Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Saturday, December 26, 2009
The Renewing of the Holy Ghost#
The Renewing of the Holy Ghost#
Renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Pastor Grosjean
Titus 3:3 “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, [and] hating one another. 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
God wants to make all things new in our lives. He is not just interested in our eternity. He wants us to have victory in our lives right now as well. When God comes into someone’s life, He does not just fix up the broken down pieces. With some parts of us (our spirit) He completely starts from scratch. With other places (our soul), He fixes step by step. And the last part of our life (our body) will never be fixed until we are resurrected. Until then, there are some parts of our person that we are just going to have to bring into subjection to God’s will, even though that is not natural for us to do so.
I. Renew a Perfect Spirit. (Right Spirit: salvation) Psalm 51:6 “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden [part] thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; [that] the bones [which] thou hast broken may rejoice. 9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
The spirit is the part of us that was hidden in the Old Testament. It is the deepest part of the Human Being. I Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and [I pray God] your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The doctrine of the spirit is in the Old Testament just like the doctrine of the Church is there too. But both are hidden. There is a great deal about the spirit of man in Psalm 51. David prophesied about what would happen in our age. But it could not happen in David’s day. It is by the new revelation of the New Testament that we come to understand that the Spirit and the Soul are really two different aspects of the human person.
Some people are confused to think that the Soul and the Spirit are the same. The apostle Paul did not waste words. He says that God will preserve our whole spirit and soul and body. Without the Spirit, man is not whole.
A. He Sees the Hidden Section. (Conviction) vs. 6.
What is the Spirit? It is that “hidden” part that can know truth and know wisdom. Both truth and wisdom are spiritual principles that cannot be understood by the carnal man, nor defined by the natural mind. They are spirits. So, it takes a living spirit to understand them. The spirit is that section of a man that no animal can sense and no computer will ever simulate. It is the part of the human that knows right from wrong, good from bad, holiness from evil. This is the part of us that is dead before we come to Jesus Christ for salvation. But when the Holy Spirit comes into our spirit, He makes our spirit alive. Ephesians 2:1 “And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins;”
B. He Sacrificed His Son. (Christ) vs. 7
We see David’s view of this internal cleansing of our spirit in verse Psalm 51:7. Hyssop is a bitter herb, it speaks of the pain and bitterness of Jesus sacrifice. He endured that pain for us, and it is bitter for us to accept that sacrifice. We hate the thought that the only way we can be cleansed is through the suffering of an innocent, but that is the truth. Jesus willingly made that sacrifice, pictured with the dipping of hyssop into the blood and the application onto the Passover door. Because His sacrificial blood is applied to our spirit by the Holy Spirit, we have a reborn spirit once we ask God to save us. That internal change is called being born again by Jesus. John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” We are not physically born again when we get saved. We are spiritually born again.
C. His Sanctified Hear new Song. (Conversion) vs. 8
Psalm 51:8 Shows what happens once we go through the bitterness of God’s cleansing. We receive the joy and gladness. The problem that many cults have is that they want to skip God’s sacrifice and forgiveness. They do not like the blood. So, they stop talking about the sacrifice of Jesus. They take the blood out of songs. They reduce how often the blood is read in the text of the Bible. They say we are saved by Jesus life, not by His death. They want to skip His death and get into His joy and gladness without going through the bitterness of Sacrifice. But if you deny the only Sacrifice that is able to clean you, you will never get to the joy of the Lord. No, my friend, we are only saved by the bitter sacrifice of His blood and we are sanctified by His life. Because He lives for us, we now have the joy and gladness of the Lord in our lives.
When we are saved and born again, God gives us a sinless nature in our new spirit. It is not just fixed and patched together by God. No, God gives us a completely new spirit that is without sin. I John 3:9 “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”
God will renew our spirit at the time of salvation if we only call on His name for salvation.
II. Renew Perfecting Soul (Rational Purchased Soul: daily sanctification) Rom. 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
What is the soul? The soul is the personality of man. It is the psychology of man. It is the part of man that has the faculties of mind (the ability to reason), the will (the ability to choose), the emotions (the ability to feel), and self-awareness (the knowledge that you and others exist). This is the soul.
While our spirit is born again perfect and sinless deep within us, our soul is not. That is because when Jesus comes into our life, He does not come into our soul. He comes into our spirit and makes that perfect. If He came into our mind, we would never think a bad thing again. If He came into our emotions, we would never feel anything bad again. If He came into our wills, we would never choose anything bad again. If He came into our social awareness, we would never be anti-social again. But He does not indwell our soul.
He calls us to daily sanctify our soul by renewing it. This means that we must learn to think like God does. We must think His thoughts after Him. We read the Bible to see how He thinks, and we learn to think that way too. We must learn to feel the way that God does, and choose the things that God does. This is how we renew our minds.
A. Good vs. Evil III Jn. 11 “Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.”
We must learn to tell the difference between good and evil. While our spirit knows that perfectly at salvation, our mind does not know how to listen to our spirit immediately or to the Holy Spirit either. We have to learn with our minds to recognize the Spirit’s leading. We do this by getting God’s Word into our lives. We cannot realize what is right and wrong but by learning what God tells us in His Word.
B. Acceptable vs. Lawful I Cor. 6:12 “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”
Beyond knowing what is right and wrong, there is a maturing that must come for the experienced Christian. We need to go beyond just the question of what is right and wrong. There are things that may be right for a Christian to do. But that does not mean that God wants you or me individually to do them. This is the difference between “Can I do this?” and “Should I do this?” There are things that you can do that will not further God’s will for your life. Just because God has removed the restrictions on what a Christian may eat in his Christian liberty, does not mean we should eat everything.
C. Perfect vs. Weighty. Heb. 12:1 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
This is the Highest place of decision. It is no longer “Is it wrong?” It is beyond, “Am I allowed to do this?” It is now at the place of asking, “What does God actually want me to do?” This is the highest place because it is the place of the athlete who is ready to run the race. As it says above in Hebrews 12:1-2, it is the place of recognizing that some things that we could do will only weigh us down so that we cannot run the race.
There are some things that a runner can eat, but when he is getting ready for a race, he will not. The runner takes of the weights on his ankles when it is time to run the race. A boxer must make his weigh-in. So, he controls what he eats so that he can lose or gain. The boxer takes off his head gear, because now it is time for the real thing.
In our lives as spiritual warriors for God, we need to recognize when it is no longer time for practice. It is now time to run! It is now time to fight!
God will renew us if we know what things we are supposed to avoid and what we should embrace. God will renew our soul if we try to think, choose, and feel the way He does.
III. Renew a Physical Strength (Received Structure [slave]: service) Isa. 40:28 “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, [that] the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? [there is] no searching of his understanding. 29 He giveth power to the faint; and to [them that have] no might he increaseth strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.”
While our spirit is made perfect in the moment of our salvation, and the soul is made perfect day by day in being renewed, our bodies will not be made sinless until they die. This physical body has a sin nature. We can enslave our bodies to God’s will or we will walk by this fallen sin nature. We have that choice. But one day these bodies will be made free of the sin nature. In the resurrection, this body will also become perfect. In that day, we will be like Jesus is, for we shall see him as he is.
Until the day of resurrection, we must use this flesh. God promises the strength to do what this body finds unnatural. Our sinful nature finds it unnatural to obey the directions of God. But God will give us the strength to do what He calls us to do.
A. In spite of Perception vs. 28
God calls us to trust in Him even though we do not understand how He works or how His power works in us. We have not known and heard even though He has shown us. In our sinfulness, too often we have eyes but do not see. We have ears, but we refuse to hear. But if we will hear and see, He will renew our physical strength in this world.
B. In spite of Practice vs 29
In Isaiah 40:29, God says that He give strength to the weary. Why? We practice and fight to get what and where we want. When we have worn our selves out by practicing things our way, God then comes along and gives us supernatural strength to get back up and go on if we will wait on Him.
C. In spite of Power (of youth) vs 30
Even the youth grow weary. Why? They have the strength of youth. They should be the strongest, yet they faint. So, the struggles of this life are too much even for the youth if they do it on their own strength. If, however, he will wait on the Lord, God will renew even the youth’s physical strength.
D. Because of Patience vs. 31
The point is that nobody has the physical strength to do right for all their lives by themselves. But the power of God comes upon those wait on Him. God pours out the oil of His Spirit and gives us even physical power to go on and do right, especially when we cannot physically go on. That is when God loves to pour out unexplainable power on His children to do what is right.
So, my friends, we need to find God’s power to renew us. We need to be renewed in our spirit. This happens when we are born again. We need to be renewed in our souls. This happens in our daily walk by learning the mind of Christ. We need to be renewed in our physical strength as well. While we will not have perfect bodies until the resurrection, His power is sufficient for us. He can do miraculous things when we are at the end ourselves. He loves to show Himself mighty! He will, if you allow Him to show Himself in your life.
By Andrew Grosjean
www.pastorandrew.ws
December 31, 2006:
Renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Pastor Grosjean
Titus 3:3 “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, [and] hating one another. 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
God wants to make all things new in our lives. He is not just interested in our eternity. He wants us to have victory in our lives right now as well. When God comes into someone’s life, He does not just fix up the broken down pieces. With some parts of us (our spirit) He completely starts from scratch. With other places (our soul), He fixes step by step. And the last part of our life (our body) will never be fixed until we are resurrected. Until then, there are some parts of our person that we are just going to have to bring into subjection to God’s will, even though that is not natural for us to do so.
I. Renew a Perfect Spirit. (Right Spirit: salvation) Psalm 51:6 “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden [part] thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; [that] the bones [which] thou hast broken may rejoice. 9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”
The spirit is the part of us that was hidden in the Old Testament. It is the deepest part of the Human Being. I Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and [I pray God] your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The doctrine of the spirit is in the Old Testament just like the doctrine of the Church is there too. But both are hidden. There is a great deal about the spirit of man in Psalm 51. David prophesied about what would happen in our age. But it could not happen in David’s day. It is by the new revelation of the New Testament that we come to understand that the Spirit and the Soul are really two different aspects of the human person.
Some people are confused to think that the Soul and the Spirit are the same. The apostle Paul did not waste words. He says that God will preserve our whole spirit and soul and body. Without the Spirit, man is not whole.
A. He Sees the Hidden Section. (Conviction) vs. 6.
What is the Spirit? It is that “hidden” part that can know truth and know wisdom. Both truth and wisdom are spiritual principles that cannot be understood by the carnal man, nor defined by the natural mind. They are spirits. So, it takes a living spirit to understand them. The spirit is that section of a man that no animal can sense and no computer will ever simulate. It is the part of the human that knows right from wrong, good from bad, holiness from evil. This is the part of us that is dead before we come to Jesus Christ for salvation. But when the Holy Spirit comes into our spirit, He makes our spirit alive. Ephesians 2:1 “And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins;”
B. He Sacrificed His Son. (Christ) vs. 7
We see David’s view of this internal cleansing of our spirit in verse Psalm 51:7. Hyssop is a bitter herb, it speaks of the pain and bitterness of Jesus sacrifice. He endured that pain for us, and it is bitter for us to accept that sacrifice. We hate the thought that the only way we can be cleansed is through the suffering of an innocent, but that is the truth. Jesus willingly made that sacrifice, pictured with the dipping of hyssop into the blood and the application onto the Passover door. Because His sacrificial blood is applied to our spirit by the Holy Spirit, we have a reborn spirit once we ask God to save us. That internal change is called being born again by Jesus. John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” We are not physically born again when we get saved. We are spiritually born again.
C. His Sanctified Hear new Song. (Conversion) vs. 8
Psalm 51:8 Shows what happens once we go through the bitterness of God’s cleansing. We receive the joy and gladness. The problem that many cults have is that they want to skip God’s sacrifice and forgiveness. They do not like the blood. So, they stop talking about the sacrifice of Jesus. They take the blood out of songs. They reduce how often the blood is read in the text of the Bible. They say we are saved by Jesus life, not by His death. They want to skip His death and get into His joy and gladness without going through the bitterness of Sacrifice. But if you deny the only Sacrifice that is able to clean you, you will never get to the joy of the Lord. No, my friend, we are only saved by the bitter sacrifice of His blood and we are sanctified by His life. Because He lives for us, we now have the joy and gladness of the Lord in our lives.
When we are saved and born again, God gives us a sinless nature in our new spirit. It is not just fixed and patched together by God. No, God gives us a completely new spirit that is without sin. I John 3:9 “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”
God will renew our spirit at the time of salvation if we only call on His name for salvation.
II. Renew Perfecting Soul (Rational Purchased Soul: daily sanctification) Rom. 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
What is the soul? The soul is the personality of man. It is the psychology of man. It is the part of man that has the faculties of mind (the ability to reason), the will (the ability to choose), the emotions (the ability to feel), and self-awareness (the knowledge that you and others exist). This is the soul.
While our spirit is born again perfect and sinless deep within us, our soul is not. That is because when Jesus comes into our life, He does not come into our soul. He comes into our spirit and makes that perfect. If He came into our mind, we would never think a bad thing again. If He came into our emotions, we would never feel anything bad again. If He came into our wills, we would never choose anything bad again. If He came into our social awareness, we would never be anti-social again. But He does not indwell our soul.
He calls us to daily sanctify our soul by renewing it. This means that we must learn to think like God does. We must think His thoughts after Him. We read the Bible to see how He thinks, and we learn to think that way too. We must learn to feel the way that God does, and choose the things that God does. This is how we renew our minds.
A. Good vs. Evil III Jn. 11 “Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.”
We must learn to tell the difference between good and evil. While our spirit knows that perfectly at salvation, our mind does not know how to listen to our spirit immediately or to the Holy Spirit either. We have to learn with our minds to recognize the Spirit’s leading. We do this by getting God’s Word into our lives. We cannot realize what is right and wrong but by learning what God tells us in His Word.
B. Acceptable vs. Lawful I Cor. 6:12 “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”
Beyond knowing what is right and wrong, there is a maturing that must come for the experienced Christian. We need to go beyond just the question of what is right and wrong. There are things that may be right for a Christian to do. But that does not mean that God wants you or me individually to do them. This is the difference between “Can I do this?” and “Should I do this?” There are things that you can do that will not further God’s will for your life. Just because God has removed the restrictions on what a Christian may eat in his Christian liberty, does not mean we should eat everything.
