Hope Now Bible Church: Fresno, California

A Walk Through the Bible: Genesis

There is no doubt that life is a mess on our planet and most would agree that things are getting worse, not better. How did we get into such a mess? Is there any hope for us humans? Or are we doomed for destruction? 

Today we are embarking on a journey that will help us find the answers to those and other questions that may flood our thoughts. We are beginning a one year walk through the Bible. And it is our hope that by the end of one year, you will have an understanding of God's plan for planet earth and its inhabitants and a greater grasp of God's great plan for your life, and you will end the year with hope not only for this life, but for the life to come. 

How did we get into this mess that we're in? Our problems had to have begun somewhere. It's evident that sin is all around us. Each of us experience the result of sin everyday. Drug addiction, family breakups, fits of anger, hatred, wars, rumors of wars, political upheaval, weather related issues like hurricanes, volcanos and earthquakes, even oil spills. Sin is in full bloom, and there is no escaping its effect. This sin that we encounter daily in our lives is nothing new. While it may appear to be on a grander scale in 2010, there is no escaping the fact that it has been around us from the beginning of time--since the creation of the world. 

The book of Genesis presents us with a vivid picture of the beginning of sin, the effects of sin on our lives, and then, throughout the entire Bible, we will be presented with God's remedy for sin. 

The book of Genesis was written by Moses. Moses was the author of most of the first five books of the Bible, the books we call the Pentateuch, Torah, or Books of the Law. There are fifty chapters in the book of Genesis and by just knowing that fact alone we can conclude that an in-depth study of this book would take a long time. So today, as we will do for the next year, we are going to do a "walk through" of this book and all the books of the Bible. We'll look at the mountain tops, and perhaps in some other study we will have a chance to travel down to the valleys. 

The word Genesis means, "beginnings". So this book is a book of beginnings. Chapter one of Genesis probably contains the most well known verse in the Bible. "In the beginning God created." (Genesis 1:1) The immediate straight up fact that the Bible presents is that this book is about God and his eternal existence. He was in the beginning. There are no apologies and no other proof offered. And it's because of this in your face statement that many people reject the Bible. But this statement has to be responded to in some way. You can choose to just ignore that the Bible is about the reality of God (Which I believe is impossible to do since we are confronted with God's existence almost daily); You can reject the existence of God as mere mythology or superstition; Or, you can accept it as the very word of God But you cannot remain neutral. 

I. Beginnings 

Since the word Genesis means "beginnings", there are several beginnings in the book of Genesis. 

 1. The beginning of the world (Chapters 1,2) 

 Out of Nothing

In the beginning God: God was in the beginning--which means God had no beginning, he has always existed, and he created the world out of nothing. When God made the world and the universe, He used no natural resources to create. There was no dirt or wood, no metal or water, no atmosphere or air. The theological term is from the latin, creatio ex nihilo which means, God spoke (Genesis 1:3; "Let there be light, and there was light") and the elements that make up the world came into existence. 

 Didn't Create Alone 

Therefore, in two short chapters we get a glimpse of the creation power of God; and the crown of his creation was the creation of man. But there is more to learn in the first two chapters of the Genesis: In Genesis 1:26 we get a hint that God was not alone in his creating. Look at verse 26: "Then God said, "Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness." If we read in verse one, "In the beginning God created", then we have to ask who is the "us" and the "our" in this verse? Who is God talking to? As we walk through the Bible, we will see that the veil is lifted more and more and God's plan for his creation will be revealed and we'll see that the "us" and the "our" here is God the Father, God The Son, and God The Holy Spirit. In chapter 1:2 we read that the "Spirit of God" hovered over the face of the waters. And, in the New Testament book of John 1:1 it says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God." And later in John we discover that the Word is Jesus Christ. And the apostle Paul writes in Colossians 1:15,17: "He [Jesus Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation....and he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." So in the first two chapters of the Bible we are shown the beginning of the world and a picture of what we call, The Trinity; One God, Three Persons. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. So Genesis is about the beginning of the world and the fact of God; that he created out of nothing and that he was not alone when he created. 

2. The beginning of sin and its consequences (Chapters 3-10) 

Because God is a gracious God, One who deals fairly with his creation, he gave mankind a choice--to follow him or to reject him. It's the same choice that he gives you today. You can choose to follow Jesus Christ, or reject him. God has not made you a robot. You have freedom to make a choice. The question is, what choice will you make. Adam chose to follow his own desires and lusts and therefore, sinned. Look at Chapter 3:17:

 "And to Adam he [God] said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” 

And that first sin of Adam (Romans 5:12) caused a ripple effect through the human race, beginning with his own children whose rebellion resulted in the death of one son, Abel who was murdered by his brother Cain (Genesis 4). And sin took root even more to the extent that the world became so corrupt that God determined to wipe out those who continued to rebel. Of all the inhabitants of the earth, only Noah and his family chose to follow the creator God and they were saved through the flood. (Genesis 6-9) But even after the flood and with the new chance that God presented Noah and his family, sin still ruled in their sinful bodies. 

And again as people multiplied on the earth they chose their own way--away from God. We may wonder, how could these people reject God after all they had been through. But it's the same question we should ask ourselves today. Why do you continue to sin, even when you've seen the power of God at work in your life? You've tasted his goodness, but you slip back to your sinful ways, away from God. The Bible says that "all have sinned" and that "none seek God." That's why we need to continually stay in the Word of God and pray and attend church and hear the Word of God preached, so that we can encourage one another to love and good deeds. 

The heart of man is sinful. And sin has consequences, and we'll see later that there is only one remedy for this sin that rules in our lives. So Genesis presents us with the beginning of the world, the beginning of sin and its consequences, and in chapter 11 we read about the beginning of the nations. 

3. The Beginning of the Nations (Genesis 11) 

After the flood, the sin that still ruled and reigned in the lives of mankind led the people of the world in Genesis to look away from God and become self absorbed and self centered. Look with me at Genesis 11:1,4: "Now the whole earth had one language and the same words." "Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its tops to the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth." 

One of the things that sin does in your life is that it tricks you into believing that you can solve your problems on your own. You think you are smarter than God and rather than trust in him and his plan for your life, you try to do everything in your power to make life go your way. The problem is, it doesn't work. Rather, God is calling you today to trust him, to put your faith in him and not in your own solutions. When you reject God and choose to follow your own desires, your problems don't get smaller, they get larger. 

And that is what happened in chapter 11. Because of the desire of the people to find their own solution and their desire to make a name for themselves--they made a determination that they wanted life to revolve around them--and their problems became even bigger and they were dispersed all over the world. Some of those peoples are to this day in utter despair because of their sinfulness thousands of years ago. But there is one particular nation that Moses writes about in the book of Genesis. 4. 

The Beginning of the Hebrew Nation (Genesis 12-50) 

It is the beginning of the Hebrew nation--The Jewish nation. We see this nation begin in chapter 12:1-3: 12:1 Now the LORD said to Abram, 

“Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 

And it is in these three verses that God sets forth His covenant or His promise with Abraham. God promised Abraham seven things: 

1. He would make his family into a great nation (vs. 2) 

2. He would bless this nation (vs. 2) 

3. He would make their name great (vs. 2) 

4. They would be a blessing to others (vs. 2) 

5. God would bless those who blessed them (vs. 3) 

6. God would curse those who curse them (vs. 3) 

7. All the families of the world would be blessed because of them (vs. 3) -- The reason God began this new nation, this nation of Israel as it will be called later, is so the Messiah, the Savior Jesus Christ would come from these peoples as a blessing and redeemer for all mankind. 

And these promises to Abraham and his descendants are formalized even more throughout the rest of the chapters in Genesis. 

But in Chapters 39-50 we are introduced to another nation. It is the nation of Egypt. And it is in the nation of Egypt that three primary things happen: 

1. Egypt would initially be a haven or rest for the nation of Israel. 

2. Egypt would eventually become a place of bondage and captivity for the Jews. 

3. Egypt would be the place were God would ultimately let His glory be shown But not only is the book of Genesis a book about the beginning of the world, sin, the nations and the Hebrew Nation, it is a book filled with rich characters. Let's name a few: 

 II. Key Characters in Genesis

1. God: Creator of the universe -- Savior of the human race. 

2. Adam: The first man and he was a "type" of Jesus Christ (See Romans 5:14). A "type" means that he is a person who foreshadows another who is to come. So Adam foreshadowed the coming of Jesus Christ. How was Adam a "type" of Christ? Adam was the head of the human race. (Jesus is referred to in Romans as "the last Adam.") Christ is the head of the new Creation. 

 3. Satan: The deceiver, tempter, liar and murderer. Three things about Satan that you should know: 

 a. Satan is a created being. This is an important concept. He is not all knowing, he is not all powerful and he is not all present. His demons do his work for him. And was it not for God allowing Satan freedom to operate, Satan would have no influence. 

 b. Satan, when he was created was not satisfied with being the foremost angel. The book of Isaiah (14:13,14) says this about Satan: 13 You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." Therefore, for a time, God has given Satan access to this world. "He prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." That's why we are to be sober-minded and watchful. And through Jesus Christ, we have the power to resist Satan, "firm in our faith", the Apostle Peter tells us in 1 Peter 5:9. 

 c. And while Satan has access to this world and even has access before God, someday he will be cast down, according to Revelation 12:7-9, and be thrown into the abyss (Revelation 20:3) and finally into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:10). His end is sure thanks to the power of the Lord Jesus Christ who will rule and reign forever. 

 4. Noah: Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord (Genesis 6:8) What a great testimony to be said about a person. Is that what you strive to hear in your life? That you found favor in the eyes of the Lord? It can be, if you a leader in your family, like Noah was before the flood. a. He prepared a way of salvation for his family by building and entering the Ark (Hebrews 11:7). And that Ark is a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ whom we enter into for our salvation. 

Moms and dads, are you leading your children into the safety and eternal security of the Lord Jesus Christ? What are you teaching your children? What are they watching you do? Why not determine today to find favor in the eyes of the Lord and lead your children toward Jesus Christ? 

5. Abraham: Abraham obeyed God by accepting God's call to leave his homeland (Hebrews 11:8). 

 a. He was the father of the Hebrew people and a multitude of nations (Genesis 17:4-5). And I believe that if you can understand God's working in the life of Abraham and God's promise to him, you will understand what it means to put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. 

 b. Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness (Romans 4:3). This passage in Romans is probably one of the most beautiful passages in the entire Bible and while it pertains to Abraham, it is meant for our benefit. The Lord God Himself, by an act of grace moved by His sovereign love, stooped to the record and blotted out everything that was against Abraham, and then wrote down on the record that He, God, counted, this man Abraham to be perfect even at a moment when Abraham was ungodly in himself. That is justification. 

Let me try to break this down in a way that we can all grasp. When you were born, because of the sin of the first man Adam, you inherited a sin nature. There is nothing you can do about it. You were born in sin. You may have looked innocent as a baby, but deep within was your sinful nature ready to come out. You couldn't wait to sin. We don't teach young toddlers to be selfish, they just know how to be that way naturally. So, we are born with a sin nature--we always lean more toward sin.

 And if we could pretend that each person has a white board that details his or her life, we would see that each person has a list of sins on their life account: Selfishness, hatred, adultery, homosexuality, fits of anger, laziness, gossip, etc. (Only you and God know what your true sins are). It is a hopeless situation. You cannot escape the fact of sin in your life. But, something amazing happens--we call it amazing grace. At the moment you believe in Jesus Christ, that he alone can save you from your sin and that he is God, Jesus Christ takes out his blotter and he blots all of these sins out and writes the word RIGHTEOUS over every sin. 

You are Justified 

Abraham, believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness, and the same thing happens to you when you believe. God immediately covers every one of your sins, past, present and future, with the blood of Jesus Christ and because of this, you are Justified--Your Life Account looks as if you don't have any sin because all that can be seen is the RIGHTEOUSNESS of Jesus Christ.  If you could only understand one thing in the Bible, then Justification is probably the most important. When you believe in Jesus Christ, you inherit a free gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23), not because of any act of righteousness that you perform--You inherit the free gift of eternal life solely on the basis of what Jesus Christ has promised to you. It is the Righteousness of Jesus Christ that secures your eternal life, not your own goodness (Titus 3:4-7). 

The Thread of Redemption

 And so, the book of Genesis records this Amazing Grace story for us and it is the thread that will run through every other book of the Bible in the Old Testament. If you don't understand this, you won't understand the rest of the Old Testament, because every other story, character and situation in the Old Testament, while historical in nature in many parts, is about Jesus Christ and his righteousness. So we will develop this even further throughout the coming year. 

6. Isaac: Through Isaac the promises of Abraham were passed down to Jacob. 

7. Jacob: The promise that God gave to Abraham is reaffirmed with Jacob (Genesis 28:10-15). a. God changed Jacob's name to Israel (Genesis 35:10) 

 8. Joseph: Joseph is a picture of total trust in God. 

 a. Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers (Genesis 37:28) 

 b. He eventually became second only to Pharaoh in the land of Egypt (Genesis 41:40). 

 c. Joseph convinced Pharaoh that his family should live in the land of Goshen (in Egypt) because of a severe famine in the land of Canaan (which is now Israel). 

d. And the book of Genesis ends with Joseph's death and the last verse in Genesis reads: 

So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. [And that is where our story will pick up next week as we look at the book of Exodus.] 

 III. Application 

What can we learn from the book of Genesis? [messy world] We can learn many things, but I'm just going to leave you with three things to think about this week as you will, I'm hopeful, read through the book of Genesis.  

1. The book of Genesis is foundational for believing in Jesus Christ. Some want to discredit the book of Genesis by making a claim that it is a book full of myths and fairy tales. But those who say that are making a serious, perhaps eternally deadly mistake. In the gospel of John 5:46-47, Jesus said this, 

46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?” 

Remember I told you earlier that Moses was the author of the Book of Genesis. And Jesus says that if you do not believe the writings of Moses, how will you believe the words of Jesus? You see, all throughout the book of Genesis, we see Jesus. Where? I don't see his name, you say. Well you don't have to see the name of Jesus to know that he is there. Listen to what the Apostle Paul wrote in the book of Colossians 1:15-17 regarding the creation of the world. 

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 

Jesus Christ is the Creator, "In the beginning God" is all about Jesus. Have you believed God? Do you believe in the Christ, the Son of the living God? Genesis shows us that at the moment you believe, you recieve the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 

 2. Just as God used various people throughout the book of Genesis, He wants to use you to glorify him. In Genesis 4:7, just before Cain had murdered his brother Abel, God spoke to Cain and said, 

6 "The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” 

I think there is something very important in this statement by God. Do you notice what the circumstances are surrounding this conversation with God? God is speaking to Cain while Cain is angry. You see, when you get angry, while you may not be interested in taking your anger to the Lord, He is there, calling out to you, pleading with you, warning you. The Bible says in Romans 5:8: 

"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Jesus Christ loves you, even in the midst of your sin; Even when you are angry, even when your face is fallen. And he is calling you to repentance so that He might be glorified. Will you repent today of your sins and lift your face to Him? 

 3. Just as the book of Genesis is about beginnings, the Bible tells us that you had a beginning too. I'm not talking about the day you were born. No, the Bible says that God chose you before the foundation of the world. Your beginning began long before earth was created in Genesis 1 and 2. 

In the book of Ephesians 1:3-4, the Apostle Paul writes: 

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessings in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him." 

 King David in the book of Psalms (139:16), moved by the Holy Spirit, wrote this: 

"Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them." 

No, no matter where you were born or what the circumstances were behind your birth, you were no accident. God chose you before the foundation of the world. He chose you to be holy and blameless before him. And so the question for you this morning is, are you? Are you living your life with a desire to be holy and blameless? Genesis is a book about beginnings, its a book of fresh starts. It's a book of hope and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you thank God for his Amazing Grace and start living your life for him. Why not make today your Independence Day from sin, your new beginning, by believing in the One True Creator of the world and then choose to follow him this week. 

Right now, in the quietness of your own heart you can look to Jesus, you can thank him for a new beginning in your life and you can determine to follow him today. Don't let your sin hold you back from looking to Jesus Christ and asking for forgiveness. "Even while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you." And when you confess your sin, the Bible promises that immediately your sins are forgiven. You can move on, you can turn to Christ and follow him and walk with him. Won't you do that today? Heavenly Father, even as you chose us in Jesus Christ, before the foundation of the world, help us Lord Jesus to live our lives holy and blameless before you. Lord Jesus, we are weak and it is so difficult. Help us Lord Jesus to rule over sin through the power of your Holy Spirit whom you have poured out on us generously. For it is in the name of Jesus, the name above all names! Amen.

The Power of Psalms: Psalm One

The book of Psalms has probably given more comfort and help, brought more joy and peace, and provided more relief from the stress and pains of life than any other book of the Bible.

 

The Psalms contain one of the most quoted passages in the Bible, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”  (Psalm 23).  The Psalms are actually songs.  They are not only songs of comfort, but songs of praise too.  In fact, the Hebrew title of the book of Psalms is “Praises” or “Book of Praises.”  Psalms is a songbook of praises to God.  The Psalms were written to be accompanied by the harp and as we will see, choirs sang many of these songs.

 

Chapter one of the book of Psalms is really an introduction to the whole book.  Psalm 1 is a psalm that teaches us the way to blessedness and warns us about the way of destruction.  So let’s dive into the book and see what God desires to teach us through His word.

Blessed is the man (vs. 1)

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;"

The very first word that we are confronted with in Psalms is the word “blessed.”  I think that is a positive way to begin a book or a letter, don’t you?  When you see that word it should make you feel good.

 

The word blessed, when referring to a man or woman simply means happy. When the word is used of God it carries more of the meaning of praise.  So if we say “Blessed be God”, we mean “Praise be to God.”  When we say “Blessed is the man” we should look at it more as “Happy is the man.”

 

The word blessed is actually a plural word in its original.  Plural means more than one.  So the idea here is that this man who is being described here is blessed in more than one way.  It has the idea that when you are blessed you have joy and gratitude as you live in fellowship with God.

 

And that makes sense because outside of God, man is cursed and ultimately leads a meaningless life.  The book of Ecclesiastes makes this clear in 1:2, “Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities!  All is vanity.”  Life outside of God is vanity or futile/meaningless. 

 

But we need to be careful that we don’t think that because the word blessed means happy that I’m talking about a feeling.  This blessedness that comes from God is not based on feelings – in other words, neither negative feelings nor unfavorable conditions can take God’s blessing away.

 

I think what is being communicated here is, the person who devotes himself to living a godly and righteous life is the one who finds true happiness, while the one who lives without regard to God is the miserable person.  Sometimes the world looks at it the other way.  The God devoted person is miserable, and those who live lives away from God’s rules and his thoughts find all of the fun!

 

Mile Markers to Happiness

 

The Psalm begins by giving us the path to blessedness or happiness.  Along the path there are three mile markers.  Let’s look at each of them.

1.  Mile Marker One: The Counsel of  the Ungodly
 
The first marker is this.  The man who is blessed is a person who doesn’t live his life on the basis of bad advice from others. 
 
“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked.” (vs. 1)
 
Just replace that word “counsel” with “advice.”  I’m sure you have friends who are quick to offer you advice.  If your friend is a believer in the Lord Jesus, often times that counsel is good and constructive.  But many times we listen to godless advice.  Sometimes it comes from friends, sometimes from movies or television shows we watch.  We can get bad advice from the newspaper or from magazines. “Live like this, you’ll be glad you did.”
 
Your blessedness with Christ is tied directly to the advice you listen to and obey.  Ungodly counsel or advice is not concerned with praying, or reading, or repenting.  Ungodly counsel says that there is no need for any of these things.
 
But blessed is the man who walks not in another’s ungodly counsel.

2.  Mile Marker Two: The Way of Sinners

"Nor stands in the way of sinners" (vs. 1)
 
The focus shifts now from listening to the ungodly counsel of another to standing with the ungodly.  You’ve listened to the advice, but rather than get out of the way, you stand in the way.  The godly person avoids standing in the way of the ungodly. The blessed man does not follow the same moral paths of the ungodly.
 
3.  Mile Marker Three: The Seat of Scoffers

"Nor sits in the seat of scoffers" (vs. 1)
 
When you sit down in the counsel of the wicked it means so much more than walking or standing.  To “sit” takes it a step further.  It suggests remaining or abiding with the ungodly and enjoying their company. A scoffer makes fun of God and His people.  People who scoff hold nothing sacred—they scoff at God and everything that is associated with Him. And the godly person will always feel out of place and unhappy around those who make fun of or a mockery of God.   

And remember, it is always harder to get away when you are sitting.  When you walk or stand, you can quickly run away from danger.  But when you are sitting it takes more effort and sometimes you just think, “I don’t really want to get up.”

What the Godly Person Chooses

"But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night." (vs. 2)

 

1.  Delights in the Law of the Lord

The Godly person, rather than walking, standing, and sitting with the ungodly “delights” in the law of the Lord.  The “law” means teaching, instruction or direction.  This word law here really means the whole truth of God as it is revealed in the Word of God.

 

“Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!...I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119: 1, 11).

 

The Godly person does not take counsel from the wicked; rather he takes his counsel or advice from the Word of God. This Word is his delight. The Godly man finds it to be interesting and relevant.  It brings him joy and satisfaction.

2.  Meditates on the Word of God

Not only is God's Word interesting and relevant, the Godly person chooses to read it often and to meditate on it.

"...he meditates day and night." (vs. 2)

This word meditate is such an interesting word.  When this Psalm was written, it was written in Hebrew. And the Hebrew word for meditate is Haga is a word that is primarily used in poetry in the Bible.  You will find Haga mostly in Psalms and Isaiah.  The basic meaning of the word is a low sound, characteristic of certain animal sounds.

Like the moaning of a dove.

"I moan like a dove." (Isaiah 38:14) [Hezekiah, when he was thinking he was going to die].

Or, the growling of a lion over its prey.

"As a lion or a young lion growls over his prey" (Isaiah 31:4) [The Lord describing how he will fight for and defend Israel].

Or simply groaning for the Lord's help.

"Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning." (Psalm 5:1)

Therefore, a Godly person takes time to moan, or growl, or groan over God's word.  These, of course, are metaphors. A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a term or a phrase is applied to something but that doesn't literally apply, in order to suggest a resemblance.  So the idea here is not that you are actually moaning or growling or groaning, but that your heart attitude is such that you are intensely thinking about God's word moment by moment.

What the Godly Person is Like 

"He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.  In all that he does, he prospers."  (vs. 3)

1.  He is like a Tree Planted.

He is not like a wild tree.  He is like a tree planted.  Again, another metaphor (figure of speech) is being used here.  Who plants the tree?

It is clear throughout Scripture that God is the one who plants.  We all know that the Bible teaches us that we cannot plant ourselves in the Lord.  Its impossible because we are too sinful.  Romans says, "None seeks God." God is the one who chooses us and plants us.

Jesus is recorded by Matthew as saying, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up." (Matthew 15:13).  Some people will try to grow on their own, but it will never work. That is called good works and you will never be close to God by your good works.  In fact, God roots up those people.  Any religious person who claims to be of God, but has not been planted by God will not last.  How do you know if you have been planted by God?

2.  He is Planted by Streams of Water

First, he is planted with access to living water.  In other words, he is planted in Jesus Christ.  Jesus said, speaking to the Samaritan woman; 

Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13,14).

A Godly person is planted in Jesus Christ.

3.  Yields Fruit in its Season

A person who is planted by God, yields fruit  You will know if you are in Christ if there is fruit in your  life.  That fruit does not come out of season. For example, if an orange tree bears its fruit too early, the late frosts will kill the fruit.  The best fruit grows in season, when the weather is just right.

The fruit that a Christian bears is patience in the time of suffering, faith in the day of trial, and holy joy in the hour of prosperity.  Fruitfulness is an essential quality of a gracious man or woman, and that fruitfulness should be seasonable. (Spurgeon).

4.  Leaf Does Not Wither

Not only is the fruit preserved, but his leaf too.  A Godly person will not lose his or her beauty or fruitfulness.

5.  In All That He Does, He Prospers.

This prosperity is what I would call, prosperity of the soul.  Not financial prosperity or material prosperity. When we are planted by God and are yielding fruit in our lives and are beautiful from the outside, it shows that God is at work on the inside of our lives.  

Sometimes for the good of the soul's health we may be poor, or bereaved, and persecuted.  In other words, our worst things, for the Godly person, are often our best things. The trials that you go through as a Christian is God's cultivation of your life, by which he grows and brings forth abundant fruit (Spurgeon)

But the ungodly are not like this:

What The Ungodly Are Like

"The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away." (vs. 4)

1. They Are Like Chaff

Chaff is the loose hulls of the wheat that are separated from the edible portion. In Bible times they would throw the grain up in the air and the chaff would blow away while the edible grain would fall back down to the threshing floor.

So, the wicked person will be mixed in with the Godly, but in time, they will be separated and will not last.

2.  They Will Not Stand in The Judgment

"Therefore the wicked will not stand in judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous." (vs. 5)

When the ungodly go before God in the final judgment, they will not be able to stand.  While the future of the wicked person may not seem evident to us while they are living, from God's perspective they have no future.  The will not be able to withstand the judgment of God.

They will be separated from the righteous.

Conclusion

"For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish." (vs. 6)

Here's the final idea.  The name of the righteous is carved in stone, but the unrighteous, or the wicked has his name written in sand. (Spurgeon). 

Here is how Charles Spurgeon concludes this chapter:

"The righteous man ploughs the furrows of earth, and sows a harvest here, which shall never be fully reaped till he enters the enjoyments of eternity; but as for the wicked, he ploughs the sea, and though there may seem to be a shining trail behind his keel, yet the waves shall pass over it, and the place that knew him shall know him no more for ever. The very “way” of the ungodly shall perish. If it exist in remembrance, it shall be in the remembrance of the bad; for the Lord will cause the name of the wicked to rot, to become a stench in the nostrils of the good, and to be only known to the wicked themselves by its putridity (Corruptness or rottenness)."

May the Lord cleanse our hearts and our ways, that we may escape the doom of the ungodly, and enjoy the blessedness of the righteous!

Hope Now Bible Church.  The Power of Psalms.  Pastor Roger Feenstra. 2010. 

How To Obtain Faith: 2 Peter 1: 1,2

Pastor Roger Feenstra

We are beginning a short, eight or nine week series through the book of 2 Peter.

It is my prayer today, as we look at the first two verses of this letter, that a couple of things will happen:

 1.  That you will have a better understanding of what it means to have faith (or, to believe). In other words, what it means to be a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ.

2.  That you will examine your life, in light of your understanding of what it means to have faith in Jesus Christ, and go from here ready to serve Jesus Christ more fully each day.

The apostle Peter, we know him well by now. We spent over 20 weeks studying his first letter, and now Peter is writing his second letter and has addressed it to 

 "Those who have obtained a faith..."

As I spent hours studying for this message there are so many unbelievable truths that are here in verses 1 and 2.  And, I could spend more time than we have this afternoon on each one of them. For example, this passage is one of the clearest passages in the Bible that states that Jesus Christ is God.  Look at verse 1:

 "By the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ."    

Who is Jesus Christ?  He is God and He is our Savior.  There are so many religions that deny that crystal clear fact.  The Mormons deny this fact, the Jehovah's Witnesses deny this fact, the Muslims deny this fact, and every other religion on earth denies the fact that Jesus Christ is God and our Savior.  Their eyes have been blinded to the truth that Jesus is God and it is because of that truth that is stated here in verse 1; it is only through Jesus Christ that we become righteous, i.e., we can stand before a holy God, even though we are not holy in and of ourselves, because Jesus Christ has declared us righteous. So, that is certainly a great truth from this passage and one that we should hold onto and proclaim in our lives.

But this afternoon, I want to speak to you from my heart, not just from what I have studied, so that the Holy Spirit might do a work in your life and mine today.  And so, there is another great truth found here in these first two verses is that we have:

 "Obtained a faith..."

Faith--You've heard that word before.  It gets thrown around in conversation:  "Just have faith." "Where's your faith" - There are "faith-based" organizations, like Hope Now For Youth.  But, what is faith and how do you know if you have it?  If Peter is writing this letter to those who have obtained or acquired faith, then how do you know if this letter is addressed to you or not? 

If you say you have Faith it is the same as saying that you have trust or belief in something.  So, from a Christian perspective, faith is belief in something.  The writer of Hebrews (11:1), put it this way:

 "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

Let me restate that verse another way to help you better understand the idea of what it means to have faith as a Christian, or what it means to have faith in Jesus Christ:

 "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, that is, eternal life, and faith is the conviction that, even though we can't see him, Jesus   Christ provides eternal life."

"The assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

What is faith?  It is belief that only Jesus Christ provides salvation for you and gives you eternal life.

So if that's the case; If you are a Christian and you say that you have faith in Jesus Christ, then how did you, as Peter says in verse 1, obtain that faith?   How did you get it? 

The Greek word that Peter used and that has been translated "obtained" is a word that means "To cast lots" or as we might say it today, "the lot fell on you."  We get our word "lottery" from this word. If you win the lottery, for example, you are chosen above all the others.

Therefore, the point that Peter makes here in verse 1 is that if you have faith, or if you believe in Christ, you were chosen to believe.  He doesn't mean you were chosen at random, but simply, God chose you based on His Sovereign power and ability.  Well then, why did God choose you?  Why did you obtain faith?  Why are you a Christian?

There are two main reasons:

 1.  You were chosen by God before the foundation of the world.  Ephesians 1:3,4:

 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him."

Likewise, in John 15:16, Jesus Himself says,

 

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you..."  And He continues in verse 19,

 "...I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."

 2.  God wrote your name in the book of life before you were even born.  Psalm 139:13-16.

 "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works;   my soul knows it very well.  My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.  Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them."  

Some of you in this room today don't like yourselves.  You were told from an early age that you weren't worth anything--maybe your parent or other family member didn't say those exact words, but you knew what they were thinking.  

Some of you learned to dislike yourselves.  You keep getting rejected--at home, on the job, by so-called friends, even by those you thought were supposed to love you.  And because of all that rejection and heartache, you don't think you are anything special.

But God does...

He determined before the creation of the world, and while you were still in your mother's womb, that you were to be chosen by Him.  The world may have rejected you--but God says, come to me, I love you. 

You have obtained faith for one reason only:  God chose you to have the faith that you now have.  And the reason for choosing you is that He loves you. The world may hate you, but He loves you. 

Turn with me to John 6:37-40.  

 "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.  For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.  And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.  For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."

All that the Father gives me will come to me. Do you see that in verse 37?  You obtained faith or belief because God gave you to Jesus Christ.  God did the work -- this is what is called God's grace; His undeserved favor.  God chose you, he formed you, and he gave you to Jesus Christ.  

Simply put, God in his sovereign grace predetermined that you would believe in Jesus Christ.  

So what does this mean?  It means this, The only way you can believe in Jesus is if God the Father draws you to Jesus.  That's what Jesus said, look at John 6:44:  

  "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.  And I will raise him up on the last day."

And when you believe in Jesus, you have, as Peter says, "obtained faith" and you are assured of eternal life.  Jesus said, "Whoever comes to me I will never cast out." (John 6:37).

You might say, Well then, if it is God that draws me to Jesus, I can live my life anyway I want to because if God chose me before the foundation of the world, he will get my life turned around sooner or later.

No, it doesn't work that way.  The writer of Hebrews quoting from the book of Psalms says:

"Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts..."

Somehow, in God's sovereignty and grace, even though you have been chosen, even though he draws you, even though it was predetermined before the foundation of the world, rebellion can keep you from him.  And, because of unbelief many will not inherit eternal life in the kingdom of God, rather they will spend eternity in judgment.

So how do you obtain faith?  

1. By being chosen and drawn by God.

Jesus said (John 6:44), 

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.  And I will raise him up on the last day."

2.  By not rebelling and hardening your heart.

The writer of Hebrews (3:7,8), quoting from the book of Psalms said, 

"Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts..."

Let me make it practical for you sitting here this morning.  Right now, this afternoon, God is drawing you to Jesus Christ.  Some of you in this room don't know Jesus Christ--You've heard of him, you've come to church before, but you've never known Jesus.  You don't follow Him, you don't talk to Him, you don't love Him--And you simply don't get it.

But let me tell you something--that's why you're here today; God has drawn you here.  By the power of the Holy Spirit he drew you here today.  You didn't make the decision to come to church this afternoon. You were drawn here by God.  He is calling you. 

The fact that you are here today is an indication that God is drawing you to himself.  

Therefore, you have the opportunity, right now, to not rebel and harden your heart toward Him, rather to believe with conviction that he forgives your sin and gives you eternal life.  And right now, you can determine to follow Jesus Christ and obey God.  

