Wise Men Still Seek Jesus :: 12/20/15 AM

Wise Men Still Seek Jesus

Matt. 2:1-12

I. Hungering Desire

                A. An Exposure to the Light

God will meet you at the point of your desire.

It is the will of God to reveal Himself to man.

·         John 1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

Notice what it says in verse 7:

·         Vs. 6-8 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

                B. An Exploration of the Light

Exposure to the light produced an exploration of the light.

Amazing how some people are exposed to the heavenly light and have no interest in learning more.

These men – these WISE men not only were EXPOSED to the light, but they EXPLORED it.

Wise men seek truth – foolish men avoid it; ignore it; pay it no attention.

It is foolish to experience a HEAVENLY REVELATION and not take the time to pursue better understanding.

They had to study – to research – to ask questions in order to learn the MEANING OF THE LIGHT.            

                C. An Excitement to the Light

Their EXPOSURE to the light produced an EXPLORATION of the light, which produced and EXCITEMENT.

Their words – “We have seen his star in the east, and ARE COME TO WORSHIP HIM!”

What they learned motivated them to get closer – to know more – to pursue the ONE that the Light represented!

II. Hindering Difficulties

Mark it down – pursuing heavenly light will not be easy.

Satan is a foe of anyone seeking truth, and light, and answers.

                A. The Trip – vs. 2

It was a long way from the East to Jerusalem.

No doubt they had multiple opportunities to turn around and forsake their hunt for the King of the Jews.

               

                B. The Truth

We do not know what all they knew.

We do know several things:

                1. He wasn’t their king – He was the King of the Jews. – vs. 2

                2. He was a young child – – vs. 8 He wasn’t old enough to be able to do anything for them as far as they knew.

Yet they kept pursuing the One that the light represented.

How many people would still seek God if they thought He wasn’t even there for them, or could do anything for them?

                C. The Treachery – vs. 7, 8

There was a king and a host of soldiers that had murderous intentions that tried to manipulate them.

They became entangled in a web of deceit, conspiracy, and even personal danger – yet they continued on their search!

III. Holy Discovery

                A. New Worship – vs. 11

                                1. It was an Excited Worship – vs. 10 “…they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.”

NOTE: This was prior to actually meeting the King of the Jews.

This was just of the PROSPECT of meeting Him!

                                2. It was an Expensive Worship – vs. 11 Gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

They didn’t come asking Him for things.

They came BRINGING Him things – expensive things.

                B. New Warnings – vs. 12

Isn’t it interesting that up until now, they had not received any additional revelation from God.

They’d seen his light, spent an enormous amount of time pursuing it, and God had never spoken to them.

NOW – that they had met the Son of God – the King of Kings, they were recipients of Divine communication.

I wonder how people live their lives every day without those personal warnings and instructions from God??

                C. New Way – vs. 12b

An encounter with God will change your path.

It will produce a “new way” and a “new walk”.

You won’t go to the places you used to go, and you won’t walk the same roads you used to walk!

Conclusion: Are you a wise man?

Breath of Heaven :: 12/20/15 PM

Breath of Heaven (The Virgin Birth)

Matthew 1:18-25

Introduction: To say just a few words about this holiday, there has been a great misconception of what is to be celebrated at Christmas time.

·         Christmas has been Confused- (Santa Claus)

·         Christmas has been Commercialized (Largest marketing season of the year)

·         Christmas has been Corrupted - (parties; drinking; drunkenness)

·         Christmas has been Condemned (politically incorrect; danger of offending someone)

Biblical history records some spectacular births:

(1) The birth of Isaac to a 100 year old barren woman who laughed at the though of having a child was no doubt a

miraculous event.

(2) In the book of Judges we read of a man named Manoah whose wife experienced a miracle, and would give birth to a man named Samson, the mightiest man of all Scripture.

(3) Samuel the prophet was born in a miraculous way. His mother Hannah was unable to bear children, and the Lord touched her and she brought forth the greatest prophet of the Old Testament.

(4) Just 6 months before the birth of Jesus, a barren woman named Elizabeth gave birth through the power of God, and she called the name of her son John. John the Baptist would be the forerunner of our Lord. The Bible

said that he was filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb.

·         The Miraculous Birth of Isaac was Glorious. He was called the Son of Promise. But Jesus Christ was born the Son of God that would promise to all eternal life.

·         The Miraculous Birth of Samson was Glorious. He was called the Mightiest man in the Bible. But Jesus Christ was born the Mighty God that would deliver the world.

·         The Miraculous Birth of Samuel was Glorious. He was called the Greatest Prophet that ever lived. But Jesus Christ was born Prophet, Priest, and King.

