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December 19, 2021
“The Sovereign Birth of God’s Son”
 

Six 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 36 do not in anyway observe Christmas.

Most of the world, until recent years, used a dating system focused on the birth of Jesus Christ, as follows: B.C., “before Christ,” marked all years before His birth; and A.D., Anno Domini, “in the year of our Lord,” marked all years after His arrival.

There is a growing effort today to delete BC and AD, permanently replacing them with BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era); this is an attempt to remove Christ and Christianity from all calendars.  But, what is the pivotal date for BCE and CE?  The very same as BC and AD, the birth of Christ.

This is yet another feeble attempt by a godless world to try and remove the message of Christmas, changing Merry Christmas to Merry xmas, Happy Holiday, or Seasons Greetings.

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

Easter celebrates and honors the sacrificial death and sovereign resurrection of God’s One and Only Son; God’s full and final payment for sin and provision of eternal life to everyone who believes in Him.

Christmas celebrates and honors the birth of God’s One and Only Son, God’s ultimate Gift to us, Jesus (God’s Salvation), Immanuel [God with us].

Read Luke 1:5-25… 

Zechariah is in the Holy of Holies when Gabriel tells him that his wife Elizabeth is going to give birth to a son, and he is to name him John [which means, God is gracious]; this son of theirs (see verse 17) will fulfill the prophecy of

Malachi 3:1,

“Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear [prepare] the way before Me.”

Malachi 4:6,

“He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.”

Matthew 11:10-11,

“This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, Who will prepare Your way before You.’ Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist!”

Read Luke 1:26-38… 

Gabriel tells Mary she is going to have God’s Son, and also that her aunt Elizabeth (who had been barren) is now six months pregnant.

Read Luke 1:39-55… 

Mary visits her aunt Elizabeth and the Holy Spirit confirms that, Mary’s pregnancy is from God, just as Gabriel had said.  We are told (Luke 1:56) that Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months and then returned home.

The duty cycles [orders of division] at the Temple for Jewish priests included the seven major Feasts and Festivals (Passover, First fruits, Harvest, Trumpets, Day of Atonement, Tabernacles, Hanukkah), when applied to the narratives of what the NT records concerning the conception and the birth of both, Jesus and John (His cousin), some very amazing things are revealed.

Mary’s visit would have been late in the 9th month of Kislev (Nov/Dec); not surprisingly, the Jewish festival of Hanukkah [Festival of Lights] begins on the 25th day of Kislev, which is very close to our December 25, when we celebrate the birth of Jesus: the Light of the World.

In John 8:12

Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

1John 1:5,

“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.”

Read Luke 1:57-66… 

John (the Baptizer) would have the privilege to announce the beginning of the ministry of God’s Son, Jesus of Nazareth.

John (the Baptizer) was six months older than Jesus, and since John’s birth was near or during Passover in the month of Nisan (Mar/April), Jesus would have then been born six months later, in the month of Tishri (Sept/Oct), about the time of the Feast of Tabernacles.

Our celebration of Christmas doesn’t line up with the actual birthdate of Jesus, but it very likely lines up with the time of Christ’s conception in the womb of Mary.

Read Luke 2:1-7…

Joseph took Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem, to register in the town of their ancestors, according to the census.  While there, it came time for the baby to be born, and they could find no place to stay because the city was overcrowded with visitors who had come to register for the census, all those with ancestors who were from Bethlehem must come.

Mary gave birth to her firstborn, a son, God’s Son.  He was born in a stable behind an inn, and placed in a manger [feeding trough for animals].

Read Luke 2:8-20…

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.

The shepherds then went to Bethlehem to see all God had done; they found Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus, who was lying in a manger, just as they had been told.

Shepherds were near the bottom of the Jewish social order, because they couldn’t keep the religious rituals and ceremonies.  Out of all the people in and around Jerusalem, God chose a small group of shepherds to witness the birth of His Son.

It is interesting that Jesus said

(John 10:11),

“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”

1Peter 5:4,

Jesus is called the Chief Shepherd.

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; and yet, there is no record of anyone else making their way to see the baby Jesus.

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 pregnancy, Joseph’s response to this news, Elizabeth’s marvelous greeting, and the special names given to Mary’s baby: “Jesus” and “Immanuel.”

The shepherds (Luke 2:20)

“went back [returned to their flocks], glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.”

Jesus’ first advent was in the flesh of a 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).

At Jesus’ first advent, there was no room for Him to be born; when He returns, He will be the landlord of the universe (cf. John 14:1-3; Revelation 21:1-4).

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

More books and song lyrics have been written about Jesus, and more paintings and artwork have been done of Him, than anyone else in history.

The world’s dating system (B.C., A.D.), two major holidays (Christmas, Easter), and the praise and worship of billions of followers, declares that this Jesus is indeed very, very, special.

Galatians 4:4-5,

“When the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

At just the right time, according to God’s plan, God thee Son 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 children of God now, and live with Him forever.

Hebrews 9:26-28,

“Once at the consummation of the ages He [Jesus] has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, 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.”

Jesus [the Christ] came to do away with the eternal curse and condemnation of sin, by providing forgiveness and eternal life to those who believe in Him.

The most important question that you, or any other person, must ever answer is this, “Who do you genuinely believe Jesus Christ to be?”  The Jesus who was born in Bethlehem, to a virgin named Mary; confirmed by God the Father at the Jordan River and on the Mount of Transfiguration; the Jesus who was hung on a cross to die for our sins, then placed in a tomb, only to rise again on the third day; and for a period of 40 days He appeared to His followers; after which He ascended into heaven to be with the Father, until it is time for Him to come back and take us to be with Him forever.

John 10:10,

“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly,”

John 10:28,

“I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish.”

2Peter 1:3-4,

“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.”

1John 5:11-13,

“And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 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.”

 
And that is the greatest reason to proclaim,
Merry Christmas!
 
 
Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: Isaiah 9:6 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale |

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December 12, 2021
“A Child Will Be Born, a Son Will Be Given”
 Isaiah 9:6

About 2700 years ago, two of God’s prophets (Isaiah & Micah) wrote about the future birth of a male child to a virgin, in Bethlehem, in Judea.

About 700 years after these prophecies were made, a young woman, named Mary, said to be a virgin, gave birth to a male child in Bethlehem, in Judea.

The baby was given the name Jesus [God’s Salvation] and He was called Immanuel [God with us].  This child would be the only source of salvation for mankind, and He would also be the fullness of God in human flesh.

God told the people of world ahead of time, so that when it happened people would believe in His Son and receive forgiveness for their sins.

Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ birth, it is a compound word formed from the words Christ [the Anointed or Holy One], and Mass [an assembly or gathering for religious observances].  Christmas celebrates the good news that the Savior has come.

The next time you go out to a merchandise store or a shopping mall, consider, “If you weren’t a Christian and didn’t know about God’s Son, is there anything in the commercial stores that would point you to Jesus?”  Probably not!

And yet, Isaiah & Micah, foretold how God’s Son would be born to a virgin, in Bethlehem, in Judea; that He would be God in human flesh and the Savior of those who believe in Him; and that He would accomplish this by dying for our sins.

Isaiah 9:6a,

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us…”

This speaks of God’s divine proclamation and provision of Jesus Christ, God’s Son.

Isaiah 7:14,

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.”

Micah 5:2,

“But as for you, Bethlehem [House of Bread] Ephrathah [Fruitful land], too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.”

See Matthew 1:18-25… 

God’s Son came in the flesh of a baby boy, born in Bethlehem.  This child was fully God, while also being fully man; more than any other title that Jesus used for Himself, He used the title “Son of Man,” because He loved us so much, and was one of us, and yet He was one with God..

Isaiah 9:6b,

“And the government will rest on His shoulders…”

This speaks of God’s Ultimate, Universal, and Unilateral Authority on earth.

Zechariah 14:9,

“And the Lord will be king over all the earth; in that day the Lord will be the only one, and His name the only one.”

Revelation 19:15-16,

 “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. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.’”

Christ will, in the future, reign for a thousand years over a literal, earthly kingdom, and everyone will humbly and reverently bow in submission to Him; although, at present, only those who acknowledge Him as Savior give testimony to His authority and rule in their lives as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Isaiah 9:6c,

“And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor…”

This speaks of God’s Supernatural Wisdom.

John 14:16-17, 25-26,

“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.” “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.”

The NT records Jesus’ encounters with a variety of people; and that He always knew just what to say, for He spoke the words and wisdom of God.

Temple guards were sent to arrest Jesus

(John 7:46),

but they returned to the Chief Priests without Him, saying, “No one ever spoke the way this man speaks.”

Matthew 7:29 says,

He [Jesus] was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their [own] scribes [teachers of the law].”

Only Jesus can make sense out of life’s confusion and provide hope for eternity; and yet, most of the world turns to the counsel of psychiatrists, philosophers, astrologers, and other so-called experts, instead of turning to God’s Word.

1Corinthians 2:12-16,

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.”

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit, provide eternal, authoritative, sovereign, divine, and supernatural wisdom for all who believe.

Isaiah 9:6d,

 “And His name will be called Mighty God…” 

This speaks of God’s Sovereign Power and Strength for all of eternity.

Deuteronomy 10:17,

“For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.”

Jeremiah 32:17-19,

“Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You, who shows lovingkindness to thousands, but repays the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God. The Lord of hosts is His name; great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.”

John 14:2-3,

“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”

Hebrews 1:1-3,

“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 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.”

Revelation 1:8, 17-18,

“‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.’” “When [John] saw Him, [he] fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on [John], saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”

God forgives sin, grants eternal life, answers prayer, heals broken hearts and bodies, defeats Satan, brings order to the chaos and purpose to the confusion in our lives; all this, while sustaining the universe and preparing eternity for those who belong to Him.

Isaiah 9:6e,

“And His name will be called Eternal Father…” 

This speaks of God’s Eternal and Intrinsic Nature as the Originator and Giver of Life.

Psalm 90:2,

“Before the mountains were born Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”

Isaiah 40:28,

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth Does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable.”

John 10:30,

Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.”

John 14:1, 6-7; 18-20,

 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God [the Father], believe also in Me.” “Jesus said, “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.” “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.”

Colossians 1:15-20,

“He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 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. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.”

Jesus is God the Son, equal with the Father (who is Immortal, Invisible, Eternal, and the Creator of all).  Jesus Christ (who is also Immortal, Eternal, and the Creator of all) has made God the Father known to us.  Only Christians can rightfully call God their Father, for through God’s Son we become God’s children, forever!

Isaiah 9:6f,

“And His name will be called Prince of Peace…

This speaks of God’s removal of enmity, condemnation, conflict, chaos, confusion, anxiety, fear, and oppression, replacing these with God’s Perfect Peace.

Luke 2:14,

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

Romans 5:1-2,

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.”

Romans 5:9-11,

“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”

Philippians 4:6-7,

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Except for the first few days of Creation, before the curse of sin came upon creation, there has not been peace on earth; but God continually provides Peace in the hearts of everyone who believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

When Jesus came the first time, in the flesh of a baby, only a few witnessed His advent; but when He returns, the whole world will see Him.

Revelation 1:7,

“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.”

Philippians 2:9-11,

“For this reason also, God highly exalted Him [Jesus Christ], 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.”

Jesus Christ is God’s greatest Gift to the world.  He is not only the Reason for Christmas, He is Christmas; remember, Christmas is a compound word formed from the words Christ [the Anointed or Holy One], and Mass [an assembly or gathering for special observance].

As you celebrate this Christmas season, make sure that you deeply consider and contemplate all that has been said in God’s Word about God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 9:6,

“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.”

 
Christmas celebrates the good news that the Savior has indeed come.
No wonder Paul declares
 
(2Corinthians 9:15)
 
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable Gift!”

Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | 12.08.21 ~ The Christmas God-Man, Servant-Savior…

See Matthew 1:6-17; Luke 3:23-31… These provide genealogies to establish
Christ’s royal ancestry as a descendant of David; through both Joseph and Mary.
Although Jesus is never called the son of Joseph

(Matthew 1:16);

and Joseph is never
called the father of Jesus

(Luke 3:23),
Joseph was divinely chosen to raise God’s Son as
a his very own.

Christ had no biological earthly father, yet he had both the legal claim (through Joseph)
and the royal bloodline (through Mary) to reign on David’s throne.
Mary’s conception is a great mystery:

Isaiah 7:14,
“the Lord Himself will give you a
sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.”

See Matthew 1:20-23…

Jesus [Greek] means “God’s Salvation,” and Yeshua
[Hebrew] means “Jehovah Saves,” when applied to God’s Son it means Savior.

The virgin birth of Christ was foretold in the Old Testament; this was the greatest sign
from God to all men, that Jesus was literally, “God in human flesh.”
Mary did not remain a virgin after the birth of Jesus; Jesus had other brothers and
sisters who were conceived naturally through their father Joseph

(see Matthew 13:53-58).

Jesus grew up as a carpenter’s son; but He was also God’s Son, God’s Servant, our

Savior

(see

Luke 2:40-52;

Matthew 3:16-17; 17:1-5;

Mark 10:45;

John 6:29; 7:16; 8:24; 10:30; 11:25-27; 14:6-7).

God’s timing is perfect

(see Galatians 4:4).

Jesus willingly came to serve and to save, even though He knew the cost

(see Luke 22:41-44).

Jesus rebuked the Religious Leaders of Israel

(see Matthew 23:13-17).

Jesus spoke like no one else ever spoke

(see Matthew 7:28-29).

Jesus loved humankind

(see Matthew 9:36; Luke 23:34).

Jesus cared for His family

(see John 19:26-27).

This child, born to a virgin, was none other than God’s One and Only Son. He came to
pay sin’s penalty with His own blood, for everyone who believes in Him

(see Hebrews 9:22, 27-28; 10:1-18).

God’s confirmation on the Servant-Savior is so clear

(Romans 1:1-4:

Hebrews 1:1-3),

that to misread or reject the God-Man will bring eternal consequences

(John 3:16-18, 36).

Jesus came to offer Salvation, He will come again to bring Judgment: Those who
believe in and follow Him receive eternal life with God; those who do not, receive eternal
death from God

(Matthew 16:27; 25:31-46;

John 3:19-21;)!

God’s Son, God’s Servant, our Savior, Jesus Christ: foretold by the prophets, born to a
virgin, raised in obscurity, demonstrated authority over all of creation, crucified,
resurrected, and coming again.

O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

– Pastore Mike

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

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December 5, 2021
“God’s Lamb: Born to Die”
 

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.”

God’s greatest expression of love toward humanity is the giving of His own Son, to serve as the only acceptable sacrifice for our sins.

About 2700 years ago, two of God’s prophets wrote about the future birth of a male child to a virgin, in Bethlehem, in Judea.

Isaiah 7:14,

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.”

Micah 5:2,

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.”

About 700 years after those prophecies were made, a young woman, said to be a virgin, gave birth to a male child in Bethlehem, in Judea.  He was given the Hebrew name Yeshua [Jehovah saves], rendered Jesus in Greek [God’s salvation], He was called Immanuel [God with us].

This child would be the source of salvation for all humanity, the fullness of God in human flesh.  God told the world ahead of time, so that we would repent and  believe in God’s Son for salvation.

It is said that, long before the birth of Jesus, some Rabbis wrote, “The Messiah is to have no earthy father.  The birth of the Messiah will be like that of no other man.”

We are told (Genesis 1:27),

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

Genesis 2:7,

“The Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

Genesis 2:18,

“Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him,’”

Genesis 2:21-24,

“So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then God took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.’  For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”

Genesis 4:1-2,

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

Genesis 5:3,

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

All humans since Adam and Eve have been born of a man and a woman, that is, all but One!

Read Matthew 1:18-21…

Notice, Mary was pregnant “before [she and Joseph) came together” (before they had a sexual relationship), i.e., Mary was a virgin, and yet she was pregnant with Jesus; her conception by the Holy Spirit is a mystery.

Joseph, being a good man and a devout worshipper of God, did not want to publicly expose Mary’s condition, so he considered to quietly divorce her, and send her away.

While Joseph was struggling with that situation, an angel came to him in a dream and declared Mary’s pregnancy to be from God; that Mary would have a son, and Joseph (although he was not the biological father) would have the responsibility for naming the baby as God had said.

Jesus means “Jehovah saves” or “God’s salvation,” God’s Son came from heaven to save us; and Joseph was divinely chosen to raise Him as a his own son.

