What More Are You Doing Than Others?

Mt 5:43-47

What a sobering question.  Jesus asked, "What more are you doing than others" while He was teaching a lesson on the high standard of loving our enemies.  He used the practical workings of the Law of Moses when He said, "eye for an eye..." Mt 5:38 In contrast to that He said, "love your enemies..." Mt 5:44  Wow, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.  That makes the question He asked even more sobering!  Remember, Jesus exemplified this teaching when He was on the cross. Lk 23:34  We must follow Jesus and imitate Him.  What should we do more than others, love our enemies and pray for those who persecute you.  This is essential to show our resemblance of our Father who gives to the righteous and unrighteous. Mt 5:45

Some say and think this is impossible for a human to accomplish.  It may be extremely hard, but not impossible.  Jesus makes it possible.  He does so by not just saying it, but by living it.  Paul says a similar thing when he writes the Romans and is instructing them to behave like Christians. Rom 12:17-21

In verse 46, Jesus said that even tax collectors love the ones who love them.  These tax collectors were commonly known for theft.  If a thief can love those who love them what praise is found in this kind of love?  NONE!  Listen to me now, a Christian should have a love that distinguishes them from sinners! Lk 6:32,33  Jesus asked, "What more are you doing than others?"  The answer He is looking for is,  "Loving others like the example you gave, my Lord."  Instead, we are trying to love others, like sinners.  A Christians love should distinguish them from sinners.   I once read about a father teaching his son about being a gentleman and said, "My son, speak kindly to everyone, even those who do not speak kindly to you.  You must remember to show courtesy to others not because they are gentlemen, but because you are one."   Jesus wants us to love, do good for, and lend to our enemies while expecting nothing in return. Lk 6:35  We must love our enemies not because of who they are, but because of who we are, Christians.

This question Jesus asked teaches that Christianity is of little value if it doesn't make us better than those in the world.  At their baptism, a Christian is raised up to walk in the newness of life (Rom 6:3,4) not the oldness of life.  At their baptism, a Christian has buried their old self and put on a new self. Col 3:7-10  This newness of life and new self is harder than memorizing book, chapter, and verse of God's Word.  It is hard to do!  The Pharisees were Law abiding men.  They tithed down to the mustard seed.  All of this wasn't sufficient.  Jesus said, our righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees. Mt 5:20  If we memorize the entire Bible and give all we got at tithe and offering time but fail to love our enemies we are no different than the world.  

Jesus asked, "what more are you doing than others?"  Jesus is our standard not other people or denominations.  It's a shame that Jehovah's Witnesses circulate literature filled with error, we should circulate more to preach the truth.  If a Mormon can give ten percent to support error, we should give more to support the truth.  If a denomination can meet to worship in error for three hours, we should meet to worship for four hours in truth.  I know, now I have gotten personal.  Jesus asked, "What more are you doing than others?"  

Don't be caught up in the trap of being average!  Most people are satisfied when they have accomplished what is considered average.  Jesus didn't call us to be average!  The average was "eye for an eye" but Jesus demands more.  He demands love and not to resist an person who is evil. Mt 5:39  The average was "thou shall not kill"  but Jesus demands more.   He demands us to love our brothers. 1Jn 3:15; 4:20  The average says that "one faith is as good as another" but Jesus says worship can be in vain. Mt 15:9  One more, the average is "drink but don't get drunk" but God's Word says abstain forms of evil. 1Th 5:22  These examples vividly show that Jesus demands that we excel beyond average.  We were not called to be average.  We were called to be Christians!  We are called to follow Jesus' example even in suffering. 1Pe 2:21  Jesus leads us to the Father.  Jesus leads us home. Jn 14:6  

Jesus asked, "What more are you doing than others?"  May we never measure what we are doing to anyone other than Jesus.  Today, are we willing to love and pray for our enemies?  Are we willing to answer the call to go beyond average?  Are we ready to be a Christian?  Are we ready to follow Jesus?

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

We must hear the Word of God:  Rom 10:17; Acts 4:4

We must believe or have faith:   Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31

We must repent of our sins:  Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30

We must confess Christ before others:  Mt 10:32; Acts 8:37

We must be immersed into Christ (baptized) Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38

We must be faithful:   Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22   

I'm not a "Water Dog", I'm trying to be an "Obedient Dog."

Many people receive nicknames because of something they often did, or do, and thus earn a nickname.  You may have a nickname that was earned that has stuck with you for a very long time.  My mother was never really known for her birth name.  If I told someone I was Roberta's son they had no clue who I was talking about, but if I said I was Binky's son they knew exactly who I was talking about.  I always wanted the nickname "cutie" but that never stuck, and I think I know why.  However, the nickname "chatterbox" did stick for awhile and again, I think I know why.