C. Perfect vs. Weighty. Heb. 12:1 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
This is the Highest place of decision. It is no longer “Is it wrong?” It is beyond, “Am I allowed to do this?” It is now at the place of asking, “What does God actually want me to do?” This is the highest place because it is the place of the athlete who is ready to run the race. As it says above in Hebrews 12:1-2, it is the place of recognizing that some things that we could do will only weigh us down so that we cannot run the race.
There are some things that a runner can eat, but when he is getting ready for a race, he will not. The runner takes of the weights on his ankles when it is time to run the race. A boxer must make his weigh-in. So, he controls what he eats so that he can lose or gain. The boxer takes off his head gear, because now it is time for the real thing.
In our lives as spiritual warriors for God, we need to recognize when it is no longer time for practice. It is now time to run! It is now time to fight!
God will renew us if we know what things we are supposed to avoid and what we should embrace. God will renew our soul if we try to think, choose, and feel the way He does.
III. Renew a Physical Strength (Received Structure [slave]: service) Isa. 40:28 “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, [that] the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? [there is] no searching of his understanding. 29 He giveth power to the faint; and to [them that have] no might he increaseth strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: 31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.”
While our spirit is made perfect in the moment of our salvation, and the soul is made perfect day by day in being renewed, our bodies will not be made sinless until they die. This physical body has a sin nature. We can enslave our bodies to God’s will or we will walk by this fallen sin nature. We have that choice. But one day these bodies will be made free of the sin nature. In the resurrection, this body will also become perfect. In that day, we will be like Jesus is, for we shall see him as he is.
Until the day of resurrection, we must use this flesh. God promises the strength to do what this body finds unnatural. Our sinful nature finds it unnatural to obey the directions of God. But God will give us the strength to do what He calls us to do.
A. In spite of Perception vs. 28
God calls us to trust in Him even though we do not understand how He works or how His power works in us. We have not known and heard even though He has shown us. In our sinfulness, too often we have eyes but do not see. We have ears, but we refuse to hear. But if we will hear and see, He will renew our physical strength in this world.
B. In spite of Practice vs 29
In Isaiah 40:29, God says that He give strength to the weary. Why? We practice and fight to get what and where we want. When we have worn our selves out by practicing things our way, God then comes along and gives us supernatural strength to get back up and go on if we will wait on Him.
C. In spite of Power (of youth) vs 30
Even the youth grow weary. Why? They have the strength of youth. They should be the strongest, yet they faint. So, the struggles of this life are too much even for the youth if they do it on their own strength. If, however, he will wait on the Lord, God will renew even the youth’s physical strength.
D. Because of Patience vs. 31
The point is that nobody has the physical strength to do right for all their lives by themselves. But the power of God comes upon those wait on Him. God pours out the oil of His Spirit and gives us even physical power to go on and do right, especially when we cannot physically go on. That is when God loves to pour out unexplainable power on His children to do what is right.
So, my friends, we need to find God’s power to renew us. We need to be renewed in our spirit. This happens when we are born again. We need to be renewed in our souls. This happens in our daily walk by learning the mind of Christ. We need to be renewed in our physical strength as well. While we will not have perfect bodies until the resurrection, His power is sufficient for us. He can do miraculous things when we are at the end ourselves. He loves to show Himself mighty! He will, if you allow Him to show Himself in your life.
By Andrew Grosjean
www.pastorandrew.ws
December 31, 2006:
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Places Where We Need to Make Room for Jesus
Is There Room for Jesus Today
by Andrew Grosjean
Canaan Baptist Church
Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 ([And] this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Beth-lehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
I. In your Fellowship Revelation 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
What we are talking about here is the sad state of a church when there is no more room for Jesus there. Unfortunately, this happens all too often. Most people have no idea that it has. But Jesus warned several times in the beginning of the Book of Revelation that if a church did not repent, Jesus would remove their candle stick. This means that the glory of the presence, power, and validation of God. There are many churches that used to be valid and living churches from which the glory of God has departed. There are many churches that think they are valid. They are prosperous like the church of Laodicea. They were sophisticated. They were powerful. They were rich, but they had shut Jesus out. This is the sad state of many churches today. They are prosperous and powerful, but they have no room for God. Jesus was knocking on the door, not only of the individual heart, but also of the church. They had locked Him out. Do we lock Him out today as the Church of Laodicea did so long ago.
A. When you are Self-Satisfied
They closed Jesus out because they were wealthy and had no need for Jesus. When we are self sufficient in our lives, very often we become self-satisfied as well and do not need God.
B. When you have no Shame
Jesus was locked out of the church because they had no shame. Jesus told them that they needed to buy white garments. This is a figure of their purity, but it was also perhaps a clue as to what their problem was. They were wearing the world’s dress code instead of following God’s standards of modesty. Clothes are supposed to cover the shame nakedness, but our society celebrates this shame. This shameless was one reason why Jesus had no place in that church.
C. When you cannot See
This is what happens when a church has no more room for teaching the truth of God’s Word. Jesus is not only left on the outside of the church, but the people inside are left without spiritual light. If we are going to maintain a place for Jesus in our churches, then we must get His light from His Word. We need His eye salve to heal our spiritual blindness.
II. In your Finances Ephesians 6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are [your] masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; 6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: 8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether [he be] bond or free. 9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
A. Employees
Do you keep room for Jesus in your work place? Paul says that we need to work for our “master” as if we were working for Jesus. Would you treat Jesus the way you treat your manager or foreman? We need to serve with the proper respect.
B. Employers
We bosses, managers, and foremen, we need to treat those under us with respect. God does not show favoritism. He does not show favoritism. Neither should we. We need to be careful to be abusive with threats. We need to respect our employees because God is watching.
C. Endowment (Tithes and Offerings) Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye [are] cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, [even] this whole nation. 10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it]. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
An endowment is a gift that we give to a person or organization that empowers them to do something. God calls us to do this when it comes to the church. God makes it clear that you can do more with 90% of your income than you can with 100%. The reason is that the tenth, tithe, 10% is not yours. It is in fact God’s. Now, the offering is what ever God puts on your heart. It could be $1 or $1000. You let your conscience be your guide. But give God something above what is His. So be faithful to Him and see if He does not open the windows of Heaven for you as well.
III. In your Family
Have you kept a place in your family for God. Fathers, do you lead your family in devotions? God puts this responsibility for responsibility on the father. Of course, mothers of utmost importance, but God puts the final responsibility of the father for the spiritual temperature and dedication in the home. Have you kept a place for Jesus in your home, or do you push Him out?
IV. In your Faith Rev. 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
This should be understood in the context of the church that was pushing Jesus out. But it is a soul winning verse. Beyond that, it is not just for soul winning. It also has bearing on a Christian’s life after salvation.
A. Standing Out Side
For the one who has never trusted Jesus as his Savior, Jesus is standing at your heart’s door today. He is standing outside because He will not force His way in. Jesus is a gentleman. He will not force you to love Him, seek Him, or turn to Him. He waits for you to respond. He could force anything He wanted. He certainly has the right as God. But He has limited Himself. He has condescended to us. He gives us the authority to say no, even to Him. Please, do not say no.
For those that have been saved and have the Spirit of Jesus in your heart, Jesus is still left on the outside of parts of our souls. We say, “Oh yes, Jesus come into my life.” Meanwhile we are building on rooms on the back of the house to hide our pet sins. Then when Jesus wants to get in there, we start building closets. Then we build drawers. No, my friend, let Jesus have it all.
B. Sounding the Call to Sinners
Jesus calls to us all because we all are sinners. There is none of us that is righteous enough to get to Heaven on our own. We have been tainted by the evil of our sinful choices.
C. Supping with the Saints
Jesus is waiting to come in so that we can have communion with Him. Supping here is just a word for communion. He not only wants to spread the table of spiritual food for us. He wants to sit down and commune with us my friend. God wants you to know that He knows you. He wants you to know Him.
December 20, 2009sn
by Andrew Grosjean
Canaan Baptist Church
Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 ([And] this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Beth-lehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
I. In your Fellowship Revelation 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
What we are talking about here is the sad state of a church when there is no more room for Jesus there. Unfortunately, this happens all too often. Most people have no idea that it has. But Jesus warned several times in the beginning of the Book of Revelation that if a church did not repent, Jesus would remove their candle stick. This means that the glory of the presence, power, and validation of God. There are many churches that used to be valid and living churches from which the glory of God has departed. There are many churches that think they are valid. They are prosperous like the church of Laodicea. They were sophisticated. They were powerful. They were rich, but they had shut Jesus out. This is the sad state of many churches today. They are prosperous and powerful, but they have no room for God. Jesus was knocking on the door, not only of the individual heart, but also of the church. They had locked Him out. Do we lock Him out today as the Church of Laodicea did so long ago.
A. When you are Self-Satisfied
They closed Jesus out because they were wealthy and had no need for Jesus. When we are self sufficient in our lives, very often we become self-satisfied as well and do not need God.
B. When you have no Shame
Jesus was locked out of the church because they had no shame. Jesus told them that they needed to buy white garments. This is a figure of their purity, but it was also perhaps a clue as to what their problem was. They were wearing the world’s dress code instead of following God’s standards of modesty. Clothes are supposed to cover the shame nakedness, but our society celebrates this shame. This shameless was one reason why Jesus had no place in that church.
C. When you cannot See
This is what happens when a church has no more room for teaching the truth of God’s Word. Jesus is not only left on the outside of the church, but the people inside are left without spiritual light. If we are going to maintain a place for Jesus in our churches, then we must get His light from His Word. We need His eye salve to heal our spiritual blindness.
II. In your Finances Ephesians 6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are [your] masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; 6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: 8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether [he be] bond or free. 9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
A. Employees
Do you keep room for Jesus in your work place? Paul says that we need to work for our “master” as if we were working for Jesus. Would you treat Jesus the way you treat your manager or foreman? We need to serve with the proper respect.
B. Employers
We bosses, managers, and foremen, we need to treat those under us with respect. God does not show favoritism. He does not show favoritism. Neither should we. We need to be careful to be abusive with threats. We need to respect our employees because God is watching.
C. Endowment (Tithes and Offerings) Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye [are] cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, [even] this whole nation. 10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that [there shall] not [be room] enough [to receive it]. 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
An endowment is a gift that we give to a person or organization that empowers them to do something. God calls us to do this when it comes to the church. God makes it clear that you can do more with 90% of your income than you can with 100%. The reason is that the tenth, tithe, 10% is not yours. It is in fact God’s. Now, the offering is what ever God puts on your heart. It could be $1 or $1000. You let your conscience be your guide. But give God something above what is His. So be faithful to Him and see if He does not open the windows of Heaven for you as well.
III. In your Family
Have you kept a place in your family for God. Fathers, do you lead your family in devotions? God puts this responsibility for responsibility on the father. Of course, mothers of utmost importance, but God puts the final responsibility of the father for the spiritual temperature and dedication in the home. Have you kept a place for Jesus in your home, or do you push Him out?
IV. In your Faith Rev. 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
This should be understood in the context of the church that was pushing Jesus out. But it is a soul winning verse. Beyond that, it is not just for soul winning. It also has bearing on a Christian’s life after salvation.
A. Standing Out Side
For the one who has never trusted Jesus as his Savior, Jesus is standing at your heart’s door today. He is standing outside because He will not force His way in. Jesus is a gentleman. He will not force you to love Him, seek Him, or turn to Him. He waits for you to respond. He could force anything He wanted. He certainly has the right as God. But He has limited Himself. He has condescended to us. He gives us the authority to say no, even to Him. Please, do not say no.
For those that have been saved and have the Spirit of Jesus in your heart, Jesus is still left on the outside of parts of our souls. We say, “Oh yes, Jesus come into my life.” Meanwhile we are building on rooms on the back of the house to hide our pet sins. Then when Jesus wants to get in there, we start building closets. Then we build drawers. No, my friend, let Jesus have it all.
B. Sounding the Call to Sinners
Jesus calls to us all because we all are sinners. There is none of us that is righteous enough to get to Heaven on our own. We have been tainted by the evil of our sinful choices.
C. Supping with the Saints
Jesus is waiting to come in so that we can have communion with Him. Supping here is just a word for communion. He not only wants to spread the table of spiritual food for us. He wants to sit down and commune with us my friend. God wants you to know that He knows you. He wants you to know Him.
December 20, 2009sn
Why the World has No Room for Jesus
Any Room for Jesus?
by Andrew Grosjean
Canaan Baptist Church
Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 ([And] this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Beth-lehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
I. Our world does not really have any room for Good People. They kept Joseph, Mary, and Jesus all out in the cold.
A. Joseph was a Respectable Father
He was committed to doing the right thing. He did not want people to think that he was immoral with Mary. Nor did he want to publicly accuse her. Our society has no room for men of purity. We push our men to be effeminant. We do expect them to be immoral. We expect them to be selfish. The world does not know what to do with men that are serious about God and about doing right. Joseph could have left Mary alone and left her to do her own thing. But no, Joseph was committed to his wife. Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just [man], and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
B. Righteous Woman (truly a virgin).
Though she was a virgin, people did not believe. The world expects their daughter to be immoral. After all, it is their own body right? They can do what they want, right. No, that is not God's way. And the world does not know what to do with a young lady that is committed to virtue.
C. Responsibility of a child Matthew 19: 14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Our world is intolerant of children. They choose anything and everything they want rather than let children have a place in their life. Yes, children are a responsibility, but they are worth it.
People think that Planned Parenthood has the answers. No, we need to stop shutting out children out of our lives, even the unplanned ones. What would our world have been like if Planned Parenthood had come along to Mary and said, “Look, you are an unmarried woman. People are going to look at you differently for the rest of your life if you go through with this pregnancy. You don’t have any money. You don’t have a job. You don’t have any family to support you. And Joseph is homeless right now. Why not just terminate this unplanned pregnancy and wait until you are better established.”
NO! God knew exactly what He was doing. Yes, a new baby is a hard thing sometimes, but God sent them all the money that they needed so that they were not homeless. In fact, they received all the resources they needed. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh went a long way in that society. Do not close your door to any little child. God has someone that will open their lives to them. Bring them into this world. There is a family that will take them in if you cannot raise them yourself.
