How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.’ Jesus answered them, ‘I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep.

John 10: 27-33
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.’ The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. Jesus [said to] them, ‘I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?’ The Jews answered Him, ‘For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.’”

Wow! To believe in Jesus, God’s Son, is to believe that He is God in the flesh, Immanuel [God with us].

Saving faith is not based upon something you do, or acquire, or something you intellectually agree with, i.e., salvation doesn’t occur in your head, but in your heart [your soul]; and therefore, genuine salvation is expressed in your life after you confess your sins and trust in Christ alone to save you.

Romans 10:12-15
“For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for ‘Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without [someone telling them]? How will they [go to the them] unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”

Romans 10:17
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

Overcomers proclaim the message of Christ, so that others might be saved.

1John 5:5
“Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God!”

Saving faith is expressed in and through your life, as you love others on God’s behalf, and by this, you testify that you genuinely believe and have been saved through Jesus Christ: crucified, resurrected, and coming again. You have overcome the world, the devil, and his opposition to God, God’s Word, and God’s Son; in Christ; you have overcome sin, death, and judgement!

God’s people are overcomers, and we are to live out and proclaim the message of Christ, so that others might be saved out of this corrupt generation.

Romans 10:9-11
“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. For the Scripture

(cf. Isaiah 28:16) says,
‘Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed’”

1John 5:11-13
“And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things 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 for sure that you have received forgiveness for sin and eternal life? If you are not sure, settle it right now; I beg you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

 
Pastor Mike
°°° >’(((><

Bible Text: 1John 4:7-21 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: 1John 2John 3John |

Links from Our Website:
Bulletin (pdf)
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01-03-2021
“God Loves Us -We Love Others”
1John 4:7-21
 

Genesis 1:26,
God said, “Let Us make [carve out, shape, form] man in Our image, according to Our likeness,” i.e., let Us replicate Ourselves in man.

Humankind was created to be like God, to exhibit His likeness; this is not talking about our physical attributes, but those having to do with our nature, and especially in reference to relationships.

John 1:1-2
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.”

Notice here, the “Word” was in the beginning, the Greek [Logos] means, the source, origin, embodiment of all divine authority, power and wisdom.

Not only was the Word [masculine] in the beginning, the Word was God, and yet was with God [the Greek phrase translated, “was with God,” literally means “was face to face with God,” i.e., the Word [Christ, God the Son] was in an intimate, up close and personal relationship with God the Father, and God the Holy Spirit, long before anything was created.

The Word, being there in the beginning, means He is God, because only God is
preexistent and eternal, everything else is created,

(John 1:3-4)
“All things came into being through Him [the Word], and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life [biological and spiritual], and the life was the Light of men [i.e., God’s revelation of Himself was presented to us in Jesus].

John 1:14
“And the Word became flesh, and [lived] among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten [unique, one of a kind Son] from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:18
“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 is Immanuel [God in the flesh], God’s revelation of Himself to the world. No wonder Jesus said,

(John 14:6-7)
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit existed before anything was created. Think about that (but don’t dwell on it too long, as you will not be able to make logical sense out of it); the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit were in constant relationship and intimate fellowship, before anything existed. This is not something our mind can grasp, but God’s Word helps to explain (Deuteronomy29:29).

Deuteronomy 29:29
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law,” i.e., in order to trust God, we don’t have to fully understand how God has always existed, and everything else has been created, but we know He is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Eternal and Loving.

Today, let’s center in on God’s Love, and how He expresses that love in and through the relationship He has with those who are made in His image, those who demonstrate God’s love in their relationships.

The human soul desires love more than anything else in the world. No wonder the prominent theme or subject of most books, poems, songs, and movies, is love. We, as God’s children, are made for relationships, and love is the purpose and priority of those relationships.

Let’s turn our attention now to 1John 4:7-21.

1John 4:7-21
“7 Beloved, let’s love one another; for love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 By this the love of God was revealed in us, that God has sent His only Son into the world so that we may live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we remain in Him and He in us, because He has given to us of His Spirit. 14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God. 16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. 17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, we also are in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 19 We love, because He first loved us. 20 If someone says, “I love God,” and yet he hates his brother or sister, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God must also love his brother and sister.”

Read 1John 4:7-8
“7 Beloved, let’s love one another; for love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

To obey God is to love God: Love and obedience are synonymous, they are to be exemplified through the patterns and the priorities of a Christian’s life. Belonging to God, i.e., being born-again, born from above, born of the Spirit, born of God, will be reflected in the love expressed by those who are saved, those who have been spiritually and eternally born into God’s family.

John 1:12-13
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.”

[not biological, ancestral, willful, or legal]

John 3:5-8
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.”

God shows His love for us by placing His Spirit in us, and so, we are to express His love toward, and share His love with, others (cf. Matthew 22:36-40).

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 Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.””

To say you love God but are unwilling to love others is a contradiction, a dichotomy, because God is Love. If you are born of God, you have His love in you and you will love others; if you don’t love others, it is evident that you are either not saved, or you are disobedient.

Read 1John 4:9-10
“9 By this the love of God was revealed in us, that God has sent His only Son into the world so that we may live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins, so that we might live for Him. This is God’s greatest expression of love and His greatest gift to mankind; everyone who trusts in Him receives eternal life, and has come into an intimate relationship with God for all of eternity.

Read 1John 4:11-12
“11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is perfected in us.”

We do not deserve God’s merciful expression of love, sending His own Son to die for our sins, that is why it is called GRACE! But, if you have genuinely been saved through Christ, you will seek to obediently serve God, offering up your own life as a living sacrifice to God, being transformed day by day, knowing and doing His will, by HIs grace, for His glory.

Romans 12:1-2
“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. 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.”

Jesus allowed Himself to be put to death, then raised Himself from the grave by His own authority.

John 10:17-18
“For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 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.”

After Christ completed all He had come to do, He went back into heaven to be at the right hand of the Father, to rejoin Him in intimate fellowship; and therefore, because of what Christ accomplished, those who believe in and follow Him also have fellowship with the Father, and the Holy Spirit.

John 14:16-20
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever; the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you.”

John 14:23
“I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. After a little while, the world no longer is going to see Me, but you are going to see Me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I in you.”

1John 1:1-3
“What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.”

As Christians we are God’s children and we will therefore demonstrate His love while we are here on this earth, so that others might come to be saved.

