Hello everyone,
I'm sorry we were not able to worship with you yesterday. When Patricia's dad was admitted to the hospital we felt we needed to get there right away. He has not been well for some time and this latest episode is certainly as bad as it has been of late. He is presently on a ventilator and sedated, but he is improving. Please continue to pray God will strengthen and heal.
I was hoping to begin Acts 17 yesterday and speak about the truth of Christ from Scripture. Not being able to do that I will give you some previews this week as I prepare to, hopefully, share this with you next Sunday.
When we think about the Scriptures and Jesus we most certainly think first of the books of the New Testament. This is the most clear portrait of Christ and should occupy much of our attention. Revelations of Christ are not limited, however, to the New Testament. The Old Testament spoke about the coming Messiah and deliverer of Israel. Passages like Isaiah 52-53, Psalms 2:1-7; 16:8-11; 110:1; 118:22, and Deut. 21:22-23 just to name a few speak very pointedly about Christ. (Note: Christ is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew term Messiah. They both mean the same and connote a title, literally, "anointed one.")
Revelations of Christ from the Old Testament were not always clear to the reader since they had no real historical "hook to hang their hat on," until Jesus came in the flesh. In other words, until Jesus came and the fulfillment of prophecy was pointed out, the people remained in a state of confusion. The NT book of Hebrews, says it this way,
"1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son..." NKJV, Hebrews, chapter 1
An old aphorism says, "The New Testament was in the Old concealed, the Old is in the New revealed." What we discover in the NT was prophesied in the Old but they didn't understand it until in the New unveiled it.
This is important in Acts 17 because we find Paul going into the synagogues and "reasoning" with the Jews there from Scripture. In fact, from Acts 17:1-4 the Bible says he "reasoned," "explained," "demonstrat[ed]," and "preach[ed]," Christ to them from Scriptures. For them the Scriptures were the Old Testament.
I wonder, could we demonstrate Christ to a Jew today from the OT? If not perhaps we should study the OT more so that we can know Him in the fullness of all God reveals about His precious Son.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Divine Appointments
My last post was more than a month ago. I know that's terrible blog etiquette, but hey we survived the holidays and God is still on the throne!
To make this a bit more relevant for me and you I've decided to use this forum to elaborate on my Sunday messages and teaching programs. This will simplify my preparation and hopefully address items you may have already encountered. You can ask questions or post replies here as well of course.
Practically this means that I'm jumping from Joshua to Acts. Think of it like getting the Delorian up to 88 mph and having the flux capacitor shoot us forward from the taking of the promised land under Joshua to the taking of the entire world by Paul and the missionary apostles.
I started preaching through Acts in January of 2010 in a series entitled "Movement of the Spirit." I have all those sermons saved in word. If you would like to read them let me know and I'll send them to you. They are probably recorded here at the church but I can't guarantee that.
In 2011 we went in other directions but now we are back to finish Acts beginning at the end of chapter 15. We will roll on through chapter 28 and take as long as it takes. God has it all planned out, but we'll take it one day at a time.
In that vein I spoke last Sunday about keeping divine appointments. In Acts 16:11-40 Paul has three major encounters all of which result from Paul's obedience to simply go where God led.
The first as the pleasant encounter with Lydia, a God worshipper, who was having a time of prayer on the sabbath. God opened her heart and she received Christ from Paul's witness. She invited them all home for dinner which was great.
The second encounter was not so pleasant. A demon possessed slave girl followed along for several days taunting the missionary team. Paul, annoyed, commanded the demon away in Jesus' name. Of course the demon fled, but the people who profited from this evil had Paul and Silas thrown into prison. No pleasant dinner in someones home on this night. No, instead they received a beating and a night in jail.
The third encounter was with the Philippian jailer. God miraculously set the captives free and the jailer thought he would be put to death upon their escape. The man despaired so greatly he almost took his own life. Instead of making a hasty exit, the missionaries shared the gospel with the man and he was saved. From suicide to salvation, that is the power of Jesus Christ.
God has divine appointments set up for you. They may be pleasant like Lydia, unpleasant like the demon possessed girl, or totally unexpected like the Philippian jailer, but realize God can use them all for His glory.
Our job is to be available for the appointment! You never know what God may do through you!
Will you be available this week? How about today? How about right now? Do it! God has it all set up.
To make this a bit more relevant for me and you I've decided to use this forum to elaborate on my Sunday messages and teaching programs. This will simplify my preparation and hopefully address items you may have already encountered. You can ask questions or post replies here as well of course.
Practically this means that I'm jumping from Joshua to Acts. Think of it like getting the Delorian up to 88 mph and having the flux capacitor shoot us forward from the taking of the promised land under Joshua to the taking of the entire world by Paul and the missionary apostles.
I started preaching through Acts in January of 2010 in a series entitled "Movement of the Spirit." I have all those sermons saved in word. If you would like to read them let me know and I'll send them to you. They are probably recorded here at the church but I can't guarantee that.
In 2011 we went in other directions but now we are back to finish Acts beginning at the end of chapter 15. We will roll on through chapter 28 and take as long as it takes. God has it all planned out, but we'll take it one day at a time.
In that vein I spoke last Sunday about keeping divine appointments. In Acts 16:11-40 Paul has three major encounters all of which result from Paul's obedience to simply go where God led.
The first as the pleasant encounter with Lydia, a God worshipper, who was having a time of prayer on the sabbath. God opened her heart and she received Christ from Paul's witness. She invited them all home for dinner which was great.
The second encounter was not so pleasant. A demon possessed slave girl followed along for several days taunting the missionary team. Paul, annoyed, commanded the demon away in Jesus' name. Of course the demon fled, but the people who profited from this evil had Paul and Silas thrown into prison. No pleasant dinner in someones home on this night. No, instead they received a beating and a night in jail.
The third encounter was with the Philippian jailer. God miraculously set the captives free and the jailer thought he would be put to death upon their escape. The man despaired so greatly he almost took his own life. Instead of making a hasty exit, the missionaries shared the gospel with the man and he was saved. From suicide to salvation, that is the power of Jesus Christ.
God has divine appointments set up for you. They may be pleasant like Lydia, unpleasant like the demon possessed girl, or totally unexpected like the Philippian jailer, but realize God can use them all for His glory.
Our job is to be available for the appointment! You never know what God may do through you!
Will you be available this week? How about today? How about right now? Do it! God has it all set up.
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