It is interesting that Joseph is never directly called the father of Jesus, and Jesus is never directly called the son of Joseph.

Matthew 1:16 says,

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

Luke 3:23 says,

“When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed (so it was thought), the son of Joseph, the son of Eli [Joseph’s father-in-law, Mary’s father].

Read Matthew 1:22-23…

The virgin birth was predicted centuries before Jesus’ birth.  “All this” refers to the prophecies given by Isaiah and Micah:  the mother of God’s Son would be a virgin; the Father would be God Himself; the child would be God in human flesh.

Why is this birth so amazingly important?

Genesis 2:17,

“The Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.’”

Read Genesis 3:6-19…

Both Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, immediately bringing sin’s consequences upon them and all of mankind.  Notice

Genesis 3:7,

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.”

That is so interesting, because back in

Genesis 2:25 it says,

“the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”

It was okay to be naked before they disobeyed God, but it was not okay afterward.  Why is that?  Because they were innocent before they sinned.

We are told that Adam and Eve tried to hide from God, and when confronted about their sin, Adam blames Eve, Eve blames the serpent [Satan incarnate], God curses all of them

Genesis 2:14-15,

starting with the serpent saying He will put enmity [hostility] between the offspring of the serpent [those who follow Satan by rejecting God’s Son] and the offspring [children of God, by faith in Christ] of a male descendant of the woman [Jesus, born to Mary, called Immanuel] who will crush the serpent’s head [destroy his power and authority].

God makes it clear throughout the OT, that the Savior of the world, the Christ, would be born to a woman, an ancestor of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, from the tribe of Judah, in the ancestral line of King David

(Matthew 1:6, legally through Solomon to Joseph;

Luke 3:31, biologically through Nathan to Mary).

Isaiah 53 is often called the Gospel of the OT, Isaiah 53:5-8 tell us that God’s punishment for sin came upon God’s Servant, God’s Son, led like a lamb to the slaughter, being put to death in our place.

At the birth of Jesus Mary deeply considered all that had happened: the angel’s announcement, Joseph’s response to her pregnancy, Elizabeth’s greeting, the shepherds at the manger, declaring the Savior’s birth.

Luke 2:19,

“Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.”

Mary birthed God’s Son, knowing that through His death salvation would come to her and the whole world; that thought pierced her heart, like a sword.

In John 1:29,

seeing Jesus coming toward him, John said, “Look the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

Philippians 2:8 tells us,

Jesus humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Hebrews 9:15 tells us He

“died as a ransom to set [us] free” from the penalty we deserve for our sin;

Hebrews 9:22,

“without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness,” and for that reason

Hebrews 9:26,

“Christ has appeared once for all to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself,”

Hebrews 9:28,

“Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people.” (i.e., most people will reject Him).

Hebrews 10:10 says,

we have been made holy “through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all,” (Hebrews 10:17, quoting from

Jeremiah 31:34),

“And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more”

(cf. Romans 3:10-12, 23-24; 6:23; 5:8; 8:1; 10:9-10, 13).

Romans 4:25,

“He [Jesus] who was delivered over [to death, crucified] because of our [sins], was raised [to life, resurrected] [for] our justification [salvation].”

2Corinthians 5:21,

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

Jesus (God’s One and Only Son) was born in order to die for our sins, but He could not be kept in the grave because He is God.

In Revelation 1:8, Jesus says,

”I am the Alpha and the Omega,”… …”who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 1:18,

“I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever!.”

There is not a more important message for you and I to share with those we love and care about then this:

1John 5:11-13,

“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.”

When Jesus was baptized by John at the Jordan River, God the Father announced

(Matthew 3:17),

“This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.”

When Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a Mountain, where Moses and Elijah appeared to them, God the Father declared from above

(Matthew 17:5),

“This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”

At the beginning of His ministry

(cf. Mark 1:14-17),

“after John [the baptizer] had been taken into custody [by Herod], Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’ As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon [Peter] and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

(The imperative command here is to

repent of your sins,

believe in Jesus Christ as Savior,

follow Him by obeying the Scriptures as you live for Him.)

John 8:12,

“I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

John 10:27-28,

“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.”

John 11:25,

“I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.”

Jesus Christ is the Savior to Whom every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord.  Do you have God’s peace about your salvation?  If not, you can clear that up right now: repent of you sins, believe in Jesus to save you, and you will have eternal life.

Today is the first Sunday of the month, the day we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, remembering the Sacrificial Death and Sovereign Resurrection of our Lord.  This being December, most of us have (Christmas) the celebration of the Lord’s birth, on our mind; but we must remember that He was born in order to die for our sins, that we might receive forgiveness and eternal life.

Christmas celebrates God’s greatest gift to us: the birth of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, God’s Lamb, our Savior.  The greatest gift we can give to anyone is the Good News of God’s Son as foretold in God’s Word: that He would be born to a virgin, in Bethlehem of Judea, He would die for our sins and become the Savior of all who believe in Him, and He is coming back to take us to be with Him, forever.

 
He was born to die, but He didn’t stay dead!

Jesus Christ: Crucified, Resurrected, and Coming Again.

Pastor Mike
>’(((><

Bible Text: 2Peter 3:10-18 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: 2peter |
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November 28, 2021
“Thankfully Waiting for Christ’s Return”
2Peter 3:10-18

Last week in 2Peter 3:1-10, we studied a major reason why God’s people should be thankful: because Christ is coming back for us, to take us to be with Him forever in heaven.

Today we are going to study how we should be living while we wait for His return.  Please open your Bibles to

2Peter 3:9… 

God clearly wants everyone to be saved; He desires for no one to perish, and so He is patient with mankind, giving people the opportunity to repent, believe, and follow Christ.

Read 2Peter 3:10a… 

What is the “day of the Lord?”  In order to understand what the New Testament writer’s were saying about the day of the Lord, we must look at what the Old Testament prophets wrote about it.

The following passages give a consistent overview of the OT’s teaching on it:

Isaiah 13:9,

“Behold, the day of the LORD comes cruel with both wrath and fierce anger to lay the land desolate.”

Ezekiel 30:3,

“the day of the Lord is near; it will be a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations.

Joel 2:11,

“The day of the LORD is great and very terrible.”

Obadiah 15,

“For the day of the Lord draws near on all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you. Your dealings will return on your own head.”

Zephaniah 1:14,

“Near is the great day of the Lord, near and coming very quickly.”

The day of the LORD is referred to as a day of doom and gloom, a day of wrath and vengeance.  Jesus speaks of it as a day of cataclysmic turmoil, where God’s anger and wrath bring destruction on unbelievers (cf. Matthew 24:29-41; 25:31-46); and in Revelation 19:11-16, Jesus returns to the earth where He carries out God’s judgement upon the ungodly.

There are other phrases similar to the day of the Lord, but these are quite different in their specific contexts: e.g.,

the day of the Lord Jesus (1Corinthians 5:5; 2Corinthians 1:14);

the day of the Lord Jesus Christ (1Corinthians 1:8);

and the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6);

these phrases reference the opposite of anger and wrath, speaking of redemption and rewards for Christians.

Peter says (2Peter 3:10),

“the day of the Lord will come like a thief.”

What does that mean?

See Matthew 24:42-44… 

Christ’s return should not surprise you like a thief breaking into your home.  Think about that!  If you are awakened at night to the sound of what you think is a thief breaking into your home, it might cause you to be frightened or fearful, to go get your gun, call 911; however, if you are awakened at night by the sound of what you think is a loved one returning home from a long trip, you will, most likely, become joyful, happy, because you expected them, but didn’t know exactly when they would arrive.

Paul, in 1Thessalonians 5:2 says,

”the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.”

It doesn’t say that the Lord will come like a thief in the night, but that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night, i.e., unexpectedly, suddenly, without any specific warning

(1Thessalonians 5:3),

“While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.”

The day of the Lord is revealed and fulfilled in stages that begin after the rapture of the church, near the middle of the Seven-Year Tribulation Period, at the end of the Tribulation Period when the Lord Returns to earth, after the Milennial Kingdom when Satan is thrown into the Lake of Fire, and at the White Throne Judgement, after which

(2Peter 3:10b),

“the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.”

Read 2Peter 3:11… 

“Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way,” (i.e., the heavens and the earth will be destroyed by fire), “what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?”  In other words, how then should you live your life?

