Author: GinoCascieri

THE BREAD OF LIFE

John 6

• Introduction:
  • In the East bread is primary, other articles of food merely accessory; while in the West meat is primary and bread is secondary.
    • Accordingly “bread” in the Old Testament from (Gen. 3:19) onward stands for food in general.
  • According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia , “The large pone or thick loaf of the West is unknown in the East.
    • The common oriental cake or loaf is proverbially thin.
    • The thin homemade bread is really named both in Hebrew and Arabic from its thinness as is reflected in the “wafer” in (Ex. 16:31; 29:23; Lev. 8:26; Num. 6:19).
  • “It is still significantly customary at a Syrian meal to take a piece of such bread and, with the ease and skill of long habit, to fold it over at the end held in the hand so as to make a sort of spoon of it, which then is eaten along with whatever is lifted by it out of the common dish (cf. Matt. 26:23).
  • But this “dipping in the common dish” is so accomplished as not to allow the contents of the dish to be touched by the fingers, or by anything that has been in contact with the lips of those who sit at meat.
  • “Such “loaves” are generally today about 7 inches in diameter and from half an inch to an inch thick.
    • Such, probably, were the lad’s “barley loaves” brought to Christ at the time of the feeding of the 5,000 (John. 6:9-13).
    • Even thinner cakes, of both leavened and unleavened bread, are sometimes made now as of old, especially at times of religious festivals.
    • Often they are coated on the upper surface with olive oil and take on a glossy brown color in cooking; and sometimes they are sprinkled over with aromatic seeds, which adhere and impart a spicy flavor.”
  • The ancients were very much aware of the Divine processes that were necessary to bring about a grain harvest and consequently regard bread as peculiarly “a gift of God.”
    • A day reminder of His continual and often undeserved care (Matt. 5:45) was reflected in Jesus’ prayer instructions (Matt. 6:11).
      • “Give us this day our daily bread.”
• I.   THE MIRACLE
  • The entire “bread of life” discussion is prefaced by the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 (Matt. 6:1-14).
  • When Jesus compared Himself to bread, He must have had the entire bread making process in mind.
  • Before you can have bread there must be grain.
• A.  The seed was planted. (Jn. 1:1,14; 1 Pet. 1:23; Lk. 1:35)
• B. The seed sprouted. (Isa. 53:2; Lk. 2:40,52)
• C. The seed bore fruit. (Lk. 24:19)
• D. The fruit is cut down. (Isa. 53:8)
• E.  The grain is ground. (Isa. 52:14; 1 Pet. 2:21-24; Isa. 53:4-5)
• F.  The flour is baked. (Acts 2:27, 31)
• G. Life giving substance is the result. (Heb. 2:10; 1 John. 5:11,12)
• II. THE MANNA
  • The listening audience of Jesus desired a perpetual miracle (Matt. 6:31).
    • They had failed to see the obvious comparisons.
• A.The Type – It is interesting to study the Old Testament manna as a type or picture of Jesus Christ.
  • 1.       It came from heaven at night; Christ came, from heaven when men were in darkness.
  • 2.       It fell on the dew; Christ came, born of the Spirit of God.
  • 3.       It was not defiled by the earth; Christ was sinless, separate from sinners.
  • 4.       It was small, round, and white, speaking of Christ’s humility, eternity, purity.
  • 5.       It was sweet to the taste; Christ is sweet to those who trust Him.