·         The Miraculous Birth of John the Baptist was Glorious. He was called by Jesus Himself the Greatest Man that Ever Lived. But Jesus Christ was born the God-Man that would save the human race from sin. Taking all of these miraculous births into consideration, there is one birth that rises to the top of them all, the virgin birth of Jesus Christ.

I. The Birth that Brought Deity vs.18-20

·         By the undeniable testimony of Scripture, Jesus Christ was conceived by God, and born of a virgin.

·         Notice the phrase in vs.18, "When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together," You will also note what was said in Prophecy in vs.22-23. Vs. 24-25 also proves the case of Virgin Birth.

·         Joseph and Mary experienced no sexual contact before their marriage.

·         That is a virtue that the Bible places great value on, virginity until marriage, and monogamy in marriage. I'm afraid that if God were to look for a candidate to supply a virgin birth today, the search would be strenuous.

·         It was Mary's testimony of virginity that protected her and Jesus from the accusation of Jesus being born by some other man.

·         Notice that word "virgin" in vs.23. That word occurs only 34 times in Scripture. In every use of that word, it means a woman that has never been involved sexually.

·         Jesus is never called the Son of Joseph, and Joseph is never referred to as His Father.

II. The Birth that Brought Dispute

                A. It was Jesus claim about the manner of His birth that caused the Jewish leaders of His day to seek to kill Him. He had to die because of how He was born.

·         John 5:18 said, "Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God."

                B. That did not come to Jesus as a surprise. In Acts 2:23, "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:"

                C. All through the life of Jesus He was slandered by the accusation that He was the illegitimate son of Mary by Joseph, or by some other man.

·         John 8:38-42 said, "I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. 41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me."

When the Jews said, "We be not born of fornication; we have one Father" they were insulting the claim of a Virgin Birth.

 They were insinuating that Jesus was an illegitimate child, and that Mary had relationships with many men, in so much that Jesus did not know who His Father was.

Religious polls of the last few years have revealed a continuing decline in the people who believe in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. It causes us to ask the question: How important is the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ? It is the central fact of Christianity. The whole foundation of Theology is built on the Virgin Birth.

                                1. To deny the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ is to deny His Deity.

                                2. To deny the Deity of Jesus Christ is to deny His Sinless Life.

                                3. To deny the Sinless Life of Jesus Christ is to deny His Sinless Sacrificial Death.

                                4. To deny His Sinless Sacrifice is to deny His Triumphant Resurrection.

                                5. To deny His Triumphant Resurrection is to deny His Glorious Return.

                C. Science has brought us no explanation for the Virgin Birth. History has brought us no explanation for the Virgin Birth. Man has brought us no explanation for the Virgin Birth. It is not to be explained. It is to be believed.

                D. You may wonder how we can believe such an unexplainable truth, that Jesus Christ was 100% Man and 100% God, born of a virgin:

                                1. The same way that I believe in the Trinity.

                                2. The same way that I believe in the Inspiration of the Scriptures.

                                3. The same way that I believe in Heaven.

                                4. The same way that I believe in Eternal Security.

                E. All of these foundational truths of our faith stand and fall together. You can believe one without believing them all, and yet you cannot believe them all and leave just one out.

III. The Birth that Brought Deliverance vs.21

Illustration. In the Christmas song of Mark Lowry, "Mary Did You Know," the question is asked of Mary,

"Mary did you know that your Baby Boy will one day walk on water? Mary did you know that you Baby Boy will save our sons and daughters? Did you know that your Baby Boy has come to make you new? This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you?"

Illustration: Like a dying, mangled dog lying in the street that has been hit by a car is totally helpless, we were too.

·         He became our High Priest – who can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities

·         He became our Horrible Past – who became sin for us who knew no sin

·         He became our Hiding Place – come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest!

Make no mistake about it friend, Jesus came for the purpose of deliverance. The name "Jesus" means Saviour.

                A. He Delivered us from the Power of Sin.

Paul said, "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof."

                B. He Delivered us from the Penalty of Sin.

Paul said, "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

                C. One day, He will Deliver us from the Presence of Sin.

Jude said, "Now unto him that is able to….. present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy"

God Is Still Right :: 12/6/15 AM

God Is Still Right

Romans 3:4  God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar;

Intro: These past few days, Bible-believing Christians have been attacked for believing in a God that hears and answers prayer. Romans 3:1 tells us that we have an advantage if we believe God, rather than man. Unlike the nation of Israel, we accept Jesus and His word as "the oracles of God". In 2015, God is still right!

God is still right...