Peter now exhorts us (2Peter 3:12), that we should be “looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!”

The day of God that Peter is referencing here, is literally, God’s day; this is when God’s glory will be revealed, when everything will be made brand new: no more corruption, no more sin, nothing displeasing or offensive to God will ever exist again, from that day throughout eternity we will live in a perfect Paradise.

The word translated elements (2Peter 3:10, 12) is the word stoicheia, which means, things in a row, like letters of the alphabet, or a sequence of numbers.  This is describing the basic elements and/or minerals, the molecules and atoms that make up the non-living material universe, i.e., this is the most fundamental or rudimentary recipe for matter.

Genesis 1:1 says,

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Peter is saying that the earth, the heavens, and everything in them, will be burned up, consumed, obliterated by intense fire.

This will be done (2Peter 3:13),

“according to [God’s] promise,” therefore “we are [to be] looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells (see Revelation 21:1-6).

Read 2Peter 3:14… 

Because we have this marvelous and eternal hope, we are to be waiting expectantly and thankfully for the Lord’s return; to be reading and heeding His Word, communicating with Him through prayer, loving one another as He loves us, and sharing the gospel of His salvation with all who will listen:

Acts 2:21,

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

Acts 2:38,

“Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

Acts 2:44-47,

“And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

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,

“for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

1Corinthians 15:1-5,

“Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas [Peter], then to the twelve.”

Christians are saved from hell’s condemnation, so that we might live on the earth, in such a manner, so as to do that which is pleasing to God.

Ephesians 2:8-10,

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

We are to live for God among unbelievers:

1Peter 2:12,

“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.”

We are to live for God among believers:

Hebrews 10:23-25,

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

When we live like that (cf. Ephesians 2:8-10; 1Peter 2:12; Hebrews 10:23-25), we will experience the peace of God

(Philippians 4:4-7),

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Back to 2Peter 3:14…

We are to express and exhibit God’s peace, while remaining spotless and blameless, i.e., outwardly, as recipients of salvation, we show our obedience to God by the way we live; inwardly, we seek to maintain an attitude of gratitude and contrition, keeping a short account with God concerning any sins we have not yet acknowledged to Him

(1John 1:8-10),

“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.”

Read 2Peter 3:15a… 

As we wait eagerly for the Lord’s return, we should be living out and proclaiming the message of salvation by grace, through faith in Christ, while there is still time, “regarding the patience of our Lord as salvation.

Earlier, in 2Peter 3:9 we read,

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient with you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

I told you last week that the Greek word translated patience in that verse [makrothumeo] is a compound word, combining “large” and “great anger,” meaning that God has a massive capacity for storing up anger and wrath before it overflows into judgement.

God’s timing for Christ’s return will perfect, when the fullness of time has come, which will also coincide with God’s patience reaching its maximum capacity.

As we await the time when we will all be caught up to meet Christ in the air, we should be serving God the Father, by sharing God the Son with all people, as God the Holy Spirit (living in us) equips and encourages us to do so.

Read 2Peter 3:15b-17… 

Peter references the writings of apostle Paul as divine revelation, for many of Peter’s readers/listeners (Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians) were most likely familiar with Paul’s letters, that often contained things that were difficult to understand, e.g., the rapture of the church, the rise of the Antichrist, the time of Tribulation, and the return of Christ to bring judgement upon those who reject Him.

The false teachers (untaught and unstable men) distort the Word of God, in an attempt to deceive God’s people.  Peter, like Paul, repeatedly warned the believers “to be on their guard so that [they] are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men [immoral, carnal men without God’s Spirit]; but instead, to stand firm in their salvation, remaining alert, resolute in their knowledge and understanding of God’s promises.

Read 2Peter 3:18… 

Instead of being influenced by the false teachers who reject God’s Word, bringing condemnation and destruction upon themselves, God’s people are exhorted to continue “[growing] in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”  Peter identifies Jesus as both Lord and Savior.

Colossians 3:1-2, 4,

“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”

Let us remain thankful and faithful servants, living out and proclaiming the life-saving and life-giving Gospel to every person who will listen, for as long as we have life on this earth, or until the Lord returns.

To Him be the glory and honor and praise and power, now and forever, Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior: crucified, resurrected, and coming again.

 
And all God’s people said?  Amen!

Pastor Mike

>’(((><
 

Bible Text: 2Peter 3:1-10 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale |
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November 21, 2021
“A Reason for Thanks-Giving: Christ is Coming Back”
2Peter 3:1-10

Read 2Peter 3:1-2… 

Peter reminds his audience that this is his second letter to those who are loved by God through Christ (see Jude 1-2).  Peter seeks to stir up the believers by reminding them of what the prophets have already said.

Peter has been warning the believers about false teachers, and he clearly doesn’t want them to become complacent and apathetic about this, so he is urging them to be sober minded, alert, and proactive, against these false shepherds, as Jesus also warned

(Matthew 7:15),

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

Peter uses repetition to reiterated the spiritual truths and precepts given by God, so that His people are forewarned and prepared to expose and rebuke false teachings.

The Old Testament repeatedly speaks of God’s judgment upon false prophets, false teachers, hypocrites and heretics (see Jude 3-4, 14-16).

The men who spoke and wrote the very words of God, the prophets in the Old Testament, and the Apostles in the New Testament, received the commandment of the Lord and proclaimed it to the church (see 1Timothy 6:13-16).

The commandment of the Lord isn’t one specific commandment, but all that is revealed to us in the Scriptures (often referred to as Scripture, or the Word of God; see 2Timothy 3:16; 4:1-5).

Read 2Peter 3:3-4…

               False teachers in Peter’s day, as well as today, ridicule believers for trusting what the Bible says about creation, and also about God’s judgment upon the godless world at the time of Noah.  And so, Peter warns his readers that these men are purposeful in denying the return of Christ and long awaited condemnation of these false prophets, false teachers, hypocrites and heretics who seek to undermine the faith and belief we have in Christ’s return.

False teachers follow after their own carnal lusts, i.e., their lifestyles are dominated by immorality.  They do not want a holy God to return and render judgment upon them, for they know their teachings are false, and they are guilty.

False teachers reject Christ’s Return, just as they reject the thought of any future retribution for their godlessness; but then, they are mockers who come mocking the plan, purpose and provision of God.

Read 2Peter 3:5-6…

False teachers make the claim that everything has continued just as it was from the very beginning of creation, and there will not be a return of Christ.  They say God created everything then He walked away from it, and so, they teach that we live in a world of cause and effect, without any divine intervention.  This view is known as uniformitarianism and it opposes a six-day creation, a global flood, and any interaction between God and His creation once it was completed.

Peter says (2Peter 3:5) that, what should be clear to these false teachers concerning the existence and authority of God, “escapes their notice,” that phrase means that they willingly ignore the truth of God in creation and so damn themselves (see Romans 1:18-20).

Christians see God as the Creator, Sustainer, and Judge overall, who has ordained the natural operation of the universe and everything it, while also intervening in creation whenever He wills to do so; and therefore, believers have always longed for the Lord’s return, so as to be joined with Him and to see His kingdom established on earth.

God promises that He is coming back for us, His Word is full of such promises; in fact, out of the 27 New Testament Books, 25 of them speak of the Lord’s Return.  Note: Nathan Busenitz, a professor at the Master’s Seminary, says it very cogently: “The hope of Christ’s coming was of paramount importance for the early church. In fact, its certainty was so real that first-century believers would greet one another with the term ‘maranatha,’ meaning ‘Lord. come quickly.’ Instead of being frightened by the possibility, they clung to it as the culmination of everything that believed. Not surprisingly, the New Testament reflects this intense anticipation by referencing Jesus’ return, whether directly or indirectly, in every New Testament book except Philemon and 3John.”

It is our faith in God’s Word, God’s Son, that saves us, now and forever

Hebrews 11:1-3,

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.”

Hebrews 11:6,

“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

Ephesians 2:8a,

“For by grace you have been saved through faith.”

Romans 10:17,

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

1Corinthians 15:1-5,

“Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to [Peter], then to the twelve.“

Christians believe all that the Bible declares, because our faith is in the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, merciful, faithful, and eternal God who loves us so much that He sent His own Son to take our punishment for sin upon Himself, willfully laying down His own life as full payment for all our transgressions (past, present, future), so that there is now no condemnation for believers, but instead we receive the eternal reward of living with Him forever in heaven.

