Solomon's Temple

 Solomon Built the Temple

 Book of 1 Kings 5 and 6

 One of the most important things we need to complete any building project successfully is to be committed to it.

 We can accept the fact that King Solomon had little if any construction skills, but he now had great wisdom in all things.

 What Solomon had was a humble spirit and he sought the Lord for His help.

 The next thing that is needed is preparation.

 Site preparation must be properly taken care of, and it begins with following the Word of God.

Then you must own the property you are building upon.

David first bought the threshing floor of Araunah:

2Sa_24:18  And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.

2Sa_24:21  And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.

2Sa_24:24  And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

Then David bought the entire area around the threshing floor.

1Ch 21:24  And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost. 

1Ch 21:25  So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight. 

There should be no doubt who the Temple Mount belongs to.

 Remember it was God who gave the dimensions and the details of this Temple to David mphasizing a solid foundation.

 Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Luk 6:47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

Luk 6:48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

Luk 6:49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

 King Solomon needed to be obedient to the Lord just as we all should be today!

 This new Temple was to be a House of the Lord for the Lord's people to worship Him.

 This had been a dream of his father David for many years, and Solomon was committed to seeing it succeed.

 Solomon's most important task was to seek the Lord!

 *****1Ki 5:2 And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying,

1Ki 5:3 Thou knowest how that David my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.

1Ki 5:4 But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.

 King Hiram and King David had been great friends, and his son Huram wanted the same relationship with King Solomon.

In fact, this King Hiram had told his own son about the great God of Israel even though he was pagan and worshipped his own gods.

 We should understand that God would not allow David to build this Temple of Worship because it would have sent the wrong message.

 It would be like religions such as the Muslim who are forced to seek Mohammed and can never leave that religion with the threat of death if they do.

 There is no personal relationship because there is no Allah.

 Just as important, because David was protecting the cause of Israel in great battles with the enemies that surrounded Israel and he certainly did not have time to make such a commitment as Solomon was saying to Huram.

 Israel was at peace all the time of King Solomon and he maintained a strong military presence in the regions.

 To David God said: 22:8 But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.

 This king of Tyre understood these things Solomon was saying.

 When the Lord forbids us to do something He is serious about it!

 King David had made this entire area to be at peace because of his conquest.

 We could say that Israel was the honcho nation during the time of King Solomon.

 Solomon said he had no adversaries nor was there any occurrence of rebellion to his rule.

 In fact, the nation of Israel was very prosperous in the days of King Solomon.

 We know that David spent time training Solomon.

 It was Solomon who wrote the Book of Proverbs so we can see what he wrote about his father.

 Pro 4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

Pro 4:2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

Pro 4:3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother.

Pro 4:4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.

Pro 4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

Pro 4:6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.

Pro 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

 David did everything in his power to smooth the way of Solomon.

 David drew up the plans for the Temple according to the plans God had given to him:

 1Ch 28:11 Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat,

1Ch 28:12 And the pattern of all that he had by the spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries of the dedicated things:

 David gave Solomon the funds to build the Temple:

 1Ch 28:14 He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service; silver also for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service:

 David told Solomon that the plans for the Temple came from Jehovah:

 1Ch 28:19 All this, said David, the LORD made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.

 And again, David encouraged his son:

 1Ch 28:20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.

 We can see that Solomon was a good student!

 Solomon began to understand what his father was saying.

 *****1Ki 5:5 And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto my name.

1Ki 5:6 Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.

 Solomon was committed to building the Temple his father David desired.

 Solomon sought to honor the Lord by building a house of worship for the people of Israel.

 If we do not learn anything else, we need to know that there needs to be a place to worship the Lord!

 There needs to be set times so we can all gather together to encourage one another.

 We will need to deal with this lost world.

 Solomon renewed the relationship between Israel and Tyre which was Phoenicia and Solomon sought to establish a trade agreement between the two nations, and he did.

 Solomon sought workers with skills that Israel did not know at this time.

 Notice Solomon did not open the borders of Israel to just anybody, but Israel had a need for skilled laborers.

 This should be a lesson for our nation.

 Solomon knew he had no excuse to delay this work for the Lord and Israel.

 When God calls us for a task it is time to say yes and get busy!

 We need to yield to the call of God without hesitation.

 The Bible explains this request to Huram from Solomon better in Second Chronicles:

 2Ch 2:4 Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.

2Ch 2:5 And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods.

2Ch 2:6 But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?

2Ch 2:7 Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that can skill to grave with the cunning men that are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.

2Ch 2:8 Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants,

2Ch 2:9 Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great.

2Ch 2:10 And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.

2Ch 2:11 Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because the LORD hath loved his people, he hath made thee king over them.

 We must realize that God cannot be contained in any nation but that God is bigger than our little world but He is also small enough to come into our hearts.

 God has a purpose for each of us and God is still building upon His Church!

 King Hiram agreed with Solomon and a pact was made between the two nations.

 *****1Ki 5:10 So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire.

1Ki 5:11 And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon to Hiram year by year.

 We see that Hiram gave this timber to Solomon and Solomon provided the food to feed these men while the work was taking place.

 We can better understand that Solomon asked for cedar trees, fir trees which means cypress, and other timber that was long-lasting.

 Solomon also needed an architect.

 Hiram was glad to provide the things that Solomon requested.

 We should not be confused the Phoenicians were Pagans.

 These cities existed before Israel came into the Promised Land in most cases they worshipped Baal.

 Baal means lord but he is identified with the false god Molech where children were sacrificed on his blazing arms.

 Baal was also known as the Sun god and there are Pyramids and High places all around the world where Baal the Sun god was worshipped along with the Moon god, and they are still worshipped today under different names.

 This is the reason most of these nations no longer exist today.

 Hiram’s servants would cut the timber from the forest in Lebanon. Transport it to the Mediterranean Sea, form it into rafts, and guide it through the waters to the Sea Port of Joppa.

 Tyre was over fifty miles from Joppa and Joppa was around thirty miles from Jerusalem.

 This was no easy task we know because we have the problems our own military had in the Mediterranian Sea.

The Phoenicians were the masters of the sea in that day.

 2Ch 2:8 Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants,

2Ch 2:9 Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be wonderful great.

2Ch 2:10 And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.

 Both men kept their agreements, and Solomon paid the wages of all these workers to make it worth their while.