  • 6.       It had to be taken and eaten; Christ must be received and appropriated.
  • 7.       It came as a free gift; Christ is the free gift of God to the world.
  • 8.       There was sufficient for all; Christ is sufficient for all.
  • 9.       If you did not pick it up, you walked on it; if you do not receive Christ, you reject Him and walk on Him (See Heb. 10:26-31).
  • 10.     It was wilderness food; Christ is our food in this pilgrim journey to heaven.
• B. The Materials
  • 1.       Barley – Barley was in early times, as it is today. The main bread – stuff of the poor people. This is a picture of the availability of Christ to everyone.
  • 2.       Wheat – Wheat was also widely used as a bread – stuff then, as it is now, the wheat of the Syrian plains and uplands being remarkable for its nutritious and keeping qualities.
    • Three kinds, or qualities, of flour, are distinguished, according to the way of making:
      • 1). A coarser sort, rudely made by the use of pestle and mortar, the “beaten corn” of (Lev. 2:14,16)
      • 2). The “flour” or “meal” of ordinary use (Ex. 29:2; Lev. 2:2; 6:15)
      • 3). The “fine meal” for honored guests (see Gen. 18:6), where Abraham commands Sarah to “Make ready… three measures of fine meal”) with which we may compare the “find flour” for the kings kitchen (I Kings 4:22) and the “fine flour” required for the ritual meal offering as in (Lev. 2:1; 5:11; 7:12; 14:10; 23:13; 24:5; etc.).
  • The idea is that Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life, reaches into every sector of life.
• III.          THE MESSAGE
  • What does Jesus mean by “eating” His flesh and “drinking” His blood?
    • HE IS NOT SPEAKING LITERALLY!
      • In (Jn. 6:63) He clearly says, “The flesh profiteth nothing.“
    • What gives life?
      • “It is the SPIRIT THAT QUICKENETH” (Jn. 6:63),
      • “THE WORDS that I speak unto you, THEY are Spirit and they are life.”
  • In other words, a person eats Christ’s flesh and drinks His blood – that is, partakes of Christ and receives Him – by receiving THE WORD as taught by THE SPIRIT.
  • Christ is not talking about the bread and cup of the Lord’s Supper.
    • The Lord’s Supper had not even been instituted, and when it was, Jesus clearly stated that it was a MEMORIAL only.
      • It did not impart fife.
      • To say that a man receives eternal fife by eating bread and drinking wine is to deny the very Word of God: “The flesh profited NOTHING. “
  • Jesus is the Living Word (Jn. 1:14) and He was “made flesh” for us (John 1:14).
    • The Bible is the written Word.
    • Whatever the Bible says about Jesus, it also says about itself
      • Both are holy (Lk. 1:35 and 2 Tim. 3:15);
      • Both are Truth (Jn. 14:6; 17:17);
      • Both are Light (Jn. 8:12; Ps. 119:105);
      • Both give life (Jn. 5:21 – Ps. 119:93);
      • Both produce the new birth (1 Jn. 5:18; 1 Pet. 1:23);
      • Both are eternal (Rev. 4:10; 1 Pet. 1:23);
      • Both are the power of God (1 Cor. 1:24; Rom. 1:16).
    • The conclusion is obvious: when I receive the Word into my heart, I receive Jesus Christ.
      • We “eat His flesh” by partaking of the Word of God.
      • “I am the living Bread,” said Jesus in (vs. 51); and in Lk. 4:4 He said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God.”
    • Peter grasped the meaning of the sermon, for in (Jn. 6:68) he said, “To whom shall we go? Thou hast THE WORDS of eternal life.”

