12/13/09 Sermon Review

Questions to Ask about Christmas
Matthew 16:13-17; Hebrews 10:5-10

Christmas is a wonderful time. As one song will put it, "it's the most wonderful time of the year." I will gladly agree. For some reason, everything feels a bit jollier. I love Christmas music, and I love gathering with families. I love the break that I get from school, and I love the gifts that I give and receive. But we all know that Christmas is much more than these things. Central to the Christmas season is the Christmas story. It is a marvelous story, and for us to forget the main idea of the story would mean we have failed Christmas. As some of my students would say, it would be an "Epic Fail." And it's not just an epic failure, it is an eternal failure since the main idea has consequences for your eternal destiny.

The Christmas story is not a mystery. The events and the details are there for us to see clearly in Scripture. But so often as we look into the story of Christmas, we get caught up in the periphery while neglecting the center. How little we contemplate on the true Christmas Day is reflected in our shallow reverence to the Christmas story. We make the Christmas story about Mary and Joseph, about how they endured trials. We make it about the lowly shepherds who were visited by angels. We make it about the wise men from the Orient who came to see little baby Jesus. We make it about Herod and how wicked of a man he was.

All those side-stories are great stories indeed, but they are not the main pillar of the Christmas story. Then what is? John Macarthur puts it well: "So the glory of the Lord was the angelic focus at the birth of Christ. The glory of the Lord was the aura that invaded the scene. It isn't imposed upon the Christmas story, it is the Christmas story." It would do us well to remember this day is called Christmas. This story is about Christ and His glory. This story is about the baby who sleeps on a manger on Christmas eve.

If we want to to understand Christmas therefore, we need to ask ourselves this important question: Who is this baby? And the best answer I've found comes from the lips of man thirty years after Jesus' birth. His name is Peter, and to Jesus' piercing question, "Who do you say that I am?" he replies, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." No man ever answered the question better, and Jesus gives Peter His approval.

The Messiah - I've already preached a sermon covering the details of what this term means so I won't go into much detail. It suffices to say that the Messiah has a threefold role: Prophet, Priest, and King. To say that Jesus was the Messiah is the He is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament promises who will deliver Israel and all men from their sins. His kingdom will know no end.

Son of the Living God - The statement "Son of God" does not mean that Jesus came into being at a certain point in time, that he was second to God. Actually, this term means that Jesus' nature was that of God! Take for instance the phrase "Son of Man." The phrase is not trying to say we came into being after a certain "Man," but that our nature is that of a man. The phrase "Son of God" when used of Jesus means to say that Jesus' nature was that of God. Everything God is, Jesus is.

If this is the case, if this is who this baby really is, then we need to ask ourselves another question. Why in the world is He here? Why in the world is this Messiah-God in a dirty manger in a baby's body?

He is in perfect existence as a Spirit with no restriction to form and omnipresent; yet here He is in a finite, human body and this for all eternity. He is God almighty, ominpotent and able to do whatever He so desires; yet here He is, a defenseless baby. He is God omniscient who needs no counselor or teacher, who declares the end from the beginning; yet here he is, a baby who cannot even mutter a single word. He is Creator and Provider who owns the cattle on a thousand hills and says, "If I were hungry I would not ask you"; yet here He is, a dependent baby who needs His mother to feed Him. He is a king whose throne is heaven and who can say earth is His footstool. Nothing can house his grandness! Yet here He is in a stable because no one would house Him.

Why would someone so exalted, in such an elevated position humble Himself to such a degree? Why would he want to become human? Well we know it definitely wasn't because becoming human was in anyway adding to His glory. It wasn't so that He could train disciples and teach good moral principles. Why did He become a man? As I search the Scriptures, I find one clear answer. So He can die.

There is much that Jesus did for us during His earthly life that He could have done if He were not a man. But there's one thing He could not have done: He could not have died. He becomes like us to die for us. A spirit does not have hands and feet to be pierced. A spirit does not have a head on which to lay a crown of thorns. A spirit does not have a side to be pierced or a back to be scourged. A spirit does not have a body to give up as a bloody sacrifice. But that is exactly what God required of His Son for the salvation of His people. So Jesus obeyed (cf. Hebrews 10:5-10, Philippians 2:5-11).

Do you see your sin so great and sinful that God would demand such a price? It is an absurd demand. Yet Jesus, for the glory of His Father and the salvation of His people, met such a demand. And God did not spare Him. He let Him taste every bit of His wrath. And so, Jesus became our propitiation. Arthur Pink writes, "How hateful must sin be to God for Him to punish sin to its utmost deserts when it was imputed to His Son." The more you reflect on this, the more you realize your sinful nature and the more you come to love and cherish the Cross of the Gospel. And then it puts Christmas into perspective.

Now you know why I love Christmas. It is a reminder that my God came to die for me, undeserving as I am. It is reminder that He paid the full price by tasting God's wrath on my behalf. We do not celebrate Jesus' humanity on Christmas day because it's a feel good story about how we should all be humble. We celebrate it because it looks towards the cross, it looks towards His death. And in so doing brings us back to the Gospel which is the power of God for salvation.

12-05-09 Sermon Review

Remember Your Benefits Part 2
John 14 15:31

Recently I heard someone say that there is hope in the unknown. We can have hope in the future because our future is unwritten. This isn't really hope in the biblical sense. This is merely wishful thinking. The Bible has much more to offer for comfort than simply the "unknown." Jesus, preparing His disciples for the coming trials, comforted them with things that are certain. We will continue on from last week's sermon searching out all the benefits we have that are revealed in our text. I pray that as we look at them, you will be blessed, comforted, and encouraged to face the world we live in today.

We live because Christ lives. "Because I live, you also will live." This is an amazing statement considering that it comes from someone who is about to be crucified. Jesus could not "die." He is "the life" as stated in vs. 14. The blessing is that our life is contingent upon Christ's life. We do not need to depend on dead men for life but on the eternal living One.

We are united with Christ. "In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you." What does it mean that Christ is in us and we in Christ? It means that when the Father sees us, He sees the perfect image of His Son. It means that we have intimate fellowship with Christ. It means that we will never be separated from Christ. Being united with Christ is a blessing we do not deserve.

We are loved by the Father and the Son. "And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him". This statement means much more than letting us know our relationship with the Father and the Son. This statement means that the Father will actively show His love towards us. I work at an elementary school. I do not doubt that our parents love their children. But for some parents, their love is undeniable because of their actions. This kind of undeniable love that matches heart and action is the kind of love the Father has towards us. We are dearly loved.

We are show the glory of the Son. "And I will love him and manifest myself to him." The more you understand the beauty of Christ and our former blindness to this glory, the more you will cherish this statement. His glory is absolutely enchanting. His glory is so wondrous.

We are the Father and the Son's home. "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." Do you believe this statement? Do you see how magnificent these words are? Consider that the prophet Isaiah recounts God saying, "Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?" (Isaiah 66:1).

We are taught all truth by the Spirit of truth. "But the Helper, the Holy Sppirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." This verse says much about the inspiration of Scripture, but it also says much about our current leading by the Spirit. How wonderful it is that the Spirit directs us to the truth in the midst of an age of lies. He reminds us constantly of the God's Holy Word.

We have a divine peace. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you." My friend, Matt Hauck, wrote an insightful comment on these words: "Can anyone less than the King grant peace when the King is the one who was offended?" The offer of peace comes directly from the King Himself. Let us rejoice!

We have a patient Teacher who wants us to grow. "And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe." Why did Jesus say all these things. Not just for comfort, but also for growth and faith. The disciples should have already known these things. However, our Teacher is ever patient and continues to teach until we get it. Our Teacher will not give up on us until we are glorious, perfect, whole before the Father.

We have a strong Lord. "I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has not claim on me". Satan may be strong. He is even called the ruler of this world. But this being has nothing on our Lord Jesus Christ. Satan could not take Him down. Death could not take Him down. He rose victorious over all things. He is one able, strong, and mighty Lord. Take heart, for this Lord is our Savior.

I pray these meditations through Jesus' words of comfort to His own disciples were a comfort to you as well. I pray you will continue to remember and hold on to all your benefits. This is a much better hope than a hope in the unknown. Let us trust and rejoice in our Savior, Jesus the Christ! God bless!

11-29-09 Sermon Review

Remember Your Benefits
John 14:15-31

John Piper last week wrote a short post on why someone should want to be a Christian. He gives one reason. I'm sure he'll agree with me though, that there isn't just one reason why someone should want to become a Christian. They are myriads upon myriads of blessings as a believer. John Piper simply boils it all down to one. It is good however, to take our time and consider the benefits we have in Christ. Psalm 103:2 commands, "forget none of His benefits." It will do us well to contemplate all that we have in Christ.

The passage today lends itself to such meditations. We find it in the context of Jesus comforting His disciples preparing them for what they are about to experience. He comforts them by way of reminder and promises. These are truly comforting not only for the disciples, but also for us since their benefits are also ours. Though this may seem like overkill, please bear with me as we look at fourteen blessings in Jesus' comforting words. Today, we'll only look at five of them, and we'll finish the rest next week.