God promised Noah never again to destroy the earth with water

(Genesis 9:11),

“I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be cut by the water of the flood, neither shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth,”

(Genesis 9:15),

“and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh.”

2Peter 3:7…

In 2Peter 3:7, we are told that by God’s Word, “the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”  So, the pre-Flood world system that opposed God was destroyed by water; and the present world system that opposes God will be destroyed by fire.

God’s Word often associates fire with the final outpouring of God’s judgement on unrighteousness.

Isaiah 66:15-16,

“For behold, the Lord will come in fire and His chariots like the whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For the Lord will execute judgment by fire and by His sword on all flesh, and those slain by the Lord will be many.”

Malachi 4:1,

“‘For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.’”

Matthew 3:10-12,

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

‘As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’”

2Thessalonians 1:6-8,

“For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.”

Just as there had been plenty of water above the earth, on the earth, and under the earth, for God to submerge the surface of the earth, even over the top of the highest mountains; so there will be plenty of fire to lay bare everything by fire.

When you look up at night, consider the billions of burning stars, and that below the ten-mile thick crust of the earth is a core of molten rock, estimated to be 12,400° F.  All of creation is atomic in nature (made from atoms).  We are aware of what happens when an atom is split.  What about billions and billions of atoms splitting at the same time, like one giant nuclear bomb?  That would start a chain reaction that could disintegrate the universe by fire.

Read 2Peter 3:8…

One day is like a thousand years to the lord, and a thousand years like one day.  What does the mean?  In Psalm 90:4, Moses says, “For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it passes by, or as a watch in the night.”  Christ’s return may seem far off to those who wait, but in God’s perspective it is imminent, it can happen at any time.

Read 2Peter 3:9-10…

         God is merciful and long-suffering, He doesn’t want anyone to die in their sins, but instead for everyone to come to a knowledge of the truth

(John 14:6), Jesus said,

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me,”

(1Timothy 2:3-4),

“This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

Christ will return to the earth for judgement (cf. Revelation 19), at the end of the Tribulation Period, just prior to the Millennial Kingdom; but not until every living person who will be saved, has been saved.  Once all of those who believe in Christ are accounted for, judgement will be rendered on all the ungodly, all those who reject Christ; for God’s patience will run out.

Look back at 2Peter 3:9,

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient [Greek, makrothumeo meaning, God has a massive capacity for storing up anger and wrath before it overflows into judgement] with you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

God’s timing for Christ’s return will not be delayed, it will not be late, but will be according to God’s perfect timing, when the fullness of time has come, which will also coincide with God’s patience reaching its maximum capacity.

Those of you who have the assurance of salvation ought to continually be giving thanks to God.  Anyone who has not yet repented of their sins and believed in Christ for salvation can be very thankful that there’s still time to do so

(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, [for] the wrath of God remains on him,”

because (Acts 4:12),

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

(Philippians 2:9-11),

“God… …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,”

(1John 5:11-13),

“God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 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.”

Out of all of the billions of people who have ever been born, if you have received forgiveness for you sins (past, present, and future) you have eternal life in Christ, and you should be overwhelmingly and continually thankful.

What are you going to do with that marvelous message?

1Thessalonians 5:16-18, 

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

 
Pastor Mike
>’(((><
 

Bible Text: 2Peter 2:10b-22 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale |
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November 14th, 2021
“Like Unreasoning Animals?”
2nd Peter 2:10b-22

Four weeks ago, before Nancy and I went to Idaho, I taught through 2Peter 2:1-10a, and so, before we continue in 2Peter 2, I would like to do a quick recap by reading that section of Scripture.

Read 2Peter 2:1-10a…

God condemns and pronounces eternal judgment upon those who are disobedient to Him, as Peter tells us, using three examples in that passage:

1. The angels who sinned against God and are now in dark prisons awaiting final judgment (as recorded in Genesis 6; Jude 6).
2. The wicked and corrupt world about 1700 years after creation, out of which only 8 people were sparred from drowning (as recorded n Genesis 6-8).
3. The people of Sodom and Gomorrah were executed by fire and brimstone for their sexual perversions; only Lot, his wife, and two daughters were sparred from that destruction (as recorded in Genesis 18-19).

Today we pick up the narrative at 2Peter 2:10b. We will also look at several parallels between what Peter has written here and what Jude has also written.

Read 2Peter 2:10b-13a…

Peter provides a variety of descriptions for the false prophets and false teachers, unrighteous men who slander angelic beings (who are greater and more powerful then they), bringing judgment upon themselves.

In Jude 8-9 such men who revile angelic majesties (speaking evil of God’s mighty angels) are condemned, because not even Michael, the arch angel, brought slanderous accusations against the devil when disputing with him over the body of Moses.

This incident is not mentioned anywhere else in Scripture; but it would seem that God sent Michael to make sure Moses’ body was buried in a secret place (according to Deuteronomy 34:5-6), known only to God, perhaps so Satan couldn’t use Moses’ body for some ungodly purpose that is not stated in the Scriptures.

Jude’s point is that if God’s mightiest angel, Michael, did not curse the devil when confronting him, but instead deferred to the ultimate and sovereign authority of God saying, “The Lord rebuke you!” then neither should any man, woman, or child of age, ever presume upon God’s power and authority in such situations.

Peter goes on to say (2Peter 2:12) that such men are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct to be captured and killed.

In Jude 10 false teachers who blaspheme in this way, are said to be like “unreasoning animals,” without the Spirit of God, unregenerate people. The arrogance of these men sets them against God, evidently blinded and captivated by the devil whom they willingly serve (cf. 2Corinthians 4:4).

Read 2Peter 2:13b-14…

Unlike most of those who practice debauchery and dissipation in the darkness; these false teachers openly engage in their perversions in the daylight, encouraging their followers to do the same. They flaunt immorality while influencing the spiritually weak to follow their example. They are liars, deceivers, and hypocrites who are cursed by God to an eternal hell.

Read 2Peter 2:15-16…

Balaam was a prophet of God who at first appeared to be faithful to God; but his desire for wealth and power overcame him.

We are told that Balak, king of Moab, hired Balaam to curse the Israelites, who had a mighty army that was feared by Balak. If you don’t know this story (found in Numbers 22-25) you should at least read Numbers 22:22-35, where tea re told that Balaam is riding his donkey to go and curse Israel. Three times the donkey saves Balaam from an angel by swerving off the path, only to be beaten by Balaam. Only the donkey sees the angel (with a sword in his hand). In the end, Balaam’s donkey speaks to him, deterring him from cursing Israel.

In Jude 11 we are told that unrighteous men “for pay, have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam,” meaning that these false teachers, consumed by their love for money and power like Balaam, are at odds with God.

Read 2Peter 2:17-19…

Peter uses two metaphors to illustrate the deception of false teachers:

1. They are like springs without water… A dry spring to a thirsty man is useless and possibly deadly; in the same way, false teachers a may give the appearance of being able to provide spiritual refreshment, they offer absolutely no relief for spiritual thirst.
2. They are like mists driven by a storm… Along the eastern side of the Mediterranean, sea breezes often bring in a misty fog that appears to be rain, but it lasts only a short time and doesn’t even wet the dry soil that badly needs water; in the same way, false teachers provide no refreshment for parched souls.

Peter then goes on to say that the blackness of hell awaits these men. Darkness is always associated with Satan and those who belong to him; while Light is always associated with God and those who belong to Him.

See Ephesians 5:6-12; Acts 26:15-18; Revelation 22:1-5.

False teachers are purveyors darkness. They are arrogant, deceptive, and easily mislead people who don’t know what the Bible teaches and therefore are fooled by the use of spiritual sounding words and showy performances.

The self-consumed and self-deceived false teachers of Peter’s day, led people astray using human felt needs and fleshly lusts to entice them, just like the false teachers of today: Joel Osteen, Beth Moore, Benny Hinn, Joyce Meyer, T.D. Jakes, Paula White, Sarah Young, Rob Bell, and many many more.

The so-called teachings of these hypocrites, is mostly aimed at the emotional, psychological, sexual, and intellectual felt needs of lonely, anxious, and unhappy people who seek some kind of peace, prosperity, and purpose apart from Christ.

