Serving the Servant
This post is the last in a series on “The Cross of Christ.” The words written were a simple transcript of a message presented. The flow will not be a flow from writing but a flow from speaking. You will see a difference, but notice the message within.
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
(Acts 20.35)
In writing what would become the book of conversions as well as the history book of the New Testament church, Luke records some words of Jesus not recorded in any of the gospels.
From the beginning until the end of the book of John, the Bible looks forward to the death, burial, resurrection and appearances of Christ. Without those events, the world would have no meaning. All hope would be lost if the man known as Jesus was a liar. If one verse is false, then all is false.
The life of Christ is the greatest life this world has even known. A willing King died as a humble servant. He not only chose to die, He was chosen and given to die. (John 3.16) Just as the Passover lamb was chosen to be offered by the children of Israel. (Exodus 12.5) God chose His only Lamb (1 Peter 1.19; John 1.29) to be offered as the one and only sacrifice for sin. (Hebrews 9.26, 28) It was that Lamb who would provide the ever-continuing blood that would wash away the sins of the faithful. (1 John 1.7)
That Lamb would become the gift to the world from a loving Father. The Father would provide the offering just as He did for Abraham, but still different. Isaac was an imperfect man (Romans 3.23), Jesus was perfect. (Hebrews 4.15) Isaac was the son of Abraham (Genesis 21.1-3); Jesus was the Son of God. (John 3.16)
This gift of God was giving unconditionally. The loving Father gave His Son for people who would curse. He gave His Son to people who would reject the gift. (Acts 3.36) The love of the Father was so great He gave. He gave the best He had for sinners. He gave the best He had for a bunch of vain worshipping, God rejecting, created by God people. (Romans 5.6-8)
While you are I were not even a shadow of a shadow of a shadow in our great-great-great grandparent’s lives, God gave. God provided the spotless sacrifice. (1 Peter 1.19) Jesus was that sacrifice for you.
He gave that you might have life. The apostle John records the life acknowledging words of Jesus,
“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
(John 10.10)
Christ came for your life. He not only died for your life, but He rose again for your life and now reigns from the right hand of Almighty God for your life.
God has given the world a book of 66 united books with one theme, the salvation of the souls of the world. Peter writes that God has “given us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (1 Peter 1.3). This word divides our heart and soul. It will cut to the depth of our emotions, our understanding, our thoughts and even our actions.
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
(Hebrews 4.12)
The word is alive. It is alive because there are people living it everyday. The world knows them as faithful Christians. Did you notice I said, “Faithful?” There are some in the world who claim to be Christians, but their lives show otherwise.
The Bible is very clear on those who call themselves Christians. In fact, the Bible gives us a description of Christians in the first use of the word in Acts 11.26,
“And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”
The Physician Luke informs of some of the characteristics that made these people be known as Christians.
1. These people had assembled together a whole year
2. The church was a teaching church
3. They were the disciples
4. Christian means follower of Christ
This group of people meeting together in one place was doing so to serve Christ. They had gathered in His name to do what He had asked be done – teach. (Matthew 28.18-20) They continued to teach according to the timeline given by Christ in Acts 1.8. They had assembled in Jerusalem, then to Judea and Samaria and then to the ends of the earth.
The end of the earth continues with you.
After every Christmas there comes a period of time, where everyone looks around and seems to say, “Now what?” The weeks or even months of anticipation come down to a few minutes of flying wrapping paper and flying bows. As the confusion happens around us, each of us gets caught up in the moment. We look at the face of a young child who waiting so long for that one special present. They have asked and asked and their dream had become a reality.
The “Now What?” after the crucifixion is in your hands. Paul was committed to preaching Christ and Him crucified. (1 Corinthians 2.2) Paul was determined in his teaching to know Christ. (Philippians 3.10) Paul was committed to teaching the knowledge which God allowed Him to have. (2 Corinthians 2.7) Paul did not come to draw the faith of man, but to proclaim that all men need to have faith in God. (2 Corinthians 2.5)
The wisdom of men seeks faith in men. The faithful of the Lord will seek faith in the Almighty. Not in something made with hands, but in the hands that created the world (Genesis 1.1).
They will look to the hands that placed Jesus on that cross. After all, “it pleased the Lord to bruise Him.” (Isaiah 53.10) The Lord made Him our sin offering. (Isaiah 53.6,10) Our sins were on His shoulders. He was our gift. The only true, priceless gift you and I could have was the son of the King.
