March 20th - Ministry in a Hostile World

Prayer Requests
Pastor Aaron Preaching / Resignation / Future
Summit Members in Foreign Lands
Christian Missionary in Sendai
Jennifer - Burn, Witnessing, Brother's Wedding
James - Band Festival
Mason - Lacrosse Game
Ben - Great Grandmother Health

Text - Nehemiah 4

Last week we talked about Nehemiah 3 and the beginning of the rebuilding of the wall when everything was going pretty smoothly. What are some things we can learn from chapter 3? It doesn't matter where you are in society, you have a roll to be playing in doing the work of God. If you want to see a manifestation of the Holy Spirit, what is the best way to do so? Strive to build up the church (1 Cor 14:12).

1 Corinthians 1:26-27 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise.

Last week in Nehemiah was the rebuilding of the wall during a time of peace, but this week we add a new element and one that will greatly edify us, it is doing ministry in a hostile world. If you desire to live a godly life in Christ, will you be persecuted? 2 Timothy 3:12 promises it.

So in Nehemiah 3 they are rebuilding the wall, and they are cruising to set a new record in wall building, but in chapter 4 we see the persecution begin.

Nehemiah 4:1 Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews.

Sanballat is a high up official, probably a governor of a neighboring town to Jerusalem, likely in Moab across the Jordan River. He has never been happy to see someone helping Jerusalem, for at least two reasons, one, because with Jerusalem in shambles, Judah is free for the plundering, and two, because Sanballat is an idolater and hates the Living God.

His name is likely Egyptian, and it means "God of Sin, alive." This is a telling name, because it is obviously directly against the God of Righteousness. I don't want to press too far to try to say this is an incarnation of Satan, though he definitely is a type for Satan (which means Adversary), just as when Moses and Joshua were on the home stretch in coming into the promised land and a similar man named Balak (Destroyer) stood against them. The reason I don't want to press too far and say that Sanballat represents Satan is because he may also just represent sin, and how much sin hates it when you seek to build a wall to defend from worldly influences. One of my friends on facebook pointed out that in the war that rages continually in our soul between our sin nature and new nature, that our sin nature HATES reading the Bible and so we must push to overcome and read the Bible anyways.

Romans 7:21-24 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Sanballant moves around a lot during the book of Nehemiah, sometimes he's in Jerusalem, sometimes he's in Samaria, which is North of Jerusalem. Where-ever he lives and whatever his job title is, he is well familiar with Jerusalem, and prefers that it is in shambles.

Nehemiah 4:2 And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?"

We see in this passage that Sanballat has found or called together an army, and in a bit we'll see that it's not the only one. We see in this passage one of the main reasons he's mad, he asks, "Will they sacrifice?" His audience here is telling too, because the Samaritans at this point had built a temple on Mt. Gerazim to say that that was the correct place to worship God. Sanballat was from Bethhoron, or the "House of the god, Horon", Horon being a mytical god of the underworld, so both the Samaritans and Sanballat were against worship of the true God.

A neat part about the rebuilding of the walls is not just that the Jews are doing it so fast, it is the material they are using. They have some brand new material, but the wall is being largely built out of redeemed material that was greatly damaged in the destruction of Jerusalem in 587BC. Stone doesn't burn, but when it fell it would have been greatly damaged and then when the wood and other combustibles burned, it would have left these stones charred and looking unusable. But God is able to use the least of materials to build great things, just as he uses broken people to build a great church.

1 Peter 2:4-5 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Because of the nature of the wall, though it is thick and well built, because of the craftsmen building it, it receives derision:

Nehemiah 4:3 Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, "Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!"

Tobiah, who we'll see in a few weeks is an exceedingly wicked dude, looks at the wall and says its so flimsy that it will never stand long. Nehemiah at this point does the best thing he could do, instead of going out and thumping these unbelievers on the head, he prays to God to intervene. Before we read that though, I want you to see that in chapter 2, Sanballat and Tobiah were in Jerusalem, but now they are not, the first step towards separating from these sinners was to put them outside of the city of God.

1 Corinthians 5:11-13 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. "Purge the evil person from among you."

Nehemiah has an absolutely amazing prayer against these sinners,

Nehemiah 4:4-5 Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders.

This is called an "imprecatory" prayer, or a prayer asking God to do violence against someone. They are not at all rare in the Bible, in fact 90 out of 150 Psalms contain imprecatory language. Look at what Nehemiah asks for, both physical action, that they would be taken captive, and spiritual action, that God would hold their sins against them. Jesus prays a very similar prayer on the cross in Psalm 69:22-28, for time's sake let's just read verse 27:

Psalm 69:27 Add to them punishment upon punishment; may they have no acquittal from you.

So that leads us to the question of whether we should pray prayers like that today. I would say yes, with a minor caveat, because unlike Jesus, and God's prophets of the Old Testament, we don't know who will repent of their sins, so I always temper my imprecatory prayers with, "God, please crush or convert them, but don't let them keep working such evil."

We remember that in action we always love our enemies and we leave all action up to God, for vengeance belongs to him.

Nehemiah 4:6-8 So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it.

Just when things were going well, persecution arises and now we've got even more enemies standing against Jerusalem than we had just a few days ago. Their goal isn't to wipe out the Jews, because they like having them as slaves and targets of plunder, but to make sure they can't defend themselves. They want to cause confusion, to keep the people from focusing on the task at hand. Here is our first major lesson,

Ephesians 6:16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one...

We know that if God is for us, no-one can possible stand against us in any sort of capacity. So by trusting in God, this trust becomes a shield to protect us from confusion and it keeps our minds set on the task at hand, which is building the kingdom. That's exactly what Nehemiah does:

Nehemiah 4:9 And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.

We see both a trust in God, and an action. But the efforts of the enemy are having a small effect, Nehemiah needs to strengthen his people,

Nehemiah 4:10-11 In Judah it was said, "The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall." And our enemies said, "They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work." At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times, "You must return to us."

Some of the greatest damage done to the wall building effort comes from within the camp, doubters who think the work is impossible, others who are afraid of what men can do, and then verse 12 is somewhat hard to translate, but it seems to say that Jews not involved in the wall-building effort are saying, "Stop doing what you're doing, let's just live the way we've always lived, it's better than dying." These doubters are causing a lot of damage and strife to the efforts, so Nehemiah comes up with an ingenious plan, where-as during peace we had people working all over the city, now Nehemiah is going to strategically place them for ministry in a hostile environment.

Nehemiah 4:13-14 So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes."

Nehemiah places the men in front of their houses and families, so they aren't just defending Jerusalem, but they are defending their whole world. It gives them a personal stake in standing firm. I love the whole church of Christ, but beloved, I love this church more than I love churches in far off lands, I love you more than I love Christians I don't know and/or am only faintly familiar with. This should be us as well, loving the whole church, but loving our own body of believers to the extent that we would rather die than see danger befall them, physically, and more importantly spiritually.

Because of this concerted effort, the plan of the enemy fails, and work can resume.

Nehemiah 4:15-17 When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other.

The Jews can no longer work like there is no threat, they are prepared for war, but they are still doing the work on the wall. It is important to remember that a good defense is often the best offense. A solid wall will keep Jerusalem safe from invaders. One of my favorite quotes, and one that is failing all over the world, is that we seek "Peace through Superior Firepower." When you are weak and easily conquered, everyone will come against you, but if you're bigger and stronger and your God is so much more powerful, then you're safe without having to fire a shot. We'll see that the Jews never do have to fight, because they are prepared.

We likewise must put on the full armor of God, having the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word, ready as an offensive weapon, clothed in righteousness and truth, secured in salvation, and defended by the God of Peace. We must be ready and willing to war, not physically, but spiritually, and not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces.

Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Our goal is to build the church and see captives of the enemy come to Christ to receive forgiveness and reconciliation. It has been said that evangelism is, "One beggar showing another beggar where to find bread." It is so much more violent and dangerous than that, it is two armies standing against each other, an army of light and an army of darkness, the army of light made up of traitors to the darkness, and evangelism is those traitors boldly coming into the camp of darkness to proclaim that the King of Light is prepared to make peace if the soldiers of darkness will surrender completely. It is dangerous beyond dangerous, and the enemy soldiers are more than willing to kill the ambassadors of Christ. It is estimated that 100,000 Christians are martyred every year, and many more are mistreated. Let us be ready then to rush to the battle, where-ever it rages,

Nehemiah 4:18-20 And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, "The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us."

Boniface, missionary to Germany in the 700's, said it better than I can, "I yearn to go forth where the dangers are, not because I particularly enjoy those dangers, but because I know it is there that the battle rages for the souls of men and nations. God set me before the front lines. Let me not end my days in comfort and complacency!"

Let us rally to the spiritual battle for souls, not being complacent or pretending no war is raging, but always ready to build the church and defend the truth. The men under Nehemiah were always ready, let us likewise always be ready,

Nehemiah 4:21-23 So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand.

This is another difficult Hebrew verse to translate, it likely says that the only time they were not in full battle gear was to wash, though the minutiate of this verse is not particularly important, because we see that they were always prepared. Let us likewise always be prepared, fully clothed in the righteousness of Christ, washed in his blood, having the Sword of the Spirit always at our right hand. We'll see that this wall was then completed, 52 days total, and that each person in Jerusalem had a share in building it, and each received the blessing of completing it.

It is hugely important that you take a portion of the church to build, pick a part that you care about deeply, either youth, or evangelism, or senior citizens, or whichever, find something you care about, and go forward with full strength. When the Pilgrims settled among the Massachusetts people, the first two years they had communal fields to plant and harvest, and they had a huge issue getting people to work hard and the harvests were sparse. On the third year they assigned each family a portion of the fields with the understanding that what grew belonged to that family. The effort put forth then was considerably better and the crops were bumper.

So beloved, find a portion of the church to work on, know that there is a reward in Heaven, know that you are working for your King, and know that your labor is not in vain.

January 16th - Purification by Fire

Prayer Requests
Lee Gambrell Preaching
Asia Bibi and Pakistan
SuperBowl Outreach
Hannah Teaching
Unemployment in the Church

Text – Zechariah 13

Today we’re going to look at one of my favorite passages in scripture. This passage doesn’t have as much prophecy fulfillment as chapters 9,11,12, but it does have some good ones. What I like the most about this passage is that it gives us a nice little glimpse of Heaven where sin is absolutely abhorrent and something that Christ’s saints want nothing to do with.

Before we look at our chapter though, I want to briefly look at what is called the “Millennial Reign”, which is when Christ will reign. Most Christians throughout history have held to the one I believe in, which I’m about 99% is correct, but there have been some great Christians in history that believe in a different one, so this isn’t hugely important, but I want you to know that there are different views and why I hold to the one I do. Ultimately though it’s more important that we have a hope for Christ’s return rather than a perfect understanding of how it will happen. The reason I am teaching this now is because chapter 13 of Zechariah is a little speed-bump in my belief. Pastor Aaron jokes that he’s “Pan-Millenialist”, that however it pans out is fine with him; ultimately I agree completely.

Millennial comes from Millennium, a thousand years, which are named in Revelation 20 as the reign of Christ when Satan is bound, and at the end of those thousand years, Satan is loosed for a little while until he is defeated at Armageddon. All three of these views believe this, they just disagree when this millennium takes place and what brings it about. These thousand years are either literal or mean a very long time.

Our first view is called the “A-Millenial View”, which doesn’t mean there is no millennial reign, but that the millennial reign isn’t something to come in the future, but is right now. This age began with the gift of the Holy Spirit to all believers at Pentecost and it will conclude when Christ returns. Currently Satan is bound and can’t do whatever he wants, though at the end of the age he will be able to do whatever he wants, killing believers and unbelievers and waging war against Christ and his church. The end will come as Christ wages war on Satan and defeats all of his enemies. This will be the major theme of Zechariah 14 next week. I believe that Christ is reigning now and Satan is currently bound, which is one of the reasons I don’t spend a lot of time telling you how to defeat the devil or fight him, because James tells us if we stand against him, he’ll flee from us; we don’t need magical incantations.

1 Corinthians 15:25-26 For he (Christ) must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

The next view is the “Pre-Millennial View”, which is the belief that Christ will return, turning everyone to him, then reign for 1,000 years in perfect peace, until a final battle with Satan and then the judgment.

Revelation 20:7-9 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them…

The third view, which I put very little stock in, is the “Post-Millennial View”, which is the belief that after the gospel conquers the world, Christ will return to a totally conquered world and will then judge the quick and the dead and destroy Satan. I’ll tell you that I really dislike the Post-Millennial View because it puts a lot of power on men and ignores some pretty explicit verses, let’s look at one in Luke,

Luke 18:8 When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?

If Christ asks if there will be any faith on the earth, then clearly we can’t expect for the whole world to be full of faith when he returns. None-the-less, our passage today in Zechariah is one that is used for the belief that the faith will increase further and further and sin will decrease and decrease. I could see that in Zechariah 13, but I’ll tell you that my own personal belief is that Zechariah 13 shows us how much we will hate sin in Heaven, that we won’t want to sin, neither will we be able to sin; rather than a literal look at an opportunity to sin.

So all that to say, let’s read it, and I’ll show you the Millennial View in this passage in a moment.

Zechariah 13:1-9 "On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness. "And on that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, so that they shall be remembered no more. And also I will remove from the land the prophets and the spirit of uncleanness. And if anyone again prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will say to him, 'You shall not live, for you speak lies in the name of the LORD.' And his father and mother who bore him shall pierce him through when he prophesies." On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies. He will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive, but he will say, 'I am no prophet, I am a worker of the soil, for a man sold me in my youth.' And if one asks him, 'What are these wounds on your back?' he will say, 'The wounds I received in the house of my friends.' "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me," declares the LORD of hosts. "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones. In the whole land, declares the LORD, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive. And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'They are my people'; and they will say, 'The LORD is my God.'"

The crazy part of this passage is that it switches from Christ’s First Coming, to sometime after his Second Coming, to back to his First Coming, to the end of the First Century. There is a lot of time changing going on, I can’t tell you exactly why it does that, except I can tell you that God is outside of time and sees his major goal as being completed in smaller details, instead of worrying about a linear plan. It’s neat that God shows his power in this because it’s so much more complicated than how we would make a plan. We make plans like, for example, a building, 1. Pour a foundation, 2. Put up the walls, 3. Put on a roof, 4. Put in the plumbing and wiring, 5. Finish the house. If we skip one of these, the others will be wrecked, for example if we put the roof on before we put up the walls, our roof would be on the ground. Or if we finish the house before putting in the wires and plumbing nothing will work. But God sees the finished product and knows precisely how it will all come together and he’s so confident it will happen the way he wants that he doesn’t lay out for us a linear plan to accomplish.

v.1 On that day there shall be a fountain opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.

Think about a fountain for a moment, usually we think of a fountain as a big comprehensive structure with a pool and a spout. Really the pool part of the fountain isn’t the fountain; the fountain is the part where the water comes out. Universally this passage is understood to be the piercing of Christ from Zechariah 12, when his blood was poured out for the forgiveness of sins of many. The amazing thing is that in the Old Testament this fountain is described as both blood and water, which seems a bit impossible.