Read 1John 4:13-18
“13 By this we know that we remain in Him and He in us, because He has given to us of His Spirit. 14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him, and he in God. 16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. 17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, we also are in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”

God confirms in your heart that you belong to Him; He gives you the Holy Spirit at the moment of genuine salvation.

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.’”

Romans 8:1
“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

John 5:24
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

Ephesians 1:13
“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.”

1Corinthians 12:13-14
“For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.”

As Christians, we have full confidence that we have been eternally forgiven and we sovereignly belong to God, therefore we have no fear of condemnation, judgment, or punishment.

Read 1John 4:19-21
“19 We love, because He first loved us. 20 If someone says, “I love God,” and yet he hates his brother or sister, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God must also love his brother and sister.”

We are able to love because God first loved us. If you have received God’s love, you will love others in His name. Jesus is not only our Savior, He is our example of what real love is and how we are to express that love in our relationships.

1John 3:16-18
“We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”

Godly love is not just a feeling, it is an intentional, selfless, unconditional sacrifice. When a Christian brother or sister is in need, we are to reach out and help them as God has provided for us to do so. You cannot love God apart from loving God’s children (your brothers and sisters in Christ).

1John 4:7-8
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

1John 4:20-21
“If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.”

We all fall short when it comes to sharing God’s love with those around us; and so, as we prepare to take the Lord’s Supper, let each of us sincerely ask God to reveal in our heart where we have failed to express our love for God, our love for God’s Word, and our love for God’s people; and then let us each, in the quietness of our own heart, admit our sin, thanking God for His forgiveness, and asking God to strengthen us, so that we might live in such a way that others may see our good works, and glorify our Father who is in heaven.

 
Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: Matthew 2:1-27 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale |  

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12-27-2020
“Different Responses to the Birth of God’s Son”
Last week we studied in Matthew 1; Luke 2, how God had announced the coming of His Son (through Angels) to Joseph and Mary, and to the shepherds who were in the fields around Bethlehem.
Even so, the majority of people in and around Bethlehem, some 2,000 years ago, missed the advent of God’s Son; just like most of those who live in and around Waldport, missed the true meaning of Christmas this year: the advent of God’s Son Jesus, God’s Salvation; Immanuel, God with us.
Read Matthew 2:1-12…
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah;
For from you will come forth a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod secretly called for the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” 9 After hearing the king, they went on their way; and behold, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on ahead of them until it came to a stop over the place where the Child was to be found. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And after they came into the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary; and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And after being warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.”

Herod was in a panic over the birth of this Child (King of the Jews), who was being sought by some prominent men [Magi] from the east. Herod called together all of the chief priests and scribes asking them where the Child was to be born. The religious leaders quoted Micah 5:2, telling Herod the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, and He would become the Ruler over Israel.
Herod sent the Magi to search out and find this Child, saying that he wanted to go and worship Him. When the Magi found Jesus, they worshipped Him, presenting to Him their treasures of gold. frankincense, and myrrh; but they did not report back to Herod, instead they returned to their home (most likely Persia) bypassing Jerusalem.
Read Matthew 2:13-16, 19-21…
“13 Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.”  14 So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. 15 He stayed there until the death of Herod; this happened so that what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”  16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent men and killed all the boys who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi.”

Matthew 2:19-21
“19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, 20 “Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” 21 So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.”
Herod was jealous of the Christ Child, not only was he unwilling to honor God’s Son as King, but he sought to kill Him, so that there would be no competition for the title of “King of the Jews,” which he applied to himself.
The world is full of self proclaimed kings who are unwilling to bow down to Jesus, not because they are ignorant of Him, but because they reject His sovereign authority as Lord and Savior of the world.
Even the religious leaders in this narrative knew what the Scriptures said concerning the birthplace of Christ; they would also have known that He was born to a virgin, as a sign of God’s power and purpose; yet, it would seem that they didn’t bother to go look for themselves, to see whether or not the prophecy had come true. Evidently, they were comfortable with their own religious rituals, rules, and traditions, and they had no need for a Savior.  The religious leaders were so full of pride, they didn’t have any room for Jesus; foolishly thinking they were acceptable to God just as they were.
Rabbis, during their daily prayer times, gave thanks to God for having not created them as a Gentile, a woman, or a slave. This is found in the Mishnah, the first part of the Talmud’s exegetical commentaries/teachings on the Torah (Pentateuch), that form the basis for Jewish Law.
In Luke 18:10-14,
Jesus told this parable to people who trusted in their own righteousness, and viewed others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. “The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Most the world’s people are unwilling to admit that they are sinners in need of the forgiveness that God alone provides, only through Jesus Christ.
Jesus said (Mark 2:17),
“It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Jesus came to offer forgiveness and eternal life to those who would recognize and receive God’s salvation; the truth is, we are all sinners in need of the Savior.
Isn’t it amazing, Christ was born in Bethlehem, just 6 miles SW of Jerusalem where the Temple was located, and where most of Israel’s religious activity took place.
The birth of Jesus fulfilled many OT prophecies, and yet, it would appear that at His arrival He was given no more attention than any other baby born that night.
Most of people who were in or near Bethlehem missed the opportunity to witness the birth of Immanuel and to worship God’s Son. Perhaps they were busy with rituals and ceremonies; as religion allows people to feel spiritual even when they are not, and to to believe that they have spiritual life, even though they are spiritually dead!
Religious activity cannot produce God’s righteousness or provide God’s salvation, but it can promote a false sense of security spiritually. Religion that doesn’t include a personal relationship with God through Christ, leaves a person guilty of sin and unacceptable to the Holy and Righteous God of Creation.
Many people are religious, but only a small percentage of people are saved. (See Romans 3:10-12, 21-23; 5:8; 6:23; 10:9-10, 13; 8:1; 10:13.)
Romans 3:10-12
” 10 as it is written:  “There is no righteous person, not even one; 11 There is no one who understands, There is no one who seeks out God; 12 They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, There is not even one.””

Romans 3:21-23
“21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 but it is the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Romans 5:8
“8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 6:23
“23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

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 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.””

Romans 8:1
“Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 10:13
“13 for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.””

