1 John 4:1-21 The Spirit of Truth

Quote: "We are imbued with the Spirit...to combat false theologies (and) false teachings...The Spirit of Truth agrees with truth" - Mike Dick

Those who are saved by the Spirit of God are able to discern and test different spirits by the power of God.

• Only by God's power are we able to test the spirits because only the Spirit of truth can reveal truth. Only the Spirit of truth can know the real truth and obey it.
• Verbal affirmation of the truth does not equal salvation. But all who are saved will claim Christ as being the Son of God as well as their own personal Savior. The only proof is endurance since the spirit of the antichrist will not endure. Only the Spirit of God abides forever.
• Any denial of the person of Christ is the spirit of the antichrist.
• Christians cannot fully deny the truth, nor hide from it. Resistance is possible, but The Good Shepherd always retrieves the sheep. (John 10:11)
• Christians are not to be afraid to speak truth at any given time. Strengthen your self in the Lord.

The Spirit of Truth has real love for the things God loves...

Questions for meditation

What do you love?
What are your priorities?
How do we show real love?
What are your passions?

F.R.A.N. tastic Month!!!

November 10-Bowling with SCBC in the evening

November 24-Potluck/Chilli Cook-off in the afternoon/evening

More details to come!!! 

 

 

Matthew 5:21-26

Anger & Reconciliation

1. Recap v. 17-20 ->Christ fulfills the Law and establishes ALL law in Himself

• We cannot even begin to practice righteousness in the kingdom of God until we know Jesus!

2. The greater focus & judgment to those who are part of the kingdom of God

• Attitudes and actions of the heart! 
• Attitude/desire for PEACE or TURMOIL

Anger & Murder

1. Murderers are liable to judgment
2. Anger (without cause) is liable to judgment -> heart motive like murder

• anger w/o cause IS sin [Prov. 29:11, Ecc. 7:9]
• anger w/ cause IS acceptable BUT USE CAUTION [Eph. 4:26-27]
• anger w/ cause WILL/MUST produce action [Neh. 5:1-13, Jesus in temple]
• prayer
• confrontation
• anger w/o cause WILL produce other damaging sins...
• vengeance
• bitterness

The effects of anger w/o cause are clearly seen here:

1. Anger w/o cause is the heart motive similar to murder

• there is NO place for this anger in the kingdom of God

     2. Anger w/o cause WILL produce a spirit and desire for personal vengeance AND a root of bitterness

• this CAN happen w/ justified anger...it WILL happen w/ unjustified anger
• Heb. 12:15 -> seeks to strip us of the peace of God AND cause trouble

     3. Anger unchecked/uncontrolled

• Produces an INSULTING spirit (in danger of coming before the council)
• if continually left unchecked WILL produce a spirit that goes beyond regular insults and seeks to DEFAME CHARACTER (in danger of hell fire)

The solution= RECONCILIATION!

• the offense is against a brother -> RECONCILIATION MUST OCCUR OR RELEASE

1. Unresolved sin issues ARE sin and produce sin

• hatred/lack of fellowship with a brother IS sin [1 John 2:9-11]

      2. Lack of fellowship and sin in my physical interactions DO affect my relationship w/ God!

• thus the connection between ANGEr and offering SACRIFICE
• the scenario: one brother comes to worship God knowing that there is a brother who IS/HAS BEEN/FEELS OFFENDED
• leave the sacrifice and go
• first be reconciled w/ your brother THEN offer sacrifices/worship to God

RECONCILIATION -> 2 parts for 2 people (repentance and forgiveness)
1. Can ONLY occur where an offense has ACTUALLY occurred

• if there is no genuine offense then control over the "offended" person's emotions MUST be exercised AND repentance before GOD should occur

2. In the case of REAL offense

• the offender MUST seek forgiveness by the offended
• people of the kingdom of God MUST be merciful -> a generous spirit of willingness to forgive
• what does it mean to forgive?
• of the N.T. words for forgiveness they incorporate the following ideas to release as from a debt, to let go free, to show favor and kindness to, and to be gracious to
• one pastor defines it as a "commitment to pardon graciously the repentant from moral liability and to be reconciled to that person, although not all consequences are necessarily eliminated"

Aspects of forgiveness
1. A commitment -> being people of our word... committing our thoughts and actions to the task
2. To pardon graciously -> to NOT bring the matter up in a MALICIOUS WAY nor to hold against the individual

• does not mean forget

      3. The repentant: focused on later [Lk. 17:4]

• forgiveness can only be extended to the repentant (God and man)
• man releases man from liability NOT CONSEQUENCE
• when no repentance is present man releases offender to God for God's judgment and vengeance! [Rom. 12:19]
• this will keep the root of bitterness from growing

      4. MORAL LIABILITY: responsibility to repay

• the one who forgives does NOT seek to exact blood from a piece of fruit
• the forgiver is committing to be at peace EVEN IF the offender CANNOT restore everything

      5. Be reconciled: the characteristics of forgiveness

• being reconciled is where the rubber meets the road for forgiveness
• this is where we see IF we have forgiven
• this is where we primarily see the characteristics of forgiveness

Characteristics of forgiveness:

1. resisting revenge [Rom. 12:19]
2. not returning evil for evil [1 Thes. 5:15]
3. wishing the offender well [Lk. 6:28]
4. grieving at the offenders calamities [Prov. 24:17]
5. praying for their welfare [Matt 5:44]
6. being at PEACE with them [Rom. 12:18]
7. coming to their aid in distress [Exo. 23:14]

     Consequences are NOT necessarily eliminated: some actions will, some won't
Those who are UNFORGIVING or have no generous spirit to forgive RISK not knowing God in reality and facing condemnation [Matt. 18:21-35]
 6. The offender MUST seek Genuine Repentance

• if forgiveness is limited by repentance then the WRONG DOER MUST seek it
• an unwillingness to desire repentance RISKS the offender...
• being under stricter church discipline
• being an unbeliever
• repentance IS the confessing and turning from sin and turing to God, seeking reconciliation to God
• therefore, repentance b/n brothers would confessing and turning from sin and turning to a brother, seeking reconciliation from the brother
• repentance characterized [2 Cor. 7:10-11, 6-7]

Characteristics of repentance:

• grief is an UNRELIABLE characteristic and should be moved away from as an defining example

1. earnestness= urgent response
2. eagerness to clear yourself= open confession
3. indignation= true contrition/brokenness
4. fear= afraid of returning to sin -> accountability
5. longing= desire for reconciliation [2 Cor. 7:6-7]
6. zeal= no rationalization/justification (passion for truth)
7. punishment= a willingness to accept consequences

Proving something with the Bible

Often times people make random statements.  “The bible doesn’t say homosexuality is wrong!” or “If you believe in a work’s based salvation you’re going to hell!”  We see statements like this often on facebook.  They make me laugh sometimes  - people can say anything on the internet – but they also sadden the biblical teacher in me: there are a lot of people in this world who really don’t know how to think biblically.

That made me realize that it is important to explain how you prove that the bible actually says something.  Did you know that many of the truths in the bible are uncontested and very clear?  Many people say things like “it’s up to your interpretation” but this is just a cop-out: we need to look at scripture and learn how to actually prove what it’s saying.

Thus I’ll give a little example: I’ll prove that Jesus is God.

Proving that Jesus is God: Part 1

This is an important truth to consider.  People often argue that Jesus isn’t God.  I was debating people the other day who claimed that the bible never claims that Jesus is God – people made that up on their own.

So first I went to this passage: John Chapter One.

When you’re making a scriptural argument you first need to consider the context of the verse listed.  I’ve seen many people try to prove a truth based on something that one of Job’s friends said to him – this is not a good tactic to take because if you understand the book of Job properly you realize that in the end God rebukes many of the things Job’s friends say.  It doesn’t make much sense to use sources that the bible attacks itself.

The great thing about John Chapter One is that it is a complete narrative – in other words whatever is said is absolutely true because it is truth written by an apostle inspired by the Holy Spirit.  John says this:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4  In him was life,[a] and the life was the light of men. 5  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

This verse is pretty simple, but since we’re making an argument we now have to explain what the verse says in context and how this relates to the argument we’re making.

The context of John’s first verses are simple: he is introducing his Gospel by explaining that to properly understand his book you need to understand who the main character is.  He says in the beginning was the Word.  This Word is symbolic.  It was with God and the Word was God.

Later on we read this:

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

In other words the Word is Jesus Christ.  So we can make a simple argument: Jesus is the Word; the Word is God – therefore Jesus is God..  Pretty simple, right?

Proving that Jesus is God: Part 2

One scripture is normally enough to answer simple questions, but the more scriptures you can point to the stronger your argument is.  That’s why we’re moving to part two, and taking a little peek at the first chapter of Hebrews.

Hebrews is a very interesting book because it shows the superiority of Christ.  The first chapter starts with this:
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
In other words Jesus his the way that God speaks to us now.  When we truly understand that Jesus is how God communicates with us now we start to understand why John called Jesus the “Word” in John 1.  In this verse we also learn that Jesus is the Creator.  That alone could prove our argument – the bible says that God created the world, so if Jesus created the world doesn’t that say that he’s God?But our argument gets stronger as we read on:
3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
5 For to which of the angels did God ever say, 
“You are my Son,    
today I have begotten you”?

Or again, 
“I will be to him a father,    
and he shall be to me a son”?
In other words Jesus’ relationship to God the father is superior to the angels.  But we must go on to prove our point again:
6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, 
“Let all God's angels worship him.”

The only one that can be worshipped is God.  If God commands the angels to worship Jesus doesn’t that declare that Jesus is God?  But let’s keep going.
7 Of the angels he says, 
“He makes his angels winds,    
and his ministers a flame of fire.”

8 But of the Son he says, 
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
But this verse ends all discussion.  The writer simply says that Jesus is God.  He explicitly states that this verse refers to Jesus.  The verse says “Your throne, O God…”  We need look no further.  The fact that we went through this section verse by verse helps explain that we’re not taking this verse out of context and we’re not twisting something to say what we want to make it say.  We simply let scripture speak for itself.
Conclusion:
Whenever we want to make an argument with scripture the most powerful argument is letting scripture speak for itself.  So I have a question for you: what other verses prove that Jesus is God?  Can you explain the context of the passage and how it makes the argument?
    the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
    with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”

Waves of Success

How relentless ministry leads to success 

In the Gospel of Luke we witness an interesting lesson in ministry – attacking in waves.

We cannot forget that we are in a spiritual war, so being successful in ministry often takes a winning strategy – we can’t just “do stuff” and hope to be victorious.  When we read the Gospel of Luke closely we learn that Jesus isn’t just “doing stuff” either – he has a plan.

He starts his ministry with effective teaching.  In Luke Chapter Six we see Jesus delivering the Sermon on the Mount where he challenges the philosophies of the world and calls on men and women to think with the mind of God.  Elsewhere in scripture we learn that Jesus didn’t get up in front of people and deliver some high sounding lecture – he delivered a dynamic, attention grabbing sermon that was filled with power, authority, wit and wisdom.

Not long after the Sermon on the Mount we read this:

Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him… [Luke 8:1]

Jesus ministered with the twelve at his side.  He went into the world and taught his disciples how to fight, not by lecturing them but by leading them into the enemy.  As a result they saw his ministry and his power.  They saw what it looked like to see lives changed and they saw that nothing can match the power of God.  They learned what they were placing their faith in.

In Chapter Nine we see this:

And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, 2  and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. 3  And he said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.[a] 4 And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” 6  And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. [Luke 9:1-6]

Jesus sent the twelve out into the world.  He first showed them how to minister, he showed them the power of God and then he blessed them with power and taught them how to use it.  With Jesus’ blessing they went out into the world and created such a stir that even Herod heard about their works.

Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening… [Luke 9:7a]

These men were effective.  They came back to Christ and Jesus celebrated their work.  They were able to demonstrate the power of God and teach those who knew nothing about Jesus Christ.  Yet Jesus still wasn’t done working.

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2  And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4  Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 11  ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. [Luke 10:1-12]

Jesus sent out the seventy-two.  He first prepared them for the ministry with a realistic portrayal of the dangers of ministry.  Men are evil.  There is this mistaken mentality in Christian circles to have some positive view of mankind, but the bible consistently portrays unregenerate men as liars, untrustworthy, hateful, selfish and wicked.  Men are not neutral creatures so it isn’t consistent for Christians to believe the bible and place faith in mankind.  We ought to learn to see men as they are.

But at the same time as Jesus introduces the correct way to view the world – with a realistic acknowledgement of who they are and who they serve – Jesus also explains the proper way to view ministry: God will sustain what he wants to prosper.  The disciples were to have faith not in men, who are evil, but in God who would prepare their way.

That’s why they didn’t take supplies – God would supply them.  That was why they didn’t take money for hotel stays – God would house them.  They had to have the faith (which can also be seen as mental toughness) to trust God to see to their ministry needs.

They also had a specific purpose: they were being sent to prepare the way for Jesus Christ.  They didn’t need to do everything, they just had to lay the groundwork for Jesus to win the battle.

When you examine how Jesus fought for success you’ll see that Jesus sent wave after wave of ministry into the enemy lines.  He started with teaching, then he went out into the world with his disciples.  Next he sent his disciples, then the seventy-two and finally follows up with a final charge led by himself.  And we can pattern our own ministry the exact same way.

We have gifted teachers and they need to be sent.  We have our faithful core and they need to follow after and we need to go out and get our seventy-two, people who are not yet in our ministry, train them, teach them and prepare them to do the work of the ministry.  Then we need to charge into the world.

The House of Prayer

The House of Prayer – Isaiah 56:1-8

This is just a short lesson on prayer.  Prayer is having a conversation with God.  We speak and make our requests to Him and He replies to us.  Sometimes He initiates the conversation, speaking into our lives through the word, others and our circumstances and other times we initiate the prayer.
The first two verses of this passage describes the heart of one who can pray.

Thus says the Lord:
The Lord is speaking to us this day.  He first demands that we “keep justice”.  What does it mean to “keep justice”?  Justice is the proper response to any action.  It is just to strengthen and commend the righteous.  It is just to condemn the wicked.  To keep justice is to find the standard that God commands and hold to it.
“And do righteousness” – this forces us to ask what are we doing for the work of the Lord?  The one who does righteousness, who can establish a spiritual resume has a right to go to the Lord in prayer.  The one who calls for God’s strength and power with no intention of using it to do God’s work is like the person who asks his employer for payment for the work he does as recreation.  Ultimately our power is granted to do God’s will.
But Isaiah also answers the question “how long?”  The one who keeps justice and does righteousness must do so until God’s salvation comes.  In other words we will do the work of God until he returns.  And if we hold it fast – meaning if we endure – we will be blessed.  Blessings belong to the one who endures.

3 Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say,
At times we presume that God won’t bless us.  The two individuals listed would be seen as unfortunate by the world.  But they shouldn’t consider themselves cursed just because the world considers them cursed.
The Eunuch is a person with no functional sexual organs.  People would look at a Eunuch and see someone who will never enjoy sexual pleasure.  But God tells the Eunuch to stop focusing on his physical limitations and focus on his spiritual blessings.

4 For thus says the Lord:
Look at how God defines the righteous:

• Those who keep his Sabbaths.
• Those that choose the things that please Him.
• Those who hold fast His covenant.

When the Eunuch is righteous he will be blessed in such a way that he will never miss what the world offers.  And what he will be given cannot be damaged, removed or ridiculed like his sexual organs were.
The foreigner is a person without a family.  His fear was that he would be isolated because he couldn’t see how anyone in Israel would accept him.  In many ways his fears echo the sentiment of many when they first look at the church and fear that no one can identify with him.

6 “And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,
The foreigner nothing to fear.  If he is defined by this:

• Joining himself to the Lord.
• Ministering to the Lord.
• Loving the Lord.
• Holding fast God’s Covenant.

He will be made to feel a part of God’s family.  He will be made joyful and he will be accepted.  God’s hand is extended not only to him but also to many others.
When we see what a “house of prayer” is in these verses we see that the church is meant to be a place where all those who are righteous feel welcome and a part of the family of God.  It is meant to be a joyful place; a house of encouragement.
What are you doing to make this house of prayer joyful or encouraging?  What can you do and pray for to make this happen?  Can you look past your circumstances and focus on the promises of God?
    to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord,
    and to be his servants,
everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,
    and holds fast my covenant—
7  these I will bring to my holy mountain,
    and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
    will be accepted on my altar;
for my house shall be called a house of prayer
    for all peoples.”
8 The Lord God,
     who gathers the outcasts of Israel
, declares,
“I will gather yet others to him
    besides those already gathered.”
“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
    who choose the things that please me
    and hold fast my covenant,
5  I will give in my house and within my walls
    a monument and a name
    better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
    that shall not be cut off.
    “The Lord will surely separate me from his people”;
and let not the eunuch say,
    “Behold, I am a dry tree.”
“Keep justice, and do righteousness,
for soon my salvation will come,
    and my righteousness be revealed.
2 Blessed is the man who does this,
    and the son of man who holds it fast,
who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it,
    and keeps his hand from doing any evil.”

Abraham – Ministry the Hard Way

Abraham demonstrates how to stay faithful to God’s ministry even when the going gets tough.  Abraham didn’t always see a lot of fruit in his ministry, but he remained faithful to God, so faithful in fact that he was known as the friend of God.

Abraham shows us how ministry gets started.  How we can go from humble beginnings to prosperity if we are faithful.

The Call and the Promise:

Abraham’s ministry started with the call of God.

Now the Lord said[a] to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. 2  And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3  I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” [Genesis 12:1-3]

The LORD specifically called Abram.  His first order was that Abraham had to leave everything he had known and journey to a place he had never been before.  This call set the tone for Abraham’s ministry and his faithfulness.

We cannot serve God while we hold on to the things of the flesh.  Abraham was called to purposefully leave his family and friends so that God could work with him.  And Abraham did so – he took all his belongings and did as God asked.  He believed God.

The second thing we should notice is the promise: God promised Abraham success.  God promised Abraham that He would make Abraham a great nation.  When God promises us something we ought to take Him seriously.

The Focus: Immediate Gratification or Spiritual Watchfulness?

Take a look at this passage:

8 Then Abram said to Lot, “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. 9  Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.”

10 And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) 11 So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. 12 Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. 13 Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the Lord.

14 The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, 15 for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. 16  I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. 17 Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.”

18 So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord. [Genesis 13:8-18]

Lot was focused on the immediate gratification of Sodom.  The bible notes that the men of Sodom were known to be wicked.  In other words they didn’t just start raping random men who came to the city – this was their common practice.

Lot chose Sodom – he wasn’t tricked into it.  He wanted the good land, the water, the immediate growth; but Abraham was spiritually watchful.  He noted how wicked Sodom was.  He wasn’t naïve.  When Lot took the best land Abraham turns to God for Wisdom.

In our times of Spiritual Watchfulness others may seem to sprint ahead of us.  It is very important in these times to find our wisdom and comfort in the Lord.  Abraham talks with God and then he worships.  He knows that Lot has the better land – for now – but he focuses on God’s ways and his Wisdom, not man’s.

Handing over the Ministry:

At some point we will all have to hand our ministries over to another.  Abraham eventually got old.  He had been successful and he had been faithful, but he didn’t stop working.  He began to focus on who would come after him.

Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things. 2 And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh, 3 that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell, 4  but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” [Genesis 24:1-4]

Abraham focused on the spiritual.  He didn’t want his descendants tied with the Canaanites.  The Canaanites represent the wicked, the worldly; the things of the flesh.  Abraham made sure that his descendants had nothing to do with them.

Conclusion:

There are many other things we can learn from Abraham.  Our limited time together would run out before we could mention the ability to make tough decisions (sending Hagar away), training faithful men to work beneath you (passage above), be willing to fight (rescuing Lot), recognizing those who have something to teach us (meeting Melchizedek), learning from mistakes (lying about Sarah), and how God protects from our mistakes (same incident as before), be willing to give all for God (sacrifice of Isaac) but we can learn the basics of the ministry simply by following the few points raised above.

Ultimately Abraham was successful in his ministry because he was faithful through hard times and good times.  When he was promised children he was faithful.  When he had waited over twenty years for that child he remained faithful. He believed God and he proved that he believed God throughout his life.

Do you prove that you believe God?  How do you work in the ministry?  Are you faithful enough to be counted on?  Do you thrive under pressure or wilt under it?