But this is difficult to grasp.  The disciples had a difficult time understanding this, but Jesus told them again "No one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." (John 6:65).

And sadly, "Many of [Jesus'] disciples turned back and no longer walked with him" we're told in John 6:66.

Well then, if we obtain faith by being drawn by God, how does he draw us to him?

The answer is found in Romans 10:17:  

"So faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ." 

God's work in drawing us to himself is accomplished through his Word,   by reading and hearing the Word of God--Exactly what we are doing today.

And that's why, back in our passage in 2nd Peter, Peter asks that 

"Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord."  

You receive God's grace through faith, by hearing God's Word and gaining knowledge from it.  By reading God's Word, praying over God's Word, studying God's Word, memorizing God's Word and sharing it with others.  That's how you receive God's grace, that's how you grow in God's grace, and that's how you impart God's grace to others.  Jesus said,

"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life" (John 5:24).

 You may say, I don't understand the Bible--I'm not growing in my Christian life;  Nothing's changed.  Well, you may not understand the Bible because you haven't yet believed in Jesus Christ--you don't have his Holy Spirit living within you.  

Or, maybe you are a believer in Jesus Christ: You know for a fact that you believed in him at one time, but your life is going nowhere.

Well, perhaps you are simply being disobedient, trying to live your life your own way because you don't know who you really are in Jesus Christ.  

God chose you and He draws you to Jesus Christ and when you look to Jesus and believe in Him Jesus said, "[You will] have eternal life" (John 6:40).

So what is the evidence in a persons life?  If God in His sovereign grace chose you before the foundation of the world, if he draws you to Jesus, if He gives you the Holy Spirit and all of his power (Acts 1:8), shouldn't there be some evidence?  Well, Peter showed evidence in his life and we can follow Peter's example:

Look with me at 2 Peter 1:1.  

"Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ."

Peter identifies himself as "a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ."  The translators of most English Bibles translate this word "servant" just like we read it here.   But in the Greek, the word is "Doulos" and it literally means "Slave".  Do you know what a slave is?  A slave is someone who is owned. This word "Doulos" means you are tied to, bound to, ensnared, or captured. If you are a slave you are bound to serve, you can do nothing else.  Whatever your master desires you do.  And Peter says that he is owned by Jesus Christ.  Jesus is his Master.

 Peter gives a key to knowing if you are in Christ, if you have "obtained faith"; and he gives the reason as to why you, who call yourself a Christian are not growing in your Christian walk and your life is a mess.  He says you have to become a slave of Jesus Christ.

But Peter is not fearful of being a slave to Jesus Christ.  He's not worried about being beaten by his Master.  Why?  Because Peter knows that this Master, Jesus Christ is good.  How does He know?

Because of what the Bible says about how Masters should act.  The good Master does not threaten (Ephesians 6:9), the good Master is just, the good Master is fair (Colossians 4:1), the good Master is gentle (1 Peter 2:18).

And that is the picture of Jesus Christ.  He is your Master and you are to, like Peter, consider yourself a slave to him.  Why?  Because He, in His Sovereign mercy, has chosen you -- you have obtained your faith because of His glorious grace. He has rescued you from the pit and even while you were still a sinner--He died for you (Romans 5:8).  

And each of us should fall on our faces before Him for allowing us to be worthy to be called His slave.

You have obtained your faith because God chose you and has drawn you to Jesus Christ, and His grace and peace will be multiplied in your life as you grow in the knowledge of him by hearing the word and reading the word.  And because of that, you are a slave of him.

And you may be thinking; Slave?  What in the world!  I don't want to be a slave.  Forget this -- I'm out of here!

But before you ditch me (or rather, before you ditch God), let me just give you one more thought.  Whether you know it or not, you are slave to something or somebody.

Look at your life -- forget everyone else around you.  

What are you a slave to?  

Maybe you can't get enough of sports?  You can't read enough box scores; you can't watch enough games on T.V., You cram your brain with meaningless statistics that in the course of eternity mean nothing:  Then you're a slave.

What about something as simple as a cell phone?  You have to keep it close by you every minute of the day.  If it rings, even in a worship service, you have to get up and answer it.  You can't turn it off or you might miss a call--In fact, I challenge you to turn your phone off for a day! If you can't, then you're a slave.

Maybe you can't get enough of Soap Operas or certain television programs, or video games.  If someone comes in the room and interrupts you fly off the handle and get in their face--how dare you make me miss my show.  Then you're a slave.

Maybe you can't stop thinking about sex.  You're not married (legally married); In other words, you've never made a real commitment, in obedience to God, to one person--For life; and you say, "I just can't control myself -- I get these urges and I have to have sex -- you don't understand, once you've had sex you just can't stop it!  Then you're a slave to sex.  [Get married and you can have sex everyday with God's blessing.]

Maybe you crave weed or alcohol and you have to get high or drunk. You buy your 24 pack on Friday night after work and you drink it all -- it helps you relax and getting drunk helps me get all the noise of the week out of my head.  And even though you know it's illegal you buy a bag of weed to keep close by.  Then you're a slave to drugs and alcohol.

What about power?  You think you're better than your girlfriend or your boyfriend.  You treat your spouse with contempt because you want to have the final word in everything.  You make all the decisions, you could care less what the other person thinks.  Then, you're a slave to power.

And in all this slavery that you're caught up in, your life never gets under control.  You're problems are never solved.  There's never peace in your home, or on the job:  Because you're caught and ensnared to the wrong master.

And all the while, Jesus is standing by drawing you to himself -- pleading with you to not harden your heart and to follow Him.  To become His slave.

And when you are a slave to your own desires and sins, you have a huge yoke placed around your neck.  Do you know what a yoke is?  It's a heavy wooden beam that was put around a slave's neck to pull a load -- it would weigh a slave down, cause blistering sores and bloody chafing.

But Jesus says, "Take my yoke upon you.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" (Matthew  11:30).

And today, you can do that.

Perhaps you are not a believer in Jesus Christ today -- Oh, you have a head knowledge of Him. You know who He was and have heard us and others talk about Him, but you've never "Looked to Him as your Savior and your God."  Then today you can.

But many of you in this room are believers.  You know that Jesus Christ came to save you from your sins and you believe in him.  But you're not following Him, you're not His slave.  You keep trying to put on that old yoke--the one that bruised you (blistered you) and hurt you.

The apostle Paul said,

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1). Be a slave of Jesus Christ.

Whatever your standing, Jesus is calling you to make a decision.  And today is the day of salvation.

And for those who so desire to follow Christ I'm going to give you an opportunity to do so.  Let me tell you exactly what is going to happen right now.

In just a couple of minutes I am going to say a final prayer and you are going to be dismissed. And when you are dismissed I want to encourage you to stick around and fellowship with the others who are here today, but I want to ask you to do so in the lobby -- as you leave this room, please leave in a reverent and quiet manner.  

But the Holy Spirit is moving here today.  He is speaking right now to many of you.  He is urging you to look to Jesus, to follow Him.  And maybe you would like us to pray for you.  When we dismiss, pastor John and I will be up in front and you can line up and we will pray for you individually.  Our prayers don't reach God any faster than yours do, but we want to be an encouragement to you.  

Maybe you just want to come up and kneel, right here in the front and pray or cry out to God.  Then you can do that.

But whatever you do, if the Holy Spirit is speaking to your heart, don't make the mistake of leaving here without doing something about it.  

And finally, for those who don't wish to pray or have someone pray for them, it doesn't mean they are any less spiritual than those who do.  It is God the Father who draws men and women to Himself--it is all a work of God so that no one can boast.

So let me pray and then come.

"Holy Spirit, I ask you to come today.  Speak to our hearts and move among us Lord.  We are weak, feeble beings and we need your power to save us.  Lord, we cry out to you this morning for your help in our messed up lives.  Thank you for choosing us and for your grace and peace. Come Holy Spirit -- For it is in Jesus name I pray.  Amen."

Casting All Your Anxieties on Jesus: 1st Peter 5:4-14

By Pastor Roger Feenstra

We tend to think of the New Testament as a book when in fact it is comprised primarily of letters to churches or individuals.  It is interesting how the letters in the New Testament were circulated among the churches. Today, if we want to send a letterto someone, we might compose a short text message or maybe a little  longer e-mail.  For example, many of you know that we have a church in Riverside, California that has helped support our church financially.  Grace Community Church in Riverside provided both of our church vans for us; they paid for this carpeting in our building, they installed our sound system, and every month they send us some financial support to help us continue our ministry here.  What a blessing they are to our church.  

Last week I sent the pastor, Brian Smith, an e-mail giving him an update on what is happening in our church.  I told him about our communion service; I shared with him the stories of some of the people in our church we have helped in times of crisis; and I thanked his church for their faithful support.  When Brian received the e-mail, he forwarded it to hundreds of people on their church e-mail list so that they could read it and rejoice along with him and could pray for us, here in Fresno.

Well in verse 12, the letter of First Peter was delivered and distributed in somewhat the same fashion--except rather than being e-mailed, it was hand delivered to churches by "Silvanus", (or Silas as he is called in other passages). Those churches also sent it out, to other churches, and it began to circulate all over the world, and 2,000 years later, it made its way to Fresno and you are holding it in your hands this afternoon.

And Peter gives some final words of encouragement in this letter:

verse 12:  "Stand firm" in the grace of God.

And then, in verse 13, Peter sends greetings from another church. In this case he calls the church "She who is in Babylon" and he most likely means the church in Rome -- he also mentions Mark.  Mark was the writer of the gospel of Mark and he traveled with Peter and learned about Jesus Christ more fully from him.  And finally, he asks us to "Greet one another with the kiss of love" and he imparts peace to "all of you who are in Christ."  

I think it is no mistake that he ends his letter by naming the name of Christ--

Jesus Christ, the second person of the trinity, who is himself God, came to earth as a human being--to experience everything you and I experience.  Like you, Jesus faced temptations, emotions, and loss, and yet he did not sin.  And because of that, he is able to sympathize with your weaknesses.  He knows exactly what you are going through.  He understands your temptations, your feelings, and he weeps with you in your losses.

And when Jesus died and rose again, he ascended in bodily form into heaven where he is right now, sitting next to the Father, making intercession for you when you sin and after he ascended, he sent his Holy Spirit to indwell believers and his Holy Spirit is here with us now.  

And there is coming a day when Jesus is coming back. He is going to suddenly appear as the chief Shepherd and he will ultimately take his flock of sheep, the church, out of this world.  I love Paul's passage in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 where he writes,

"For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.  And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.  Therefore encourage one another with these words."

And while we are waiting for his return, Peter tells us to be subject to one another and, verse 5, 

"Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another."

Notice Peter's continuous back and forth message throughout this letter:  Suffering, submission, suffering, submission.  He knows first hand that these are two very difficult things for us to deal with in our lives. 

 

When it comes to submission, it takes great humility. The natural tendency for man is to try and exalt himself.  Humility doesn't come natural.  We all like to be recognized.  Everyone likes to see their name in print.  People like to exalt themselves or have others do it for them.  Just watch a sporting event or news program on television where there are people in the background.  What are they doing?  They're waving at the camera and acting in a manner that they would probably never act anywhere else, but because the camera has panned to them, they want to be recognized, and exalted.  

Why?  Why is that in our nature to want to exalt ourselves?  It's because, as Paul says in Ephesians 2:3 we are "By nature, children of wrath."  And part of that nature means we're proud--in the bad sense of the word.  Our natural inclination is to build ourselves up rather than Jesus Christ.  Just listen to some testimonies of Christians.  There are times when you wonder if those who are sharing ever met Christ.  His name is not even mentioned in their testimony.  It's all about I used to do that and now I do this--or maybe they'll end their testimony with an Amen! We're proud by nature, we're children of wrath.  It doesn't matter what you've accomplished in your life--Only Christ, only Christ.

No, our nature is filled with wrath and pride.  Proverbs says, "Pride comes before destruction."  Peter says in verse 5 that "God opposes the proud".  The only way we can overcome pride in our lives is to "Clothe ourselves with humility, toward each other" (vs. 5), and do it "Under the mighty hand of God." 

And when you "Clothe [yourself] with humility", God, in his timing, "at the proper time", the Scripture says, "will exalt you."  Peter instructs that rather than exalting yourself in pride, be subject to everyone and be humble -- and when you do those things, God is going to lift you up. 

We get the wrong idea about what humility is.  Some may think that it's a bad thing.  But humility is what causes you to grow as a Christian.  

1.  Humility keeps the focus off of your own suffering and turned to God.

2.  Humility allows you to trust God, rather than yourself.

3.  Humility allows you to love others, even when they are unlovable.

4.  Humility strengthens marriages.

5.  Humility allows a father to put his family before his own recreation.

6.  Humility helps you listen to your boss and do your work gladly.

7.  Humility means you are satisfied with your wages.

8.  Humility puts Jesus Christ first in your life.

But, humility can also cause suffering.  When you submit to God, suffering will follow.  Remember what Peter said in 2:21?  You have been called to suffering--because Christ was humble and he suffered.  What may happen when you are "Clothed with humility"?

1.  People may think you are weak.

2.  You may be opposed by the world.

3.  Friends and family may mock you.

4.  People you thought were your friends may try to sabotage you by spreading false rumors about you because they are feeling guilty that you are not acting like them.

5.  You may not always get your way.

6.  You might even get cheated out of something.

7.  Your boss may take advantage of you and pile more and more work on you because you are not complaining.

8.  And because of your humility and because you are a weak human being, the natural inclination may to become anxious when all of these things happen to you.

Even though we are promised that by being humble, God will exalt us, Peter recognized that it is easy to become anxious.

And so, in verse 7 he writes these wonderful and comforting words,

  "Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."

What anxieties do you face in your life?  What worries you? What makes you nervous or uneasy?

Is it,

• Lack of finances?
• Lack of security?
• Family troubles?
• Trouble with your children?
• Car problems?
• Housing problems?
• Illness?
• Fear of death of yourself or a loved one?
• Fear of losing your job?
• Fear that you will never meet the right soul-mate?
• Guilt over a hidden sin habit you can't seem to break?

What worries you right now?  Right where you are sitting this afternoon? Whatever it is, God says this, "Cast them all on me." Give them to him.  Can you even image what he is asking you to do?  You may not fully grasp what he is asking you to do because you tend to hold on to your problems--you try to solve them yourself. But whatever you have that makes you anxious, God is offering to take it from you.

It would be like this (if it were medically possible):  If one of my grandchildren had cancer or a terrible disease and they could reach down inside of themselves and grab it, I would tell them, "Please, do it quickly.  Grab that cancer that is eating away at you and I will take it and put it into me.  I love you, I don't want you to die."  

And that's exactly what God wants you to do with your anxieties. Whatever they are.  Take a deep breath and hand them over to him.  And because he cares for you he promises to take them from you.

You may be embarrassed to give your worries and troubles to Jesus. You think, how could I ever give these troubles to him.  I'm so messed up I don't even want to tell him my problems.  But the Bible says that God already knows your cares.  In Psalm 139:23, King David wrote, 

"Search me, O God, and know my heart!  Try me and know my thoughts."  

The Hebrew word for "thoughts" can mean "anxious thoughts" or "cares".  

How is this possible, that God knows your cares?  King David again gives us the answer in Psalm 139:13-16,

"For you formed my inward parts;

you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. 

Wonderful are your works;

my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

in your book were written, every one of them,

the days that were formed for me,

when as yet there was none of them."

No, there is nothing hidden from God.  He knew you, even before you were born.  Whatever it is in your life right now that concerns you, he knows.  But because he made you with the ability to exercise free choice, he allows you to either hang on to your cares, or cast them on him.  

And so, the Holy Spirit, this morning is urging you to cast them on to Jesus.

But what hinders you from doing that?  It's your adversary--he is part of the problem.  Verse 8 says,

 

"Be sober-minded; be watchful.  Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world."

The devil hates you.  He is a liar and the father of all lies.  He is a murderer and his goal is to keep you from serving Jesus Christ.  He wants you to be non submissive and he wants you to suffer.  His desire is for you to keep your cares and anxieties to yourself and never turn them over to God.

He wants to feast on you--gorge himself on you--engulf, envelope, destroy, demolish, lay waste, devastate, gut, ravage, ruin, wreck, trouble, wrack, consume, overpower, overwhelm and "devour" your life.  And God has given him permission to try and do these things in order to someday separate the sheep from the goats.

Therefore, Peter says you better be sober-minded, you better be watchful.  