Why did most of the world’s people miss the advent of God’s Son? Ignorance! Indifference! Religious Activity!
Most of the people in the world miss the advent of Jesus because they are either ignorant of Him, indifferent toward Him, or they are very religious, trying to justify themselves before Him through rituals, ceremonies, and good deeds. Religion may very well damn more people to hell than anything else.
We have already considered how various people, in and around Bethlehem, responded to the news of Christ’s birth; but there are two important people we have not yet considered, and so, I’m going to focus on their story.
Please turn to Luke 2:25-26…
“25 And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.”
Simeon appears only here in the Scripture, and no where else. We know from the narrative that he is a righteous [right with God, acceptable to God, justified in the eyes of God] and devout [one who is reverent toward God, careful to obey and honor God in word, deed, and thought] man.
We are told that Simeon is looking [waiting] for the consolation of Israel [the consolation is not a thing, it is a Person: the Messiah, the Holy One who will bring God’s comfort and deliver them from their oppression].
Notice, it tells us that the Holy Spirit is upon Simeon, having revealed to him that he will not die until he has seen the Lord’s Christ, the Messiah, the Comforter.
Jeremiah 29:11-13,
“‘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.’ Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 31:31-33,
“‘Behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,’ declares the Lord. ‘But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,’ declares the Lord, ‘I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’”
Isaiah 61:1-2,
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn.”
This is in reference to the Messiah (cf. Luke 4:14-30), Jesus quoted this while teaching in the synagogue in Nazareth, at the end of which He said, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing,” i.e., I Am the Messiah, I am the Consolation of Israel!
Rabbis sometimes referred to the Messiah [Hebrew] as Menachem, meaning “Comforter” or “Consoler.”
See John 14:16, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another [allos, meaning another of the same kind] Helper [Parakletos, meaning one called alongside to help, comfort, counsel, exhort, encourage] that He may be with you forever.” 26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
Please turn back to Luke 2:27-35…
“27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, 28 then he took Him in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

29 “Now, Lord, You are letting Your bond-servant depart in peace,
According to Your word;
30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
31 Which You have prepared in the presence of all the peoples:
32 A light for revelation for the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”

33 And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and as a sign to be opposed— 35 and a sword will pierce your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.””

Simeon came into the Temple at the same time as Joseph and Mary are bringing Jesus to be dedicated; Simeon takes Jesus into his arms and thanks God, saying (Luke 2:29-32), “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A Light of revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”
Mary and Joseph are amazed at what Simeon says about Jesus, and then Simeon says to Mary (Luke 2:34-35), “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed— and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
Mary’s agony will reach its peak when she watches her son suffer and die on the cross, and then be placed in a tomb; but He comes out alive on the third day and over the next 40 days He shows Himself to those who believe in Him, after which, He returns too the Father in heaven.
Jesus is the sovereign Lord, Savior, and Judge, and He will acquit or condemn every person who has ever lived on this earth (cf. John 3:18-21, 35-36).

John 3:18-21
“18 The one who believes in Him is not judged; the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light; for their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light, so that his deeds will not be exposed. 21 But the one who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds will be revealed as having been performed in God.””

John 3:35-36
“35 The Father loves the Son and has entrusted all things to His hand. 36 The one who believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.””
Please turn to Luke 2:36-38…
“36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage, 37 and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She did not leave the temple grounds, serving night and day with fasts and prayers. 38 And at that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak about Him to all those who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.”
Here we are told about Anna, a prophetess, a widow, who is eighty-four years old; she has been serving at the temple night and day since she became a widow.
So, on the heels of Simeon’s interaction with Joseph, Mary, and Jesus; while he is proclaiming praise to God for allowing him to see God’s Salvation [Jesus, the Messiah]; at that moment, Anna comes up to this little group of people (Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Simeon) and she begins giving thanks to God for God’s Son.
It would seem that Anna continued to proclaim, from inside the temple, the good news as it is foretold by God’s prophets, concerning the One who was to come, the Savior, the only source of hope, forgiveness, and eternal life, now being fulfilled in this Son who was given, this Child who was born to a virgin, in Bethlehem, in Judea, who was called Immanuel, which means, God with us: He is Christ the Lord!
The simplest yet the greatest truth of all, is this:
Jesus loves me this I know,
for the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong
They are weak, but He is strong
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
The Bible tells me so
Jesus loves me, He who died
Heaven’s gate to open wide
He will wash away my sin
Let His little child come in
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
Yes, Jesus loves me
The Bible tells me so
God loves you so much that He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him receives eternal forgiveness and eternal life.
If you have never asked Jesus Christ to forgive you sins and save your soul, do it today, right here, right now. Only then will you understand the incomprehensible excitement and the overwhelming joy expressed by Simeon and Anna that day at the temple; by the Magi’s fervent and quiet worship when they found Jesus, Mary, and Joseph at the house; the exuberant declaration of the shepherds as they went  through the streets of Bethlehem telling everyone about the One who had been born: Christ the Lord; and then Joseph and Mary who considered all the angels had told them, and all the things that had happened.
Listen! Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. He lived among us, died for our sins, rose from the grave, just like He said that He would.
As you begin this new year, don’t forget how Joseph, Mary, the shepherds, the Magi, Simeon, and Anna, all pondered the wonders of God, praising Him for the Savior who has come: Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Lord and Savior.
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 The one who has the Son has the life; the one 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.””
Knowing God’s Son as Savior puts the “Merry” in Christmas and gives us Hope for the
New Year, and so, to all of you Believers and Followers of Jesus Christ the Lord, I say,
Merry Christmas and a Hopeful New Year!
Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: Matthew 1, Luke 2 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale |  

Links from Our Website:
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Sermon Notes (pdf)
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12-20-2020
“The Advent of God’s Son”
 

See Matthew 1…

Matthew’s main purpose is to declare Jesus as the Messiah [the Christ], a descendant of David:

 
The Genealogy of Jesus
 

Matthew 1:1…
“The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham:”

Matthew 1:17… There are three 14 generational periods of Jewish history recorded:

Matthew1:17
“17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the deportation to Babylon to the Messiah, fourteen generations.”

“David fathered Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.”

1. Abraham to David (vv. 2-6).

Matthew 1:2-6
“2 Abraham fathered Isaac, Isaac fathered Jacob, and Jacob fathered Judah and his brothers. 3 Judah fathered Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez fathered Hezron, and Hezron fathered Ram. 4 Ram fathered Amminadab, Amminadab fathered Nahshon, and Nahshon fathered Salmon. 5 Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab, Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth, and Obed fathered Jesse. 6 Jesse fathered David the king.  David fathered Solomon by [her who had been the wife of Uriah.