I am a member of the Lord's Church.  I was added to the Christ's Church several years ago.  One of the many nicknames I have been called since then is "water dog."  Yet, you never hear anyone mention the obedience involved in that statement.  Consider some of the Old Testament and New Testament examples.

NAAMAN THE LEPER   2Ki 5:1-14

We read that Naaman was "captain of the army, highly respected, and a leper."    A young Israelite girl was taken captive and served Naaman's wife.  I want you to notice even though this young girl was was a prisoner of war in a foreign land she was not bitter towards her captors.  As a matter of fact, she was concerned about their welfare.  What a lesson we can learn from that young girl! Isa 11:6  I do not know her exact age but it is abundantly evident that she was taught about God and His prophet.  She was not afraid to tell strangers about them.  The Jews were diligent to teach their children the Law of God. Dt 6:1-8  Oh 21st century church, when we will we learn this lesson?  When we stop allowing the world to teach our children what defines marriage, murder, and morals?  Things will not change until we change that!  

Don't loose sight of the fact that, as often is the case, a correct report was not made in these verses.  The young Israelite servant told Naaman's wife, she told Naaman, and Naaman told his master that a prophet in Israel could cure Naaman.  The king of Israel received a letter that said, "you may cure him of his leprosy."  This was severely wrong.  We often credit man with the abilities that only God can provide.  Man cannot save you, only God can.  Man will fail you, God will not.  Man will break promises, God will not.  Confusion concerning God and His Word, in this instance, almost started a fight.  It is that very thing, confusion concerning God and His Word, that starts denominationalism today!  

So Elisha sets things straight and requests that Naaman be sent to him so the king of Aram would know that a prophet of God was in Israel.  Naaman was told, by a messenger sent be Elisha, to "go and wash" but this made Naaman furious.  He went away mad, still a leper, because he wasn't being healed the way he wanted.  He wanted the prophet to come to him, wave a magic wand, and say something special. Today we want the preacher to lead us in a special prayer and be saved the way we want.  Naaman said, "Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?"  He wanted "Holy Water" to make him clean.  He wanted to be dabbed instead of immersed.  He wanted it  to be poured over him without entering the water.  He wanted to be healed and saved his own way but it doesn't work that way, my friends!  Listen to me, he was unable to see any connection between the act commanded and the result of obedience to the command that would be attained!  He knew there was no cleansing power in the water of the dirty Jordan river, and he was right!  The power that heals was what was behind the water, and that power is God.  The power of our baptism today is not in the water, but what is behind the water, and that is the likeness of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ.  How many people have their own idea as to how God should save them today?  Many are willing and waiting to be saved as soon as God adopts their method of saving.  Surely, no one thinks the dirty water of the Jordan healed Naaman.  If so, the Jordan would have people of all kinds of diseases in it 24 hours a day!  No, God healed Naaman, but not until he completely obeyed, regardless if he saw the full purpose of immersion into that water! 

I am not crying, "water salvation" by any means.  I am crying, "obedient salvation."  Jesus commanded baptism.  Mt 28:18-19; Mk 16:16  Like Naaman, you may not be able to see how baptism can have any connection with salvation, but if you truly desire salvation, you will obey Jesus' command, trust in God's promise, and rejoice in being immersed.  Take note that Peter says repentance must precede baptism. Acts 2:37-38  Philip says belief must precede baptism. Acts 8:35-38  Luke writes that faithfulness, even in struggles, must follow baptism. Acts 14:21-22

JESUS AND THE BLIND MAN   John 9

This is a man who was born blind.  Jesus spat on the ground, made clay by combining  the two, and applied it to the blind man's eyes.  He the said, "Go and wash in the pool of Siloam."  There is no doubt that this is an almost unheard of procedure.  I am glad because I don't want you making clay with your spit and smearing it on my face!  As far as I can tell, Jesus didn't indicate what the result would be when the blind man washed the clay off his eyes.   Jesus didn't say if anything would even happen.  He simply gave the commands "go" and "wash."  If Jesus did give him a promise it is unrecorded, but all we know is that the blind man had a spirit of obedience!  The blind man obeyed and came back seeing.  I am not crying "water salvation" or "spit and dirt salvation."  I am crying "obedient salvation."  Notice how the man explained what happened, "He applied clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."  The Pharisees never for even a second thought the clay or water did the healing. The man who was born blind knew the clay and the water did not do the healing.  The man said, "He opened my eyes."  