 Our lesson here is that we must do everything we can to seek peace and preserve peace throughout society without compromising the Word of God.

 We need to make peace in our homes.

We need to make peace in our schools.

We need to make peace in our workplaces.

We need to treat everyone fair as we know our Lord Jesus did.

We should have peace in our Churches, we have the same Word of God. We do not need opinions, likes, dislikes, complaints, or murmurers among our members. Again, we have the same Word of God.

We should have peace in our government whose goal should be to take care of its people and protect our nation.

 The word peace is used 429 times in the KJV Bible so peace is important to God, but may not always be possible.

 Rom_12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

 There were also workers with stone at this same time.

 1Ki 5:18 And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew them, and the stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.

 This stone cutting was started before the death of King David, and it was time consuming.

 David also began gathering many of the supplies needed for the Temple.

 1Ch 22:2 And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God.

1Ch 22:3 And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without weight;

1Ch 22:4 Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David.

1Ch 22:5 And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the LORD must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.

 The Splendor of what is called Solomon's Temple began to come to life.

 Work began in the fourth year of Solomon's reign.

 We can see this was a major undertaking with the tools that were available on that day.

 In fact, many of those large stones and the cutting of them is not really understood today how they were able to do such things with just manual labor.

 These stones were cut, squared, shaped, and dressed to fit together perfectly without mortar.

 Our lesson is no matter what we do for the Lord, do it right while also making a contribution to society.

  *****1Ki 6:12 Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:

1Ki 6:13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.

1Ki 6:14 So Solomon built the house, and finished it.

 It had been four hundred and eighty years since a group of slaves led by Moses, had left Egypt searching for the land promised to Abraham.

 This would have been around 966 BC, so the Hebrews left Egypt around 1446 BC.

 All the materials were assembled in Jerusalem on the Temple Mount without the use of construction hand tools axes and hammers and such tool made of iron.

 1Ki 6:7 And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.

 1Ki 6:9 So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.

 Then God gave Solomon a challenge and a promise.

 It appears to me as I read this that the stonework was first completed and then the Temple was covered with lumber and this lumber was gold plated.

 1Ki 6:22 And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished all the house: also the whole altar that was by the oracle he overlaid with gold.

 In the end, God said this was a worldly sanctuary and cannot compare to our Heavenly sanctuary.

 Heb 9:1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

 Heb 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

 Any place of worship today simply means God is identifying with His people so it becomes a House of God.

 God is certainly "gracious" but this does not mean it is a light thing to come into the presence of the Lord.

 We should be reverent in the House of God and God will show up.

 Today the body of each believer becomes the House of God and we are to honor the name of the Lord who dwells within us at all times and not just while we are in His House of worship.

 Those large stones teach us of a solid foundation which is in Christ Jesus.

 If our lives are not built upon Jesus Christ we are doomed to destruction.

 Without Jesus Christ, we are separated from God and doomed!

 Without God, there is no hope, not in this world or the next!

 We should also understand that just being in a Church building is not enough. God only looks upon those with a pure heart as we saw in last week's lesson.

 A wicked person entering a church building is still a person with a wicked heart and will remain that way until they claim the Lord Jesus Christ and repent of their old life.

 Many today do not want to repent but maintain their sinful ways and sin is according to the Word of God and not public opinion.

 God created us to have fellowship with Him, but He cannot look upon sin and, in His wisdom, He sent the Lord Jesus to pay our sin debt and if we accept this fact then God will deal with us His own children!

 God gave us free will to decide this on our own!

 Amen

Grace is Still the Way to Heaven

 Danger of a Different Gospel

 Book of Galatians Chapter 1

 The people native to Galatia were emotional, impulsive, and changeable people.

 They were fickle, impetuous, arguing, loud, boastful, and immoral people.

 They had a love for the strange, the curiosities, and the unknown.

 They were attached to a false religion that was a worship of nature, and these types of people are all over the world today, nature lovers.

 Galatia was an area that had a heavy population of Jews who were staunch in the religion of Judaism.

 There were also many Greeks who had a strong Hellenistic influence.

 Hellenists were normal people who spoke the Greek language.

 Some Jews were also called Hellenists because they had settled in foreign countries and had adopted the prevalent form of Greek civilization.

 Act 6:1  And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. 

Another verse says.

 Act 9:29  And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

 These were Jews who had become Greeks in their beliefs.

 We can also find them at the first Church in Antioch.

 Act 11:20  And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus.

 Some of these were also true Greeks who had become proselytes of Judaism.

 We can see that Paul knew beforehand that planting a Church in Galatia would be no easy task.

 It is only the Gospel that has such power of conversion because it is the truth!

 The message of the Book of Galatians will pierce the heart of any generation.

 The message of the Book of Galatians will also stir Christians to action if we understand its message.

 *****Gal 1:1  Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) 

 Notice Paul immediately establishes that he is an Apostle of Jesus Christ and God the Father who had raised the Lord Jesus from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 Paul introduces Galatia to the triune God.

 What was Paul's commission?

 John 20:21  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

 What is the Great Commission?

 Mar 16:15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 

Mar 16:16  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 

 The phrase "and is baptized” simply means "making a public profession of faith".

 We can add this commission as Paul saw it.

 2Ti 4:1  I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 

2Ti 4:2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 

2Ti 4:3  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 

2Ti 4:4  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 

2Ti 4:5  But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. 

And Paul continued.

2Ti 4:7  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 

 This message of Paul extends to every man called by God to preach.

 Next Paul tells us who gave him his commission:

 (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) 

 Paul states that no man gave him this commission but the Lord Jesus Christ Himself after God the Father had raised Him from the dead.

There would have been no need to preach a Gospel if God the Father had not raised Jesus from the dead!

 We serve a living Savior!

Our God is alive because He is the Almighty Living God.

 What did God tell Moses?

 Exo 34:5  And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. 

Exo 34:6  And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 

Exo 34:7  Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

 This is the God who we serve!

But notice if ignore this God that Moses saw, then we more than likely send our children, our grandchildren, and our great-grandchildren to Hell also.

 If that man standing behind the pulpit of any church does not have the same calling as the Apostle Paul, then he does not deserve to be called pastor, preacher, evangelist, or any name associated with the calling of Jesus Christ!

 These Galatians needed to understand this as well as those who were once Jews.

 Some are called by the Holy Spirit to be Preachers, Pastors, Evangelists, and Missionaries for sure, but every child of God also has a commission given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 

 Mar 5:19  Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. 

 Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 

Col 1:28  Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 

Col 1:29  Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. 

 There should not be any doubt that we are all called to be witnesses for the Lord our Savior, Jesus Christ, God's Messiah.

 It was a painful moment when Paul first became aware that some counterfeit preachers, who were Judaizers, questioned the validity of his calling, but Paul was strong in the Lord and full of the Holy Spirit.

 How can a counterfeit preacher judge anybody’s calling, but they do because they belong to the true counterfeit Satan?

 It was they who had no calling at all except for Satan's calling.

 *****Gal 1:2  And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: 

 The Preacher of God must be recognized as the Lord's man by all Christian believers!

 Paul was not alone; he had some Christian believers with him who agreed with everything Paul preached.

 Timothy and Titus were probably part of those with Paul and there were others.

 Paul knew that there was safety in numbers.

 Paul never forgot that He was a member of the Church.

 Paul spoke out to the Churches of Galatia with not a word of praise or privilege.

 All the other Churches, even the Corinthians received a kinder salutation because they had not "erred concerning the faith" as had these Galatians.

 The word Church was used for:

 1) A body of believers, "the entire congregation of Christian people dispersed throughout the world".

 Paul was not the only one who was spreading the Gospel at this time, Paul was the one who was writing the Bible as the Holy Spirit led Him.

 Mat 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon "this rock" I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 

 2) The word Church could also mean a particular congregation under the same ministry of God's Word.

 1Co 16:1  Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 

 3) The word Church is also used for those who assemble in one Church to worship the Lord Jesus Christ.

 1Co 14:28  But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. 

 It should also be very clear that all around the world some gather together to worship some god, but not the Lord Jesus Christ, they are not part of the Church, and neither should they be called a Church.

 The news sources have a field day when every building they see where people gather is called a church when this is not true.

 If we are not the brothers and sisters of the Lord Jesus Christ, then we are not part of the Church!

 If we are not in unity with the Word of God, we are not part of the Church!

 True brothers and sisters in Christ have a deep rich bond and relationship when that bond is with Jesus Christ.

 We should be clear when we attack the preacher who preaches the truth of Jesus Christ, and then we have given up our privileges in the Church.

 It is the Word of God, the entire Word of God, from a legitimate translation of the original Scriptures, that the Church is based upon and there are no additions, and it cannot be modernized because if God gave a new Word today it would be a replica of the Word, He has already given to us.

 There are no errors in the true Word of God!

 The Word of God is true in every generation and the Word of God will be here when most all the world is gone.

 The Word of God is alive.

 1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 

1Pe 2:10  Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. 

 A true Christian will defend every other Christian and come to the aid of brothers and sisters when they are attacked when they are declaring the truth of God.

 And then came Grace.

 *****Gal 1:3  Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 

 To be sure there would be no Church and no believers without there being first the Grace of God!

 Act_20:24  But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

 2Co_13:14  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

 This verse perfectly describes the true Christian!

 It is Grace that is the gift of God!

 Eph_2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

 Tit_2:11  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

 It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the person who came by Grace, He is the living picture of God's grace!

 It is because of the Grace of God that we can find peace in this world!

 Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 

 Act 15:11  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. 

 There should be no doubt that we are saved by the "Grace of God"!

 That grace comes to us in the form of the Lord Jesus Christ!

 *****Gal 1:4  Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

Gal 1:5  To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

 Here is another place where we can see the will of God! 

It is the Will of God that we be delivered from this present evil world.

 It is the will of God that we are delivered from sin, and this was done by the sacrifice of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus, God's Messiah.

 We cannot talk about being pardoned without mentioning the atoning death of Jesus Christ.

We cannot talk about justification without mentioning the atoning death of Jesus Christ.

We cannot talk about the acceptance of God without mentioning the atoning death of Jesus Christ.

We cannot talk about eternal life without mentioning the atoning death of Jesus Christ.

We cannot talk about salvation without mentioning the atoning death of Jesus Christ.

We cannot talk about God's "Grace" without mentioning the atoning death of Jesus Christ!

 Our salvation depends upon the voluntary act of Jesus, our blessed Lord, to "reconcile" His Heavenly Father to us and to be a sacrifice, not only for our guilt but also for all the actual sins of all mankind.

 Oh, What a Savior!

 The Father gave a Son. The Son gave Himself!

 The Lord Jesus did not merely denounce our sins, this would have been a mockery, Moses and all the Prophets had already done this.

 His death was for our sins!

 This was the Job of Paul and every preacher since Paul, to explain the difference!

 Many have failed to make this clear.

 The Lord Jesus had the power to die for our sins and He had the power to resurrect from that death.

 The Lord Jesus gave Himself for us because we needed to be washed in his blood!

 Rom 3:24  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 

Rom 3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 

 To God be the Glory forever and ever. Amen

 When the world looks up to that glorious nighttime sky, most of them take no notice of it because they believe it happened by accident, but if you really look, you have to see the Glory of God.

 God the Father does little things all the time and He always has, but they go unnoticed, but when God the Father does something big, He wants all the world to take notice.

 God wanted all the world to see the truth of His Son Jesus!

 Our Heavenly Father did these things that He might deliver us from sin and this present evil world!

 The world was evil in the days of Jesus, and it has gotten very much worse today, but for those who believe in the truth of God, our sins have been paid for we are sin-free.

 Paul said all these things to cause these churches at Galatia to remember that they were saved by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that there is no other gospel, period.

 *****Gal 1:6  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Gal 1:7  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

 When we need to be praising God, we see America going against the Word of God because people have forgotten the truth of God which says we are to "love one another".

 What is wrong with America?

 2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 

2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

 Before we get to verse six, we see that Paul has presented the truth of the Gospel in the previous verses.

 We just cannot afford to allow false teachers into the Church!

 There is no other Gospel than the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!

 When any church departs from the faith, they are no longer a church, they are just a group of people gathering together for no means except to fall into Satan's trap!

 After learning the truth of the gospel by the grace of God, Judaizers had come and given them a false gospel which was not the Gospel.

 God loves us so much that He has provided a way for us to become righteous and acceptable to Him and this is the only way.

 There will never be another way to get to Heaven than going through the Lord Jesus Christ and there are still thousands of people who think there is another way.

 This is the only way God has shown His love to us where it is meaningful.

