Done

Since he would not be persuaded, we stopped talking and simply said, "The Lord's will be done!" ~Acts 21:14 HCSB

Paul is finished with his third missionary journey and is returning to Jerusalem.  Along the way back he stops and meets with friends.  All of them know that once he gets to Jerusalem we will be arrested and handed over to the Gentiles, the Romans.  The Holy Spirit has told them this and they are warning Paul, begging Paul not to go.  Paul though is also being led by the Spirit to go there and to give his life if needed.  All the weeping starts to break Paul’s heart and they realize Paul is being send by God.  They all stopped talking and all agreed, “The Lord’s will be done!”

Paul’s confidence in the leading of the Holy Spirit was witnessed by those around him.  Once this was realized they supported Paul.  Our church leaders need our support.  They have been called by God to accomplish the difficult task of leading people in the will of God.  As church members we need to recognize this and put our personal likes and dislikes aside and to support Pastor’s and other church leaders who are being led.  Church leaders can help by being open and honest, to show their hearts and by being an imitator of Christ.  In other words lead by example, as Paul did. 

Lord help us to follow your lead.  Help us to support each other and especially our church leaders who are called to lead.  Give the gifts needed to carry out your will.  Give us the strength to be God pleasers and not people pleasers. Most of all Lord, You’re will be done! Amen     

Examined

The people here were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, since they welcomed the message with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. ~Acts 17:11 HCSB

Paul left Thessalonica and arrived in Berea and began to share the gospel with them.  The Bereans heard the message and examined the scriptures daily.  They searched to test what Paul was saying and if it was true.  Paul commends them for being opened minded.  The result was that many of them put their faith in Christ.  What does this say for us today? Search the Scripture!  We live in a world that is full of false teachings.  We have seen other religions and false teachers use this information to take away from knowing Christ.

The solution hasn’t changed and is needed more now than ever, read you’re Bibles!  We need to be as the Breans and examine the Scripture daily to see if what is said is true. That means reading the whole Bible and not just the verses that support what you think is right.  Reading the Bible through and making it a part of our daily lives allows Scripture to give us a Biblical world view and allows us to live a life that brings glory to God and not ourselves.

Lord thank you for your Word.  Thank you for giving this guidance in our lives and burden us with the desire to know it.  Help us to know your Word and apply it to our lives to glorify you by making Christ known!  Amen     

Rejoice

Then he escorted them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

~Acts 16:30 HCSB

Paul and Silas is in prison singing and praying when the entire jail shook, the doors open and their chains fell off.  The jailer woke up and thought all of the prisoners had escaped.  In those days if a prisoner escaped the jailer was executed, so he immanently went to take his own life.  Paul seeing what was happening shouted “do not harm yourself”.  The jailer escorted them out and asked Paul and Silas what must I do to be saved.  

“So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." The message of Christ was shared with the family and all were baptized.  The family took care of them, washed their wounds, feed them and rejoiced.  They rejoiced because the entire family had believed.  A night that started with the thought of suicide ended with salvation.  Christ changed everything.  Christ brings us from death unto life. Through Him we have salvation, eternal life and a reason to rejoice!

Lord thank you Jesus for salvation!  Thank you for dying for me and taking my sin upon yourself on the cross.  Thank you for giving me life.  Lord help me live a life worthy of this call, a life full of thankfulness and rejoicing.  Most of all Lord may other see you in me.  Amen

Daily Reading:  Acts 16-18; Proverbs 12:1-14

Words

“When there are many words, sin is unavoidable, but the one who controls his lips is wise” ~Proverbs 10:19

I have a case of foot in mouth disease, in other words I have a unique way of saying something I shouldn’t.  Words hurt and where there are many words eventually one of them is going to leave a mark.  I have seen this over and over in my life because I am a person of many words.  I get wrapped up in the sin of self and have to make my opinion known regardless of the outcome.  I would like to think I am getting better at this and in some ways I am and other ways I haven’t.  

When we have to share our words over someone else feelings we sin.  Our words are powerful and can hurt worse than sticks or stones because words go to the heart.  Such strikes over time kill and harden their mark. Christians should use their words to build up and strengthen those around us.  Words should never be used to bully or belittle others.  So how do we become wise?  By thinking about what we say before we say it.  I have a sign on my desk that I have had for a long time and it’s turned towards me.  It says, “Be sure brain is engaged before mouth is put into gear”.  I think this is wise counsel!   