We are driven by love to live the Christian life. Jesus starts off this passage with the words, "if you love me" Why should we live the way Jesus calls us to? Because we love Him! Christianity is not simply about God loving us but also about us loving God. We are not driven to obey because of a great fear of punishment but rather because of a great love for Jesus. Remember that Jesus did not say, "If you fear me" but, "If you love me".

We have a perfect and good Law. "If you love me, you will obey my commands." This presumes that Jesus had given them commands. Have you ever been at job where they never told you what you should be doing? It's quite fun until your boss comes around and tells you that you're fired because you didn't get any work done. But Jesus has given us His commands. We do not need to guess what our Savior desires from us! These commands are perfect and good. They are complete because they address all of life. They are good because it comes from the only good God for the benefit of our souls. Let us rejoice that we have a perfect and good law to obey!

We have a great High Priest. "I will ask the Father." Do you find this statement delightful? I do. I find this delightful because it is an apt picture of grace! We as sinners have no right to come before the Father. We are banned from His presence. However, Jesus asks the Father on our behalf! The son pleads on the behalf of those who have infinitely offended His Father. Do you see grace? His High Priestly role allows us to experience all the blessings we have from the Father. We should not fear approaching the Almighty for we have a great High Priest who will plead our case before the Father.

We have a Helper forever. "He will give you another Helper, that He may be with your forever". What is so great about this Helper? Let us first address how this Helper helps us. The word parakletos used here was specifically used to refer to a legal defender. We are so often plagued with doubt concerning God's promises. Are we really children of God? Are we really going to see Jesus? I'm such a sinner, how could I ever expect to see Christ? The Spirit, our Helper defends us against these thoughts. He testifies to our spirits that we are indeed children of God and brings confidence for us in God's promises (cf. Romans 8:16, 17). What a blessing to have a constant, eternal Helper!

We are not deserted orphans. "I will not leave you as orphans." Do you feel deserted here on earth? Where is Jesus? Where is the hope of His coming? Day after day passes by, and yet He is not here. Well rest assured for our Lord will definitely return. He loves us so and though He be away, He cares for us and is intimately concerned with all our breath and life. We have a joyous reunion with our Maker and our Lord awaiting us in the future. What hope we have in Christianity!

I pray these five points have been a blessing for you. Next week we'll look at nine more. Count your blessings. Do not forget what you have in Christ. Declare it in the morning, meditate on it at night. God bless!

11-22-09 Sermon Review

It's been awhile since we've had sermon reviews. But I will be starting them up again starting this week.

What Does It Mean to Give Thanks?
Various texts

Thanksgiving is an essential, natural part of Christian life. Throughout the New Testament believers are told to pray with thanksgiving, receive with thanksgiving, make requests with thanksgiving, sing with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving permeates all our doing to the point that Paul can say, "in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). However, Christians do not seem to understand the biblical idea of thanksgiving. I want to address four characteristics of thanksgiving so that we may give thanks with a biblical understanding of thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is a response. We are not told to give thanks without precedent. On the contrary, we are told to give thanks because giving thanks is exactly the proper response for what God has done for us in our lives. Thanksgiving is the fitting response for the recipient of grace, and that is what we are. If we do not "feel like giving thanks" it is because we do not understand grace. It is because we are blind to everything God has done, is doing, and will be doing for us. We do not understand how much we have in light of our unworthiness. It only takes one look at the cross of Jesus Christ to remind us the immeasurable grace we have received. It is in response to this gift that we give thanks. There is always a precedent for thanksgiving.

It is possible therefore to make thanksgiving a simple gesture rather than a response. For instance, a teacher might say thank you to a student who turns in their homework. The teacher might feel happy that the student turned in his homework for he could have easily done otherwise, but the thanksgiving is a gesture, not true thanksgiving, since the student was obliged to turn in his homework. We see this in Luke 17 in Jesus' parable about the master and the slave. Jesus explains that the master does not thank the slave when the slave finishes what he is commanded. This is because the slave has the obligation to fulfill his duties. The master does not thank the slave. And so, we make thanksgiving a gesture of politeness and not true thanksgiving when we look at all that we have and think we deserve it. Thanksgiving is a response to grace, and grace by definition is something undeserved and unmerited. Too often we take God's gifts as our rights and by doing so obligate God to do good to us. No. He is our God, our gracious God who is free to do as He pleases. He has chosen to be gracious with us; so let us give thanks.

Thanksgiving is relational. The Bible shows that thanksgiving is an idea that occurs between two persons. Since thanksgiving is a response to grace, it presupposes that there is a giver. The idea of thanksgiving is a response towards the giver, not primarily a feeling we have inwardly. The question we must ask this thanksgiving is not primarily "What are we thankful for?" but rather "To whom should we give our thanks?". Many men feel thankful; few give thanks. Only when the Giver is recognized can we understand the value of what we have in our hands. Paul writes over and over again in his epistles that he gives thanks to God. Have we thanked God for all that He has given us? We commit idolatry every time we rob God of the thanks He deserves by not properly acknowledging Him as the Giver of all good things and directing our thanks elsewhere.

Thanksgiving is an action. Interestingly, the Hebrew word group for "thank" is derived from the Hebrew word for "hand". It is also translated as "confession" or even "choir". The Jews considered thanksgiving as primarily an action and not a feeling. Instead of stressing being thankful, we need to stress giving thanks. This is not to say that being or feeling thankful is not important. It is. However, simply being or feeling thankful is not the biblical directive of giving thanks. Thanksgiving is an action that you take. We say "Thank You" instead of saying "I am thankful." It comes out as confessions before God. It comes out as praises to His name. It comes out as trust in His character and obedience to His will. This is the biblical idea of thanksgiving.

Lastly, thanksgiving is rooted in joy. Thanksgiving does not exist where joy does not exist. It is impossible to give thanks without being joyful. It is no wonder that the word "thanksgiving" is found mostly in the psalms and in the context of joyful praise towards God. Joy is defined as exceeding delight caused by something good. It is the inward pleasure we feel for receiving grace. Thanksgiving is an extension of that joy going back to the Giver. Joy shows that you recognize what God gave you is good. Thanksgiving brings back the glory to God. Joy shows that you are delighted. Thanksgiving shows that you are more delighted in the Giver than the gift.

But have we not heard that we should give thanks in everything? Doesn't that mean we need to give thanks to God even when we don't feel the joy? God wants us to give Him the proper thanksgiving He deserves. When we feel that God has not been good to us and when there is no joy to beam out into thanksgiving towards God, we are in sin. We do not see the world as God sees it. We are blind to grace. We do not confess that what God's Word says about our situation is true. If we do not feel the joy, it is because we are sinful and blind. Do not play the hypocrite by giving God empty thanksgiving. Be honest with God and tell Him that you are in sin by not recognizing and embracing what He has given you and where He has placed you as a wonderful gift for your good. Do not mask your bitterness towards God with empty Thank You's. He sees right through you. Deal with your wrong thinking, your wrong perceiving, and then come to give thanks. As you repent of this sin, God will give you the joy you desire which will spring forth into the thanksgiving you long to give.

This Thanksgiving, I pray that we may all give thanks to God as He deserves. May He be so gracious as to let us continue in such thanksgiving all our days. God bless!

02-15-09 Sermon Review

Bread of Life
John 6:28-59

Difficult teachings are not usually hard to understand; they are hard to accept. That is what we find in this next episode in the Gospel of John. We come across another "I am" statement that reveals Christ's claim to deity portraying Christ as the author of life. Many will depart from Christ because this teaching is hard to accept. Yet, Christ does not bend on this issue, teaching doctrines that will tickle the ears of His hearers. He speaks even clearer and without compromise.

The Comparison - When Jesus was demanded by the crowd to give them manna as Moses did, Jesus boldly claims that He is the bread of life. This is no insignificant statement. In those days (and even today), bread meant daily sustenance. You could not live without bread; it was the major staple food. He was comparing Himself to the food which the people had as their only means of sustenance. With such a comparison, He was stating that He was the One who sustains life. Jesus makes that very clear to them. He did not speak it in riddles. He is the Author and Sustainer of life, and apart from Him one cannot live. Not only that, but Jesus was also drawing a comparison between the manna that God provided with Himself. He was essentially pointing to His divine origin.

The Conflict - Jesus' message had not changed from the time he had met with Nicodemus or the Samaritan women, but unlike them, the crowd in this instance started grumbling amongst each other. The real issue is not the message. The issue is the unbelieving heart. Normally, one would think that clarity will distill conflict, but that is not what happens here. Jesus clarifies His statements by making yet another grand statement, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day" (v. 44). Jesus goes even farther by saying, "the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh" (v. 51). This causes the people to start arguing once again. Jesus giving His flesh was a clear illustration of His sacrifice for the atonement of His people. This would have now been the second year of Jesus' teaching ministry and the allusions to the cross must have been many let alone all the prophecies of the the Jews' holy book. Yet, those who were there could not connect the dots. In the conflict between what you understand and your unbelieving heart, your unbelieving heart will always win unless you overcome by faith.

The Conclusion - Twice already did the crowd start to grumble; yet, a third time Jesus patiently teaches them. The teaching becomes now even clearer as Jesus with lucidity says, "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him" (v. 56). So the message is clear: the imagery of the flesh and blood are highlighting the importance of abiding in Christ. Once again this shows that Christ is the only source of eternal life and there is no other source of life to be found. The Father has sent Jesus for this very purpose, to be the life of all those who come to Jesus and appropriate Him by faith. All the teaching so far has been to answer the very question that the Jews asked in the first place, "What shall we do that, so that we may do the works of God?" (v. 28) Jesus' reply was, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent" (v. 29). Even amidst the confusion among the people, Jesus never changed His message. Jesus sat patiently with them answering their unbelieving hearts over and over again. Yet, once again we do not see in the words of John any hint that the crowd of Jews got the point, repented, and believed in Jesus. Here is what is amazing to me, even the teaching of Christ, even the message spoken by Christ Himself did not cause everyone to believe in Him. No methods nor schemes can guarantee "results." It is only as when the Father draws men to Jesus that hearts will believe in Him. The power of the unbelieving heart only God can overcome. Our job is to faithfully preach the Gospel message as Jesus did.

Jesus' teaching that He is the bread of life is not hard to understand; it is hard to swallow. Just as Jesus was met with stiff resistance from the unbelieving, we also will have to deal with such people. Remember then that just as Jesus was patient with them, unwavering in His commitment to the Father, so also must we hold steadfast to the One who calls us by grace. We need to stand upon the Word of God and pray that God draws men to Himself. Jesus is the bread of life. Let's preach that. Stay strong in the Lord and God bless!

02-08-09 Sermon Review

Walking with Jesus
John 6:13-31

A while back, I remember a famous pop star coming out with a song called "Jesus Walk with Me" and so many Christians were extremely excited about it. I listened to the song and found it to have no Biblical grounding. It was simply a song that makes one "feel good" at the thought of someone being there with them. It takes sin and discipleship lightly. It is nothing like the biblical idea of walking with Jesus. The fact that many Christians find nothing wrong with such a song makes me think that many Christians simply do not understand what it means to walk with Jesus. I enjoy the Gospels because it shows us what it was like to really walk alongside Jesus. Our text for today will do just that.

The big question regarding this topic is not "Is Jesus walking with me?" The question is "Am I walking with Jesus?" Jesus is not a motivational speaker, a psychological crutch, or even a friend who believes you can do everything. He is the sovereign Lord, and walking with Him means we are following after Him. In the text for today, we will see that walking with Jesus meant that his disciples will be tested, confronted, and finally, demanded a response.

You will be tested. - The text starts off with something interesting: Jesus "compelled" his disciples to go on without him. What's interesting is that they are sent by themselves into the sea on Jesus' initiative. Not Satan's, not our own, but Christ's. By this time, the disciples would have already seen many signs and miracles pointing to the divinity of Christ. In fact, they had already seen Jesus calm the sea. So here was the test: Would the disciples trust in Christ and in His Sovereignty in the midst of a dangerous storm? They didn't. They were scared. Instead of crying out to the one who could save, they relied on their own strength. Yet Jesus did not abandon them. As you walk with Jesus, be sure to be tested by Him through carious trials. And indeed, you will fail many times. This is not to depress you, but rather to move you to put more trust in Jesus Christ. And there will be times where you pass, and it will be a time of great rejoicing. Please keep in mind that you are put under these trials so that your faith "may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed" (1 Peter 1:7).

You will be confronted. - Jesus does not take sin lightly. Jesus also does not take sinful motives lightly. Any sinful motive in following Jesus will be confronted by the master Himself. Any who follows Christ for some other goal rather than for Christ Himself is following Christ for the wrong reason. All of us will be confronted on this issue. When the crowds came to Jesus, they showed great zeal. They crossed over the sea to where Jesus was and even called Him by the respectful title "Rabbi." Yet, Jesus confronts them and brings out their true motive in following Him: full stomachs. They were not interested in the Messiah but the power to stop their phsyical hunger. Jesus does not even commend them. He clearly rebukes them. Why are you following after Jesus? Not all who desire to "walk with Jesus" will walk with Him. Only those who are ready to follow Him for who He is will walk with Him.

You will need to respond. - Jesus' rebuke ends with a exhortation. What a heart our Savior has for the lost! Rather than condemning them out right, He gives them yet another chance to repent and walk with Him rightly. He calls them to do works for "food that endures to eternal life." He does not say it's okay, He demands a response, a call to repentance. The crowd responds with a seemingly "godly" question: "What must we do to do the works of God." Jesus responds by telling them to belive in Him. You see, it all boils down to your response to the person of Christ, and you need to make a decision. We cannot take a middle position. Those who are not for Him are against Him (Matthew 12:30). The crowd then replies with another demand for signs. Rather than accepting what Christ demands, they wanted to push him until they received something that was palatable to them. Walking with Jesus is a matter of obedience to the Lordship of Christ. Jesus made it clear what His demands are. We need to respond with joyful obedience.

Walking with Jesus is not what our pop stars and media (and even some of our churches) make it out to be. It is a very serious matter, a matter of life and death. It is something that Christ takes seriously. All those who are walking with Him must remember that they will be tested, confronted, and demanded to follow His leadership. That is what walking with Jesus looks like. It is a life of discipleship that conforms us more and more into the image of Christ. It all starts with our trust in Him as the Lord of lords. Those who walk with Him have truly found it to be far greater than what the world offers. Will you ask yourselves today, "Am I walking with Jesus?" I pray that you already are. And I pray you are coming to love Him more and more as you are transformed into the image of the One who saved you with His death on the cross. Stay strong in the Lord and God bless!

02-01-09 Sermon Review

Feeding the Multitudes
John 6:1-13

It amazes me that Jesus did all sorts of miracles when He was on earth. He did not just heal the sick, but He also made the blind see. He also made water into wine, raised Lazarus from the dead, walked on water, calmed the sea. He did a variety of miracles to prove in those various ways that He is God omnipotent. He is not bound by any law of nature. We come today to a text in which Jesus performs yet another miracle that John calls a sign. It is a unique miracle in the sense that it is recounted in all four Gospels. I want you to see in the text that Jesus provides both sustenance and satisfaction as a display of His divinity

Sustenance - The situation in which we find Jesus and His disciples seems dire. There are 5,000 hungry people who do not have anything to eat. Jesus could have sent them away. That would have been the obvious decision for a mere man, but Jesus had different plans for He is no mere man. Jesus asks Philip a simple question, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?" (vs. 6). Philip's answer is absolutely correct. "Two hundred denarii are not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little" (vs.7). But what Philip did not take into account was that the Great Provider was right before Him. Philip disregarded two things: Jesus' power and Jesus' desire. Jesus not only had the power to feed the multitudes, but He also had the desire to do it.
Even Andrew who seems to have had a little more faith than Philip disregarded these two things. Had they forgotten what Jesus already taught them? "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'" (Matt. 6:30,31). If the disciples recognized what the signs meant, they would have responded to Jesus' question by saying, "Lord, You are the Provider, and we shall be filled if You will it." It goes to show you that signs do not produce faith and right actions. Jesus' grace does.

Satisfaction - So after the testing of His disciples, Jesus performs His sign. Miraculously, He feeds the multitudes starting only with a boy's lunch! It is important for us to notice that Jesus did not give the bare minimum. He provided until everyone had as much as they wanted (vs. 11)! And just to prove that He is the Lord who provides abundantly, He provides enough for twelve baskets of food to be left over. Not only is His providence timely, it is satisfactory. It is sufficient, rather more than we deserve. We'll soon how satisfaction is a dangerous thing, but we need not dismiss the fact that God indeed satisfies not simply spiritually, but also physically. Indeed, we cannot expect the greatest physical comforts and pleasures in this life, but we still do taste of His abundant goodness day by day. Let us not forget how much He satisfies us with His grace.

What a wonderful display of Jesus' deity! John calls this a sign since it pointed to Jesus' Lordship. Now here is what's interesting. The people seeing this sign attempted to make Jesus king by force. Now that seems like a good thing, but Jesus did not think so. You see, what is being displayed here is the conflict between man's will and God's will. After being satisfied, the multitudes wanted to make for themselves a king out of Jesus. If they understood the sign, they ought to have worshiped and listened to Jesus, ready to submit to His every word. Yet, their will, driven by a satisfied stomach, compelled them to act for themselves.

Be careful. In your walk with Jesus, it will be easy to fall into this sort of thinking. I have seen far too many people desiring to make Jesus "Lord" after a tremendous blessing they received; yet, their allegiance to Jesus was nothing more than an expression of a satisfied stomach and exercise of their own will. Let your experiences of God's providence in your life constantly push you to greater submission to His holy name. That is the rightful response. No loud, public declaration is necessary; only a quiet, submissive heart. That is where the multitudes failed after tasting of divine bread. Jesus requires allegiance to His name, but He will deny all allegiances to Him if it comes from the will of man. Be ready to submit your will to His. May Christ get all the glory. Stay strong in the Lord and God bless!

01-25-09 Sermon Review

God Have Mercy

In many parts of the United States this January 22nd many celebrated the 36th anniversary of the controversial ruling that enabled legal abortions in the US. But I grieved. I grieved as I considered the millions of babies that were "aborted" since Roe v. Wade. I grieved as I considered the sanctity of human life and how Roe v. Wade in a single sweep allowed for the destruction of human life. Abortion is no small matter.

I grieved also at the fact that our newly inaugurated president has made no insignificant statement regarding his position and his plans concerning abortion. On the day of the anniversary He stated, "I remain committed to a woman's right to choose." He also shows unwavering commitment to the Freedom of Choice Act. Such statements send a terrifying chill down my spine.

So what are the issues in abortion? RC Sproul states that this is a very complex issue that involves the basic rights of privacy, individual liberty, woman's rights, and the unborn's rights. But these are all secondary to this most critical question: when does life of a human person begin? This should be the first question that must be answered; yet, you would be surprised at how confusing the literature is on this issue. You would expect there to be a certain amount of certainty to an issue that deals with the termination of possible human life, but there isn't. And those who support Roe v. Wade and the freedom of choice would like to keep it confusing. How should we who believe in the Scriptures as the ultimate authority and believe in the sanctity of human life as taught in the Scriptures respond to this issue?

First, let me tell you that the Scriptures itself is not absolutely clear on the issue. What I mean is that the Scriptures do not explicitly state that personal human life begins at the moment of conception. If it did, there would be our prooftext. But here are a few notes to consider for those who would like to dismiss the idea that Scripture supports life at the moment of conception. 1) An unborn child is treated as a personal living human in the Israelites' court of law (Exodus 21:22-25). 2) The same Greek and Hebrew word to describe a post-natal child is used of the pre-natal child. 3) John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit while in the womb (Luke 1:39-45). 4) God knew of the existence of the person before conception and also forms the baby in the womb (Psalm 139). 5) Jesus' person and life existed before the moment of conception.

These points are not easy to dismiss when also taken alongside what the law of nature tells us. Here are some studies done on the pre-natal child that you ought to know. The whole genetic code that is necessary to create a human person is extant at the moment of conception. You can observe the heart beating at eighteen to twenty-five days. By the eight week, you can see fingerprints and notice brain waves. All major body functions are observed by the eleventh week. At twelve and thirteen weeks, the child sucks its thumb and recoils from pain. Physically, it is hard to dismiss the idea that this "fetus" is nothing but tissue as some still vehemently argue.

Some who defend abortion would even go as far as to say that the mother should have a choice to abort the baby even after the baby is born. Peter Singer, a notable philosopher and ethics authority, said, "There [is a] lack of any clear boundary between the newborn infant, who is clearly not a person in the ethically relevant sense, and the young child who is. In out book, Should the Baby Live?, my colleague Helga Kuhse and I suggested that a period of twenty-eight days after birth might be allowed before an infant is accepted as having the same right to life as others."

How is a baby "aborted." You need to know this. You need to see it. You won't understand why I feel the way I do about this until you can imagine the death of a child before you. Go to abort73.com and watch the videos. Here are the most common ways abortion is done. 1) Dilation and Suction - The baby is suckd out the womb. 2) Dilation and Curetage - The baby is too big and therefore, must be cut into pieces and then sucked out. Often the head is to big and therefore, must be crushed before removal. The abortionist places the pieces on a table to make sure every part of the "fetus" is removed. 3) Saline Injection - A saline solution is injected into the amniotic sac which literally burns the infant alive. The body is then forced out of the womb dead. 4) Caesarian - The doctorcs surgically open the womb and remove the baby. I am not sure when or how the baby dies. I do not want to know. 5) Partial Birth - The mother goes into induced labor. When the head comes out, the skull is cracked and the baby immediately dies. The mother then pushes out the rest of the dead body. 6) Birth Control Pills - Certain birth control pills force the mother's body to react to conception immediately allowing for the removal of the fetus.

What is the current state of affairs? There are about 1.5 million aboritons each year. 1% occur because of rape, 6% occur because of potential harm to both mother and child, and 93% of all abortions occur for social reasons. 52% of all abortions are performed before the 9th week while 1% (which is around 16,450 per year) occur after the 20th week. Protestants make up 37.4% of all abortions; Catholics 31.3%. 18% are done by "Evangelicals."

1.5 million babies. It is hard for me to sympathize with those who detest war while they are absolutely content with what is going on just down the street where pieces of human baby body parts can be found in the dumpster. After all this, after studying all this, all I could say is "God have mercy!" There is nothing more I can say. I pray that abortion to you and to this nation will become as appalling and unimaginable as slavery has become. Until then, pray with me? Stand against it. Do it for the Lord. I'm very thankful that the Lord has already shown mercy to us. Mercy was shown on the cross when Jesus died for our sins. It is this that should drive us to humility when speaking on this subject with those who disagree. And it is also this that should spur us to fight against it. God have mercy. Thank you for Jesus. Stay strong in the Lord and God bless!

01-18-09 Sermon Review

Divine Apologetics
John 5:31-47

There is a field of study in Christianity called Apologetics. You might have heard of it. It is not a study of how to say sorry. The word comes form a Greek word that means defense. Apologetics is the study of the proofs and defense of Christianity. You don't have to be a Christian long to find out that Apologetics is absolutely necessary. When you're out sharing your faith, one of the most frequent questions you'll hear is, "How do you know?" Anyone making such a claim as the ones Christianity makes must be able to make his case and answer this recurring question adequately.

We find Jesus in the same situation. In the previous passage He has claimed equality with the Father. No one can make such a claim without any basis. Anticipating the demand from the Jews to prove His assertions, Jesus moves on to defend what He just said in verses 31 to 47. I am sure you'll be amazed at how Jesus defended His own claims to His divinity.

John the Baptist - Most people would point to a witness, a human witness, when making a claim, and so Jesus starts giving John as a witness. It would have been an adequate maneuver, but Jesus was not willing to rest His case on a man's testimony. Sure, John the Baptist was a prophet, but he was still human. If Jesus pointed to John as the basis for His divinity, John the Baptist becomes of higher authority than Jesus and humanity has authority over the deity. Therefore, Jesus explicitly states that He receives not the testimony of man. What a way to defend His divinity! What Jesus then follows up with is even more amazing.

Jesus' Works - What can be greater than a human eye witness? In the court of law, nothing holds more weight than an eye-witness testimony. Yet Jesus claimed that there is a witness greater than the witness of John, and that is the witness of the signs that Jesus did Himself (vs. 36). This is an interesting witness to the claims He made. He was ultimately claiming that He is the Messiah because He is the Messiah! He does what the Messiah is supposed to do. The greatest sign that He will show to prove His deity and Messiahship is the resurrection. He lays down His life and takes it up again. Who can do this? No one but God can. Jesus is God because He does what only God can do. His actions, His power, His words, they all proclaim that He is the Son of God.

The Father's Declaration - Next, Jesus points to the witness of the Father: "And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me"(vs. 37). There are two events recorded in Scripture where the Father makes an unmistakable declaration regarding the Son. First is Jesus' baptism, and the second is Jesus' transfiguration (Matthew 3:17; Matthew 17:5). Both testify to the deity of Jesus. God calls Jesus His Son and gives the logical response due Him in the form of a command in the transfiguration declaration, "Listen to Him." This does not simply mean to hear Him, but stresses that we obey Him.

The Scripture's Testimony - Lastly, Jesus points to the Scripture. This is another amazing claim in and of itself. Jesus states, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me" (vs. 39). Jesus claimed He was this author of life, and the Scriptures are there to support His claim. The Scriptures, the guide to eternal life points only to the author of life. What an amazing statement. The Scripture gives life by pointing to Jesus Christ. But how does this prove that Jesus is indeed divine? If the scribes could only see, they would see that Jesus, because He is the Messiah, is the only one who fits the picture of the Messiah given in the Scriptures. But they missed that. They missed it big time. The author of life stood before them, and it could not have been any clearer. Yet they missed it.

Here is what's interesting about Jesus' defense of His deity: He only points to that which is of divine origin to prove His deity. And that is fitting, for there is no higher authority to point to. If He indeed is divine, but trusted in any other authority to testify to His deity, He would no longer be the self-existent, sovereign Lord of the universe that He claims to be. No one talks like Jesus. No one. If you boil down His argument, He is simply stating, "I am God because I am. God says I am, God's Word says I am, I say that I am, and I am." Discussion ends. No one talks like Jesus. The Jews were right if Jesus was only a man; He deserved to die. But He surely was and is the Son of God, Savior and Lord of all, and the Jews should have bowed down to worship. Are you amazed at Jesus' defense? Then bow down to worship. Listen to Him. That is the only logical response. Stay strong in the Lord and God bless!