 We cannot be justified in any other way than by the grace of God than comes by the Lord Jesus Christ

 God will still love us when He sends us to Hell, but He has to judge sin!

 Martin Luther said, "From Christ who called you in grace".

 Grace is the Lord's free and unmerited favor and goodness, as opposed to all notions of salvation by moral or ceremonial righteousness.

 The person who turns away from the Gospel is not turning away from a set of beliefs or principles, nor a church.

 That person has turned away from God who sent His love to that person.

 John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

John 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 

John 3:18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

 We cannot throw away this scripture and then say we are saved!

 *****Gal 1:8  But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 

Gal 1:9  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 

 Sometimes that false teacher only has to add a little addition or leave out a little truth and it becomes a false Gospel.

 It is the same as some teacher intentionally subtracting a truth of the Gospel.

 Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 

 I think this is the teaching that is going on in many so-called churches today.

 It is evident what God feels about these teachers, they will be accursed.

 Accursed means separated from the will of God who they are separated from, and suffering even more than the Lost on "Judgment Day"!

 You have to ask yourself why anyone would do such a thing, and the only answer is the Devil.

 2Co_11:14  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

 Anyone preaching a false Gospel is one of Satan's demons or Satan himself.

 We must understand that the "Gospel" is more important than the Apostle Paul even though the Apostle Paul was probably the greatest Christian who has ever lived.

 The "Gospel" is greater than all the angels in Heaven. Even if an angel came from Heaven and preached another Gospel, we would have to reject him.

 The "Gospel" is greater than any man who has walked upon this earth and any man who does so in the future.

The truth of the "Gospel" is settled and cannot be changed here or in Heaven!

 The preachers of any false gospel are doubly cursed. This means they will be sent to the hottest part of Hell!

 *****Gal 1:10  For do I now persuade men or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. 

The Judaizers came into the churches of Galatia suggesting that Paul preached only one side of the Gospel and there was room for their false preaching, which was the Laws of Moses.

This is the same thing going on today where the false church is told that there is more than one way to get to Heaven.

Paul taught that there is no Gospel other than what they had heard from him, which is the truth.

There can only be one truth!

These are the same questions we ask ourselves today!

We should ask ourselves; "What has been the effect of the Gospel on my life"?

"Have I been redeemed" out of this world, a world that will pass away, into a place that is supposed to be the grandest of all places?

Do I live according to the will of my Heavenly Father?

Paul asked himself if he was to satisfy men or to satisfy God.

Paul came to the conclusion that if he indeed pleased men who had not heard the Gospel then he would not be a servant of Jesus Christ.

We can learn so much from the actions of the Apostle Paul!

John and Peter came to the same conclusion.

Act 4:19  But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 

Act 4:20  For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. 

1Th 2:4  But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. 

It is the same with our own Pastor Preacher Sam.

It is His job to preach the truth of the Gospel even if we do not like the message!

We must understand that the Gospel has some hard truths.

The Lord Jesus asks us to put our faith in a man we have never seen who claims to be God when the world at that time killed because they said He was a fake.

Jesus asks us to believe in a place that we cannot even imagine the glory of.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians;

1Co 13:9  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 

1Co 13:10  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 

1Co 13:11  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 

1Co 13:12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 

1Co 13:13  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.   

Which is a love greater than just being affectionate, it is closer God’s love

I do not believe Paul was a self-made man of God,

I do not believe that Paul used the Gospel as a way for an income.

I do believe Paul sought to please God and not man.

I do believe Paul proclaimed the true Gospel.

I do believe that Paul had a radical change of life.

Our goal must be to be more like Jesus, and this begins just as soon as we accept Him as our Savior.

Php_3:21  Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

What is the Gospel truth?

1Pe 1:18  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 

1Pe 1:19  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 

1Pe 1:20  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 

1Pe 1:21  Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. 

So, it boils down to faith!

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. 

Paul admitted that once he was a man-pleaser, a time when he sought the approval of man for his actions.

Paul now said because the Gospel had changed him, he no longer sought the approval of man but the approval of God.

Paul said honor, position, and wealth were no longer important to him.

Paul now wanted one thing and one thing only: the favor and the approval of God!

2Co_5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Amen

Son of God

The Son of God

Book of John Chapter 5

We as Christians sometimes forget why Jesus did all the things that He did.

We sometimes make Him small when He is Great.

We sometimes forget the reason that Jesus Christ was upon this earth.

Jesus Christ was led to do all the things He did because of the love of our Father in Heaven!

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

This is why Jesus did all the things He did when He was upon this place called Earth.

There was this great pool of water called Bethesda and at certain times of the year an Angel would stir up the waters and the first one who entered the water after seeing this would be healed of their infirmities or we would say disease.

This sounds like a wonderful place and a great thing for those who were sick or lame, but it was not a fair place!

Those who were truly in need could not get to the water because of those with stumped toes or more simple things that maybe would have healed on their own would step over them to be the first to get in the water.

We can doubt that such a pool existed but then we would be rejecting the written Word of God.

Even today Christians are much the same. Those who truly have need of our Pastor sometimes do not get the attention they need because someone with a minor problem had taken the time of our Pastor and he could not get to where he needed to be.

Jesus knew what was going on and there was this one man who had been trying to get in the waters of Bethesda for 38 years and he would have never made it even if he lived to be 100 years old.

His chances decreased with every passing year, but God sent His Son into this world to make some changes to this world.

One of the many things that Jesus does every day is that He provides opportunities for a changed life!

If we understand the Words of Christ, it seems that this man was in the condition, he was in, because of the sin in his life.

You want to know the truth, all those that doubt the truth of Jesus Christ and deny His Deity are taking a stand with those who were His murderers.

When we doubt the Word of God we are calling God a liar, so do it to His face and quit hiding behind social issues.

*****Joh 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

We should realize that many of the ailments we have late in our life are due to the sin in our life or that was in our earlier life before we invited the Lord Jesus Christ into our hearts.

By this time this man who was healed by the hand of the Lord had taken his bed home and in doing so was confronted by certain Jews who were probably Pharisees scolding him for doing this work on the Sabbath.

What was the law of God?

Exo 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Exo 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

Exo 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

Exo 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

The truth is, what we must observe is that our Righteous God has holy and righteous standards and we should try our best to observe those standards every day!

We begin to understand these things when we allow the Holy Ghost free will in our lives!