2. David to Babylonian captivity (vv. 7-11).

Matthew 1:7-11
“7 Solomon fathered Rehoboam, Rehoboam fathered Abijah, and Abijah fathered Asa. 8 Asa fathered Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat fathered Joram, and Joram fathered Uzziah. 9 Uzziah fathered Jotham, Jotham fathered Ahaz, and Ahaz fathered Hezekiah. 10 Hezekiah fathered Manasseh, Manasseh fathered Amon, and Amon fathered Josiah. 11 Josiah fathered Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.”

3. Babylonian captivity to the time of Christ (vv. 12-16).

Matthew 1:12-16
“12 After the deportation to Babylon: Jeconiah fathered Shealtiel, and Shealtiel fathered Zerubbabel. 13 Zerubbabel fathered Abihud, Abihud fathered Eliakim, and Eliakim fathered Azor. 14 Azor fathered Zadok, Zadok fathered Achim, and Achim fathered Eliud. 15 Eliud fathered Eleazar, Eleazar fathered Matthan, and Matthan fathered Jacob. 16 Jacob fathered Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.”

Matthew traces Christ’s genealogy from Abraham, through David’s son Solomon (cf. Matthew 1:6), to Jacob (cf. Matthew 1:16), “the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.” The synonym “by whom,” is in the feminine singular, indicating that Jesus was born of Mary, not Joseph and Mary, thus proclaiming the virgin birth.

cf. Matthew 1:6
“David fathered Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.”

cf. Matthew 1:16
“16 Jacob fathered Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called the Messiah.”

Joseph, who would be the legal father of Jesus, was from the bloodline of David, but Mary must also be a descendant of David, in order to that Jesus be of the royal bloodline, giving Him the right to sit on the throne of David,

(Luke 3:23)
“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 [Heli].”

Joseph was the son-in-law of Eli, Mary’s father, meaning that Mary was also from the bloodline of David, but through David’s son Nathan (cf. Luke 3:31).  Long before the birth of Jesus, some Rabbis wrote, “The Messiah is to have no earthy father; His birth will be like that of no other man.” And that is exactly how Jesus was conceived–apart from any human action, or will; this was done by God.

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,”

Read Matthew 1:18-21…
“18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, since he was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. 20 But when he had thought this over, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a Son; and you shall name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.””

 
Mary’s conception by the Holy Spirit is a great mystery.
She was a virgin yet she was pregnant.
 

Isaiah 7:14
“14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will name Him Immanuel.”

Joseph and Mary were pledged to be married at the time of the angel’s announcement, and therefore Joseph, an honorable man, had a big problem, Mary was pregnant and it wasn’t his child.

Jesus is never directly called the son of Joseph, and Joseph is never directly called His father; and yet, there is no evidence that Joseph ever felt anger or bitterness toward Mary (Matthew 1:19) “not wanting to disgrace her, [Joseph] planned to send her away secretly; i.e., he didn’t want to shame her publicly by exposing her condition, but instead would give her a decree of divorce, so she could go away quietly.

Matthew 1:19
“19 And her husband Joseph, since he was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.”

An angel announces to Joseph, that Mary’s pregnancy is from God, and will be a son. Joseph (although not the biological father) will have the responsibility to name the baby (Matthew 1:21), “you shall call His name Jesus [God’s Salvation], for He will save His people from their sins.” Jesus will be the only source of salvation for the whole world, for all of eternity, and Joseph will raise Him as his own son.

Read Matthew 1:22-23…
“22 Now all this took place so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: 23 “Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they shall name Him Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.””

The virgin birth was predicted in the OT. “All this” refers to specific facts about the birth of Jesus, as foretold by Isaiah and Micah (700 B.C.); the greatest sign from God to all men is that Jesus was, “God with us: God in the flesh” (Colossians 2:9), “the fullness of God in bodily form.”

Colossians 2:9
“9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,”

Matthew 1:24-25…
“24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he named Him Jesus.”

Joseph was awakened from his sleep and did just as the angel told him. Joseph took Mary home as his wife, and kept her a virgin until the birth of Jesus. However, Mary did not remain a virgin, for Jesus had other brothers and sisters who were conceived naturally through Joseph (Matthew 13:54-56).

Matthew 13:54-56
“54 And He came to His hometown and began teaching them in their synagogue, with the result that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man acquire this wisdom and these miraculous powers? 55 Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is His mother not called Mary, and His brothers, James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? 56 And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man acquire all these things?””

 
The Supernatural Birth of Jesus Validates His divinity
 

Christ the Savior was conceived in the womb of a virgin by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus was born to a virgin in a place where animals were sheltered; He grew up in an average home, learning the trade of carpentry; when He was about 33 years old, He was arrested and crucified, because He claimed to be God (John 10:30; 14:7, 9).

John 10:30
“30 I and the Father are one.””

John 14:7
“7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.””

John 14:9
“9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

On the third day after His burial, eyewitnesses (soldiers guarding His tomb) reported that He came out of the grave, alive. All this happened just as Jesus had repeatedly told His followers it would (cf. Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 18:31-34).

cf. Matthew 16:21
“21 From that time Jesus began to point out to His disciples that it was necessary for Him to go to Jerusalem and to suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and to be killed, and to be raised up on the third day.”

cf. 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 from the dead.”

cf. Luke 18:31-34
“31 Now He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things that have been written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. 32 For He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be ridiculed, and abused, and spit upon, 33 and after they have flogged Him, they will kill Him; and on the third day He will rise.” 34 The disciples understood none of these things, and the meaning of this statement was hidden from them, and they did not comprehend the things that were said.”

 
Christmas is not just another holiday!
 

Jesus Christ is not just another Jewish male baby born in Bethlehem, He is the Savior. He alone was the fullness of God in human flesh: He came to us, because we could not go to Him.

Christmas is in celebration of Christ’s birth; Easter is in celebration of His death and resurrection; Sunday is set apart each week specifically for the worship and honor of Jesus Christ, God’s Son.

Our calendar designates all history before His coming as B.C. [before Christ] and all history after His coming as A.D. [Anno Domini = “in the year of the Lord”].

This child, born to a virgin through the divine plan and power of God, is God’s  One and Only Son. His birth was a sign from Almighty God! To misread/reject this sign will bring eternal consequences: (John 3:16), (John 3:36).

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,”

John 3:36
“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

 
Jesus is the Reason for the Season
 

You cannot celebrate Christmas appropriately without knowing God’s One and Only Plan, Provision, and Promise by which we receive forgiveness for sins and eternal life.

