140427 Jesus, God’s Message

In all likelihood, the book of Hebrews was written before the year A.D. seventy. The many references to the temple in the letter indicate that it was standing at the time of the writing. This pretty much requires that the book was written before the destruction of the temple by the Roman Tenth Legion. I’m not as concerned about the history as I am about the truth that is taught here. We just spent a few weeks looking at the life of Christ on Earth now let’s look at some of the consequences of his coming to Earth.

Listen while I read Hebrews 1:1-4.  Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,  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. 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, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

It is easy to draw the inference from this passage that the writer was present when Jesus did some of his teaching. He says that God has spoken to “us” by his son. In the original language, Greek, the words “by his son” could be translated “in son”! In the same way that someone might say that they are speaking in English. In other words, I believe that Jesus’ actions and his teaching could be the language through which God has spoken. You see…

God spoke in many ways. Let’s look at what the Psalmist said in Psalm 19:1-3. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.

To look at the sky is to see evidence of the existence of God. We see his power, wisdom, and his beauty. To look at the majestic Milky Way is to observe a demonstration of the glory of God! Rains and fruitful seasons, food produced from the earth, and joy in people’s heart, all bear witness to the fact that our Creator is a God of mercy, love and joy. Even those who by their wickedness suppress the truth cannot avoid the evidences of God’s existence and nature in the created order. Listen while I read Romans 1:19-20.  For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

The knowledge of God is common to all mankind. Even the atheists believe in God. Like the comedian Brad Stine said, “Dude, if you don’t believe God is real. How can he offend you?” He then goes on to say, “Who is more irrational, the guy who believes in a God he cannot see or the guy who is offended by a God he does not believe exists?” Then he adds, “You see beauty and you see the majesty of creation, for crying out loud, you see God in his handiwork.” I don’t know if you caught that but Brad Stine raises an important question. How can a person be offended by a being that he does not believe exists? God says in his word that people all over the world are without excuse because God has spoken through his invisible attributes, his eternal power and divine nature to all people everywhere. And wherever there were people who respond to God…

God spoke by the prophets. The prophets were not all willing participants in God’s revelation. Let me show you two examples. Exodus 4:10-12 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” There are a lot of people who I wish were conscious of God being with their mouth. You wouldn’t be hearing their mother say, “Watch your mouth young fella!” Another example is found in Jeremiah 1:4-9. Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.

Moses had spent forty years in the wilderness following sheep. He was rejected by his adoptive family in Egypt when he was at the peak of his powers and in order to save his life he went into the desert. Now, after all that time, God speaks to him from a burning bush and tells him to go to Pharaoh and demand that God’s people be released from their slavery. He didn’t say to God, “I’ll get back to you on that! After I think about it a little bit.” Moses said that he was not an eloquent speaker and would the Lord please send someone else.

In a different setting, Jeremiah had the same attitude. Jeremiah had the problem of seeing himself as a youth. He may have been 20-30 years old but he would see himself as not an elder. He wasn’t an eloquent speaker. He did not know how to speak in a public setting.

These two men, along with many, many others, demonstrate for us that whatever God calls you to do he will enable you to do. Both Moses and Jeremiah were powerfully used by God in the years after their call. I sometimes wonder if they ever looked back on the day of their call and thanked God for all that he has done for them and through them.

God spoke to mankind in many different ways through the prophets. But, we are told that in these last days…

God spoke by His Son. In order to inaugurate his ministry, Jesus was baptized by John. Soon after that.. well let Mark tell you about it. Listen while I read Mark 1:14-15. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

With John’s arrest, Jesus’ ministry began! The time was fulfilled and Jesus started telling people to repent and come to the kingdom. His every action and every word was a message from God. The son of God became the language of God to communicate to those who would believe in him about the very nature of God! Jesus was compassionate, caring and considerate. He treated all people the same. He spoke to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, pretty much the same way that he spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well. He treated the Canaanite woman whose daughter was sick with the same compassion as he treated Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, when his daughter was ill. God spoke wonders through his son Jesus who was…

The heir of all things. The writer of Hebrews quotes from Psalm 2:7-8. Let me read it for you. I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.

The Son, because of his obedience, is established as the heir of all things. He does not yet possess everything because the drama of redemption is not played out. We are promised, in the Bible, that people will stand before his throne in heaven from every family, and every tribe, and every nation on earth. In his temptations in the wilderness, Satan tried to get Jesus to worship him with the promise that he would give him the authority over the whole earth. Jesus replied that we may only worship God and no one else! Jesus knew that finally, when he had been fully obedient, he would have all authority given to him in heaven and on earth. He, who would be appointed the heir of all things, already was…

The Creator. One passage that supports this is Colossians 1:15-16. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

The Son had every right to the ownership of all things because he was the instrument through which the Father created the earth. We are told that in the beginning of the creation God said, “Let “Us” make man in our image…”. The God of heaven and earth was not consulting with the angels. He was speaking as the triune God; Father, Son, Holy Spirit! The Father and Son and Holy Spirit are all involved in the creation. In these last days God is speaking to the world in the person of the Son. The Son is the radiance of God. Jesus is the exact image of the Father. Jesus himself told Thomas, “If you have seen me you have seen the Father.” Jesus Himself is…

The glory of God. Listen while I read John 1:14.  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.