D. Real families.
I can just imagine that Inn Keeper saying, “If it were just one of you. . . But we have a policy, No children in our Inn. In fact, no birthing in our Inn. If it were just one or two, but not your whole family.” We live in a country where our laws, taxes, and policies give advantages to unwed mothers and divorced people. Our world, in the name of compassion actually makes it harder for real families to continue. We do this by offering aid to unwed mothers, but the mother in the same situation financially except that she is married is refused. We do this also when our tax system makes it cheaper for the unmarried person than for the married. We do it again when our government pays for mothers to put their own children to death. This is a societal atrocity of which our nation should be ashamed. We need to support those families that want to do the right thing and get married. We need to support those parents that want to do the right thing and take the responsibility for their children.
II. No room for Genuine Pauper (Poor).
If Mary and Joseph had been rich when they got to the inn, that Inn Keeper would have found room for them. But they were not rich until later when the wise men visited.
A. Poor in Silver.
They did not have the world’s wealth, and so they did not get the world’s respect. While poverty is not a virtue, neither is wealth. We need to remember those in the past, in our spiritual heritage who were not wealthy in the worlds goods. Jesus at some times during his earthly ministry said that he did not even have provision for lodging. Paul said that he knew how to suffer want during his ministry as well. This world will always show preference to the wealthy over the poor. But his is not God’s way. He does not show favoritism. He does not love one man over another. He does not respect one’s wealth. He needs nothing of our possessions.
B. Poor in Sophistication I Corinthians 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
Being sophisticated is fine. Understanding the nuances of conversation and communication is advantageous. But this does not make us any more acceptable to God. Being educated on the finer points of polite society does not make God love us anymore. The world does prefer the more sophisticated person over the unsophisticated, and the world tends to push those out that are not. If Mary was carrying a Prada purse, and Joseph had Armani robes . . . And if they rode in on a Limo camel instead of a Yugo donkey, they would have gotten a room. If Joseph was an attorney with a Rolex sun dial on his wrist, they would have gotten a room because they would have been seen as sophisticated. They had no worldly influence. They had no political pull. They were simple and good people.
God, on the other hand, says that He chooses the simple in this world to confound the wise. He uses the foolishness of the Gospel to save everyone. If you want to get to heaven, you have to be like a child. A child is not rich or sophisticated. He is not educated or wise by the world’s standards. He is simple. That is God’s way for salvation. You have to come in simple if you come in at all.
Paul could have been sophisticated in his preaching to the Corinthians, but he refused to be so. He wanted those at Corinth to be moved and persuaded by the Spirit of God rather with how well he could speak or the inspiring nature of his philosophies. Paul was simple in preaching that salvation is a free gift that you cannot buy. You have to just believe and receive it.
C. Poor in Spirit Isaiah 66:1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven [is] my throne, and the earth [is] my footstool: where [is] the house that ye build unto me? and where [is] the place of my rest? 2 For all those [things] hath mine hand made, and all those [things] have been, saith the LORD: but to this [man] will I look, [even] to [him that is] poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
This is the person that God accepts, but the world has no room for. The person who is poor in spirit recognizes that he has nothing to make himself more valuable to God than anyone else. God loves us all the same. The poor in spirit is not prideful and recognizes his utter dependence on the provision of God, both physically and spiritually. The world has no room for this person because they eat up the person who is humble and meek. They detest the person that is not egocentric. They want those that are self absorbed and full of themselves. They say that do not like those people, but why is it that these people fill our entertainment world and are the big stars? The Inn keeper had no room for two humble people with no money and no influence.
III. No room for God’s Plans
A. His Son Psalms 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou [art] my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
The world had no room for Jesus in that day just as today. Jesus is the only begotten Son of God. The world and the Jews back then could not accept that. The Muslims today also cannot accept that. The Jews back then knew that calling Jesus the Son of God made Him equal to God the Father. They understood that the son has the nature of the father. So, they would not call any man the son of God because that would mean that that man was equal in nature to the Father.
The Jehovah False Witnesses and other similar groups do not understand that today. They will call Jesus the Son of God, but not Deity. They do not really understand what they are saying. The Bible demonstrates conclusively that Jesus was saying that He was equal to God by calling himself the Son of God. John 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
Other groups like the Mormons diminish the deity of Jesus by saying that He was the brother of Lucifer. Satan may have been a son of God, in that he was a direct creation of God, like all the angels are. But only Jesus was called the only begotten Son of God. Jesus is more than any angel including Lucifer because He created everyone of the angels. Jesus was not created because the Bible says that He created everything that has been created. Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
The world has no room for Jesus because He is the only begotten Son of God, equal to God in glory, power, and deity. He became a servant to the Father for our redemption, but God will raise Him to all glory.
B. His Sovereign Matthew 2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
Jesus is the anointed Sovereign of God. The world has no room for Jesus because He is the Lord of all. I am not a democrat or a republican. I am definitely not a libertarian or a green party person. I am a Theistic Monarchist. I believe that God will rule on this world in the person of Jesus Christ. He will rule on the throne of David in the city of David. He is the rightful monarch of the world. And He is deity. So, I am a Theistic Monarchist. The world has no place for Him still today just as then two thousand years ago. They have no room for Jesus to rule as Messiah in Jerusalem. So, they keep pushing Him, God’s Sovereign, out of society and their lives and our governments.
C. His Salvation Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Finally, the World pushes Jesus out of their lives today because He is God’s only salvation. This is not accepted because people hate to admit that they truly need Jesus. This is going to make some enemies, but every religion except for Biblical Christianity teaches that Jesus is not enough to get anyone to Salvation.
Roman Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah False Witnesses, Muslims, Modern Judaism, Eastern Religions as well, they agree on one point of doctrine. They all say that you have to follow a certain code of conduct to have peace with their various gods. They all disagree on the particulars. What is and where is Heaven/paradise/eternal rest? They all have differences. Which things should you do to be a good person? They all have their own specifics. But they all agree on one point. You will not get to the eternal rest if you do not do something and keep doing it.
This is in direct opposition to Ancient Judaism and Christianity. Abraham was made righteous, not by sacrifice, but by faith. Christ is not welcome in our world because the World has no room for His brand of Salvation. He was the sole price for salvation, not the blood of bulls and goats, not becoming a missionary or wearing holy underwear, not by following the Watchtower, not by obeying your papa or praying to the mother, not by the five pillars. . . All of these things are the works of the flesh and cannot save anyone. The only thing that saves anyone is the perfect and complete sacrifice of the sinless God/man. He demands that you come to Him on His terms: Simple Faith. You are a pauper before God. You do not get to Heaven by being good or doing good.
This world has no room for Jesus because He is God’s given salvation.
December 19, 2009
by Andrew Grosjean
Canaan Baptist Church
Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 ([And] this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Beth-lehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
I. Our world does not really have any room for Good People. They kept Joseph, Mary, and Jesus all out in the cold.
A. Joseph was a Respectable Father
He was committed to doing the right thing. He did not want people to think that he was immoral with Mary. Nor did he want to publicly accuse her. Our society has no room for men of purity. We push our men to be effeminant. We do expect them to be immoral. We expect them to be selfish. The world does not know what to do with men that are serious about God and about doing right. Joseph could have left Mary alone and left her to do her own thing. But no, Joseph was committed to his wife. Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just [man], and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
B. Righteous Woman (truly a virgin).
Though she was a virgin, people did not believe. The world expects their daughter to be immoral. After all, it is their own body right? They can do what they want, right. No, that is not God's way. And the world does not know what to do with a young lady that is committed to virtue.
C. Responsibility of a child Matthew 19: 14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Our world is intolerant of children. They choose anything and everything they want rather than let children have a place in their life. Yes, children are a responsibility, but they are worth it.
People think that Planned Parenthood has the answers. No, we need to stop shutting out children out of our lives, even the unplanned ones. What would our world have been like if Planned Parenthood had come along to Mary and said, “Look, you are an unmarried woman. People are going to look at you differently for the rest of your life if you go through with this pregnancy. You don’t have any money. You don’t have a job. You don’t have any family to support you. And Joseph is homeless right now. Why not just terminate this unplanned pregnancy and wait until you are better established.”
NO! God knew exactly what He was doing. Yes, a new baby is a hard thing sometimes, but God sent them all the money that they needed so that they were not homeless. In fact, they received all the resources they needed. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh went a long way in that society. Do not close your door to any little child. God has someone that will open their lives to them. Bring them into this world. There is a family that will take them in if you cannot raise them yourself.
D. Real families.
I can just imagine that Inn Keeper saying, “If it were just one of you. . . But we have a policy, No children in our Inn. In fact, no birthing in our Inn. If it were just one or two, but not your whole family.” We live in a country where our laws, taxes, and policies give advantages to unwed mothers and divorced people. Our world, in the name of compassion actually makes it harder for real families to continue. We do this by offering aid to unwed mothers, but the mother in the same situation financially except that she is married is refused. We do this also when our tax system makes it cheaper for the unmarried person than for the married. We do it again when our government pays for mothers to put their own children to death. This is a societal atrocity of which our nation should be ashamed. We need to support those families that want to do the right thing and get married. We need to support those parents that want to do the right thing and take the responsibility for their children.
II. No room for Genuine Pauper (Poor).
If Mary and Joseph had been rich when they got to the inn, that Inn Keeper would have found room for them. But they were not rich until later when the wise men visited.
A. Poor in Silver.
They did not have the world’s wealth, and so they did not get the world’s respect. While poverty is not a virtue, neither is wealth. We need to remember those in the past, in our spiritual heritage who were not wealthy in the worlds goods. Jesus at some times during his earthly ministry said that he did not even have provision for lodging. Paul said that he knew how to suffer want during his ministry as well. This world will always show preference to the wealthy over the poor. But his is not God’s way. He does not show favoritism. He does not love one man over another. He does not respect one’s wealth. He needs nothing of our possessions.
B. Poor in Sophistication I Corinthians 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
Being sophisticated is fine. Understanding the nuances of conversation and communication is advantageous. But this does not make us any more acceptable to God. Being educated on the finer points of polite society does not make God love us anymore. The world does prefer the more sophisticated person over the unsophisticated, and the world tends to push those out that are not. If Mary was carrying a Prada purse, and Joseph had Armani robes . . . And if they rode in on a Limo camel instead of a Yugo donkey, they would have gotten a room. If Joseph was an attorney with a Rolex sun dial on his wrist, they would have gotten a room because they would have been seen as sophisticated. They had no worldly influence. They had no political pull. They were simple and good people.
God, on the other hand, says that He chooses the simple in this world to confound the wise. He uses the foolishness of the Gospel to save everyone. If you want to get to heaven, you have to be like a child. A child is not rich or sophisticated. He is not educated or wise by the world’s standards. He is simple. That is God’s way for salvation. You have to come in simple if you come in at all.
Paul could have been sophisticated in his preaching to the Corinthians, but he refused to be so. He wanted those at Corinth to be moved and persuaded by the Spirit of God rather with how well he could speak or the inspiring nature of his philosophies. Paul was simple in preaching that salvation is a free gift that you cannot buy. You have to just believe and receive it.
C. Poor in Spirit Isaiah 66:1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven [is] my throne, and the earth [is] my footstool: where [is] the house that ye build unto me? and where [is] the place of my rest? 2 For all those [things] hath mine hand made, and all those [things] have been, saith the LORD: but to this [man] will I look, [even] to [him that is] poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
This is the person that God accepts, but the world has no room for. The person who is poor in spirit recognizes that he has nothing to make himself more valuable to God than anyone else. God loves us all the same. The poor in spirit is not prideful and recognizes his utter dependence on the provision of God, both physically and spiritually. The world has no room for this person because they eat up the person who is humble and meek. They detest the person that is not egocentric. They want those that are self absorbed and full of themselves. They say that do not like those people, but why is it that these people fill our entertainment world and are the big stars? The Inn keeper had no room for two humble people with no money and no influence.
III. No room for God’s Plans
A. His Son Psalms 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou [art] my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
The world had no room for Jesus in that day just as today. Jesus is the only begotten Son of God. The world and the Jews back then could not accept that. The Muslims today also cannot accept that. The Jews back then knew that calling Jesus the Son of God made Him equal to God the Father. They understood that the son has the nature of the father. So, they would not call any man the son of God because that would mean that that man was equal in nature to the Father.
The Jehovah False Witnesses and other similar groups do not understand that today. They will call Jesus the Son of God, but not Deity. They do not really understand what they are saying. The Bible demonstrates conclusively that Jesus was saying that He was equal to God by calling himself the Son of God. John 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
Other groups like the Mormons diminish the deity of Jesus by saying that He was the brother of Lucifer. Satan may have been a son of God, in that he was a direct creation of God, like all the angels are. But only Jesus was called the only begotten Son of God. Jesus is more than any angel including Lucifer because He created everyone of the angels. Jesus was not created because the Bible says that He created everything that has been created. Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
The world has no room for Jesus because He is the only begotten Son of God, equal to God in glory, power, and deity. He became a servant to the Father for our redemption, but God will raise Him to all glory.
B. His Sovereign Matthew 2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
Jesus is the anointed Sovereign of God. The world has no room for Jesus because He is the Lord of all. I am not a democrat or a republican. I am definitely not a libertarian or a green party person. I am a Theistic Monarchist. I believe that God will rule on this world in the person of Jesus Christ. He will rule on the throne of David in the city of David. He is the rightful monarch of the world. And He is deity. So, I am a Theistic Monarchist. The world has no place for Him still today just as then two thousand years ago. They have no room for Jesus to rule as Messiah in Jerusalem. So, they keep pushing Him, God’s Sovereign, out of society and their lives and our governments.
C. His Salvation Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Finally, the World pushes Jesus out of their lives today because He is God’s only salvation. This is not accepted because people hate to admit that they truly need Jesus. This is going to make some enemies, but every religion except for Biblical Christianity teaches that Jesus is not enough to get anyone to Salvation.
Roman Catholics, Mormons, Jehovah False Witnesses, Muslims, Modern Judaism, Eastern Religions as well, they agree on one point of doctrine. They all say that you have to follow a certain code of conduct to have peace with their various gods. They all disagree on the particulars. What is and where is Heaven/paradise/eternal rest? They all have differences. Which things should you do to be a good person? They all have their own specifics. But they all agree on one point. You will not get to the eternal rest if you do not do something and keep doing it.
This is in direct opposition to Ancient Judaism and Christianity. Abraham was made righteous, not by sacrifice, but by faith. Christ is not welcome in our world because the World has no room for His brand of Salvation. He was the sole price for salvation, not the blood of bulls and goats, not becoming a missionary or wearing holy underwear, not by following the Watchtower, not by obeying your papa or praying to the mother, not by the five pillars. . . All of these things are the works of the flesh and cannot save anyone. The only thing that saves anyone is the perfect and complete sacrifice of the sinless God/man. He demands that you come to Him on His terms: Simple Faith. You are a pauper before God. You do not get to Heaven by being good or doing good.