Jesus says "...he that believes and is baptized shall be saved..."  Every who knows as much as the Pharisees and the blind man knows that the saving agent is not the water but the power comes from the power and authority behind the one giving the commands "go" and "wash."  

We show our confidence in our doctor be following his directions, even if we don't understand how the treatment will work.  Jesus is our physician. Mt 9:10-12

We show our confidence in Him when we follow His directions to heal us from sin, even if we don't understand how the treatment will work.  When we decide to set aside some of His directions as "unnecessary" and only follow those that we choose we show more confidence in ourselves than is our physician, Jesus the Christ.  We are trying to take our healing in our own hands.  A person shows confidence in his leader by his unquestioning obedience.  God requires whole hearted compliance with His will. Heb 5:8-9   No one questions that Jesus is the author of salvation.  The previous verses show that salvation is offered to those who are obedient.  You may ask, "Who are the obedient?"  Those who do God's will! Mt 7:21; 12:50   

Today, are you ready to be obedient to God's will, even if you do not see the connection of the command to the promise?  Are you ready to obey even if you don't know that a promise is attached to the command?  Are you ready to be an obedient disciple? 

Back To The Basics: Sin

Sometimes it is necessary to revisit basic principles.  We get so involved in being deep thinkers and speakers that we leave out some basic things.  When I coach sports I always hammer basic fundamentals.  Today, we are trying to avoid the basics of sin by changing the name of it.  We avoid calling it sin, so we call it "freedom of choice" or "alternate lifestyle" or "convenience" and in doing that we change the word grace to fit our new look at sin.  We change the word grace to "free pass."  That leaves us with a free pass to a freedom of choice or an alternate lifestyle or to live conveniently.  Today, I want to point out that we can change the names of many terms but we are doing that because we do not understand the basics of sin, like where sin started, what it is, etc..  I read a quote and I thought it was very relevant to this subject and it goes like this, "I covet no phraseology that lends respectability to sin.  The sorest injury we can do a man is to lighten his conception of the enormity of sin."~J.H. Howet  I must add here that we can't sugar coat sin, but we can and should expose it as loving as possible!  Remember, a liar is as evil as a raping murderer in the eyes of God.  You don't have to burn down the place the congregation gathers to be a sinner.

Sin started in the Garden of Eden.  Mankind became a sinner because they heard, believed, and obeyed a lie that was preached to them by Satan through the serpent. Gen 3:1-8  Eve was deceived because the lies that were preached to her was mixed with some truth.  That is happening today as well.  Except Satan is using well dressed, articulate, and intelligent men and women to preach his lies mixed with truth.  Adam and Eve were given a simple and plain command that they chose to disobey.  That disobedience brought sin into the world.  Which brought death, or separation from God, into the world. Gen 2:17   

Let's look at a few words that are translated sin to understand what sin is.  First, sin is lawlessness.  One word translated lawlessness means to break, violate, or reject God's law. Sin is to be in opposition of and disregard God's law. 1Jn 3:4  This is exactly what we see in the actions of Adam and Eve.  Remember there was only one tree forbidden tree in that entire garden.  The command was simple and clear "you shall not eat."  You have to hire someone to help you misunderstand that!  God provided a way for them to be saved forever in the tree of life, but He also allowed Adam and Eve to have the freedom of choice: loyalty or disloyalty, obedience or disobedience, life or death.  He is doing the same today.  He has provided a way for us to be saved forever through Jesus Christ, but He is allowing us to choose from the same choices.  This test of loyalty definitely didn't cause the disloyalty.  This test of obedience didn't cause the disobedience.  The disloyalty and disobedience came from a rebellion of Adam and Eve that started in their hearts!  The eating of that fruit, or disloyalty and disobedience, was just a display  of what is their hearts.  

Second, sin is a transgression of God's law.  This word that is translated transgression means to go over or beyond God's law. It is disregarding the boundaries between right and wrong.  This is the word that the elder brother of the prodigal son uses when he is voicing his complaint to his father. Lk 15:29  This is what we do when we try to change the meaning of the grace.  