Read Luke 2:1-7…
“Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all the people were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4 Now 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, 5 in order to register along with Mary, who was betrothed to him, and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Joseph took Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem, to register in the town of his ancestors, according to the census being taken. While they were there, it came time for the baby to be born, since they could find no place to stay, Mary gave birth to her firstborn, a son, and placed Him in a manger.

Read Luke 2:8-20…
“8 In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night. 9 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 And so the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army of angels praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased.”  15 When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. 17 When they had seen Him, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.”

An angel of the Lord appeared to some shepherds, announcing the birth of the Savior, Christ the Lord. The angel said God would validate this marvelous event with a sign (Luke 2:12), the baby would be wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

Luke 2:12
“Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all the people were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4 Now 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, 5 in order to register along with Mary, who was betrothed to him, and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

A large number of angels appeared praising God, the shepherds then went to Bethlehem to see all God had done, and there they found Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus who was lying in a manger, just as they were told.

Shepherds were near the bottom of the Jewish social order, for they couldn’t keep the religious rituals and ceremonies. Isn’t it amazing, that out of all the people in and around Jerusalem, God chose a small band of shepherds to be the ones to witness the birth of His Son, who would be (John 10:11), “the Good Shepherd, who lays down His life for His sheep,”

John 10:11
“11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”

and (1Peter 5:4), “the Chief Shepherd, to whom we all will give an account.”

1Peter 5:4
“4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

After looking upon the baby Jesus, Luke 2:18 says the shepherds went out into the streets, sharing the good news that the Savior had indeed been born.

Luke 2:18
“18 And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds.”

Luke 2:19 says,
“Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her
heart,” all these things meaning: the angel’s announcement about her Holy
conception, Joseph’s response to this news, Elizabeth’s marvelous greeting, and
the very special names “Jesus” and “Immanuel,” to be given to her baby boy!

Luke 2:20
tells us the shepherds, “returned (most likely to their flocks), glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”

 
First and Second Coming of Jesus
 

Jesus came to earth the first time, in the flesh of a helpless baby boy; the next time, He will come as a Warrior, the Eternal King, Sovereign Lord, and Righteous Judge over All (cf Revelation 19:11-16).

cf Revelation 19:11-16
“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. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written: “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.””

When Jesus came to earth the first time, there was no available room for Him to be born in; and yet, He told His disciples (John 14:1-3).

John 14:1-3
““Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be.”

Revelation 21:1-5
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell 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.””

Only a few shepherds witnessed the first coming of Jesus; but when He returns to earth again, everyone in the world will see Him (cf. Revelation 1:7).

cf. Revelation 1:7
“7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.”

More books and song lyrics have been written about, and more paintings have been done of, Jesus, than any other person in history. The world’s calendar dating system (B.C., A.D.), two major holidays (Christmas, Easter), the first day of every week (Sunday), and the praise and worship of 2.2 billion followers (out of the world’s 7.8 billion people) declares that this Jesus is indeed very, very, special.

Galatians 4:4-5
“4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters.”

At just the right time, according to God’s plan, purpose, provision, and power, God put on the flesh of a son of man, in order to provide payment for our sins by the sacrifice of Himself, in order that we might become the children of God.

1John 3:1
“See how great a love the Father has given us, that we would be called children of God; and in fact we are. For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know Him.”

If you have never trusted in Jesus Christ to save you, do it now, He turns no one away. Jesus Christ, the Savior, came to earth in the flesh of a baby; grew up in obscurity, and at abut 30 years of age began to heal the sick, set prisoners free, and raise the dead; about three years later He was put to death on a cross, because He claimed to be God; He was then placed in a tomb, but on the third day after His death, eye witnesses said He came out of the grave alive (just like He had said that He would), victorious over sin, death and judgement, forever,

 
2Corinthians 9:15
“15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
Christmas is about Jesus:
He is the Reason for the Season!
Christmas is in honor and worship of
the Holy One from God,
who has already come and is coming again
for those who belong to Him,
those on whom His favor rests,
those whose hope is in God’s Son
for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life,
to all of you I want to wish a very
Merry Christmas!
Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: Luke 1:26-51 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale |

Links from Our Website:
Bulletin (pdf)
Sermon Notes (pdf)
Upcoming Events
FBCW Website Calendar
 

12-13-2020
“The Marvelous Message of Christmas!”
 

Twelve days from today we will celebrate the birth of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, who came to save us from sin’s penalty.

There are 195 countries in the world today, of which 160 celebrate Christmas in some way or another, while 35 do not in anyway observe Christmas.

It is interesting that most of the world, until the later part of the 20th century, used a dating system focused on the birth of Jesus Christ, using the designation of B.C., “Before Christ,” in order to set apart history occurring before His birth; and A.D., Anno Domini, [Latin, “in the year of our Lord”] for history occurring after His birth.

There is a growing effort (by academia, the scientific community, and atheists) to delete BC and AD, replacing them with the designations BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era); this is an attempt to remove Christ and Christianity from all calendars and calendrical systems. But isn’t it interesting that the pivotal date for BCE and CE is the very same as that used for BC and AD, i.e., the birth of Christ.

It can be said that those who deny God’s existence and therefore Christ’s advent to earth, have their own holiday, celebrated each year on April 1, i.e., April Fool’s Day.

Psalm 14:1
tells us the reason for this holiday, because “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’”

The godless spirit of the world also tries to remove the Christmas by changing the greeting of Merry Christmas to Merry xmas, Happy Holiday, or Season’s Greetings.

But Christmas is a compound word made up of two words: Christ [the Anointed or Holy One], and Mass [an assembly or gathering for religious observance].

Christmas celebrates and honors the birth of God’s One and Only Son, Who came to save us; God’s ultimate gift is named Jesus [God’s Salvation], and He is called Immanuel [God with us].

But was Jesus born on December 25? What do the Scriptures reveal about that? I’m glad you asked.

Please turn to Luke 1:26-27, 30-31, 34-36, 39-41…

See Luke 1:26-27
“26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.”

Luke 1:30-31
“30 And 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 give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.”

Luke 1:34-36
“34 But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also the holy Child will be called the Son of God. 36 And behold, even your relative Elizabeth herself has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called infertile is now in her sixth month.”

Luke 1:39-41…
“39 Now at this time Mary set out and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”

At the
time of Mary’s conception (through the Holy Spirit), she went to visit her aunt
Elizabeth, and upon greeting her, Elizabeth’s baby “leaped in her womb,” for
Elizabeth, was six months pregnant with John, who would become John the
baptizer, proclaiming

(John 1:23),
“I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said,”

(John 1:29), “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

Luke 1:56…
“56 Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.”

Luke 1:56 says Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months. According to the Jewish religious calendar, concerning the division of the priests, Mary’s visit to Elizabeth, at which time Mary was pregnant, would have been late in the month of Kislev (November-December),.

Kislev is when Hanukkah (the Festival of Lights) is celebrated, which begins on the 25th day of Kislev (late December) and lasts for eight days. The Jews celebrate the Festival of Lights while Christians celebrate Jesus Christ, Who is (John 8:12), “the Light of the world.”

John the baptizer, Jesus’ cousin, would have been born during Passover, in the month of Nisan (March-April); he was six months older than Jesus. Remember, Gabriel announced Mary’s pregnancy when Elizabeth was six months pregnant with John; therefore, Jesus would have been born in the month of Tishri (September- October), at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles.

Our celebration of December 25 doesn’t line up with the actual birth of Jesus, but it is very probable that it lines up with the time of His conception, when the biological life of Jesus began in the womb of Mary.

Luke 2:8 tells us,
“there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night,” when Jesus was born.

What does the record of weather patterns in Israel tells us? A little research on past and present weather conditions in Palestine will lead you to conclude that there were most likely no shepherds out in the fields around Bethlehem, at the end of December, for it is often below freezing and very rainy or snowing.

Here is some insight from the Old Testament:

Ezra 10:9, records that, “all the men of Judah and Benjamin [were] assembled at Jerusalem… …in the ninth month (Kislev) on the twentieth day of the month, and all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of the heavy [and cold] rain.”

Jeremiah 36:22 tells us,
“the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth
month (Kislev), with a fire burning in the brazier [or fire pot, i.e., a container that
holds hot coals) before him,” because of the cold.

The climate of Palestine in December, during Bible times, especially in Jerusalem and Bethlehem (which sit at an elevation of 2500 ft.), could be very cold and wet (dropping to well below freezing at night), i.e., “it was not the practice of the shepherds of Judea to be out with their flocks in the open fields later than about the end of October; it was the custom then (as it is now) for the shepherds “to withdraw the flocks from the open fields and house them for the winter.”

Turn to Luke 2:1-7…
“Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all the people were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4 Now 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, 5 in order to register along with Mary, who was betrothed to him, and was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Luke says there was a decree issued at the time of Jesus’ birth, that a census would be taken of all the inhabitants of the earth, and everyone was to return to their hometown, the town of their ancestors (Rome the world’s Ruler was taking inventory).

It wouldn’t be sensible to hold a census in December (if you wanted an accurate count), much more likely, a census would be taken after the harvest season, during September-October, when the weather was more moderate and dry, allowing for safer and easier travel.

So, why was December 25 chosen to be set apart as the celebration day for the birth of Christ? That is a great question, let’s see if we can find an answer: The Romans celebrated the Festival of Saturnalia in December, from about the 17th-25th, during which they worshipped the s-u-n god Saturn. Common customs during that festival were celebrations that included the exchanging of gifts, feasting, and decorating homes with evergreen boughs and lighted candles.

The decision to celebrate the birth of God’s Son on December 25th, came about during the middle of the fourth century A.D., through the promotion of the Roman Emperor, Constantine the Great, after his supposed conversion to Christianity.

The celebration of Christ’s birth during the winter solstice, seems to have been an attempt to Christianize the popular pagan celebrations already in place (in honor of the sun god), so that Christians could simultaneously honor and worship the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

The union of these celebrations brought about a bizarre mixture of both pagan and Christian elements that still exist today.

But regardless of the historic or pagan background of December’s traditions, whether or not Jesus was born on December 25th, our purpose and pleasure during this time of year is to try and direct the hearts and minds of all people toward Jesus Christ, the Savior who has come.

The light of the world has indeed come, and the Christmas season, with all its celebrations, customs, and festivities, presents the church with a wonderful opportunity to both live out and share the good news of peace, love, faith, and hope that has been granted to everyone who believes in God’s Son.

See John 1:1-4, 14, 18…

John 1:1-4,
“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 not even one thing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind. 5 And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it.”

John 1:14,
“14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:18
“18 No one has seen God at any time; God the only Son, who is in the arms of the Father, He has explained Him.”

Christmas is about the Incarnation of God’s Son (full of grace and truth), i.e., God putting on flesh and living among us, in order to serve and exemplify the Father.

John 14:6-7
“6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.  7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.””

John 14:9
“9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with [e]you for so long a time, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

Jesus made full and final payment for our sins by His own blood, as expressed through His words while on the cross (Luke 23:34), “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,” (Mark 15:34), “At the ninth hour (3pm) Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Before sundown Jesus declared (John 19:30), “‘It is finished,’ then He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”

Luke 23:34
“34 [But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”] And they cast lots, dividing His garments among themselves.”

John 19:30
“30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”

Jesus paid [in full, by His own death] the penalty for our sins. This same Jesus, being fully man yet fully God, was taken down from the cross, placed in a tomb, and three days later He came out of the tomb alive.

Hebrews 9:26-28
“26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And just as it is destined for people 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 10:17-18
“17 “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will no longer remember.” 18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, an offering for sin is no longer required.”

Christmas is about God giving us His Son, the Messiah, sent to save us from the consequences and eternal curse of sin.

Christmas is a time when many people are more open to talking about the things of God, therefore, we ought to make the most of this opportunity to be witnesses of the marvelous message of God’s greatest gift, His own Son.

Christmas is a time to honor the Savior’s birth by sharing the message of His advent to earth in the flesh of a baby boy, named Jesus; God’s Son, Immanuel.

The majority of the world’s people either reject Jesus outright, are confused about Him, or are just indifferent toward Him and have instead, turned to man centered religious rituals that are promoted and supported by network television, public education, the godless news media, and the commercial marketplace.

If you are a Christian, the greatest gift you can offer to an unbeliever is the Good News about the Special Child whose birthday we celebrate at Christmas: Jesus [God’s Salvation], Immanuel [God with us], born to a virgin in Bethlehem, put to death on a cross at Calvary, buried in a borrowed tomb, only to come out alive on the third day, and for 40 days to show Himself to His followers, after which He ascended up into heaven before His disciples.

Because all this is true, and because God is loving, merciful, faithful, omniscient, omnipotent, and eternal, the words of Paul (Romans 8:38-39) should encourage and comfort all of us, “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Please don’t attempt to celebrate Christmas without knowing the One to Whom the celebration is directed, Jesus Christ, the Lord. Everyone who calls on Him for the forgiveness of sins will be saved, He turns no one away.