ADVOCATE

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:”1 John 2:1

Introduction:

• An advocate, according to the dictionary, is in its most general sense, “one that pleads the cause of another, esp. before a tribunal or judicial court.”
  • This is precisely the sense that the Word of God presents the Lord Jesus Christ in (1 Jn. 2:1).
  • The picture that the Bible paints is that of a courtroom and all the major characters are there –
    • The defendant is the sinner – [you and I];
    • The prosecuting attorney (or the “accuser” – Rev. 12:10; Job 1:9-11) is Satan, who brings the accusations of the sinner before the Judge, God the Father.
    • And the Advocate’s job is to defend the sinner in the “eternal courtroom.”
  • What are some of the qualifications of a good advocate? And how well does Jesus Christ fit the description of an adept defense attorney?
• I.THE ADVOCATE MUST BE RIGHTEOUS
  • It is important to note that this passage, where the word “advocate” is used, is the only passage where Jesus Christ is called “the righteous.”
  • It is critical that the advocate be, in all ways, righteous (2 Cor. 5:21).
• A.  He must be righteous to actually discern the truth.
  • Jesus Himself, in his illustration about correct judgment, says that unless a man is himself free from the deceitfulness of sin, he cannot see clearly to properly discern the sins of another, and be in a good position to help him. (Matt. 7:5)
• B.  He must be righteous to speak truthfully, and speaking truthfully is critical to the defense of the defendant.
  • He must not flatter to sway the court; he must not succeed in this case by some cunning sleight of hand maneuver in the trial, but by exposing the facts truthfully; otherwise, the victory is not real at all.
  • Jesus never had a word of guile in His mouth. (1 Pet. 2:22; Isa. 53:9).
• C.  He must be righteous and without sin to truly understand the power and ramifications of the sin of the defendant. (Heb. 4:15).
  • It is often thought in this day that the only way to know the power of sin is to give in to it.
    • (Oscar Wilde said, which summarizes the philosophy of the day, “The only way to get rid of the temptation is to yield to it.”), but the truth is just the opposite.
    • You don’t know the true power of the wind by lying down on the ground, you realize its true force by standing up to it.
    • The way to truly know the force of an enemy’s army is be fighting against it, not by surrendering.
  • Jesus Christ, because He never sinned, because He followed every temptation all the way through until He was the Victor, is the only One Who can fully understand sin
    • And therefore the only One Who can fully defend the man charged with sin.
• D.  He must be righteous to let all the hearers know that, He in seeking the justice and righteousness of the case for righteousness sake, is not a hypocrite.
  • He must, in His righteousness, quiet all the hecklers and people who are accusing Him of being insincere. (Jn. 8:46)
• II.   THE ADVOCATE MUST TRULY UNDERSTAND THE LAW UNDER WHICH HE FUNCTIONS
  • A.        Jesus Christ grew up with, and under, the Law. (Gal. 4:4; Lk. 2:27)
  • B.        His life was an adherence to, and a fulfillment of, the law. (Matt. 5.17)
  • C         He was known by all of His peers to have been familiar with it (even from His youth, Lk. 2:46-48), and He customarily read it to all. (Lk. 4:16)
• III.  THE ADVOCATE MUST CARE FOR SAFETY OF HIS CLIENT
  • A.        Jesus shows earnest concern for the client’s life. (Jn. 10:10)
  • B.        Jesus is very defensive about the protection of his clients. (Jn. 10:28,29)
  • C.        Since He cares, and the defendant knows it, the defendant can freely tell Him all the problems and concerns that relate to the case. (1 Pet. 5:7)
• IV.  THE ADVOCATE MUST KNOW ABOUT EVERY RELEVANT
• PERSON, AND EVERY RELEVANT CASE THAT SURROUND, AND
• CAN HELP HIM IN, HIS CASE
  • A.        He knows His clients by name. (Jn. 10:3)
    • (See also 2 Tim. 2:19; Acts 15:8,18)
  • B.        The knowledge of His clients is one of trust and intimacy. (Jn. 10:14)
  • C.        He has all of the facts at His disposal. (Prov. 15:3; Heb. 4:13)
  • D.        He knows the details of every case, and can skillfully sift the positive facts from the negative ones.
    • Concerning all of the seven churches in Revelation, Jesus Christ proclaims, I know thy works,” and goes on to analyze each one’s works objectively in the light of God’s word. (Rev. 2:2,9,13,19; 3:1,8,15)
• V.THE ADVOCATE MUST BE WISE TO THE TRICKS AND STRATEGIES OF THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY
  • In the Bible, Satan is pictured as the prosecutor, or the “accuser” (Rev. 12:10).
    • Since Jesus knows the hearts of all, He knows every plan of attack that Satan is going to use, and, when defending us, utilizes this knowledge to His advantage at every turn.
    • We are told to watch out for the wiles of the devil, and to be wary of his tricks and schemes (1 Pet. 5:8; 2 Cor. 2:11).
    • Imagine how well our Advocate knows about them!
• VI. THE ADVOCATE MUST KNOW THE GROUND ON WHICH TO REST HIS PLEA FOR SUCCESS
  • The “propitiation” is mentioned directly in context with Jesus Christ and His role as the Advocate.
    • His propitiation is the faultless ground on which Christ rests His case for us.
    • With this plea, He will never, and can never, lose a case.
  • “Propitiation” is the atoning sacrifice offered to appease the wrath of God. – Websters Dictionary
• A.  The propitiation is powerful in scope (1 Jn. 2:2) –
  • It is powerful enough for any and all who will come to Christ.
• B.  The propitiation is powerful in love (1 Jn. 4:10,11).
  • Christ’s propitiation is one of the highest expressions of His love toward us.
• C.  The propitiation is powerful in its foundation.
  • There is nothing stronger than the blood of Christ. (Romans 3:25)

