Archive for the ‘Sermons’ Category

Sermon: Does God Care? Part 2

Posted: May 17, 2013 in Sermons
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does_god_careNoël Piper, John Piper’s wife, tells this example of God’s providence:A young couple was snorkeling, for the first time ever, in the warm Caribbean bay, near a harbor where boats were coming and going. “The boat sounds seem very loud,” Mrs. Clausen said. Another woman nearby, who had snorkeled many times, said, “Whenever you hear a boat, look up! Don’t just assume that the boat is far away. Always look up to make sure.” She had no idea how important her words would be the very next day.

The next day, Mr. and Mrs. Clausen went snorkeling again, this time in a place where no boats are supposed to go. When Mrs. Clausen heard the sound of a boat, God reminded her of the warning, “Look up!” She looked up and saw a boat speeding straight toward her. There was no time to swim out of the way! Immediately, she dived straight down, hoping to get deep beneath the boat. The propeller of the motor hit her legs and cut them very severely.

If she had not heard the warning the day before, she would have ignored the boat. Then the injury would have been to her head or body, probably killing her. The warning that God had given her through the other woman saved Mrs. Clausen’s life.

What would happen now, though? She needed immediate medical attention, but this was a small island with no hospital and not much medical equipment. Usually, people who get injuries like hers get terrible infections. The infections can cause almost as much damage as the original injury.

God had prepared for this very moment in Mrs. Clausen’s life. A couple was vacationing next to the beach. When the man saw the accident, he ran to get his wife. His wife was a highly trained emergency room nurse. She knew exactly what to do to fight infection. She ordered the other vacationers, “Run straight to your cottages, and bring me glasses of water – lots of glasses of water!” Then she very carefully poured fresh water into and around and over every part of the wounded legs, cleaning away the bacteria-filled sea water.

Then the nurse rode with Mrs. Clausen to the clinic. Since she was there to help, the clinic doctor could concentrate on the most urgent medical needs.

It was a long time before Mrs. Clausen recovered completely, but today she is healthy and her legs are fine. When she remembers that terrifying moment of being hit, she says that there was only a split second to think about anything. The most important thing that flashed into her mind was, “I know God loves me.”

Not only is God’s eye on Mrs. Clausen and the sparrow, but His eye is on you.

1. God’s Eye is on the Sparrow’s Purpose (See Part 1)

2. God’s Eye is on the Sparrow’s Protection (See Part 1)

3. God’s Eye is on the Sparrow’s Provision 

This is the first example of birds that Jesus used in Matthew 6:25-26. The little birds works hard for their food, but they don’t worry. God feeds them. “He who feeds the sparrow will not starve His saints.”

If God feeds the little four-inch dully colored of little value sparrow will He not provide for you who are made in the image of God and made over in the image of Christ at conversion.

If God feeds the sparrow, which could be purchased with less than one penny, will He not give for you who were purchased with the precious blood of Christ. Then trust Him!

“Worry is like a thin stream of fear that trickles through the mind which if encouraged, will cut a channel so wide that all other thoughts will be drained out.”

4. God’s Eye is on the Sparrow’s Providence

Spurgeon preached a sermon on Matthew 10:29-30 entitled Providence. He said the doctrine of providence is the doctrine of the supervision and wise care of God.

A. God providently controls the small things. Not just the archangels, Michael and Gabriel, but the sparrows. Once an old farm rooster crowed and did God’s will reminding Peter of his denial of the Lord.

The writer of Proverbs writes, “The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord.” The President makes major national defense decision like going to war with Iran. Daniel writes that God puts down kings and raises up kings. I am concerned with Iran building a nuclear bomb. But God is going to protect His chosen people even if our nation does not. Like one preacher I heard recently say, when Jesus returns it will not be on a democrat donkey or a republican elephant, but on a white horse as King of kings. He is our only hope.

But God is also concerned with little things of our lives. An incident recorded in the book of Esther illustrated this truth. The very night the wicked, anti-Semite Haman built gallows on which to hang Mordecai, the Persian king could not sleep. The king asked his secretary to read to him out of the royal minutes, hoping that these business meeting minutes would put him to sleep. The servants read about Mordecai saving the king’s life by exposing a plot against him and also that Mordecai was never rewarded for his good deed.

God’s providence produced the king’s sleeplessness. God’s providence caused king to request the business meeting records to be read to cure his insomnia. God providence moved the secretary to read from the exact page that had noted Mordecai saving the king’s life. These were not happenstances but examples of God’s hand in the glove of our circumstances. God’s providence through a series of small events caused Haman to be executed on the gallows he built to hang to death Mordecai.

B. God providently controls the difficult things. “The very hairs of your head are all numbered.” This illustration was given in the context of persecution and death (10:16-28). Paul used the same example in one of the worst storms of his life in Acts 27:34. Paul used the illustration to encourage those in the storm that God would spare their lives.

This statement was common proverb. The people of Israel used this proverb in 1 Samuel 14:45 to defend Jonathan against his father Saul who wanted to kill him. The people in defense of Jonathan said, “There shall not one hair of this head fall to the ground.”

It is also used in Luke’s gospel on persecution in the future Tribulation Period which includes death (Luke 21:18). This proverbs teaches two truths about God’s providence, first, nothing will happen to you except what is God’s will and secondly, if it is God’s will for death to come, nothing can affect your eternal life.

If a sparrow drops to its death it is because the Father willed it.

Spurgeon attended a funeral of a friend and heard this parable told by the preacher. There was much weeping on account of the loss of a loved one, and the minister told this parable.

Suppose you are a gardener employed by the owner and master of the garden; it is not your garden but you are called upon to tend it, and you have your wages paid you. You have taken great care with a certain number of roses; you have trained them up, and there they are, blooming in their beauty. You pride yourself upon them.

You come one morning into the garden, and you find that the best rose has been taken away. You are angry; you go to your all your fellow employees, and charge them with having taken the rose. They will declare that they had nothing at all to do with it; and one says, ‘I saw the owner walking here this morning; I think he took it.’ Is the gardener angry then? No, at once he says, ‘I am happy that my rose should had been so fair as to attract the attention of the owner. It is his own; he has taken it; let him do what seems him good.’

Spurgeon added his comments: “It is even so with your friends. They wither not by chance; the grave is not filled by accident; men die according to God’s will. Your child is gone, but the Master took it; your husband is gone, your wife is buried,—the Master took them; thank Him that He let you have the pleasure of caring for them and tending them while they were here, and thank Him that as He gave, He Himself has taken away. If others had done it, you would have had cause to be angry; but the Lord has done it.”

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,

Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,

When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; 

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;

Resources:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sermon: Does God Care? Part 1

Posted: May 16, 2013 in Sermons
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does_god_care

Civilla Martin related that early in the spring of 1905, she and her husband were travelling in Elmira, New York. They had developed a deep friendship with a couple by the name of Mr. and Mrs. Doolittle who were true saints of God. Mrs. Doolittle had been bedridden for nearly twenty years. Her husband was a partial invalid who managed his business from a wheel chair.

Despite their afflictions, they lived happy Christian lives, bringing comfort to all who knew them. One day while Civilia and her husband were visiting with the Doolittles, Civilia asked them how they kept from being discouraged.

Mrs. Doolittle’s reply was simple: “Mrs. Martin, how can I be discouraged when my Heavenly Father watches over every little sparrow and I know He cares for me.” The beauty of this simple expression of boundless faith gripped the heart and fired the imagination of Civilia Martin. The hymn “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” was the outcome of that experience which she wrote in a matter of minutes.

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,

Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,

When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; 

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;

Jesus commanded us in Matthew 6:26 to “Behold the fowls of the air” and be encouraged. In Matthew 10:29-31, Jesus helps us obey that command by describing the sparrow. The sparrow was one of the most insignificant and most worthless of all birds. A very drab colored bird. It was the sacrifice a poor leper could bring. Vendors in the market would pluck their feathers, dip them in a spicy sauce, impale two of them on a stick and sell them for less than a cent. For those who bought four, dealers would throw in an extra one in according to Luke 12:6.

Jesus said if God cares for the worthless sparrow how much more does He care for you and me.

1. God’s Eye is on the Sparrow’s Purpose

God created the sparrow on the 5th day of creation (Genesis 1:20-23). God created the sparrow for His glory, perhaps, to beautify His global Zoological Park and also for man’s enjoyment. David in Psalm 104:12 praised God for His greatness seen in the six days of creation. David praised God for creating birds “who sing among the branches.” The Song Sparrow sings a combination of 20 different notes.

God created you and me for His glory to bring Him pleasure. In Psalm 104:33, David in response to God’s creation of birds wrote, “I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.”

At night before I fall asleep sometimes I quote Psalm 50:23 where God said, “Whosoever offers me praise glorifies me.” And then I think through His attributes and praise Him for who He is. For example, sometimes I meditate on His omnipotence seen in creation and then praise for sharing that strength with me in the form of grace which is all sufficient for all my circumstances.

2. God’s Eye is on the Sparrow’s Protection

Certain species of sparrows are sociable birds. They live and fly in flocks. But in Psalm 102:7 one is stranded on a flat Palestinian roof house. Possibly wounded and handicapped. It pleads for the others who have flown away with the high pitched distress cry. The psalmist alone also cried out to God who has His eye on him in verses 1-2. It appears that David had physical problems (“bones” in verse 3) and also interpersonal conflicts that he expresses in verse eight. In your distress cry out to Jesus.

In Psalm 84:1-4, the Psalmist uses the sparrow again, but this time, it is the sparrow who has found refuge in God’s house. An ancient custom among many nations protected birds who built their nests in the temple. They were not allowed to be driven away much less killed. The Psalmist also loves to find refuge from his physical problems in God’s house. At God’s house, he doesn’t focus on his problems but on the living God. The Psalmist, instead of dwelling on his enemies, praises his King and his God.

Our attention is to horizontal at church and not vertical enough. During prayer we look around at the people instead of focusing on Our Father who art in Heaven. During the singing we stand mute like mall manikins instead “speaking to ourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs and making melody in our hearts to the Lord.”

In my next post, we discuss God’s eye is on the sparrow’s provision and providence. 

Resources:

How to Overcome Impatience! (Right Now)

Posted: May 15, 2013 in Sermon on Fruit of the Spirit
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article-new_ehow_images_a01_uh_tn_teach-child-patience-800x800Police arrested Evelyn Mills Moore from Kings Mountain for beating another woman with a Bible. She was charged with inflicting serious injury. Police said she was a real Bible-thumper. Apparently Mrs. Moore did not possess the fruit of the Spirit of patience. But do we?

Chuck Swindoll wrote of this common scene: It’s dinner-out-with-the-family night. You’ve fasted most of the day so you can gorge tonight. You’re given a booth and a menu but the place is terribly busy and two waitresses short. You’ve drunk your water and everyone else’s in your party and still no order is taken yet. You’re delayed. How do you respond?

Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).

J. Hudson Taylor, famous missionary to China, used to gather new missionaries around him when they arrived in China, so that he could have a personal talk with them, giving them instructions on orientation. On one occasion he took a new worker with him into a Chinese eating-house. As they sat at the little table, Mr. Taylor filled a glass with water—right up to the brim. While they were talking, to the young recruit’s astonishment, the senior missionary struck the table with a sharp blow and the water spilled out onto the table.

“Now,” said Mr. Taylor, “You will get many a jolt and many a hard blow here in the work. Be prepared for that, for remember that when you get a jolt like that, there will spill out of you by that jolt, what is in you.”

1. God is Patient

Just about all the Fruit of Spirit are attributes of God. He can produce this fruit in us because these virtues are in Him. God is patient or longsuffering. Many times in the Old Testament, it is said that God “is slow to anger.” For example: Exodus 34:6-7; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 86:15; 103:8; 145:8. In 2 Peter 3:9, God is said to be longsuffering with sinners “not willing that any should perish.”

Christ was patient with His enemies. Jesus was falsely accused in Matthew 26:57-63 by slanderous witnesses the night before His crucifixion. They drummed up lies against Him. How did the perfectly innocent Son of God respond? “Jesus held his peace.” Peter, who was standing at a guilty distance, perhaps had this scene in his mind when wrote to persecuted believers in 1 Peter 2:21-24. Peter wrote:

For even hereunto were you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judges righteously: Who his own self bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes we are healed.” None of us is perfectly innocent when we are falsely accused and yet we unlike Christ revile our accusers.

God is patient with sinners so the converted sinner will be patient with other sinners. This was Paul’s testimony in 1 Timothy 1:12-16. God patiently endured Saul’s blasphemy so Paul could with great patience win blasphemers.

2. We Can be Patient if we are Forgiving

We are patient when we are forgiving. Jesus used the word “patience” twice in one of His parables on forgiveness. The parable is in Matthew 18. Peter wanted to limit how many times he forgave someone. But Jesus taught in the parable just as God doesn’t limit how many times He forgives us, we should not put boundaries on our forgiveness. Just as God is patient with us and forgives when we ask so ought we exercise patience with others and forgive them. In the parable the king forgave an exorbitant debt when asked by his debtor. But the newly forgiven debtor would not forgive a much less debt when asked by one of his subordinates. Jesus then pronounced this powerful lesson: “Should not you also have compassion on your fellow servant, even as I had compassion on you?”

Later Paul would write a similar principle but connect this patience of forgiveness to the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In Ephesians 4:30 (See study “Stop Living Like Unbelievers”), Paul commanded, “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Grieve is a hurt that comes from those we love who injure us.

J. Oswald Sanders wrote, “Grieve is a love word. One can anger an enemy, but not grieve him. The words are mutually exclusive. Only one who loves can be grieved, and the deeper the love the greater the grief” (The Holy Spirit and His Gifts, p. 92).

What are some of the sins that grieve or wound the Holy Spirit who dwells in us and infinitely loves us? Sins that result from not forgiving others: Bitterness, wrath, anger, quarrelling, and slander.

James A. Steward told of a woman who used to testify that she never got angry until she was provoked.

Paul’s remedy for impatience is the same as Jesus’. Paul ended his discussion on grieving not the Holy Spirit by giving us the key to victory: “Be kind one to another, compassionate, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you.”

Is your impatience the result of nursing an unforgiving spirit? Has your mate, or parent, or child or close friend or co-worker pained and offended you? Remember how much God has forgiven you and daily forgives you. Now let’s return this favor and forgive those who have upset us. Because patience is the fruit of the Spirit, we can’t be grieving Him with unforgiveness. We must yield to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to produce in us His love for others.

Someone wrote sarcastically. If we don’t become patient there is one consolation: The Lord can use us to help others become longsuffering.

In Kimberly, South Africa when diamonds are being treated and polished, they sometimes break. Instead of throwing away these smashed diamonds, the workmen use them to polish other diamonds.

Let’s be the diamonds being polished and more and more conformed to the image of Christ instead of the broken and useless diamonds whose only purpose is to polish others.

Resources:

No Exemplary Families in Scripture! Are You Shocked? Part 2

Posted: May 14, 2013 in Sermons
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leave-it-to-beaver-billingsOur son who is in the Air Force and stationed in Montgomery, Alabama mailed to my wife the most touching Mother’s Day card. This one is going on the refrigerator and probably will hang there until it decomposes. He mostly thanked God for a mother whose godly example he is proud to follow. It was priceless.

Timothy also had a mother to be proud of. He came from an imperfect family, however,  and hurdled the following obstacles to effectively serve God:

1. No World-class Education (Acts 16:1) (For the first three points see Part 1)

2. No Great Physical Strength

3. No Outgoing Personality

4. No Christian Home

In Acts 16:1-3, we get a glimpse into the almost dysfunctional home life of Timothy. He had many disadvantages to overcome.

The Disadvantage of a Mixed Marriage (Acts 16:1).

This was taboo in Jewish communities. So much so, the Jewish family would conduct the funeral of a Jewish daughter who married a Gentile and mourn her death for she was now dead to that family. She had disobeyed Deuteronomy 7:1-6.

At some point in her life, Eunice came to Christ and turned back to Scripture. Paul in 2 Timothy 1:5 writes of the saving faith of his mother and grandmothers before Timothy’s faith in Christ:

“I call to remembrance the unfeigned (unhypocritical) faith that is in you which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in you also.”

The unsaved father, however, had mixed influence on young Timothy. Most likely he permitted Eunice to name her son a Christian name, Timothy, which means, to honor God. But the dad apparently did not allow his son to be circumcised according to Jewish tradition. Timothy’s dad was no proselyte to Judaism i.e., he was not interested in religion. He was passive. When Eunice was getting the kids ready for church on Sunday morning, he slept in or played golf or went fishing.

This was a common problem in first century Christianity. At least twice New Testament authors addressed this issue. Paul confronted this problem in 1 Corinthians 7:12-14. Paul instructed the believing wife not to divorce her unsaved husbands just because he is unconverted. The believing wife can bring God’s blessing on the family. Like believing Joseph brought on unbelieving Potiphar’s house in Genesis 39:5: “The Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake.” The saved wife can influence the unregenerate husband and children with the gospel.

Peter also exhorted the believing wife who was converted after her marriage to an unsaved husband in 1 Peter 3:1: Win your unsaved husband to Christ by your godly life.

Wiersbe provides both good and bad examples: I know one zealous wife who used to keep religious radio programs on all evening, usually very loud, so that her unsaved husband would “hear the truth.” She only made it easier for him to leave home and spend his evenings with his friends.

One of the greatest examples of a godly wife and mother in church history is Monica, the mother of the famous St. Augustine. God used Monica’s witness and prayers to win both her son and her husband to Christ, though her husband was not converted until shortly before his death.

Augustine wrote in his Confessions, “She served him as her lord; and did her diligence to win him unto Thee … preaching Thee unto him by her conversation [behavior]; by which Thou ornamentest her, making her reverently amiable unto her husband” (Bible Exposition Commentary on 1 Peter).

The Disadvantage of a Single Mom Home (Acts 16:3)

According to Acts 16:1, 3, Timothy’s dad had either abandoned the family in a divorce or he was dead.

The number of children living in single parent homes has nearly doubled since 1960, according to data from the 2010 Census. Today, one-third of American children – a total of 15 million – are being raised without a father (Washington, D.C., January 4, 2013, LifeSiteNews.com). These single moms have Eunice to encourage them when they are down.

Eunice, in spite of the difficulties and mistakes in her past, committed herself to exposing her son to Scripture and God’s will. Paul reminded Timothy of this great heritage in 2 Timothy 3:10-15.

The Disadvantages Overcome by God’s Grace

In of all the disadvantages, his being reared with little educated, not physically strong, not blessed with personality, and not brought up in an ideal Christian home, Timothy turned out to be a leading influence in the church. In Acts 16:2, only 2 or 3 years after his conversion, Timothy is already a recognized disciple whom Paul choses to serve with him as an apprentice.

It was Timothy’s character that most impressed Paul. He already had a good report from the churches (1 Timothy 3:7). Not Timothy’s lack of personality, IQ, or talent or looks.

Timothy was loyal to Paul and dependable in the Lord’s work. Paul commended these qualities in Timothy to churches such as the church at Philippi (Philippians 2:19-22).

One day four ministers stood talking and, as so often happens, the conversation soon drifted to shop talk.  ”I prefer the King James Version of Scripture,” said one, “for its eloquent use of the English language.” A second minister gave forth that no Bible could match theNew American Standard for its faithfulness to the original Greek and Hebrew text.  ”That may well be,” said the third, “but I prefer the New International Version for its contemporary language and easy readability.”  There was a thoughtful period of silence, and then the fourth minister said, “I like my mother’s translation best.”  It was with some surprise that the others said: “We didn’t know that your mother had translated the Bible.”  ”Yes, she did,” he replied. “She translated it into her daily life, and it was through her translation that I came to faith.”

Resources:

Book by William J. Peterson: The Disciplining of Timothy

Sermon by James Beinke’s: Mother’s Day: Grandmother, Mother and Son

 Q & A by John MacArthur

Sermon by John Piper: Honoring the Biblical Call to Motherhood

Sermon by Stephen Davey: What My Mother Taught Me

No Exemplary Families in Scripture! Are You Shocked? Part 2

Posted: May 14, 2013 in Sermons
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
0

leave-it-to-beaver-billingsOur son who is in the Air Force and stationed in Montgomery, Alabama mailed to my wife the most touching Mother’s Day card. This one is going on the refrigerator and probably will hang there until it decomposes. He mostly thanked God for a mother whose godly example he is proud to follow. It was priceless.

Timothy also had a mother to be proud of. He came from an imperfect family, however,  and hurdled the following obstacles to effectively serve God:

1. No World-class Education (Acts 16:1) (For the first three points see Part 1)

2. No Great Physical Strength

3. No Outgoing Personality

4. No Christian Home

In Acts 16:1-3, we get a glimpse into the almost dysfunctional home life of Timothy. He had many disadvantages to overcome.

The Disadvantage of a Mixed Marriage (Acts 16:1).

This was taboo in Jewish communities. So much so, the Jewish family would conduct the funeral of a Jewish daughter who married a Gentile and mourn her death for she was now dead to that family. She had disobeyed Deuteronomy 7:1-6.

At some point in her life, Eunice came to Christ and turned back to Scripture. Paul in 2 Timothy 1:5 writes of the saving faith of his mother and grandmothers before Timothy’s faith in Christ:

“I call to remembrance the unfeigned (unhypocritical) faith that is in you which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in you also.”

The unsaved father, however, had mixed influence on young Timothy. Most likely he permitted Eunice to name her son a Christian name, Timothy, which means, to honor God. But the dad apparently did not allow his son to be circumcised according to Jewish tradition. Timothy’s dad was no proselyte to Judaism i.e., he was not interested in religion. He was passive. When Eunice was getting the kids ready for church on Sunday morning, he slept in or played golf or went fishing.

This was a common problem in first century Christianity. At least twice New Testament authors addressed this issue. Paul confronted this problem in 1 Corinthians 7:12-14. Paul instructed the believing wife not to divorce her unsaved husbands just because he is unconverted. The believing wife can bring God’s blessing on the family. Like believing Joseph brought on unbelieving Potiphar’s house in Genesis 39:5: “The Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake.” The saved wife can influence the unregenerate husband and children with the gospel.

Peter also exhorted the believing wife who was converted after her marriage to an unsaved husband in 1 Peter 3:1: Win your unsaved husband to Christ by your godly life.

Wiersbe provides both good and bad examples: I know one zealous wife who used to keep religious radio programs on all evening, usually very loud, so that her unsaved husband would “hear the truth.” She only made it easier for him to leave home and spend his evenings with his friends.

One of the greatest examples of a godly wife and mother in church history is Monica, the mother of the famous St. Augustine. God used Monica’s witness and prayers to win both her son and her husband to Christ, though her husband was not converted until shortly before his death.

Augustine wrote in his Confessions, “She served him as her lord; and did her diligence to win him unto Thee … preaching Thee unto him by her conversation [behavior]; by which Thou ornamentest her, making her reverently amiable unto her husband” (Bible Exposition Commentary on 1 Peter).

The Disadvantage of a Single Mom Home (Acts 16:3)

According to Acts 16:1, 3, Timothy’s dad had either abandoned the family in a divorce or he was dead.

The number of children living in single parent homes has nearly doubled since 1960, according to data from the 2010 Census. Today, one-third of American children – a total of 15 million – are being raised without a father (Washington, D.C., January 4, 2013, LifeSiteNews.com). These single moms have Eunice to encourage them when they are down.

Eunice, in spite of the difficulties and mistakes in her past, committed herself to exposing her son to Scripture and God’s will. Paul reminded Timothy of this great heritage in 2 Timothy 3:10-15.

The Disadvantages Overcome by God’s Grace

In of all the disadvantages, his being reared with little educated, not physically strong, not blessed with personality, and not brought up in an ideal Christian home, Timothy turned out to be a leading influence in the church. In Acts 16:2, only 2 or 3 years after his conversion, Timothy is already a recognized disciple whom Paul choses to serve with him as an apprentice.

It was Timothy’s character that most impressed Paul. He already had a good report from the churches (1 Timothy 3:7). Not Timothy’s lack of personality, IQ, or talent or looks.

Timothy was loyal to Paul and dependable in the Lord’s work. Paul commended these qualities in Timothy to churches such as the church at Philippi (Philippians 2:19-22).