 
The Marvelous Message of Christmas, is this:
God loves you so much that He
gave up His own Son to die for your sins, so that you might believe in Him now, and
live in heaven with Him forever; and for that reason we ought to unabashedly,
fervently, and perpetually proclaim, Merry Christmas!
 
Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: Micah 5:2 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale |

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Dec. 6, 2020
Jesus Christ was Born to Die

Christmas celebrates God’s greatest Gift to the world, but God’s gift (His own Son) was not fully understood or realized until He was unwrapped on the Cross.

About 2700 years ago, two of God’s prophets (Isaiah & Micah) both wrote about the future birth of a male child, to a virgin, in Bethlehem, in Judea; this child would be God in the flesh, God’s Salvation come to earth, and He would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Jesus came to pay the penalty (for all sin, for all time, for all people), by His death on the cross; and three days later, He came out of the grave alive, providing eternal life to all who believe in Him.

Micah 5:2,
“2 But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will come forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His times of coming forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.””

Isaiah 7:14
“14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will name Him Immanuel.”

Isaiah 9:6
“6 For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”

See Isaiah 53:1-12
“Who has believed our report? 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 dry ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we would look at Him, Nor an appearance that we would take pleasure in Him.

3 He was despised and abandoned by men, A man of great pain and familiar with sickness; And like one from whom people hide their faces, He was despised, and we had no regard for Him.

4 However, it was our sicknesses that He Himself bore, And our pains that He carried; Yet we ourselves assumed that He had been afflicted, Struck down by God, and humiliated.

5 But He was pierced for our offenses, He was crushed for our wrongdoings; The punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him, And by His wounds 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 wrongdoing of us all To fall on Him.

7 He was oppressed and 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 from the land of the living For the wrongdoing of my people, to whom the blow was due?

9 And 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 desired To crush Him, causing Him grief; If He renders 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, For He will bear their wrongdoings.

12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the plunder with the strong, Because He poured out His life unto death, And was counted with wrongdoers; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the wrongdoers. ”

God had repeatedly announced His coming, giving special details about His arrival, and then God delivered Him in Bethlehem, just as He had said He would. Joseph and Mary raised Him in Nazareth in Galilee.

Luke 2:52,
“52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and people.”

When Jesus was was baptized in the Jordan River, by John (Luke 3:22), God declared from heaven, “You are My Son, whom I love, with You I am well pleased,” (Luke 3:23), “Jesus was about thirty years of age, when He began His ministry.”
God revealed His Son, and all we need to know and to have is made complete in Him.
Read Hebrews 1:1-3…
“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

See Hebrews 1:2a,
“in these last days [God] has spoken to us in His Son.”

Since Jesus’ first advent, God has fully revealed all we need to know, have, and do, concerning God’s greatest gift, His Own Son.

Jesus’ birth happened just as God had announced through the prophets, everything being made ready for the advent of God’s Son, at just the right time

(Galatians 4:4-5),
“when the time had fully come (i.e., at just the right time), God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.”

 
Politically
Rome the world ruler, had provided good roads and a time of
relative peace; the message of Christ could be taken to the rest of the world.
Culturally
The world’s people were more educated and unified, even common
people spoke Koine Greek.
Spiritually
The world was more accepting of a wide variety of religious
philosophies; and the Jews had a renewed interest in the OT Scriptures that
pointed to the Messiah, God’s One and Only Son.
 

See Hebrews 1:2b,
“whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the world.”

God appointed His Son as the beneficiary of all things, i.e., everything that was made belongs to Jesus Christ, God the Son, Creator of and Ruler over everything.

Colossians 1:16,
“16 for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.”

In Revelation 5:5, John records God sitting on His throne in heaven, with a scroll in His hand (the deed to the earth and everything on it). No one is worthy to take the scroll and open it, but then John writes, “one of the elders said to me, ‘Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.’”

Revelation 5:5-7
“5 And one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to be able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
7 And He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.”

(Revelation 5:9),
“9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the scroll and to break its seals; for You were slaughtered, and You purchased people for God with Your blood from every tribe, language, people, and nation.””
Jesus came.
God sent Jesus (Colossians 1:20)
“20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”

God’s plan was to provide forgiveness for sins through the shed blood of His One and Only Son.

Hebrews 1:3
“3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

Hebrews 1:3a,
“And He [Christ] is the radiance of His glory.”

Christ is “the radiance of God’s glory” (lit. “brightness”) meaning Jesus is the Light of God, sent to mankind. “Light” is the revelation that brings “Life from God” to all who are being saved.

 
Jesus Christ was God’s Light, sent to mankind.
John 1:1-2
“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.”

John 1:4-5
“4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind. 5 And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it.”

John 8:12
“12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.””

1John 1:5
“5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.”

See Hebrews 1:3b
“3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

Jesus is the express image of God [in human flesh] and without Him we could not see or be exposed to God’s light, let alone could we receive life from God.

Colossians 1:15
“15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation:”

Colossians 1:17
“17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

Colossians 2:9
“9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,”

God’s Son holds together, sustains, and maintains, all things by His own Word.

See Hebrews 1:3c
“3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

He created the heavens and the earth upon which we live, itself sitting out in space just the right distance from the moon and the sun, tilted at precisely 23.5 degrees, as it revolves at 1,037 mph, making a complete rotation every 24 hours; while traveling at 67,000 mph in an orbit around the sun every 365 days.

See Hebrews 1:3d
“3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.  When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,”

This is the seat of power and authority.  Wow! Jesus Christ fulfilled His sovereign work by taking the punishment for our sins, upon Himself.

 
Jesus took our punishment for sin.
(Hebrews 9:11-12)
“11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things having come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made by hands, that is, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all time, having obtained eternal redemption. ”

About 700 years after Isaiah and Micah gave their prophecies, a young woman named Mary, who was said to be a virgin, gave birth to a male child in Bethlehem, in Judea; the baby was named in Hebrew, Yeshua, the Greek rendering is Jesus [meaning Rescuer, Deliverer, i.e., God’s Salvation/Savior]; the baby was also called in Hebrew Immanuel [meaning God with us].