This world has no room for Jesus because He is God’s given salvation.
December 19, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Season for Giving
The Message
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
I. God’s Love. God gave His love to us. This is the example that we should follow. After all, God is Love. But what is real love anyway? We call so many things love that are not love at all. We call feelings love. We love hamburgers. These things are not love. If love is a feeling, what are you going to do when the feeling is gone? If love is a feeling, what will do when your wife wakes up with morning hair, and your husband’s breath is less than fresh, and there is a little more weight in the middle of the bed than when you started your marriage? Will you fall out of love when your feelings change? Well, if you think that that is love, yes. That is why too many people are heading toward divorce. Love is not a feeling. It sometimes causes feelings, but it is not a feeling.
A. Genuine Love James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: God’s love is expressed in its genuine care for us. God does not do what He does for us because of wicked motives. He does not do wickedness, so He will not tempt us to do wickedness. But we push people to do wrong all the time because of our selfish lusts. This is not true love. True love waits. True love protects your fiancé from the greatest danger, your own lustful weakness.
B. Greatest Love John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Great love is defined by the amount of sacrifice given. God’s love for us is the greatest love possible, because He sacrificed more than any other could. He gave Himself for our need.
C. Given Love (it was communicated) God showed His love for us. He did not just sit around saying, “I love the world.” That would have done us no good if He did not show the love to us. We, in this season of giving, need to show those we say we love that we really love them. It is not enough for us to know that we love them. They need to see that we love them.
II. God’s Lamb Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him] to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him [a portion] with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
A. Servant Son. Jesus became a servant. He was co-equal, co-eternal, co-divine with God the Father. Yet Jesus humbled Himself to become the servant Son of the Father. Not only that, He became servant to each of us fallen, flawed, and faltering sinners.
B. Savage Sacrifice. We sanitize the savagery of the cross. We shun seeing how horrible it truly was. We turn our imaginations and attentions from it because it was more terrible than we feel comfortable with. But we should not become flippant with it. We should never gloss over how savage it was. We need to remember that it was that horrible so that we will see the consequence of our sins. Some churches do not teach the blood anymore. We cannot forget, and we cannot gloss over it. We need to remember what Jesus endured for His love toward us.
C. Supreme Sovereign. But Jesus is not on the Cross any longer. He rose again. He is not in the grave. He is ruling in Heaven and one day, He will rule here on Earth as well. He humbled Himself more than any other, so God will exalt Jesus above any other. God will even exalt Jesus over His own name. Do you want God to exalt you? Then humble yourself before God, and He shall lift you up. James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
III. God’s Light II Corinthians 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
A. Darkness If we stay in Darkness, we mock salvation. God calls us the light of the world, yet we walk in the shadows.
B. Deeds. If we do not have different deeds since salvation, our faith is death. James told us to show our faith by our works. But if we still have the sinful works like those before salvation, you have no evidence that you are saved. You say that you do not need to prove anything to me. You are right, but you do need to prove your salvation to yourself. Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
C. Displayed. If we recognize His gift, we should give back to Him. As He has given to us, we should give to others.
D. Dedication. We demonstrate Christ in what we do for Him. What we do should bring Him honor and glory. Our “good” deeds are nothing unless done for God’s glory.
Since this is the Season for giving, why do we not give back to the One that died to give us everything? Since Jesus gave everything He could to bring us forgiveness, should we not forgive our families? Maybe you do not yet know the forgiveness of God. It is time to receive His greatest gift. He offers you salvation. Take His gift. Pray and tell God that you know He died for your sin. Ask Him to forgive you. Ask Him to give you His salvation.
December 12, 2009sm
Pastor Andrew Grosjean
www.canaanbaptistchurch.net
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
I. God’s Love. God gave His love to us. This is the example that we should follow. After all, God is Love. But what is real love anyway? We call so many things love that are not love at all. We call feelings love. We love hamburgers. These things are not love. If love is a feeling, what are you going to do when the feeling is gone? If love is a feeling, what will do when your wife wakes up with morning hair, and your husband’s breath is less than fresh, and there is a little more weight in the middle of the bed than when you started your marriage? Will you fall out of love when your feelings change? Well, if you think that that is love, yes. That is why too many people are heading toward divorce. Love is not a feeling. It sometimes causes feelings, but it is not a feeling.
A. Genuine Love James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: God’s love is expressed in its genuine care for us. God does not do what He does for us because of wicked motives. He does not do wickedness, so He will not tempt us to do wickedness. But we push people to do wrong all the time because of our selfish lusts. This is not true love. True love waits. True love protects your fiancé from the greatest danger, your own lustful weakness.
B. Greatest Love John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Great love is defined by the amount of sacrifice given. God’s love for us is the greatest love possible, because He sacrificed more than any other could. He gave Himself for our need.
C. Given Love (it was communicated) God showed His love for us. He did not just sit around saying, “I love the world.” That would have done us no good if He did not show the love to us. We, in this season of giving, need to show those we say we love that we really love them. It is not enough for us to know that we love them. They need to see that we love them.
II. God’s Lamb Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him] to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him [a portion] with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
A. Servant Son. Jesus became a servant. He was co-equal, co-eternal, co-divine with God the Father. Yet Jesus humbled Himself to become the servant Son of the Father. Not only that, He became servant to each of us fallen, flawed, and faltering sinners.
B. Savage Sacrifice. We sanitize the savagery of the cross. We shun seeing how horrible it truly was. We turn our imaginations and attentions from it because it was more terrible than we feel comfortable with. But we should not become flippant with it. We should never gloss over how savage it was. We need to remember that it was that horrible so that we will see the consequence of our sins. Some churches do not teach the blood anymore. We cannot forget, and we cannot gloss over it. We need to remember what Jesus endured for His love toward us.
C. Supreme Sovereign. But Jesus is not on the Cross any longer. He rose again. He is not in the grave. He is ruling in Heaven and one day, He will rule here on Earth as well. He humbled Himself more than any other, so God will exalt Jesus above any other. God will even exalt Jesus over His own name. Do you want God to exalt you? Then humble yourself before God, and He shall lift you up. James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
III. God’s Light II Corinthians 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
A. Darkness If we stay in Darkness, we mock salvation. God calls us the light of the world, yet we walk in the shadows.
B. Deeds. If we do not have different deeds since salvation, our faith is death. James told us to show our faith by our works. But if we still have the sinful works like those before salvation, you have no evidence that you are saved. You say that you do not need to prove anything to me. You are right, but you do need to prove your salvation to yourself. Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
C. Displayed. If we recognize His gift, we should give back to Him. As He has given to us, we should give to others.
D. Dedication. We demonstrate Christ in what we do for Him. What we do should bring Him honor and glory. Our “good” deeds are nothing unless done for God’s glory.
Since this is the Season for giving, why do we not give back to the One that died to give us everything? Since Jesus gave everything He could to bring us forgiveness, should we not forgive our families? Maybe you do not yet know the forgiveness of God. It is time to receive His greatest gift. He offers you salvation. Take His gift. Pray and tell God that you know He died for your sin. Ask Him to forgive you. Ask Him to give you His salvation.
December 12, 2009sm
Pastor Andrew Grosjean
www.canaanbaptistchurch.net
Friday, December 11, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Music of the Maker
Music of the Maker
Click edit above to add content to this empty capsule.
Pastor Andrew Grosjean
I. Positive (vs. passive) nature of all music
Music is not a neutral thing. It has a positive nature. It is not something that just happens to you. It is something you make. It is the result of an action. Because an action creates it, it is a fruit that we can judge. God tells us that every deed, every action will be judged. Jesus said, Matthew 7:20 “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” God will judge our words. Words are the fruits of choices and actions. Music is also.
A. We will give account of every action
1. Rom. 14:12 “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
2. Matt. 12:36 “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”
We will give account for every word. We will even give account for every idle word. Do really think that you will not give an acount for the music you make and listen to.
B. The fellow Christian.
We have a responsibility to do what is right for our brothers and sisters. Our music can help or harm our fellow saints.
1. Will it help? Eph. 5:19 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;”
2. Or will it harm? I Thes. 4:3 “For this is the will of God, [even] your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; 5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 6 That no [man] go beyond and defraud his brother in [any] matter: because that the Lord [is] the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.”
This word “defraud” is means to cheat or steal. It is obvious from the passage that Paul was talking about cheating our brothers or sisters by exposing them to temptation. If we cause our brothers to be tempted to sin, the Lord will avenge them. This is an important thing to understand when it comes to music. Music is such an inherent thing to man. Often we do not realize its effects or its powers. People use music to get people into all sorts of different kinds of moods. There is a power to it. We need to make sure that we do not use music to encourage people to do wrong.
C. Satan’s work (musical clothes) Eze. 28:13 “Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone [was] thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared.”
We see from this passage that Satan was created with music as an intrinsic attribute of his person. Just like we are musical, so Satan was also created as a musical creature. Is it any wonder that Satan would find a way to use music to help the sons of man to turn from the Creator as Satan himself did? It makes perfect sense that Satan would use music just like he uses all his other attributes to lead men astray. We see that Satan does use music for his ends today just as he did in Daniel 3:7 and before.
1. Will help Satan’s work? Dan. 3:7 “Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down [and] worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.”
2. Or harm Satan’s work? I Sam. 16:23 “And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.”
If there is a music that will hamper Satan’s work in a person’s life, it is only logical that there is music that will help Satan. Which is the type of music that you use? Are you addicted to your worldly music? Are you able to be caught up with the spirit of the ancient hymns that shaped the generations before us for hundreds of years? If hymns were so beautiful and powerful for the saints for literally hundreds of years (for some of them, and for some even longer) why can you not enjoy that music? It was relevant and powerful for all that time. Why is it not relevant or powerful now? I will dare to declare that it is because you are addicted to something that makes the godly songs boring to you.
II. Purpose of music Eph. 5:19 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;”
Some people listen to bankrupt music because they do not understand what the purpose of music is. Most people think that when it comes to music, they can do whatever they want. But what did God make music for? Some people think that music can be a soul winning tool. But does authorize that anywhere?
A. To Praise God Ps. 28:7; 33:3; 40:3; 28:7; 69:30; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1; Isa. 42:10.
B. To strengthen saints Ps. 42:8
C. To show Savior (as our song). Ex. 15:2 “The LORD [is] my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he [is] my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.” Ps. 118:14 “The LORD [is] my strength and song, and is become my salvation.” Isa. 12:2
D. For Spiritual Warfare I Sam. 16:23
Well, if God does not say that we can use music to do soul-winning, how are we supposed to do it? I Corinthians 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
III. The Parts and Proportions of Music
There are four dimensions to music. These are melody, harmony, rhythm, and words. It can be seen that each of these parts can influence man. Man has different dimensions as well. The proportions of the music’s dimensions can influence or encourage certain sides of man’s nature.
A. Music affects the three part man I Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and [I pray God] your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1. Melody affects the Spirit
2. Harmony affects the Soul
3. Rhythm affects the Body
4. Words affects all above through the Mind
We see that the harmony easily affects the soul. If you have music that is highly harmonic, it is plain to see how it can lift your soul or depress it. The body is clearly engaged when an artist uses strong rhythms. This is true when the rhythm is healthy or unhealthy. Obviously, the words can affect all the parts of man though the mind. That just leaves us the melody. Well, God tells us which part that affects in Ephesians 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Spiritual songs are melody predominant.
B. Music affects the four part, or four faculties of the soul in
1. Melody affects the Will
2. Harmony affects the Emotions
3. Rhythm affects the Self-awareness (the social part)
4. Words affects the Mind
While we see the trichotomy of man, there are also the four dimensions of the soul. These four dimensions are faculties. Each of these faculties empowers man with abilities for existence. Our discussion is already to large to deal with these faculties in an in-depth manner in this discussion. But each dimension has a direct to the faculties of the soul. Below, we explore some examples of how the proportions of music affect the soul’s faculties. Whichever dimension of music is strongest, this dimension will correspondingly strengthen the dominance of that faculty of the soul. While it is clear the people often orient themselves to different faculties of their soul, we want to have proper music that will help us to keep our internal balance.
IV. The Power of Music
Music has great power. We see that in the huge industry in America. There is hardly any industry that is not touched by music. Education recognizes the power to improve learning skills that music bring to the school. Medicine today has admitted that music can help healing in all. It can strengthen the continuing development of babies. Entertainment is inextricably linked with music. Almost every industry admits the power of music to persuade in that almost every advertisement has music as a component.
But how is the power of music being used in our lives. What kind of musical diet do you have?
A. Music has the power to stir up sensuality. I Jn. 2:15 “Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
1. Immoral lusts
a. Exo. 32:6 “And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.”
b. Exo. 32:17 “And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, [There is] a noise of war in the camp. 18 And he said, [It is] not the voice of [them that] shout for mastery, neither [is it] the voice of [them that] cry for being overcome: [but] the noise of [them that] sing do I hear. 19 ¶ And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing. . .”
2. Greed
3. Pride
Have you never wondered why certain musical styles have always had lust, greed, pride, and rebellion as part of their entourage? Certain types of music always have these things, they are chained together. Christians that have been addicted to the world’s music think that they can bring the world’s song into their heart and church. But we see the attitudes of the music play out even in the lives of these well intentioned musicians. As a pastor, I get advertisements all the time of “Christian Musicians” at the church. I am repeatedly surprised at the look on the faces of these musicians that are supposed to have the joy of the Lord. They try to sing the music of people that are bitter, prideful, and licentious. Then they change the words, and expect Christians to rejoice in it. If you tell a lie long enough, people will believe it. But we wonder why Christians have such a divorce rate. Why is there such a suicide rate among those that say they know the Lord? Music is not the only factor, but it is a factor!
B. Music has the power to strengthen Satan’s work.
1. Enticements (making evil look good)
2. Entries (into the occult) (Exo. 32:19)
Music has the power to strengthen the spirit Eph. 5:19 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;”
Misuses of Music Proportions
1. A-rhythmic Chants Ps. 150:4 “Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.” (Ps. 149:3)
a. No rhythm.
b. Discourages the body.
c. Feels dead
2. Rhythmic Chants Pro. 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.”
a. Is used in black arts.
b. No melody,
c. Closes down the critical functions of the will
d. Stupifies the mind through empty repetition
e. Causes a type of hypnotic state.