Much of the time, the audiences of these false teachers is made up of unbelievers who are seeking to be better than the masses of unregenerate people
in the world, “those who barely escape from the ones who live in error,” those who hold no religious beliefs or practices, and don’t participate in any organized religious services held in Churches, Synagogues, or Mosques.

False teachers promise health, wealth, happiness, and empowerment; while remaining corrupt themselves: lying, deceiving, self-promoting, as they fleece those who sit under their godless teachings.

At the end of 2Peter 2:19, we are told, “that which overcomes a man will enslave him” (See Romans 6:14-23).

Read 2Peter 2:20-21…

The false teachers of Peter’s day didn’t necessarily openly reject or slander Jesus Christ; in fact, they may have even professed to be Christians; but they did not have a saving knowledge of God’s Son, and could not therefore, give any meaningful encouragement, enlightenment, or biblical instruction to their listeners; they could only offer temporary, superficial, and worldly platitudes, using popular expressions of human wisdom.

False teachers are not our brothers or sisters in Christ, and they can’t discern God’s Word, because they don’t belong to God

(John 8:43-44),
“Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. 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.”

False teachers are part of this godless world, they are willful captives who can’t overcome it

(1John 5:4-5),
“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

No matter how well they speak, or how popular they become, false teachers are polluted by the world; and although they have been exposed to the Truth of God, they knowingly turn away from it.

Peter says (2Peter 2:21),
“it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than
having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them.”

Most false teachers were associated with the church, i.e., they were exposed to God’s Word, God’s Spirit, and God’s People; yet, they did not confess Christ as Lord, nor did they believe in Him as Savior, leaving them without any hope of eternal life.

See Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-31.

1John 2:19,
“They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.”

These false teachers have been exposed to the goodness of God in Christ, but they treated it with contempt; rejecting the only way of salvation, they are destined to die, like unreasoning animals.

The men (and women) who masquerade as teachers, preachers, and pastors, although exposed to God’s holiness, they have adamantly rejected it. They are, “spiritual parasites” [John Mac], seeking to infect as many people as they can with their doctrines of demons, deceiving their audience to continue down the broad road to hell; just as the Scriptures declare.

1Timothy 4:1-2,
“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron.”

2Timothy 4:3-4,
“For the time will come when [people] will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”

Read 2Peter 2:22…

Peter closes this chapter of condemnation on false teachers with an analogy from

Proverbs 26:11,
“A dog returns to its own vomit,” then he adds, and “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

During Peter’s day, dogs and pigs were considered detestable. Most dogs were wild, killing small animals to eat, also scavenging garbage. Pigs were considered despicable, the epitome of unclean animals, according to the Mosaic law.

False teachers are corrupt, condemned by God; for they are spiritually dead [unclean] like swine, and they are dangerous like wild dogs, therefore, they must be exposed, while God’s people must:

(Colossians 2:8-10),
“See to it that no one takes [us] captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.”

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

(John 8:31-32),
“If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

Pastor Mike
<‘(((><
 

Bible Text: various | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale |
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November 7, 2021
“What is Your Major Problem?”

What is the major dilemma facing every person who is living today, and those who will be born in the future?  You either believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and seek to serve Him, or you reject the Word of God, having been deceived by the devils’s lies which are propagated and promoted by the godless world we live in.

We all started out as unbelievers, perhaps some of you still are?

See Ephesians 2:1-10… 

Paul, speaking to Christians here, is saying that before repenting of our sins and believing in Christ for salvation, we all were dead to God, without any hope.  But to those who confess God’s Son as Lord and Savior, God shows His love and kindness, so we might bring honor and glory to God, as we do the good works He prepared for us to complete.

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.”

Philippians 4:12-13,

“I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

Philippians 4:19-20,

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

We have everything we need, so that we might accomplish God’s will on earth.

Last Communion Sunday I taught from

Matthew 6:9-10, where Jesus instructs us,

“Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’”

We are to do God’s will, not ours, not the people’s, and not the judicial, civil, or governmental authority’s will, but God’s will.

Christians [children of God] have nothing to fear in this life or the next.  We have been given everything we need in order to know, to serve, and to trust God, now and forever.

John 1:12-13,

“As many as received Him [God’s Son], 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 man, but of God.”

1John 3:2,

“Beloved, now we are children of God.”

1John 5:4-5,

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

In John 17:17 Jesus prayed to the Father,

“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.”

This prayer is on behalf of those who belong to God (having received forgiveness and eternal life), those set apart to live out and proclaim the Truth of God in Jesus Christ: crucified, resurrected, and coming again.

God wants everyone to be saved

(1Timothy 2:3-6),

“… God our Savior, [who] desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.”

God doesn’t want anyone to perish (See 2Peter 3:3-13).  What “promise” is Peter speaking of in 2Peter 3:9?

God will condemn to hell those who reject Him; but He will commend to heaven those who receive Him.

The OT Book of Joel 2:32, and the NT Books of Acts 2:21, and Romans 10:13 all declare, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Why is that so, because

(Acts 4:12),

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

In Matthew 1:21,

the angel of the Lord tells Joseph, Mary “will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Jesus is God’s Salvation; He is the Savior who come down from heaven.

John 1:1-3,

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” [Word, God of Creation]

John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” [Isaiah 7:14]

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.”

John 10:30,

“I and the Father are one.”

John 14:7,

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

You either belong to God, having received forgiveness for your sins and eternal life in Christ, or you remain an enemy of God, guilty of sin, condemned to an eternity in hell.  The choice is yours: eternal exultation and joy in heaven, or eternal condemnation and torment in hell.

So-called global warming is not a major problem or threat for Christians, because this world is going to last long after we have been taken up to be with the Lord in heaven; not until the end of the Tribulation Period will global destruction be experienced by earth dwellers.

The Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat after the flood waters receded

(Genesis 8:20-21),

“Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. The Lord smelled the soothing aroma; and the Lord said to Himself, ‘I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.”

Genesis 8:22,

“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”

The things that are antithetical to the character, nature, and plan of God, are not a problem or threat to us, e.g., the current pandemic (and most likely future ones); the increasing corruption and depravity of unprincipled men, women, and children of age who seek to eliminate God-ordained marriages, families, and male-female sexuality, while increasing their persecution toward God’s Church

(See Romans 8:31-39). 

The major problem and threat for the world today is the growing rejection of the God of Creation, God of Salvation, God of Judgment, and God of Eternity.  The rejection of God’s Love, Grace, and Mercy has always been the major problem of the unbelieving world, while also posing an eternal threat to everyone who disobeys God’s Word, rejecting God’s Son (cf. John 16:8-9).

The major problem evidenced by Christians today is a lack of knowledge concerning God’s Word, a lack of diligence in proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord (by the power of God’s Spirit), and an inadequate expression of reverence for God through our daily lives.

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.”

Most of those who belong to God in Christ may, at times (myself included), become apathetic, discontented, and even desensitized to the Holiness of God, as we allow ourselves to be influenced by the godless philosophies, self-centered attitudes, and flesh-pleasing behaviors of this corrupt world.

What then is the remedy for this godless world?  Jesus stated it imperatively

(Mark 1:15),

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Mark 1:17,

“Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

What is the remedy for God’s people [believers and followers of Christ]?

We must repent and do what is right in the eyes of God, according to His revelation given in the 66 Books of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.

We must resolve ourselves to the fact that deep friendships with the world’s people will only bring more conflict and chaos into our lives, because unbelievers can’t do anything pleasing to God; and we are at enmity with all things displeasing, and or dishonoring, to God.

Romans 12:9,

“Abhor [hate, turn away from] what is evil; cling [hold fast, be committed] to what is good.”

We can’t claim Christ as Lord and live comfortably like those who don’t know Him, or worse, those who openly reject Him (See 1Corinthians 6:9-20).

May it never be said of God’s children, genuine Christians, God’s Church, that we are willing to partake of that which God hates, or to complacently sit or stand silently by while the majority of those in this world live and die apart from the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Jude 3,

“Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints”

(cf. 1Corinthians 15:3-4).

Jude 20-23,

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some who are doubting”

[While we are waiting to be joined with Christ in heaven, we are to serve God the Father here by reaching out with the message of salvation to those who have not yet made up their mind concerning Christ and eternal life. We must encourage them to accept the truth of God over the lies of the false teachers.];

“save others, snatching them out of the fire”

[These people are getting farther and farther down that broad road of belief and practice that ultimately leads to hell, they need direct and immediate intervention, before it is too late.];

“and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh”

[These people need God’s mercy, but care must be taken that their defiled and depraved lifestyles don’t contaminate us as we reach out to them with the Message of Christ and their need to repent and be saved].