Mr. Spurgeon once preached what in his judgment was one of his poorest sermons. He stammered and floundered, and when he got through he felt that it had been a complete failure. He was greatly humiliated, and when he got home he fell on his knees and said, “Lord, God, Thou canst do something with nothing. Bless that poor sermon.”

All through the week he uttered that prayer. He woke up in the night and prayed about it. He determined that the next Sunday he would redeem himself by preaching a great sermon. Sure enough, the next Sunday the sermon went off beautifully. At the close the people crowded about him and covered him with praise. Spurgeon went home pleased with himself, and that night he slept like a baby. But he said to himself, “I’ll watch the results of those two sermons.” What were they?

From the one that has seemed a failure, he was able to trace forty-one conversions; from that magnificent sermon, he was unable to discover that a single soul was saved. The Spirit of God used the one and did not use the other. We can do nothing without the Spirit who helps our infirmities.

“But God hath chosen the foolish things … and God hath chosen the weak things .. .And base things … and things which are despised … and things which are not … That no flesh should glory in his presence” (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).

-The Gospel Standard –

John Paton’s family was not rich; in fact, they were so poor that they often had to wear old, thin clothes, and at times there was no food in the house and no obvious way to get more food. But although this was the case, they were always provided for.

When John was going to school, he was one of the poorer boys, and he did not have warm clothes like the others. One evening, when the family was praying at family worship, the door of their house opened and shut quietly. Once the worship was over, John rushed to the door. There on the floor by the door was a parcel containing a new suit of fine, warm clothes which fitted him perfectly. How pleased he was! He could now go to school with warm clothes and look as smart as the other boys.

John’s mum reminded him that it was God who sent the clothes, and that he should thank God for them, no matter who actually brought them to him. As it turned out, the clothes were from the teacher who was quite unkind to him at other times.

There was another incident which John remembered when he was growing up. It happened at a time when food was scarce. The crops had not been good that year, especially the potato crop. So the prices of other foods went up, too, and many families were going hungry. John’s dad had gone to find work in a town not too far away, hoping to return home the next evening with some food and money. But after his father had left, the food in the house had completely run out. There was no bread (and no flour to make bread), no cheese, and no potatoes- there was absolutely nothing to eat. John’s mum did not like to ask any of her neighbors for help, so she had to persuade her eleven children to go to sleep although they had no food that day. She told her children not to worry because she had told God everything, and she knew that He would send them plenty in the morning.

Perhaps the children were wishing that their mum would go and beg for some food from other people instead of “just praying to God.” Imagine how they all felt with their stomachs rumbling because they had no food that day, and no hope for food until their dad came home the next night. Thankfully this is a feeling which most of us have never really had. Sometimes we might say, “Oh, I’m starving!” when what we really mean is that we are just a little bit hungry, and, usually, when we do have that hungry feeling, we know we can get food quite easily and quickly. Imagine having that feeling going on and on and getting worse and worse and not knowing when it will go away. Although we might not experience this, there are, sadly, many others who do have this feeling.

The next morning, a delivery came to the Paton house. It was a present from John’s granddad, Mrs. Paton’s father. The present was a bag of potatoes, a large bag of flour, and a delicious home-made cheese. Not only was this more than enough food to keep them from feeling hungry that day, but it also gave them many other tasty meals.

Imagine how surprised and amazed John and his brothers and sisters would have been at this wonderful present arriving when they had not expected it! How did John’s granddad know to send them this food just when they needed it? John’s mum had not written to him asking for food; she had not phoned him – because there were no phones then.