I. About the Cause for Suffering

People today are blinded to the reasons for the pain and suffering in the world.

They see headlines all day filled with reports of crime, death, pain, suffering, injustice, bigotry, racism, murder, assault, kidnappings, robberies, extortion, drugs, corruption, starvation, malnutrition, child abandonment, divorce, human trafficking, prostitution, rioting, protests, slander, lies, cover-ups, scandals, and the list goes on and on.  320 homicides in Baltimore as of this morning…

What is the reason for this? What is the cause for this?

Man has many ideas about who’s fault it is.

Experts and people with college degrees and fancy titles offer a lot of reasons and ideas.

But God is still right about the cause for suffering.

The reason is SIN.

·         Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.

·         Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death…

II. About the Cure for Society

The cure for society is not more laws.

The cure for society is not bigger government. Or no government.

The cure for society is not confiscating everybody’s guns.

The cure for society is not an armed militia with stockpiles of weapons and ammunition.

The cure for society is not open borders or closed borders.

The cure for society is not a new president or a new Congress or a new Senate or a new world order.

The cure for society is not new judges and fair and unbiased law enforcement.

The cure for society is Divine intervention.

The cure for society is real, biblical repentance.

The cure for society is a Holy Ghost revival among God’s people.

·         2 Chronicles 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

III. About the Conditions for Salvation

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

·         Acts 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

It’s not church membership.

It’s not baptism.

It’s not good works.

It’s only through faith in Jesus Christ.

The Simplicity of Christianity :: 12/2/15 PM

The Simplicity of Christianity

2 Corinthians 1:12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.

Intro: One thing I am sure of after 23 years of ministry – Satan has succeeded in making the Christian life so complicated that many believers simply throw their hands up and say “What’s the use!”

God never intended the Christian life to be perceived as complicated. In fact, He desires the opposite.

I. An Approach of Faith

The key factor that separates Christians from non-Christians is the simple fact that we are “believers”.

We approach God with an attitude of faith, rather than an attitude of skepticism or criticism.

Notice what Jesus said about this “approach of faith”.

·         Luke 18:16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

·         James 2:23  And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

We simply believe God.

We believe His Word.

We believe in His Sovereignty.

We believe in His Authority over us.

We believe in our complete incapability to function apart from Him.

·         John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

We accept that fact as a reality, and we choose to put our faith and trust in One that is greater than us.

We choose to put our faith in One that is more powerful than us.

We choose to put our faith in One that knows more than us.

We approach this whole subject of God and Jesus and the Bible with an approach of faith.

That’s where it starts.

It is not complicated in and of itself. It only becomes complicated when we allow Satan to insert DOUBT.

·         Illustrate: Telling a child that there is candy in a box. As he starts to open it, someone tells him there is a snake inside that will bite him. Watch him hesitate, maybe even walk away from the box. What happened? His faith in the reward was replaced with doubt and fear. 

Satan does that very thing to God’s children all day long, every single day.

Believing God is not difficult or complicated until Satan lies and deceives and inserts doubt.

So – what is the solution? Stop listening to Satan and go back to listening to God!

II. An Attempt to Follow

One thing is certain. No one can walk the Christian walk without some help.

God has provided that help.

He’s actually made it so simple, that even a child can do it.

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

Just like a child following in his father’s footsteps in the snow, we are to follow Christ’s steps.

No doubt He set the bar pretty high. He lived a perfect life, never sinned, he never stumbled.

But if our Christian life is all about following His steps, then the least we could do is ATTEMPT to follow!

Notice what Job said about this:

·         Job 23:11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

The mark of a disciple of Christ – following!

·         Matthew 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Complicated? No. At least not until Satan shows up and offers another path.

When Satan offers another course, or another direction that appeals to the natural man, then it becomes complicated.

Then obedience is not so easy. Living according to His word is not as appealing.

Solution: Stop entertaining Satan’s path and go back to following Jesus.

Quote: Complexity is in the conflict; not the compliance.

III. An Appreciation of Fellowship

The Christian life is very simple when you understand one truth: how we life affects our fellowship with God.

Once we begin to value His presence and His power in our life, we will find it easier and easier to life a life that will insure His sweet fellowship.

·         1 John 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

·         1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

Once believers realize that it is not their relationship, but their fellowship that is in jeopardy by their haphazard life, then they begin to find that maintaining sweet fellowship with Christ is not complicated.

Conclusion: Living the Christian life is not complicated.  It is actually very simple. What makes it complicated is when we allow Satan to tempt us to do something that we know will hinder our joy, our peace, our fellowship, and we actually entertain those thoughts and listen to him. Then he messes up everything.