3. Blues Phi. 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things.” (Ps. 89:15; 98:6)
a. Was born out of black arts’ music
b. Emphasizes despair harmonies and rhythm
c. Encourages depression
d. Encourages physical appetites
e. Often the message is depressing
4. Jazz
a. Born out of black arts and Blues music.
b. Emphasizes sensual harmonies and rhythm
c. Encourages emotionalism
d. Encourages physical appetites
5. Rock, pop
a. Was born of black arts, Blues, and Jazz.
b. Emphasizes Rhythm and shallow repetitive harmonies.
c. Encourages physical appetites
d. Encourages party atmosphere. (Rom. 13:11-14)
e. It often increases the aggression of listeners. James 1:19-20 “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” (Pro. 14:17; 21:19; 22:24)
f. The imbalance in the music causes addiction.
i. I Cor. 6:12 “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”
ii. I Cor. 10:23 “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”
6. Country Music
a. Modern country music is strongly influenced by rock/pop rhythms.
b. Has the same sensual rhythms
c. Has often an immoral and or depressing message
d. Sliding notes of encourages insecurity and sensuality.
7. New age (harmony music, discordant rhythms)
a. Born of eastern mysticism
b. Much is influenced by the rhythms of the west and of rock and roll.
c. It emphasizes emotions and experience
d. Repetition and no words discourages critical thinking and reasoning.
e. Discordant rhythms discourage organization and encourage chaos of mind.
8. Rap, hip hop, etc. (rhythm, words)
a. Born directly out of black magic chants with some rock and pop influence.
b. It increases the aggression of listeners. (James 1:19-20; Pro. 14:17; 21:19; 22:24)
c. It is highly addictive.
d. It shuts down higher mental functions while unifying people around the message of the words.
Practical Suggestions in Avoiding Musical Defilement
Eph. 5:11 “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them]. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
I. Be Sensitive.
A. To entertainment. What kind of music is coming into your home and into your mind?
1. Television
2. Radio
3. Commercials
4. Video Games
B. Be Sensitive in Dining and other public places. You can ask the manager to turn down offensive music. They want your business. They will accommodate you most of the time if you only tell them that something might discourage you from returning.
C. Be sensitive of what you expose your family to. What one generation accepts in moderation, the next embraces to excess.
II. Change what is heard.
A. Do not go where you know that worldly music is integral to the event (worldly parties, dances, bars).
B. Beware of movie theaters. Short of walking out of an offensive movie, you have no control over what they pump into your mind.
C. Use the mute button for at-home entertainment. The first words of one of my children were, “Turn it up!” So, often is that phrase heard in my home.
D. In public businesses (restaurants, etc.), ask manager to lower or turn off music that is offensive. You are a customer. If they want your business, they should respect your sensibilities like they do other groups of people.
III. Inform others.
A. Respectfully inform other Christians if they are exposing you to music that you feel convicted about.
B. Teach your family to recognize and properly react to unfruitful music. I Cor. 10:23 “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”
C. Listen to good balanced music.
1. In your car.
2. In your home.
3. Your family is listening.
Click edit above to add content to this empty capsule.
Pastor Andrew Grosjean
I. Positive (vs. passive) nature of all music
Music is not a neutral thing. It has a positive nature. It is not something that just happens to you. It is something you make. It is the result of an action. Because an action creates it, it is a fruit that we can judge. God tells us that every deed, every action will be judged. Jesus said, Matthew 7:20 “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” God will judge our words. Words are the fruits of choices and actions. Music is also.
A. We will give account of every action
1. Rom. 14:12 “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
2. Matt. 12:36 “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”
We will give account for every word. We will even give account for every idle word. Do really think that you will not give an acount for the music you make and listen to.
B. The fellow Christian.
We have a responsibility to do what is right for our brothers and sisters. Our music can help or harm our fellow saints.
1. Will it help? Eph. 5:19 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;”
2. Or will it harm? I Thes. 4:3 “For this is the will of God, [even] your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; 5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 6 That no [man] go beyond and defraud his brother in [any] matter: because that the Lord [is] the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.”
This word “defraud” is means to cheat or steal. It is obvious from the passage that Paul was talking about cheating our brothers or sisters by exposing them to temptation. If we cause our brothers to be tempted to sin, the Lord will avenge them. This is an important thing to understand when it comes to music. Music is such an inherent thing to man. Often we do not realize its effects or its powers. People use music to get people into all sorts of different kinds of moods. There is a power to it. We need to make sure that we do not use music to encourage people to do wrong.
C. Satan’s work (musical clothes) Eze. 28:13 “Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone [was] thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared.”
We see from this passage that Satan was created with music as an intrinsic attribute of his person. Just like we are musical, so Satan was also created as a musical creature. Is it any wonder that Satan would find a way to use music to help the sons of man to turn from the Creator as Satan himself did? It makes perfect sense that Satan would use music just like he uses all his other attributes to lead men astray. We see that Satan does use music for his ends today just as he did in Daniel 3:7 and before.
1. Will help Satan’s work? Dan. 3:7 “Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down [and] worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.”
2. Or harm Satan’s work? I Sam. 16:23 “And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.”
If there is a music that will hamper Satan’s work in a person’s life, it is only logical that there is music that will help Satan. Which is the type of music that you use? Are you addicted to your worldly music? Are you able to be caught up with the spirit of the ancient hymns that shaped the generations before us for hundreds of years? If hymns were so beautiful and powerful for the saints for literally hundreds of years (for some of them, and for some even longer) why can you not enjoy that music? It was relevant and powerful for all that time. Why is it not relevant or powerful now? I will dare to declare that it is because you are addicted to something that makes the godly songs boring to you.
II. Purpose of music Eph. 5:19 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;”
Some people listen to bankrupt music because they do not understand what the purpose of music is. Most people think that when it comes to music, they can do whatever they want. But what did God make music for? Some people think that music can be a soul winning tool. But does authorize that anywhere?
A. To Praise God Ps. 28:7; 33:3; 40:3; 28:7; 69:30; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1; Isa. 42:10.
B. To strengthen saints Ps. 42:8
C. To show Savior (as our song). Ex. 15:2 “The LORD [is] my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he [is] my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.” Ps. 118:14 “The LORD [is] my strength and song, and is become my salvation.” Isa. 12:2
D. For Spiritual Warfare I Sam. 16:23
Well, if God does not say that we can use music to do soul-winning, how are we supposed to do it? I Corinthians 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
III. The Parts and Proportions of Music
There are four dimensions to music. These are melody, harmony, rhythm, and words. It can be seen that each of these parts can influence man. Man has different dimensions as well. The proportions of the music’s dimensions can influence or encourage certain sides of man’s nature.
A. Music affects the three part man I Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and [I pray God] your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1. Melody affects the Spirit
2. Harmony affects the Soul
3. Rhythm affects the Body
4. Words affects all above through the Mind
We see that the harmony easily affects the soul. If you have music that is highly harmonic, it is plain to see how it can lift your soul or depress it. The body is clearly engaged when an artist uses strong rhythms. This is true when the rhythm is healthy or unhealthy. Obviously, the words can affect all the parts of man though the mind. That just leaves us the melody. Well, God tells us which part that affects in Ephesians 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Spiritual songs are melody predominant.
B. Music affects the four part, or four faculties of the soul in
1. Melody affects the Will
2. Harmony affects the Emotions
3. Rhythm affects the Self-awareness (the social part)
4. Words affects the Mind
While we see the trichotomy of man, there are also the four dimensions of the soul. These four dimensions are faculties. Each of these faculties empowers man with abilities for existence. Our discussion is already to large to deal with these faculties in an in-depth manner in this discussion. But each dimension has a direct to the faculties of the soul. Below, we explore some examples of how the proportions of music affect the soul’s faculties. Whichever dimension of music is strongest, this dimension will correspondingly strengthen the dominance of that faculty of the soul. While it is clear the people often orient themselves to different faculties of their soul, we want to have proper music that will help us to keep our internal balance.
IV. The Power of Music
Music has great power. We see that in the huge industry in America. There is hardly any industry that is not touched by music. Education recognizes the power to improve learning skills that music bring to the school. Medicine today has admitted that music can help healing in all. It can strengthen the continuing development of babies. Entertainment is inextricably linked with music. Almost every industry admits the power of music to persuade in that almost every advertisement has music as a component.
But how is the power of music being used in our lives. What kind of musical diet do you have?
A. Music has the power to stir up sensuality. I Jn. 2:15 “Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
1. Immoral lusts
a. Exo. 32:6 “And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.”
b. Exo. 32:17 “And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, [There is] a noise of war in the camp. 18 And he said, [It is] not the voice of [them that] shout for mastery, neither [is it] the voice of [them that] cry for being overcome: [but] the noise of [them that] sing do I hear. 19 ¶ And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing. . .”
2. Greed
3. Pride
Have you never wondered why certain musical styles have always had lust, greed, pride, and rebellion as part of their entourage? Certain types of music always have these things, they are chained together. Christians that have been addicted to the world’s music think that they can bring the world’s song into their heart and church. But we see the attitudes of the music play out even in the lives of these well intentioned musicians. As a pastor, I get advertisements all the time of “Christian Musicians” at the church. I am repeatedly surprised at the look on the faces of these musicians that are supposed to have the joy of the Lord. They try to sing the music of people that are bitter, prideful, and licentious. Then they change the words, and expect Christians to rejoice in it. If you tell a lie long enough, people will believe it. But we wonder why Christians have such a divorce rate. Why is there such a suicide rate among those that say they know the Lord? Music is not the only factor, but it is a factor!
B. Music has the power to strengthen Satan’s work.
1. Enticements (making evil look good)
2. Entries (into the occult) (Exo. 32:19)
Music has the power to strengthen the spirit Eph. 5:19 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;”
Misuses of Music Proportions
1. A-rhythmic Chants Ps. 150:4 “Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.” (Ps. 149:3)
a. No rhythm.
b. Discourages the body.
c. Feels dead
2. Rhythmic Chants Pro. 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.”
a. Is used in black arts.
b. No melody,
c. Closes down the critical functions of the will
d. Stupifies the mind through empty repetition
e. Causes a type of hypnotic state.
3. Blues Phi. 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things.” (Ps. 89:15; 98:6)
a. Was born out of black arts’ music
b. Emphasizes despair harmonies and rhythm
c. Encourages depression
d. Encourages physical appetites
e. Often the message is depressing
4. Jazz
a. Born out of black arts and Blues music.
b. Emphasizes sensual harmonies and rhythm
c. Encourages emotionalism
d. Encourages physical appetites
5. Rock, pop
a. Was born of black arts, Blues, and Jazz.
b. Emphasizes Rhythm and shallow repetitive harmonies.
c. Encourages physical appetites
d. Encourages party atmosphere. (Rom. 13:11-14)
e. It often increases the aggression of listeners. James 1:19-20 “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” (Pro. 14:17; 21:19; 22:24)
f. The imbalance in the music causes addiction.
i. I Cor. 6:12 “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”
ii. I Cor. 10:23 “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”
6. Country Music
a. Modern country music is strongly influenced by rock/pop rhythms.
b. Has the same sensual rhythms
c. Has often an immoral and or depressing message
d. Sliding notes of encourages insecurity and sensuality.
7. New age (harmony music, discordant rhythms)
a. Born of eastern mysticism
b. Much is influenced by the rhythms of the west and of rock and roll.
c. It emphasizes emotions and experience
d. Repetition and no words discourages critical thinking and reasoning.
e. Discordant rhythms discourage organization and encourage chaos of mind.
8. Rap, hip hop, etc. (rhythm, words)
a. Born directly out of black magic chants with some rock and pop influence.
b. It increases the aggression of listeners. (James 1:19-20; Pro. 14:17; 21:19; 22:24)
c. It is highly addictive.
d. It shuts down higher mental functions while unifying people around the message of the words.
Practical Suggestions in Avoiding Musical Defilement
Eph. 5:11 “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them]. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. 13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. 14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
I. Be Sensitive.
A. To entertainment. What kind of music is coming into your home and into your mind?
1. Television
2. Radio
3. Commercials
4. Video Games
B. Be Sensitive in Dining and other public places. You can ask the manager to turn down offensive music. They want your business. They will accommodate you most of the time if you only tell them that something might discourage you from returning.
C. Be sensitive of what you expose your family to. What one generation accepts in moderation, the next embraces to excess.
II. Change what is heard.
A. Do not go where you know that worldly music is integral to the event (worldly parties, dances, bars).
B. Beware of movie theaters. Short of walking out of an offensive movie, you have no control over what they pump into your mind.
C. Use the mute button for at-home entertainment. The first words of one of my children were, “Turn it up!” So, often is that phrase heard in my home.
D. In public businesses (restaurants, etc.), ask manager to lower or turn off music that is offensive. You are a customer. If they want your business, they should respect your sensibilities like they do other groups of people.
III. Inform others.
A. Respectfully inform other Christians if they are exposing you to music that you feel convicted about.
B. Teach your family to recognize and properly react to unfruitful music. I Cor. 10:23 “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”
C. Listen to good balanced music.
1. In your car.
2. In your home.
3. Your family is listening.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Sitting with Sinners
Sitting with Sinners
Matthew 9:9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. 10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw [it], they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? 12 But when Jesus heard [that], he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 13 But go ye and learn what [that] meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
There are some situations that we should stay away from because they expose us to spiritual danger. But there are times in which we need to be led by God into places or situations where we would not usually go. Jesus did this for three reasons in this passage.
I. He sat with sinners to call the Sinner to Salvation
A. Watch out for sinful Places Mat. 9:10
B. Wacth out for sinful People John 4:27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
C. Watch out for sinful Practices Luke 7:38 And stood at his feet behind [him] weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe [them] with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed [them] with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw [it], he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman [this is] that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
II. He sat with sinners to call the Sick Jude 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23 And others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, [be] glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen.
A. There is a fervent Love
B. We pull people from the fire of Hell
C. We break the chains feshly Lusts and addictions
D. God will keep us faultless and keep us from falling Presentation vs. 24 Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
III. He sat with sinners to call the Servant vs. 9
A. Be a Warning Ezekiel 33:5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. 6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take [any] person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand. 7 ¶ So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.
B. Be a Witness Daniel 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
C. Be a Winner Psalms 126:5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves [with him].
Romans 14:21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor [any thing] whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. 22 Hast thou faith? have [it] to thyself before God. Happy [is] he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. 23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because [he eateth] not of faith: for whatsoever [is] not of faith is sin.