One day four ministers stood talking and, as so often happens, the conversation soon drifted to shop talk.  ”I prefer the King James Version of Scripture,” said one, “for its eloquent use of the English language.” A second minister gave forth that no Bible could match theNew American Standard for its faithfulness to the original Greek and Hebrew text.  ”That may well be,” said the third, “but I prefer the New International Version for its contemporary language and easy readability.”  There was a thoughtful period of silence, and then the fourth minister said, “I like my mother’s translation best.”  It was with some surprise that the others said: “We didn’t know that your mother had translated the Bible.”  ”Yes, she did,” he replied. “She translated it into her daily life, and it was through her translation that I came to faith.”

Resources:

Book by William J. Peterson: The Disciplining of Timothy

Sermon by James Beinke’s: Mother’s Day: Grandmother, Mother and Son

 Q & A by John MacArthur

Sermon by John Piper: Honoring the Biblical Call to Motherhood

Sermon by Stephen Davey: What My Mother Taught Me

No Exemplary Families in Scripture! Are You Shocked? Part 1

Posted: May 13, 2013 in Mother's Day Sermon
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leave-it-to-beaver-billings

In a book by Eugene Peterson, Like Dew Your Youth, he writes,

A search of Scripture turns up one rather surprising truth; there are no exemplary families. Not one single, nuclear family is portrayed in Scripture in such a way to evoke admiration in us. There are many family stories, there is considerable reference to family life, and there is sound counsel to guide the growth of families, but not a single model family for anyone to look up to in either awe or envy.

Adam and Eve are no sooner out of the garden than their children get in a fight. The sons of Noah are forced to devise a strategy to hide their father’s drunken shame. Jacob and Esau are bitter rivals and sow seeds of discord that bear centuries of bitter harvest. David is a man after God’s own heart and Israel’s greatest king, but he cannot manage his own household (Like Dew Your Youth). 

There is another example of an imperfect home, however, that produced a very successful Christian. That is the home of Timothy.

Timothy became one of the leaders in the early church. Two New Testament epistles bear Timothy’s name. Paul wrote two New Testament letters to Timothy instructing him how to pastor. He pastored probably the most strategic church in of the first century, the church at Ephesians. The apostle Paul chose him to partner and co-labor with him.

Yet Timothy had a very unimpressive background and many hurdles to overcome to be so greatly used by God.

1. No World-class Education (Acts 16:1)

Timothy’s small hometown, Lystra, was no great metropolis. Timothy did not have the educational advantages of Paul who was reared in Tarsus where was one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Paul’s wealthy parents probably made sure Paul had the finest education money could buy. Paul’s dad, a Pharisee, would eventually hire Gamaliel the famous Jewish rabbi to tutor Saul of Tarsus. I wonder much an hour of tutoring with Gamaliel cost Paul’s father?

But Timothy had no such education. Timothy went to school in Podunk Hollow.

2. No Great Physical Strength

Timothy had to take medicine for apparently his frail physique (1 Timothy 5:23). He was not a star athlete who lettered all four years of high school.

3. No Outgoing Personality

His mentor, Paul had to stir him up: “God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of love, and power, and soundness of mind” (2 Timothy 1:6-7). Paul earlier exhorted Timothy to not let other despise his youth in 1 Timothy 4:12.

Timothy was never voted, “Most likely to succeed.”

4. No Christian Home

In Acts 16:1-3, we get a glimpse into the less than ideal home life of Timothy. He had many disadvantages overcome. There are disadvantages in every home. Maybe you feel like this mother:

Two ministerial students in Birmingham, Alabama, were doing summer evangelistic works in a rural area near Montgomery. One hot day, they stopped in front of a farmhouse and proceeded up the path through an array of screaming children and barking dogs.

When they knocked on the screen door, the woman of the house stopped her scrubbing at the sink, brushed back some stray hair, and asked them what they wanted.

“We would like to tell you how you can have eternal life,” one student answered.

The tired homemaker hesitated for a moment, and then responded, “That’s kind of you, but I don’t believe I could stand it.”

In Part 2, we will look closely at two major disadvantages Timothy had of overcome to succeed.

Resources:

Book by William J. Peterson: The Disciplining of Timothy

Sermon by James Beinke’s: Mother’s Day: Grandmother, Mother and Son

 Q & A by John MacArthur

Sermon by John Piper: Honoring the Biblical Call to Motherhood

Sermon by Stephen Davey: What My Mother Taught Me

Mother’s Day Sermon: The Awesome Influence of Mothers and Grandmothers, Part 1

Posted: May 9, 2013 in Mother's Day Sermon
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A Mother's InfluenceErma Louise Bombeck was a mother of three children. She was also an American humorist, a popular newspaper columnist, and a best selling author. She wrote over 4,000 newspaper columns in 900 newspapers about the ordinary lives of suburban housewives and mothers. By the 1970s, her columns were read by thirty million readers. Bombeck published 15 books, most of which became a best-seller. For example, she wrote, If Life is a Bowl of Cherries; Why Am I in the Pits and The Grass is Greener Over the Septic Tank.

Here are some of her quotes:

“Insanity is hereditary. You can catch it from your kids.”

“My second favorite household chore is ironing. My first one being hitting my head on the top bunk bed until I faint.”

“There’s nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child.”

In one of her columns, she wrote of God in the act of creating mothers.

She says that on the day God created mothers He had already worked long overtime. And an angel said to Him, “Lord, you sure are spending a lot of time on this one.”

The Lord turned and said, “Have you read the specs on this model? She is supposed to be completely washable, but not plastic. She is to have 180 moving parts, all of them replaceable. She is to have a kiss that will heal everything from a broken leg to a broken heart. She is to have a lap that will disappear whenever she stands up. She is to be able to function on black coffee & leftovers. And she is supposed to have six pairs of hands.”

“Six pairs of hands,” said the angel, “that’s impossible.” “It’s not the six pairs of hands that bother Me.” said the Lord, “It’s the three pairs of eyes. She is supposed to have one pair that sees through closed doors so that whenever she says, `What are you kids doing in there?’ she already knows what they’re doing in there.”

“She has another pair in the back of her head to see all the things she is not supposed to see but must see. And then she has one pair right in front that can look at a child that just goofed and communicate love and understanding without saying a word.”

“That’s too much.” said the angel, “You can’t put that much in one model. Why don’t you rest for a while and resume your creating tomorrow?”