John 7:37-38 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'"

That is a quote of several scriptures, Joel 2, Isaiah 44, Ezekiel 47, and alluded to in other passages. So how could blood and water flow forth from the same fountain?

John 19:34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.

This occurs when the heart muscles rupture, spurting blood, and the pericardium, which surrounds your heart and is filled with a watery substance to protect your heart, bursts. Such was fulfilled in Psalm 22 and 69 that say Christ’s heart melted or broke inside of him.

This event led to the forgiveness of sins, as Christ was wounded for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. We were GREAT sinners, but something major has happened in our lives to turn us from sinners to saints, let’s read my favorite verse in the Bible.

1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.


William Cowper was reading Zechariah 13 once late in his life and had been writing songs and poetry for a while. As he read this passage, he wrote his most famous hymn, which is still sung today, called, “There is a Fountain Filled With Blood”, it reads like this:

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.

E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.

Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save,
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.

Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared, unworthy though I be,
For me a blood bought free reward, a golden harp for me!

Now, verse 2-3, we finally jump into the end times, either Heaven as I believe with my amillennialism, or that millennium as either of the other two believe, namely post-millenial.

vv.2-3 And on that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, so that they shall be remembered no more. And also I will remove from the land the prophets and the spirit of uncleanness. And if anyone again prophesies, his father and mother who bore him will say to him, 'You shall not live, for you speak lies in the name of the LORD.' And his father and mother who bore him shall pierce him through when he prophesies. "

Based on the complete ability of Christ’s blood to cut off sin, there will no longer be any sin or idols. There are two types of sin, there is a sin of commission, when you rebel and break the law of God, which would be by being a false prophet. And the other kind is when you ignore someone sinning, like supporting a false prophet. Here we see both cut off, that neither will there be any one who falsely prophesies, nor will anyone, even the most personal of relationships, ignore sin when it is committed. It is beautiful that in Heaven we won’t tolerate sin, nor commit sin.

In this passage I want to show you sin is abhorrent, it is a murderer of souls, it is evil and never good. We can see why murder is evil and abhorrent, but sometimes we miss why the smaller sins are abhorrent. At this point we always get into the point of discretion, what if I lie to someone to spare their feelings? Like the GEICO commercial with Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln where she asks if her dress makes her look fat. A lie in this point would be discretionary, saving her feelings, but even a discretionary lie is sin, and in Heaven we won’t tolerate even a single one.

Think about it this way, if I tell a tiny lie, it wrecks my trustworthiness. The Bible tells us both that Christ never lied, and also that it is impossible for him to lie. This is why he is trustworthy. This is why it will be so glorious in Heaven when all sin is impossible and all of us hate sin with a complete hatred. I believe this was one of the reasons that Adam and Eve had such an easy time sinning, because they didn’t have any idea how much damage their sin would cause over the next six-thousand years; us on the other hand know how much suffering and death sin causes and will hate it completely, and won't tolerate it for a moment.

So if I were to ask, does this uniform make me look fat? What is the right answer? No, Canyon, your fat makes you look fat…It’s harsh, but we have to remember that if we can’t be trustworthy in a minor thing, how then can we possibly be trustworthy in major things? I want your honest opinion if I ask for it. Thoughts on this point? I want to make sure we get this, because one of the greatest passages in the whole Bible is in James 5,

James 5:19-20 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

I REALLY want to make sure you get this point, so what is this passage saying? That if we confront someone in their sin, we have the opportunity to lead them to the truth and save their soul from eternal damnation. Check out two of my favorite passages,

Psalm 119:104 Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.

Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.

If we really love someone, we’re going to seek to turn them from going the wrong way, even if it requires us emotionally hurting them. That leads to an absolutely amazing passage of scripture.

vv.4-6 "On that day every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies. He will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive, but he will say, 'I am no prophet, I am a worker of the soil, for a man sold me in my youth.' And if one asks him, 'What are these wounds on your back?' he will say, 'The wounds I received in the house of my friends.'

The picture we see here is a man working on a farm, who used to be a false prophet, but not anymore, he’s ashamed of what he used to do. The person speaking to him sees that he’s been whipped, and they ask, “How did this happen?” And he readily affirms that the wounds came from his friends.

Here’s what happened, this false prophet was on a sure road to Hell, the deepest pits of Hell were reserved for him. We really don’t have time to read 2 Peter 2, but it’s so important that we need to read it,

2 Peter 2:17 These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved.

This was our false prophet here described, headed for Hell at full sprint. His friends loved him enough to turn him from his destination, they needed to confront them, they needed to wound him with their words and even, when words failed, with physical confrontation. Our false prophet was ashamed and no longer was a false prophet, in his repentance his soul was saved. Charles Spurgeon sums this point up this way,

“If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for.”

If we don’t care enough to wound them, then the Bible very specifically says we hate them; consider a father who won’t discipline his children and turn them towards the right. Because he lets them continue on a road to destruction, they will perish, and it shows his complete lack of love for them.

Proverbs 13:24 Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.

So beloved, let this be your greatest application today, that there is no greater hatred in this world than to affirm someone in their sin and pretend that there is no need to repent. There is a great wrath from God which rests on unbelievers and on those who presume to speak for God but don’t speak truth, but lies. One of the greatest lies is that there is no animosity between God and men and that people may be forgiven apart from Christ. For if there is forgiveness in any other way, then Christ suffered and died in vain.

Let there be many in Heaven that say, “I was wounded greatly by my friend Matthew, or John, or Shelby, or Grant, and this led to my repentance from my false idols; leading to my faith and salvation in Christ.”

Think about how neat it would be if we ran into Joel Osteen in a few years working in a gas station in Houston, and we asked, “Hey, didn’t you used to be that pastor?” He answers, “I was, but I have repented of my false gospel because David Baalbergen confronted me and showed me the error of my ways, I can no longer in good conscience deceive people though it led to my financial ruin. I have lost all of my material possessions, but my soul is secure in Christ.”

Now then, let’s try to finish Zechariah 13.

v.7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me," declares the LORD of hosts.

Here is where our sins go, because justice is due. Because of our great sin, God’s wrath was kindled, but in his great love he provided a substitute, the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his friends. We’ll see in just a moment that this is clearly Christ.

Psalm 7:12 If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword.

God has sharpened (whetted) his sword in preparation for dealing with sin, and in Christ’s love for us, he stepped away from his throne in Heaven seated next to his Father, and he stood between us and his Father and absorbed the full blow, pierced in his soul by the wrath of God, suffering more on the cross than any sinner ever will in Hell.

Christ’s crucifixion will have massive implications for both his followers and the Nation Israel,

v.7 "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered;

This is quoted explicitly by Christ in Mark 14,

Mark 14:27 And Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away, for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'

Christ’s crucifixion was the point when Zechariah 11 began to take place, the rejection of the Nation Israel. Now we jump forward in time a little bit to the siege of Jerusalem in AD70 when over a million Jews lost their lives and the Temple was destroyed.

vv.7-8 I will turn my hand against the little ones, in the whole land, declares the LORD, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive.

This was a massive loss of life, but the guaranteed consequence God had given to Israel over and over again for their unfaithfulness. This includes men, women, and children, and reminds us that God is totally vindicated in punishing sin. His right to punish sin magnifies his grace when he saves some of his enemies, which is verse 9, my favorite in this passage.

v.9 And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'They are my people'; and they will say, 'The LORD is my God.'"

This could be said to be the entire millennial reign, as God is taking people who should have perished and is sanctifying them, changing them into images of Christ, causing them to love righteousness and hate wickedness.