The very same God that gave us these wonderful commandments was the very same God who healed this man who had suffered for 38 years and the very same God who told him to pick up his bed and walk.

Which command are we to follow? Both.

It was sin that had brought this bad health to this man. This man was healed, and that sin was forgiven.

It was not sin for him to pick up his bed and take it home because it was not work by which he would be paid to do. He was taking care of a piece of personal property but more than that he was obeying the Word of Jesus Christ.

Jesus says it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath!

Luk 6:9 Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?

Since the Lord Jesus Christ went about doing good 7 days each week, we should know that it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath, on Sunday and on every other day of the week.

By this same line of thought, it is not lawful to do bad things on the Sabbath or any other day of the week and certainly never lawful to destroy a life on the Sabbath.

Which means animals had to be fed and watered.

Which means animals had to be milked.

Which means the sick had to be cared for.

Which means children had to be cared for.

Which means the people had to be fed even though fasting was also encouraged.

To the Jew, this Sabbath would begin Friday at 6 PM and last through Saturday until 6 PM.

The seventh day of the week to the Christian is Sunday, which is the Lord's Day to be observed by the Church and it should be obvious that we are to take note of what God has said here.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

These are not things open for discussion, they are settled by the Word of God.

In fact the Word of God is not open for discussion or for a vote, the Word of God is settled in Heaven and this is all we need to know!

God rested on the seventh day showing us that our own bodies need physical rest and Spiritual fulfillment(Worship) at least one day of the week and as time passes and we see this world getting worse then we are to gather more often to worship the Lord and not less often.

Heb_10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Many modern so-called places of worship have abandoned the Wednesday night service and also the Sunday evening service ignoring Hebrews 10:25.

There may be some real reasons in some nations but not in America.

Before we worry about the Sabbath or the Sunday worship service, we should concentrate on the more important things in the Scriptures.

The Jews choose the Sabbath or Saturday and they are right. They follow the laws given specifically to the Jews by Moses.

The Church chooses Sunday, the first day of the week, the Lord's Day(Day of Resurrection) and the Church is right.

Rev_1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.

When we have been made whole by the Lord Jesus Christ then we should put forth the effort to sin no more!

Before we go any further let’s look at this word Jews.

1) There was the Jews, the race of the people of Judah and then all of Israel.

2) There were Jews, who were the hard line observers of the Law(legalism) and these same Jews rejected all things of Jesus Christ the Son of God. These were the same ones who in their customs and manners despised, persecuted, and hated all those who did not follow the written and the oral(tradition) laws of Moses.

*****Joh 5:15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

Joh 5:16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

We may not understand it, but it was a very serious matter to break the laws of the Sabbath and this man, having never met anyone like Jesus did not realize the harm it would cause to tell these supposed men of God about what Jesus had done and then point Him out to these hypocrites dressed as the men of God.

In this day the people could not travel but for a short distance, they could not cook or even draw water and certainly not open their businesses on the Sabbath.

Even a doctor could not make any attempt to heal unless that life was at stake.

A person could not even be caught thinking about his work for the next day!

Those that broke the Sabbath Law could be put to death by stoning.

These things may seem to be ridiculous to us today but after the return of the Jews from Babylon it was the commands of God that had kept this nation together.

Ezra had brought them back to the Word of God from which they had strayed. This tiny nation had been dominated by many nations over the years and at this time they were under the tyranny of Rome and the Jewish leaders had not followed in the lines of David or Solomon.

Herod was just as much their enemy as was Rome. Herod was a descendant of Ishmael.

The High Priests were selected by how much they could bribe Herod or the Roman rulers.

God had not spoken to these people by a prophet for 400 years until John the Baptist.

It was now only their God, Jehovah, that was the force that kept them together as a nation of Jews.

They refused to be swallowed up by the other nations and demanded that Jews marry other Jews to keep their national structure in place.

They were beginning to realize that Jesus had a whole new line of thought that included not only Jews, not only sinners, not only Gentiles, but also mixed marriages such as the Samaritans.

They had decided that Jesus was just some evil man using sorcery to control the people and work miracles by the power of Satan.

The religious leaders other than those appointed by Herod, were very concerned about this man named Jesus, claiming to be the Messiah.

They rejected God's way of righteousness.

They rejected God's Messiah.

They rejected the Son of God because they rejected the Word of God!

They allowed tradition and ritual, ceremony and rules, to become more important than meeting the basic needs of human life.

The truth of Jesus Christ was about to expose their error and they simply could not allow God's Messiah to change any of these things!

After all they held an office of prestige without God's involvement or so they thought.

The ordinary Jewish man of God and Jewish patriot needed to be released from all these things!

The Lord Jesus Christ brought something new and they rejected it!

1Co 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

1Co 11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

2Co_3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Just as what happens to that "Born Again" child of God, we must be liberated from the claws of Satan, so we can be saved.

These Jews needed this same liberation from their own religion before they could be saved but they refused to allow this to happen.

They were bound by the laws they had written themselves and they could not keep themselves and they just could not see it.

Joh 7:19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?

Joh 7:20 The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?

Joh 7:21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.

Joh 7:22 Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.

Joh 7:23 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?

How did Jesus answer these accusations?

*****Joh 5:17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

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

There is little doubt that Jesus was saying that He was the Son of God and the Jewish Messiah!

We should all give this same answer, when asked.

God our Father is truly working every day to complete His plan of salvation, but we must not forget that God uses humans to do those things for Him.

Therefore since our Father is at work to complete the promises He has made to us, we should be at work doing the things He has called upon us to do! It is just that simple!

The Lord Jesus Christ is certainly the same as God, but in His ways while He was upon this earth, He is also our example of what we should be!

We cannot be Christian and reject the ways of Jesus Christ!

We cannot be Christian and reject any part of the Word of God!

We cannot be Christian and reject the Will of the Holy Spirit who abides within each Christian!

Jesus Christ speaks with authority because He is the Author of the Word of God and the Author of our salvation.

Heb_12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The truth is when we are approached by Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, we must make a choice. We either accept what Jesus says or we reject Him as just some man.

Either way the choice we make is a choice about life! This opportunity might never come again!

And we must remember that these things Jesus did on the Sabbath did not change the truth of the Scriptures.

Jesus obeyed all the Laws of Moses but Jewish traditions are not part of God's Law!

The Lord said we needed one day each week to rest our bodies and worship the Lord.