Third, sin is missing the mark.  The word translated sin literally means a missing of the mark.  Vine's says this word sin is an inward element producing acts.  That is why I say Adam and Eve's sin started in their hearts.  The mark that is missed is God's mark.  All mankind has missed the mark and fallen short of the glory of God. Rom 3:23  

I read one time, I believe it was Barclay, and he was discussing the difference between sins of commission and sins of omission.  I want you to know that sin is not just avoiding the wrong, but it is also not doing the right!  We can avoid all the bad and never do any good!  That is just as sinful as doing the bad and wrong in God's eyes!  James says as much in Jas 4:17  

Sin is selfish and that is its essential principle.  The chief characteristic of love is giving.  No matter what it cost ourselves.  The chief characteristic of sin is the exact opposite.  It is getting, no matter what it costs others.  Sin is very alluring.  It has an appealing characteristic to it.  It is very charming and fascinating because it is filled with pleasure.  Often times sin can feel great.  That pleasure may be short lived but is still alluring.  It makes me think of a bug zapper.  I can never figure out how so many bugs fly into that light to their death.  That light is so alluring to bugs that just can't resist.  I would look around see all my dead buddies and say, "Forget this.  I'm outta here!"  Really...   I look around and see my buddies now filled with sin and far too often I fail to say, "Forget this.  I'm outta here."  The biggest reason is because sin is also deceitful.  Sin shows off all its pleasure but disguises its pain, shame, and consequences.  That is exactly what Satan did to Eve!  He listed all the advantages but disguised the consequences and pain of sin.  Satan is a barter, who bargains with things he doesn't have!  That is what he tried with Jesus. Mt 4:1-11  Satan wants us to think of sin as something beautiful and pleasureful.  The beer commercials do the same thing today.  Their product will cause you to do dumb and costly things.  It will make you extremely sick.  It will cause to loose memories of what you did.  It could even kill you.  Yet, their commercials never communicate that.  All we see is fun, pleasure, and beautiful people. If we are not careful sin will make us its slave.  Rom 6:16  

Sin separates us from God. Isa 59:2  It brings suffering.  Eve suffered in childbearing, Adam suffered in labor, the earth suffered in what it produced, and Satan suffered with his head being crushed.  Everything and anything suffers when sin enters the picture!  Sin also brings death, both physical and spiritual.  It may have took over 900 years for Adam's resulting death from sin to catch him, but it did.  Cemeteries all over the place are a reminder that sin resulted in a physical death.  Paul reminds us of the spiritual death that sin produces.  2Th 1:7-9  

Thank you Lord for providing a cure from this sin in Jesus Christ! Rom 5:8-12

He died for our sins, by His wounds we are healed, and He destroyed death and brought life! 1Co 15:3; 1Pe 2:24; 2Ti 1:10  Thank you Jesus!  His blood provides our redemption and forgiveness in accordance with God's grace. Eph 1:7

The cure is provided all we must do is partake.  Antibiotics can't help you if you do not take them.  Christ can't help if you do not obey Him.  Obedience to the Gospel is a must.  God did His part and now we must do ours.  Those at Pentecost understood this and asked, "What should we do?"  Saul understood this and said, "What will you have me do?"  Today, are you ready to let go of sin in your life that is separating you from God and ask the same question as Saul and those at Pentecost?  Sin is not an alternate lifestyle or permissible due to convenience.  It is separating you from God and eternity with Him.

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

We must hear the Word of God:  Rom 10:17; Acts 4:4

We must believe or have faith:   Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31

We must repent of our sins:  Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30

We must confess Christ before others:  Mt 10:32; Acts 8:37

We must be immersed into Christ (baptized) Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38

We must be faithful:   Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22   

Time To Work

Titus 1:16

I have noticed that people, including me, often times try to segregate their lives.  We have this section of our life for family.  Another section of our life for work.  Yet another section for church, and so on.  We often try to keep them apart.  We say, "I leave work at work" when we refer to problems or struggles we have at work.  We say, "I will miss service to be with my family" and it may be needed but none the less it is segregated.  Have we ever considered the thought that working for the Lord must permeate through our entire life and cannot be segregated?  A few weeks ago I taught a lesson on the word "worship" and we discussed a few of the Greek words that are translated worship in the New Testament.  One of the was "latreuo", which basically means worship is a lifestyle not just a specific act in a specific place, but a way in which we live.  That sure doesn't sound like a segregated life to me.  The above tells us that is possible to claim, or profess, Christ and deny him with our works.  To me, that sounds like an attempt at a segregated life.  Paul tells Titus three things about this type of person.

Before we dig into that, I think it must be said that profession without practice brings condemnation.  This will be explained in another paragraph but do we ever think of it like that?  We must produce fruit.  Mk 11:12-14  These verses sound really mean and harsh for Jesus to do, but what we don't realize is that a fig tree there is a little different than our trees here.  We know trees to produce leaves then fruit, but figs are the exact opposite.  They produce fruit then leaves.  Therefore, the tree having leaves should have already been producing fruit but failed to do so!  Many Christians are failing to produce fruit but are showing leaves as well.  I can't see how an honest Bible student can read the few verses used thus far and still believe in "faith only."  But on to our work!