What sort of things can be used to sanctify the believer, which is here represented by fire? Trials and tribulations, persecution, loss of health and wealth, anger from friends, rejection by family. Basically what God wants us to be is pure from sin, just like pure gold has no impurities in it because they have been burned off in the fire, so is God desiring us to be pure as Christ is pure. (1 Thessalonians 4:3)

The amazing thing is that this is one of the ways that we know Christ loves us,

Revelation 3:19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

This all comes together beautifully, doesn’t it? That in the beginning part of this passage we see that true love is confronting sin, turning our friends away from paths to destruction, pointing out their idolatry, desiring their sanctification, and in the latter part of the passage we see that God’s love is expressed beautifully towards his believers in purifying them from sin so that they reject idols and call totally on him.

I hope your application is clear, that you must know what sin is, confront people in it, whether they be strangers, friends, or family, point them towards the truth, and in doing so you may save their soul from death. We can’t stand idly by watching sinners jump headlong into Hell, we must stand in their way, even if it means wounds for ourselves, for Christ stood between us and certain death when he became our substitute. Greater love has no man than this, that he would lay down his life for his friends; the Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.

In all of this, we want our love to be true, so let’s conclude with Romans 12:9,

Romans 12:9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.

October 31st - Reformation Day, An Eyewitness Account

Prayer Requests
Todd Love injuries
Pastor Aaron Preaching
Fall Festival
Marietta Square

- Al

- Group of Girls

- Spiderman

Praise for Mark's finger being better

Disciple Now

Text – Romans 1:17

Good morning, isn’t it a beautiful Wednesday October 31st, Anno Domini 1517? My name, for today, is Reverend Scherer, Augustinian Monk in Wittenburg, electorate of Saxony, Confederation of the Rhine, which is in Deutchland. Something is going to happen today, I fear, for Brother Martin has been complaining of the validity of some of the practices within the Papacy. I share some of his concerns, but he has written 95 charges against the Church and the Pope, surely this will bring great dissension and maybe even cost Brother Martin his life! I mean, a few may start a dialogue, but 95 will start a war!

Let me give you some background. The year is 1517, Anno Domini, which means 1,517 years after the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, as estimated by a Scythian Monk named Dennis the Short in AD 525. Throughout this time the Lord has had a church on earth, a representative of his kingdom, an ambassador to the heathen.

This church has had such great saints in it as Peter, Paul, John, Polycarp bishop of Smyrna who remained true to Christ in such great persecution, Augustine of Hippo who wrote that great systematic theology, Nicholas bishop of Myra who stood up to that antichrist Arius who denied Christ as God, Patrick who converted Ireland, Boniface who converted our beloved Germany, Francis who preached directly out of God’s Word in the open air and called men to repent and trust in Jesus Christ, Savonarola who fought corruption within the Church, and Christopher Columbus who has just recently taken the gospel to previously undiscovered heathen lands; time would fail me to tell of all of the great men and women who stood and even died for the one true faith delivered once for all.

But alas, there is great corruption within the Church, just last year John Tetzel came to Wittenberg to sell men tickets to sin, called indulgences! Only a hundred years ago there were two Popes operating in Christendom…at the same time! It is said that there is a prostitute in Rome for every ten men, and some of them even dress as nuns! It is a sad day in the Church, surely something must be done.

I have here a Bible authorized by the Papacy, translated by that godly man Jerome of Stridonium. Beloved, I would that you could read this book, but it is in Latin, and you speak German, and most of you cannot even read that language. I could read it to you, but I am untrained in how to interpret it for you, and the true meaning seems to be veiled to my eyes; from Rome comes the message of which I will preach to you on Sunday, and even then I will deliver this message to you in Latin, a language I hold a masters degree in from Erfurt, but still find difficult to understand.

This Book is God’s Word to us, and the German language is too harsh for us to dare translate it into, lest we blaspheme our Creator. Two men whom the Church leaders hate, Jon Hus and John Wycliffe, did presume to translate this Book into the vernacular, the common language, of the people. Wycliffe into the English language, and though sentenced to death by burning escaped only by natural death, a stroke most likely. Hus into the Bohemian language, and he was burned at the stake for it. Aha, Wycliffe did not escape the fire though, for they burned his bones along with Hus’. Oh how the Church hates these men!!! But…I am not so sure they were in the wrong, for I have been reading this Book in a new light ever since I have been talking to Professor Luther.

Brother Martin asked me to read Romans 1:17, which was strange because my Bible does not have numbers in it, which won’t be added until 1558, but he asked me to read this verse. Fraulein Hannah, would you read this for us?

Romans 1:17 Iustitia enim Dei in eo revelatur ex fide in fidem sicut scriptum est iustus autem ex fide vivit.

Isn’t that beautiful! How have we missed that until now? It means things that we have not been taught by the Church, it says that our greatest fears are relieved by our amazing God, it sets my heart at ease! It attacks those who say we can buy our way into Heaven, it rejects our Prince’s relics which we look upon to hope for Heaven, and it rejects that wolf Tetzel who comes and steals from our widows and orphans by selling them a license to sin. Oh how I hate that extortioner Tetzel, who uses religious ignorance and our sinners’ heart to deprive us of us sustenance and sends the money to Rome to build that worthless Basilica of St. Peter.

Oh beloved, this verse in Romans is so beautiful; Brother Martin says when he read it a light broke forth over him! He felt that he was instantly born again, and that he entered into the kingdom of paradise through open gates! Oh the beauty of this verse, don’t you agree? What? You don’t understand it! Oh, forgive me, I forgot that you do not speak Latin.

Oh beloved, in order to translate this for you I put my own ordination at risk, I break Roman law not to preach the Word of God in the vernacular of the people! Oh, but is it wise to obey men or God? I must speak that what I have seen and heard of this Christ!

Romans 1:17 Sintemal darin offenbart wird die Gerechtigkeit, die vor Gott gilt, welche kommt aus Glauben in Glauben; wie denn geschrieben steht: "Der Gerechte wird seines Glaubens leben."

Now you must see it! Surely you see it?! No? Oh, we’re not German, we’re only pretending, let us try one more time!

Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."

The righteous shall live by faith! We are not saved by indulgences, or prayers, or offices, or relics, or Sabbaths, or priests, or baptisms, or Church membership, or communion, we are saved by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, received through faith, for, righteousness is revealed from faith for faith! Beloved, you have no idea how this puts my soul at rest, I had tried so hard to keep the laws of God, but in my body I feel that I am slave to sin, that I have no ability to choose good nor God, and that my sin had utterly separated me from Heaven! But thanks be to Jesus Christ who paid for my sins, who bore my condemnation, who indeed paid it all, and now beloved, all to him I owe.

And now Brother Martin is going to start a theological war with the Papacy, he has detailed how Rome has failed to adhere to the Bible, he has placed the Bible as his sole authority. I would like to take some credit for this, for Brother Martin was once an amazing priest of the Roman Church, a better priest could not be found. He took his ordinances seriously, he spent hours in confession boring the confessional priests with peccadillo, or petty sins, and he became exceedingly angry on that day when he heard me joke in my duties. For you see, when we Roman priests take the bread for communion and lift it in thanks, we are required to say, “Hoc Est Corpus Meum” and declare the bread to be the very body of Jesus Christ, but beloved, in my boredom and God feeling so distant, once I said, “Panis es, et panis manebis,” which is certainly the truth, that “Bread thou is, and bread thou shalt remain.” Dear Brother Martin overhead and became irate, but ever since then he has diligently studied the scriptures and has genuinely become a new man! I wish that I could take credit for his conversion, but I know that all honor and power belong to the Holy Spirit of God.