Everything we need to live for God and proclaim the message of Christ, has been given to us by God; He will bring us to be with Him, in all His glory, forever.

Jude 24-25,

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

 
Pastor Mike
<’(((><

Bible Text: 2Peter 2:3-10a | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale |
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10-17-2021
“God’s Judgment is Sure”
 2Peter 2:3-10a

Last week we studied 2Peter 2:1-3, about how false prophets had risen among the people of Israel, just as they had among those in the church.

False teachers give a bad name to the church of God, even though they don’t really belong to it.  They use their positions of influence to fleece the flock of God and lead people into destructive heresies, even denying the lordship of Christ.

See 2Peter 2:3a… 

One thing all false teachers have in common is greed.  They seek to get rich off of those they are supposed to be ministering to.  False teachers want to be popular and wealthy; for they are consumed and perhaps self-deceived by their own misplaced self-importance

(2Timothy 3:13),

“Evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

See 2Peter 2:3b… 

Notice, false teachers are very good at fooling their audiences and exploiting them with lies, half-truths, and fables; but they aren’t fooling God, for He declared condemnation upon them long ago, and their judgment will be rendered and executed at the proper time.

Read 2Peter 2:4-8…

There are three prominent examples of God’s righteous judgment in the Old Testament that are citied here by Peter.

See again 2Peter 2:4…

What angels are Peter talking about? And what is the sin that got them imprisoned in hell?

See Jude 6…

These angels sinned by not keeping their own domain (lit. set place, dominion or sphere), i.e., they disobeyed God and went outside of what He had allowed them to do.

Most likely these “fallen” angels are the ones who inhabited the bodies of mortal men (cf Genesis 6:2), “the sons of God (this phrase in the Old Testament always means angels, cf. Job 1:6-8c 2:1-4, 38:4-7) saw that the daughters of men (human women) were beautiful; and they (the angels) took wives for themselves [had sexual relations with], whomever they chose,” (Genesis 6:4) “and they bore children to them.”

This unnatural union violated God’s order and plan in reference to human marriage, sexual relationships, and procreation

(cf. Genesis 2:24),

“For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.”

These demons who disobeyed God (before the flood) are now in hell, kept in darkness, awaiting their final judgment into the “lake of fire,” which God originally prepared for the fallen angels who rebelled with Satan, but is now the eternal destination for all unbelievers

(see Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10, 15).

See 1Peter 3:18-20… 

Between the time that Jesus gave up His life while on the cross, and then rose from the dead, Jesus went to hell and proclaimed His victory to these very same demons who are captives there.

Notice again in 1Peter 3:20,

this happened “when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.”

See 2Peter 2:4-5… 

God not only judged those angels who committed acts of wickedness, but God also judged the world that He had made, at that time, and everyone except for Noah was found to be guilty of evil

(see Genesis 6:5-9).

As you read the rest of Genesis 6, the story unfolds of how God instructed Noah to build an ark, to supply it with food for his family and for all the animals, birds, and creeping things that God would bring to it, just before the flood waters from below and above would be loosed

(Genesis 6:22),

“Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did.”

2Peter 2:5 tells us that God “preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly.”  Noah proclaimed God’s message for 120 years (cf. Genesis 6:3) while he, his sons (and most likely some hired hands) built the ark.

Noah would have passed down (through his descendants), the message of God’s righteousness and mankind’s need to repent and obey the Word of God.

The Gospel of Christ is clearly recorded in God’s Word

(see 1Corinthians 15:1-4).

God is holy, we are sinners; and because God loves us, He sent His One and Only Son to save us.

Read 2Peter 2:6-8… 

The third illustration Peter gives about God’s judgment has to do with Sodom and Gomorrah

(see Jude 7). 

The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of sexual perversion [lit. going after “strange” or “different” flesh]; notice Jude says, “in the same way,” as the angels who had cohabitated with human women, by indwelling the bodies of human men.

Genesis 19:1-7,

“Now the two angels [in the form of men] came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. And he said, ‘Now behold, my lords, please turn aside into your servant’s house, and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.’ They said however, ‘No, but we shall spend the night in the square.’ Yet he urged them strongly, so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he prepared a feast for them, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house [driven by homosexual lusts], both young and old, all the people from every quarter; and they called to Lot and said to him, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them.’ But Lot went out to them at the doorway, and shut the door behind him, and said, ‘Please, my brothers, do not act wickedly.’”

Genesis 19:9-26,

“But they said, ‘Stand aside.’ Furthermore, they said, ‘This one [Lot] came in as an alien, and already he is acting like a judge; now we will treat you worse than them.’ So they pressed hard against Lot and came near to break the door. But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. They struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the doorway. Then the two men said to Lot, ‘Whom else have you here? A son-in-law, and your sons, and your daughters, and whomever you have in the city, bring them out of the place; for we are about to destroy this place, because their outcry has become so great before the Lord that the Lord has sent us to destroy it.’ Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, and said, ‘Up, get out of this place, for the Lord will destroy the city.’ But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be jesting. When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, ‘Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.’ But he hesitated. So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the Lord was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside the city. When they had brought them outside, one said, ‘Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley; escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away.’ But Lot said to them, ‘Oh no, my lords! Now behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your lovingkindness, which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, for the disaster will overtake me and I will die; now behold, this town is near enough to flee to, and it is small. Please, let me escape there (is it not small?) that my life may be saved.’ He said to him, ‘Behold, I grant you this request also, not to overthrow the town of which you have spoken. Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.’ Therefore the name of the town was called Zoar [lit. small]. The sun had risen over the earth when Lot came to Zoar. Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven, and He overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But his wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”

God ordained sexual relationships between a husband and his wife, between one man and one woman; and any other sexual relationship is condemned by God, e.g., between unmarried people, between a man and a man, or woman and a woman, for these are immoral and perverse

(see Romans 1:18, 26-27).

God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, raining down fire and brimstone from heaven, perhaps using volcanic activity that is indigenous to that region.  God executed all those who committed such perverse sexual acts, but also those who gave approval to those who did such things.

The inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah serve as an example to those who reject God’s holiness and authority.  This was just a preview of God’s final judgment upon all the ungodly, the Lake of Fire and Brimstone.

God rescued Lot and his daughters from among the inhabitants, demonstrating that the ungodly will be punished, but the righteous will be saved. All righteousness is validated in accordance with Christ’s righteousness

(2Corinthians 5:21),

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

In 2Peter 2:7-8,

three times Lot is referred to as being righteous [being right with God; justified – just as if he’d never sinned], i.e., God forgave his sins and accepted Lot as His very own child.

Lot was oppressed [greatly troubled] to the point of exhaustion, by the unrestrained immorality of the people in and around Sodom, for they were unprincipled, i.e., without lawful standards or any conviction of conscience concerning their godless and reprobate behavior.

Notice (2Peter 2:8),

Lot’s soul was tormented by the indecent acts and debauched behavior all around him, day after day; and yet, he showed reverence for God’s angels and he obeyed God, leaving Sodom when instructed to do so by the angels.

Lot tried to convince his sons-in-law to leave with him, but to no avail; however, his wife and daughters went with him out of the city before the angels brought fire and brimstone upon it; but his wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

Read 2Peter 2:9-10a… 

 God will judge and punish all who practice godlessness in the present and in the future, just as He has done in the past, e.g., the Angels before the flood, who were sent to hell; the corrupt world drowned by the flood; the people of Sodom and Gomorrah incinerated for their perversions.

God’s judgment is sure, but so is His rescue and reward for all who honor Him in, the present and future, just as it was in the past, e.g., Noah and his family, Lot and his two daughters.

God knows how, and He is able, to punish the ungodly and save the righteous (He is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent).  God will bring eternal condemnation upon the wicked while simultaneously providing eternal exultation to those who belong to Him by faith in Jesus Christ.

God is especially condemning of those who seek only to please and feed the flesh and its corrupt [lit., polluted] desires; while also despising authority [lit. lordship], speaking of God’s authority; especially that which is exemplified in the sovereign Lordship of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior and Judge over all.