The truth is, it is OK to do good things on the day of worship but again we must not just be trying to avoid Church!

Just because the world runs 24/7 does not mean God's people are supposed to.

Some do, because it means life or death. Others do it to make more money and miss the worship service for the wrong reasons.

When we get on up in years, we realize why the Lord said we need to rest one day each week!

Let us not forget Jesus, The Messiah is truly the God of the Bible!

We must also not forget that the theme of this piece of Scripture is "Obedience".

*****Joh 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Jesus Christ cannot do anything differently from the Father, because they are the same person! We can say the same thing of the Holy Spirit(Ghost).

There is only one time there was any separation at all and it was when the Lord Jesus took on all the sin of the world, past, present and future.

Mar_15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

This onetime, Jesus said "my God" and not "My Father"!

Jesus did this in obedience to the Father and momentarily the human side of Jesus gave up the Ghost and He had already said no one could take His life and if He gave it up He would then take it back up again!

It could be said that the Father shows, the Son sees, and the Father purposes, and the Son executes.

Joh 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

Joh 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

This is the relationship our Father in Heaven is seeking from each of us!

*****Joh 5:20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

Joh 5:21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

Joh 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

Joh 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

Our Holy Father in Heaven is seeking those who will be obedient to Him, not out of fear but out of Love!

There was never one moment that the Father did not love the Son, the Father just cannot look upon sin!

The Father has the power to give life and so the Son will give life to all those that He chooses to do so!

The Lord Jesus cannot be constrained nor restrained from doing as He pleases!

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

No matter what the world says it is the Lord Jesus Christ who will judge this world at a time that He so chooses!

Jesus has already given us an approximate time when we will return to begin all these things and we are command to be watching for Him!

It is because we all are commanded to honor the Lord Jesus Christ that He will be the "Judge" of this world!

1Jn 2:21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

1Jn 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

1Jn 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

1Jn 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

The truth means nothing if we do not abide in the truth!

*****Joh 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Again Jesus says that it is very important that we understand these things just as it was very important that those Jews understood all these things!

It is wondrous knowledge to know that our soul will never see death!

We know that Jesus came to save all those who are lost.

Salvation can only come the hearing of His Word and applying those words to our life. It takes commitment and obedience to do this thing!

People will tell you that there are many ways to do this, but this cannot be true because we must do exactly as Jesus says. There is no other way!

Those that think there is another way to get to Heaven are worshiping a false god!

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

Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

Those that disagree with what Jesus says here will never get to God's Heaven but those that do have faith in what Jesus says, will live eternally in God's Heaven or I should say in God's New Heaven!

Joh 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

It should be obvious that this is a choice that we make for ourselves! God has already made His choice and God has already told us what He is going to do!

We must believe that God has sent His Son into this world to save those that truly believe what God says!

Amen.

Let's Pray!

Christ Crucified

The Certainty Of Christ's Crucifixion

Book of Luke 23:26-56


Crucifixion was a mode of capitol punishment used by Rome in the time of Jesus but was not used by the Jews.

The Jews used capitol punishment but they used the sword and stoning for the most part.

Crucifying was regarded as the most horrible of deaths by the Jews and was a greater horror for the curse of God.

Deu 21:22  And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:
Deu 21:23  His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

Notice the first rule was that they be worthy of death!

**Crucifixion always began first by a scourging.

The difference in Jesus case was that He was scourged before He was even sentenced!

**Then the condemned had to carry his own cross to the place of execution which would be outside the city but in full view of those who entered into the city.

Before they were nailed to that cross, they would be given  a cup of vinegar with medication mixed of gall and myrrh to deaden the pain but we know that Jesus rejected this this cup.

God will never go against His Word about alcohol or drugs!

Mat 27:34  They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

**It was then that the nails were driven into the body.

Jesus felt every hit of the hammer that drove those nails.

All the accounts of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ are in accordance with the customs and the practices of Rome.

**It is a fact that the Lord Jesus Christ died of a broken heart, a ruptured heart which is why we see the blood and the water from the soldiers spear.

Joh 19:33  But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:
Joh 19:34  But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

The truth is that the Lord Jesus Christ clearly understood from the beginning that He had come into this world to die on the cross and He was fully prepared and had joy in giving His life so that we could be saved!

Joh 12:27  Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Let's begin:

*****Luk 23:26  And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.

Again we should realize that everything that Christ did had a purpose.

It was not some accident that Simon just happen to be passing Jesus at that time.

It was not some accident that Jesus felt the pressure of the cross at that time.

The truth is, that the trials of this life come when we least expect them.

The cross that we are to bear in this life is usually laid upon us at an unexpected time and in an unexpected place.

We often think of Christ bearing the cross for our sin and that is so true, but here we see a sinner bearing the cross for Jesus Christ.

It is that close personal relationship that Jesus is seeking with each and everyone of us.

It is a beautiful thought that our own cross borne for Jesus Christ is borne with Jesus Christ!

Jesus wanted us all to know He is involved with us in a very personal relationship!

The truth is, we all had have a piece of the cross of Jesus and we must help bear that cross.

Luk 14:27  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

Nothing in this world happens by chance, not to the Christian. God will oversee the life of all His children.

Simon was just a pilgrim traveling in a foreign land.

Heb 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Heb 11:14  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Heb 11:15  And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
Heb 11:16  But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

Many of the crosses we bear for ourselves are the ones that me make ourselves.

There was a large crowd following the procession that day but only Simon was chosen. It was not really the soldiers that chose Simon because it was the Lord.

*****Luk 23:27  And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.

In most cases it is said that the same crowd that was saying Hosanna one day were saying crucify Him the next day. That could be true, but there could also be two separate crowds. Jerusalem was full of all sorts of people in celebration of the Passover and some did actually realize that the true Passover was being crucified that day.

These were those who knew that Jesus was innocent.

These are those that knew everything about Jesus was good and He possessed no evil at all.

These are the ones that knew Jesus was the hope of all people.

This is a picture of us all, when we get to know Jesus in a personal relationship.

When we realize what great things God has done in order that we can be saved, then we to can weep and bewail and feel the pain of our Savior for what He has done for us!

These people were crying out, especially the women, because they were feeling the pain of their Savior!

Some had known Him for many years and others were mourning because they felt their pain.

Jas 4:8  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Jas 4:9  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Jas 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

But what we see when we mourn, let it be for the right reasons.

*****Luk 23:28  But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
Luk 23:29  For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
Luk 23:30  Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.
Luk 23:31  For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

The women of that day were for the most part home makers and not involved in the politics of the day. To many of them, their husband was their lord.

1Pe 3:5  For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:
1Pe 3:6  Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

They knew Jesus was innocent and they had never heard unfavorable things about Him.

They knew that everywhere Jesus had traveled, He had shown only mercy and truth.

They knew Jesus was the only hope for the people, because they knew that the glory of God had departed from Israel and the land was under the curse of God.

They had been aroused by the words He had spoken and the miracles they had heard of Him.

They knew no such person as this, deserved death!

Jesus simply said "weep not for me" because it was by the cross that the prayers of these women would be answered and prophesy would be fulfilled.

Jesus was saying "trust me, this is what I came to do"!

The truth is, a natural response to the sufferings of Christ is just not enough. We must understand why Jesus suffered and feel a godly sorrow over Christ bearing the sins of the world.

We are just not ashamed of our sin!

2Co 7:10  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Then Jesus painted a picture of Israel's doom, which we must remember is also a "type" of the future destruction of this world.

They would be better off weeping for themselves!

There was soon coming a day when these women would wish they had been childless.

They would soon wish that they were buried alive rather than see the death of hunger.

If we realize that Jesus represents that "green tree" the "tree of life", how will the world treat a tree of no use, with no visible life left in it.

Israel was that "dry tree" at that time with no signs of life.

We could say that "America is that dry tree" today because America is dying the death of sin.

We are witnessing that today!

Israel had rejected the invitation of God time after time and had tried God's patience.

This time they had gone too far!

Mat 27:25  Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

The killing of the Lord Jesus Christ by such ruthless men was the last straw for that generation!

Just as soon as the Church was established to a point of survival, Jerusalem was judged and Israel was scattered.

Mat 3:10  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

And then another prophesy must be fulfilled:

Isa 53:12  Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

*****Luk 23:32  And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.

As far as we know, this day may have already been set aside for execution. We already know it was a day when a criminal would be set free.

Mar 15:6  Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired.

It would be fair to say, that it was also an execution day already planned by Rome for some reason or another.

To those Jewish leaders it just added weight to their saying to the people that this was just a man like any other man and not the true Messiah.

Just another prophet like the others they had killed, but this time they were wrong.

Christ was counted with the sinner because our Father in Heaven had decided these things!

Over and over again we see God's plan and God just wants us all to be a part of His plan because no other plan will work!

So Mount Calvary came into view.

*****Luk 23:33  And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
Luk 23:34  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Every sinner has a limited view of their own sin, because we simply do not see the things we do as evil!

For this reason, sin to them is just not a big deal and Christ dying for our sin was also no big deal.

They see laws made for others than themselves because they think they have no evil intent.

What we see in our world today is that sin appears indifferent and according to the circumstances in which it is seen.

So we see that Jesus said "Father forgive them for they know not what they do".

Here we see the power of "Grace"!

Mat 12:32  And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

The truth is that Christ was crucified in order to bring us back to God!

1Pe 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

Now we also see Jesus the Mediator between God and sinful man, because remember at His death, the Veil of the Temple was ripped into.

It is very true that those leaders and politicians simply did not know what they were doing!

In order to stop God's plan then Jesus would have had to live!

1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Co 2:8  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

And then another prophesy is fulfilled.

Psa 22:16  For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
Psa 22:17  I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
Psa 22:18  They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

God just knows every little detail of every little thing and even every big thing!

Jesus was stripped of His clothes because Jesus allowed all His mortality to be stripped from Him.

Jesus came to bring eternal life from His death, because He came to abolish death and bring immortality through the "Gospel".

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
2Ti 1:10  But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

There is no way that this world could deny Jesus His cross and that is the same way we should all feel!

We should not allow this world to deny us our own cross in Jesus' name!

God will have His will on this earth!

*****Luk 23:35  And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
Luk 23:36  And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
Luk 23:37  And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

What's wrong with this world? Most all people do not understand the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Those looking for a Messiah always have their preconceived notions of what a Messiah is.

Is the Messiah the anointed one of God? Yes

Is the Messiah the Savior of the world? Yes

Is the Messiah the Christ? In the Greek, Yes.

Is the Messiah the expected prince of God's chosen people? Yes of Israel. The prince who will be King.

Is the Messiah the High Priest of the Church? Yes

Was the Messiah sent to complete God's purpose? Yes

The Messiah was never to fulfill the will of the people!

The truth of the cross was, that since the Messiah came to save the people of this world then He certainly could not save Himself!

Did He have the power to do so? Yes

Did He have the will to do so? No, for He would have left us all to die!

You would think the people of God could better understand these things.

From the day Jesus was laid in that manger, He had not hid Himself from His message of salvation!

That cross that crucified our Lord was His message of love!

It was love that kept Jesus from coming down off that cross!

1Ti 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6  Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

All leaders, all those who say they have religion, and all people of all societies are only human and Jesus died to save us all!

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

It was that generation in the time of Jesus, that should have realized the truth but they had rejected the truth and this is what is going on in our world today.

So what is the next truth?

Mat 23:38  Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
Mat 23:39  For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

This is also the truth of a world without Jesus Christ until He returns.

Those soldiers could not have understood the claim of Jesus to be King, they were only men paid to be obedient to Rome.

Jesus was first offered vinegar mixed with pain killers but He refused.

You will never see Jesus go against the Word of God.

Pro 23:29  Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Pro 23:30  They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Pro 23:31  Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

Those soldiers also had their own drink source that was a mixture of vinegar and water and this is what was later offered to the Lord which He did take some.

Vinegar has no alcohol content in itself!

And there was also the superscription that was misunderstood.

*****Luk 23:38  And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

The sign hanging above the head of Jesus was intended to mock the Jewish authorities and to reproach the claim of Jesus.

But God changed things. Pilate who was His judge had now proclaimed the glory of God.

So the cross had actually become the first throne of King Jesus!

And this was written in the known languages of that day.

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Php 2:9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Php 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Php 2:11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Just when this world thinks it is in control, God shows up to make a mockery of those who ridicule Him!

But still the world is full of unbelievers!

*****Luk 23:39  And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
Luk 23:40  But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
Luk 23:41  And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

First we have a man in the same predicament as Jesus and you would think this man would have at least shown pity.