And sadly, the devil has some of you in his jaws right now.  Some of you are so consumed by sin that you've allowed Satan to grab you and hold you his mouth.  You're not devoured, because you're here today, but you've got some bite marks on you.  

You may ask, why does the devil attack me?  The apostle Peter gives two reasons:

1.  You're not being sober-minded.

and,

2.  You are not being watchful.

To be sober-minded means to have an unclouded mind, to be clear headed.  The opposite of that is being drunk.   The Greek word kraipalē means literally, "drunken headache."  To be sober-minded is to be the opposite of that.  You can think clearly.  You can keep your mind focused on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Do you know most crimes are committed when a person is high or drunk.  Most pregnancies outside of marriage happen when one or both of the parties are high or drunk.  And after the stupor wears off you say, "What in the world did I do last night."  You did something you would never have done had you been sober-minded... 

...And Satan rips at your spiritual flesh...

The second reason you get attacked by the devil is because you are not watchful.  Being watchful means to be alert and vigilant--You are ready for anything--you can see it coming and can avoid a potentially bad situation because you were watchful.

Are you being watchful for the things the devil will use to bring you down?  Maybe it is the movies you watch, or the music you listen to, or the friends or family members you hang around with.  

Be sober-minded, be watchful.

And if you do that, Peter says that you will be able to "Resist him." How?  By being firm in your faith.  

If you are "firm in your faith" it means that you are immovable.  Nothing can make you budge. 

How can you have firm or immovable faith?  Well, it takes work on your part.  There is no work required to obtain salvation--it is a free gift from God--Righteousness through faith. But once you are saved, and assured of heaven, Paul says to "work out your salvation" (Philippians 3:12), and James, the brother of Jesus says, "So faith by itself, if it doesn't have works, is dead." (James 2:17).

Therefore, it's imperative that in order to "Stand firm in your faith", it takes some work on your part--and that might include:

1.  Read God's Word often (Hebrews 4:12) (Get your own Bible that you can highlight and underline and write in it).

2.  Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) (And beginning next Tuesday evening, we are going to give you the opportunity to come and pray with us, as a church, and cry out to God.)

3.  Don't neglect going to church (Hebrews 10:24)

4.  When you sin, confess it right away (1 John 1:9)

You know, you're not alone in your problems.  Christians all over the world are facing the same kinds of suffering that you are, and probably even worse (1 Peter 5:9).

So, this letter from the Apostle Peter is instructing you and me to hang in there.  Work hard, don't give up, stand firm in your faith because the "God of all grace" (5:10), who has given you eternal life through Jesus Christ has not forgotten you.  You are not running the race alone--and while things are difficult and you suffer and "now for a little while...you have been grieved by various trials" (1:6).  You can "rejoice" (1:6), because God has a great promise for you.

God promises to do four things, and they are amazing.

1.  He is going to "Restore" you.  The Greek word used here is the same word that is used when the disciples "mended" or fixed the holes in their nets.  In the same way, Jesus Christ, will  mend you.  Do you have holes in your life right now that need mending?  Then cast your cares on to Jesus and he will restore you.

2. He is going to "Confirm" you.  The idea here is that Jesus is going to strengthen your soul.  Deep down within yourself--the depths of your soul you will be confirmed and strengthened.  When you go through those trials you will have peace, deep within your soul that the "God of all grace" keeps you safe.

3.  He is going to "Strengthen" you.  This means, if you trust him; cast your anxieties on him; trust him, he will give you the strength to keep facing what is good.  The things of earth will be tasteless to you.  The things you used to do just don't taste good anymore.  That movie you used to watch--it's tasteless.  That "High" you used to crave--it's tasteless.  The way you used to cheat to come up on some money--it's tasteless.  You have the strength of Jesus working in your life.

and finally,

4.  He promises to "Establish" you (5:10).  To be established means that your "house is built upon the rock."  In other words, when the trials come (and they will) and the storms of life and temptations threaten to you (and they will), you are established, you cannot be moved.  When the hurricane is over; your house is the one on the block that is still standing.  When the fires sweep through your life, your house is unscathed.  When the cars of life pile up in the fog of despair, you are able to avoid the carnage.

Why?  Because you have endured through the suffering.  You have disciplined yourself to submit and humble yourself under the mighty hand of God.  You have learned to forget trying to solve your problems on your own and have cast them all to Jesus.  And, you have, through the strength of Jesus Christ remained sober minded and watchful so that the devil has no influence over you.

And this is all because Jesus Christ has "dominion forever and ever."  He has all strength, all power, all might.

And...he loves you.  

But today, you know that you are not living your life for Jesus Christ.  Some of you, are caught in the jaws of Satan, who prowls around like a lion seeking to devour you, and he is ripping at your spiritual flesh.  Some of you are at the end of your rope--you have no where to turn.

Then why not turn to Jesus today--why not "Cast all of your cares, your anxieties, your sins and your burdens on him?

"Peace to all you who are in Christ."

The Role of the Pastor, Pt 1: 1 Peter 5:1-5

By Pastor Roger Feenstra

"So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the suffering of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed:  shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.  And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.  Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders."

The primary theme throughout First Peter has been how to endure suffering as a Christian.  Last week Bryce gave us a great summary of how we are to live our lives as Christians in the midst of suffering--Bryce asked us to think of the acronym S.A.D.  Don't be SAD.  Don't be Surprised by suffering, don't be Ashamed when you suffer, and don't be Discouraged.  And I believe that is the Apostle Peter's message to us all--his encouragement to us. When we suffer, because of Christ, don't be surprised, ashamed or discouraged.

Of course, those things are always easier said than done.  It easy to be taken surprise by suffering when it comes upon us, and humanly speaking it is easy to be ashamed when we suffer for Christ and, we all most likely know that at times, discouragement can come upon us like a Tsunami.

And so, we all need encouragement to not be SAD.  We need encouragement from other believers.  God never intended for you to walk the Christian life alone.  The Bible says that we are all like sheep.  And like sheep, we need shepherds to help guide us through difficult times in our lives, to teach us patience, and to pray for us. 

Because God loves us, he knew that we would need help to walk through this life of suffering and despair.  

Chapter 5, verse 1 begins with Peter exhorting the elders. (To exhort means to strongly encourage someone to do something.)  

The word elder is used interchangeably in the New Testament with the words overseer, bishop, and shepherd.  An elder is a person who meets specific requirements to lead a church.  And in the New Testament, elders were appointed, initially by the Apostles.  As the church grew, God instructed the Apostles to appoint pastors or shepherds in every city. The Apostle Paul wrote, in his letter to Titus, "Appoint elders in every town as I directed you."  

In our 1st Peter passage Peter tells the elders to "shepherd the flock of God that is  among you." (5:2).  The Latin word for shepherd is pastor, so from the Latin we derive the name pastor for someone who is an overseer, a bishop, an elder.  Therefore, in most Christian churches (including the catholic church), it is appropriate to call the one who leads a particular church, a pastor.

In light of that, when Peter exhorts the elders to "shepherd the flock of God", he is speaking to pastors.  And so, a pastor is like shepherd; A pastor's role is to feed, guide, and protect the flock of God.  This is the mandate from God, this is what pastors do.  Pastors are not called to the culture.  They are not called to revolutionize the neighborhood. They are not called to change the city.  Although those things might be the outcome of a pastor's work--The culture might change, neighborhoods might be revolutionized and cities might change.  But the primary calling of a pastor is to "shepherd the flock of God."  And that is why the warning is given in Hebrews 13:17 that pastors will be held accountable for how they shepherd the sheep.  Hebrews 13:17 says,

"Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account..."

So, it is of vital importance that the pastor not only shepherd the flock of God, but that the church know and understand the role of their shepherd and their role as sheep.  How does a man become a pastor? Let's look at three ways that a man becomes a shepherd. 

First,

1.  A Pastor is Called by God: 

The very first qualification for a pastor is that he is called.  The apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 3:1 said,

"The saying is trustworthy:  If anyone aspires to the office of overseer [pastor], he desires a noble task."

The word "aspire" means to set one's heart on. When you set your heart on something, it is your passion.  That's what the word aspire means--you direct your hopes and ambitions to do something.  And that's how you know if God is calling you to something, you have a desire, an ambition, a passion to do it. 

From a very early age, I can remember aspiring to do certain things in my life.  I specifically remember three things, although there are certainly others.  

First, I always wanted to be married.  When I was a young boy, I knew that one day I would find a wife, get married, have kids and live my life with that one woman.  Little did I know that I would meet her when I was in fourth grade.  But I aspired to be married, because I knew it was one of the most important commitments that I could make before God.  My passion in life was to get married, I aspired to it.  So, in 1975, at the age of 20, Carol and I were married and we have honored our commitment to God for nearly 35 years.

When I was in elementary school, I aspired to attend Biola College.  Biola College (Now Biola University) is a Christian university in So. Cal.  Somehow I knew about the school and I knew that I was going to attend there.  I wanted to learn more about Christ--I had a passion for knowledge of the Savior as a child.  So, my mom had someone from the college come to our house and talk to me about the school.  I think the guy was a little surprised when he got to our house and found out that I was only in 4th grade.  Nevertheless, his visit gave me an even greater passion and desire to attend there.  So, after high school, I first enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard for four years and then, I started attending Biola College.

The third thing I remember aspiring to, was to be a pastor.  I had a passion to serve Christ and honor him.  Throughout the years Carol and I have moved to various cities because of my job.  The first thing we always did was find a church.  And some of those churches we attended, where we were there for several years, I was an elder.  The churches where I wasn't an elder, Carol and I taught Sunday School and we were involved in ministry in other ways.  But I had a passion for serving Christ--never perfect, but always striving to be more Christlike as I have grown as a Christian over the years.  

And because I was in tune with God's Word over the years, the passion that I had for various things in my life, the things that have molded me--I heard God's call and have tried to obey Jesus Christ and exalt him. 

I'm not talking about positive thinking. I'm not one of those people who thinks that you can do anything you set your mind to. Because the fact is, no matter how often people may tell you you can, you can't always do something just because you set your mind to it. For example, I don't think my wife Carol, even though she likes football, could ever have been a linebacker in the NFL.  Setting your mind to something doesn't mean you can do it.  No, I'm talking about God calling you for a specific purpose in order to glorify him.  How can God use you in your life?  What do you aspire to spiritually?

Many men leave the ministry because they don't have a passion for the ministry. Many pastors struggle with preaching and teaching because they don't have a passion for it.  They haven't "aspired" to be a pastor.  And those pastors shouldn't be shepherds--God is most likely calling them to something else.  Why do they do it then?  Well sometimes it's because someone told them that they should do it. Maybe his father and grandfather were pastors and people just assumed that the son and grandson would follow in their footsteps. Or maybe he is a good speaker and has a lot of charisma.  Those might all be indicators of the call of God, but a pastor must first have the desire or the passion--and God calls him to that ministry. 

And let me tell you something, that is the kind of pastor you want--someone who is called by God.  He doesn't do it for money, or prestige, or power.  He is called
 by God, and because of that he is shepherding you, protecting you and praying for you.

So, the man must aspire to be a pastor and he must be called by God.

Second,

2.  A Pastor Has a Gift From God:

In the letter to the Ephesians (4:7-12) Paul said, 

"But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.  Therefore it says, When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men....And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ." 

God has gifted people in the church with different abilities to do his work.  Everyone in this room, including me as a pastor, has some type of gift that God wants to use to build up the church.  And because it is God's will for you to have a spiritual gift he makes that gift more and more evident to you.  Knowing God's spiritual gift for you takes some work on your part--

How does a pastor know, and how do you know, what spiritual gift you have?  Paul tells us in Romans 12:1,2.  

"I appeal to you therefore brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."  

How do you identify God's spiritual gift that he wants to impart to you?  Three ways:

I.  Be holy

I could define for you what it means to be holy, but it is probably better to let God's Word tells you what it means to be holy.  Look with me at one key passage that will help your understanding.

    a.  1 Thessalonians 4:3: 

"For this is the will of God, your sanctification (or holiness) that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles (or non-believers) who do not know God, that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.  Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you."

Over and over again we read in the New Testament that sexual immorality cancels out holiness.  You cannot be sexually immoral and holy at the same time. It is impossible.  And in order to hear God's call in your life and know his gift that he wants to impart to you, you must be holy.  

The New Testament alone talks about the problem of sexual immorality in 15 of the 27 books. Sexual immorality was a problem then and it continues to be a problem, even in the church today. In today's world it is not difficult to caught up in sexual immorality.  And let me tell you something, it will continue to get more difficult.  
That's why you are to put your focus continually on Christ.  Some of you have pornography at home on DVD's or on your phones or computers.  Some of you are involved in sexual relationships outside of marriage.  Some of you listen to music with sexually explicit lyrics.  Sexual immorality--God can never use you to your full potential until you confess your sin to him and get rid of those and other things in your life. Be holy. 

A Pastor has a gift from God and God wants to impart a spiritual gift to you too, but first your life must be holy. And if you're not living a life of holiness, then confess the sin you are participating in and stop doing it.  When you confess it before the Lord, he immediately forgives you, but don't play games with God--if you confess it, then stop it.  Second, the verse in Romans said,

II.  Be not conformed to the world

Are you caught up in conformity with the world?  What are you like at work?  Are you a "meddler", a "busybody" as Bryce talked about last week?  Are you always worried that other people are getting a better deal than you?  Did it ever occur to you that maybe God did not want you to have that same deal?  Maybe God has called you to suffer for some reason--to mold you and to shape you more into his image? Don't conform by meddling in other people's business, even if it does effect you.

When you are at work with non-believers would anyone be able to tell you apart?  Not because you've got John 3:16 tattooed on your forehead or because you're being judgmental or thinking you're better than your non-Christian co-worker, but would they be able to tell you apart because you are not conforming to the world's standards?  Do you listen to the same music as everyone else?  Do you watch the same movies?  Do you talk the same way as non-believers? Do you tell the same jokes?  If so, you've conformed to the world and God tells you "Be not conformed to the world." 

But it's so easy to conform?  It is so easy to get caught up in the world and just go along with it.  How can I not help it?  That's the third way to know God's gift in your life, by transforming your mind.

  

III.  Be transformed by the renewal of your mind.

By thinking on the things of God, by allowing Jesus to saturate your mind.  God transforms your mind when you think on him.  When you come to church and can worship him in spirit and in truth  How is it possible to worship God purely on Sunday?  How can you be assured that God will speak to you on Sunday and that you'll leave stronger than when you came in to church?

It partly begins with what do you do on Saturday nights?  Do you watch R rated movies, stay up late, and not even think about Christ?  A good way to begin the transformation process is on Saturday night, so that when you come to church on Sunday your mind is focused on Christ and prepared to worship him and receive his word.

And that's how you begin to know your spiritual gift--you have to first be right with God, transformed, and he begins to work in your life--and as he does, he imparts spiritual gifts to you; serving, teaching, hospitality, generosity, leadership, administration, wisdom, knowledge, faith, and many more.  And each gift is used to build up the body of believers.

Therefore, in light of this, a man becomes a pastor by aspiring to be one--being called by God and gifted by God.  But there is a third way in order for a man to become a pastor, and that is, he must meet several requirements.

3.  A Pastor Must Meet Several Requirements:

There are several requirements that must be met in order for a man to qualify as a pastor.  And likewise, a pastor can be disqualified by failing to meet even one of these requirements.  

It's important to note that these requirements are not indicators of perfection.  No pastor is perfect.  All pastors are human, and at times, they may let you down.  Because pastors are men, they may even stumble at some point in their ministry.  James, the brother of Jesus said this about teachers (and I think pastors fit into this verse) in James 3:1:

"Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.  For we all stumble..."  

Notice that James doesn't say, "Stumble an fall."  Everyone stumbles, but a pastor cannot continually stumble to the point of falling.  James goes on to say in 3:11:

"Does a spring spout forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water?  Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs?  Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water."

No, a pastor must consistently follow Christ and not fall into sin.

There are three essential passages that detail the requirements for a man to become a pastor.

Time prohibits me from going into each requirement in detail this afternoon, so let me list them, with just a few comments.

1.  1 Timothy 3:1-7:

a.  Above reproach

The Greek word used here is a wrestling term.  It refers to a wrestler who is not able to be taken down because he is firmly placed and able to defend himself well.  So when Paul uses the words "above reproach" he is saying that a pastor should not be able to be brought down because of ungodly actions.

b.  Husband of one wife

I think this means, one wife to the exclusion of all others.  A pastor is to be the husband of one wife--it carries with it the sense that his wife should be first and foremost in his life--to the exclusion of all others.  A pastor never has to be sexually immoral because his wife meets his needs and their relationship is strong.

c.  Sober-minded

Paul is using a word that means "clear minded" or "not having a mind shrouded by alcohol".  He is not to be under the influence of it, or any other drug.

d.  Self-controlled

Here the apostle Paul is saying that a pastor must have sound judgment.  In other words, he is to be sensible, not filled with silliness or childlike.

e.  Respectable

This means a pastor is to be well behaved.  Or, literally, have a well ordered life.  His life is not filled with chaos.

f.  Hospitable

Paul says a pastor is to love strangers and when new people come into the church, they are to be welcomed.  The word also carries the idea of being generous.

g.  Able to teach

Since shepherding involves guiding the sheep, a pastor must be able to teach.  

h.  Not a drunkard

This means exactly what it says.  A pastor is not to sit around and get drunk.  The actual Greek word that Paul used refers to a person who gets drunk and then turns quarrelsome. Which leads to the next requirement that a pastor be, 

i.  Not violent

Simply put, a pastor is not to be ready to punch someone out.  He's not looking for a fight.  Rather, he is to be,

j.  Gentle

This means primarily that he is fair-minded.  Not jumping up and down insisting on his rights.

k.  Not quarrelsome

Again, he is disinclined to fight.  Is not always looking for an argument. 

l.  Not a lover of money

He's not out to make a quick buck in a dishonorable way.  He uses money as a means to glorify God and enhance his ministry.

m.  Manages his household well

This means, financially, emotionally, spiritually and physically.  The idea here is that a pastor presides over the management of his household.  He's not the King of his home, rather he is the manager.  This means that he is diligent in making sure his family is well taken care of.

n.  Children are submissive

His children obey him.  When he tells his children they are not to do something, they obey.  They listen to their father, not out of fear, but out of love and respect.

o.  Not a recent convert

The term elder doesn't just mean an older person.  Rather a pastor is to be grounded in the Lord and must not be a new Christian.  

He might become conceited or literally, blinded with conceit.

And finally, a pastor is to be,

p.  Well thought of by outsiders

He has a reputation for doing good even among those who don't attend church.

2.  Titus 1:5-9

a.  Above reproach (Says this twice)

b.  Husband of one wife

c.  Children must be believers and well behaved (If he has any children)

d.  Not arrogant

Or, not self-willed.  Not just trying to please himself only.

e.  Not quick tempered

Quick tempered here means revengeful or wanting to get even.

f.   Not a drunkard

g.  Not violent

h.  Not greedy

i.   Hospitable

j.   Lover of good

Loves what is good.

k.  Self-controlled

l.  Upright

He conforms to God's will.

m.  Holy

In the sense Paul uses the word holy here, he means, a pastor is to be free from all crimes--in other words, he obeys the law, doesn't cheat on his taxes, he fulfills his obligations.

n.   Disciplined

Has self control over his actions.

o.  Holds firm to the word of God

Takes the opposite position of the world and even in the midst of pressure to turn from God's Word, he holds on to it and doesn't let go.

p.  able to give instruction in sound doctrine

q.  able to rebuke those who contradict sound doctrine

Not only can he teach, but he can prove the false teacher wrong. 

3.  1 Peter 5:1-5

And the third essential passage is in our 1st Peter passage and we'll look at those qualifications and warnings for pastors next week.  

So, that is the picture of a pastor or a shepherd.  But Peter wants to make something very clear to his readers.

And that is, as the pastors shepherd the flock of God, there is Another who Shepherds the shepherds and that is the chief Shepherd (1st Peter 5:4). 

I think this is such an important statement that Peter makes, for it tells us what Jesus Christ's role is in the church.  And don't think that Peter just stuck that sentence here by accident.  No, he was giving us all a reminder that there is someone greater than us in charge.

Therefore, if the role of the pastor is to shepherd the flock of God, what is the role  of the chief Shepherd?  What is the role of Jesus Christ in our church?

1.  Jesus  Christ is the great Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20)

2.  Jesus Christ is the Shepherd and Overseer of our Souls (1 Peter 2:25).

3.  Jesus Christ is the good Shepherd who lays down his life for you (John 10: 11).

4.  Jesus Christ is the good Shepherd who knows you (John 10: 14)

5.  Jesus Christ is the door who saves you (John 10:9)

It is clear that God has appointed pastors to shepherd his church and to protect the flock.  Pastors "keep watch over the souls of the flock", but the chief Shepherd is the Savior of the souls of the flock.  

 

So, those are the qualifications and requirements for a pastor.  And next week we will look at three warnings that Peter gives to pastors--They're important and the flock of God must be aware of those warnings also so that they might be careful they are not following a false shepherd.

In closing today I want to say this again.  God did not intend for you to live your Christian life alone.  He didn't leave you wandering in the wilderness.  No, he provided shepherds to feed you and protect you.

The Bible says that we are all like sheep.  We all go astray.  Each of us turn to his own ways.  And like sheep, we need shepherds to help guide us through difficult times in our lives, to teach us patience, and to pray for us. 

Suffering and Submission: 1 Peter 3:13-22

1 Peter 3:13-22

Pastor Roger Feenstra

October 4, 2009

Two things people do not want to experience:  Suffering and submission.

Peter's theme throughout the book of 1st Peter:

1. We are born again because of Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead (1:3)

2. Because we believe in Christ, we are going to go through trials (1:6)

3.  Therefore, we need to prepare for action (1:13), and be holy (1:15)

4.  Holiness means getting rid of our worldly inclinations (2:1) and realizing that we are priests of Jesus Christ (2:9).

5.  And as priests we are to make sure our conduct is honorable among everyone (2:12)

6.  We keep ourselves honorable by submitting to those around us (2:13; 2:18; 3:1; 3:7; 3:8)

7.  When we submit to others we are going to suffer because of it (2:20)

8.  Our suffering comes because as Christians, that is what we have been called to do (2:21)

9.  And we have been called to suffer because Jesus suffered (1:11; 2:21; 3:18; 4:1; 4:13; 

10.  When we suffer we are to do so in the same way Jesus suffered (2:21)

    a.  He committed no sin when he suffered (2:22)

    b.  There was no deceit in him when he suffered (2:22)

    c.  He did not revile when he suffered (2:23)

    d.  He did not threaten when he suffered (2:23)

In our passage today and throughout the rest of the book, Peter continues this theme

The last thing people want to do is submit.  Throughout history, the struggle with submission has destroyed families, caused wars and brought suffering to the world.  The Bible is full of the accounts of those who chose not to submit, but rather to rebel.

 

·      Satan, who was once a shining angel, chose not to submit, but turn from God.

·      Adam chose not to submit to God, but ate the forbidden fruit.

·      The people of the world chose not to submit to God's message of repentance from Noah and perished in the flood.

·      Pharaoh refused to submit to Moses' cry for the Israelites to be set free from bondage and his lack of submission brought chaos and death to the Egyptians.

·      Moses did not submit to God's promises and was not allowed to enter the promise land.

·      King Saul disobeyed and did not submit to God's commands for proper leadership and was removed from the throne.

·      King David did not submit to God's plan for his life and instead of leading his men into battle, he stayed home where he committed murder and adultery.

 

On and on the struggle with submission continues throughout the Bible and throughout history.

 

Even today, because of our sinful nature-- or what the Bible calls "The flesh" we struggle with submission.  We don't want to be subject to anyone--partly because when we do, we are going to suffer for it.  Someone will always take advantage of us.

 

In our passage today, and over the past several weeks, The apostle Peter, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, knew that people struggle with the issue of submission—or as he puts it, being “subject” to another.

 

For several weeks we have heard the message, “Be subject”

 

2:13—“Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution.

2:18—“Servants, be subject to your masters.

3:1—“Wives be subject to your own husbands”

 

In 3:7 Peter tells husbands, “Likewise” understand your wives and honor them – and while Peter doesn’t directly tell husbands to be subject to their wives, he implies that in order to understand them and honor them, submission is necessary.

 

In 3:8 Peter writes, Finally, all of you, have unity, love a tender heart and a humble mind.  Again, while not directly using the words “be subject” he implies that in order to do these things, one must learn to submit.

And in chapter 5:5 He instructs those who are younger to be subject to the elders, or the pastors.

 

Why is Peter so obsessed with Christians being subject to one another?  The answer is found in verse 22 of chapter 3.

 

“Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.”

 

Why did Peter remind us to be subject, be subject, be subject over and over again?  He knew that being subject meant putting Christ first.  And he also knew that someday every person, every power, every angel, every authority will be subject to Jesus Christ himself. 

 

The apostle Paul said it this way in Philippians 2:9,10:

 

“Therefore God has highly exalted him (Jesus) and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

 

Peter is showing us that being subject to others is earthly practice for our heavenly calling—someday we will all be in total subjection to Jesus Christ himself.  And when that occurs, when we finally come under complete subjection to Jesus Christ, there will be no more sorrow and no more sin (Revelation 21:4).  But until then, suffering is going to continue when you are submissive and put Christ first in your life.

 

Let’s look at our passage today.  Follow along with me as I read 1 Peter 3:13-22.

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Peter begins by making a statement of general knowledge, that is, "If you are subject to others, who is going to harm you?" (3:13).

To the early church, Peter is saying, "if, as a believer in Christ, you choose to do good and submit, who can really harm you?  They might tie you to a stake and burn you, they might throw you to the lions that devour you, they might throw you into a vat of hot oil.  But they can't harm you because you'll end up in heaven.  Those who live for heaven have an entirely different perspective on life because they are able to take a lot more things a lot less seriously.  If you're living for earth, for an easy life, you'll be miserable.  If you seek the kingdom of God, if you live for heaven, you'll find that, although people may hurt you, no one can harm you.

If you're subject to the rulers and authorities, they aren't going to harm you.

If you're subject to your employer, he isn't going to harm you.

If you're subject to your husband, he's not going to harm you.

But we all know that even when we submit and do what is good, some people are just plain evil or perhaps simply uncaring.  No matter how good we are, people still take advantage of us.  Peter knew this too and that's why he wrote the next verse,

"But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you will be blessed."

When you do what God commands you to do, and in this case it is to "be subject."  When you follow God's plan for your life--and you still suffer, Peter says that you will be blessed.  Do you know what it means to be blessed?  Let me tell you first what it doesn't mean.  It doesn't mean that you will be happy all of the time.  Being blessed doesn't mean that you'll have lots of money.  Being blessed doesn't mean that you will always have a job or that you life will go perfectly here on earth, no:  Being blessed means you receive God's favor--God is on your side and in the end, God's side wins.  

The apostle Paul said in Romans 8:31 -- "If God is for us, who can be against us?  He continues in 8:35,37 by saying, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger or sword...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us"

So we are blessed by God, no one can stand against us, nothing shall separate from Christ's love and we are more than conquerors through Christ.  And because of those promises, Peter continues back in 3:14 by saying, 

"Have no fear of them, nor be troubled..."  Who is "them". Peter is talking about those people who take advantage of your submission.

You see, people will take advantage of you as you try to live your life as a righteous follower of  Jesus Christ.

It might be a policeman who pulls you over and harasses you when you are not doing anything wrong.

It might be your employer who could care less about you as a person

It might be your husband, who treats you poorly as you are trying to live your life for Jesus Christ.

People will take advantage of you when you work at following Christ, but Peter says don't fear them and don't be troubled--instead, "in your heart honor Christ the Lord as holy" (3:15). When you do that, when you honor Christ, those same people who mistreat you will look at you and wonder, "What in the heck is up with this person?"  "Why are they acting so joyful?"  "Why do they have hope?"  And Peter says, that they will ask you those questions, and when they do, be ready to give them an answer--what is the answer you should give them?

Look at chapter 1:8,9

"Though you have not seen him, you love him.  Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, he salvation of your souls."

The reason you have hope is because you love Jesus Christ and you believe in him--and what do you believe?  That he has provided salvation for your soul.  He has forgiven your sins and his grace is sufficient for you. And Peter says, that is what you are to gently and respectfully (3:15b) tell those who try to harm you.  They might even look at you like you are nuts.

But when you do that, God says you will have a good conscience--in other words you can sleep at night knowing that you have done all you can to serve Jesus Christ and the problems and trials you are facing are not of your own doing.

Peter goes on to tell you that because you're a Christian you're going to be slandered (3:16). Do you know what slander is?  It is when someone says something that is false and it damages your reputation.  Peter says, get ready, it's going to happen--When you are subject to those around you, when you are submissive like Christ, you're going to be slandered--not only that, you're going to be reviled.  Revile means to be criticized in an abusive or angrily insulting manner.  

But remember this, these things are going to happen to you because of your "good behavior in Christ."  You will be slandered and reviled not because you're some kind of an obnoxious Christian, no you will be slandered and reviled because you have hope in Jesus Christ and because you are gentle and respectful to those around you.  And when you exhibit good behavior in the name of Jesus Christ and those people slander and revile you for it, verse 16 says that they will be "put to shame."  Literally, it means they will "blush" with shame.

Peter continues (3:17) by saying, You know what?  "It is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil."  For some reason God sometimes allows us to suffer, even when we're doing good-- It has been the case through all of history.

In the Old Testament, Joseph suffered for doing good and refusing the advances of Pharaoh's wife.

Job, who the Bible describes as "blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil" suffered and lost all of his children and all of his possessions.

John the Baptist lost his life and was beheaded, simply for serving God.

And many of you have suffered, even when you have served Christ, and you cry out "Why me Lord?" "What did I do to deserve this?   

But why is it better to suffer for doing good?  Peter gives the answer in the next verse, (3:18):

"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,"

Why is it better to suffer for doing good?  Because when we do, we are following in the path of Jesus.  While we may not understand why we suffer we can certainly look to Jesus and see why he did.  We're told that he suffered so that we might be able to come to God.  Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22). And Jesus' death on the cross made it possible for your sins and mine to be washed away.

The righteous for the unrighteous (3:19).  That means that the sinless, righteous Jesus took all of your sin upon himself and in return he gave you his righteousness.  Paul says it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:21:

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

When Adam first sinned in the garden our direct access to God was completely cut off, because it is impossible for sin to exist in the presence of God.  And when Adam sinned, God immediately setup a rescue plan for all of mankind, otherwise all people would go to hell and have no hope of eternity with God.  And that plan was for God to become a man and die in our place--and so the entire theme of the Bible is God telling humankind of his plan.  That if they put their trust in the Messiah, and believe that his shed blood will save them from their sin, all of their sins will be forgiven and they will spend eternity with the Lord.

And so when you believe in Jesus Christ and put your trust in him, he removes your sins and immediately covers you with his righteousness, even though you are not righteous in yourself, or by anything you have done on your own, Jesus covers you and when God looks at you, he sees the righteousness of his son Jesus and he says, Welcome to eternity.  

And when you believe in Jesus Christ, Peter says that you are "Made alive in the spirit" (3:18). 

No longer does our flesh have control over us--we are alive in the spirit and Peter says that this is the message God has been trying to get through to people from the very beginning.  Even in the days of Noah God tried to warn people that there is forgiveness of sins if only they will turn to God and believe in his rescue plan.  Through Noah, the Holy Spirit preached Christ to those who were perishing and yet only eight people believed.

When Peter uses the word Baptism in verse 21 he is referring back to being made alive in the spirit--he means being "baptized in the spirit" not water baptism.  The apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians12:13,

"For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and we were all made to drink of one Spirit."

And so this is what saves you, when you place your belief in Jesus Christ you are immediately baptized in the Holy Spirit.  God's Spirit now resides in you and Christ's resurrection sealed the deal for us.  If Christ had not been resurrected, then, as Paul says, "Your faith is worthless and you are still in your sins."  In fact, if Christ has not been raised from the dead, then all of the preaching we do here is in vain, worthless.

And because we are saved Peter says that we now have a good conscience (3:21).  That means, "Lord, I am working to be submissive and I'm suffering for it, but I'm trusting you to get me through this."

But Christ is risen and Peter tells us that he is now in heaven, at the right hand of God.  And all the angels, authorities and powers are subjected to him.

And this is the beauty of this entire passage--it all comes back to Jesus.  All the suffering, all the pain, all the grief and inconveniences you experience here on earth are showing you that you can look to Jesus.  He hasn't forgotten you.  The writer of Hebrews 7:25 says this about Jesus as he sits in heaven at the right hand of the Father:

"Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for us."

And so when you submit to others in the name of the Lord, and when you suffer, you can take heart in knowing that Jesus did the same--he knows everything you are going through--there are no surprises--nothing catches him off guard.  And as you strive to be holy, even through your submission and suffering, God has this message for you today:

It's found in 1 Peter 5:7:

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."

You Are My Friends If You Do What I Command You"

Jesus said,

"You are my friends if you do what I command you." (John 15:14)

What does He mean by "command"? What are His commands that, if obeyed, will cause us to be His "friends"?

First, it is important to remember that believing in Jesus and obeying His commands are separate issues. Jesus is clear when He says that in order to gain salvation you must "believe" in Him. Salvation does not require works. Eternal salavation is purely a gift from God. There is nothing you can do to earn your salvation. Jesus, because of His mercy, offers you eternal life if you believe in Him. So let me ask you this question, "Do you believe in Jesus Christ; that He offers you forgiveness of sins; that He is God - the resurrection and the life? Jesus said, "Whoever believes has eternal life" (John 6:47).

Obeying the commands of Jesus does not ensure our salvation, but our obedience keeps us in fellowship with Him: Our friendship stays intact. Obeying the commands of Jesus is something a Christian will desire to do. As a Christian you will be driven to obey Christ because you love Him and are grateful for His free gift of eternal life.

So what does Jesus command you to do? In the New Testament, there are many commands of Jesus, but they can be narrowed down to 10 key commands.

Here is a list of the Ten Commandments of Jesus:

1. The Most Important Commandment: Love The Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…and with all your strength....You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:37-40; Mark 12:28-31.

2. The Great Commission: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you. Matthew 28:19-20.

3. The New Commandment: ...love one another. John 13:34-35, 15:12.

4. The Priority commandment for every believer: ..seek first His kingdom and His righteousness... Matthew 6:33.

5. The Lord's Supper: ...do this in remembrance of Me... Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 11:24,25.

6. The Great Example Commandment: ...wash one another's feet...you also should do just as I have done to you... John 13:14-15.

7. The Commandment that is the secret to a fruitful life: Abide in Me... John 15:4-8.

8. The only specific request Christ commanded his disciples to pray besides the Lord's Prayer: ...pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest... Luke 10:2, Matthew 9:38.

9. General Commandments of Jesus for victorious living: ...do not pass judgment...do not condemn...pardon...give... Luke 6:37-38.

10. Commandments for loving our enemies: ...love your enemies...Do good to those who hate you...bless those who curse you...pray for those who mistreat you... Luke 6:27-36, Matthew 5:43-48.

What Is Your Purpose? 1st Peter 1:1-2

By Pastor Roger Feenstra 

Have you ever wondered what your purpose is in this world? I mean, you get up in the morning and it seems just like every other day; You feel like you're in the movie Groundhog Day. Maybe you have seen that movie where the main character wakes up every morning and everyday turns out to be exactly the same as the previous one. And he finds that no matter how hard he tries to change the outcome, when he wakes up the next day and it begins all over again, just like the day before. It's as if the world has a hold on his life and he can't break its grip.

Maybe that's how you feel in your life. There seems to be no purpose - you have no goals - Life just keeps on rolling along and each day brings the same old, same old.

In our passage today, and throughout the following weeks, Peter the author of this letter is going to help you understand what your purpose is and how you can face each day with a newness of life -- escaping the hold that the world has on you.

Follow along with me as I read verses 1 and 2 of 1st Peter:

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

The opening verse claims that this book (or letter) you are holding in your hands was written by "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ."

Most of us remember or have heard of Peter. Peter was a trusted disciple of Jesus Christ and was a part of His most inner circle. You have probably heard of Peter since his name is mentioned more times in the New Testament than any other person except for Jesus Himself.

Peter, The Rock

In fact, the name Peter was given to him by Jesus Christ. Peter's actual name was Simon Bar-Jonah (or Simon son of Jonah or John: Matthew 16:17; John 21:15-17). The name Peter was a nickname that Jesus gave to Simon. Some of you have been given a nickname or know someone who has one. Usually a nickname matches the personality of the person who receives it. For example, when I was in the Coast Guard I was only seventeen years old and I was the youngest guy on our ship, the older guys gave me the nickname "Youngblood."

The nickname that Jesus gave Peter means "Rock" in the Greek language. And while Peter doesn't always come across as a rock, Jesus knew what Peter would eventually become. He knew that Peter would one day become a strong leader, a rock. Peter is also called "Cephas" in the New Testament which is the word for rock in the Aramaic language. Therefore, throughout the New Testament you will read of him being referred to as Simon, sometimes Simeon (which is the Hebrew spelling), Simon Peter, Simon son of John, Peter, and Cephas.

Simon's background was that he was a fisherman. He owned his own boat (Luke 5:3) and he fished on the Sea of Galilee. Once he met Jesus, the Bible says, "[He] left everything and followed him" (Luke 5:11).

As a disciple of Jesus Christ, Peter followed Him throughout the countryside for about three years. Peter was the spokesman for most of the other disciples and he was known for his directness in the way he interacted with others and with the Lord.

Peter, A Man of Strengths and Weaknesses

Peter was also a man like us with many strengths and many weaknesses. Once, when Jesus was explaining to His disciples that He must be killed and on the third day rise again, the Bible says that Peter took Jesus aside to rebuke Him for talking about His death and said,
"Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you." (Matthew 16:22).
But Jesus rebuked him by saying,

 "Get behind me Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man." (Matthew 16:23).

Peter had fallen victim to Satan's trap of unbelief and Jesus rebuked him for it.

Peter fell victim to Satan (again) on the night of Jesus’ arrest, learning that he was humanly weak and could not trust his own resolve. Also, he learned the hard way that he needed to be watchful and careful – boasting about how strong he was in the Lord did not keep him from falling. He needed to depend on the Lord’s strength and not his own: (Luke 22:54-62). 

And let me say this, you are just like Peter. You have no power of your own to fight Satan. I am always amazed when I hear people say that they "told Satan this or that". The Bible never tells you to talk to Satan. It never instructs you to rebuke Satan. In fact, at our men's retreat we even sang a song that was incorrect. The words were, "I told Satan, get thee behind me." It was Jesus who said that. Jesus is the One who is able to tell Satan to get lost. You can't fight Satan with your words. Rather, the Bible says, we are to "resist him" by putting on the armor of God (Ephesians 6). You always fight the spiritual battle with the Lord's strength, not your own.

Peter thought he would never fall or turn his back on Jesus and he was boastful about it. Once Peter said, "Lord, I will never turn my back on you. I will never deny you. I will always follow you." But we discover later that Peter did deny Christ, not once, but three times. Peter was prideful, which is a lie of Satan.

You see, you have no reason to boast about anything you have done in your life. You have zero ability on your own to be strong in the Lord. Your power, your boasting, your ability to grow in Christ only comes from Jesus Himself. Where does Jesus get His power to fight Satan for us?

Jesus was born and lived a sinless life, and because He is God, He took on your burdens and sins when He was crucified on the cross in accordance with the Scriptures, He was buried and on the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures. After His resurrection Jesus appeared to Cephas (that is, Peter) and the other disciples as well as more than five hundred others. And because of his death and resurrection you are justified, that is, made righteous in God's eyes - Just as if you had never sinned. And the result of those who believe in Him is the promise of eternal life (1 Corinthians 15).

From the very beginning of this book of First Peter, Peter is making it clear that this letter is not about him. It is about Jesus Christ and what He has done for you and me and how He can help us live holy lives.

Peter, The Apostle

Peter was an apostle --

The word apostle means "One who is sent." Peter was sent to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ. He was not interested in sharing his own story, rather his purpose was to instruct his readers on how Jesus Christ makes them holy. As an apostle, Peter was not proclaiming his personal testimony. No, that was not the authority that Christ gave to Peter and the other apostles before He ascended into heaven. Jesus told Peter this in the book of Matthew 28:19,20:

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Peter, The Ambassador

Peter's mission was to be an ambassador for Jesus Christ. Do you know what an ambassador does? In the United States an ambassador is appointed by the President to travel to another country and proclaim the message of the President. The ambassador doesn't tell his own message, he tells the message of the one who sent him.

And that is what Jesus has called you to be and to do. To be His ambassador, proclaiming His message of salvation. The apostle Paul, in 2nd Corinthians 5:20 says,
"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us."
But Peter was more than an apostle or an ambassador. Turn with me to the book of Second Peter. In verse one, Peter identifies himself further:

Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

Peter, The Slave of Jesus Christ

Notice in this verse Peter identifies himself as not only an apostle, but a servant. The New Testament was originally written in the Greek language and in the Greek language the word "Servant" is the word "doulos." Doulos literally should be translated "Slave." It comes from the word "deo" which means "to bind."  What is a slave? A slave is someone who is owned. A slave is bound to serve. A slave does not do his own thing, rather he always does what his master instructs him to do. As a slave in the New Testament times your will and your capabilities were at the service of another. Therefore, Peter is saying that he is a slave of Jesus Christ. He could do nothing on his own -- as a slave he was to obey and do the bidding of his master, Jesus Christ.

So here we have Peter, a man who walked and talked with Jesus Christ. Who in human terms could boast about knowing Christ personally; who could brag about Jesus giving him the nickname "Rock." But instead, he proclaimed that he was nothing -- merely a slave of Jesus Christ, one who carries out the Lord's orders. Everything Peter did, everything he owned, including his salvation was because of Christ Jesus.

The Book of First Peter, Addressed To Christians

Peter continues by addressing his readers:

"To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,"

When Peter uses the words "Elect exiles" here he is speaking in spiritual terms -- in other words, he is addressing this letter to all Christians throughout the world who are separated from their heavenly home. You may remember that the apostle Paul wrote that we are "Citizens of heaven" and we are awaiting our Savior Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:20). This is what Peter means by "exiles". As Christians, we are not a part of this world, we are just visitors.

We're getting ready to celebrate the 4th of July in our country. And what a great celebration most of us will have; barbecues and fireworks! But in all of our celebrations, we should not forget that this earthly residence that we are living in here is simply temporary. This world will never satisfy our deepest desires. We will never find complete peace while we are here on earth. Our life here will always be a mixture of happiness and sadness. Jesus said this in John 14,

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”

We have a heavenly home to look forward to. This sinful, stressful, and painful earth that we live in is hostile environment for those who are Christians. In this world we will face struggles, heartache, persecution and even death.

God Knows and Understands Your Difficulties

Yet Peter is showing us that this trouble you face is not a surprise to God. Everything that you are experiencing here on earth is all happening (Verse 2)...

"according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,"

And what a comfort that should be for all of us. No matter what you have been through, or are going through, it hasn't escaped the attention of God. Some in our church have faced the death of loved ones over the past few months; Many have lost jobs; Some are struggling in their relationships; Several are facing financial turmoil.  

But Peter stresses here that God knows all that will happen even before it happens. In the book of Isaiah 65:24 God says this:

"Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear."
In other words God knows what is going to take place in your life even before you experience it and even before you cry out to him. He knows.

And while we cannot comprehend God's purposes at times, we should take comfort in knowing that He is fully aware and fully in control of our lives.

Look at what God says in His word about this:

"He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world." Ephesians 1:4

God knew that you would need a Savior and so before the foundation of the world He determined to forgive your sins through Christ. Look at 1st Peter 1:17-21:

"17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He [Jesus] was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God."

Do you see what is being said here? Peter is saying, while you are living in this dirty filthy earth, away from your heavenly home, realize that before the foundation of the world, Jesus Christ was promised to bring you faith and hope if you place your trust in Him.

Christians, Set Apart To Be Holy

But how do we live that life here on earth? It seems so difficult at times. You live your life on this earth through the Holy Spirit. Peter uses the phrase,

"In the sanctification of the Spirit."

Sanctification is what the Holy Spirit does for us. Sanctification means to be "set apart" or "declared holy." From the moment you believe in Jesus Christ, the Bible shows you that you are being sanctified.  Look how this works.

The Bible says, "None is righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:11). It says that "No one seeks God" (Romans 3:11). Therefore, if left to yourself, you will always turn your back on God. You can't help it, because the Bible says, "All fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

So Jesus promised that He would send a "Helper" to you after He ascended into heaven (John 15:26). And this "Helper" who is the "Holy Spirit" will guide you into all truth (John 16:13). Because you and I have a Helper (the Holy Spirit) we are to "Set [our] minds on the things of the Spirit" not the things of the "flesh" or the world (Romans 8:5-7). Paul calls this the "Renewing of our mind" (Romans 12:2). As we focus on the Spirit of God and our minds are renewed we begin to do the will of God and by His will we are being sanctified or made holy (Hebrews 10:10).

So Peter is telling you in verse 2 that as you live your life in a world of turmoil and as you look forward to your heavenly home, keep your mind focused on the Spirit of God and as you do so, God sanctifies you and you are made holy, set apart from the world.

But why is this necessary? Well, verse 2 goes on to say that it is necessary in order for you to be obedient to Jesus Christ.
"for obedience to Jesus Christ and d for sprinkling with his blood:"
Cleansed By The Blood Of Jesus Christ

The phrase "Sprinkling with his blood" is an idea that the readers of Peter's letter would most likely have understood. For us to understand it fully we need to look back at an Old Testament ceremony.

You have probably heard about the disease of leprosy. Today, it is not common (only about 200,000 cases per year according to the World Health Organization), and has the name "Hansen's disease." Leprosy is caused by a particular bacterium. In the Old Testament, leprosy was dreaded and feared. Any person with leprosy (which was really a skin disease of any kind) was excluded from the community. That infected person was to live alone and shout "Unclean, unclean" whenever he or she approached a town or village. In the Old Testament book of Leviticus, God gave Moses laws to follow when a leper was cured.

When a person was cured or healed from their skin disease, there was a particular protocol that was to be followed so that the community would know they were cleansed and could be welcomed back into the town or village. Turn to Leviticus 14:1-7.

"The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “This shall be the law of the leprous person for the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest, 3 and the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall look. Then, if the case of leprous disease is healed in the leprous person,4 the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed two live clean birds and cedarwood and scarlet yarn and hyssop. 5 And the priest shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthenware vessel over fresh water. 6 He shall take the live bird with the cedarwood and the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, and dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. 7 And he shall sprinkle it seven times on him who is to be cleansed of the leprous disease. Then he shall pronounce him clean and shall let the living bird go into the open field."

Therefore, this passage in Leviticus is not just giving laws for dealing with lepers, but it is giving us a picture that one day a Savior would come whose blood would be the ultimate sacrifice for our spiritual disease, sin.

David, in the book of Psalms (Psalm 51:7), alludes to this cleansing and he relates it spiritually to cleansing from his sin or iniquities:

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."
So when Peter writes that we are to be obedient to Jesus Christ by the "Sprinkling of his blood"

David is referring to getting rid of spiritual defilement in our lives. And because we are defiled by sin daily, we need continual sprinkling, in the spiritual sense, with the blood of Christ.

You see, it is only through the blood of Jesus Christ that you can be cleansed from your sins.

"For obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with His blood" means that God's plan for you is not obedience that is marred or stained by unforgiven sin, but obedience whose failings are cleansed by the blood of Christ. It means continual daily obedience and forgiveness.

In 1 John 1:7, The apostle John gives a wonderful reminder that your sins are forgiven, not by what you do, or how you act, but by the "blood of Jesus" who sacrificed His life on the cross for you.

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin."

When we walk in the light of Jesus Christ, we have fellowship with each other and the passage goes on to state that we have fellowship with God too. Because of this, if you have not believed in Jesus Christ, then the Bible is clear that you have no access to God and no cleansing of your sins.  You are dead in your sins. If you are not a believer in Christ, you are like a dead man, with no breath.

If you are a believer and you continue in your sin, without acknowledging it before God, you are like a leper, with your fellowship broken. It is only through Jesus Christ that you can ensure a heavenly home and live a life that is set apart or holy. Jesus said, "Whoever believes in me has eternal life" (John 6:47). And today, you can say, "Lord, I believe in you." And at that moment Jesus Christ's blood cleanses you from all sin; past, present and future.

What Is Your Purpose?

So let's summarize what these two verses have said;

1. You are to be a slave of Jesus Christ, obeying His will by being His ambassador to a lost world.

2. This world is not your home. You are an exile, a foreigner, an alien in this world. And because of that, you are going to experience heartache and sadness.

3. Take heart, because God is aware of everything you are going through. In His Divine plan He knows what is best for you.

4. And because of that, He sent the Holy Spirit so that you might have the strength to live your life on this earth and by renewing your mind through the Holy Spirit you might be sanctified, set apart, and holy.

5. And as you grow in your walk with Christ and obey Him you are reminded that your sins are forgiven due to His sacrifice for you on the cross, and the shedding of His blood.

What an amazing two verses of Scripture! What richness and promises that they give us. But today, sadly, there are some who believe in Jesus Christ, who call themselves followers of Him, but don't realize that they are strangers or exiles in this world, or perhaps they don't care. Perhaps it's you? Maybe you're trapped in your sin? Maybe the world has you in a stranglehold and you can't get away?  Then turn to Jesus Christ right now and confess your sins. Understand that you are washed in His blood and allow Him to transform your life.

You may be reading this today; listening to the Word of God, but you've never trusted in Jesus Christ. You've never said, "Lord, I believe in You." Then today you can be washed in the blood of the lamb. You can have your sins forgiven and receive the promise of eternal that comes only through Jesus Christ. Tell Christ that you believe, and then turn and follow Him, just like Peter did. There are no magic words to say, there is no special prayer, simply a conviction that you believe in Jesus Christ and the fruit of your conviction will be an act of your will and your desire to follow Him and serve Him.

For those who do, Peter gives a promise, that "Grace and peace will be multiplied to you." In other words, the promise here is, that all your moments would be filled with God's undeserved spiritual blessings.

So what is your purpose in life? Peter says it is to be obedient to Jesus Christ. And in your obedience you are not promised that all of your problems will disappear, rather God will give you His grace and peace to get through them.

Why not determine to live your life in obedience to Jesus Christ this week. Realize that this world is not your home, it's just temporary, and trust Christ to help you live each day for Him.

Put On the Whole Armor of God: Ephesians 6: 13-18

Pastor Roger Feenstra

"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints..." Ephesians 6:13-18


In the city of Ephesus, there was a battle going on for the souls of the new Christians there. The city itself was full of gods and goddesses and there was a spirit of religious tolerance among the people for whatever anyone wanted to worship. In fact, people typically worshipped more than one deity (or god). The city of Ephesus also had a reputation for magic, shamanism (following someone like a witch doctor or medicine man), and occult arts (that is devil worship). Magic was a means for the people to harness spiritual power through rituals, incantations, and invocations. And Luke writes in the book of Acts many of the believers in Ephesus gathered their magical books together and burned them (Acts 19:19). Christians in Ephesus had a difficult time turning completely away from their former practices in the process of discipleship, as a battle for their souls was being waged against them through the forces of evil.

Whether or not you know it, or whether or not you like it, there is a battle going on for your mind and ultimately, your soul too.

The Battlefield

From the very beginning of time, mankind has been on a battlefield. Ever since Satan uttered the words to Adam and Eve in the book of Genesis;

If you eat this fruit, "you shall not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:4).

All of the battles that have been faced throughout all of history; all of the temptations and struggles that you face each day as you determine to live your life for Christ, are a result of this first battle. It is a spiritual battle between, "God said", and "Satan said." Hand to hand, face-to-face, and toe-to-toe spiritual conflict and every believer in Jesus Christ is thrust into the battlefield. When you enter into the Christian life, you are not set free from the conflict. In fact, when you make a decision to follow Jesus Christ more closely, the battle intensifies. The battle is intense, fierce, extreme, serious and real and perhaps deadly. At times, it may seem as if the battle is too overpowering and that all may be lost.

Be Strong in The Lord, The Commander of The Lord's Army

But there is hope for us in this struggle between the "rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places." Our hope lies in Ephesians 6:10, to "Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might."

In the Old Testament book of Joshua 5:13-15, Christ appeared to Joshua (this is called a Christophany-a visible appearance of Christ in the Old Testament) as the "Commander of the Lord's army." To fight this spiritual battle, you have Jesus Christ as your Captain or Commander and He has promised to lead you into battle if you simply depend on him and his power.

But how do you do that? How do you fight the temptations that so easily come upon you day after day? Last week I told you that Scripture says that you are to "Put on the Lord Jesus" (Romans 13:14) and the passage today in Ephesians shows you how to do that: It's called putting on the "whole armor of God" and the purpose of the armor is to be able to "withstand" the evil that is around you. Do you know what "withstand" means?

"John Lambert lived in England in the 1500's. He was a teacher of Greek at Oxford and he was a Christian. In the 1500's, the church was controlled by the King, Henry the 8th. Therefore, whatever the King said was the truth, even if it contradicted the Bible. King Henry the 8th approved all of the sermons that were preached in England in the 1500’s. Since John Lambert was a scholar and had studied the Bible carefully, he knew that some of the teachings of the Church of England were wrong. They were not teaching the truth about Jesus Christ, so John spoke out against the Church of England to protest.

He was put on trial before the archbishop of Canterbury and the King himself. The King asked John Lambert, "Will you give up your foolish talk about Jesus Christ and believe the way the Church believes?" John Lambert replied that he could not do that. So, King Henry had him sentenced to death! He was tied to a stake and a small fire was lit underneath him. As the fire slowly consumed his feet and legs, he was left hanging from the stake with only his bloodied, burned stumps, and while in extreme agony, he was still alert. With nothing but stumps left, his accusers tied rope under his arms and lifted him into the air. As he hung there they again asked him, will you renounce your false teaching! Withstanding the torture and pain, John Lambert cried out his last words, "None but Christ, None but Christ!" At that point they dropped him into the fire where he died shortly after."

Here are the words the dictionary uses to help us understand what it means to withstand:

Resist, weather, survive, endure, cope with, stand, tolerate, bear, stomach, defy, brave, hold out against, tough it out, bear up against, stand up to, face, and confront.

The only way you can withstand the battle over temptation and sin and the troubles that drag you down is to "Put on the whole armor of God." The key to this passage is that you are to put on the "Whole" armor. One piece of the armor won't allow you to win the battle. Just picking up the "Sword" which is the Word of God isn't enough to fight the battle. It might help you get a few swipes at the enemy, but the battle is so fierce it is impossible to fend of all of the enemy’s blows with just the sword - more on that later. So let's look at each piece of God's armor, and as we do, ask God to help you wear that piece of armor each day.

Belt of Truth 

Paul begins to describe the "whole armor" by instructing you (through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) in verse 14 to "Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth..."

When you hear people talk about the "Whole armor of God" you hear a lot about the "Sword" but not a lot about the "Belt of truth." Now we all know what a belt is used for. It's used typically to hold up your pants! In the Biblical world, the belt was used for a similar purpose. An athlete or a worker would tuck his tunic into his belt so that he could run faster and not get tripped by his loose clothing.

You've seen those people today who walk around without a belt -- we say, "Hey, you're sagging!" And many guys have been caught by the police because they were sagging and their pants tripped them up when they were being chased!

Turn to the book of 1st Peter1: 13. In the book of 1st Peter it says this:

"Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1st Peter 1:13)

If you look at the little footnote at the bottom of the page of your Bible it says "Greek girding up the loins of your mind” To gird your loins in the Roman era (which is when Ephesians and 1st Peter were written) meant to draw up your garment into your belt to increase your mobility or agility. By doing so, the athlete or the soldier would be less likely to be tripped up by loose clothing.

So our passage is saying that the "belt of truth" is what prepares your mind for action. And if you are not prepared for action; if you're not prepared for this spiritual battle, the battle will be lost -- that's why the belt of truth is mentioned first in this list of armor in Ephesians. You can't fight the battle without being prepared for it. So you must keep your "belt of truth" in good shape, you can't let it get corrupted by the sin you commit or tolerate in your life. When you do, you will start "sagging" and surely get tripped up and fall. So you need to recognize and examine the things that cause you to stumble and fall in your Christian walk. The Bible doesn't give us one specific list, but as we saw last week we stumble and fall because of the "schemes" of the devil -- Remember that a scheme is a "secret underhanded plan." And Satan is constantly trying to trip you up.

That's why Peter said to "Prepare your mind for action" and Paul says, "fasten on the belt of truth." The battlefield of sin begins with the people and activities around you that will trip you up. Therefore, the belt of truth requires focusing your mind on Jesus Christ -- allowing your thoughts to be saturated by the truth of His word and not the secret underhanded lies of the world, placed there by Satan to trip you up: "You'll feel much better if you get high" the enemy whispers in your ear through the voice of a friend, but God says, "Be sober minded." "You can go to church next week, your family says" "We have family things to do, don't you care about your family?" But God says, "Do not turn your back on going to church." "That girl is much hotter than my wife" as the devil entices you to think and even act out on sexually immoral thoughts, but God says, "Rejoice in the wife of your youth and reject sexual immorality." No, you are to "fasten the belt of truth" to keep you from the things that will trip you in your Christian life.

When I was a child, my dad had a belt of truth. Whenever I would disobey or do something that was wrong, my dad would get out the belt of truth and use it on my backside to correct me! The belt of truth in my house got my mind off what I was doing wrong and helped me think of ways to do things correctly in the future!

You see, The Belt of Truth corrects you and helps you train your mind to be saturated with truth from God, rather than the lies of the world. And believe me the lies of the world are so intense at times that they will aim right for your heart. That is why the next piece of armor is so important.

The Breastplate of Righteousness

"Put on the breastplate of righteousness" (vs. 14)

The Roman breastplate was typically made of bronze, backed with leather. It was designed to protect the vital area. You can imagine that without a breastplate, or in today's world a bullet proof vest, one arrow or bullet to that area would be deadly.

So with the whole armor of God, you are protected by Christ's breastplate of righteousness. If you are wearing that "breastplate," you can rest assured that your heart, your emotions, and your will are securely guarded and adequately protected against attack.

Listen to what one pastor said about the breastplate and the spiritual attacks that come to you:

"Your heart and emotions are perhaps the most frequent ground of attack against Christian faith. Christians often feel they lack assurance (or confidence in their faith). They feel unworthy of God. They feel they are a failure in the Christian life and that God is certain to reject them, that He is no longer interested in them. They are so aware of their failures and shortcomings. Growth has been so slow. The first joy of faith has faded, and they feel God is angry with them or that He is far off somewhere. There is a constant sense of guilt. Their conscience is always stabbing them, making them unhappy. They feel God blames them. This is simply a satanic attack."

He continues...

"How do you answer an attack like this? You are to remember that you have put on the breastplate of righteousness. In other words, you do not stand on your own merits (or, worth). You never did. You never had anything worthwhile in yourself to offer to God. You gave all that up when you came to Christ. You quit trying to be good enough to please God. You came on His merits. You came on the ground of His imputed righteousness—which which He gives to you. You began your Christian life like that, and there is no change now. You are still standing before God on that basis.”[1]

What this is saying is that you don't fight this spiritual battle alone; Christ's righteousness is the source of your protection from Satan.

And when you finally realize that you are covered by Christ's righteousness and not your own, you are able to stand firm in the spiritual battle that is being waged in your life.

So you put on the "belt of truth" to keep from getting tripped up by your sins, you put on the "breastplate of righteousness" in order to allow what Christ did for you on the cross to protect you and not rely on your own works of righteousness, which are worthless.

Shoes For The Gospel of Peace

When you depend on our own works to help you, when you determine to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, you'll never overcome the sin in your life. Why? Because you don't have the right boots on! Look at verse 15:

"And as for shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace."

There are many different types of shoes. I could never get Carol to understand that whenever I took up a new sport, I had to have the proper shoe to go along with it. When I was into running, I needed running shoes, when I play tennis I need tennis shoes, when I ride my bike I need biking shoes, when I just want to kick back at home, I need sandals. Carol's comment is, "Why can't you just use the same pair of shoes for all the sports?" The truth is, each type of shoe has a particular purpose and each pair will give you a slight edge on your competition.

Shoes of peace are what Paul is talking about. The idea here seems to be that you are not to look for a spiritual battle, it's going to be there regardless, but you are to seek peace, not looking for a fight, rather seeking peace.

Ephesians 2:14 says, "Jesus is our peace. Therefore, we can only experience peace through Jesus Christ. See, peace is not passive it is powerful. You may think that to be a man of peace, it means you're weak. That is a lie of Satan and you couldn't be more wrong! Jesus said this about peace in John 16:33:

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

In fact in John 14:27 Jesus said,

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

God's peace is strong, it overcomes the powers of the world, it keeps us from fear - The peace of Jesus is powerful!

Do you want to be able to fight the "schemes of the devil" and be ready to move quickly when the attacks come? Then God says, "Seek peace which only comes through Jesus Christ."

Shield of Faith

But take caution, when you seek peace, the devil is going to continue to attack you. He is going to muster all of his weapons against you and his attacks are going to come fast and furious. So Paul writes that you are to,

"In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one." (vs.16).

In all circumstances...never let your guard down. Never! And yet this is probably what you tend to do the most. Jesus Christ rescued you from the power of sin and death and things started looking pretty good in your life. You were reading your Bible, you were praying, you were interested and passionate about growing in Christ, so you dropped your shield for a while. After all, you say, this shield is heavy, it's not always easy to hold it up -- you just needed a little rest so you dropped your guard for a minute. But you forgot that you were in the battle still - and when you dropped your shield Satan fired at will; Pow,pow,pow,pow,pow,pow... Suddenly, you didn't have time to read your Bible, you stopped praying and your spiritual growth just stopped -- as each "flaming dart" hit you got weaker and weaker in your faith and Jesus took a backseat. He became an afterthought.

But where does faith come from? How can you be assured that you're not going to drop your shield of faith? Fortunately, the Bible is clear on this matter of faith:

Turn with me in your Bible to the book of Romans 10:17. So often the pastors at Hope Now hear this, "I'm just not growing in my faith." And usually, we hear this from those who never attend church; who never sit through a Bible study; who never seek out Godly teachers. Look at what it says in Romans 10:17:

"Faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the word of God."

You will never be able to continue holding up the shield of faith unless you are hearing the Word of God being taught clearly and accurately. "Faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the word of God." That's why you need to attend church and when you do attend, you must attend a church that teaches the Word of God: Not some place that just tells a bunch of good stories that are funny or interesting; but a church that honors Christ and teaches only Christ. It is clear that you will not grow in your Christian life without taking up the shield of faith which only comes through hearing the world of God.

You see, when we preach each Sunday we are not preaching our own words. Right now, these are not my words that I am preaching. You're thinking, "Well it sure sounds like your voice!" That is because God is using me as his tool, and when John speaks next week, and Vanna and Bryce on other weeks, God will use them as his mouthpiece too. All week, I have spent time in prayer and study of God's Word, asking Him to show me exactly which words to share with you -- and my prayer this week has been that the Holy Spirit would speak through me and that you would be convicted by God's Word and your faith strengthened as it is preached. If you have attended here long enough you know that our preaching is only from the word of God. Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 1:17:

"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel"

What is the gospel?

"That Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures..." (1 Corinthians 15)

The gospel or good news is that Jesus Christ promises you eternal life because of his resurrection.

So the Shield of Faith involves trust and reliance on Jesus Christ through his Word and even more specifically, the preaching of His Word.

The Helmet of Salvation

"And take the helmet of salvation..." (vs. 17)

A wound to the head is a serious matter. Since the head is vital part, you need to protect it well. While your heart needs the protection of the breastplate of righteousness, your head needs protection too.

So many messages, true and false, enter into our heads today.

- The sheer volume of knowledge is doubling every five years now ~ Bill Clinton, 1998

- A weekday edition of the New York Times contains more information than the average person was likely to come across in a lifetime in seventeenth-century England . . . . ~ Richard Wurman

- By the time a child is eighteen years old, he or she will witness on television (with average viewing time) 200,000 acts of violence including 40,000 murders (Huston, et al, 1992)

And by the way:

-Young children who see media violence have a greater chance of exhibiting violent and aggressive behavior later in life, than children who have not seen violent media (Congressional Public Health Summit, 2000).

The great preacher of the 1800's in England, Charles Spurgeon said, "If you have the right doctrine (or teaching) in your head, and then set the soul on fire, you will soon win the world [for Christ].

The head is the place where Satan can persuade you and manipulate your mind. That's why you are to be sober-minded and not drunk. When you are drunk, your mind is open to the schemes of the devil. One time a young man said to one of our pastors, "When I'm high, I am much closer to God and the Bible is easier to understand." Of course, that's also lie of Satan. If he can get you to doubt you have a helmet he'll strike your head to get you to believe a lie.

It is of great importance to have a helmet that will not be knocked off but understand this, if you are already wearing a helmet it cannot get knocked off by Satan. It's a helmet that he cannot get off. The devil himself cannot drag the Christian's helmet off, once it is buckled on.