Lord help me today to use words wisely. Help me to use them in such a way to build up those around me and make you known in a glorious way. Amen

Daily Reading:  Acts 13-15; Proverbs 11:16-31

Sermon: Living Hope: Salvation 1 Peter 1:10-12

Sermon can be heard First Baptist Church of Rocklin Website


Two years ago I had the opportunity to go to Disneyland.  I grew up with Disney, as most of us did.  Every Sunday night at 7:00 PM was Disney movie of the week.  I would look at the castle and think about how big it was and what a wonderful place it must be.  While stationed in Germany I went to the castle where Mr. Disney got his idea for his castle. Neuschwanstein is an amazingly beautiful sight, one I will never forget.

So you can image the expectations I had for the Disney Castle!  When I got to Disneyland I was looking for the castle, I though it has to here somewhere.  Then I saw it, it was so small!  It’s a miniature castle! I was disappointed.  Have you ever had that experience?  Something just didn’t meet your expectations?

Well this morning’s passage is just the opposite.  The prophets of the Old Testament had no idea what the fullness of the Messiah—the fullness of His grace poured out on the world would have looked like—they only had ‘clipping’ of the bigger picture.  

This morning we will finish this section of scripture the “Living Hope” and move to how the gospel should impact our lives daily.  So for now we are looking at verse 10-12 and again look at our reasons for hope and rejoicing no matter what our situation is.  

There is a recurring theme in the New Testament.  As I continue to study and look at the teaching of the apostles, I see them again and again take us to the cross of Christ.  Back to the gospel, back to the resurrection, back to the work of Christ for a lost sinful world.  

This section of scripture is exactly that, Peter laying out the work of God the Father, through the Son, with the Holy Spirit, working together to bring salvation to those who did not know God.  This is God taking the initiative, God providing the way for us to experience His love for us.  

Trust in Christ   

We learn through Christ to trust in this “Living Hope”—we trust in a Christ we cannot see, we love Him.  That love is based on a spiritual relationship through the work of the trinity.  

The more we learn about Him the deeper, this love grows.  As we face life’s trails we learn to depend on Him to see us through.  God want us to grow in Christ, to bring out the very best in us to the bring glory to God.

Warren Wreisbe said this, “Satan want to use life’s trials to bring out the worst in us, but God wants to bring out the best in us”

We are to trust in Christ, have faith in Him and His work in us and through us.

Rejoice In Christ 

By doing this, through time and maturity we learn to rejoice in Christ.  As He gives us victory through the various trials we face, we learn to rejoice.  This rejoicing is deep, unspeakable, inexpressive and glorious.  Words will escape us in describing Christ.  I pray that we would all experience Christ in this way!

Experiencing this we taste some of the future glory.  Charles Spurgeon said this, “Little faith will take your soul to heaven, but great faith will bring heaven to your soul”

Peter is urging his readers to exercise love, faith, and rejoicing, so that they may experience some of the glory of heaven in the midst of suffering.

Which brings us to our verses this morning.  To set this up we have to understand Peter wants his readers to understand the spiritual blessing they have now are greater than anything that was ever envisioned by the Old Testament prophets or even the angels.      

Salvation v.10

-The Prophets

The Old Testament prophets understood salvation somewhat.  It was a mystery to them for the most part.  They had glimpse of it as God filled them with the Holy Spirit and guided them.  Like looking in a key hole into a room they tried to understand what was happening behind the door.  

They prophesied to the people about a situation they were about to face in the near future, or something they needed to know now.  At the same time God was pointing them to the future event, a future grace, a future salvation.  

The prophets were moved by this and they actively searched for more information---this searching, this investigating and inquiring can be likened to a miner looking for gold.  They mined the scripture for clues—they left no words undone and yet they could not connect all the dots.

They searched their own writings and the writings of other prophets—the scriptures of old—Peter doesn’t say every where they looked—but they understood that their writings where also for some future event that would take place.  

 All the while the Holy Spirit was pointing them to Christ—when Peter talks of the Spirit of Christ he is most likely referring to the Holy Spirit doing just that making Christ known to them, pointing to the coming Messiah. In fact we see this all through the Old Testament.  Just as the New Testament points to Christ’s return.

-Suffering Messiah

One of the parts probably most misunderstood by the prophets was the idea of the ‘suffering Messiah”.  Isaiah 53, Psalm 22 and the earliest Genesis 3:15 all present the suffering of the coming savior.  

Peter talks about this several times once in this letter:

He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth; when reviled, He did not revile in return; when suffering, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to the One who judges justly. He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness; by His wounding you have been healed. ~1 Peter 2:22-24 HCSB

And in a sermon at the Temple Complex, after healing the crippled beggar at the gate beautiful and the people were amazed:

When Peter saw this, he addressed the people: "Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this? Or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you handed over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked to have a murderer given to you. And you killed the source of life, whom God raised from the dead; we are witnesses of this. By faith in His name, His name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. So the faith that comes through Him has given him this perfect health in front of all of you. "And now, brothers, I know that you did it in ignorance, just as your leaders also did. But what God predicted through the mouth of all the prophets--that His Messiah would suffer--He has fulfilled in this way. Therefore repent and turn back, that your sins may be wiped out so that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, ~Acts 3:11-19 HCSB

-Glories

Knowing all of this brings us to the “glories that would follow”, Christ resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of God the Father, the coming of the Holy Spirit into believers and the building of the Church, His coming again, the glories of his coming kingdom that has no end.

The glories of his grace and mercy poured out on the world.  That by His suffering, His sacrifice on the cross, I could stand before God justified, forgiven of my sins.

By putting my faith in Christ and by the repenting of my sin I could by grace have salvation.  That in Christ I am given a new hope, a living hope, a lasting hope, a hope that can never disappoint. All of this to bring glory to the Father, all of this is truly glorious!  In fact it is so amazing, the Angels want to know more! 

All of this was predicted and sought after from the beginning.  Reading through the Old Testament we get to see this coming Christ, I get excited when I come across a verse or story where I can see Christ in the passage and so did the prophets. 

-Revealed by the Holy Spirit v.12

All of this was being revealed by the Holy Spirit—who was stirring the hearts and pointing the prophets to Christ

The word used here is “revealed” and it always refers to God’s activity and never human activity.  So God was giving them prophesies about the Messiah and the idea that what they were saying was more than something for the people at that time—but also a future prediction. 

This future prediction of the gospel was being revealed to Peter and the Apostles—this mystery was salvation was for everyone. 

The mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have briefly written above. By reading this you are able to understand my insight about the mystery of the Messiah. This was not made known to people in other generations as it is now revealed to His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: the Gentiles are co-heirs, members of the same body, and partners of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. ~Ephesians 3:3-6 HCSB

   

The mystery of the Messiah was being made known by the Holy Spirit—the Gentiles are co-heirs through the gospel—the gospel wasn’t just for the Jewish people but for everyone.

This gospel was being made known by the Holy Spirit who was sent from heaven and fills every believer. 

“In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation--in Him when you believed--were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit” ~Ephesians 1:13 HCSB

  * We all have the same measure of the Holy Spirit—He didn’t half fill some and fully fill others—we are all filled and sealed.  This filling is the down payment of your inheritance for the redemption of your soul. 

-The Living Hope

The living hope—the glorious hope—Jesus Christ.  Who was given to us by the Father—by his great mercy, to give us a new birth through the resurrection and into a inheritance that is imperishable, incorruptible and unfading—kept in heave for you. 

Christ who never leaves you, guides you through various trials to build your faith—Christ who you love though you have not seen Him.  Christ in whom you rejoice in with inexpressible words—because of the salvation of your souls.

This salvation was made known through the prophets, who knew of a future grace, but could never have imaged it in its glorious fullness.  This gospel has been revealed to you through the Holy Spirit.

This incredible gift the Angels look at with awe—and want to see more of—this is the Living Hope we are to share with the world to the glory of God! 

Walk

But Peter said, "I have neither silver nor gold, but what I have, I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!"  ~Acts 3:6 HCSB

Peter and John was going up to the temple complex and a crippled man was place every day by the entrance, a gate called ‘Beautiful”.  As they passed the man begging both men looked directly at the man and said to the crippled man, “look at us”.  Expecting to receive money Peter said, I don’t have silver of Gold, but what I do have I give to you”.  

Peter had so much more than money or any other possession.  Peter had life, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazarene.  Peter shared his greatest gift, the greatest possession in the world, Jesus.  The result the crippled man got up and walked!  His life was returned to him and he was set free from his fleshly prison.  That is what Jesus does for us all, He sets us free.  Free from sin, freedom from ourselves, free to be what God intended us to be.  Jesus restores us; he binds our broken hearts and gives us a new start.  He makes us a new creature and lives in us for all to see.  In Christ we reach our full potential, in Christ we bloom for the glory of God, who is to be praised forever!

Lord thank you for your Son Jesus who gives us a new start, who forgives us and sets us free.  Lord set us free from the chains of self, money and pleasure and let us live for you.  Lord live through us and let the whole world see your glory!  Amen

Daily Reading:  Acts 4-6; Proverbs 10:1-16

Devoted

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayers.” ~Acts 2:42 HCSB

Sitting in the upper room the apostles and others prayed.  120 strong gathered together praying when the Holy Spirit filled them in dramatic fashion. Once the believers were filled they could not contain themselves and they poured out onto the crowded street and immediately share the good news of Jesus Christ.  Peter boldly stood up and preaches his first sermon, the same Peter who had denied Christ three times.  So powerful was the chain of events 3000 people repented and put their faith in Christ. These new converts devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, to the fellowship, to breaking of bread and to prayer.