“No, I can’t,” said the Lord. “I’m close to creating someone very much like myself. I’ve already come up with a model who can heal herself when she is sick – who can feed a family of six with one pound of hamburger and who can persuade a nine year old to take a shower.”

Then the angel looked at the model of motherhood a little more closely and said, “She’s too soft.” “Oh, but she is tough,” said the Lord. “You’d be surprised at how much this mother can do.”

“Can she think?” asked the angel. “Not only can she think,” said the Lord, “but she can reason and compromise and persuade.”

Then the angel reached over and touched her cheek. “This one has a leak,” he said. “I told you that you couldn’t put that much in one model.” “That’s not a leak,” said the Lord. “That’s a tear.”

“What’s a tear for?” asked the angel. “Well it’s for joy, for sadness, for sorrow, for disappointment, for pride.”

Today on Mother’s Day let’s join Erma Bombeck and practice Proverbs 31:28-31 and praise our mothers. If your mother is living you can praise her verbally or if she has deceased you can bless her memory. In Proverbs 31:28-31, the children praise their mother, the husband praises his wife, and the public praises the mothers.

Paul praises Timothy’s mother and grandmother in 2 Timothy. He gets specific; he names them. Lois is the grandmother and Eunice is the mother.

2nd Timothy is Paul’s last letter before his martyrdom for preaching the gospel. He writes and warns Timothy of the coming persecution. Just as Paul is facing danger so is the church. For example, in 3:12, Paul forecasts: “All that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” Paul instructs Timothy how to live in days of apostasy.

So what is Paul’s point in mentioning mothers? Mothers can help us face the hard times.

First, There is the Spiritual Influence of a Mentor (2 Timothy 1:2)

Paul was, of course, Timothy’s spiritual father who must have been very proud of Timothy because he refers to him as his son over and over again (1 Timothy 1:2, 18; 6:20; 2 Timothy 1:2; 2:1; 1 Corinthians 4:17; Philippians 2:21). At some time in the past, Paul had led Timothy to Christ.

Next, There is the Spiritual Influence of a Mother and Grandmother (2 Timothy 1:5)

Apparently both of these ladies had somehow contributed significantly to Timothy’s conversion.

A. My grandmother Bare protected me physically when I was growing up.

She had TB and all I can remember was her walking on crutches or wheeling around in a wheeling chair. She reminded me of Moses’ mother who protected him from physical harm by placing him in a little ark and hiding him in the Nile.

My grandmother at least on one occasion saved my life. I was playing in my grandfather’s barn and got hot and sweaty. I saw a half empty coke bottle on a shelf and took a drink. I found out latter that it was paint thinner. It immediately took away my breath. I ran to the house and my grandmother saw I was not breathing and smelled my breath. She said, “You’ve been drinking again, haven’t you?” Not really, she moved into her EMT mode and wheeled around in the kitchen and pulled out a can of Crisco Shortening. Pulled the led off. Ran two fingers down into the white lard and got a gob of Crisco Shortening and poked it in my mouth. She pinched my nose and held my month closed so that I had to swallow the lard. As a result, I vomited up the paint thinner and started breathing. God used my country grandmother who raised eleven children in the Depression to spare my life so later I could get saved. She also saved my younger brother’s life when he swallowed a marble. She turned him upside down, held him by the ankles, and popped him on the back and the marble shot out across the living room floor.

In Part 2, we see the spiritual influence of a mother and grandmother.

Resources for Mother’s Day

Ten Tips for Mother’s Day Service by Mark Driscoll

No Perfect Moms, Part 1

No Perfect Moms,  Part 2

John MacArthur’s articles on Mothers

Sermons by John Piper on Mothers

Mother’s Day Sermon: No Perfect Moms, Part 2

Posted: May 9, 2013 in Mother's Day Sermon
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woman-pulling-her-hair-280x280I read of a young mother whose life has been totally devastated. The husband of this mother of young children admitted he was a homosexual and then walked away. Before he abandoned his family, he confessed to having a homosexual relationship with her own father, a closeted homosexual. Both the homosexual husband and father-in-law were involved in full-time ministry.

This mother reminded me of some of the mothers in Matthew 1 that God used in spite of their horrific families.

1. Tamar the Mistreated Mother (Matthew 1:3) (See Part One)

2. Rahab the Prostitute (Matthew 1:5)

Whereas Tamar was a prostitute for a day, Rahab was a career prostitute. In Joshua 2, Rahab runs a brothel in Jericho. Joshua sends the two spies to check out Jericho before they conquer the city. Rahab along with all the other Jerichoites had heard how Israel’s God had delivered Israel out of Egypt and had defeated the Amorites. She requests that when Israel invades and defeats the city that she and her family be spared.

God honored her faith and did spare her and her family. This former prostitute is mentioned twice in the New Testament because of her faith. She is mentioned in Hebrews 11, the hero of faith chapter, along side of Abraham, Moses, and Joshua. “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace” (11:31). James mentions Rahab as one of his two examples of faith, that if genuine, works in James 2:24-26.

Rahab the harlot became Rahab the heroine of faith. Rahab who once exerted bad influence became a godly influence and was used of God to save her family.

Thank God for every mom who has trusted Christ and is seeking to win her children and grandchildren. If you have such a mother you should rise up and call her blessed.

The next mother in Jesus’ family tree was not a prostitute but she had them in her past relatives.

3. Ruth the Victim (Matthew 1:5)

Ruth was born with all kinds of baggage that was not her fought. She was a Moabite. The nation of Moab came about because the two daughters of Lot got him drunk and committed incest with their own dad. The older daughter gave birth to the nation of Moab and the younger to the nation of Ammon. The Moabites became enemies of Israel and were forbidden from entering the congregation of Israel (Dt. 23:3). Ruth was born into this family.

When Ruth the Moabite was exposed to the true God by Naomi who came to Moab to escape hard times in Israel, Ruth believed in the one true God as her own words testify in Ruth 1:16-17. When Naomi whose husband died, along with her two sons who were married to Ruth and Orpah, Naomi decided to go back to Israel. She told her two Moabite daughter-in-laws to stay in Moab and remarry, but Ruth refused because she now also was a believer.

Ruth did not allow her wicked relatives before her to influence her. Just because parents are drunkards or perverts doesn’t mean we have to be. Some children live their entire adult lives blaming their parents. Some children live in bitterness. Every person has overcome issues whether it be parents or other Christians that have disappointed us, etc.

Even though Ruth was a victim, she did not have the victim mentality. Ruth had a beautiful marriage with Boaz even though she had a terrible background of incest.

She refuses to think of herself as a victim. She is moving ahead with her life and service to the Lord.

The last imperfect mother spotlighted is Bathsheba.

4. Bathsheba the Adulteress (Matthew 1:6)

Matthew doesn’t even mention her by name perhaps to stress she was the wife of Uriah who was a Hittite or another Gentile woman in Jesus’ Jewish family tree. Bathsheba was David’s neighbor who had some indiscreet outdoor bathing habits. She was also the willing accomplice in David’s great sin of adultery in 2 Samuel 11-12. There is no sign that she was forced or raped by David. She willingly sinned with him.

She, however, evidently became a positive influence in David’s life and Solomon her son. In first Kings 1, when David is old and inattentive to the affairs of his kingdom. David’s son Adonijah, attempts to become the next king when Solomon was David’s and God’s choice. Bathsheba goes into the king’s presence to tell him of the attempted coup of Adonijah. David acts swiftly, thanks to Bathsheba, and Solomon is made king.

God uses Bathsheba to keep the line through which Jesus will descend. Matthew 1:6 says that Solomon was the link to David through whom Jesus was born. Not Adonijah!

Imperfect people are all the people with whom God has to work. There is not one model family in Scripture to my knowledge. Was Adam and Eve’s family exemplary? Their older son murdered his younger son out of jealousy. What about Abraham and Sara? Abraham was a chronic liar. Isaac was deceived by his son Jacob because of his fleshly appetite. Jacob was a deceiver. Noah got drunk. David’s sins are common knowledge. Even Jesus’ brothers and sisters rejected Him until after they were grown.

What is the Message of these Imperfect Mothers?

1. Jesus can save and forgive any sinner. As a matter of fact, every time Jesus saves and forgives a person, He saves and forgives a sinner because all of us are sinners. He can save a Tamar or a Rahab or a Ruth or a Bathsheba.

2. Jesus uses imperfect people who are forgiven. God does not condone our sin, He forgives our sins and changes us and delivers us from our sin and uses us to help others in sin.

3. Jesus uses people who come from imperfect homes or tragic backgrounds who have been abused, mistreated, or neglected.

Mothers here this morning, you are a blessing and we thank God for you. If your mother is passed you can still give God thanks for her. Everyone of us can be used of God.

Elisa Morgan is the former president of MOPS International (Mothers of Preschoolers). While she was president, MOPS expanded from 350 to over 4,000 groups in the USA plus 30 more groups in other countries around the world. MOPs impacts 100,000 mothers each year. You might be thinking, Elias Morgan must have come from a strong Christian home to carry out all that. Right? Wrong!

She writes,

I’m probably the least likely person to head a mothering organization that impacts thousands of mother’s lives for the gospel. I grew up in a broken home. My parents were divorced when I was five. My older sister, younger brother, and I were raised by my alcoholic mother. While my mother meant well, most of my memories are of my mothering her, rather than her mothering me. Alcohol altered her love. I remember her weaving down the hall of our ranch home in Houston, Texas, glass of scotch in hand. I would wake her at seven each morning to try to get her off to work.

Ten years ago, when I was asked to consider leading MOPS International, a vital ministry that nurtures mothers, I went straight to my knees. How could God use me – who had never been mothered – to nurture other mothers? The answer came, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” (II Corinthians 12:9) God would take my deficits and make them my offering to Him – and find His grace to be sufficient in my weakness.

Resources:

Arian Warnock’s sermon on Mother’s Day

Sermons on Mothers at The Gospel Coalition

Sermons on Mothers by John Piper

Sermon on Mothers by John MacArthur

Sermon: A Tribute to Moms by Stephen Davey

You Can Love The Jerks in Your Life!

Posted: May 2, 2013 in Sermon on Fruit of the Spirit, Sermons
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LoveYourEnemies

A young woman came to her pastor desperate and despondent. She said, “There is a man who says he loves me so much he will kill himself if I don’t marry him. What should I do?” “Do nothing,” her pastor replied. “That man doesn’t love you, he loves himself. Such a threat isn’t love, it is pure selfishness” (John MacArthur, 1st Corinthians, page 329).

True love is the opposite of this selfish suicide. Authentic love is giving, sharing, sacrificing for the spiritual benefit of another person. This is how God loves.

God is Love

1st John 4:8-10 says, “God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

God sent His Son to propitiate or satisfy His own wrath and anger at sin. God dispatched His Son to punish Him for our crimes to vindicate His justice as the righteous Judge of the Universe who cannot be bribed.

God sacrificed His Son for our benefit. This is John 3:16 love. Was the world of sinners that Jesus died for deserving of His love? No! Do all the people in our lives merit our love? No! But if we are like God we will love them. One church member recently criticized his church on Facebook because of their music. Does this slanderer deserve your unconditional love? Jesus loved Judas to the end.

This God like love is not optional for believers. Jesus commanded, ”Love your enemies bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Not only do we not love our enemies we do not love people we do not like. God sent His Son to die for those who hated Him. Jesus died for those who hated Him.

God Equips Us With His Love

How can we love people who are jerks? Only with God’s love which He supplied us with at salvation (Romans 5:5). God commands us to love Him and our neighbors in Matthew 22:37-39. But then God endows us with His love to fulfill this commandment.

The Holy Spirit Produces in Us The Fruit of the Spirit of Love

In Galatians 5, Paul contrasts the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) with the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Like salvation, the fruit of the Spirit is “not of works less any man should boast.”

As we yield to the Spirit or as Paul states it in Galatians 5:16, “walk in the Spirit” God creates this fruit in us. It is not our responsibility to work up this fruit of love. As we yield to the Spirit, He grows this fruit in our lives.

“The Christian life, the fruit of the Spirit, is a constant reckoning of the flesh as dead and a constant relying on the present Spirit of Christ to produce love, joy, and peace within.” John Piper 

The fruit of the Spirit operative in a believer produces other fruit. MacArthur calls the fruit of the Spirit, attitude fruit. If we have attitude fruit we can produce action fruit:

1. Praise to the Lord (Hebrew 13:15)

2. Winning souls (1 Corinthians 16:15)

3. Godly works (Colossians 1:10)

Just as the works of the flesh evidence no salvation (Galatians 5:19-21) the fruit of the Spirit indicates salvation. Jesus made this truth clear in Matthew 7:16-18:

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit; neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

The Fruit of the Spirit Empowers us to Love God

The fruit of the Spirit empowers us to love God. We love God because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). Jesus said, we love God by keeping His commandments (John 14:15). This is not rocket science. Am I obeying God’s Word? Yea or Nay?

The Fruit of the Spirit Enables us to Love Believers

The fruit of the Spirit enables us to love believers in very practical ways (1 John 3:16-18). Again, don’t make this to complicated.

Stephen Davey shared how some children defined true love.

Rebecca, age 8, said, “When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend down to paint her toenails anymore, so my grandfather does it for her – that’s love.”

Danny, age 7, said, “When my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him to make sure the taste is okay – that’s love.”

Chris, age 7, said, “Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he’s handsome.”

Elaine, age 5, said, “Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.”

Karl does not get it. He said, “Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.”

Lauren said, “I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.” She will catch on later.

Let me give one more.

Jessica, age 8, delivered a profound truth when she said, “You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot, because people forget.”

To love others we must give to others (1 John 3:18). A soldier boy wrote letters to his sweetheart but never came home to see her. She married the mailman. Words are cheap.

God can help us to love others abundantly. Paul exhorted us this way in 1 Thessalonians 3:12: “The Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you.” We don’t have to be lukewarm, uncaring believers.

“Genuine Christian love … is the one thing in the Christian life which cannot be carried to excess” (Hiebert, The Thessalonian Epistles, p. 155).

When Warren W. Wiersbe counsels young couples in preparation for marriage, he often asks the man: “If your wife became paralyzed three weeks after you were married, do you love her enough to stay with her and care for her?”

Resources:

The Gospel Coalition has sermons on the Fruit of the Spirit from Martin Lloyd Jones, Mark Dever, Tim Keller, Kent Hughes, etc.

J. Oswald Sanders’ The Holy Spirit and His Gifts

Mark Driscoll What is the Fruit of the Spirit?

Lehman Strauss’ Be Filled with the Spirit

Religious But Lost, Part 2

Posted: April 30, 2013 in Sermons
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File_PassionMovie_JudasJohn Bunyan in his Pilgrim’s Progress wrote: “Then I saw there was a way to hell, even from the gates of heaven.” Judas rubbed shoulders with Jesus for over three years as His co-laborer in the gospel and went to Hell. Judas had Jesus by his side but he did not have Jesus in his life. How tragic to go to hell not just from the gates of Heaven or from the side of Jesus but also from a gospel preaching church. The consequences are the same.

1. A Good Beginning in Life is not Enough (Matthew 10:1-7) See Part 1

2. No One Hears the Gospel and Remains the Same (Matthew 26:14-16) See Part 1

3. The Final Rejection  of the Gospel (Matthew 26:20-25)

In Matthew 26:20-25, Christ extends to Judas another invitation. But Judas continues his masquerade. Not only did Jesus preach much about money but also about hypocrisy as in Matthew 23:27-28. Again very likely with two-faced Judas in mind.

In Matthew 26:46-50, we witness Judas’ final invitation. John in his parallel account notes that at this final rejection of Jesus by Judas, “Satan entered into him” (John 13:27).

We usually think of demon possession creating a monster like Adolph Hitler.

Adolph Hitler, was very tightly engaged with some what were called Black Monks from Tibet. They were mediums who contacted demon spirits. And Hitler was up to his proverbial neck in demonism. And he was supercharged by the forces of hell. In fact, his biographers would say that he didn’t speak in his own voice. If you talked to him before he gave a speech you would hear his voice, when he got up to the podium to give a speech, it was not his voice. He was literally taken over by demonic voices (MacArthur).

But Satan’s most priced trophy is not a Hitler but a religious Judas who can betray and deceive others. T. T. Shields, one of the leading preachers in the thirties against liberalism in seminaries and denominations, once said in a sermon: “In hell whole congregations will rise up and curse their pastors for not preaching the gospel.”

4. The Eternal Destiny  of a Wasted Life (Matthew 27:1-10)

While Judas was chosen from eternity past to be the betrayer of Jesus for 30 pieces of silver as predicted in Zechariah 11:12-13 (Matthew 27:9-10), Judas was responsible for his actions as heard in his own self incriminating words: “I have sinned” (Matthew 27:4). Judas was remorseful not repentant. Repentance leads to a turning from sin. Remorse leads to more sin.

Each of us is responsible. Christ made this very clear in His prophecy of the final judgment in Matthew 7:21-23 for all Christ rejecters. Bill O’Reilly was rightfully venting his outrage at the Boston bombers for their senseless murders. When O’Reilly heard of the death of the first brother, O’Reilly said, “He is now in Hell.” This is absolutely true. But not for the reason O’Reilly thinks. The first Boston bomber is not in hell for murdering innocent people. He eternally separated from God for rejecting Christ as his savior.

Act 1:25 says Judas went to his own place.

MacArthur illustrates “his own place.” The church from the very outset after his life has put him in the lowest place. Even Dante in The Inferno in his passage through hell, you find Judas as depicted as occupying the lowest place with Lucifer and that he is enduring the most punishment possible by God. And part of his punishment is that Judas in Dante’s view is barred and shunned from even the caverns of the damned. He’s beneath them. Dante came to that thought because when Judas died it says he went to his own place. In Dante’s view that is a solitary place at the bottom of hell.

Jesus in His high priestly prayer said Judas was the son of perdition (John 17:12). Only the Antichrist is called son of perdition in 2nd Thessalonians 2:3. Perdition means to eternally waste. While Judas called Mary’s offering a waste in John 12:5, Jesus said Judas wasted opportunities, wasted his life, and now wastes away in eternity.

If your righteousness is only as deep as the self-righteous, hypocritical Pharisees, “you shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). Cry out to Jesus!

Resource:

John Piper’s Judas Iscariot

Stephen Davey’s Living a Lie

 John MacArthur‘s Judas Iscariot, Part 2

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