At this very moment Brother Martin is on his way to nail his list of grievances to the door of the Cathedral where all public announcements are made. Ninety-five grievances, no more, no less, all vehemently attacking the corruption of the Church. Are these Theses perfect? No, by no means, I see a great many errors even in my early reading of the Holy Scriptures, but I have no doubt that Brother Luther will grow much in the following years, that is, if he survives this war he is about to declare. I have no doubt that he will grow greatly in his understanding of the Word, especially as he has confided that he would like to translate the Bible into the German language. But as for these Theses, some are quite good and accurate, I have here a few of his theses which I would like to read,

#1 When our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, said "Repent", He called for the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.

#21 Therefore those preachers of indulgences are in error, who say that by the pope's indulgences a man is freed from every penalty, and saved.

#27 There is no divine authority for preaching that as soon as the coin in the coffer clings, a soul from purgatory springs.

#32 All those who believe themselves certain of their own salvation by means of letters of indulgence, will be eternally damned, together with their teachers.

#52 It is vain to rely on salvation by letters of indulgence, even if the commissary, or indeed the pope himself, were to pledge his own soul for their validity.

#62 The true treasure of the church is the Holy gospel of the glory and the grace of God.

#82 To wit: -- "Why does not the pope empty purgatory, for the sake of holy love and of the dire need of the souls that are there, if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to build a Church? The former reasons would be most just; the latter is most trivial."

These are the statements which Brother Martin has taken to the church. I tried to stop him, asking him if his life and the unity of the Church were worth him making his statement. He replied to me that he sought peace if possible, but truth at all costs.

Today, I see that Martin Luther is birthing a veritable Reformation of the Church! I see that unless God does a mighty work in the hearts of the Papists, we must split and become two churches, one following the truth, and the other a lie. Oh that this division would not have to happen, for many of my friends are loyal to the Papist cause, and it is my fervent hope and prayer to God that they may be saved. But see that there are great distinctions which will grow out of Martin Luther’s call for truth, something which some day may be called the Solas of the Reformation.

Sola Fide – Faith Alone, we see this preached oh so clearly in Romans 1:17, that we are saved not by works plus faith, but by faith alone. We trust in Christ, and it is counted to us as righteousness.

Solo Christo – Christ Alone, that our salvation was accomplished totally by our great God and Saviour on the cross and in his resurrection, not that he opened a way or made it possible for us to be saved, but that he has forever secured for us salvation, if we trust in him. Would someone please read for us Hebrews 10:14, in English, please,

Hebrews 10:14 by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Sola Gracia – Grace Alone, of course we see now that it is not Christ plus our good deeds, but Christ alone that has saved us. Beloved, I have thought on this long and hard, and it seems that we must view grace in light of justice. For justice is when we get what we deserve, and having transgressed the laws of Heaven, what we deserve is the punishment of God. If God were to merely commute our sentence and give us mercy, we would be freed from punishment, but we would still miss Heaven. Here is grace, that what we did not deserve, entrance into the very kingdom of Heaven, God has given us as a free gift, purchased at so great a cost on Calvary’s cross.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sola Scriptura – Scripture Alone, no-one can or should speak for God apart from his Word, it is how he speaks, it is what he intends for us to know about him. The Archbishop of the Roman Church, known as the Pope, has claimed to be able to speak for God, but we have seen him fail time and time again, and it has become clear to those of us reading our Bibles that the Word is how God speaks to us, not through prayers, not through funny feelings, not through hunches, not through dreams, not (dare I say it) through Popes; but by the very Word of God.

Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Soli Deo Gloria – Brother Martin has put it so well, The true treasure of the church is the Holy gospel of the glory and the grace of God. The purpose of our salvation is not primarily for our benefit, it is to exalt our Sovereign Lord, demonstrating the extent of his justice by punishing sin so violently on the cross, and magnifying his grace by giving us the righteousness of his Son freely; truly this is a gospel worthy of all acceptation.

1 John 2:12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.

Sola Sacerdos – One of the reasons I became an Augustinian Friar is because of the things which the Papists believe the priest, the Sacerdote, is able to do. For example, you saw earlier that it is believed that I have the power to turn bread into the very body of Christ. The priest in the confessional is able to forgive sins, it is believed, and a priest can turn your money into a pardon for sin in paper form.

The Church, and I myself, have become guilty of Sacerdotalism, of worshipping the priesthood instead of God! It is tragic, beloved, and if what Brother Martin has deduced from the Bible is true, it is just a matter of time before this separation of priests and laity fails and we become a church of Sola Sacerdos, of one priesthood, where there is no distinction in God’s eyes between male and female, slave and free, Jew and Greek, and priest and parishioner.

In a Sacerdotal religion, only priests can approach God to receive grace, but in a religion of priests, everyone can enter into the holiest of places, for Christ has made us a congregation of priests, and now we all can enter into his holiest of places.

Hebrews 10:19-22 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

This has huge implications for me beloved, for I stand before you in this priests’ frock, a manner for separating me from you and identifying myself as having more grace and favor than you. But if this Christ esteems us all the same and gives to us all of the same privileges, then this outfit means nothing.

These things, beloved, that I have said to you are radical to the Church at Rome, truly I could be defrocked just for saying them, that is ejected from their priesthood, but to reject the tradition of men and be welcomed into the priesthood of Christ is gain, for though it took so long and so much effort to earn this frock, I count it as rubbish compared to the gain I have in Christ, being found in him with a righteousness not my own, but one received through faith, knowing the power of his resurrection. This may mean that I must suffer many things for his name’s sake, but I know that I will be made like him in his death, with a full assurance of partaking in his resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:8-9)

Beloved, I perceive that in the future as this Reformation of the church continues, the wearing of vestments, of robes, will become a matter of greater and greater contention. Men ordained to the gospel ministry, having read their Bible, will refuse to put on a robe, and some of them will even die for it. Others will attempt to redefine the purpose of this robe, stating that it is to take the emphasis off of the pastor and put the emphasis on the Word. Those that redefine this robe will begin to refer to it as a Geneva Gown, named in honor of the Geneva Reformation which will be sparked in only a few years. Two-hundred years in the future George Whitefield will preach in a robe very similar to this one for 18,000 sermons, calling two entire nations, England and America, to repentance in the Living Christ.

But as for me, beloved, I will be reminded that this Reformation is born in Sola Fide, and it is growing in Sola Scriptura, and these two are vitally important, as are the rest, but if this Reformation survives until Christ returns, it will be sustained in Sola Sacerdos, with every believer knowing that they are a priest of the most high God, Christ our overseer of the church, and these priests will take their duties seriously, knowing the scriptures, and carrying the gospel of grace to all peoples. For beloved, there is great darkness in the world today, even in the Church, but this Reformation will preach under a banner of “Post Tenebras Lux”, that out of the darkness comes the light. This world is set to explode in light, for the Word of God has been revealed. Within fifty years, a man burned in Britain will say to his companion, “Play the man, Ridley, for we this day shall light such a candle in England as I trust shall never be put out.”

In just a few years a new believer, William Tyndale, will translate the Bible into English, and he will say of the Roman priesthood, “A boy behind a plow will know more scripture than you.” He will lose his life, burnt at the stake, for his belief in the priesthood of believers, but his prediction will come true. Brother Martin, starting this war, will spend years in seclusion hidden in a castle as he translates the Old and New Testaments into German, and God will mercifully spare his life and bless his efforts. The printing press, invented less than 100 years ago, will ensure that these Bibles are disseminated, and that gospel tracts containing the glorious gospel of Christ will flood throughout the continent and the British isles.

I represent any number of reformed believers, my name is lost to history, but my labor in the Lord was not in vain. I will remove this robe and preach no longer in Latin, but in the vernacular of the people, for faith comes by hearing, and hearing the Word of Christ. I will not submit to a man acting vicariously in the place of Christ, but my affections and loyalties will only be to the King of kings. Many whom I represent will be hunted and killed by the Papal Church, but this gospel of Christ will not fail before it accomplishes its purpose, that someone from every nation and tongue will praise the name of Christ for his grace and sacrificial death on the cross.