01-11-09 Sermon Review

Resurrection, Judgment, and the Glory of Christ
John 5:19-30

There not many things in Scripture that are more certain than the resurrection and judgment in the last days. Paul so authoritatively writes, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10). Yet, there are many today, even in evangelical circles, who are willing to say that the certainty of judgment cannot be maintained because Scripture speaks of a God who loves all people. I can understand why people do not like to preach on the matter; it doesn't make you popular. But it amazes me that there are “Christians” who downplay such an important doctrine of Scripture for the sake of popularity. They regard it as a dispensable teaching. Today, I would like not only to show you the certainty of the resurrection and judgment through the text, but also its importance and beauty.

But before I do, let's talk about the incredible assertions Christ made in conjunction with the resurrection and the judgment. There are at least two amazing statements Jesus says of Himself in relation to the Father.

Jesus is equal with God – Jesus had just offended the Jews by calling God Father. But His “outrageous” statements do not end. He does not intend to apologize for a possible misunderstanding. Actually, He argues even more strongly for His equality with the Father. Jesus claimed 1) that He was equal in His person. He was the same nature as God. Unlike us who are children of God by calling, Christ is the Son of God by nature. Not only this, but Jesus also claimed 2) that He was equal in power. In verse 21, Jesus makes the assertion that He is able to give life as life is in the Father! What a claim to His omnipotence. Jesus goes further by claiming 3) that He is equal in His sovereignty. In the same verse, Jesus claims He gives life to whomever He wishes. Jesus has the sovereign choice to give life or to take life. Lastly, and this is where I am just struck by Christ's boldness, Jesus claims 4) that He is equal in honor. How dare He say that if He is just a man? God does not and will not share His glory with another. Yet, here is Jesus saying, “I will receive the same honor as my Father God.”

Jesus is in perfect unity with God – Not only does Jesus enjoy equality with God, He experiences intimacy with God in His unity with the Father. In verse 30, Jesus claims, “I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” His will is perfectly in line with the Father. He also states, “for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner” (v. 19). This extraordinary unity between Father and Son is explained by the deep love that exists between them. Jesus says, “For the Father loves the Son, and shows shim all things that He Himself is doing” (v. 20). The Father and the Son experiences perfect unity through their perfect love for one another. Jesus was not only saying that He was equal with God, but also that He had a relationship with God that the Jews could not even conceive of. He was that extraordinary of a man.

Now why did I spend the whole sermon talking about Jesus' claims to deity when this sermon is about resurrection and judgment? After saying all this about Himself, He says, “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment” (vs. 28-29). Why does He say this? Here is my thesis from the text: Ultimately, the resurrection and judgment is a display of the glory of Christ through the manifestation of His unity with the Father for the joy of His people. The Father giving over the judgment to the Son was a manifestation of His love for His Son. So what do we do when we take the resurrection and judgment lightly? We take Christ's glory lightly. We make the Trinitarian love and unity so beautifully expressed into nothing, as if throwing a Picasso into the trash not knowing its value.

Christian, the resurrection and judgment is not a pretty topic, but it is a necessary topic. The Father has ordained it to be a means by which we will marvel at His glory. So then Christian, marvel. Eagerly wait for this glorious event. And until that day, may He sustain you and keep you blameless. Stay strong in the Lord and God bless!

12-21-08 Sermon Review

Putting Christ back into Christ-mas

Christmas brings very mixed feelings for me. I love the holidays, and as one song puts it, “It's the most wonderful time of the year.” But it's also a season that makes me grieve. It is a holiday where Christ's name is thrown out and Christmas songs like Hark the Herald Angel Sings are sung, yet the world as a majority cares nothing about Christ. Christ is all but forgotten in the Christmas celebration.

Recently, I read a news article that told of the first public Christmas celebration in Baghdad. That caught me by surprise. In an area where it is predominantly Muslim, they were celebrating Christmas. It reminded me that Christmas has become so secularized that it holds little or no meaning at all. A day that we have set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the infinite God-man, a day that we have set aside to proclaim His worth and His mystery, a day that we have set aside to glorify God and reflect on “peace to men on earth,” has become another worldly holiday.

Christians, we have an obligation, not to the flesh to live according to the flesh, but an obligation to the Lord. The world might be celebrating Christmas for whatever reasons, but I beg of you, Christian, to celebrate Christmas because of Christ. How will Christmas exalt Christ? That should be the blaring question for all believers. Christmas for the Christian should stand as a reminder of glorious truths. It should stand as a reminder of the glory of Jesus Christ in His person and a reminder of salvation by grace.

A Reminder of the Glory of Christ – As we reflect on the night that Jesus was born, I want you to consider these four points. 1) Jesus' wonder. He is not only God, but now human. The day we celebrate is the day we celebrate God putting upon Himself humanity. That is too wonderful for me. There is none like Him. Infinitely God and infinitely man. 2) Jesus' perfect obedience. Jesus put upon Himself humanity in obedience to the Father. Christ says, “A Body you have prepared for me... Behold, I have come... to do your will” (Hebrews 10:5,7). And He did. He became man, and He obeyed unto death. 3) Jesus' closeness. Oh what a wonder that Jesus is Immanuel, God with us! The author of Hebrews tells us that Jesus "had to be made like His brethren" (Hebrews 2:17). "He is not ashamed to call [us] brethren” (Hebrews 2:11). Jesus' birth as a human should remind us of how close and near He is to us. 4) Jesus' bodily return. Jesus did not put on humanity for a short time. It is for eternity. He will return not as a spirit but as a perfect human. This is proclaimed in Gabriel's prophecy to Mary. Jesus will sit on the throne of His father David and rule over Israel (Luke 1:32,33). This has not happened yet. The promise made is yet to come. Christmas should remind us of this future fulfillment.

A Reminder of Salvation by Grace – I love, I love what Simeon says when he sees the baby Lord Jesus in Jerusalem. “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32). So, what Simeon saw in the face of Jesus Christ was God's salvation. Oh, how Christmas should remind us of it! As we reflect on Christ come down, oh how we need to remind ourselves of God's provision in salvation! Now, what did Jesus' birth mean for the Angels? Here is their proclamation, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men with whom He is pleased” (Luke 2: 14). First, they resound glory to God. Second, they proclaim a message of peace. If Christmas doesn't remind you of the peace that was wrought through the death of a human Jesus, you've lost the meaning of Christmas. Read Romans 5 to remind you of what peace we have in Christ Jesus.

Please, brothers and sisters, make much of Christ this Christmas season. The world does enough lip service to a Christ they do not know or care about. Let not Christ find us celebrating in vain. Let us make much of Him and cherish what He wrought as a human. As we do, I pray our Christmas would be ever more joyous, ever more meaningful. Jesus Christ, how precious You are! Stay strong in the Lord and God bless!

11/30 & 12/7 Sermon Review

Dangers of Legalism (originally Sabbath and Legalism)
John 5:9-18

I don't know what you think about legalism, but I hate it. I also fear it because I am so prone to fall into it. I fear it because I can find myself thinking like a legalist. We must fight against this tendency to become legalists. How? Today in our passage, I want you to see some of the great dangers of legalism through the depiction of the Pharisees. It should help us tremble at the sight of legalism. It should help us flee from the law of works into the law of grace. Note these dangers, and fight against legalism. If you see that these dangers are already apparent in your life, flee. Change your ways and turn to grace before it kills your soul.

Legalism makes us cold to acts of grace - Notice that the first thing that the Pharisees notice about the man who was healed is the mat that he is carrying. How cold must they have been to address that issue rather than give praise to God for a miracle. Such a miraculous healing should have pointed to the reality that God is visiting His people, but all that these legalists could care for was that their law was not being upheld strictly. They did not know how to rejoice; they did not know how to be thankful. Are you thankful? Do you rejoice when others are rejoicing? If not, you might be a legalist.

Legalism tampers with God's Word - The Pharisees noticed the man was carrying a mat. In the strictest sense, such an activity was not prohibited in the Law. Where did the idea that carrying a mat was against the Sabbath Law come from? The Pharisees abided by what we call the Mishnah. In it, they decided on various tasks that forbidden during the Sabbath. Thirty-nine to be exact. One of them was carrying your bed, and that is what the "pallet" in our text refers to. It was probably a mat stuffed with straw that could be rolled up and carried around. That was the bed in those days. But like I said, this was not in the original commandment. They were going above what the Scripture has written. At first, that sounds like being super righteous, but it is actually a display of great pride. Do not add to God's Word; He takes it very seriously. Read Revelations 22:18-19 if you don't believe me.

Legalism promotes self-righteousness which encourages blame-shifting - The healed man doesn't react any better. The first thing he says to respond to the Pharisee's accusation is "He who made me well was the one who said to me, 'Pick up your pallet and walk.'" In legalism, you have to follow the law perfectly to be righteous. Your performance is your righteousness. So what happens if you're caught? If you're caught, then you better have an excuse. If not, you're no longer righteous, and you're in trouble. I believe that's what we're seeing here. Do you blame other people for the sins you commit? You might be more of a legalist than you thought. You might be trusting in your performance more than you thought. When you sin, take responsibility for it. The man here really didn't sin though. So another exhortation, do not let people put upon you a legal standard that is not from the Word of God. If they do, gently remind them that there is a higher authority than their traditions. God's Word is the ultimate authority.