December 6, 2009sn
by Andrew Grosjean
www.canaanbaptistchurch.net
Matthew 9:9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. 10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw [it], they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? 12 But when Jesus heard [that], he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 13 But go ye and learn what [that] meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
There are some situations that we should stay away from because they expose us to spiritual danger. But there are times in which we need to be led by God into places or situations where we would not usually go. Jesus did this for three reasons in this passage.
I. He sat with sinners to call the Sinner to Salvation
A. Watch out for sinful Places Mat. 9:10
B. Wacth out for sinful People John 4:27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
C. Watch out for sinful Practices Luke 7:38 And stood at his feet behind [him] weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe [them] with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed [them] with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw [it], he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman [this is] that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
II. He sat with sinners to call the Sick Jude 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23 And others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, [be] glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen.
A. There is a fervent Love
B. We pull people from the fire of Hell
C. We break the chains feshly Lusts and addictions
D. God will keep us faultless and keep us from falling Presentation vs. 24 Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
III. He sat with sinners to call the Servant vs. 9
A. Be a Warning Ezekiel 33:5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. 6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take [any] person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand. 7 ¶ So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.
B. Be a Witness Daniel 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
C. Be a Winner Psalms 126:5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves [with him].
Romans 14:21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor [any thing] whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. 22 Hast thou faith? have [it] to thyself before God. Happy [is] he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. 23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because [he eateth] not of faith: for whatsoever [is] not of faith is sin.
December 6, 2009sn
by Andrew Grosjean
www.canaanbaptistchurch.net
Turning from the Truth.
Pastor Grosjean
II Timothy 4:1 “I charge [thee] therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
I. Because they do not like Firm Preaching
A. Reprove
B. Rebuke
C. Rebuild (Exhort)
II. Because they do not like Full Doctrine II John 7 “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into [your] house, neither bid him God speed:”
A. Some are Lost vs. 7
B. Some are Lied to vs. 7
C. Some are Lazy vs. 8
D. Some are Lily-livered (Cowards) vs. 10
III. Because they like Fables II Cor. 10:3 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” Acts 17:21
A. The War for Man
B. The Worship of the Mundane
C. The Washing of the Mind
D. The Waiting for Messiah
IV. Because they hate the Faithful Word. Jn. 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
July 6, 2007; December 4, 2009sm
II Timothy 4:1 “I charge [thee] therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
I. Because they do not like Firm Preaching
A. Reprove
B. Rebuke
C. Rebuild (Exhort)
II. Because they do not like Full Doctrine II John 7 “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into [your] house, neither bid him God speed:”
A. Some are Lost vs. 7
B. Some are Lied to vs. 7
C. Some are Lazy vs. 8
D. Some are Lily-livered (Cowards) vs. 10
III. Because they like Fables II Cor. 10:3 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare [are] not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” Acts 17:21
A. The War for Man
B. The Worship of the Mundane
C. The Washing of the Mind
D. The Waiting for Messiah
IV. Because they hate the Faithful Word. Jn. 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
July 6, 2007; December 4, 2009sm
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Who is Saint Nick?
The Santa Conspiracy
The deification of a flawed god.
Rom. 12:10 “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;”
I. Creation by Faith vs. Salvation by Grace Exo. 20:1 “And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I [am] the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.”
A. We Deny Nicholas’s Humanity
Too many people have forgotten who good old Saint Nick was. Now, as I am not a Roman Catholic, I hesitate to call Nick “Saint.” We do not usually call people “Saint” because we believe that all that have been washed by the blood of the precious Lamb of God are saints. But I call him Saint Nick so that you will know to whom I refer and because we will assume that he did trust Christ for his salvation. Nick did some wonderful, charitable works of giving. That was commendable. But who today really even knows the story?
The St. Nick that we celebrate today in America is so removed from historical truth that I doubt that Nicholas would recognize himself from the caricature. The Santa today is more like Satan than Nicholas. That does sound extreme, but the Santa today is a god with a false doctrine which demands worship.
B. We Attribute deity to Nicholas
Today’s Santa is a god. He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good. So be good for goodness sake! These are attributes of a deity. You will say, “This is ridiculous! It’s just fun. It’s just a game.” No it is not. The reason it is not is because you demand your children to believe it.
I grew up in a home where my parents told me the truth. “There was a historic Nicholas. This is what he did, and this is why he is remembered.” I grew up knowing the truth. Then when Christmas came around, it was just fun for us. We knew it was just a game. It did not take anything away from us. My wife grew up in a family with an opposite philosophy. She did believe the stories and thought that her parents were telling her the truth. When she found out, it crushed her.
Children have a natural naivete, gullibility? Right? No it is a child like faith. We should protect that faith instead of abusing it. When our kids find out that they have been lied to for how many years, it shakes their faith in their parents. I preached this sermon at my church on a Sunday Night. There happened to be a young man, about 12 years old at the time. He became angry that I said that Santa was not real. He would not believe that his father and mother had lied to him. So, I (the preacher) must have been lying to him. I was shocked that at his age, he did not know. This was a young man that was smart and intelligent. He was not developmentally challenged in any way. He just really believed that his parents told him the truth. They should have.
Our society makes Santa a god by giving him supernatural powers. They establish the terms of worship of this false god. Kids can write him letters with their Christmas wish list, Santa’s form of prayer requests. Kids must do good, or Santa will punish them with lumps of coal.
There is another false doctrine of this false god. Society poisons the Spiritual principle of a gift. We teach kids that if they want to get their presents, they have to do good. I have heard countless parents threaten their kids with a bad Christmas if they will not be good. This is a big problem. A gift cannot be paid for or earned. This is a false doctrine. If you can be good enough to earn a Christmas present, then maybe you can be good enough to get other gifts. That just happens to be the same damnable doctrine that says that if you are good enough you can get to Heaven. Quick question, if you could be good enough to get to Heaven, why would Jesus need to die?
If you could be good enough to get a gift, it is not really a gift. God’s salvation is a gift. You cannot earn it or pay for it. Christmas gifts that you give your kids should be gifts. They are not earned, if they are earned (by being good) then they are not really gifts at all. They are wages. If you teach your child that they get Christmas presents by being good, they will naturally think that if you want to get the gift of salvation, you have to be good too.
We tell our kids that they will not get presents if they are not good. Is it any wonder that they then grow up to think that they have to earn our love. No, parents. Love your Children freely like God loves you freely. Make them know they do not earn your love, nor Gods. Both are free gifts.
C. “If you just believe. . .”
There is more false doctrine associated with Santa Clause. That is the magical doctrine that if you just believe something hard enough, you can make it real. This false doctrine is one that many Christians get confused about. Luke 17:6 “And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.” But this does not mean that your faith is just some kind of magical power that you can apply to whatever task you want and make it do things.
This idea that if you just believe something hard enough that you can make it happen is not Biblical. Real faith is faith in the promise of God. It is not faith in faith itself. I venture to suggest that Jesus statements in Luke 17:6 & Mat. 17:20 are actually prophecies. These are consistent with the prophecies that say that the valleys will be filled and the mountains will be brought low. The sea will be diminished. Biblical faith is walking and relying on the promises of God.
We do not make God real by believing in Him. He is real whether we believe in Him or not. We do not make the sky orange if we believe it enough. Nor do we make Santa Clause real by believing in him. But that is exactly what almost every story about Santa tells our kids. Then we chant the mantra in their ears over and over. Then we tell them that they can do anything that they want to do if they only believe they can. Well, that is not true and it is not the way that we should be training our children. I have taught my children that they can do more than they think they can. They can do anything that God wants them to do. But I will never tell my kids that they can do anything that they want to if they only believe it enough. If God does not want them to do it, they will not be able to do it. If they believe it hard enough, can they make God not exist. No. Our faith is not a magical power that can make anything happen. Thinking that you can do what ever you want if you only believe it hard enough is really the kind of thing that mentally unstable people practice.
II. Child’s Faith vs. Self-serving Guile Mat. 18:3 “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and [that] he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Mk. 9:42; Mk. 10:14- 16; Lk. 17:2)
A. Lies for obedience (if you are not good, Santa won’t bring you . . .)
Every child has a child-like faith until we make him jaded by repetitious lying. Every kid when they are young just believes their parents. This is a precious trust of parenthood given to parents by God. We abuse that trust when we use that trust to lie to our kids.
When parents say, “You better be good or Santa won’t bring you any presents.” This parent is lying to his kids. And why? Because that parent wants his kids to obey him. Well, go ahead and lie to them about Santa and presents. Ten years from now, I will explain to you why your kids do not believe you about God. Just try and tell them the truth that God will chastise them if they do not obey Him. Why should they believe you when you say God will chastise them, when you lied to them on the subject with Santa.
B. Lies for greed II Peter 2:1 “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”
Our society is lying to children. “You better be good or no presents.” Why do parents do it? We already covered that. But why is it such a societal imperative? Why do we have to lie to our children? Our society pushes the idea because we push materialism. If Johnny is good, then he will get his presents. Well, parents, your kids have been good. . . You better get out there an buy them every imaginable present that we have pushed through your T.V. for the last year. If you do not meet their every whimsical Christmas fantasy, well, now what kind of parent are you? That push is all about greed and God condemns it.
C. Lies about God I Cor. 10:19 “What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? 20 But I [say], that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.”
You say, but it is all just fun. But it isn’t. If it was about fun, then tell them the truth. Let them know it is made up. But the moment you tell them to believe in this demigod Santa who has magical powers and that to make him real, they just have to believe.
Now, you have set up an idol in your home. It is no longer God in Heaven that the kids should obey, it is Santa in the North Pole. It is not Church that the kids should be visiting, it is the winter wonderland displays of department store Santas that our children should be attending. There are no gifts to the house of God, because all your money is blown at the mall. In fact you have gone into debt to the false god. So, God will not be honored with our check book for at least a couple months. We are singing less and less songs about Jesus and more and more songs about Santa. Your kids are not praying to God for their concerns, they are making wish-lists to santa. There is not a word spoken about believing that God is caring for you. We preach relentlessly the sermon, “You just have to believe. You just have to believe that Santa is going to give you what you asked for. ”
This is what I believe. We need to stop giving a made-up person the attributes and adoration of the true God. He is the one that truly loves us and provides for us.
III. Christian’s Fidelity and Saints Guidance
We need to follow the examples of the saints that have gone before us.
A. Sinners’ exercise
1. I Tim. 4:7 “But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself [rather] unto godliness.”
2. II Tim. 4:4 “And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
3. II Pet. 1:16 “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”
Paul says we need to refuse the fables. This is not just fun. Our society goes too far. My kids know about the Santa conspiracy. Parents tell their kids that he is real, but he is not. They see the stories and enjoy them. But they know it is just made up stories. But we go too far and lie to our kids. We need to refuse this wickedness. Tell your kids the truth and go watch Miracle on 34th Street, if they can understand it truthfully. Stop lying to your kids please. There is no room in the Christian home for these fables. These cause parents to lie to their kids and kids to believe in a false god.
B. Saints Examples. Heb. 12:1 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Tell the truth about Nicholas. If he really was a saint of God, he would rebuke us for misusing his story to take away glory from the true God.
C. Saints’ edification. I Cor. 11:1 “Be ye followers of me, even as I also [am] of Christ.”
We need to follow Christ in how we deal with our children. We want them to follow in our footsteps, just like Paul wanted his followers to do. But if our kids are to follow us, we need to make sure we are on the right road. Christ would not lie to kids about a make believe god with magical powers who only gives “gifts” if you earn them by being good. No, my friend.
You say that this was what your parents did with you. It is a family tradition. Well, there are all kinds of family traditions that should be broken. We could talk about all kinds of barbaric things that uncivilized societies do because it is tradition. So, should they keep mutilating people and damaging their children just for tradition. We need to stop damaging the faith of our children with false stories of flawed gods.
By Andrew Grosjean
www.canaanbaptistchurch.net
The deification of a flawed god.
Rom. 12:10 “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;”
I. Creation by Faith vs. Salvation by Grace Exo. 20:1 “And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I [am] the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.”
A. We Deny Nicholas’s Humanity
Too many people have forgotten who good old Saint Nick was. Now, as I am not a Roman Catholic, I hesitate to call Nick “Saint.” We do not usually call people “Saint” because we believe that all that have been washed by the blood of the precious Lamb of God are saints. But I call him Saint Nick so that you will know to whom I refer and because we will assume that he did trust Christ for his salvation. Nick did some wonderful, charitable works of giving. That was commendable. But who today really even knows the story?
The St. Nick that we celebrate today in America is so removed from historical truth that I doubt that Nicholas would recognize himself from the caricature. The Santa today is more like Satan than Nicholas. That does sound extreme, but the Santa today is a god with a false doctrine which demands worship.
B. We Attribute deity to Nicholas
Today’s Santa is a god. He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good. So be good for goodness sake! These are attributes of a deity. You will say, “This is ridiculous! It’s just fun. It’s just a game.” No it is not. The reason it is not is because you demand your children to believe it.
I grew up in a home where my parents told me the truth. “There was a historic Nicholas. This is what he did, and this is why he is remembered.” I grew up knowing the truth. Then when Christmas came around, it was just fun for us. We knew it was just a game. It did not take anything away from us. My wife grew up in a family with an opposite philosophy. She did believe the stories and thought that her parents were telling her the truth. When she found out, it crushed her.
Children have a natural naivete, gullibility? Right? No it is a child like faith. We should protect that faith instead of abusing it. When our kids find out that they have been lied to for how many years, it shakes their faith in their parents. I preached this sermon at my church on a Sunday Night. There happened to be a young man, about 12 years old at the time. He became angry that I said that Santa was not real. He would not believe that his father and mother had lied to him. So, I (the preacher) must have been lying to him. I was shocked that at his age, he did not know. This was a young man that was smart and intelligent. He was not developmentally challenged in any way. He just really believed that his parents told him the truth. They should have.
Our society makes Santa a god by giving him supernatural powers. They establish the terms of worship of this false god. Kids can write him letters with their Christmas wish list, Santa’s form of prayer requests. Kids must do good, or Santa will punish them with lumps of coal.