This child was God in human flesh, Savior to all who will believe in Him. Jesus was born in a stable and raised in obscurity; as a teenager He confounded the religious leaders, as a man he demonstrated authority over nature, healed people of every kind of disease and infirmity, raised a young girl and a man from the dead, and was then put to death on a cross, buried, and on the third day He came out of the tomb alive, and began showing Himself to His followers over a 40 day period; after which, he ascended back into heaven.

Hebrews 10:12
“12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God,”

The final message from God is that His own Son was born in the flesh of a man for the purpose of dying for the sins of mankind.

 
Christmas is about God’s Greatest Gift:
Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, was born for the purpose of laying down His own life as full payment for our sins, so that everyone who repents, believing in Him, receives forgiveness and eternal life.
Revelation 1:8
‘8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is yet to come, the Almighty.”’
He is the great I AM.

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 The one who has the Son has the life; the one 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.”

If you have never repented of your sins, believing in God’s Son to save you, why not do it right now? This is the most important decision of your life. Don’t enter the Christmas season without making sure you belong to God through Jesus Christ, God’s One and Only Son.

The reason for the season is Jesus, as Paul writes:

2Corinthians 9:15
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”

 
The word “Christmas” is formed from two words: Christ and mass.
Christ (the Greek rendering of the Hebrew word Messiah), means Holy [or Anointed] One;
and
mass means a congregation or gathering for the purpose of a religious observance or celebration; and so,
Christmas is a celebration in honor and praise and worship of Jesus Christ, God’s Son,
 
Lord and Savior:
crucified, resurrected, and coming again.

Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: 1John 3:18-4:6 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: 1John 2John 3John |

Links from Our Website:
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Upcoming Events
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11.29.20
1John 3:18-4:6,
God’s Spirit of Truth…
 

Last week we studied how those who genuinely belong to God will desire to live in a manner that brings glory to God and benefits to God’s people.

As Christians, we are to love others as an expression of the love we have received from God, i.e., if you love God you will display love for others.

Read 1John 3:18-22…  God’s Spirit comes into the heart of everyone who genuinely seeks forgiveness for sin by trusting Jesus Christ to save them, at the moment of genuine faith, expressed by heart-belief in Christ, you are spiritually born-again into the eternal family of God (Romans 10:9-10), “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; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

John 3:6-8, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

John 4:24, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 

John 5:24, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” 

John 6:63, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” 

2Corinthians 1:21-22, “He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.”

Ephesians 1:13-14, “In [Christ], 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, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”

John 1:12-13, “But as many as received Him [Jesus Christ] to them He [God’s Son] gave the right to become children of God, …those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

In 1John 3:1 it says, “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are,” and in 1John 3:18, “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”

Look again at 1John 3:21-22, “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.”

God loves to hear the prayers of His people, and God loves to bless His people as they live obediently before Him.  

1Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”

God has provided forgiveness for sin, eternal life, and adoption as God’s own children, bringing us into a relationship with every true Christian; all this being made effectual through God’s Spirit living in us.

God’s Spirit encourages and equips us to live for Christ; when we fail to do what honors God, God’s Spirit convicts us so that we will ask for forgiveness, resulting in God’s power to know, to pray for, and to accomplish that which pleases Him.

Ephesians 2:10, “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” 

John 15:12, “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.” 14, “You are My friends if you do what I command you.” 16, “I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”

Read 1John 3:23-24…  Anyone born of God will love his brothers and sisters in the Lord.  The more you and I express God’s love for one another and serve as His witnesses to the godless world around us, the more God’s assurance of salvation is made manifest in us. God expressed His love for us through the sacrificial death of His own Son; and we who belong to God, will express our love for Him by loving others through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

John 14:15-17, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” 

John 14:24-26, “He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me. These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”

Read 1John 4:1-3…  As God’s beloved children, we have God’s Word and God’s Spirit to guide us; but we must test every teaching and discern whether or not it is from God.

Satan, his demons, and all his workmen (false teachers) seek to dilute and/or distort God’s Word, in order to deceive, if it were possible, even God’s own people.  Therefore, God’s people must diligently test all teachings and reprove and/or rebuke any that do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as both the Son of God and the Son of Man.

There are many false teachings being propagated by those who oppose God; but God’s Word is the final authority by which every teaching must be judged.  Some teachings say Jesus was a man, some say He was God; but God’s Word is sovereignly clear that Jesus was both – fully man and fully God – and any other teaching is a lie straight from the Devil.

John is speaking here of a future time when Satan will raise up the final world ruler (the Antichrist) who will seek to oppose and take the place of God (during the Tribulation Period, after all Christians, those who have died and those who are still alive at Christ’s return in the air, will be caught up to be with the Lord forever).

John reminds his hearers/readers that many antichrists have appeared, which is part of the birthing pains in the last days; and that there are many antichrists present, these are the false teachers who promote doctrine that is hostile toward God’s Son and contradictory toward the whole counsel of God’s Word.

John specifies (1John 2:19) that these false teachers arise from within the physical church; for although they appeared to be genuine believers, they have departed from fellowship in the true church and now they attempt to lead people out of Christianity into false religions and cults. 

2Corinthians 4:1-6, “Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in trickery nor distorting the word of God, but by the open proclamation of the truth commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants on account of Jesus. 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.”

Read 1John 4:4-6…  True believers belong to God forever, and are capable of discerning truth from falsehood, because everyone who is born of God has God’s Spirit in them and can therefore overcome the spirit of the antichrist. 

Satan’s false teachers will either reject the sovereignty of God’s Word or they will add to or subtract from it.  You and I must be diligent about discerning and judging all that is said to be from God. 

Revelation 22:18-19, “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.”

God’s children are to be like the Bereans (Acts 17:11), “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”

Those who fail to remain in the truth, those who fall away, believing and promoting Satan’s lies, never belonged to God in the first place.  

Both the OT and the NT have been given to God’s people that we might have full confidence of sovereignly and eternally belonging to God, and that we might not be deceived by the spirit of falsehood; but instead, we will know, apply, and proclaim God’s Truth for as long as we have life.

Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 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.” 

2Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” 

2Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is [God-breathed] and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be [thoroughly] equipped for every good work.” 

I thank God for His Spirit, through whom I am able to know the Truth of God, through His Word, and so not be deceived; if you belong to God, you have the Holy Spirit of Truth to guide you.  

God has graciously and powerfully equipped every Christian with the God’s Word of Truth and God’s Spirit of Truth, in order to guide, provide for, protect, and empower us, as we serve Him; we are God’s children, and as such, we are to (1Thessalonians 5:16-18), “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

And all God’s people said?  Amen!
Pastor Mike
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