This hasn’t changed.  Today we are to do the very same thing these new disciples did.  We are to devote ourselves to the teaching of the apostles, by participating in bible study and hearing the preaching of the word.  This is to be done in fellowship with other believers and who are devoted to one another.  This unique fellowship of believers is to be bathed in prayer, praying together.  This powerful picture established the first church and has carried the church for over two thousand years.

Lord thank you for your Son Jesus Christ who makes all of this possible.  Lord convict us and move us to a fellowship of believers.  Lord bind us to the teaching of the Scriptures and prayer.  Lord use us to share Christ with the world today!  Amen

Daily Reading:  Acts 1-3; Proverbs 9        

Presence

Moses was unable to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud rested on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. ~Exodus 40:35 HCSB 

The tabernacle was finished. The Israelites had done everything the Lord had commanded. Everything was made perfectly to the way the Lord had wanted it to be. This potable temple was perfect, God had seen to it personally. He moved in the people's hearts and give them the knowledge and skills needed to accomplish the task. When it was finished God was pleased and gave a sign for all the people to see, His glory rested on it. So thick was the presence of the Lord, in the form a cloud, Moses could not enter. 

The Lord still works in the lives of people. He gives the skills and abilities needed to accomplish His will. He has provided us a way to have a deep and personal relationship with Him through His Son. Through His Son we the church are being built up into the body of Christ and holy temple for the Lord. Only now instead of a cloud the presence of the Lord is in our hearts through the Holy Spirit. God's presence is in us! 

Lord fill us with your presence! Lord I pray we would fully understand that we are part of the temple, the body of Christ. That your presence rest in us for the world to see, use us Lord to bring you honor and glory. Used us Lord to show others your love, mercy and grace you have shown us. Lord used us to show the world your Son Jesus, in whose name I pray, Amen. 

Daily Reading: Exodus 38-40; Proverbs 8

Slippery

"She seduces him with her persistent pleading; she lures with her flattering talk." ~Proverbs 7:21

Have you faced temptation? In the book of Proverbs, written by King Solomon he talks about a young man seduced into adultery. He tells the young man everything he wants to hear, plays to his desires and in the end it takes his life. Sin is enticing, it is born out of a desire we already have and it snares us. It plays to our senses, we compromise with it, we reason why it's not that bad. I have learned if you have to justify it to do it, maybe you shouldn't. Once we fall into the trap of there is only one out come and that is death. Death of relationship with others, death to sensitivity to sin (hardened heart), most of all death in a relationship with God.

The Bible says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23) Wages, the result of sin is death and the remedy for sin is Jesus Christ. How do we overcome sin's slippery slope? Christ! By putting our faith in Christ and repenting. Repenting is turning from our sin and turning to Christ who forgives us of our sin. Not only does He forgive us but He enables us to resist sin. He does this by putting His Spirit in us and guiding us and strengthening us. We need to listen and follow His Spirit. We need to draw near to the Lord and He will draw near to us. (James 4:8)

Lord forgive us of our sin. Lord help us to turn from sin and to turn to your son Jesus in all that we do. Lord Jesus help us to live for you, to allow you to work through us. Lord keep us from all sin and may you be glorified in everything we do. Amen

Daily Reading: Exodus 35-37; Proverbs 7

Moved

"Everyone whose heart was moved" Exodus 35:21b

The people of Israel were given a task of building the Tabernacle, a portable temple. Reading this chapter you get to see God moving in the hearts of the people. He has a detailed plan and He actively guides and directs the people, by moving in their hearts. He gives the knowledge and wisdom needed to the leaders. God fills the workers with the skill needed to do the detail work. We see this pattern played out again in the New Testament in establishing the early church. God takes average people and gives the wisdom and skills need to perform the task need to build His church.

God hasn't changed He still works the same way today. He takes people and gives them the ability needed to build His church to reach people for His glory. You have skills and talents needed to build the body of Christ. Each Christian is given gifts for that very purpose. All these gifts working together and show the world God's love for them. He calls and gives the ability needed. So where is God calling you to use your gifts and talents? I want to encourage you to listen to God and follow Him in building for the Kingdom.

Lord give us today tender hearts, hearts that listen to you and move us. Move us to greater service for you. Call us to build in your name sake and give us the skills, ability and wisdom needed to accomplish your will in our lives. Thank you Lord for using me, Amen!

Daily Reading: Reflection day, catch up if you need too and most of all have a great day in the Lord.