He had probably never even seen Christ before, yet he rejected the Lord.

So even with this horrible thing he said that day, he is still less guilty that those who have known the Lord Jesus and still rejected Him.

The truth is and we all need to know, if we pray for God to show us His power to prove who He is, then God will remain silent and never answer such a prayer.

God is all about faith and not about proof!

But there is always someone on the right side!

This known criminal became humble and repented because he felt the power of the cross, maybe the very first one to do so!

In faith he found hope for his guilty soul!

The truth is, this man knew that he and his partner in crime were both guilty beyond measure but he also realized that Jesus had committed no crime at all, yet they all were together on this day, judged by an unrighteous world.

What is the truth of most all Atheist? As they see their life come to an end, the love of this world that they cherished all their days will begin to disappear and they indeed will search for something else or cry out in torment even before death finally comes.

When you are on death's row, you may think one way but when you sit down in the electric chair life becomes real!

Every breath becomes important because you do not know which one will be your last.

When we realize we deserve death, it is at that point that Holy Ghost conviction can do it's work!

Then can come repentance and only then!

It takes a whole hearted submission to God for salvation to take place!

And only then can we be "Born Again" into new life that last for an eternity!

And He said to Jesus:

*****Luk 23:42  And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

Death to the sinner is death of the body and then a living death of the soul in Hell and later the Burning Lake of Fire.

Death to the Savior, who knew no sin, but He bore all our iniquities on the cross and then rose again to "New Life".

Death to the child of God means no death has any power over him. We may not be able to escape the death of this body because just like all the material things on this earth it was just something else on loan from God.

We have a new glorified body awaiting us and an eternal life body and soul in the glories of Heaven.

There is not one soul that has done things so bad that they cannot be forgiven by the Lord!

God must judge sin, or God could not be God!

It was at the cross where God showed the intensity of His love.

And Jesus said:

*****Luk 23:43  And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Not next week, not next year, not next generation but "today".

We know that Jesus gave up the ghost at 3 PM. The Jewish day ends at 6 PM. Jesus made an appointment which He kept before that new child of God had his legs broken before 6 PM and he died the death that we all face but he was in the arms of Jesus before they took his body off that cross and he was with Jesus before the body of Jesus was laid in that garden tomb.

Jesus was busy while that old physical body was being prepared for that borrowed tomb!

Once we realize that Christ Jesus does certainly have a Kingdom, why would we be foolish enough to not want to be with Him in that place!

What does the sinners prayer require? Lord remember me!

*****Luk 23:44  And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
Luk 23:45  And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

Darkness is a symbol of separation and loneliness and the darkness will always speak to us in lies and broken promises.

The truth is all of mankind was separated from the light of the Lord until Jesus came the first time and one at a time, many have come to the light and out of the darkness!

Joh 3:19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Joh 3:20  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

The truth is, none of us can really see when we are in the darkness!

Without true sight we stand alone in this world solely responsible for our own behavior.

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

The sixth our to the Jew is the noon time hour.

When the Sun had reached it's peak on that day the world became dark and stayed dark for three hours until 3PM or the ninth hour.

Those who have not witnessed an eclipse of the sun cannot know how this takes place. Whether eclipse or not the timing of it was in God's hands!

We should consider that the Passover was held at the time of the full moon and it is impossible to have an eclipse of the Sun and a full Moon at the same time!

This veil that was ripped into was the veil that hid the entrance to the Holy  of Holies.

This was the most sacred place in all the Temple, the place of where the presence of God was said to be at times.

The death of Jesus on the cross on Mount Calvary had rolled back the curtain to open the door to the Holiest Place of all to all who would come to worship at the feet of God!

Jesus simply said, "Father into thy hands, I commend my spirit".

Jesus was not concerned with what was going on around Him, He just knew that His work that He had come to accomplish was finished.

John was a witness to these things and John gave us the words of Jesus.

Joh 19:30  When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

When Jesus commended His soul into the hands of God, it was certainly proof that the soul still lives as the body does.

It also shows us that the true resting place for the soul is with God!

The truth is when we die we will go through a great change in true living!

But that soul cannot return to God unless we go through the Lord Jesus Christ.

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

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1Pe 4:19  Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Jesus did not die for Himself no more than He lived for Himself!

And we must realize no matter what we are going through, somebody is always watching.

*****Luk 23:47  Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.

As we have seen throughout the New Testament, these Centurions have been thoughtful and honest men.

This is the man that had the responsibility to obey the commands of Pilate and crucify our Lord, yet He stood amazed at the man he had murdered.

This is exactly what most of our world is missing today. Certainly Jesus was a righteous man but more important He is our Savior.

This was a Gentile who is a "type" of the working of the Cross upon the human mind and the human heart once we realize what Jesus has done for us all.

Jesus had fulfilled His purpose!

This Centurion had only obeyed His orders.

But how did those that insisted He be crucified act?

*****Luk 23:48  And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

What had God said?

Zec 12:10  And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

Many had come with malice and many out of curiosity but they had been overcome by the "Grace" of God!

**It was sin that drove the "Passion" of Christ, we may not have driven those nails but He bore "our" griefs and "our" sorrows.

**Jesus did not die on the cross for all mankind as much as He died for each individual sinner.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

**Jesus Christ is the same in His glory as He was on that cross!

Heb 13:8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Oh what a Savior we have!

These people may have come for entertainment but what they saw had saddened them and brought conviction and some were now prepared in their hearts to hear the truth of the 'Gospel".

Hos 14:9  Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

We are a foolish people to think that every step that Jesus took on this earth did not have a direct and profound purpose and He fulfilled everyone of them.

But there were those that loved Him there also:

*****Luk 23:49  And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

Disciples, secret friends, and even some acquaintances who lacked the courage to get closer to the Lord not ready to pick up there own cross.

The women who had financially supported the ministry of the 12 chosen of the Lord feared to get closer but they were there never the less.

There were many who truly cared for the Lord and loved Him and there would soon be many more and Jesus said "He has not lost a single one of them"!

The three that we know who got as close as they could was His mother Mary, John, and Mary Magdalene.

We can be sure of the the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ!

We can be sure that Christ died for our sins because He had none of His own.

We can be certain of our salvation because we can be certain of our Lord!

His purpose was completed on the cross and ours just began once we realized this truth.

Questions?

Let's Pray!