There is another false doctrine of this false god. Society poisons the Spiritual principle of a gift. We teach kids that if they want to get their presents, they have to do good. I have heard countless parents threaten their kids with a bad Christmas if they will not be good. This is a big problem. A gift cannot be paid for or earned. This is a false doctrine. If you can be good enough to earn a Christmas present, then maybe you can be good enough to get other gifts. That just happens to be the same damnable doctrine that says that if you are good enough you can get to Heaven. Quick question, if you could be good enough to get to Heaven, why would Jesus need to die?
If you could be good enough to get a gift, it is not really a gift. God’s salvation is a gift. You cannot earn it or pay for it. Christmas gifts that you give your kids should be gifts. They are not earned, if they are earned (by being good) then they are not really gifts at all. They are wages. If you teach your child that they get Christmas presents by being good, they will naturally think that if you want to get the gift of salvation, you have to be good too.
We tell our kids that they will not get presents if they are not good. Is it any wonder that they then grow up to think that they have to earn our love. No, parents. Love your Children freely like God loves you freely. Make them know they do not earn your love, nor Gods. Both are free gifts.
C. “If you just believe. . .”
There is more false doctrine associated with Santa Clause. That is the magical doctrine that if you just believe something hard enough, you can make it real. This false doctrine is one that many Christians get confused about. Luke 17:6 “And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.” But this does not mean that your faith is just some kind of magical power that you can apply to whatever task you want and make it do things.
This idea that if you just believe something hard enough that you can make it happen is not Biblical. Real faith is faith in the promise of God. It is not faith in faith itself. I venture to suggest that Jesus statements in Luke 17:6 & Mat. 17:20 are actually prophecies. These are consistent with the prophecies that say that the valleys will be filled and the mountains will be brought low. The sea will be diminished. Biblical faith is walking and relying on the promises of God.
We do not make God real by believing in Him. He is real whether we believe in Him or not. We do not make the sky orange if we believe it enough. Nor do we make Santa Clause real by believing in him. But that is exactly what almost every story about Santa tells our kids. Then we chant the mantra in their ears over and over. Then we tell them that they can do anything that they want to do if they only believe they can. Well, that is not true and it is not the way that we should be training our children. I have taught my children that they can do more than they think they can. They can do anything that God wants them to do. But I will never tell my kids that they can do anything that they want to if they only believe it enough. If God does not want them to do it, they will not be able to do it. If they believe it hard enough, can they make God not exist. No. Our faith is not a magical power that can make anything happen. Thinking that you can do what ever you want if you only believe it hard enough is really the kind of thing that mentally unstable people practice.
II. Child’s Faith vs. Self-serving Guile Mat. 18:3 “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and [that] he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Mk. 9:42; Mk. 10:14- 16; Lk. 17:2)
A. Lies for obedience (if you are not good, Santa won’t bring you . . .)
Every child has a child-like faith until we make him jaded by repetitious lying. Every kid when they are young just believes their parents. This is a precious trust of parenthood given to parents by God. We abuse that trust when we use that trust to lie to our kids.
When parents say, “You better be good or Santa won’t bring you any presents.” This parent is lying to his kids. And why? Because that parent wants his kids to obey him. Well, go ahead and lie to them about Santa and presents. Ten years from now, I will explain to you why your kids do not believe you about God. Just try and tell them the truth that God will chastise them if they do not obey Him. Why should they believe you when you say God will chastise them, when you lied to them on the subject with Santa.
B. Lies for greed II Peter 2:1 “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”
Our society is lying to children. “You better be good or no presents.” Why do parents do it? We already covered that. But why is it such a societal imperative? Why do we have to lie to our children? Our society pushes the idea because we push materialism. If Johnny is good, then he will get his presents. Well, parents, your kids have been good. . . You better get out there an buy them every imaginable present that we have pushed through your T.V. for the last year. If you do not meet their every whimsical Christmas fantasy, well, now what kind of parent are you? That push is all about greed and God condemns it.
C. Lies about God I Cor. 10:19 “What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? 20 But I [say], that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.”
You say, but it is all just fun. But it isn’t. If it was about fun, then tell them the truth. Let them know it is made up. But the moment you tell them to believe in this demigod Santa who has magical powers and that to make him real, they just have to believe.
Now, you have set up an idol in your home. It is no longer God in Heaven that the kids should obey, it is Santa in the North Pole. It is not Church that the kids should be visiting, it is the winter wonderland displays of department store Santas that our children should be attending. There are no gifts to the house of God, because all your money is blown at the mall. In fact you have gone into debt to the false god. So, God will not be honored with our check book for at least a couple months. We are singing less and less songs about Jesus and more and more songs about Santa. Your kids are not praying to God for their concerns, they are making wish-lists to santa. There is not a word spoken about believing that God is caring for you. We preach relentlessly the sermon, “You just have to believe. You just have to believe that Santa is going to give you what you asked for. ”
This is what I believe. We need to stop giving a made-up person the attributes and adoration of the true God. He is the one that truly loves us and provides for us.
III. Christian’s Fidelity and Saints Guidance
We need to follow the examples of the saints that have gone before us.
A. Sinners’ exercise
1. I Tim. 4:7 “But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself [rather] unto godliness.”
2. II Tim. 4:4 “And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
3. II Pet. 1:16 “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.”
Paul says we need to refuse the fables. This is not just fun. Our society goes too far. My kids know about the Santa conspiracy. Parents tell their kids that he is real, but he is not. They see the stories and enjoy them. But they know it is just made up stories. But we go too far and lie to our kids. We need to refuse this wickedness. Tell your kids the truth and go watch Miracle on 34th Street, if they can understand it truthfully. Stop lying to your kids please. There is no room in the Christian home for these fables. These cause parents to lie to their kids and kids to believe in a false god.
B. Saints Examples. Heb. 12:1 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Tell the truth about Nicholas. If he really was a saint of God, he would rebuke us for misusing his story to take away glory from the true God.
C. Saints’ edification. I Cor. 11:1 “Be ye followers of me, even as I also [am] of Christ.”
We need to follow Christ in how we deal with our children. We want them to follow in our footsteps, just like Paul wanted his followers to do. But if our kids are to follow us, we need to make sure we are on the right road. Christ would not lie to kids about a make believe god with magical powers who only gives “gifts” if you earn them by being good. No, my friend.
You say that this was what your parents did with you. It is a family tradition. Well, there are all kinds of family traditions that should be broken. We could talk about all kinds of barbaric things that uncivilized societies do because it is tradition. So, should they keep mutilating people and damaging their children just for tradition. We need to stop damaging the faith of our children with false stories of flawed gods.
By Andrew Grosjean
www.canaanbaptistchurch.net
PICTURE OF PRAYER
Pastor Grosjean
Exo. 30:1-10“And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: [of] shittim wood shalt thou make it. 2 A cubit [shall be] the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits [shall be] the height thereof: the horns thereof [shall be] of the same. 3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about. 4 And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make [it]; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal. 5 And thou shalt make the staves [of] shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. 6 And thou shalt put it before the veil that [is] by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that [is] over the testimony, where I will meet with thee. 7 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. 8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations. 9 Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon. 10 And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it [is] most holy unto the LORD.”Ps. 141:1-2l Luke 1:10
I. Its Parts (shittim wood, gold) show a picture of Prayer
A. The Wood used in the altar gave the physical altar strength. But it spiritually pictures: Strength for Perpetuity (perpetuation, perseverance, permanence) vs. 8-9; I Thes. 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”
B. The purity of the Gold pictures the Sincerity of Purpose that we need in Prayer James 4:1“From whence [come] wars and fightings among you? [come they] not hence, [even] of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume [it] upon your lusts.”
C. Separation Purity (the pure gold also pictures separation from the unclean, unholy, and undesirable things of life) Gold speaks of divinity
II. Its Placement (before the ark of the covenant) shows Prayer as well
A. Before the holy of holies. It was placed in the Holy Place of the Temple. It was immediately preceeding the Holy of Holies. This shows the lofty beauty of prayer. In our prayers we reach into the Throne room of God, into the most holy and powerful place in all reality.
B. Before the throne of grace Heb. 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. This throne room is not only the Holiest place, but through Jesus, it is the place for us to find the strength and grace to help in out time of need.
III. Its Power
A. Symbolic Authority
1. Gold (shows divine power because gold is often linked with God)
2. Horns (physical strength) The Horns of the altar were a picture of the horns that adorn many of Gods cattle creations. Their greatest strength is in their horns. So, the power of Prayer is pictured in the horns of the altar.
3. Crown (shows government authority)
B. Sprinkling for Atonement vs. 10 You cannot come to God in prayer without the sprinkling of blood. So, many people wonder why their prayers have not been answered by God. But they have not yet trusted in the blood of THE Sacrifice for our sin, Jesus Messiah. We must come through the blood. But through the blood, we have access to God in prayer.
C. Speaking for Another (intercession)
1. Of the Son God the Son intercedes for us and speaks to the Father. Heb. 4:14 “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast [our] profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
2. Of the Spirit The Spirit of God intercedes for us. Rom. 8:26 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
3. Of the Saints We the saints need to intercede for each other. James 5:14 “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 16 Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
March 2, 2006; November 29, 2009sn
Andrew Grosjean
www.canaanbaptistchurch.net
Exo. 30:1-10“And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: [of] shittim wood shalt thou make it. 2 A cubit [shall be] the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits [shall be] the height thereof: the horns thereof [shall be] of the same. 3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about. 4 And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make [it]; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal. 5 And thou shalt make the staves [of] shittim wood, and overlay them with gold. 6 And thou shalt put it before the veil that [is] by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that [is] over the testimony, where I will meet with thee. 7 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. 8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations. 9 Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon. 10 And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it [is] most holy unto the LORD.”Ps. 141:1-2l Luke 1:10
I. Its Parts (shittim wood, gold) show a picture of Prayer
A. The Wood used in the altar gave the physical altar strength. But it spiritually pictures: Strength for Perpetuity (perpetuation, perseverance, permanence) vs. 8-9; I Thes. 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”
B. The purity of the Gold pictures the Sincerity of Purpose that we need in Prayer James 4:1“From whence [come] wars and fightings among you? [come they] not hence, [even] of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume [it] upon your lusts.”
C. Separation Purity (the pure gold also pictures separation from the unclean, unholy, and undesirable things of life) Gold speaks of divinity
II. Its Placement (before the ark of the covenant) shows Prayer as well
A. Before the holy of holies. It was placed in the Holy Place of the Temple. It was immediately preceeding the Holy of Holies. This shows the lofty beauty of prayer. In our prayers we reach into the Throne room of God, into the most holy and powerful place in all reality.
B. Before the throne of grace Heb. 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. This throne room is not only the Holiest place, but through Jesus, it is the place for us to find the strength and grace to help in out time of need.
III. Its Power
A. Symbolic Authority
1. Gold (shows divine power because gold is often linked with God)
2. Horns (physical strength) The Horns of the altar were a picture of the horns that adorn many of Gods cattle creations. Their greatest strength is in their horns. So, the power of Prayer is pictured in the horns of the altar.
3. Crown (shows government authority)
B. Sprinkling for Atonement vs. 10 You cannot come to God in prayer without the sprinkling of blood. So, many people wonder why their prayers have not been answered by God. But they have not yet trusted in the blood of THE Sacrifice for our sin, Jesus Messiah. We must come through the blood. But through the blood, we have access to God in prayer.
C. Speaking for Another (intercession)
1. Of the Son God the Son intercedes for us and speaks to the Father. Heb. 4:14 “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast [our] profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
2. Of the Spirit The Spirit of God intercedes for us. Rom. 8:26 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
3. Of the Saints We the saints need to intercede for each other. James 5:14 “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 16 Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
March 2, 2006; November 29, 2009sn
Andrew Grosjean
www.canaanbaptistchurch.net
Friday, November 27, 2009
Sermon: God's Plan for Building Church 11-29-09
Gods Plan to Build a Church
Luke 14:16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one [consent] began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel [them] to come in, that my house may be filled.
I. Find the People
A. Poor: Wealth
B. Maimed: Work
C. Halt: Walk
D. Blind: Wisdom
II. Fill the Pew Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
A. Faithful Saints
B. Fellowship with Savior Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
C. Filling Servants Luke 14:23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel [them] to come in, that my house may be filled.
III. Flood the Pool Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.
A. Sovereign Father Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
B. Son John 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
C. Spirit Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
IV. Fire in the Pulpit
A. Flaming Speech Jeremiah 20:9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But [his word] was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not [stay].
B. Forcefully Sent Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
C. Filling Spirit Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
by Andrew Grosjean
November 27, 2009sm
www.canaanbaptistchurch.net
Luke 14:16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one [consent] began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel [them] to come in, that my house may be filled.
I. Find the People
A. Poor: Wealth
B. Maimed: Work
C. Halt: Walk
D. Blind: Wisdom
II. Fill the Pew Acts 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
A. Faithful Saints
B. Fellowship with Savior Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
C. Filling Servants Luke 14:23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel [them] to come in, that my house may be filled.
III. Flood the Pool Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.
A. Sovereign Father Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
B. Son John 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
C. Spirit Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
IV. Fire in the Pulpit
A. Flaming Speech Jeremiah 20:9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But [his word] was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not [stay].
B. Forcefully Sent Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
C. Filling Spirit Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
by Andrew Grosjean
November 27, 2009sm
www.canaanbaptistchurch.net
Thursday, November 26, 2009
The True Story from 1994
“I wish God was real, mommy.”
Precious Wishes from a Tender Heart
There we were, in the large dark room. We were gathered to watch actors play out imaginary roles of an unreal story. Scores of us, strangers all; all come to have our eyes, ears, and humors entertained.
It was here in this unreal place that I was to hear one of the saddest statements of all my life. It was in this season of make believe men in red and white costumes, of green trees, of supposed giving, of glitz and buying and selling. . . It was then that I heard the most profound wish of all, spoken by an innocent and naive child.
As I watched these actors play out their ridiculous roles, I heard a sincere and gentle child say, “I wish God was real, mommy.”
What was that? What had I heard? I snapped around in the darkness and saw a child of no more than three years cuddled in this mother’s arms.
“I wish God was real.” My heart broke within me. In that moment I could see it all. This young sophisticated mother surely explained to her impressionable child the myths of childhood. She certainly explained about Santa Clause, the tooth fairy, the Easter bunny. And in the list of nice stories made up to make children feel good was included the myth about God. This mother wanted her child to know the truth about these childrens’ tales. Commendable. She did not want her precious child to be disappointed when the truth was discovered. She wanted to disarm the alarm of disappointment that most children feel when they find out the truth of Santa Clause and other child hood lies. Of course, to her, God was just as ridiculous as all the other fairy tales.
Matthew 18:6 “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and [that] he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”
As the garish actors played out their imaginary roles, I sat there and cried and prayed. For this was not only the saddest wish I had ever heard, but it was even more. It was also the most hopeful wish that I had ever heard. For God showed me in this child a heart tender to know God. Here was a child-like faith that he needed God. And I knew that with a little help, here was a child whose life could be changed by the Gospel. Yes, even children need to be rescued by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I was when I was five. This child’s curiosity and genuine faith would one day show to his disbelieving family the truth. Yes, God is real.
But that child needs the spiritual help of the Gospel. He is like millions of others just like him or her. I do not even know whether the child was boy or girl. The child still whispers in the dark out there. She cries in her bed to sleep tonight. Or he wanders in the street in dark alleys looking for food. Perhaps, even now the child in need of the gospel suffers a violent beating at the cruel hands on an unbelieving parent that is all too real.
They all secretly cry in their hearts, “I wish that God was real.” Are we ready to break through our laziness and apathy to “suffer the little ones to come unto” the gentle Jesus?
Mark 10:14 “But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.”
by Andrew Grosjean
www.pastorandrew.ws
Precious Wishes from a Tender Heart
There we were, in the large dark room. We were gathered to watch actors play out imaginary roles of an unreal story. Scores of us, strangers all; all come to have our eyes, ears, and humors entertained.
It was here in this unreal place that I was to hear one of the saddest statements of all my life. It was in this season of make believe men in red and white costumes, of green trees, of supposed giving, of glitz and buying and selling. . . It was then that I heard the most profound wish of all, spoken by an innocent and naive child.
As I watched these actors play out their ridiculous roles, I heard a sincere and gentle child say, “I wish God was real, mommy.”
What was that? What had I heard? I snapped around in the darkness and saw a child of no more than three years cuddled in this mother’s arms.
“I wish God was real.” My heart broke within me. In that moment I could see it all. This young sophisticated mother surely explained to her impressionable child the myths of childhood. She certainly explained about Santa Clause, the tooth fairy, the Easter bunny. And in the list of nice stories made up to make children feel good was included the myth about God. This mother wanted her child to know the truth about these childrens’ tales. Commendable. She did not want her precious child to be disappointed when the truth was discovered. She wanted to disarm the alarm of disappointment that most children feel when they find out the truth of Santa Clause and other child hood lies. Of course, to her, God was just as ridiculous as all the other fairy tales.
Matthew 18:6 “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and [that] he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”
As the garish actors played out their imaginary roles, I sat there and cried and prayed. For this was not only the saddest wish I had ever heard, but it was even more. It was also the most hopeful wish that I had ever heard. For God showed me in this child a heart tender to know God. Here was a child-like faith that he needed God. And I knew that with a little help, here was a child whose life could be changed by the Gospel. Yes, even children need to be rescued by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I was when I was five. This child’s curiosity and genuine faith would one day show to his disbelieving family the truth. Yes, God is real.
But that child needs the spiritual help of the Gospel. He is like millions of others just like him or her. I do not even know whether the child was boy or girl. The child still whispers in the dark out there. She cries in her bed to sleep tonight. Or he wanders in the street in dark alleys looking for food. Perhaps, even now the child in need of the gospel suffers a violent beating at the cruel hands on an unbelieving parent that is all too real.
They all secretly cry in their hearts, “I wish that God was real.” Are we ready to break through our laziness and apathy to “suffer the little ones to come unto” the gentle Jesus?
Mark 10:14 “But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.”
by Andrew Grosjean
www.pastorandrew.ws
Monday, November 23, 2009
What is in a Name?
What is in a Name?
Names have always been of great fascination to me. As a young child, I was engrossed in the fact that almost all names mean something. As I grew, I began mentally collecting name meanings to the point that it has been a slight obsession of mine.
Through the years, I have had some interesting experiences with names. There were the two twins that I met. They were both in their sixties. (Imagine that, twins being of the same age.) While I entertained in restaurants, I have come up with all kinds of stupid questions to pass the time as I made balloons for people. As I made these two ladies their balloons, I asked, “What’s your name?” They answered. “How do you know?” Usually, I only ask kids that question, but on occasion. . .
So, these two ladies proceeded to tell me the story about when they found out what their own names were. They said that they had been calling each other by their own name for about the first 40 years of their lives. I thought they were joking, of course. But they were adamant. They said that it was the deep dark secret of their aunt. She was too afraid to tell what happened until the end of the aunt’s life. The aunt finally confessed that when the two twin girls were babies, the aunt had actually switched them somehow. So, they had been calling their twin sister their own name until their adult life.
Then of course, I must mention the first phone call to one of my friends. As a teen ager, I met a young lady who would become a good friend. But I was at camp and wanted to call her. So, I called information and asked for the Culp residence in Brown City, MI. This was still when you could drive for three hours and still be in the same area code for the phone company.
So, I called the number and asked, “Is this Cheri?” The young lady on the phone said, “No, I’m her sister.”
“This is Andy.”
She said, “Oh, Hi. I’ll go get her for you.”
So the young lady came to the phone and we had a short conversation. But after about five minutes or so, it became apparent that something did not add up. She said, “This is Andy right?” And I said, “Yeah, and your Cheri, right?”
She said yes. But she was not “Cheri.” She was “Sherry.” And her last name was “Kulp,” not “Culp.”
I said, “But I asked for the ‘Culps’ in Brown City.” But she lived in Brownstown. To drive between Brown City and Brownstown was approximately three or four hours drive. Of course, we had a big laugh.
What are the chances that there is a Sherry Kulp living in Brownstown and a Cheri Culp living in Brown City? And they both had a sister. And they both knew an Andy.
Then there was a very recent occurrence. I have just recently started using Facebook on the Internet. My name is, of course, Andrew Grosjean. So, a couple of weeks ago, I did a search for a whole bunch of “Grosjeans.” Most of them were in France. But I sent a friend request of a ton of them, hoping to learn something about distant relatives.
My mom's last name was a German name. It is not a common name, in my experience. So I did a face book search for this name. I saw a lady named Charlene with my mother’s last name. But Facebook said Charlene and I had a mutual friend. So I hit the tab, and it was a man named Grosjean. That really freaked me out, because my last name is Grosjean. I mean, in my experience, those two names are not very common. What are the chances of that kind of thing happening. I mean, there was only one friend in common, not five or ten. It just seems like quite a coincidence. I do not know either of these people and I sent both a letter to find out more. I have not yet heard anything. For all I know they are in Europe somewhere and do not even speak English.
Then there is the man named Daemon that I met. I was making balloons again at the same restaurant as the twins (though on a different occasion). I often speak to people about what their names mean. So, I was going around the table telling each what their name meant. So, Daemon asked the meaning of his name.
The only meaning I had heard for Daemon at that time was that it meant demon. But I did not want to tell him that. So, I tried to avoid. “What’s your middle name?” Christopher. So, I said, “Oh, well Christopher means “Christ bearer.”
He said, “But what’s Daemon mean?”
I did not know how to avoid the question any more. So, I told him, “Demon.”
He asked, “So. . . What does THAT mean?”
I believe that God gave me the answer in that instant. I said without missing a beat, “It means that you have a choice of who you are going to serve.”
I do not understand people that name their children without knowing what the names mean. What are kids named Daemon supposed to aspire to. People that name their daughter Mackenzie are calling their daughter “son of the hero.” And what in the world would possess someone to name their son Brendan which means “stinky hair.” Why would you name your child “crooked nose” (Cameron)? Of course, I know that names are often associated with other connotations that make them desirable. But how do you explain naming a son after a demon?
In the Bible we see that God put a great deal of importance on names. We see that He cared so much about name that, at key times, He changed the names of different people. Abram (father) was changed to Abraham (father of many). Sarai (contentious) became Sarah (princess). Jacob (the deceiver) became Israel (prince with God). And we can mention so many more examples.
There are other people that God called rightly named because their name fit their character. Nabal was a fool because he rejected God’s ways. That was exactly what his name meant. Nabal means fool, and the Bible says that he was correctly named. Hebrew and Christian scholars have each said that Jacob was called Jacob even after the name change when he was living like his old self. God called him Israel when he was living God’s way.
The Bible tells us that one day God will give us a new name. Revelation 2:17 “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth [it].”
God makes it clear that He is concerned with the meaning of names. He does not give non-sense or meaningless names. So, if God is going to give each of His saints a new name, He will give us each a name that reflects who we are. What name are you preparing for? What will your new name be? Lazy? Apathetic? Honest? Sacrificial? What do you want your new name to be? Perhaps that should affect how we live.
In conclusion, what is in a name? Everything. It is a reflection of who you are and where you have been and what you have done. At least our new heavenly names will be. Our names are the stories of our lives. These are the things that matter. So, I guess if your parents named you “dweller at the place where the oxen cross the river,” (Buford) at least we know that our Heavenly Father will get it right when He renames us in Heaven.
by Andrew Grosjean 11-23-09
www.canaanbaptistchurch.net
Names have always been of great fascination to me. As a young child, I was engrossed in the fact that almost all names mean something. As I grew, I began mentally collecting name meanings to the point that it has been a slight obsession of mine.
Through the years, I have had some interesting experiences with names. There were the two twins that I met. They were both in their sixties. (Imagine that, twins being of the same age.) While I entertained in restaurants, I have come up with all kinds of stupid questions to pass the time as I made balloons for people. As I made these two ladies their balloons, I asked, “What’s your name?” They answered. “How do you know?” Usually, I only ask kids that question, but on occasion. . .
So, these two ladies proceeded to tell me the story about when they found out what their own names were. They said that they had been calling each other by their own name for about the first 40 years of their lives. I thought they were joking, of course. But they were adamant. They said that it was the deep dark secret of their aunt. She was too afraid to tell what happened until the end of the aunt’s life. The aunt finally confessed that when the two twin girls were babies, the aunt had actually switched them somehow. So, they had been calling their twin sister their own name until their adult life.
Then of course, I must mention the first phone call to one of my friends. As a teen ager, I met a young lady who would become a good friend. But I was at camp and wanted to call her. So, I called information and asked for the Culp residence in Brown City, MI. This was still when you could drive for three hours and still be in the same area code for the phone company.
So, I called the number and asked, “Is this Cheri?” The young lady on the phone said, “No, I’m her sister.”
“This is Andy.”
She said, “Oh, Hi. I’ll go get her for you.”
So the young lady came to the phone and we had a short conversation. But after about five minutes or so, it became apparent that something did not add up. She said, “This is Andy right?” And I said, “Yeah, and your Cheri, right?”
She said yes. But she was not “Cheri.” She was “Sherry.” And her last name was “Kulp,” not “Culp.”
I said, “But I asked for the ‘Culps’ in Brown City.” But she lived in Brownstown. To drive between Brown City and Brownstown was approximately three or four hours drive. Of course, we had a big laugh.
What are the chances that there is a Sherry Kulp living in Brownstown and a Cheri Culp living in Brown City? And they both had a sister. And they both knew an Andy.
Then there was a very recent occurrence. I have just recently started using Facebook on the Internet. My name is, of course, Andrew Grosjean. So, a couple of weeks ago, I did a search for a whole bunch of “Grosjeans.” Most of them were in France. But I sent a friend request of a ton of them, hoping to learn something about distant relatives.
My mom's last name was a German name. It is not a common name, in my experience. So I did a face book search for this name. I saw a lady named Charlene with my mother’s last name. But Facebook said Charlene and I had a mutual friend. So I hit the tab, and it was a man named Grosjean. That really freaked me out, because my last name is Grosjean. I mean, in my experience, those two names are not very common. What are the chances of that kind of thing happening. I mean, there was only one friend in common, not five or ten. It just seems like quite a coincidence. I do not know either of these people and I sent both a letter to find out more. I have not yet heard anything. For all I know they are in Europe somewhere and do not even speak English.
Then there is the man named Daemon that I met. I was making balloons again at the same restaurant as the twins (though on a different occasion). I often speak to people about what their names mean. So, I was going around the table telling each what their name meant. So, Daemon asked the meaning of his name.
The only meaning I had heard for Daemon at that time was that it meant demon. But I did not want to tell him that. So, I tried to avoid. “What’s your middle name?” Christopher. So, I said, “Oh, well Christopher means “Christ bearer.”
He said, “But what’s Daemon mean?”
I did not know how to avoid the question any more. So, I told him, “Demon.”
He asked, “So. . . What does THAT mean?”
I believe that God gave me the answer in that instant. I said without missing a beat, “It means that you have a choice of who you are going to serve.”
I do not understand people that name their children without knowing what the names mean. What are kids named Daemon supposed to aspire to. People that name their daughter Mackenzie are calling their daughter “son of the hero.” And what in the world would possess someone to name their son Brendan which means “stinky hair.” Why would you name your child “crooked nose” (Cameron)? Of course, I know that names are often associated with other connotations that make them desirable. But how do you explain naming a son after a demon?
In the Bible we see that God put a great deal of importance on names. We see that He cared so much about name that, at key times, He changed the names of different people. Abram (father) was changed to Abraham (father of many). Sarai (contentious) became Sarah (princess). Jacob (the deceiver) became Israel (prince with God). And we can mention so many more examples.
There are other people that God called rightly named because their name fit their character. Nabal was a fool because he rejected God’s ways. That was exactly what his name meant. Nabal means fool, and the Bible says that he was correctly named. Hebrew and Christian scholars have each said that Jacob was called Jacob even after the name change when he was living like his old self. God called him Israel when he was living God’s way.
The Bible tells us that one day God will give us a new name. Revelation 2:17 “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth [it].”
God makes it clear that He is concerned with the meaning of names. He does not give non-sense or meaningless names. So, if God is going to give each of His saints a new name, He will give us each a name that reflects who we are. What name are you preparing for? What will your new name be? Lazy? Apathetic? Honest? Sacrificial? What do you want your new name to be? Perhaps that should affect how we live.
In conclusion, what is in a name? Everything. It is a reflection of who you are and where you have been and what you have done. At least our new heavenly names will be. Our names are the stories of our lives. These are the things that matter. So, I guess if your parents named you “dweller at the place where the oxen cross the river,” (Buford) at least we know that our Heavenly Father will get it right when He renames us in Heaven.
by Andrew Grosjean 11-23-09
www.canaanbaptistchurch.net
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