Legalism promotes sin in the long run - Still, I sympathize with the legalists. I can understand their heart in some ways; I had legalistic tendencies before. Most of the time, the legalists that I see become legalists because they have a passion for righteousness. They set boundaries for themselves not because they want to disobey, but because they want to obey. But I want you to remember this: legalism promotes sin in the long run. These Jews had a passion for the Law, but because of their passion for the Law, they started persecuting Jesus. John tells us it was exactly because of their traditions that they persecuted Jesus (v. 16). Persecution is never the answer, never the right way to respond when someone disagrees with you. Legalism ultimately grows in us a heart of hatred which is murder according to Jesus. Beware, your pursuit for righteousness through the law can very well and will back fire on you. Legalism promotes sin in the long run.

Legalism hinders the Father's work - I love how Jesus responds to these accusations. He answered, "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working" (vs. 17). What an indictment! When we are so caught up with our laws and our traditions, we have the great tendency to forget what God is doing. It almost always works that way. I've never seen a legalist do great things for God in regards to the Great Commission. Who cares if God is doing some work? All I need is to be righteous and that's it isn't it? So the legalist thinks. You might htink that your legalistic tendencies are helping you in pursuing God's will and finishing God's work. It's not. It's hindering you, and it's killing you. If you want to serve the Lord, you must cut off all ties to legalism.

Legalism kills Jesus - The legalist has no need for Jesus. Actually, the legalist is offended by Jesus. He stands there as a sign that man's righteousness is not enough. A sacrifice that is greater than what man can offer must be given. The Pharisees knew that Jesus was danger for their own righteousness. What started off with simple hatred led to murder. The legalist killed Jesus. And the legalists of our day still put Jesus back up on that cross. He says Christ's sacrifice is not enough. The greatest act of love from God towards sinners is nothing. Hear the words of Paul: "I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, Christ died needlessly" (Galatians 2:21). Legalism does not care if Jesus dies. Legalism does all it can to get rid of Jesus. John Macarthur says, "For the Jews it was either Jesus of the Sabbath, and they chose the Sabbath and killed Jesus. That was the choice." Legalist, you have choice. It is either your laws or your Christ. What will get rid of?

Legalism is horrible. It destroys the soul; it robs God of His glory; it kills the affections; and it destroys the work of Christ. Do not take legalism lightly. It is an offense to God and His grace. It required the Son of God to die in order to redeem those trapped by the Law. It is no small thing. Fight legalism. Grab a hold of grace. Cling to the cross. Stay steadfast in Christ's righteousness. And may God bless you beyond all that you've imagined. Let Him free you from the shackles of legalism and put upon you the yoke of Christ. And let Him led you into rest. Stay strong in the Lord and god bless!

11/16 & 11/23 Sermon Review

A Picture of Grace

John 5:1-17

The Gospel of John is all about Jesus. It displays great truths about Jesus in very simple stories. In our passage today, we'll see how John teaches us about grace through one of these stories. From the beginning, John had displayed grace as a fundamental characteristic of Christ. He writes that "grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). Though grace often points to salvation, I also want us to think of grace as the manner in which God interacts with fallen creation. It is not only the elect that experience God's grace. There are five truths concerning grace that I would like for us to see.

Grace comes to the helpless - First thing we notice is that Jesus visited the pool at Bethseda when He entered Jerusalem. John describes to us that it was filled with "sick, blind, lame, and withered" people who were hoping to be healed by some sort of superstitious belief about the "stirring of the waters" (John 5:3-4). Those that were there by the pool were people who could not help themselves. They were probably either poor and unable to get treatment, sick with an incurable disease, or suffering from an untreatable injury. It was one of these men that Jesus decided to display His grace. Did not Jesus say that the healthy have no need of a doctor? Jesus displays grace to those who cannot help themselves.

Grace is not given to all equally - Notice that in this story, Jesus did not heal everybody. One might say that Jesus was not fair. We must realize that the prerogative to dispense grace lies solely in the giver. Jesus did heal many people, but He did not heal everybody. Was it because Jesus could not heal everybody? That is obviously untrue. Jesus did not heal everybody because He chose not to. That is His prerogative. Jesus sought out the sick man. Jesus asked of him, "Do you wish to get well?" (John 5:6). Jesus told him, "Get up, pick up your pallet and walk" (John 5:8). It was all Jesus' doing, Jesus' choice. This does not make Christ less gracious; it actually proves that He is.

Grace comes to those who do not deserve it - Notice the kind of man who Jesus healed. This was a man whose only concern was getting healed. There were blind men who sought Jesus and asked Him to heal them calling Him the Son of David and begging for mercy (Matthew gives two accounts 9:27-31; 20:29-34). But our subject for today had Jesus right before his eyes and he cared not for who He was. This man was also a sinner, as expressed by Jesus' statement in verse 14. The man's illness very well could have been due to a sinful act that he committed. It doesn't end there. This man would rather believe in a superstition than in the God of glory. He was not seeking God; he was only looking for a way to get healed. He spent thirty-eight years by the pool when he could have spent thirty-eight years in the temple. Yet, it was this sort of man that Jesus healed. This undeserving sinner received grace.

Grace is a real reflection of God's goodness - Grace reveals to us that God is indeed good. All that this sick man wanted was healing. His answer to Jesus' question, "Do you wish to get well?" clearly shows that. So Jesus healing this man shows that He was not simply trying to prove that He was able to heal. He was showing that He is good. He wanted that man to "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Psalm 34:8). Wouldn't you? If you were sick with cancer and the pressing prayer of your life was healing, and God healed you, wouldn't you realize that God is good to you? God's gracious dealing with us and His blessings that we do not deserve should lift our eyes to see His goodness. It is interesting to consider that we can not know God to be good by experience if we have not experienced His goodness. Grace is the lens through which we see and experience the goodness of God.

Grace is given regardless of the manner in which it is received - Now, the most surprising aspect of grace, the Lord's grace, is that it is given to both the wicked and the righteous whether they are grateful or not. This man who was ill for thirty-eight years did not even respond with a simple "thank you." Sure, Jesus left while there was a crowd, but when the man meets him a second time, there is really no excuse. What surprises me is that rather than thanking Christ, the man "went away, and told the Jews" (vs. 25). They don't deserve it, and they are not even thankful; yet, God displays His goodness to the likes of these. How patient, how gracious, how good is our God?

We ought to be thankful that God is so gracious towards us. As believers, we experience and know the ultimate act of grace: Christ on the cross for our sins. It is through Christ that we recognize grace the fullness of grace. "For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; but grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ" (John 1:16-17). Only those who know their Savior have realized the grace of God. Only they can be truly thankful. How much should this truth move us to be grateful people, thanking God constantly for His graces? Every good and perfect gift is from above (James 1:17). Let us live with that truth ever before us. Let us live thankfully. Let us live, cherishing all the good we have received in Jesus Christ. Stay strong and God bless!

11-09-08 Sermon Review

The Compassion of Jesus for the Faithless
John 4:43-54

The Bible is full of people who had great faith. In Hebrews chapter 11, we see a list of many men who are exalted by God because of their faith. With such great heroes of faith, it is easy to think that God only cares for people of extraordinary faith. We quickly foget that the bible is full of examples of men with little faith. Christ actually called the disciples "You of little faith" quite a number of times. The text we will look at today shows how Jesus related to those with little faith. Contrary to what some of us might believe, Jesus showed much compassion to those with small faith. While being stern, He was gracious. While pointing out there weak faith, He cared for them.

We see this first in John's transition into the story of the royal official. John writes that Jesus, after spending time in Samaria, headed back to Galilee. The reason John gives for Jesus' decision is interesting. Jesus went because, "Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country." Jesus returned to Galilee because He was rejected in Galilee! We know from Luke 4 that the men in Jesus' hometown even tried to kill Him. But Jesus returned. Jesus was returning because His ministry was for the sick and not the healthy. His love for souls required Him to return to a spiritually bankrupt people. How compassionate, how caring, how loving, how patient is Jesus Christ?

But when Jesus arrived, He did not receive the sinister reception He received earlier. This tiem around, the people were "receiving Him." This is not to say that they "believed" in Him. Apparently, these men were now welcoming Jesus because "they were also at the feast." They had seen the things Jesus had done. They welcomed Him not for who He was but for what He can do. This is no great faith. This is elevating the gifts above the Giver. Yet, Jesus still remained with them. Not only this, Jesus still did a great ministry among them. After this general observation, John relates to us a more specific encounter that Jesus had.

John tells us of a royal official whose sons was in critical condition. The Greek emphasizes that the child's death was imminent (a literal translation might read "he was going to die"). The specific term to describe this royal official indicated that he probably was a part of Herod's court. Though certain specific personalities have been suggested, it is not enough to draw a definitive conclusion. It is safe to assume though that this man was fairly wealthy. This lead's me to believe that this man's son's disease was incurable and death was unavoidable. The royal official probably had the wealth to provide the finest medical treatment. It's most likely that he was turning to Jesus after these medical professionals were unable to help his son.