John’s mum, seeing her children’s surprise at this wonderful present, called them to her and told them to love God, and to tell Him in faith and prayer all their needs, and that He will supply all their needs so far as it shall be for their good and His glory.

What good advice Mrs. Paton was giving her children! And it would be good if we all could follow it. No problem or worry is to small for us to tell God- He wants us to tell Him everything. We are told in the Bible to “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know unto God” (Philippians 4:6).

But we need to think about the difference between things we want and things we need. Sometimes we think we need various things when actually we do not need them at all-we just want them. Did you notice the phrase at the end of Mrs. Paton’s advice, “for their good and His glory”? God will only say, “Yes,” to our prayers if the things we are asking for will be for our good and His glory. It might be hard for us to understand why God has not helped us in the way we asked, but we should trust Him, for He knows best. But there is one thing we all need that God is always willing to give. He has promised, “A new heart also will I give you…” (Ezekiel 36:26). This is the most important thing to ask God for.

The Gospel Standard

Text:               Genesis 18:17-19

Intro:

• I believe to have one’s name mentioned in the Bible is extraordinary.
• However, to have the God of the Bible actually provide a testimony in a person’s behalf is hardly imaginable.
• When any of us stand in the presence of God
  • We realize as Isaiah did we are  “people of unclean lips”
• • We realize as the Apostle Paul did – “O wretched man that I am!”
  • We realize as the Apostle Peter did – “I am a sinful man”
• The Bible declares –
  • “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one”
  • “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”
• Despite this God testifies in His Word about some of His Saints.
• We want to look at some of “The Testimonies of God.”

I.          Abraham – Genesis 18:19

• Notice God’s testimony about Abraham
  • God says, “For I know him“
  • God had no doubt about the statement that He was about to make about Abraham.
• “that he will command his children and his household after him“
  • God said that Abraham had his family and household in order.
  • He rules them well.
  • They were in complete submission to him because Abraham was in complete submission to God.
• “they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment“
  • Abraham was obedient to God and set the example for his family.
  • He spent time in instructing his family on the things of the Lord.
  • See Deut. 6:4-9.
  • He made sure that his family had a time of devotion each.
  • He was not a hypocrite.
  • He practiced what he preached.
  • His walk matched his talk.
  • Therefore, Abraham’s family was obedient to God.
  • As Abraham was just and fair in his business dealings and so would his family.
• In fact notice what the Word of God says about Abraham’s relationship with God.
  • See James 2:23
  • Can you imagine being called “The Friend of God”
  • I believe the reason that Abraham was called The Friend of God is because he was obedient to God.
• We see his life of obedience begin when God told him in Genesis 12:1 – “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:”
• We see Abraham’s obedience in Genesis 12:4 – “So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him;”
• Abraham was not perfect.
  • He was a sinner just like you and me.
  • However, overall his life reflected a life that was obedient to God.
• Abraham had the testimony of OBEDIENCE to God

II.         Job – Job 1:8

• Notice God’s testimony about Job –

• “there is none like him in the earth”
  • Job was in a class all by himself.
• “a perfect and an upright man”
  • God did not say Job was sinless.
  • Job was a perfect man
    • A man who was a mature saint.
    • A man who was consistently right with God.
    • A man who confessed his sins to God on a regular basis.
  • Job was an upright man.
    • A man who could be trusted in his business dealings.
    • A man who was honest and would never cheat anyone.
    • A man was known as being fair in his business dealings.
• “one that feareth God”
  • Job had the testimony that he feared God.
  • That is why he was a perfect and upright man.
• The Word of God has a lot to say about “the fear of the Lord”
  • “the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom”
  • “the fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom”
  • “the fear of the Lord prolongeth days”
  • “the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death”
• “escheweth evil”
  • Job had the testimony that he avoided evil.
  • The Word of God tells us “to depart from evil is understanding”
• See James 5:10-11.
  • We see that Job had a testimony of being patient when it came to suffering.
  • The Word of God tells us in  Romans 5:3 – “…knowing that tribulation worketh patience”
  • Job certainly had his share and more of tribulation but through it all he was patient and trusted in God.
• Job had the testimony that he FEARED GOD.
  • As a result he was an upright man and avoided evil.