What have you done with your gift?
What comes after the gifts and the excitement? What comes on December 26th? Did you know December 26th is called “National Whiners Day?”
It is hard to believe that a day after one filled with presents and gifts can be called Whiners Day. Some one would reject a great gift that is free?
I find the words of Paul quite fascinating in Philippians 2.14. Could Paul’s words verse apply to our accepting of the blessings that God has given us? Interesting, if not true.
I know some people who searched all over town and now the internet the past several months for the perfect gift for that special someone.
God did not have to search, He knew. He knew that you needed someone to take your sins away; that is why He sent Christ.
What will you do with your gift?
Just my thoughts,
The Ascending Servant
The next several posts will be a series on the Cross of Christ. The words written were a simple transcript of a message presented. The flow will not be a flow from writing but a flow from speaking. You will see a difference, but notice the message within.
Not only is Joseph of Arimathaea’s tomb empty of the physical body of Christ, but physically, Christ is not here. He is gone. After the miraculous resurrection, He walked for 40 more days upon this earth. (Acts 1.3) It was during that period of time Christ was seen by a great number of witnesses. (1 Corinthians 15.5-8)
It was during those 40 days that Jesus appeared to Thomas. Many times we look at Peter, the apostle with a mouth shaped like his foot and always remember his problems. After all, it was Peter who doubted Jesus while walking to Him on the Sea of Galilee. (Matthew 14.25-33) It was Peter who emphatically denied that he would deny Christ three times. (Matthew 26.34-35) But what about Thomas? Where was Thomas while Peter was in the boat? Thomas was there. (Matthew 14.22) Where was Thomas while Peter was denying Christ? The answer to that question is one in which only three people know – God, Jesus and Thomas.
Where was Thomas when Jesus appeared to the disciples directly after His resurrection? Once again, there are probably only three people who know, God, Jesus and Thomas. What we do know is that Thomas was not there (John 19.24). Look at what Thomas missed, when he missed. He missed the risen Lord. Not only did he miss the risen Lord, but he missed believing in the risen Savior. Thomas doubted, hence the name doubting Thomas.
Even though his trusted companions had seen the risen Savior, Thomas did not believe. (John 20.25) He had to see the holes in Christ’s hand, feet and side, He would not believe. (John 19.25) Where was this man’s mind? His most trusted companions had seen the risen Christ and given him and truthful report, but he would not believe.
It took eight days for Thomas to see the risen Christ. (John 20:26) When Thomas finally got a look at the risen, tangible Christ, he believed. The words of Jesus ring true to the faith of those who have not seen the risen Lord.
“?Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. ?Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.?”
(John 20.29)
Your eyes have not beheld the risen Lord. If so, then you definitely qualify to be on the Willard Scott weather report each day. Our faith leads us to believe because of the evidence given. Your daily walk is by faith. The words of Paul ring true for you every day, “For we walk by faith and not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
During those brief days after his resurrection, Christ encouraged the disciples in a great number of ways. It was during those forty days, in which Christ spoke the words considered the Great Commission,
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ?Go ?therefore and ?make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ?teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am ?with you always, even to the end of the age.?” Amen.
(Matthew 28.18-20)
In Mark’s gospel it reads,
“Go into the entire world and preach the gospel to every creature. ?He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.?”
(Mark 16.15-18)
As you read Luke’s account of the life of Christ, you see more of the overall teaching style of Jesus. You see Jesus using a great amount of parables to teach great truths about the kingdom of God.
After His resurrection, Jesus sat and taught the disciples again. Take for instance, Luke 24.44-48,
“Then He said to them, ?“?These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.?” And ?He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things.”
Did you notice that Christ is referring to Himself? He had to suffer the cross then rise from the dead. It was prophesied many years before. Take a look sometime at Psalm 22 and Hosea 6:2. It was in God’s eternal plan for Christ to die and rise from the dead. In doing so, Christ crushed the poisoned head of the serpent Satan. The death Satan wants no longer has a sting. (1 Corinthians 15.55-56)
The Physician Luke writes two accounts to a man only know to us as Theophilus. (Luke 1.3; Acts 1.1) The first was the details of what Jesus did and taught. (Acts 1.1) At the beginning of the second account to Theophilus, Luke records that Christ was presented “alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs.” (Acts 1.3)
Before His Heavenly flight, Christ gave specific commands to those who were present. He told them not to leave Jerusalem and to wait on the Promise of the Father. (Acts 1.4) The promise of the Father would come upon them and become the shining words with which 3,000 souls who obey the gospel. (Joel 2.28; Acts 2.17-21, 41)
The disciples were still thinking of the restoration of the kingdom to Israel, but God had something greater in store, He was bringing the church.