He was also most likely related to King Herod who attempted to kill the baby Jesus. In any case, this royal official coming to Jesus to ask for His help was a great sign of humility. Here was a wealthy, royal personality asking for mercy from a lowly carpenter. But what I want you to see is that this man had very little faith. Jesus points out his lack of faith as well as those who were nearby when He says, "Unless you people see signs, you simply will not believe." Jesus could definitely heal the official's son, and the man believed this. But why did Jesus say what He said? There was something more important than his son dying that the royal official missed - Jesus Christ. You see, faith in what Jesus Christ can do is not the kind of faith we need. We need faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. If this man truly had faith in Jesus Christ, he would be behaving differently. I believe this is why Jesus assumes the royal official's disbelief, even though he humbled himself and believed Jesus could heal.

After Jesus points this out, the royal official's mind is still on the urgency of his situation and shouts, "Sir, come down before my child dies!" At this point, if it were me, I would be shouting, "Don't you get it! Christ is the resurrection and the life! Believe in Him and death loses its sting!" If I were Jesus, I would probably deem this person unworthy of the blessing of healing. But we see the complete opposite. Jesus says, "Go; your son lives." Wow. Immediate confirmation that his son will not die. What more could the official have asked for? But still, this required that he trust in Jesus the person and in the power of His Word. This is the start of faith for this man. John writes that the official "believed the word." For the first time, the word "believe is employed to describe this man's faith.

When the royal official returns home, he is greeted with great news - his son is alive! The news gets even more startling when he hears that his child was getting better at the exact moment Jesus spoke the words, "Your son lives." This amazing fact made this man realize the authority of Christ's words. Once he realized that Jesus' words had the authority to heal his son, he realized that everything that Jesus claimed to be must also be true. At this amazing realization, true belief stirs up within Him and saving faith comes to his whole household.

Jesus was very gracious to the faithless. He was very patient, loving, and tender with them. But He always did point to Himself as the object of faith. His compassion for the faithless was revealed by His continual giving of Himself to them and His continual pressing of their need to put faith in Him. The answer for the faithless is Jesus. The faithless do not need more faith; they need more of Jesus. They need to take a close look at Jesus. They need to hear His word. When faithless souls draw near to Christ and behold His nail-pierced hands and the glory of His risen state, faith springs and trust in Christ for who He is swells up. If ou have little faith, come to Jesus who concerns Himself for the faithless, who gives Himself to those who have little faith that they may come to have great faith in Him and in Him alone. Stay strong and God bless!

11-02-08 Sermon Review

Thank God for the Reformation
Luke 24:13-35

This past Halloween, when many in America were celebrating what we call Halloween, a few of us decided to spend the time to celebrate what God was doing in a town called Wittenburg in Germany. 491 years ago, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the door of the Wittenburg Cathedral. Most scholars mark this day as the beginning of what we know as the Reformation.

What is so great about the Reformation that I am willing to take a break this week and dedicate a sermon to reflect upon it? To say it simply, the Reformers paved the way for us to enjoy the truths and blessings that we know and experience today. The blessings we enjoy such as a bible in our hand, the teachings that confronted heresy that we now hold dearly, both were in some sense a product of God's work in the Reformation. The Reformation was also one of the greatest work of God to bring people to Himself that we know of in all of Church history. If we truly desire God to work again in our day, it would do us well to reflect upon the Reformation.

Before I get into the reason why I believe the Reformation was as powerful as it was, let's take a look at the events that led up to the Reformation. The time of the Reformers was all-together different from the present day. For centuries, the light of the Gospel was being ignored, put under a table. The Church had become nothing more than an organization whose top leaders were simply vying for power. 200 years before Martin Luther came around, the Avignon Papacy began. As Kings were rising to power, they were able to tax all the gold that was shipped out of their domain. This made the Kings rich, and the Catholic Church was getting less money by the day. Therefore, instead of going back to biblical theology, the rulers decided to compete for money. in 1378, Pope Gregory the 9th brought the papacy back to Rome where he soon died. This is where it gets really interesting. A group of bishops wanted to revitalize the Roman primacy, but soon realize they chosed the wrong man for the job. The other bishops at Avignon decided to set up their own Pope, and so began what we now know as the Great Schism. The Church at this time was more concerned about power rather than faithfulness to God and to Scripture.

Something else that started was Indulgences. As the Church was growing poorer, in some sense, they needed to employ something that would bring money back into their treasury. How sad that this money-driven mentality started such heresy as the indulgences that takes advantage of the biblically illiterate. Johan Tetzel would go around saying, "As soon as a coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs!" They promised that their offering would shorten time in purgatory for themselves or for their loved ones who have gone before them. Not only was this bad theology, heresy to say the least, it was also exploitation! Salvation now become something to be bought rather than received from God.

Not only were the people being exploited, but they were also kept from handling Scripture for themselves. Only the priests were allowed to handle God's Word. The Bible was almost entirely in Latin at that time, and so the common people had no access to a Bible in their own language. When the light is kept under a table, it cannot brigthen the room. These times were dark times.

And that is why the Reformation was like a beam of light piercing this gloomy darkness, shedding warmth and clarity to poor souls who have never seen the bright noon sun. The Reformers were returning to biblical studies and were once again striving for biblical fidelity. John Calvin, Martin Luther, Balthasar Hubmaier are a few more notbale figures who were teaching the Bible to the people. When Calvin fled France and entered Geneva, he decided to start his own institute. On opening day, 900 students showed up. Luther, after being excommunicated by the Roman Church, hid and spent years translating the Bible into German. Balathasar Hubmaier would baptize 300 people in one year in one city and 1,200 in the region of Moravia. A return to Scripture sparked a revival. Many lost their lives. But many gained the salvation of their souls.

So a return to biblical teaching spearheaded this great revival. It was the commitment to biblical teaching that allowed these men to help lost souls. People were being freed from the yoke of tyranny and legalism, and were finding justification by faith alone as the Scripture teaches. The commitment to Scripture and to Scripture alone by the Reformers is summed up in Martin Luther's response at the Diet of Worms: "Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason – I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for each have contradicted each other – my conscience is captive to the Word of God… Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen.”

Would it be safe to say that if the Reformation never happened, we would not have a copy of our own Bible today? If it was not the Reformation, I truly believe that God would have used another means by which He would have gotten His Word to His people. But the fact is this: God did use the Reformation to provide for His people for ages to come. If we truly see the Word of God as precious, the truths of the Scripture as precious, Christ as precious, than thank God for the Reformation.

This is my prayer, that God would raise up men as He did in the days of the Reformation who are committed to Scripture. I pray that God would bring sweeping revival in America, that He would free these lost souls from the yoke of materialism. I pray He accomplishes this by the clear teaching of His Word as He did in the Reformation. Stay strong and God bless!

10-26-08 Sermon Review

Knowing God's Will pt. 2
John 4:34

In our last sermon, I talked about the importance of knowing God's Will of Command that is revealed, as John Piper would say it, "finally, decisively only in the Bible." But that raises a few more questions because God's Word does not address all of our issues specifically. For instance, the Bible says nothing about movies, sports, dating, etc. Most of the decisions we make are neither condemned or approved in Scripture (i.e. am I to drink orange juice this morning?). If the Bible is the only means through which we know God's will, how are we to make our decisions?

We need to be very careful, since we must not go beyond what God has written, but at the same time, need to be able to say "This is God's will for my life." This is why I believe Romans 12:2 is the most helpful and illuminating verse on this topic.

Transformation, no conformation. Paul writes "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." Paul gives us two very helpful commands to guide us.

1. We are not to be conformed. Conformed means to be molded. We are like play-doh, and when we are squeeshed by a mold, we become what the mold intends us to be. Though it is very easy to say that the mold is the world, it is also very possible that the mold of this world is our religion. We make a list of do's and don't's, and we try to fill ourselves in that mold. We put upon ourselves the mold of legalism, and knowing God's will becomes simple conformity. But rather than giving us a list of commands, Paul stresses something totally different.

2. We are to be transformed. The word here is the word from which we get metamorphosis. You might recognize this word; it is used to describe the complete change of a caterpillar into a butterfly. It is a complete change in constitution. Rather than being molded, we are to become. Knowing God's will is not primarily about finding what to do, but rather about becoming who we are. Now how does this help at all?

Your actions are the overflow of your heart. John Piper makes the calim that 90% of all our decisions are not premeditated. That is a random number he thought of to stress the reality that we make decisions everyday that flow from our hearts rather than our minds. Jesus said, "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34). All actions derive from the heart. But our hearts are depraved! How can God expect us to be something we are not? This is why Paul tells us to be renewed.