See 2Peter 2:1-3… 

False teachers have always rejected and maligned the Word of God and the character of Christ; and so, they will receive their accumulated judgment in the future, at the Great White Throne; where all the ungodly, from all time, will be sentenced to an eternal hell, because they rejected God’s Son.

But all who believe in God’s Son will be saved

(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.”

Colossians 2:8-10,

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority”

1Corinthians 15:58,

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

 
Pastor Mike
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Bible Text: 2Peter 2:1-3 | Speaker: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: 2peter |
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10-10-2021
“False Teachers Among God’s People ”
 
2Peter 2:1-3

Read 2Peter 2:1-3…

God’s Word is Sovereign, Inerrant, Infallible, and Eternal.  It is Truth!

1Peter 1:25,

“The word of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word which was preached to you.”

We are to read it, study it, know it, obey it, and use 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,”

(2Timothy 3:16),

“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 adequate, equipped for every good work.”

God’s Word provides all we need to know God, love God, serve God, and trust God for eternal life.

Read 2Peter 2:1… 

God speaks through His prophets, while Satan speaks through false prophets , false teachers, unbelievers who falsify God’s Word, leading people away from God’s Truth and toward heresies and the doctrine of demons.

When you see that phrase “the people” in the New Testament, it usually means the people of Israel (cf. Matthew 2:4; Luke 22:66; Acts 7:17; 13:17).

In 2Peter 2:1 Peter is saying that false prophets arose from within Israel

(See Jeremiah 5:30-31; 23:14; Ezekiel 13:1-7).

God brings punishment to those who speak falsely and to those who listen to them.

Peter is also saying that there are false prophets among those in the church.  Jesus warned His own disciples about this

(Matthew 24:11),

“Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.”

God’s Word must be proclaimed and taught, as Paul told Timothy

(2Timothy 4:2-4),

“preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”

When the Church stops holding up God’s Word as Sovereign Truth, stops rebuking false teachings, stops warning the people of God about false teachers (even naming their names), the Church will become weak, apathetic, disabled, and easily lead astray and influenced to follow the godless culture around it.

No wonder one of the God ordained qualifications given for the men who lead the Church of God is to be

(Titus 1:9),

“holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.”

False teaching and unrepentant sin must be confronted

(1Timothy 5:20),

“Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.”

See 1Corinthians 5:1-2, 9-13; 6:9-11.

False teachers will always lead people away from the truth of God and Holy living, toward self-pleasure.  There were false teachers during Peter’s time, just as there are false teachers today, for example: Joel Osteen, Beth Moore, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Benny Hinn, Joyce Meyer, T.D. Jakes, Paula White, Pope Francis, Marilyn Hickey, Frederick Price, Sarah Young, Rob Bell, and many many more.

Notice again (2Peter 2:1), the false teachers “will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.”

When false teachers exchange God’s truth for their own opinions, pet peeves, agendas, and false teachings [destructive heresies], they deny the sovereign God and Master of all, who alone is able to save us through faith

(1Peter 1:1),

“by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

See John 3:14-18, 36; 6:28-29, 40; 8:24-29; 10:30; 14:6-7, 18-21, 23; 17:20-23, 26 

Hebrews 9:26b-28

“Now once at the consummation of the ages He [Christ] has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, 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 10:14-18,

“For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, ‘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.”

False teachers deny the divinity and the Lordship of Jesus Christ

(2Peter 2:1),

“bringing swift destruction upon themselves.”

Jude 4,

“For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

Jude 13,

“for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.”

Read 2Peter 2:2…

Peter goes on to say that because of the heresies and the immoral lives of these false teachers, many people will be influenced to follow the broad road that leads to destruction.

See Matthew 7:13-14…

Many enter through the wide gate onto the broad road; but only a few find the small gate and enter onto the narrow road.  Jesus’ command is imperative:

“Enter through the narrow gate” “enter now!”

Man has created many religions and belief systems in order to offer many paths to God and eternal life; but God has provided only one way to be saved, only one way to enter heaven.

Every person on this planet is on one of these roads.  Jesus commands us to enter the only way that leads to salvation and eternal life

(John 10:9),

“I am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved”

(cf. John 14:6; Acts 4:12).

The Jews believe they are in God’s kingdom because they are descendants of Abraham (to whom was given the covenant of circumcision), and Moses (to whom was given the Law).  The claim relationship with God through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, believing they are sons of God and they will therefore enter into heaven.

Boy did they get that wrong. The narrow gate doesn’t allow you to bring any baggage, nor can you enter as a group.  Entrance into heaven has nothing to do with human ancestry, religion, or strict adherence to the laws of God.  Eternal life has everything to do with your heart attitude toward God’s Son.

Entering through the narrow gate demonstrates heartfelt repentance, that is why Jesus commands us to “enter!” (cf. Romans 10:9-10, 13)

God loves us and wants for us to be in fellowship with Him forever

(1Timothy 2:3-4),

“God our Savior wants everyone to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth,”

He doesn’t want (2Peter 3:9),

”anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

The two gates in Matthew 7 lead to two totally different roads, one going to heaven, the other going to hell, and everyone ends up at one of those destinations.

The broad road is easy, carnal, self-pleasing, with very few requirements and commitments, where sin is tolerated and truth is undergoing continual modification. The sign over the road doesn’t say “this road goes to hell,” but this road

(Proverbs 14:12)

“which seems right to a man,” “is the way of death.”

The narrow [stenos] road is one that requires “groaning” under pressure caused by restriction or constriction, for we must give up everything in exchange for Christ, and only a few are willing to do this.

God’s way of salvation is simple, but it is not easy; those who follow the Lord will find trouble in this world (cf. 2Timothy 3:12), just as Jesus said

(John 15:20),

“they persecuted Me, and they will also persecute you.”

The broad road leads to destruction, the narrow road leads to life.  Every religious belief system in the world (apart from Christianity) leads to condemnation and hell, because they are built upon false teachings.

Islam rejects the idea of redemption, for Muslims believe and teach that salvation depends solely upon man’s actions and attitudes, not on the work of God.

Hinduism seeks escape from the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth through many incarnations (reincarnations) to final salvation. The path to salvation is dependent upon and expedited by acquired knowledge, expressed by devotion through works or meditation.

Buddhism sees ignorance rather than sin as the roadblock to salvation. The way of salvation, the end to continual birth-death-rebirth (reincarnations), is through levels of meditation, allowing one to lose self.

Mormonism teaches that Jesus was a spirit-child of Elohim (the God of planet earth), and through obedience and devotion Jesus was able to attain Godhood. There are many gods, all of whom were once mortals like ourselves, until they attained Godhood, like Jesus.

Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus is not God; that he is Michael the archangel, a creation of God, and not the Creator Himself.

Christian Science teaches that Jesus is the human man, and Christ is the divine idea?  It teaches that Jesus is not eternal, sovereign, or one with the Father.

Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ is God the Son, Lord and Savior: crucified, resurrected and coming again.

Those who enter the wide gate onto the broad road that ends in death are many (most of the world’s people). Those who travel on this road include humanists, secularists, atheists, religionists, agnostics, theists, pagans, Jews and Gentiles. All who reject Christ are on this road.  Most Americans are on this road. Recent studies show 70% of churches in America don’t teach the Bible. Members of the fastest growing belief system (concerning God) are called Nones.

Those who enter the small gate and travel on the narrow road are true believers and followers of Christ; although we are few in number compared to the billions who live on this earth, it is not because the gate is small and the road is narrow, nor are the accommodations in heaven too limited; it is because the majority of people are unwilling to acknowledge their sin and accept the free gift of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ.

The thing is, the world looks upon these false teachers as if they are part of the true Christian church, holding them up as examples in order to prove that Christianity is full of hypocrisy, lies, deceit, greed, and corruption.

When this happens, the message of Christ is maligned [slandered, repudiated].  Those who don’t really belong to God are accepted by the world as examples of Christianity, bringing reproach, suspicion, dislike and distrust upon the true Church.

We must not only expose false teachings/teachers, but we must make sure that we are studying, obeying, proclaiming, and living out the Truth of God’s Word, so the people of the world will be exposed to it.

So how do we combat false teachings and false teachers?

Philippians 2:14-16,

“Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.”

Matthew 5:16,

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Ephesians 2:8-10,

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

1Peter 2:12,

“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.”

 
Pastor Mike
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