Paul says a person who professes but doesn't practice has a detestable character.  This word is often translated "abominable."  Have you ever thought that profession and no practice is an abomination?  This word means that which is an abomination to God.  We are so quick to hammer homosexuality as an abomination and refer people to Lev 18:22 but are you prepared to say the same thing to a person who professes and doesn't practice?  Both are an abomination to God but we choose which we fight and stand firm on, sadly.  Some say the man preaching faith only is not as wicked as a homosexual, but that is if you are writing the Bible.  Spiritually they are both an abomination.  Both can be repented from.  Both can be forgiven. That is why I say profession without practice brings condemnation.  Do your works deny Christ? 1Jn 2:4  Profession without practice makes you a liar.  Rev 21:8   Liars will face a second death.  Therefore, profession without practice brings condemnation.

Paul says a person who professes but doesn't practice has a disobedient action.  Again, I find it funny that Paul says here to Titus that practicing is obviously commanded because you can't disobey something that was not commanded!  If profession without practice is disobedient profession and practice must be commanded!  Why then do people try to make Paul and God's Word their sock puppet and support a faith only?  You see, the word translated disobedient literally means unwilling to be persuaded, spurning belief, disobedient.  It is addressing intentional unbelief.  Profession without practice brings condemnation and so does unbelief.  Mk 16:16  Make no mistake, I know we are saved by the grace of God and no other means.  I also believe that that saving grace is PROVED, not EARNED, in our lives by our works.  Without a living and working faith we cannot claim to have God's saving grace.  If we do that is professing without practicing.  When we walk according to the world we are "sons of disobedience" and will be overcome by the "wrath of God" Eph 2:2; 5:6  Do you walk according to the world or the Word?

Finally, Paul says a person who professes but doesn't practice has a worthless value.  The word translated worthless here is usually applied to metal.  It means not standing the test, rejected.   You see, if we are professing and not practicing our work is rejected.  Our work is not approved by God.  We have no value at that point.  We must have different works than that of the world.  We must delight in God's Word.  That is the picture of the tree that doesn't wither!  Ps 1:1-3  This is why we must meditate on the Word of God day and night.  We must seek Godly wisdom.  We must meditate on , profess and practice the Word of God so that we are ready to do every good work.  2Ti 3:16-17   I am reminding you to be ready for "every good deed."  Titus 3:1

As Christians today we must be seeking the wisdom of God's Word.  Remember, wisdom is the proper application of knowledge.  Wisdom of God's Word must be our foundation.  Sanctification in obedience to God's Word (Jn 17:17) must be our rule.  The resurrection from the dead reserved for us in heaven to spend eternity with our Father (1Pe 1:3-4) must be our goal.

Today, are ready to work?  Are you ready profess and practice?  I said this week in my message that one sermon lived will be far more effective than ten sermons preached.  Today, live the Bible, don't just profess it and you will be proving God's saving grace in your life.  You will be equipped for every good work.  Then and only then you won't be found as an abomination, disobedient, and worthless.  Are you ready to work for Jesus with a lifestyle?

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

We must hear the Word of God:  Rom 10:17; Acts 4:4

We must believe or have faith:   Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31

We must repent of our sins:  Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30

We must confess Christ before others:  Mt 10:32; Acts 8:37

We must be immersed into Christ (baptized) Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38

We must be faithful:   Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22      

    

Conversion Is More Than A Van

Mt 18:3

I truly believe the word "converted" is disappearing from the 21st century church.    The above verse is not saying we are to be childish but that we are to be childlike in our pursuit of power and dominance.  Children really care less about those things, but those are the things that drive adults!  Remember, Jesus said this right after he was asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  In conversion, the entire person is remade from the inside out, and that is bound to show up in our daily lives.  What do we treasure most in life?  Consider what Jesus said in Mt 12:35   You see, a new life is the product of conversion!  There are steps a person takes as this conversion, or new life, happens.  Consider the following...

Faith leads to a new life.  Christians live for a world that they have not seen.  They lay up treasures in a place they have never been.  They are not overly concerned with the things of this world.  This is all done is faith!   People of the world, however, are very much a part of the world.  These people are not merely in the world, as a Christian is, but they are truly a part of the world.  Jn 17:14-16  I preached a message a month or so ago and I asked the question, "Will someone from your life stand up and witness, that by the way you live, they know you are not a part of this world?"   Can someone do that for you?

Faith is a must.  Faith changes the way we live.  If you faith doesn't change the things you say and do you do not have a saving faith.  Does your daily walk in the world reflect that you are converted by your faith?  Heb 10:38; 2Co 5:7; Gal 2:20.  We must have and live by faith if we plan to please God.  Heb 11:6  Notice that faith is more than believable that He is.  We must also understand that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him!  Too many people think faith is believing that He is, fail to seek him, and are robbed of a reward!!!!

Faith is believing that He is.  Faith is believing that He rewards those who seek Him.  Faith is believing Jesus is God's son. Jn 8:24  We prove this faith is God's son by loving him with our obedience to his commandments.  Jn 14:15  Having a faith that changes our lives, or converts us, is proving we are "saved by grace through faith." not earning grace!  Eph 2:8   A person cannot live a Christian life without being converted by faith.  The Christian life is a life of faith.  

Peter failed to walk on water when his faith failed.  The disciples failed to cast out demons when their faith failed.  The same thing happens to us when our faith fails.  We sink and fail to imitate Christ!  A living, active, and saving faith is found in the obedience and practice of God's Word (Jn 17:17) and that is how faith leads to a new life.

Repentance leads to a new life.  Our actions prior to being converted nay not have appeared foolish (Titus 3:3) while in the world because we were seeking fleshy things. Rom 8:5.  Repentance of something is to quit doing it!  We must quit seeking fleshy things if we are to be converted.  When we repent of a life of sin we must change that life we lived.  We must change all of our behavior.  1Pe 1:14-16. When someone repents due to a strong faith in God's son they are thrusted into a new life.  That is how repentance leads to a new life.

Confession leads to a new life.  I do not want to spend to much time on this as I have posted on this in the past called, "I confess... I confess..."   God has a claim on every life on this planet.  Many do not recognize that claim and confession is a way of saying we recognize God's claim on our life.  We confess that our creator surely knows more about us than we do, I mean He is our creator!!   The confession is a solemn committal to the will of Christ before others!  That is how confession leads to a new life. 

Baptism leads to a new life.  Many people try to elevate baptism and others try to bury it.  The Bible has a lot to say about baptism and that is a fact.  Here are some more facts, until this point we still have the old self with us and the old sins on us!  We have a dirty conscience about our past life.  How is that going to change?  BAPTISM!  In baptism, we have a clear conscience toward God concerning our past life.  1Pe 3:21  In baptism, we have our old sins washed away.  Acts 22:16  In baptism, we lay the old self to rest and rise to a newness of life. Rom 6:1-4  In baptism, we have the blood of Christ applied to us and that sets us a part for the service of the living God.  Heb 9:14   In baptism, we are clothed with Christ.  Gal 3:27  nd not of it!  That is how baptism leads to a new life.  

Today, do you live a life that says you are converted from the old fleshy lusting person you used to be?  Do you walk in the newness of life?  Do those of the world around you know there is something different about you or do you look too much like the world for them to tell?  I always say if the people around you do not know you are a Christian, God probably don't either.  Potiphar knew God was with Joseph because of his demeanor, do others know God is with you because of yours?  Have you been converted to Christianity or are you just claiming Christianity?

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

We must hear the Word of God:  Rom 10:17; Acts 4:4

We must believe or have faith:   Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31

We must repent of our sins:  Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30

We must confess Christ before others:  Mt 10:32; Acts 8:37

We must be immersed into Christ (baptized) Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38

We must be faithful:   Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22      

Are You Ready To Escape?

Heb 2:1-3

I find this text as a very sobering one.  It is a strong reminder that we far too often overlook.  Two key words in these few verses, specifically verse one, in the Greek are prosecho (pay much closer attention) and pararheo (drift away).  Vine's defines these words as relating to a nautical sense.  These words literally illustrate a ship "drifting away" or passing by its port because the captain didn't "pay close enough attention" to his course.  How many Christians let the Word drift away due to a lack of diligence?  They will miss their port when it comes time to dock their ship!!  Christians should not allow their lives to drift away from the Word in any situation.  Our first duty is to seek His kingdom and His righteousness. Mt 6:33  How many people drift away from that on Sunday afternoon, let alone all week long?  Do we daily fear God and strive to keep His commandments? Ecc 12:13   Are we really counting all things loss to gain Christ?   Phi 3:7,8  Brethren, I fear too many are drifting away from the port and don't even realize it.  

Think of a Christian as a ship.  Many are drifting away because they are not properly anchored.  Christ is our anchor!  Therefore, the strong tides of this world (temptations) are pulling them away.  We lack the care and diligence of strengthening the chain that attaches us to that anchor.  The chain is the study and practice of the Word of God.  We are becoming very negligent in this matter.  The tide pulls, the weak chain breaks, and the ship is now pulled away from the anchor.  The world pulls and the Christian who is NOT diligently studying and putting into practice the Word of God WILL BE SEPARATED FROM CHRIST!  