God's Word the means. Paul tells us the means through which we must be transformed: the renewing of the mind. Our hearts are radically depraved, but the Word of God can take this depraved heart, wash it, and sanctify it. Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them with truth; Your Word is truth." Therefore, in order to prove or know what God's will is in any given situation, we need to have the Word of God overflowing in our hearts. God's Word has life-transforming, mind-renewing power. We need to become men and women of God's Word. God doesn't give us clear directives in every single issue, but says His Word is enough to make you man wise enough to discern His will.

Five practical steps. I'll leave you with five practical steps that will help you become a wise Christian, and promote a godly approach to decision-making.

1. Seek God's will in everything, from big decisions to even little ones.
2. Spend much time in God's Word. There's no easy way out of this one.
3. Separate yourself from influences that are conforming you rather than transforming you (i.e. friends, internet, television, etc).
4. Surround yourself with godly men and women who will give you good counsel and point you to the Word.
5. Start applying clear biblical truths right away.

As you do these things, I pray you'll become wise in handling the Word for any given situation. In the areas that are not clearly black or white, I pray you'll be able to approach it with biblical wisdom. Stop stressing out about what you have to do, and start seeking who you are to be. Stay strong and God bless!

10-19-08 Sermon Review

Knowing God's Will
John 4:34

In our last sermon, we looked at Jesus' satisfaction in doing God's will and finishing His work. Now, I know we're spending a lot of time in this chapter, but I did want to spend a few weeks on a very important topic: Knowing God's will. Why? I never talked with a Christian who denied those fundamental truths that were taught in the last sermon. Actually, there are many people who are fired up about doing God's will. The problem is that many of these same people who are fired up about doing God's do not know how to discern God's will. I have met many people in my college days, many collegians that were passionate about following after God. It breaks my heart to see these people living completely against God's will and thinking that they are in God’s will at the same time. This is a very serious issue. You will be like them, if you're not serious about knowing and discerning God's will.

This is why we're going to spend at least three weeks on this topic. Afterwards, I pray that you will know how to "prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2).

God wants us to know His will. It is unquestionable that God desires for us to know His will. Paul expresses this repeatedly in his epistles. For instance, he writes, "So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is" (Ephesians 5:17). Again, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed in the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is" (Romans 12:2). He prayed for the churches to know God's will: "For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding" (Colossians 1:9). Obviously, if doing God's will is important, it necessitates that we know God's will in order to do it.

The Bible teaches that there are two different types of God's will. We call one the Will of Decree, and the other the Will of Command. This might seem to you an unimportant nuance, but I want you to know that this distinction is clear in Scripture and that it is immediate, practical implications. Now, what is the difference between these two wills of God and which will are we to know and understand?

1. The Will of Decree - The will of decree is God's sovereign purpose that cannot be thwarted. For example, Daniel 4:35 states, "All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and no one can ward of His hand or say to Him, 'what have You done.'" Therefore, God's will here is always accomplished, and he is not responsible towards man to explain what He has done. Isaiah also writes, "For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient of times things which have not been done, saying, 'My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure'" (Isaiah 46:10). God is in complete control of all that happens and everything that happens can be said to have been God's will; He declared the end from the beginning.

2. The Will of Command - The Will of Decree does not leave us with nihilism (i.e. do whatever you want because God's doing it). Remember that God, though he declares all things to be, is not responsible for your sins or any evil (James 1:13). We also need to understand we are under the authority of God's Will of Command. This will can be disobeyed, and our response to this Will of Command has eternal ramifications (i.e. we are held responsible). For example, Jesus states, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heave, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter" (Matthew 7:21). This implies that men are capable of disobeying God's will and are responsible for their actions (unlike God's Will of Decree)! This Will of Command is revealed to us in His Word.

It is very important for us to understand this. Let's say one of us was molested as a young child by our father. Was it God's will for us to be molested in that way? NO! Of course not! God's will of command surely teaches that it is abominable in the sight of the Lord for men to have indecent acts with one another, and especially with young children. Jesus tells us that it is better for one to put a millstone around his neck and throw himself into the sea than to let one of these little ones stumble. So it is definitely not God's will. But at the same time, YES! It is God's will! And though we do not know why God would allow such a horrible thing to be done to me, I trust in His sovereignty, in His Will of Decree that He will cause all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Understanding these two wills of God reminds us of our responsibility to not only obey His will, but also to trust in His will.

God wants us to know His will of command. I will give you two reasons why I believe so.

1. Deuteronomy 29:29 explains that "the secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law." Therefore there are things that we ought not to dabble in, and there are things we ought to devote our lives to knowing. The secret things are God's Will of Decree. The revealed things are God's Will of Command.

2. The Greek word repeatedly used for "will" is thelema. It is different from boulema in that thelema expresses desire while boulema expresses decision. We are called to understand and know God's thelema. Never is boulema used to express the will of God that we must know and understand.

We are called by God to know His will. We are called to know His desires rather than His decisions. In our next sermon, we'll discuss how we can start knowing God's will from what is revealed. But let me leave you with a foretaste by quoting to you what John Piper has said on this issue: "God's will of command is revealed finally, decisively only in the Bible." Let's get serious about knowing God's will; let's get serious about knowing God's Word. Stay strong and God bless!

10-12-08 Sermon Review

Doing God's Will
John 4:27-38

Jim Boice recounts a very interesting story about a Spanish king. "About the beginning of the twelfth century, there was a debate about whether the country's churches were to use Gothic or Roman prayer books in their services. The question eventually came before Alfonso VI, who was king at the time. Alfonso decided to leave the matter to chance, so he threw a copy of bth prayer books into a fire, declaring that the one that survived the ordeal should be chosen. However, when the Gothic missal survived the blaze, the king immediately threw it back into the fire and chose the Roman liturgies. Thus was the matter decided..."

Most of us can relate to the story. We are more prone to reject God's will than to do God's will, even if His will was clearly set before us as the noonday sun. It reminds me of St. Augustine who said, "Lord, make me chaste, but not yet!" We pray, "Your will be done," but in our hearts we are saying, "My will be done."

Jesus was wholly different from this Spanish king as well as from most of us. He sets the perfect example of following God's will.

Jesus enjoyed doing God's will - In our passage for today, Jesus makes an extraordinary statement: "My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work." I believe this statement shows the major difference between those who will not do God's will and those who do. Jesus saw doing God's will as equal to physical food. Now, it's obvious that food nourishes the physical body and so we can draw spiritual parallels, but Jesus is saying more than that. Food is not supposed to be only for nourishment. Food is enjoyable! The Psalmist writes, "My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness" (Psalm 63:5). In the NIV, "marrow and fatness" is translated as "the richest of foods." Food not only nourishes, it satisfies. What an outlook on doing God's will!

We must also note that Jesus was satisfied in doing God's will, not simply desiring it. He was not merely satisfied to desire God's will. It is easy to desire something. And therefore, Jesus is not satisfied with merely desiring to God's will. It satisfied Him only when He did it. Jesus emphazies this by using stronger language to describe the actual doing of God's will. To do God's will is "to accomplish His work." The word "accomplish" in the Greek is the same word Jesus said on the cross, telao. The word when used by Jesus on the cross is translated in most translations as "It is finished." The same word to describe the completion of Christ's sacrifice is the same word employed here to describe what satisfies Jesus. It is only when He has finished His work that He could be satisfied.

What was satisfying to Jesus must be satisfying to us as well. Remember, the Lord commands us for our own satisfaction. Let us not be satisfied with merely desiring to do God's will. Let us be satisfied when we can say, "I have finished His work." Taste and see how good His commands are!

There is no better time to do God's will than now - After Jesus explains his satisfaction in doing God's will, He encourages His disciples to do God's will. He says, "Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say yo you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest." The harvest is ripe! The harvester is gathering in his crop! Jesus is telling us that there is no better time than now!

Jesus also encourages us by reminding us that we are not alone. The work that God calls us to is a work that spans the centuries and incorporates people from all generations. Jesus says, "I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor." We are not alone; we do not need to start a new work. We are merely building upon the work that those who have gone before us have started.

There is a certain loneliness in doing God's will - By now, I pray that Jesus' statement and encouragements have aroused in you a fervor to do God's will. But let me remind you that in this world, doing God's will is not a popular choice. Let us move back to verse 27. John recounts, "At this His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman". The word "amazed" can be translated "marveled," but it was not because they beheld something marvelous that the disciples are said to have been amazed. The word highlights the peculiarity of Jesus speaking with the Samaritan woman. Do not think that the world will embrace you when you actually do God's will. They will consider you strange. Even to His disciples Jesus looked strange. They did not understand, and the world will not understand. If we do not have the conviction that God's will is satisfying to our souls and if we are not strengthened by Jesus' encouragements, we will not overomce the barrier of loneliness. Oh, it is far better to be the outcast and be satisfied in His will, than to have all the world love you and never taste what true joy is.

I think the author of Hebrews put all that I want to say today so perfectly: "let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run the race with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of God" (Hebrews 12:1-2). I pray God will not only give you the perseverance necessary to run the race of doing God's will, but that He allow you to taste the joy of doing God's will. Press on Christian soldier! We must finish His work! Let us capture the prize! Stay strong and God bless!