III.        David – Acts 13:22

• Notice God’s testimony about David

• “a man after mine own heart”
  • A believe the key word is “heart”
• See Isaiah 66:2
  • Notice the kind of man God takes notice of –
    • A man that has a poor and contrite spirit
    • A man that trembles at God’s Word.
    • David was such man.
• See Psalm 51:17
  • Notice the kind of sacrifices that God will not despise
    • “broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart”
• You see the reason David was a man after God’s own heart was because he saw sin as God saw sin.
  • Something wicked and vile.
  • Despite his sins of committing adultery with Bathsheba and having her husband Uriah murder.
  • David was still a man after God’s own heart because he acknowledged his sin and took full responsibility for it
  • He confessed his sin to God and was broken hearted because of his sin.
  • He asked God for his forgiveness and mercy
  • This evident from Psalm 51 which he wrote.
  • David had godly sorrow which worketh repentance to salvation.
    • David was sorrow for offending God.
    • Not for getting caught.
    • Being sorrow for getting caught is worldly sorrow which worketh death.
• Notice also in Acts 13:22 what God has to say about David.
  • “which shall fulfil all my will”
  • God knew with out a doubt that David was totally submitted to will of God for his life.
  • God knew whatever He told David to do that he would do it.
• David had the testimony of being a MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART.
  • A heart that would weep and hurt over sin that he had committed against God.
  • A man surrendered to the will of God.

IV.       Mary – Luke 1:30

• Notice God’s testimony about Mary.

• “for thou hast found favour with God”
  • Mary found kindness with God.
  • Mary found God’s support.
  • Why you might ask?
  • Of all the virgins in Israel why did Mary find favour with God?
• Let’s look at some of the statements that Mary made.
  • See Luke 1:38 – “And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word”
  • Mary had a humble spirit.
  • She called herself a handmaid of the Lord.
  • A position of servitude and submission.
• Most women if they were told that they were going to bring the Saviour of mankind into the world would have been pretty puffed up – Amen!
• If they believed the angel Gabriel to begin with.
• Mary was submitted to whatever the Lord had for her to do.
• Notice something else about Mary.
  • She recognized her lost condition.
  • See Luke 1:46-47
    • Her soul magnified the Lord not herself.
    • She her spirit rejoiced in God her Saviour.
• Mary had the testimony of being HUMBLE.
• Mary had the testimony that she would serve the Lord in any way He saw fit.

Conclusion:

• I believe that each one of these testimonies of God should reflect the life of the believer.
• I believe each one of us should have the Testimony:
  • Of being obedient to God as Abraham was.
  • Of fearing God as Job did to keep us upright and to avoid evil.
  • Of having a broken and contrite heart over our sin as David did.
  • Of having a heart of humility, totally surrendered to will of God as Mary did.
• How about you my dear friend – What is God’s Testimony regarding you?

Bible Reading: Hebrews 4:1-16.

Aim: To exhort each other to do 14 things.

1. Let us Fear lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest any of us come short of it. Heb 4:1.

2. Let us Labour to enter God’s rest. 4:11.

3. Let us Hold fast our profession. 4:14.

4. Let us Come boldly to the throne of grace in prayer. 4:16.

5. Let us Go on unto perfection. 6:1.

6. Let us Draw near with a true heart. 10:22.

7. Let us Consider one another to provoke to love and good works. 10:24.

8. Let us Lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us. 12:1.

9. Let us Run with Patience the race that is set before us. 12:1.

10. Let us Have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 12:28.

11. Let Brotherly Love continue. 13:1.

12. Let your conversation be without covetousness. 13:5.

13. Let us go forth unto him without the camp ……, bearing his reproach. 13:13.

14. Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. 13:15.

The Answer Book – Keith Piper

A striking Christmas card was once published with the title “If Christ Had Not Come.” It was founded upon our Saviour’s words, “If I had not come …”, in John 15:22. The card represented a pastor’s fallinginto a short sleep in his study on Christmas morning and dreaming of a world into which Jesus had never come.

In his dream he found himself looking through his home, but there were no bells, or candles, or wreaths of holly. He walked out into the street and found no church with its spire pointing to Heaven. He came back in and sat down in his library, but every book about the Saviour had disappeared from the shelves.

A knock at the door brought a request for him to visit a poor, dying mother. He hastened, and as he reached her bedside, he sat down and said, “I have something to read that will comfort you. “He opened his Bible to share some familiar promises, but the Book ended with Malachi. There was no Gospel and no promise of hope and salvation. He could only bow his head and weep with her in hopeless desperation.

Two days later, he stood beside her coffin and conducted this mother’s funeral, but there was no message of comfort, no words of a glorious resurrection, and no thought of a mansion awaiting her in Heaven. There was only “dust to dust, ashes to ashes,” and one long, final farewell. In his dream, he burst into tears and bitter weeping.

Suddenly, nearby music woke him from his sleep. A great shout of joy burst from his lips when he realized he was hearing the choir in his church next door singing:

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!

Come and behold Him, born the King of angels:

O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord

Had Christ not come, we would have no New Testament, no Gospel, no church, no Lord’s Day, no repentance, no forgiveness of sins, no changed and transformed born-again hearts, no hope of eternal life.

Let us be glad and rejoice because Christ has come. Let us remember the proclamation of the angel, “…I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).

Christ’s coming is meant to be for all the people in the world. We are called to communicate the message of the angels to all people so that they can enter into and enjoy the Good News of great joy. During this Christmas season, may our hearts go out to all those in the world who have no understanding of Christ’s coming.

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1: 15).

The Gospel Standard

In 1847, Sir James Simpson, a doctor from Edinburgh, discover that chloroform could be used as an anesthetic to render people insensible to the pain of surgery. Dr. Simpson made it possible for people to go through the most dangerous operations without fear of pain and suffering.

Some years later, while lecturing at the University of Edinburgh, Dr. Simpson was asked by one of his students, “What do you consider to be the most valuable discovery of your lifetime?” To the surprise of his students, who had expected him to refer to chloroform, Dr. Simpson replied, ” My most valuable discovery was when I discovered myself a sinner and Jesus Christ became my Saviour.

Coming to the end of lives of great renown and valuable service, hundreds of outstanding men have counted the forgiveness of their sins and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ into their lives as the most significant thing they ever experienced or did. All else was counted as insignificant when compared with this.

-The Gospel Standard-

A pastor in England asked a dying Christian woman where she found the Saviour. She gave him a piece of paper torn from an American journal containing one of C. H. Spurgeon’s sermons. The scrap had been wrapped around a package that came to her from Australia. The words of Spurgeon were read by her and were the means of leading her to Christ.

Commenting on this incident, a writer says, “Think of it, a sermon preached in England, printed in America, in some way coming to Australia, a part of it used in wrapping paper there, coming back to England, was the means of converting this woman.

What an encouragement there is in such an incident for those who preach the Gospel by means of printer’s ink! Tracts and religious papers have been wonderfully used of God in the salvation of souls.

“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands” (Isaiah 55: 10-11).

-The Gospel Standard-

Text:                     2 Timothy 4:2-8

Intro:

Notice with me what the Apostle Paul says in v. 6.

Paul makes this statement at the end of his life.

Just before he was to be beheaded for the cause of Christ.

The word “departure” makes one think of a ship ready to set sail.

Paul was saying that the end of his life was near.

However, his ship was ready to set sail.

He was ready to depart this life and go to the next.

Why?

Because Paul knew that he had some eternal cargo on board to take home to heaven.

Just look at what Paul had to say about what was waiting for him when he got to the shores of heaven in v. 8.

Let take a look of some of the cargo that Paul had on board to take home to heaven.

I.  Paul’s Cargo

Suffering –

The word of God says in 2 Tim, 2:12, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him”

Paul certainly suffered for Christ.

See 2 Cor. 11:21-30

See 2 Cor. 4:8-11.

Paul said in Phil. 3:10, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”

Souls –

The Apostle Paul was a soul winner.

The Bible says, “he that winneth souls is wise”

Paul would be taking a lot of souls that he had won to the Lord to heaven.

Notice with me what he called those he had won to the Lord in Thessalonica.

See 1 Thess. 2:19-20.

V. 19 – “our hope, or crown of rejoicing”

V. 20 – “our glory and joy”

The Bible witnesses to the fact that the Apostle Paul established many New Testament churches in most of the known world at the time.

This is evidenced by the Book of Acts and the many epistles or letters Paul wrote to encourage and exhort the churches that he had established.

Self- Control

Paul lived a life of self control.

Notice the statement that he made in 1 Cor. 9:25-27.

That Paul lived a life of self control is further evidence by what he had to say:

1 Cor. 6:12, “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”

1 Cor. 10:23, “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”

Service

See Acts 20:17-27

v. 19 – “Serving the Lord”

v. 20 – “kept nothing back that was profitable”

v. 20 – “shewed and taught” the word of God

v. 21 – “testifying” Paul continual testified how to be saved.

vs. 22 & 23 – tells us that Paul risked life for the cause of Christ.

v. 24 – “none of these things move me”

v. 24 – “neither count I my life dear unto myself”

Paul is saying that he did not  let anything stop him even if it meant risking his own life to “testify the gospel of the grace of God.”

v. 26 – Paul’s conscience is clear.

He did not have the blood of anyone on his hands.

He took every opportunity given him to tell people how to be saved by the grace of God.

v. 27 – Paul told it like it was.

He held nothing back in his preaching.

He preach all of the Bible not just the stuff people liked to hear.

Spend & Be Spent

Paul was a spend and be spent Christian.

See 2 Cor. 12:15

“And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.”

Notice Paul says “I will very gladly spend”

Paul practiced what he preached.

He was a cheerful giver.

Did you know that the Apostle Paul never went full time.

He often had to work to support himself and not be a burden to some of the churches.

Especially to the cheap skate Christians that made up the church of Corinthians.

He was a tent maker by trade.

The Apostle Paul gave of us own material possessions and finances to further the gospel of Jesus Christ.

That’s the Spend

Besides that he gave of himself physically and emotionally to the point of death for the cause of Christ.

That’s the Spent

Paul knew very well what it was like to be used and abused by other Christians.

Despite this he still said, “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.”

What a statement!

The more he gave of himself the less he was loved.

Beside all this, the Apostle Paul wrote most of the New Testament.

Yes, my friend Paul was ready to depart.

His ship was ready to sail.

II.  How About You?

Is your ship ready to set sail?

Do you have any eternal cargo on board to take to heaven’s shores?

You may say, “Oh, I have plenty of time before it is my time to depart.”

My dear friend we are not promise tomorrow.

None of us know when we will breath our last breath.

David said, “there is but a step between me and death.” 1 Sam. 20:3.

The Word of God tells us in Proverbs 27:1, “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”

What cargo do you have on board

Have you laid up any treasure in heaven?

What have you done with the money God gave you?

Was any of it spent on supporting a good local bible believing church?

Was any of it spent on supporting missions?

Have you led anyone to the Lord?

When is the last time you handed out a gospel tract?

When is the last time you gave some one your testimony?

How Jesus saved you and what your life was before Jesus and the change that has taken place since.

When is the last time you stood for the things of God?

When the last time you had some slam a door in your face for trying to witness to them about Christ?

Do people know where you stand on –

Prayer in School & the ten commandments

Homosexuality

Porno

Abortion on demand

Adultery and fornication

Support of Israel

Are you a spend and be spent Christian?

Do you give gladly of your material resources and of yourself physically and emotionally to further the gospel of Christ?

Would there be enough evidence in a court of law to convict you being a Christian.

Conclusion:

My friend if you have not started already then today is time to start putting some eternal cargo on board your ship.

So when your time comes “Your Ship Will Be Ready To Sail!”