The world can neither give nor take away the salvation of a Christian. Salvation comes from God, and He will never withdraw it, for His gifts and calling are irrevocable (final, carved in stone) (Romans 11:39). Once his helmet is put on Satan will lie to you to make you doubt that you have the salvation of God and when he does, you need to be ready with the only weapon that comes with the armor.

The Sword of the Spirit, Which is the Word of God

"And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God..." (Vs. 17)

The Word of God!

It is only through His Word that we can actually fight the schemes of the devil and to withstand evil. In this verse, "the word of God" does not necessarily refer to the complete Bible.

The "sword of the Spirit" is the saying of God applied to a specific situation. This is the only great weapon placed in the hands of a believer. Perhaps we have experienced this in some moment of temptation or doubt, when we we're attacked by what Paul calls here "the flaming arrows of the evil one" (v. 16). But the temptation has been answered immediately by a passage of Scripture that flashed into your mind, something you had not been thinking of at all, but which supplied the needed answer. That is why this is called "the sword of the Spirit," because it not only comes from Jesus as the author of the Word, but it is also recalled to mind by the Spirit and made powerful by Him in our lives. The Word of God is His answer to the attack of the devi who comes to discourage you, defeat you, lure you aside, deceive you, or mislead you in some way.

The more you are exposed to Scripture, the more the Spirit can use this mighty sword in your life. If you never read or study your Bible, you are terribly exposed to defeat and despair. You have no defense; you have nothing, no weapon, to put up against these forces that are at work. Therefore, read your Bible regularly. When you neglect the reading of the Scriptures you are in disobedience to the will of the Lord. And what is the responsibility of the Christian when the Spirit places one of these sayings in your mind on some appropriate occasion? The apostle says, "Take it! Heed it! Obey it! Do not reject it. Take it seriously. The Spirit of God has brought it to mind for a purpose; therefore, give heed to it, obey it."

Peter, in his 1st letter, says that people "stumble because they disobey the word." (1 Peter 2:8).

Prayer, The Substance That Holds it All Together

Paul concludes his analogy or metaphor of the whole armor of God with the substance that holds all of the armor together:

"Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints." (Vs. 18)

Do you want to "Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might"? Then put on the armor of God - and to keep your armor well-oiled and strong Paul says to remember to do three things:

1. Pray at all times. In the book of First Thessalonians Paul says it this way, "Pray without ceasing." Praying keeps your mind focused on God. It takes your thoughts off of what is evil and places your hope and trust in the Savior. The tendency is to pray only when you have a need or a problem, but you are told here to pray at all times, in fact, it doesn't say to pray for your own problems at all.

2. Supplication. Supplication means to plead and Paul says to plead for other Christians. Focus on building others up in Christ and your armor will stay strong.

3. Keep alert. And remember, you are in a spiritual battle. Don't drop your guard, don't give up, keep your armor on and fight the good fight.

Let me assure you today, you are going to be under attack. From the moment your day begins, it is on! Satan will use everything in his arsenal to knock you down. He's going to throw drugs at you, abuse of alcohol, temptations to lie, cheat, and steal, the urge to strike back when someone strikes out at you; in fact, he'll set other Christians in your path who might fail right in front of you and you'll become discouraged. When you leave here today, you'll be tempted to fight with your spouse or girlfriend or boyfriend, you'll face financial problems, illnesses, perhaps death, but remember, remember your calling this week when all of those things try to cover you like a wave...shall we give in to the forces of Satan this week?

No. God tells you this as you finish reading this today:

"In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39).

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith..." (1 Peter 5:8,9) "Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil...take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to STAND FIRM."

"And now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."








[1] Pastor Ray Stedman

Be Strong in the Lord and The Strength of His Might

Ephesians 6:10-13 Pastor Roger Feenstra

Please take your Bible and turn to the book of Ephesians, chapter 6. We are nearing the conclusion of our study through this wonderful letter of Ephesians, written by the Apostle Paul to the church in the city of Ephesus nearly 2,000 years ago. As we have shared with you over the past few months, because this is the holy Word of God, this letter is just as relevant for us today in 2009 as it was when it was first written.

Throughout the book of Ephesians we have touched on a lot of subjects that are of importance to us:

In Chapter 1 we are told to be "holy and blameless" (vs. 4)

In Chapter 2 we are told that our salvation is purely a gift of grace, not works.

In Chapter 3 we are told to be rooted and grounded in love and to know the love of Christ.

In Chapter 4 we are instructed to "Put off our old self" (vs. 22)

In Chapter 5 we are commanded to "Be imitators of God" (vs. 1); to not be sexually immoral (vs. 3); to not get drunk (vs. 18); for wives to submit to their husbands (vs. 22), and for husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church (vs. 25)

In Chapter 6 we're given instruction for children to "obey their parents" (vs. 1); For fathers to "not make their children angry" (vs. 4); for slaves, or in our day, employees, "to obey your earthly masters" (vs. 5)

And now, Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit begins to sum up the entire book in chapter 6:10 with a powerful message to us all:

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might."

I love this verse as it is touches on the heart of the Gospel (Or, the Good News) of Jesus Christ.

What is the Good News? What is the Gospel? If you had only one minute to tell someone about Jesus Christ; who he is, what he did for you, you might give a one minute testimony of your life; what Jesus has done for you and how your life is changed. This might be a good approach, but probably one of the best ways to tell someone the pure Gospel or Good News of Jesus Christ is to quote 1 Corinthians 15:3-8. Keep your place in Ephesians, but turn back a few books to 1st Corinthians.

The Good News is this,

"Jesus Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time...then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles and finally to the apostle Paul" (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).

So when this verse in Ephesians tells you to be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might it is proclaiming good news to you and me. The Lord, strong and mighty, who had the power to rise from the dead, is the source of your spiritual strength.

How to Be Strong

Have you ever needed spiritual strength? Perhaps you have been through a time in your life when it seemed as if there was no hope? Maybe you've lost a loved one and all of your plans and dreams came crashing in around you? Possibly you've lost a job, or have financial difficulties? Maybe you're trying to live your life for Christ, but your friends and family mock you for your new found faith and they say, "It won't last." Maybe you need spiritual strength today, right now? Is it possible to be "Strong in the Lord and the strength of his might?"

By the way, do you know when the best time is to be strong in the Lord? It is when you are weak -- when you've reached the end, when you can go no farther. When the world is against you. Hear the words of the Lord from 2 Corinthians 12:10:

"For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Paul is not talking here about his own strength. He's not saying, if I just pull myself up by my bootstraps and try harder I'll be strong. No, Paul is talking about being strong in the Lord and the strength of his might whenever you encounter trials.

Tortured For Faith

History is replete (filled) with Christians who have endured trials like you; those who have been persecuted for their faith and yet have remained strong in the Lord and refused to turn away from their Lord.

In the book Tortures and Torments of Christian Martyrs (A martyr is someone who suffers to the point of death), by Antonio Gallonio written in 1903; He lists various methods that Christians were tortured for their faith.

He describes:

Red hot plates: a piece of metal heated to the point of glowing red hot was placed upon the Christian until he or she renounced their faith in Christ.
Burning torches: A branch with its tip dipped in pine tar and lit on fire was pressed against the Christian.
Stakes or crosses: Where the Christian was hung sometimes upside down and fire lit beneath him to produce a long, slow, torturous death.

Other punishments for believing in Christ included:

Buried alive: Often these martyrs for Christ were not buried completely, but only up to their necks where they were left to bake in the sun without food or water.

Sewn inside a bag and thrown into the River.
If ever there was a time when spiritual strength was needed, it was during these times.

What was it that allowed these Christians to remain true to Jesus Christ? How could they endure the slow pain of death? It was because they were "Strong in the Lord and the strength of his might."

Strength in the King of Glory

All of our strength comes from Jesus Christ. We can never be strong in ourselves. We can never be strong in our own might.

This is the crux (the heart, or main point) of the Gospel: That our spiritual strength comes from our Savior Jesus Christ who was so strong and mighty that he rose from the dead. That is the good news!

Psalm 24:8 describes him this way:

"Who is this king of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle."

How strong?

Jesus Christ was laughed at, tortured, beaten with rods, pierced on his head with a crown of thorns, spit upon, crucified on a cross, buried, YET, He rose from the grave, he conquered death -- He is strong and mighty even over death and he offers that same resurrection power to you and me! Because of Christ, we too have power over death and are promised to be resurrected someday. Our strength is made sure in the fact that we will someday escape this body of sorrow and death and will be resurrected to live eternally with Jesus Christ. Our strength comes from the truth that Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has conquered death for us.

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first (1 Thessalonians 4:!6)

The Lord strong and mighty!

Our Lord, strong and mighty!

Why Do You Need Strength

But why do we need to be strong in the Lord and strength of his might? I mean, we are not facing torture or physical persecution in Fresno in 2009.

No, you and I are facing a much greater foe. You need his strength because the devil is trying to destroy you. So Paul relays to us God's plan to help us to be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might.

"Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." (vs. 11).

Here's how the dictionary describes the word "scheme":

"A large-scale systematic plan or arrangement for attaining some particular object or putting a particular idea into effect...A secret of underhanded plan."

Satan has a secret plan to destroy you. You may not be facing red hot plates, burning torches, burning at the stake or being buried alive or thrown into the river for your faith in Christ, but make no mistake, you are being tempted and tested in other ways: drugs, alcohol, sex outside of marriage, stealing, lying, cheating -- all of the things from your former life (See Ephesians 4:22-31) Satan is making a bold attempt to draw you away from Christ, even to the point of physical death if need be.

Therefore, we need to be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might and we need to put on the whole armor of God so that we may be able to stand against the secret underhanded plan of the devil!

You see, you may think that all of the temptations you face are a result of your former life or your upbringing - "That's the way our family rolled, you might say." But the truth is that the battle you face in serving Christ has nothing to do with your physical upbringing, your parents or your past.

And while the events of your past are real and cannot always be forgotten, the temptations you face today, to live your life for Jesus Christ, are purely from a spiritual battle that is raging all around you.

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12).

Not a Physical Problem 

Your struggle with sin is not due to your background. You use that as an excuse, because it's all you know. The truth is, you can't change where you came from, or what your past was like. And you can't change the way you are. Why? Because your problem is not a physical problem, it is a spiritual one. You see, when you try to use the world's medicine to make your life better; when you listen to the Dr. Phil's and the Oprah's, and try your best to "heal" your past or to search for your inner happiness you will never be able to find it. Listen to the mission statement of Oprah Winfrey's television show:

"Our mission statement for ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ is to use television to transform people’s lives, to make viewers see themselves differently and to bring happiness and a sense of fulfillment into every home.

”

I don't know about you, but when I'm faced with a choice have my life transformed, and I'm facing great trials and temptations, I'm not going to turn to television for the answer. I'm turning to the Lord, strong and mighty.

Dr. Phil's method to help you overcome your sin and your past is to simply rely upon yourself to do it. And while his methods at face value seem harmless and at times even helpful, it is the same old false story that people have been listening to for thousands of years, "You can solve your life's problems on your own."

But the truth of the matter is when you become a believer in Jesus Christ, you have the power through Christ, not yourself, to overcome the struggle of sin in your life. And when you turn to your past to try to figure it out you are never able to trust our Lord Christ or to depend on his strength. You become what the apostle Peter said in 2 Peter 2:22 (quoting from Proverbs):

[Like a] dog [who] returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

You Can't Do It 

Satan is trying to bring you down and it is only by "being strong in the Lord and the strength of his might" that you will be able to move on in your life and conquer your past, your sin and the temptations that seem to so easily befall you.

Some people say to me, "I'm trying to change to become a better person, but it's just not working." That's good that you want to change, but do you know why it's not working? It's because you are trying to make the change in your life. Rather God says, "Be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might."

Why do you think Jesus died on the cross? So that you could keep trying on your own to do good? Did he die simply so you could think he was a good guy? Did he suffer on the cross so that you could continue to be mired in your past life? No! Jesus Christ died on the cross in order to do all of the work for you! He took all of your sins, past, present and future and put them on himself so that you could place your faith in him and be rescued from a life of sin and death. Remember the sin you committed recently (maybe even last night?), the one that is causing you so much guilt? He took that sin too upon himself and he offers you forgiveness (1 John 1:9).

It is only through Jesus Christ that you can withstand and overcome the temptations that are thrown at you.

Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might: Because your problems are not physical. They appear physical because that is the lie of Satan. Jesus said this about Satan:

"He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44)

If he can make you think that your problems are about your past then he has succeeded in producing a great lie that you will believe.

Rather, the truth is that your struggle is against Satan and his forces. And to overcome that struggle you need to "Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might." You will not overcome your temptations and struggles by trying to do good, or trying to figure out your past, or blaming others. When you do that, Satan has you right where he wants you.

You are to "be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might." And to fight this battle that is raging all around you, you need to "put on Christ." And next time we'll look more closely at what that means and how we do that.

Jesus is Your Covering

But the Bible is clear that to fight the spiritual battle; to be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might, you need to put on Christ. Here's what God said about putting on Christ in Romans 13:14:

"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires."

You see, Jesus is our covering. He covers us with his righteousness, and this is what God was showing us from the very beginning. Turn to Genesis 3:21. After Adam and Eve sinned, they were immediately guilty -- their guilt showed in that they realized that they were naked and their nakedness caused them shame. Therefore, verse 21 says that God "clothed them." This verse is a prophecy of what Jesus Christ would someday do for us. From the very beginning God was showing that he was going to make a covering for our sin. And that covering is Jesus Christ.

From the moment you believe in him, you are covered with the righteousness of Christ. No longer are you walking around naked in your sin, you are covered with his righteousness; and to fight the spiritual battle, you are to put on Christ.

That's why so many Christians today (even many in this room), are weak and defeated. Christian by name only, but not by deed. They walk around week after week, with the same problems. "Woe is me" they cry. I have so many problems, you don't understand my problems." And they go through life never growing in their relationship with Christ, never reading God's Word, praying only when they have a real serious problem. Playing hit and miss when they attend church to worship the Lord. Denying their children the blessing of learning about Jesus Christ by not bringing them to Sunday School and not training them up at home to know the Lord Jesus Christ and to love Him.

This is a spiritual battle -- be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might. Put on Jesus Christ daily - wear him as your whole armor against the onslaught of Satan. Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might:

"Santoso" is a farmer and a pastor for a small village church in Indonesia. Recently, he was attacked on the way home after sharing Christ with Muslims on a farm in the city of Poso. He and a friend, both on motorbikes, were hit with a machete wielded by a Muslim who jumped from a bush. The Muslim tried to cut off his head but missed, hitting him in the mouth. He ran to his village holding his face. Because of the attack Santoso lost 10 teeth and damaged his tongue and his friend's fingers were cut off. (This was the third attempt on Santoso's life.) Before going into his last surgery, he said, "I read Ephesians 1:19 which promises God's great power to us who believe. God sends me power so I can bear suffering. We rejoice that one Muslim has come to Christ."

Where do men and women like Santoso get their strength to endure torture? It comes from the Lord Jesus Christ -- by being strong in the Lord and the strength of his might. The power to live our lives for Jesus Christ comes through recognizing that we are not in a physical war, but a spiritual one; and to win the war, we must put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Next time, I am going to share with you how to do that. In Ephesians, it's called "putting on the whole armor of God."

Do you need spiritual strength today? Then be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might. And when you do that; when you take the focus off your own strength which is weak and feeble, and when you finally determine to be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might, then we can rest assured that we will win the sprirtual battle and will become as Paul said in Romans 8:37:

...In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
There is good news for us today! Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might!

Are you trying to fight the battle of life on your own strength? Do you try and take matters into your own hands on a daily basis? You need money so you steal and rob. You struggle with your relationship with your wife or husband or girlfriend or boyfriend so you act superior, like you're better than them and you become the shot caller in your relationship. I'll take control of this myself, you say. But God is calling out to you today -- to be strong in the Lord and strength of his might. He is calling you to turn to him, to put your faith and trust in him. And when you do, he promises to help you and to guide you and to give you the strength you need to overcome the spiritual battle that you are facing.

Some of you might even leave here today and ignore everything that God has been trying to show you today. You'll go home and get drunk or high. You'll revert back to your old self -- But God is still calling you -- Be strong in the Lord and the strength of his might is his call to you. Follow him and be strong in him today.

"Our Lord strong and mighty, please give me the strength right now to put my trust in you, to be strong in you and the strength of your might." Amen.