Beloved, as you hear this message, I implore you first and foremost to be reconciled to God through faith in Christ and Christ alone. Then know your Bible, for it has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its content. Men have bled and died so that you can own this Book and read it in English. They have given their lives in the gospel ministry, knowing that any gain apart from Christ is utter rubbish, and that each of us has only one life, and it will soon be past, and only what is done for Christ will last.

May 2nd - Testimony Evangelism

Prayer Requests
Dave Sloan Preaching

Dave and Brooke New Ministry

Ben and Holly New Ministry

James' motivation to find how to contact his friend Aaron

James' band concert

Jonathan Feeling Better

Amy's safe travels

Daniel's finals

Bethany's family's health

Canyon's Chaplain Interview

Mark's soccer coach's mission trip

Text – Acts 26

Matthew 10:18 You will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.

Since we have so many students out today we’re going to take a week off from First Peter to look at something I’ve wanted to teach for a while; That is the importance of a good Christian testimony and how to give one.

Sometimes a testimony is your best weapon against a person who is not interested in evidence or research or hearing the Bible, but will listen to you. Basically a testimony is a real-life story of your spiritual transformation. Before we start, I want to give a caveat, that testimonies are becoming a popular debating technique of the Mormon church, and so a testimony is not foolproof but it is an awesome way to bear witness to the work that God has done in you. The major difference between a Mormon testimony and a Christian testimony is that a Christian testimony should be a radical change and not just a feeling, which the Mormon testimony is.

One of the most simple testimonies is in the Bible, a man blind from birth who Jesus healed, the man had no idea who the Messiah was and didn’t have a theological basis for what happened to him, so this is how he gave testimony,

John 9:25 One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.

Such is the radical difference in the Christians’ life when they go from lost to found. The song, Amazing Grace, is very simple and is also a good example of a testimony, “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.” These are some simple examples, but probably the most comprehensive example is in Acts 26 and there is a huge amount to learn from it. (Handout - http://trustobey.blogspot.com/2008/04/testimony-evangelism.html)

Acts 26 takes place in about AD 61, Paul has been a Christian for about twenty years at this point, but he’s still going to go back to that very first encounter with the grace of God which saved him. The context to Acts 26 is that he has been arrested for inciting a riot, they were ready to let him go but a plot was put together by the Jews to kill him, so to protect him the government kept him in prison. This caused some confusion and a king, two governors, and several law enforcement officials tried to figure out what to do with him, and so we come today to Acts 26 with Paul in front of King Agrippa, King of Judea, in order for Agrippa to understand why Paul is being held and what to do with him.

Acts 26:1 So Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:

Agrippa tells Paul to tell why he is in prison and what should be done with him, basically to be his own lawyer. The word for defense is apologia, where we get apologetics, which is to defend the faith. Paul seizes the opportunity to preach; he is ready in season and out of season to proclaim Christ. This is your first lesson, to take every opportunity to speak to others about your Saviour.

Acts 26:2-8 I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews, especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg you to listen to me patiently. "My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among my own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party of our religion I have lived as a Pharisee. And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused by Jews, O king! Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?

Paul introduces himself to the king, he is very respectful and finds common ground with Agrippa, who is the reigning king of Judea and so obviously knows the customs of the Jews. As far as we know Agrippa was not a Jew, although his family had a long line of ruling over the Jews.

After his introduction, Paul explains who he was before he became a Christian, he was a Pharisee raised in that school of thought, in other places Paul gives his testimony as his growth in the faith, he was not lacking in anything. If your testimony includes something like, “I felt lost without God,” then by all means include it, but look at Paul, he had no such “God-shaped hole” in his heart. He was fulfilled and exceeding greatly in his promotion; I believe that he would have exceeded Gamaliel, his teacher, as the greatest Rabbi every to live, you may even say that he eventually did (after Jesus), albeit in the true faith of Israel. Instead of elevating himself, Paul opts in the next passage to outline what he needed saving from.

Before we get there, the second step is to introduce yourself and outline your motives. Paul here points his hearers at Heaven, saying that he has hope in the God of Israel, the God who raises the dead. I often introduce myself as a Christian or pastor and that I want to see the person I’m talking to in Heaven someday. People greatly appreciate it when I am straight-forward instead of trying to sneak into a religious conversation.

Acts 26:9-12 I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities. In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.

Paul’s sins included murder, reviling, and standing against Jesus Christ. This is the third step in giving your testimony, to share the sins which you are saved from. Notice that Paul is specific enough that his hearers know what he did, but he doesn’t boast in them or get too specific. He could have mentioned James or Stephen by name as saints he murdered, but he is just showing that he is a sinner. Remember two verses,

Romans 3:19-20 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Romans 7:7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet."

We want our hearers to know that not only are we sinners, but the same law applies to them and that they too are sinners. Paul is very familiar with Agrippa’s ancestors and their persecution of Christ and Christians, and so he tailors his list of sins to apply closer to the king. Two of his grandfathers had tried to kill Jesus Christ. For a practical example of tailoring the message; if I were going to give my testimony to scientists I would mention my one-time adherence to the religion of evolution, or if I was going to talk to people in the Air Force I’d talk about my self-centeredness, alcoholism, and womanizing. But, making sure it applies to your audience is not hugely important, the Holy Spirit will convict of sin, righteousness, and judgment based on whichever parts of God’s law you share.

So now we’ve shared our sins, the next step is how we were convicted of our sins, how we became aware that we were against God. Up until this point in Paul’s testimony, he thought he was serving God, doing him a favor by persecuting a seemingly new religion, but Paul was shown his error in a major way.

Acts 26:13-15 In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.' And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.’

Paul to this point was stubborn and disobedient to the law, yet he thought that by keeping it as well as he could, he was in good favor with God. But, on the Damascus road the light of conviction shown on him, he fell to the ground, and a voice from Heaven asked him why he was kicking against the goads. This is language of driving cattle or livestock, you goad them by poking them in the side with a sharp stick. An animal that doesn’t want to go will kick at the one driving him. The law was that goad, driving everyone towards Christ, and it was magnified by the testimonies of the Christians which Saul was persecuting.

Galatians 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

And who was Paul persecuting? Christians, but Jesus asked, “Why are you persecuting me?” It became more than apparent to Paul that he was not a friend of God, but an enemy, his sins weren’t just against people, but against Heaven.

So before we see what he did about it, this is the fourth step, to explain how you became aware that you were in need of a Saviour. The most common way you learn about this is that someone confronts you of your sin, for Paul it was Jesus, for me it was a street preacher, for you it might be a pastor; then the Word of God speaks to you, a Bible verse or passage, for me it was 1 Timothy 3:16, God manifest in the flesh, and quite often it can be a paraphrase of a Bible verse; then is the conviction of your conscience, letting you know that you are wrong and God is right. This point came to Paul when he realized that Jesus Christ is the God of the Hebrews; the very God that Paul meant to serve he was persecuting.

The next step is left out in Acts 26 because Paul must have known that Agrippa already knew that Jesus was purported to have been crucified for sins and raised by his Father; knowing why there is forgiveness of sins available is a vital part of a testimony and one that Paul shares in Acts 22, so lets read that:

Acts 22:10-15 And I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.' And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus. "And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me, and standing by me said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. And he said, 'The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard.

Sometimes the person who confronts of sin is not the same one who reveals grace. Jesus and the Holy Spirit convicted Paul of his sins, but Ananias was the one who had the privilege of seeing Paul saved. This is an aside to the testimony lesson, but often you may just plant a seed and someone else gets to see the person saved, or it might be the opposite way; however it happens Christ receives the glory and so we rejoice. I witnessed to a young man who later got saved and joined Northstar. Anytime we do anything with Northstar and I see him I think, “He’s mine! I confronted him with his sin and introduced him to Christ, he should have joined Summit!” But it’s ultimately far more important that he was saved than which church he goes to.