One of the amazing things about eighth verse in chapter one of Acts is that fact that it is the outline for the entire book of Acts.
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and ??Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The disciples stayed in the city of Jerusalem, then went to Judea, then to Samaria and then to the ends of the Earth.
After given the last of His earthly instructions to the disciples, Christ was taken to heaven to sit at the right hand of God. (Acts 1.9; Psalm 110.1; Mark 16.19) As prophesied many years before (Psalm 110.1), Christ went there. Peter would speak to the death, burial, resurrection and place of Christ on the throne just a few days later as he stood with the eleven and offered what is considered the first gospel sermon. (Acts 2.14-38)
As Christ disappeared into the heavens, one of the most encouraging verses in all the New Testament, in my humble opinion, is mentioned by two men in white apparel, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.?” (Acts 1.11)
Christ will return for a second time for salvation (Hebrews 9.28); that coming will be different from the first. His first coming placed Him on earth to live like a man, but remain perfect, top fulfill the scriptures, die and rise to provide each faithful person the hope of eternal life. Our hope and faithfulness allow us to enjoy the marvelous grace of our living Lord.
Through your faithfulness and your garment of Christ, when He returns you will ascend to the heavens with Him. Whether you are alive or have fallen asleep, you will ascend (1 Thessalonians 4.13-18). If you are not found faithful and a child of His, you will descend to the lake of fire, reserved for those who want to experience the wrath of God. (Revelation 21.8; 2 Thessalonians 1.8, 9)
Will your end be ascension or a descending? My friends, the choice are yours.
Just my thoughts,
Free PowerPoints–Christian Types
Over the past few weeks, I have been taking an Old Testament person and discussing their life while bringing characteristics from their life and making application to the life of Christians.
As you have heard before, the Old Testament was written for our learning (Romans 15.4) and it should be studied to see the power of God as well as the character God wants from His people. These PowerPoints provide a short look into the lives of Isaiah, Esau, Abraham and Lot.
You may view the PowerPoints below. Click through the PowerPoints and you may download them by right-clicking the titles below the viewer.
PowerPoints for Download:
The PowerPoint have been created in Microsoft PowerPoint 2007. If you do not have Microsoft PowerPoint 2007, you may go here to download the viewer.
To save the PowerPoints, right-click on the file name and select “Save As…” then save them to your computer.
- Christian Type #1 – Lot
- Christian Type #2 – Abraham
- Christian Type #3 – Esau
- Christian Type #4 – Ahithophel
- Christian Type #5 – Isaiah
These PowerPoints are to aid you in your studies and presentations. They are not to be a replacement for study. As a minister I know what it is like to cram for a presentation, but do not continually use the outlines and PowerPoints provided as your own. Place your own thoughts and studies into the message.
Just some thoughts,
For more PowerPoints and sermon outlines be sure to check you the PowerPoints./Sermon Outline page. Click here.
Building a Great Congregation
Great congregations do not become great by accident, they become great on purpose. Growing congregations do not grow on accident, they grow on purpose. The purpose of great and growing congregations is clearly defined and clearly determined. Each member knows the purpose and gladly shares it with others.
Take a moment and view the PowerPoint below as well as the sermon outline. You may also listen or download the audio using the streaming player below.
Here is a link to the lesson outline: Click here to view in a new window!
Just some thoughts,
A Shepherd Leads the Sheep
Just because one makes decisions does not make one a leader.
Just because one wears the title of “Leader” does not make one a leader.
Leaders do not take others where they want to go, but they take others where they need to go. In congregations worldwide, leaders are necessary to fulfill the roles that God has designed. God has placed certain roles in the church for men to fill and guide congregations to Heaven. When each role is filled and worked properly, the growth of every congregation is one which cannot be counted.
This lesson considers the role of a physical shepherd in leading the flock and compares that to a spiritual shepherd. Enjoy!
Just some thoughts,
Chris
Podcast Feeds
Some of What I am Reading
I use Elegant Themes
