Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Sunday Sermonette

The Gifts of the Wise Men
December 25, 2011

"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." (Matthew 2:11)

These wise men (or Magi) were of great eminence in the Parthian Empire at that time, and it is unlikely that the caravan from the East consisted of only three men. They more likely had a large entourage as they came searching for the future King of Israel, so it was small wonder that "all Jerusalem" was "troubled," along with King Herod (Matthew 2:3). The Parthians (i.e., Persians) had never been conquered by the Romans and at that very time were posing a significant threat along the eastern boundary of the extended Roman Empire.

When they found the young child and His mother in Bethlehem, the Magi "fell down, and worshipped him" (Matthew 2:11). But why did they offer Him just three gifts--and why these three gifts? Somehow they seemed to have sensed, possibly from meditating deeply on the ancient prophecies of Balaam (Numbers 24:17), Daniel (in Daniel 9:24-26), and David, concerning the priesthood order of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4) that this young child whose birth had been announced by a star was destined not only to be the King but would also become the Messianic Sacrifice to "make reconciliation for iniquity" (see Daniel 9:24 , 26) and then eventually become our eternal High Priest who "ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25). Thus, the gold would acknowledge His right to reign, the frankincense would speak of the incense to be offered in the heavenly tabernacle, and the myrrh (John 19:39) would testify that His crucified body would be so anointed as it entered the tomb for a very temporary burial. HMM

h/t: HENRY M MORRIS, INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Sunday Sermonette

This Great and Wide Sea
December 18, 2011

"So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts." (Psalm 104:25)

The oceans of the world are indeed great and wide and comprise essentially one sea, in contrast to the Seas of the pre-Flood world (Genesis 1:10), which were probably relatively narrow, numerous, and distributed more or less uniformly around the globe, as inferred from the marine fossil deposits laid down in those basins by the Flood. The present oceans, however, now contain the vast reservoirs of water poured out through the fountains of the great deep--all of which were broken up in one day--plus the torrents coming from the windows of heaven, which were opened that same day (Genesis 7:11).

The Flood not only destroyed everything on the land (Genesis 7:22), but also great numbers of marine organisms. After the Flood, however, with the vastly enlarged oceanic environments available, the surviving marine organisms quickly spread and proliferated, so that the oceans now indeed harbor innumerable creeping things as well as both small and great beasts.

Some whales, for example, are even larger than the great dinosaurs, which had mostly been drowned and buried in the waters and sediments eroded by the Flood. Even the fearsome Leviathan (possibly something like a giant plesiosaur or sea serpent) plays there (Psalm 104:26). Those men who now "do business in great waters" do indeed "see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep" (Psalm 107:23-24).

In the coming New Earth, however, there will be "no more sea" (Revelation 21:1). All the innumerable sea creatures will be gone as well. There will still be an abundance of water, however. There will be "a pure river of water of life, . . . proceeding out of the throne of God" and "whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Revelation 22:1, 17). HMM

h/t: HENRY M MORRIS, INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Sunday Sermonette

There Shall Be No Night
December 11, 2011

"And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever." (Revelation 22:5)

In the account of the creation, we read that the first word from God was, "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3). He did not actually create or make light, as He did everything else, since God is light (1 John 1:5). He did create darkness, however (Isaiah 45:7), and then divided the light from the darkness. "And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night" (Genesis 1:5).

Although the darkness of night can be a time of blessing through rest and sleep, it also soon came to symbolize spiritual darkness. Most evil deeds are done at night, and Christians are warned to "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness" (Ephesians 5:11). God has called us "out of darkness into his marvellous light" (1 Peter 2:9).

In that wonderful age to come, when we go to dwell in our eternal home in the Holy City, the city gates "shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there" (Revelation 21:25). "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof" (Revelation 21:23).

The sun and moon will still be functioning in the heavens, however, for "he hath also stablished them for ever and ever" (Psalm 148:6). In fact, all the stars will also shine for ever and ever" (Daniel 12:3). Our God is the Creator, not an un-creator. As wise Solomon noted: "I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever" (Ecclesiastes 3:14).

The sun and moon will still be there, but their light will not be needed in the Holy City where we shall live, for the Lamb of God will also be the Lamp of God. He is the Light of the world and where He is, in His eternal glory, there can be no night. HMM

h/t: HENRY M MORRIS, INSTITUE FOR CREATION RESEARCH

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Sunday Sermonette

Salvation vs. Assurance of Salvation
December 4, 2011

"But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him." (1 John 2:5)

The New Testament is emphatically clear that we are saved entirely by the grace of God through faith in Christ. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; . . . it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8).

But how can we know for sure that our professed faith in Christ is genuine and we are really saved? Many who claim to be Christians are not truly saved, for Christ said: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 7:21).

Now, note that John’s main purpose in writing his gospel was to win people to saving faith in Christ. "These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name" (John 20:31). Then the ultimate purpose of his first epistle was to assure them they were saved. "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life" (1 John 5:13).

His epistle, in fact, gives us several tests to prove our faith. One is in our text--we keep (literally "guard against loss") His Word. Also: "Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments" (1 John 2:3). Then: "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren" (1 John 3:14).

Thus, we can not only have salvation, but also assurance of salvation if we love and guard His Word, seek to keep His commandments, and love all others of like precious faith. Finally we have the indwelling witness of the Spirit. "Hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us" (1 John 3:24). HMM

h/t: HENRY M MORRIS, INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH