Sunday Sermonette

July 14, 2013

Son of Man

"And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle." (Revelation 14:14) This is the last of some 87 New Testament references (84 in the four gospels, one in Acts, none in the epistles, two in Revelation) to Christ as the Son of man. Here we see the Son of man coming on a white cloud from heaven (just as He had ascended into heaven after His resurrection) as the conquering King of all the earth. What a contrast is this to the first New Testament reference to the Son of man. "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head" (Matthew 8:20). From humility and poverty on Earth to power and riches in heaven, and for all eternity—this was His journey when Christ left His heavenly glory to join the human family. In between the poverty and the power lay the whole human experience, for He "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). Finally, as Son of man He must die for man's sin, for "the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again" (Luke 24:7). Even in heaven He is still the Son of man, for Stephen saw Him thus: "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God" (Acts 7:56). There is, indeed, a great man in the glory! Christ called Himself "the Son of man" much more often than "the Son of God," though He will eternally be both, the God/man. He delights to identify with those whom He has redeemed, for He "is not ashamed to call them brethren" (Hebrews 2:11). "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" asked Jesus. Then we say, with Peter, "Thou art . . . the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:13, 16). HMM

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

Sunday Sermonette

July 7, 2013 Eternal Life ". . .that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (1 John 5:13) Although this powerful, five-chapter letter from the apostle John is full of vital insights into the Christian life, it is written to "little children" (1 John 5:21) so that they might "know" the majesty and wonder of eternal life. John begins his epistle with a reminder that he "knew" this Jesus from whom the promise of eternal life came (1 John 1:1-3). John was an eyewitness to Christ's resurrection (John 20), which is the most powerful proof of the claims and promises of the Lord (Acts 17:31). Much of that which is applied in John's epistle is based on the precise teachings of the Lord Jesus Himself, heard by John and recorded in John's gospel under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (John 20:31). Those who believe will "not perish" (John 3:15-16). The "water" of Christ springs up to "everlasting life" (John 4:14). Whoever has everlasting life "is passed" from death to life (John 5:24). Those who come to Christ will "never hunger" (John 6:35). No one is able to "pluck" the believer out of the Father's hand (John 10:28-30). "Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die" (John 11:26). Based on the Word of God, John gives us several experiential tests by which we can know that we "live": We love and keep His commandments (1 John 2:3). We know and love the truth (1 John 2:20). We love the brethren (1 John 3:14). We have God's Holy Spirit (1 John 4:13). HMM III h/t: HENRY M MORRIS III, INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH

Sunday Sermonette

June 30, 2013 Working Out Our Salvation "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." (Philippians 2:12) We are not told here to work for our salvation, but to work it out—that is, to demonstrate its reality in our daily lives. Our salvation must be received entirely by grace through faith, not of works (Ephesians 2:8-9), or else it is not true salvation. Works can no more keep our salvation than they can earn it for us in the first place. It is not faith plus works, but grace through faith. Nevertheless, a Christian believer, if his salvation has been real, can testify that "I will show thee my faith by my works" (James 2:18). Good works—consisting of a righteous and gracious lifestyle, considerate of others and obedient to Christ's commands—are the visible evidences of salvation. We have been "created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10). The context of our text, in fact, assures us, on the basis of Christ's sacrificial death, glorious resurrection, and exaltation (Philippians 2:8-11) that "it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (v. 13). God is thereby enabling us to "work out" our salvation in visible practice, through the indwelling Holy Spirit of God. Thus, it is beautifully appropriate that the life of a genuinely born-again Christian, possessing true salvation, should be "blameless and harmless, the sons of God, . . . as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life . . ." (vv. 15-16). We do need to "examine |ourselves|, whether |we| be in the faith" (2 Corinthians 13:5), and we are admonished that "we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments" (1 John 2:3). HMM h/t: HENRY M MORRIS, INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH

Sunday Sermonette

June 23, 2013 The Meaning of "Day" "And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day." (Genesis 1:5) Many people today, professing to believe the Bible, have compromised with the evolutionary philosophy which dominates our society by accepting its framework of geological ages. This system interprets the rocks and fossils in terms of a supposed 4.6 billion-year history of the earth and life culminating in the evolution of early humans perhaps a million years ago. In order to justify this compromise, they usually say that the "days" of creation really correspond to the geological ages, arguing that the Hebrew word for "day" (yom) does not have to mean a literal solar day. Oh, yes, it does—at least in Genesis chapter one! God, knowing that the pagan philosophers of antiquity would soon try to distort His record of creation into long ages of pantheistic evolution (as in the Babylonian, Egyptian, Greek, and other such ancient cosmogonies), was careful to define His terms! "God called the light Day," and that was the first day with its evening and morning. All subsequent days have followed the same pattern—a period of darkness (night), then a period of light (day). One may quibble about the exact length of the day if he insists (e.g., equatorial days versus polar days), but there is no way this definition can accommodate a geological age. This is the very first reference to "day" (or yom) in the Bible, and this is given as an actual statement of the meaning of the word. This ought to settle the question for anyone who really believes the Bible. One may decide to believe the evolutionary geologists if he wishes, instead of God, but he should at least let God speak for Himself. God says the days of creation were literal days, not ages. "In six days the LORD made heaven and earth" (Exodus 31:17). HMM h/t: HENRY M MORRIS, INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH

Father's Day Sunday Sermonette

June 16, 2013 Honoring Our Fathers "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee." (Exodus 20:12) This familiar command was the fifth in God's list of Ten Commandments, the law of God, and it has never been abrogated. It was quoted by Christ as His own command, when He said: "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. . . . Honour thy father and thy mother" (Matthew 19:17, 19). The apostle Paul also cited it as of special significance: "Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise" (Ephesians 6:2). This all indicates that God considers the honoring of parents by their children to be of great significance. Since the father has been charged with the primary spiritual responsibility for his family, it is of supreme importance that fathers lead their children properly and the children follow that lead with all due respect and diligence. God blessed Abraham as "the father of us all" (Romans 4:16) because He could say concerning Abraham: "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment" (Genesis 18:19). It is not easy being such a father, but it is vital if our children are to come also to honor their heavenly Father. "For what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? . . . Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?" (Hebrews 12:7, 9). "And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). If we fathers diligently follow God's Word in leading our children, then they will honor their fathers, not only while they are children, but all their lives. HMM h/t: HENRY M MORRIS, INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH

Sunday Sermonette

June 9, 2013 Confession "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9) The Bible book in which this glorious promise is given was written entirely to the saint of God, not to the unbelieving sinner. •Confession is what saints do when they sin. •Repentance is what sinners do before they become saints. •Confession is agreement (identity) with the sin against God. •Repentance is reversal (changed mind) to trust (from me to God). Psalm 51 is a classic prayer of confession. King David poured out his heart of sorrow for the terrible affair with Bathsheba and yearned for God to "wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin" (v. 2). David acknowledged that "against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight" (v. 4). He confessed his sin, and asked God, "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation" (v. 12). Three of the gospels record the declaration of Jesus that "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Mark 2:17). Repentance is not an apology for specific sins, it is a heart-mind-soul turning from self-righteous sufficiency to God's holiness. It is the lost that repent, not the saved: "Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance" (Luke 15:7). One day, however, "every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:11). Far better to repent in sorrow today than confess in terror at the Judgment. HMM III h/t: HENRY M MORRIS III, INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH

Sunday Sermonette

June 2, 2013 The Unequal Yoke "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14) This is one of the definitive statements in Scripture on the doctrine of Christian separation. Not only should believers refrain from practicing evil teaching and error, they should not join in any formal association with those who do such things, nor should they enter into a binding relationship of any kind with non-Christians. There may be a question regarding the full scope of this prohibition, though it probably would not apply to civic clubs, professional societies, and other groups with no religious connotations. The context of this verse implies an association of Christians with pagan idolaters, compromising God's Word with the immoral pantheism of the Greek religions. The "unequal yoke" seems, therefore, to be one involving an actual "fellowship" and "communion" in some kind of religious or quasi-spiritual union with unbelievers, and this is forbidden, for how "can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3). In the modern scene, ancient Greek pantheism has now become one form or another of evolutionary humanism. Thus the prohibition would at least apply to membership in secret lodges or fraternities with a pseudo-religious structure and purpose, as well as membership in liberal churches or cults in the so-called "New Age" orbit. It clearly must also include marriage or partnership or other formal unions with individuals who, as unbelievers in Christ, are either knowingly or unknowingly affected by such pagan beliefs or practices. Instead of such an unequal yoke, we should be joined only to Christ and His followers, "For," said He, "my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:30). HMM h/t: HENRY M MORRIS, INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH