All The Counsel of God

Did You Know …

That William Penn wrote a single religious tract that freed a total of 12,000 Quakers imprisoned for Christ’s sake?

That John Wesley organized 160 tract distributors in 1757 which literally reformed the Lord’s Day habits of the entire city of London?

That Martin Luther wrote more than one tract, booklet or book for every working week of his life?

That Dwight L. Moody began his very fruitful evangelistic ministry in Chicago by the simple act of distributing tracts to Great Lakes seamen?

That Benjamin Franklin wrote and printed tracts of several early American evangelists, including those of George Whitefield?

That John Wanamaker, while Postmaster General of the United States, carefully selected gospel tracts for distribution to those with whom he came in contact?

That almost every foreign mission field in the world was opened by missionaries who first used tracts to win the heathen to Christ?

That every phase of the great Protestant Reformation in Europe was preceded by immense tract effort that almost “turned the world upside down”? (Acts 17:6).

By A. L. Seifert

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” John 11:25

Introduction:

The doctrine of the resurrection is the foundation stone of Christianity. Many admit the necessity of the death of Christ who deny the importance of the bodily resurrection of Christ. But that Christ’s physical resurrection is vitally important is evident from the fundamental connection of this doctrine with Christianity. In (1 Cor. 15:12-19) Paul shows that everything stands or falls with Christ’s bodily resurrection: Apostolic preaching is vain (vs. 14), the Corinthians’ faith is vain (vs. 14), the apostles are false witnesses (vs. 15), the Corinthians are yet in their sins (vs. 17), those fallen asleep in Christ have perished (vs. 18), and Christians are of all men most miserable (vs. 19), if Christ has not risen. All through the Book of Acts and in Paul’s preaching the emphasis is upon the resurrection of Christ (e.g., Acts 2:24,32; 3:15,26; 4:10; 10:40; 13:30-37; 17:31; Rom. 4:24,25; 6:4,9; 7:4; 8:11; 10:9; 1 Cor. 6:14; 2 Cor. 4:14; Gal. 1:1; Eph. 1:20; Col. 2:12; I Thess. 1:10; 2 Tim. 2:8; I Pet. 1:21). Indeed, Paul makes Christ’s resurrection an essential part of the Gospel (I Cor. 15:4; 2 Tim. 2:8).

Christianity is the only religion in the world that is built on the concept of the resurrection of its founder.

There are several things that are of great value to us as the result of Christ’s resurrection:

I. CHRIST’S RESURRECTION IS A SUBSTANTIAL PROOF OF HIS DEITY (Rom. 1:4)

Of all the miracles that Jesus performed during His life, none evidenced His deity more than the raising of the dead. Jairus’ daughter (Mk. 5:22-43), the young man of Nain (Lk. 7:11-17), and Lazarus (Jn. 11) were all solemn testimony to the divine power of Christ. Yet, there were others who also came back from the dead at the hand of others – the son of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:17-24), Tabitha (Acts 9:36-43), and Eutychus (Acts 20:7-12). However, none of the other miracle workers and the ability to defeat death and the grave.

* Christ assigned to Himself the exalted, divine title of “The Resurrection, and the Life”. It is God who raiseth the dead and therefore Christ announced Himself to be God!

Perhaps this acknowledgment is why some would prefer to keep Christ in the grave.

II. THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST GIVES AN EVER-LIVING HIGH PRIEST – (Heb. 7:25; Rom. 8:34; 1 Jn. 2:1)

Let us look now at the contrast between the priest of the – Levitical dispensation and this Priest according to the order of Melchisedec. They were many; He is only one. Their priesthood was successional – the son followed the father. Christ has a priesthood which cannot be transferred, seeing that His life is indissoluble.

They were sinful, but He is holy, pure, and spotless. They offered sacrifices in the earthly tabernacle; He presents Himself with His blood in the true sanctuary, which is high above all heavens, which is eternal. He appeared in the very presence before the face of God. In Jesus Christ the eternal Priest, after the order of Melchisedec, all is fulfilled, which in the preparatory dispensation could only be shadowed forth imperfectly and by a variety of ordinances.

Christ, in virtue of His priesthood, can save completely (in a perfect, exhaustive, all comprehensive manner) all who through Him come to God, because He ever liveth to intercede for them.

Salvation is begun by the atoning death of Jesus Christ; it is continued by the resurrection and intercession of Christ.

We have not only a Saviour who died, and so made atonement for sin, but also a Saviour who arose and entered by His own blood into the Holy of Holies – God’s very presence – where He ever lives and pleads our case in every new failure. (Compare Lk. 22:31, 32 with Jn. 11:42). Herein lies our abiding security and our assurance of the ultimate, perfect completeness of Christ’s work for us and in us.

III. THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST IS THE PLEDGE AND GUARANTEE OF OUR OWN RESURRECTION – (I Thess. 4:14; 2 Cor. 4:14)

(Rom. 8:11) – “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you”.

Lord Lyttleton and Gilbert West perceived that the resurrection of Christ and the conversion of Paul were the two strongest supports to the Christian faith. Since they were unbelievers in early life, they determined to show that both these teachings were unfounded. So they set to work by the study of the Scriptures and history to disprove these miracles. But since they were honest men, they did not carry out their designs. Their consideration of the evidence convinced them that both doctrines were true, and so they wrote their books to prove the very thing that they had set out to deny. Lord Lyttleton wrote on the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, and Gilbert West on the resurrection of Christ. The title of these books are as follows:

Observations of Saul’s Conversion. by Lord Lyttleton, and Observations on the History and Evidences of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, by Gilbert West. Infidels in all ages have realized the fact, that with the resurrection of Christ, all miracles become possible. Therefore the importance of this truth for the establishment of the supernatural character of the religion of the Scriptures.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

• Text:      Isaiah 9:6
• Introduction:
  • There are several things that the title “Prince of Peace” reminds us of:
• I.THE FUTILITY OF MAN’S EFFORTS (Eze. 13:10-16)
  • The untempered morter is a picture of the philosophies of man without God, the wall will collapse.
  • According to the Canadian Army Journal, a former president of the Norwegian Academy of Sciences, aided by historians from England, Egypt, German, and India came up with some fantastic figures and findings:
    • Since 3600 B.C. the world has known only 292 years of peace.
      • During this period there have been 14,531 wars, large and small, in which 3,640,000,000 people have been killed.
      • The value of the destruction would pay for a golden belt around the world 97.2 miles in width and about 33 feet thick.
    • Since 650 B.C. there have been 16,656 arms races, only 16 of which have not ended in war.
      • The remainders have ended in the economic collapse of the countries concerned.
    • From 1500 B.C. to present more than 10,000 peace treaties of peace, meant to remain in force forever, were concluded.
      • The average time they remained in force was two years.
    • War is the result of:
      • A.      The lust of men – (Jam. 4:12)
      • B.      Punishment for sin – (Judg. 5:8) –
      • Peace comes as a result of righteousness (Ps. 37:4,11,37; Pro. 16:7)
• II. THE DESPERATE NEED OF THE LORD’S INTERVENTION
  • “Russia now has satellites in space carrying multiple nuclear warheads that are capable of obliterating the population of the whole earth.
  • The U.S. has atomic submarines in every ocean carrying atomic warheads that are capable of obliterating Russia and China.
    • One submarine can loose in 16 minutes more explosive force than all the bombs and ammunition exploded by all the nations in the six years of World War II.”
  • If God does not intervene it is only a matter of time before man will destroy himself.
    • There are several things that Jesus said that must precede the Lords intervention:
    • A. Many False Christs – (Matt. 24:5)
      • There have been over 100 religious leaders in different parts of the world in the last 50 years who have claimed to be Christ and the Saviour of the world.
    • B. Increase in wars – (Matt. 24:6)
    • What Emil Ludwig call “annihilating statistics,” he presents in the following ghastly summary of World War I:
      • “Ten million men killed.
      • A parade of these dead men, marching ten abreast from sunrise to sunset, with a new rank passing every two seconds, would take forty-six days to pass by a given spot!
      • To this number should be added 13,000,000 missing.
      • There were also 10,000,000 refugees and 6,000,000 children who had lost their fathers.
      • The daily loss of human life amounted to 16,585.
      • The cost of the war came to a total of $338,000,000,000 -in other words, $20,000 for every hour since the birth of Christ.
      • The war itself cost $9,000,000 an hour to wage.
      • In those four years, Europe lost all savings it had accumulated during a century! “
    • By far the most costly war in terms of human life was World War II (1939-45), in which the total number of fatalities, including battle deaths and civilians of all countries, is estimated to have been 54,800,000, assuming 25,000,000 U.S.S.R. fatalities and 7,800,000 Chinese civilians killed.
      • The country which suffered most was Poland with 6,028,000 or 22.2 percent of her population of 27,007,000 killed.
    • C. Famines, pestilence, earthquakes – (Matt. 24:7).
      • In the 9th century, there was one major earthquake;
      • In the 11th century, two;
      • In the 13th century, three;
      • In the 16th, two;
      • 17th, two;
      • 18th, five (including the Lisbon);
      • In the 19th century, nine major earthquakes.
      • In the 20th century, there have been over 40 (including the Peking quake).
    • From the World Almanac comes another set of facts: there were only 6 earthquakes of strength between 1800 to 1896.
      • But in each decade from 1897 until 1947, there were either 2 or 3, and in the decade from 1947 to 1956, there were 7.
      • From 1957 to 1966 there were 17.
    • Time magazine’s front cover for its Sept. 1, 1975 issue was a split earth with this inscription: “FORECAST: EARTHQUAKE.”
      • Since that date to the end of 1976, there have been 24 significant earthquakes – in China, Guatemala, Italy, Indonesia, Soviet Central Asia, and many other places.
    • The year 1976 experiences at least 50 significant quakes (intensity 6.5) and 18 major quakes (over 7.0).
      • An estimated 695,000 deaths – the highest in modem history.
• III.          THE DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST
  • After viewing the desperate condition of the world today we are reminded that only a Holy, all powerful God could rectify the situation.
    • Many look forward to the promise of Isaiah 2:4, “And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”
  • That day will never come until there is one final authority on earth – The Lord Jesus Christ.
    • Consider:
      • A.      Peace comes from God – (Ps. 29:11; 1 Cor. 14:33)
      • B.      Jesus Christ is the only one who can enforce a lasting peace – (Rev. 19:15)
      • C.      The only real peace available in this age is a spiritual one – (Eph. 2:14; Phil. 4:7; Col. 3:15)

^“Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;” (1 Timothy 6:15)

• Text:      1 Timothy 6:15
• Introduction:
  • A Potentate is defined as “one who wields controlling power, a person who possesses great power or sway; a prince; a sovereign; an emperor, king or monarch”.
  • From the context of the verse it is obvious that the name deals with the subject of government.
  • The suggestions of the verse are many fold –
    • One is that God will finally provide the perfect government that will be headed up by His Son.
    • To gain a real sense of appreciation for that need, one ought to be familiar with the present forms and failures of human government.
• I.   THE FORMS AND FAILURES OF HUMAN GOVERNMENT
  • A.      Monarchy or Dictatorship
    • This can be defined as “rule by one”.
    • In its purest form, this does not exist today.
    • The closest thing to it was Nebuchadnezzar in ancient Babylon.
    • He had the power to destroy many because they could not respond to a ridiculous request (Dan. 2:1-13).
    • This form of government is never totally successful because the monarch is just as depraved as the subjects he rules.
    • Even the best kings in the Bible violated God’s laws for selfish reasons (Deut. 17: 14-20)
  • B.      Oligarchy
    • Rule by the few.
    • This is defined as “a government in which a small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes.”
    • One of the best examples of this is the Persian empire (Dan. 6:1-9).
    • The selfish purposes are will illustrated in this text.
  • C.      Democracy
    • Rule by the majority.
    • This form, in reality, never existed, and if it did there would be serious violations of “human rights.”
    • A classic example of its failure is (Num. 14).
    • Real democracy is really mobocracy.
  • D.      Republic
    • Rule by law.
      • “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.”
    • With the exception of the perfect monarchy, this is the best form of government.
      • Of course where the laws came from, makes a great deal of difference.
    • The first paragraph of the Declaration of Independence says:
      • “When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. –
      • We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Right , that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. –
      • That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men,..
    • Our forefathers recognized that “certain unalienable Rights.” were given by God and that it was the responsibility of Government to protect those rights.
    • Samuel Adams spoke of these rights in November of 1772 and said, “These may be best understood by reading and carefully studying the institutes of the great Law Giver and Head of the Christian Church, which are to be found clearly written and promulgated in the New Testament.”
      • The rights that are called for in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution have Biblical foundation.
    • 1.  Liberty – (Ps. 119:44,45)
      • Remember God freed Israel from Egypt.
      • They lost their liberty when they forsook God’s law (Judg. 6:1-6).
    • 2.  Happiness – (Deut. 33:29)
      • Loss of happiness because of sin – (Lam. 1:12).
    • 3.  Life – (Ex. 20:13; Num. 35:31)
      • Protected by law.
    • 4.  Bear Arms – (Deut. 1:41)
      • Every man had weapons.
      • This right was lost to bear arms under Jabin, king of Canaan (Judg. 5:8) because the laws of God were violated.
    • 5.  Ownership of private property.
      • The following paragraph appears in the Encyclopedia Britannica to illustrate this point.
      • “These conceptions were implicit in the incident of Naboth’s vineyard related in the Old Testament. Naboth owned a vineyard that adjoined the property of Ahab, king of Israel in the 9th century B.C.
      • Ahab wanted the vineyard but Naboth refused to sell it, for it was the inheritance of his fathers.
      • Jezebel, the queen, contrived through perjured testimony to have Naboth executed for treason.
      • As Ahab took possession of the vineyard, he was met by Elijah the prophet, who pronounced doom on him and Jezebel and his house.
      • (1 Kings 21) God, through the prophet, condemned a ruler who presumed to take property or life under an unjust law or judgment without due process.”
    • The best Republic in history was Israel under the leadership of Moses and Joshua.
      • God had given them a perfect law that protected human fights.
      • They, along with others (Ex. 18:13-26) administered the law and judged when necessary.
• II. THE NEED OF A NEW GOVERNMENT
  • History has proven that even a Republic disintegrates over a period of time because new laws are continually introduced that are not God given.
  • The only perfect solution is an absolute monarchy with a perfect law giver.
    • Please consider:
      • A.      All power is Jesus – (Matt. 28:18)
      • B.      Jesus comes back in power – (Mk. 13:26)
      • C.      Jesus spoke with power – (Lk. 4:32)
      • D.      Jesus is the power of God – (1 Cor. 1:24)
      • E.      Jesus is far above all power – (Eph. 1:19-21)
      • F.      Christ is the head of all power – (Col. 2:10)
      • G.      Christ has everlasting power – (1 Tim. 6:16)
      • H.      God wants His power to be made known – (Rom. 9:22)

“And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Mark 2:16-17)

• Text:      Mark 2:16-17
• Introduction:
  • The earliest civilizations that we know about had physicians.
    • The Babylonians left medical writings describing various diseases so clearly that doctors today can readily recognize them.
    • The Bible acknowledges the existence of the Egyptian physicians (Gen. 50:2).
    • They believed that illness was caused by an evil spirit coming to live in the patient’s body.
    • Medical treatments usually included prayers to drive out the evil spirits, but they also included pills and ointments containing drugs such as opium and lubricants such as castor oil.
    • From that day until this, there have been incredible advances in the field of medicine.
    • During the Renaissance barbers practiced medicine; today the field is so vast that no one man can master all available medical information.
    • Consequently, specialists dominate the medical scene.
  • There was one physician, however, who mastered every field with a 100% success ratio.
    • He never lost a patient, even though He was unaided by anesthesia, antiseptics, drugs, chemotherapy, and surgery.
    • Consider the following credentials of the Great Physician:
• I.   Dermatologist – (Lk. 5:12-15)
  • When Christ touches the leper, He is in a sense violating the law of Moses (Lev. 13:46);
    • Yet the Mosaic priest is allowed to touch the leper by means of shed blood (Lev. 14:14).
  • The lesson is obvious. Christ bore our infirmities as well as our sins (Matt. 8:17), and as our great High Priest (Heb. 3:1), He can apply the remedy for the leprosy of sin.
    • The gift that Moses commanded is linked with the requirements for cleansing in (Lev. 14:19-24).
• II. Orthopedic Specialist – (Lk. 6:6-11)
  • Nor only did Jesus heal the withered hand, but also healed a crippled woman (Lk. 13:11-13).
• III.          Preventative medicine – (Jn. 5:14)
  • Jesus went a step further with the lame man in His telling the man how to stay well.
    • The prescription was to abstain from sin.
• IV. Hematologist – (Mk. 5:25-29)
  • The physicians of Jesus’ day, with all the knowledge that was available to them, could not heal the woman with the issue of blood.
  • Even Hippocrates knew that, on the part of both the patient and the physician, virtue was essential to the healing process.
• V. Pediatrician – (Jn. 4:46-54)
  • Not only did Jesus heal the nobleman’s son of his physical infirmity, but He proved to be an expert in pediatric psychiatry (Lk. 9:37-42; Matt. 15:21-28).
• VI. Neurologist – (Matt. 8:5-13)
  • Palsy is a disorder of the central nervous system that leads to paralysis.
• VII.         Otolaryngologist – (Mk. 7:31-37)
  • Deafness and related problems have remained a mystery to a great degree, even to this day.
    • However, these problems were not too great for the greatest healer of all. (Matt. 15:29-38)
• VIII.       0phthalmologist – (John 9)
  • Here is an occasion where Jesus gave a prescription and the man had to go to the pharmacy (pool of Siloam) by faith to get the completed cure. God, by design, does not make all cures instant.
• IX.          Cardiologist – (Lk. 14:1-4)
  • Not only is Jesus a cardiologist, but He further specializes in hydropathology. Dropsy is defined as “an unnatural collection of water anywhere in the body.”
    • It is often associated with the heart; consequently digitalis is prescribed as a remedy and/or corrective treatment.
• X. Psychiatrist – (Lk. 8:26-39; 35-43)
  • 1900 years after Jesus provided the cure, Freud probed to find the cause of mental disorders.
• XI.          Postmortem resuscitative specialist – (Mk. 5:22-24)
  • Furthermore Jesus had special experience in digestive recovery physiology (vs. 43). “…give here something to eat.”
• XII.        Plastic Surgery – (Lk. 22:50,51)
• XIII.       Forensic Medicine – (Jn. 11:1-46)
  • “Forensic” simply means “having to do with public or judicial debate. “
    • Because that is usually associated with death, the word has become fairly synonymous with the duties of a coroner.
    • Jesus raises them; Quincy leaves them DEAD!

“Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.” (Matthew 12:38)

• Text:      Matthew 12:38
• Introduction:
  • Although there are many definitions of “master”, the primary one in Websters Dictionary is, “A man who rules, governs, or directs, either men or business.
    • A man who owns slaves is their master; he who has servants is their Master; he who has apprentices is their master, as he has the government and direction of them.
    • The man who superintends and directs any business, is master, or master workman.”
  • The Bible gives the same kind of definition, i.e.; “Servants be subject to your master with all fear;” (1 Pet. 2:18).
  • It is a title that is used by the lesser acknowledging the greater – (Matt. 8:19; 10:24).
    • The general public that has the opportunity to observe our lives, acknowledges who our master is – (Matt. 9:11; 17:24).
• I.   THE POSSIBLE HYPOCRISY IN THE WORD
  • A.      Sign Seekers – (Matt. 12:38)
    • Acknowledging Christ as Master and asking Him for a sign at the same time is a contradiction (Prov. 27-18; 30:10).
  • B.      Those who lie for their own gain – (Matt. 26:25)
    • Judas betrayed Christ for 30 pieces of silver and called Him Master.
  • C.      Those who attempt a trap – (Mk. 12:13-17)
    • There are many who claim to be Christians, yet disdain the words of Christ and look for so-called Bible contradictions.
  • D.      Those who Attempt to humanize God – (Mk. 10:17)
    • This is the only occasion where someone uses the word “good” to precede master, even as people today use the term “the Good Lord”.
    • i.e.: “The Good Lord wouldn’t send anybody to Hell”.
• II. WHY DO SOME NOT WANT A “MASTER”?
  • A.      To avoid rebuke – (Lk. 11:45)
    • “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.” (Prov. 9:8)
    • “He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.” (Prov. 28:23)
  • B.      To avoid the call to service by faith – (Mk. 14:13,14)
    • Often Jesus calls on men to serve Him by going to a situation full of unknowns.
  • C.      To avoid following His example – (Jn. 13:14-17)
    • Jesus has led the way by example to what many would consider degrading duty.
    • We are to try to follow.
      • “The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.” (Lk. 6:40)
  • D.      To avoid going the extra mile – (Lk. 5:5)
    • “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Gal. 6:9)
• III.          THE RESULTS OF HAVING CHRIST AS YOUR MASTER
  • Note:
    • It should be noted that everyone has in reality one master – either the Lord or Satan.
      • “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matt. 6:24)
  • A.      You have a source of truth – (Mk. 12:28-34)
    • “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (Jn. 14:6)
  • B.      You have one to look to in time of trouble – (Mk. 4:37-41; Lk. 9:37-42)
    • “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Ps. 46:1)
  • C.      He rewards faithful service – (Mk. 10:35-45)
    • “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Heb. 11:6)
  • D.      He gives eternal life – (Jn. 10:27,28)

“And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).

Homes where the Bible is diligently taught to the children, and where the Lord Jesus Christ becomes their Saviour, will flourish

spiritually. Through the Bible they may be led to the Christ of the Bible. God’s Word is given by divine inspiration, and is profitable for teaching, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

In the verse quoted above God puts the responsibility for teaching the Bible on the parents in the home. One of the easiest ways to teach your children the Bible is to tell them the stories of the Bible. The Gospels are full of stories. Think of the stories of the Old Testament -Adam and Eve in Eden – Cain and Abel – Noah and the flood; the story of Moses – of Joseph – of David and Goliath; the conversion of Paul.

Further, the homes of Christian people should have scripture mottoes on the walls, or pictures with scripture verses. These will have a continual influence on those who look on them day by day.

The Gospel Standard

^“And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” Revelation 5:5

• Text:      Revelation 5:5
• Introduction:
  • The lion has long been recognized as “The King of the Beast.”
    • A male lion can weigh any where from 350 to 600 pounds.
    • Most males are about nine feet long from the nose to the end of the tail.
    • They are about 3 1/2 feet tall at the shoulder.
    • Male lions are the only cats with manes.
    • This collar of long thick hair covers their head, except the face, and the neck down to the shoulders and chest.
    • As well as providing a majestic appearance, it also protects him during a fight.
  • If God has compared His Son to a Lion there are undoubtedly some necessary applications that can be made.
    • The lion is known for several things:
• I.   HIS STRENGTH (Prov. 30:30)
  • Lions are built for strength.
    • They have been observed dragging 600 pound animals that they have killed considerable distances.
    • The strength of a lion has long been the standard by which to judge real strength.
    • “Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.” (2 Sam. 1:23)
  • Often people make the mistake of supposing Jesus’ compassion and love is a sign of weakness.
    • Please consider:
  • A.      Jesus driving the money changers from the temple – (Matt. 21:12,13)
  • B.      The officers sent to arrest Jesus came back empty handed because of His words – (Jn. 7:32, 45-47)
  • C.      The angry mob parted as Jesus passed through – (Lk. 4:28-30)
  • D.      The ability to carry a cross after being scourged – (Matt. 27:26)
  • E.      The Second Coming of Christ – (Rev. 19:11-21)
• II. HIS ROAR
  • “The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?” (Amos 3:8)
  • The roar of a lion has been compared to the voice of God.
    • “They shall walk after the Lord: he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.” (Hos. 11:10)
    • (See also Rev. 10:3)
  • According to National Geographic, April 1969, the roar of a lion has more than one function:
  • A.      A soft moaning sound – a roar of low intensity – a lioness call’s her cubs from the hiding place, generally for food.
    • “The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.” (Ps. 104:21)
  • B.      When a member of the pride (family) is looking for others, it will roar loudly, then listen attentively for an answer. (Job 38:1-3,18; 40:1-7)
• NOTE:
  • Lions usually live and travel in family groups called “prides”.
    • There may be as few as 4-6 or as many as 30.
    • The family setup seems to be some what symbolical of the local church.
  • According to the same article in National Geographic: “Although some members of the pride, especially the males, may roam widely, the lions usually confine themselves to a definite territory.”
  • Another interesting note is, “Pride members are affectionate among themselves.
    • They rub cheeks when they meet.
    • They rest and hunt together, but strangers or members of a neighboring pride are not usually accepted.” (Jer. 31:3; Eze. 16:6-14)
  • Lions never kill unnecessarily but only when there is a need.
    • A lion seldom eats everything, but leaves some for the scavengers.
    • God’s blessings overflow to the bystanders. (Matt. 15:21-28, Gen. 30:27)
  • C.      The roar strikes fear because of its deafening, ferocious sound.
    • Of course in the case of the “Lion of the tribe of Juda”, there is good cause for fear.
• III.          AN INSTRUMENT OF JUDGMENT
  • There have been a variety of occasions where lions have been used by God as an instrument of judgment.
  • A.      Judgment upon the Assyrians – (2 Kings 17:24-26)
  • B.      The young prophet who disobeyed God – (1 Kings 13:24-26)
  • C.      The man who ignored the prophet – (1 Kings 20:35-36)
• Note:
  • According to Encyclopedia Americana, “Lions after the kill usually rip the carcass open and commence eating the entrails, heart and liver.”
  • Jesus Christ exposes with one motion our inner most being. “Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.” (Ps. 7:2)
  • D.      Lions are known for their powerful teeth.
    • They do not have teeth to chew, but only to tear, swallowing large chunks of meat. (Rev. 9:8; Joel 1:6)
  • Even the Devil, also pictured as a lion (1 Pet. 5:8), will be used as an instrument of judgment upon Israel. (Hos. 13:8)
• Conclusion:
  • Today the Sons of God ought to have the boldness of a lion.
    • “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.” (Prov. 28:1)
    • The question may well be asked as Nahum did, “Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feeding place of the young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lions whelp, and none made them afraid?” (Nah. 2:11)

Today Christianity has a lot more pussy cats than lions.

“I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters. As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.” (Song of Songs 2:1-3)

• Text:      Song Solomon 2:1-3
• Introduction:
  • The Lily of the Valley is found practically world wide in temperate and tropical regions.
    • The flowers are very fragrant, white, bell shaped on slender stems about 9 inches tall.
    • The stem rises between two shiny leaves.
    • With the white fragrant flowers in the center the plant reminds us of the Trinity.
    • Jesus Christ is the focal point of attention (Phil. 2:5-11).
    • Not only are these plants perfectly hardy, but they thrive in spots where most things balk, even in dense shade under trees. (Matt. 28:20)
    • According to Encyclopedia International, 1979, they do very well along the north side of a wall (Lev. 1:11), the lily flowers in May (Solomon’s Song 2:8-13) and the blossoms produce scarlet berries. (Isa. 1:18).
  • However, there are several other things that need to be noted about this incredible flower:
• I.   THE ROOT SYSTEM – (Rev. 22:16)
  • The Lily of the Valley has a creeping root system from which the flower actually springs forth at close intervals.
    • Because of the persistent root the plant persists with great tenacity.
  • When the icy blast of winter (persecution) comes the top part of the plant withers away but the root thrives underground!
    • The religion of Jesus often does best in the face of persecution.
  • Christians in modern-day Chad, Africa, were being persecuted for refusing to participate in old tribal initiation rites they say are pagan.
    • Reliable sources reported the torture deaths of pastors, evangelists, and other church leaders who declined to commit acts counter to their faith:
      • drinking chicken blood offered to idols,
      • handling fetishes, and the like.
    • The accounts told of persons buried alive with just part of a leg left above ground or – for slower death – with only the head exposed, a terrifying warning to others who resist.
  • The persecution originated when President Francois N’garta Tombalbaye launched a cultural revolution assertedly to rid the nation and its four million inhabitants of unwanted foreign influences and to establish an identity with the country’s past.
    • But church leaders reportedly met and agreed to oppose the rites, and some church groups say they would not readmit members who take part.
    • The evangelical churches in Chad number more than 1,500 congregations with tens of thousands of members.
• II. THE CHEMICAL SUBSTANCE
  • According to students Encyclopedia 1977 “All parts of the plant contain a chemical substance called convallatoxin, which is similar to the drug digitalis and may be used as a heart stimulant.”
    • Nothing has the ability to stimulate and change the heart like the Lord Jesus Christ.
  • He has the ability to:
    • A. Prick men’s hearts – (Acts 2:37; 7:54)
    • B. Dwell in your heart – (Eph. 3:17)
    • C. Bring joy to the heart – (Jn. 16:22)
    • D. Comfort your hearts – (Eph. 6:22)
    • E. Keep your hearts – (Phil. 4:7)
• III.          THE FRAGRANCE (Solomon’s Song 5:13)
  • Because of its fragrance the Lily of the Valley is used in the manufacture of perfume.
    • A highly esteemed perfume, eau d’or, is made in France from the flowers.
    • The ancients were fond of sweet perfumes of all kinds (Prov. 27:9; Ps. 45:8)
  • The Old Testament tabernacle contained an altar of incense (Ex. 30:1-10; 30:34-38) that stood before the veil.
    • A special incense that was to be mixed for God alone (Ex. 30:37) finds a very significant New Testament application in (Eph. 5:2 and Phil. 4:18).
  • The idea is that God delights in appropriate sacrifices.
• IV. THE FALSE LILY OF THE VALLEY
  • According to Concise Encyclopedia of Favorite Wild Flowers, 1965, there is a flower that imitates the Lily of the Valley but under close examination fails the test.
    • Jesus told us there would be a variety of false Christs (Matt. 24:24) who would attempt to deceive.
  • One afternoon in 1965, Daniel Waswa, a citizen of Kenya, struggled up a hill and was crucified by his wife at his own direction.
    • As he hung on the cross, he told the gathered crowd. “I am dying for the sins of all Kenyans.”
    • After nailing her husband to the cross, the woman collapsed on the ground and died, apparently from shock.
    • Waswa’s neighbors knew this was no spur-of-the moment act.
    • He had talked about it for a year and had told them he had been called by God for this purpose.
  • They begged him to let them take him down.
    • He refused all requests.
    • Finally he was taken down still alive, but he soon died from the nail wounds which had become infected.
    • Superstitious people now make pilgrimage to the spot where Daniel Waswa died and pray for him to forgive their sins.
  • Hitler was the most evident type of Antichrist in the twentieth century.
    • He coerced, forced, and misled millions to accept him as God’s messiah.
      • Helmut Thielicke wrote of Hitler: “He made free use of the Christian vocabulary, talked about the blessing of the Almighty … he showed his tattered Bible and declared he drew the strength for his great work from the Word of God … he caused many religious people to welcome him as a man sent from God.”

^“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

 ^“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:5)

• Text:      John 8:12; John 9:5
• Introduction:
  • One of the most famous illustrations that the word of God uses to show the difference between righteousness and unrighteousness, between good and evil, between truth and error, is the difference between light and darkness.
    • The Gospel of John especially uses this picture.
    • In it, Christ’s life is called “the light of men” (1:4), and His light is said to have shined “in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not” (vs. 5).
    • The Lord Jesus Christ is called “the Light,” (vs. 7,8,9) who “lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (vs. 9).
    • He didn’t come just to enlighten the elect.
    • In (Jn. 8:12 and 9:5), Jesus calls Himself “The light of the world.”
  • Whenever the Bible uses any illustration, and particularly an illustration such as this one that is used so often, we’d better expect it to say a lot more than can be gleaned from just the casual glance.
  • There are several things that we can learn about the Lord Jesus Christ through studying something about the thing that He called Himself – light.
• I.   THE POWER OF LIGHT
  • A.      Light is a powerful provider
    • Light is energy-pure energy.
      • The greatest natural source of light is the sun.
      • Jesus Christ is called “the Sun of righteousness” (Mal. 4:2), and just as the sun’s light is the physical source of our energy, Jesus Christ is the true source of our spiritual energy.
    • Whatever we eat ultimately comes from the energy of the sun’s light.
      • Green plants, through photosynthesis, convert light energy into stored energy.
      • When we eat the plant, we are consuming energy that was once light.
    • We cannot escape the power and energy of light, just as the power of Jesus Christ is the thing which keeps all things together (Col. 1:17; Rom. 11:36) and the power that gives us the ability to be what we spiritually can be (Eph. 3:16, 6:10; Phil. 4:19; Col. 1:11).
  • B.      Light is powerful in its speed
    • Light travels at approximately 186,282 miles per second.
      • Nothing in our experience can move faster.
      • It is the universal, absolute standard of speed.
      • Einstein, in fact, postulated that everything-even time itself – is relative to only one existing constant: the speed of light.
    • Jesus Christ is the absolute standard by which all other things are measured (Acts 17:31).
      • He never changes His character (Heb. 13:8).
      • It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for anything that comes from His mouth to be annulled, changed, or altered (Matt. 5:18, 24:35) – and even time itself is subject to Jesus
      • Christ, He was alive before there was time (John 1:1), and He will be alive when the new heavens and new earth are made (Rev. 21:6).
    • When Jesus wants something done, nothing can slow Him down; nothing can hinder Him from the execution of His plan (Matt. 28:18).
• II. THE “PROBLEM” OF LIGHT
  • It is very difficult to explain or fully understand exactly what light is.
    • This is because light has a dual nature.
      • For 300 years, there have been fierce arguments in the scientific community whether light was a particle or a wave.
      • Presently, scientific dogma says that is both – even though scientists readily admit that this is “impossible.”
      • They shrug their shoulders and call it a “wave” when it does what a wave is expected to do, and they call it a “particle” when it does what a particle is expected to do.
      • According to all the present evidence, light is not part particle and part wave (or a particle moving in a wave like pattern, as many falsely imagine), but it is all wave and all particle, all at the same time.
    • Jesus Christ is all God and all man.
      • He is proclaimed to be God (Isa. 9:6; Jn. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:16; Tit. 1:3; Heb. 1:8), and yet we know that He is all man (I Tim. 2:4).
      • He tired (Jn. 4:6), He wept (Jn. 11:35), He thirsted (Jn. 19:28), and He was “in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).
• III.          THE PURPOSE OF LIGHT
  • Light is that which makes manifest.
    • Obviously, if it were not for light, nothing could be seen.
      • Light shows things for what they really are.
      • Light never lies.
      • If there is a scratch in the paint, light will show it.
      • If there is an imperfection in a diamond, light will manifest it.
  • A.      Light manifests sin for what it is
    • “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light”
      • WHY?
      • “because their deeds were evil” (Jn. 3:19).
    • One reason that the world doesn’t love Jesus Christ is because He, as the Light, shows people that their sin is hopeless, wicked, and unprofitable.
      • The “angel of light,” the devil (2 Cor. 11:14) tries to glorify sin, but this is a counterfeit light.
      • The true Light tells the truth about sin.
  • B.      Light manifests God for Who He is
    • Jesus bore witness of the Father (Jn. 1:18; 148,9; 17:26) and Himself (Jn 8:18).
      • He manifested God and God’s character to us.
  • C.      Light, because it manifests, dissolves our unfounded fears.
    • There is nothing more terrifying than not knowing what is scaring you.
      • Being in the dark is the worst.
      • If you see something fearful, at least you know how to deal with it.
      • But when you are in darkness, that is fear.
    • Jesus Christ scatters all of our illegitimate fears with His glorious light.
      • He tells us that we do need to fear-we need to fear God (Luke 12:5), but if we have that mastered, we will fear very little else, and will live a joyful life (Rom. 14:17; Gal. 5:22; Phil. 1:4,25; 1 Pet. 5:7- 1 Jn. 4:18).
  • D.      Light makes it possible to work
    • In the context of Jesus’ proclamation that He is the light of the world (Jn. 9:5) comes the statement, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is yet day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (vs. 4).
    • Without Light, it is virtually impossible to do any kind of profitable work.
      • Without Christ, service to God is meaningless, and in vain (2 Cor. 13:5).
      • Works without Jesus Christ is as much vanity and worthlessness as trying to paint a picture in absolute darkness.
      • With the light, however, all labor is worthwhile.
      • You can see what you are doing.
      • You can work what God has asked you to work without frustration, knowing “that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).