Have you ever floated on a tube, raft, or boat on a body of water, other than a moving stream?  If you have, did you notice you was drifting?  Probably not!  That is how the author of Hebrews is describing apostasy here.  Often times people do not boldly turn from Christianity, though some do.  Most people slowly drift away. Similar to drifting away on a body of water, the Christian is far away from the starting point.  They have slowly drifted away and when they realize they have drifted, they have no clue where they are.  That is a lost soul my friends.  Many invisible, underwater currents (false teachers) pull away the drifting object (Christians).  

Verse two is as equally sobering as verse one.  Two truths are mentioned concerning the peril of drifting away.  First, is the steadfastness of the Word of God.  The Word is not able to be altered.  What is being said here is the Word of God is sacred and binding.  The Word is not to be despised or neglected.  Many people in the past have paid a hefty consequence for doing these things.  Which takes us to the second truth.   

The second truth is "every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty."  The Sabbath breaker was stoned, a generation of people died in the wilderness from disbelief and lack of trust, and even Moses was not allowed to enter the promise land for disobedience.  WHY SHOULD CHRISTIANS TODAY BE ANY DIFFERENT?  Oh yea, we try to abuse God's grace!  You see, transgression is sinning when we know it is a sin, or practicing sin. 1Jn 3:4   Disobedience is refusal to comply with a command.  Jas 4:17  I can't remember where I learned it but I heard it taught like this: transgression is sin of commission and disobedience is sin of omission.  Nevertheless, both classes of sin will receive a just penalty or consequence.  The only way to have that penalty removed or be pardoned is to be anchored to Christ by submission and commission to his Word, Will, and Way!  Consider how Peter mentions the penalty received by those who sinned and how God rescues His submissive and obedient godly people in 2Pe 2:4-9.  

The most sobering of all is verse three.  It ties in the drifting Christian and the sinners consequences.  We can't escape the coming consequences where disobedience of the Word of God is involved.  The most awful consequences awaits the souls that through disbelief (Mk 16:16), neglect (Mt 7:26), and disobedience (2Th 1:8; Rom 2:8) fails to heed God's message through His son.  

A book can be a great teaching tool, but it is useless if it's not opened.  The sun drives out darkness, but we can't see unless we open our eyes.  Medicine can heal you, but only if you take it out of the bottle and apply it!  So it is with Christianity.  Christ did his part and now it is up to us to obey.  Heb 5:8-9    I have blogged on this before.      

How many people reading this will neglect to heed its message.  Neglect will condemn many people at judgment day.  Peter asks about those who neglect to obey in 1Pe 4:17 The answer to that question is found in 2Th 1:7-9  Consider the one talent person.  It was neglect that brought forth his condemnation. Mt 25:24-30  Neglecting to obey the command of loving one another by neglecting to meet their needs will have many "go away into eternal punishment." Mt 25:41-46

I know many of you may be thinking this is the type of teaching that drives people away.  Chad needs to just share how much God loves us.  I believe you already know how much God loves you because he sent His son.  Many people need to hear the warning of not heeding what His son said!  There are too many people in the world that are like Felix!  People are waiting for a better time to respond to the Gospel or will not finish reading this because they are frightened by the possible outcome, but this is the type of message that needs to shared.  See what Felix said in Acts 24:24,25  

Today, are you heeding and obeying the Word of God?  The author of Hebrews said, "...how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?"  Are you ready to escape?  Don't neglect the call of God through His son!  Listen and obey the Word of God.  Let right now be the acceptable time.  Let today be a day of salvation! 2Co 6:2

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

We must hear the Word of God:  Rom 10:17; Acts 4:4

We must believe or have faith:   Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31

We must repent of our sins:  Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30

We must confess Christ before others:  Mt 10:32; Acts 8:37

We must be immersed into Christ (baptized) Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38

We must be faithful:   Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22        

Is He Your Shepherd?

Ps 23:1

This psalm is often referred to as "The Shepherd's Psalm" and that is pretty accurate.  The beautiful relationships that are commonly depicted in the Bible are God as the father to His children and God as the shepherd of His flock.  Obviously, this is the latter of the two.  We will focus in the former part of the main text today.  To think that God in Christ is deeply concerned about me as a person gives me great purpose and enormous meaning to my short sojourn on this planet.  I hope it has the same affect on you.  We often get too focused on the valleys of life and forget that God is the same God in the valley as He is on the Mountain.  That is a wonderful song performed by Harold and Elsie Goins.  

In this particular psalm, David is speaking not as a shepherd, though he was one, but as a sheep or one of the flock.  David has his own life experiences as a shepherd from a youth (1Sa 16:19) and who better to know the importance of the shepherd than he?  After all, David knew firsthand that the lot in life of any sheep depended on the man who owned that sheep.  That is why David is quick to boast aloud, "The Lord is my shepherd..."   Are you quick to tell others that?  Do you tell others that the Lord is you owner, manager, caregiver, and sustainer?  I pray you do my friends.  It is a staggering fact that Christ, through whom such an enormous universe was created, desires to call himself my shepherd and invites me into his fold to be one of his sheep.  He said, "I am the good shepherd..." Jn 10:1-14 If the Lord is our shepherd we should know about His character and understand His ability, shouldn't we?

God has brought us into being and He alone should know best how to care for and understand us.  It is no accident that God has decided to call us sheep.  We, mankind, are just like sheep.  We are timid, fearful, stupid, stubborn, and we have bad habits.  We will do things that we know will kill us and cause years of suffering later in life!  Yet, with all these bad characteristics, Jesus loves us (Jn 13:34),  bought us with his blood (Mt 26:28), calls us by his name (Acts 4:12), and is the doorway to the best pasture (Jn 10:9). If those characteristics do not stir up desire to be a sheep in His fold, I am not sure what will.  This entire psalm goes on to recount how the Good Shepherd spares no pain for the welfare of his sheep.  I read a story from a shepherd in which he tells about how a neighboring shepherd kept his flock.  The man said that his neighbor should not have been allowed to be a shepherd as his flock was sickly, thin, weak, and riddled with disease and parasites.  He said the neighbors flock frequently lined up along the fence to his fold and stared at his flock, the relationship he had with his flock, and the pastures he provided for his flock.  

How many people in the world are hurting and do not know what it is like to be under the care of the Good Shepherd Jesus?  They are under the rule of a tyrant.  Their shepherd is a liar and a murderer. Jn 8:44  He desires to destroy the souls of the sheep by snatching away the things that are good for the sheep. Mt 13:19  Those who belong to him are lined up along the fence of our fold and are staring at us and our shepherd.  The problem is we are not sharing with them how to enter our fold.  We are satisfied that we are in the fold and not concerned with anything but ourselves.  

You know every shepherd has to mark his sheep.  Shepherds usually cut a distinctive mark in the ear of their sheep so others will be able to identify the owner of that sheep from a distance.  Even in the ancient times slaves had their ears pierced by their owners so for life they were marked to belong to that house.   I love how the plan of salvation comes into play here.  Do we believe that our Good Shepherd laid down his life for his sheep and have the faith that he can raise us up to eternal life?  If so, we must conform ourselves to his rules because our ways are contrary to his.  That is repentance.  Out of love for our shepherd do we confess him to others?  He washes us clean as we are baptized in the likeness of his death burial and resurrection.  Finally, we are to live a life that is according to his teachings and commands.  That my friends, is being in the fold of the Good Shepherd.  

Then we are to be marked by our shepherd.  The mark we are to have is love and unity.  Jn 17:22-26  If we do not have that mark, we are not going to be easily  identified from a distance as one of Jesus sheep!  No matter what we claim to believe or we we say.  Mt 7:20-22  I read that the marking of the sheep is painful to both parties involved.  Jesus tells us to deny ourself, take up our cross daily, and follow him in Lk 9:23Jesus is their shepherd somehow grants them the benefits of his care. Many think they do not have to submit to Jesus' management without paying the price of forfeiting their foolish and fickle way of leading their own lives.  WE CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS!  Either we belong or we don't.  

We must search our hearts and motives.  Ask yourself, "Do I carry the mark of unity and love of my shepherd?  Do I belong to Him according to how he says I must belong?  Do I understand He owns me because He paid for me with his blood?  Do I respond to His authority and acknowledge His ownership?   Do I find freedom and fulfillment with His care?  Do I have a sense of purpose and contentment to be under His direction?"  If so, we most assuredly can shout aloud, "THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD!"   I don't know about you, but I am thrilled to belong to Him.  It is that belonging that gets me through the many ups and downs of life because the Lord is my shepherd.  Today, tell someone about your Good Shepherd.

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

We must hear the Word of God:  Rom 10:17; Acts 4:4

We must believe or have faith:   Heb 11:6; Acts 16:31

We must repent of our sins:  Lk 13:3; Acts 17:30

We must confess Christ before others:  Mt 10:32; Acts 8:37

We must be immersed into Christ (baptized) Mk 16:16; Acts 2:38

We must be faithful:   Rev 2:10; Acts 14:22