This step is to explain how you came to the knowledge that Jesus is the Saviour and that you repented and trusted in him.

Acts 22:16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.

Acts 26:16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you,

This step is when you reveal that you’ve received grace. Paul is brief in his testimony on this point, but that doesn’t lessen it’s impact. Paul goes from being an enemy of Christ to being his minister, he is wholly justified and forgiven. It is truly amazing grace that can turn a man’s affections from himself and his idols to Heaven and the Living Christ. Recount when you repented and believed and how huge an event it was.

But your testimony doesn’t stop here, now you go to your fruit, how God has used you since your conversion.

Acts 26:17-20 ‘delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles— to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.' "Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.

Paul is very humble and brief here, but in talking about his preaching, he reveals that Christ had used him powerfully up to that point. When you share this you can include, “I used to hate going to church, but now I love it,” Or, “I’ve been on missions trips and have shared the gospel,” Or, “Now I volunteer at VBS and love discipling people,” or whatever is true for you in how God has radically changed your life. Paul went from killing people who preached the Christian message to preaching the Christian message with people wanting to kill him!

Acts 26:21-23 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. To this day I have had the help that comes from God, and so I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles."

Press through with your message, know that people will stand against you, and when they do, include it in your testimony. If your message is not offensive to the world, then it probably isn’t the same message Jesus and Paul preached. This may not be people trying to kill you, but it may be friends you’ve lost or people that don’t like you because you’re a Christian.

Acts 26:24-26 And as he was saying these things in his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind." But Paul said, "I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.

Festus, governor, stands up and tries to get Paul to stop preaching; I’m sure Festus didn’t want Paul to offend the king and/or to get himself killed, but Paul presses through. When people try to get you to stop talking about Jesus and the mighty work he has done in your life, press through and make sure they hear this message of forgiveness of sins, because it’s the most important message in the world.

And finally, your testimony is just a beautiful story if it doesn’t impact your unbelieving audience. Paul at the end of his testimony turns it towards the king,

Acts 26:27-29 “King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe." And Agrippa said to Paul, "In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?" And Paul said, "Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am—except for these chains."

Paul calls the king to repentance and trust in Jesus Christ, but Agrippa brushes him off. But in doing this Paul has fulfilled his duty to his audience to preach Christ. Paul preaches in order that everyone may be reconciled to God, to receive the awesome gift of salvation, to have gone from lost to found, to go from enemy to friend, to go from blind to seeing, and he calls everyone to it. This is the point of your testimony to unbelievers, to call them to repentance. If you share your testimony to believers then it is for edification, for building up by declaring the awesome works of God, and it is great, but in that setting you wouldn’t need to include a call to repentance.

Finally, two things that aren’t in Paul’s testimony are Heaven and Hell. He is pointing his testimony at Jesus Christ, not at a final destination. Paul believed fully in a Heaven and Hell, yet he doesn’t mention either because what he is trying to do is get people reconciled to God, not just to save them from Hell or get them to Heaven. Be fully aware that Eternal Life begins at the moment of regeneration and that a life reconciled to God through Christ is your goal.

In conclusion, your steps to sharing your testimony are:

1. Take every opportunity to share
2. Introduce yourself and find common ground if possible with your audience
3. Share your sins through the law
4. Explain how you were convicted of your sins
5. Describe how you heard that Jesus died for your sins and lived again
6. Express the grace you received the hour you first believed
7. Summarize the fruit that your life has borne since conversion
8. Recount the persecution you’ve faced for Christ’s sake
9. Defend your Saviour and the work he’s done in your life
10. Call your audience to repentance and reconciliation

Finally, your testimony may not be as dramatic as Paul’s, but there is an important quip to remember, that if you don’t have a conversion story, then you probably don’t have a conversion. You should be able to point to a day or a season in which your sins became very real to you, you went from loving the world to loving Christ, and your life started to bear fruit.

My testimony is posted on the website, please be sure to watch it; I hold pretty closely to this template, but of course this reference guide is just a suggestion and is not set in stone, as evidenced by other places Paul shares his testimony and emphasizes some points and excludes others, but this is a great place to witness for your Saviour, and one which will break through strongholds when others are blocked.

Canyon's Testimony (1 Part, 10 minutes)

David Berkowitz's Testimony (3 Parts, 22 minutes)

April 25th - Shepherd the Flock

Prayer Requests

Pastor Aaron Preaching

Dave Sloan Preaching Next Sunday
Students going to Disney
Taste of Marietta
Tyler Preaching Next Friday

VBS

Hannah's Soccer Injury (toe)

Text – 1 Peter 5:1-5

We’re coming near to the end of Peter’s First Epistle. Peter has been exhorting us in many ways: to be holy, to entrust ourselves to a faithful Creator, to do good, to not do evil, to use our gifts to serve the church, to proclaim the excellencies of Christ, and probably most importantly to show Christ is holy in our hearts by the lives we live and the hope we have in him. So, he doesn’t give us a summation of the letter, only keeps giving exhortation, and I think you’ll see when we finish this letter in two weeks that it packages up nicely.

Our Awtrey students will be at Disney next week, so we will skip a week in Peter because I think it will be very important for everyone to be here for the conclusion. Next week we will look at Paul’s testimony in Acts 26, there is a ton to learn from it and it is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. Awtrey students, after next Sunday take a look at the website because I will post the lesson and two testimonies to watch.

So the passage we’re going to look at today jumps off of the idea that there is persecution towards Christians by the world. Many who heard Peter’s Epistle would go through fiery trials and suffer for doing good. This is certainly not a thought that is confined only to Peter’s Epistles:

John 15:18-19 If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

2 Timothy 3:12-13 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Matthew 24:9-11 Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.

So with these things happening, there is a major need for godly leadership and examples within the church, and here is what Peter is going to say now. This passage starts with “Therefore” or “So”, which ties it back to the persecution, so if you have an NIV Bible I ask you to write “Therefore” at the beginning of verse 1.

1 Peter 5:1-5 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

v.1 So I exhort the elders among you

This is to the elders, the Presbyters, which is sort of the supervisory pastors, this isn’t just the people that Summit calls Elders, but can be read as all pastors. Sort of a rabbit trail: Peter calls himself a Presbyter here, which is lower than a bishop, and this is just one more evidence that Peter gives that he was never a pope, let alone the first pope. This is very near to the end of Peter’s life, as evidenced by the end of chapter 5 and Second Timothy, so there was no time for him to become pope after writing this.

Here it is not evident that Peter is only talking to men unless we compare to Paul’s writings, but Paul is very clear that men should be the presbyters over the flock (1 Timothy 3 if you want to read it), but he also opens the office for women to be presbyters over women;

Titus 2:3-5 Women elders likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

Most of your translations probably say “older” but I believe that is a mistranslation, this is “older” in faith, not necessarily in age, albeit a lot of wisdom comes with age. But this is important because the word for “younger women” and in the next verse, “younger men”, is Neos which means newly regenerate, you can be neos at 90 years old, and you can be a Presbyter at 16, like Charles Spurgeon who took his first pastorate at 16.

This is important because beloved, you are growing up to be some of the most spiritually mature people in the world. In a world where most churches are producing little girls of their youth you will excel above your peers in your biblical knowledge. For this reason it is vital that you prepare to be in this position, whether you go into full time ministry or just volunteer, you can be a Presbyter at 16: men to the church and ladies to ladies.

So pay extra close attention to what Peter is about to say:

v.1 as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed:

I like that Peter gives his credentials here in giving this exhortation, it is him saying that these things I’m about to say will effect me as well, so you can’t say I’m being too strict or unfair or that I don’t know what I’m saying. He is actually very close to quoting Jesus Christ verbatim.

Here Peter returns to a command he received over thirty years prior, in John 21, which we’re not going to read for times sake and because it is spread out over several verses, Jesus told Peter that if Peter loved him, then he ought to feed his lambs and sheep, and tend to the flock. Here’s how Peter paraphrases it:

v.2 shepherd (pastor) the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight (bishop)

Since I mentioned presbyter earlier I have to also point out that pastor and bishop are in this verse. This is one reason we have Episcopalian, Presbyterian, and Congregational churches because the Bible is not totally clear on the preferred church structure; Summit is between Presbyterian and Congregational in church government, but here in this verse Peter is almost pushing the importance of government away in order to show that the individual sheep and flocks are more important than church structure. A well run Congregation house-church or a well run Episcopal megachurch are glorifying to God if the lambs and sheep are rightly taken care of.

The way they are taken care of is in this verse, two major things, feeding (shepherding) and caring for (oversight). Sheep are interesting animals, not particularly dumb I’m told, but with some interesting mannerisms. One of the most interesting is that they have no sense of direction. If a sheep gets lost a quarter mile from home it can’t find it’s way home, someone must go find it. If a sheep with a full wool-coat falls over it can’t get back up and must be helped back to its feet. A sheep will eat where you put it, and if it eats all of the grass it will continue to eat into the dirt to get to the roots. A sheep will not drink from running water, but needs still water, but then will drink anything that is puddled, even if it isn’t water. The sheep is the most defenseless animal in the world, it has no ability to kick, bite, or run, it is at the mercy of predators. They need constant attention to make sure they are well fed, watered, taken care of, protected, and accounted for.

This is how the Bible speaks of all people; it sounds quite insulting but it is spiritually true of our souls. Having gone astray from God we have no idea how to find our way home, having fallen into sin we are helpless, consuming whatever we can find, drinking in iniquity like it was water, devoured by enemies, and desperately in need of oversight from someone who knows what they are doing.

So the pastor must have a good grasp of the scripture and be able to teach it and be willing to look after his people. Notice that in chapter 4 it was a sin to be involved in others business, to be a gossip, but here the pastor is to be overseeing his flock, it’s nearly the same word. I want to make sure you understand the distinction; the gossip spoken of in chapter 4 is things which have nothing to do with you, unimportant things to you about others, but the oversight of the pastor are the important things that do concern him and the spiritual health of his flock. For example, it is good for a shepherd to watch out for predators:

1 Samuel 17:34-35 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him.”

On the other hand, sometimes problems are internal and the pastor can’t see it, in which case it is vital that you bring it to our attention so that we can address it. For example I read one story of a real sheep that died because one day it wouldn’t walk anymore, the shepherd went and looked and found that the sheep had cut its leg and it had gotten infected and the infection killed the sheep. If the sheep had limped or shown some sign of injury then the shepherd could have probably saved the sheep. We’re on the look-out for limping, but it’s easier if you tell us. If you have questions about the Bible or doubts or whatever, I promise there is an answer, but I can’t answer it if you don’t ask it.

The idea of a shepherd is listed all through the Bible, and when it speaks of the church it is a command that the shepherd loves the flock so much that he would even die for them,

John 10:11-14 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me…

Peter seemingly remembers this idea of not being a hireling in the rest of the verse;

v.2 not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you;

Peter is saying that this isn’t something to be done just to do it, but because it is a high calling, a worthy calling, a job with eternal rewards. God doesn’t want pastors who do it because they think it should be done or because they have to, but willing participants who love their job and love the flock.

v.2 not for shameful gain, but eagerly;

Various places in the Bible say that the pastor should be paid, but here Peter is saying that this is not the motivation of the pastor. I love my position because I do everything I do at Summit voluntarily and beloved let me tell you that the benefits far outweigh the time. We’ll see why in a few verses.

v.3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

This is beautiful language, because you drive cattle, behind them forcing them to go where they go, but sheep cannot be driven, sheep have to be led, but when led they will follow their shepherd anywhere. The Amish church believes that only the pastor has the authority to evangelize, but this passage is clear that the pastor sets the example. In my evangelism I hope you are motivated and desirous to proclaim the excellencies of your Saviour.

Likewise, have you noticed that I say, “This is my favorite verse.” A lot? Why do you think I say that? Is it just to be silly? No, it’s because every verse is inspired by God for a purpose, and I love every word in this Bible because none of it is superfluous, none of it is there on accident, all of it is there for doctrine, reproof, and training in righteousness. I want you to be excited about it so that you may be competent and equipped for every good work.

I hope you see my example of how seriously I take God, the Bible, and souls, and that you will follow me as I follow Christ. This is why various scriptures say that the person who will be punished the most in Hell is the one who has led souls astray; this extends from bad pastors to false religious leaders to teachers who don’t teach with God in view, and so if you become a teacher/leader in any capacity I pray that you will do everything you do with Christ as your final goal. And that leads to my favorite verse:

v.4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

When Jesus Christ returns to call of his sheep to himself then the shepherds will be rewarded for their good work, not good work leading to Heaven, but good work of stewardship. This is the fruit of repentance, and Paul identifies this crown as dealing directly with converts and the church. I’m fairly certain this will be both a physical crown and symbolic of something worth more than gold, which is the souls of the flock. If you could choose between the most beautiful and valuable crown in the world or a good friend for eternity which would you choose? In Heaven you get both, but the point I’m making, and I believe Paul makes is that the eternal soul is our true reward; let’s read my all time favorite verse:

1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy.

The word for “chief Shepherd” is neat, it is archipoimenos, it’s the ultimate shepherd, the greatest shepherd, the head of shepherds. Think of every good thing a shepherd does, from finding good pastures and still water, to overseeing what every sheep needs, to protecting them from all danger, and Jesus Christ performs all of these to perfection in his coming, which means the day this age ends and eternity begins.

v.5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders.

And now for your direct application for today before you become presbyters, is that those who are neos, those who are new or younger, be subject to the mature and the older. The implication is that the elders must do everything in verse 1-4, and in their obedience and care, the younger will be raised up. In this it is vital that you make sure your elders are teaching from the Bible, for example if I tell you to shave your head, or worse to do something against God, you ought to ask the reason and the Bible verse, because your chief shepherd is not me, it’s not Dave, it’s not Pastor Aaron, it is Jesus Christ, the archipoimenos whose command and authority far overrides ours.

Your obedience and subjection will greatly facilitate your growth. And in this, you ought to pray for your pastors that they are blessed with the gift of teaching, discernment, and love so that in their blessing they pour out on you their lives and holiness so that you may grow into this high calling for pointing others at Heaven, feeding the lambs and tending the sheep, and willingly and eagerly loving the church who ought to be your joy and crown of boasting at the coming of our Lord Jesus.

Prayer – Psalm 23:

Lord Jesus, I pray that you would be the chief shepherd of these precious lambs,
That they should not want.
Make them lay down in green pastures.
Lead them beside still waters.
Constantly restore their souls.
Lead them in well-worn paths of righteousness for your name’s sake.

Even as they walk through the valley of the shadow of death, let them fear no evil, knowing that you are with them;
May your rod and your staff comfort them.
Prepare a table before them in the presence of their enemies;
anoint their heads with oil;
may their cups overflow with every good thing.

May goodness and mercy follow them all the days of their life,
and may they dwell your house forever.

I pray all of these things because you are the Chief Shepherd of our souls, who sought us and bought us, and who will lead us home, amen.