God’s glory is the created brightness that surrounds God’s revelation of himself. God’s glory is something that belongs to him alone and is the appropriate outward expression of his own excellence. The Bible often speaks of God’s glory. David asks, “Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory!” (Psalm 24:10) When the angels appeared to the shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth, the Bible says, “The glory of the Lord shone around them”. When Jesus met with Moses and Elijah, on the mount of transfiguration, we are told that his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. A bright cloud overshadowed Jesus and his disciples and they heard the voice of God. “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased, listen to him.” (Matthew 17:5)  Throughout the wilderness wanderings of the people of God the glory of God was with them in the form of a cloud by day and a column of fire by night. When Jesus came to earth he was, and is, the glory of God. When he returns to Earth he will come in the glory of his Father mounted on a white horse followed by the armies of heaven all mounted on white horses. Meanwhile, we look to Jesus as…

The imprint of God’s nature. Why doesn’t everyone see God? Paul answers that question in 2 Corinthians 4:3-6.  And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the exact imprint of God’s nature and that is exactly what Satan does not want the world to see. Therefore, he works to blind the minds of the unbelievers so they cannot see the gospel of the glory of Christ. When Adam and Eve were created they were created in the image of God. Satan intervened with the temptation to eat the forbidden fruit. To some degree mankind still reflects the image of God but it was marred enough in the Fall of man that it cannot be readily seen. God has had to intervene in the person of Jesus Christ to give mankind any possibility of being restored to that image. Jesus is the heir of all things, Creator of the world, he is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature. Also, he is…

The “glue” of the universe. Hebrews tells us that, “he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” The apostle Paul uses a similar metaphor in Colossians 1:17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Scientists tell us that 96% of the known universe cannot be seen. And they divide that unseen material between something they call “dark energy” and “dark matter”. Those scientists who have made this “discovery” readily admit that they do not know what it is. Of course, it is very hard to identify something you cannot see. It seems obvious to everyone that something is holding everything together. After all, the universe is not falling apart, but it does seem to be expanding! At the same time it seems impossible for nothing to hold everything together!

One scientific website gives us this information: Since dark matter is invisible to (the) human eye it can only be detected through its gravitational influence on its surroundings. Basically, it is really difficult for us to comprehend that 23 percent of known universe is made up of this mysterious dark matter (23% dark matter vs. just over 4% of visible matter with the rest being the mysterious dark energy) http://sciencefactsandarticles.blogspot.com/2010/03/interesting-facts-about-dark-matter.html

Well, I submit to you that God is what is holding everything together or more correctly “who” is holding everything together. Jesus is the glue of the universe!

In the past God spoke in many ways through the prophets and as the last days began God spoke in Son who is the heir of all things, Creator of the universe, and the glorious image of God. He is the glue and he is…

Our purifier. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Jesus did not come into this world in order to save us and take us to heaven! His first coming was far more complex than that. In the book of Job, Eliphaz the Temanite asked the questions, “Can mortal man be in the right before God?” And, “Can a man be pure before his maker? (Job 4:17) Job, in a positive confession of faith answered his friend, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.” Jesus didn’t just come to save us! He came to redeem us and to purify us. On the cross of Calvary Jesus took our sins into his own body and put them to death. He made purification for our sins! He became sin though he had no sin of his own in order that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

In just a few words the book of Hebrews begins by telling us about Jesus who is far beyond our understanding. Jesus himself said he came that we might have life and have it abundantly. We need to join with the apostle Paul in saying that we desire to know him and the power of his resurrection. Jesus is the interpretation of God to those of us who live on earth. Everything we did not understand about God in the thousands of years between creation and the Christ is revealed to us in Jesus Christ. When we see him this clearly we bow our heads and bend our knees. I declare today that Jesus is my Lord! Is he yours? If not, today is the day of salvation this is an acceptable time to receive him as your Lord! Jesus is calling you home won’t you come today?

All scripture quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

130421 How Much Do You Love Jesus?

John 21:15-19, When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16. He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17. He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19. (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

This passage recounts one of several instances when Jesus met with his disciples between the time of his resurrection and his ascension into heaven. The exchange between Jesus and Peter is what we want to focus on today. There is a subtle difference that is not reflected in the the English language. In the Greek language there are five words for "love". They are: agape, eros, storgy, philo and mania. Two of these words are used in our passage: agape and philo. They have two distinct meanings but they both mean "love". This exchange leads us to ask, "How much do I love Jesus?".

In the English language we use the word "love" for many different feelings and different situations. Someone might say, "I love chocolate." Or, on the other hand, a man might say, "I love my wife." Both statements would be said using the same word and probably with the same amount of feeling. One would hope that, "I love my wife" has a much deeper meaning than, "I love chocolate". Let's set the scene for the exchange between Peter and Jesus. After his resurrection and before his ascension into heaven…

Jesus revealed himself at different times for different reasons. First…

At the tomb. Listen while I read John's account. John 20:11-17, But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14. Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”

We have read, and or heard, these verses several times during the Easter season. They never lose their poignancy. Mary patiently waited out the passing of the Sabbath before going to the tomb to finish the preparation of Jesus' body only to find that his body wasn't there. She saw the empty tomb. She saw the angels sitting where the body of Jesus had lain. Turning away from them she saw Jesus! His perfect resurrection body may have been so different that she did not recognize him. But for whatever reason she thought he was the gardener. When he spoke her name she knew who he was and fell at his feet. She hurried to where the disciples were gathered…

In the upper room. Let's return to John's account. John 20:19-21, On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” As the Sabbath passed into Sunday the disciples were together in fear, except for Thomas. He was so skeptical of the resurrection that he left the group and missed the first meeting of the disciples with the living Lord Jesus. However, he would have his chance. Let's read on verses, 26-29, Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28. Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29. Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The disciples' level of fear must have been reduced greatly with the passing of a week. The second Sunday of the Christian age began with the disciples gathered in the upper room. This time Thomas was with them. We are not told what his attitude was but perhaps his doubts were lessened by the reports of the previous week. So far as we know, Thomas was the first to say the significant words, "My Lord and my God" to Jesus. Not only did he believe that Jesus had been raised from the dead he believed that Jesus is the Lord of lords and King of kings. Just before this Jesus met with two disciples…

On the Emmaus Road. It was important that he head them off so they can come back to the upper room. Let's read Luke's account. Luke 24:13-27, That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14. and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19. And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20. And how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23. And when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25. And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26. Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27. And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

How wonderful it would have been to be with Cleopas and his friend that afternoon. To have the Lord Jesus share the things concerning himself in all the Scriptures beginning with Moses and all the Prophets. After 2000 years of combined study, we may have unearthed most of those references to the Christ but possibly not all. What we do know is sufficient to cause us to turn to him as Lord and God. The third time Jesus met with his disciples…

Jesus revealed himself by the seashore. It would've been very natural for these men, who were mostly fishermen, that they should return to the sea.

The disciples went fishing. Let's return to John for this story. John 21:1-3, After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. 2. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Many people have criticized Peter for going fishing. They say that as though there was something else do! After all, so far as we know the only instructions they had had was to go to Galilee. Peter and the others had done that. They had not yet heard the words, "Go into all the world", so they were in a holding pattern waiting for the next instructions. Why not go fishing? It would be a very natural thing.

These were experienced fishermen they had made a living netting fish and knew where to look and how to gather them. So it must've been pretty frustrating for them to fish all night and catch nothing. For me to fish all night and catch nothing would not be unusual! But for them? The Big Fisherman — Simon Peter himself — to catch nothing all night! That would be really surprising. However, I'm pretty sure the Lord Jesus had a hand in their situation. The empty net was by way of…

A special way of introduction. Let's read on. John 21:4-8, Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” 6. He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. 7. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. 8. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

Just think of the scene. The day is breaking. They are probably on the Eastern shore of the Lake of Galilee. So they see the sun coming over the hills to the East. And someone standing there with the light of the rising sun all around him.

All night long they have been dragging their nets to no avail. Now they see someone on the shore. Someone who knows what's been going on. Someone who says, "Children, do you have any fish?". Do you think he didn't know their nets were empty? I believe he had spent the night moving the fish away from their nets. Or perhaps he simply had his angels taking care of that task for him. Now he knew where the fish were. And they were right beside the boat the disciples were in. So he simply said, "Cast your net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." Some? They were about to fill their net! Of course they wouldn't know that's where he had the fish. With Jesus involved it would be very easy to have…

Success in fishing. Let's continue reading. John 21:9-14, When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. 10. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11. So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. 12. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. 14. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

They had fished all night and got nothing! Jesus was waiting on the shore for them with a fire and fish broiling away. Oh, he also had some bread to go with his fish. Peter had hurried ashore when John announced that it was the Lord. But these guys were real fishermen and now their nets were full! Even Peter went back and helped them pull the net ashore. Not only did they bring the net in they brought out their baskets and counted the fish. 153 large fish were the result of a few minutes fishing under Jesus' direction.

So they cleaned some of their catch to add to what Jesus had caught and had a great breakfast with the Lord of lords and King of kings. But there was a lot more to this than providing breakfast for them. You see, Peter had a special purpose. He had served as a teaching tool for Jesus more than once. Now it was time to reveal…

Peter's special purpose.

More than these. Let's read all John 21:15, When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” Jesus now asked a question, "do you love me more than these?". These? What did Jesus mean? Simon do you love me more than fishing? Or, do you love me more than these friends of yours? Or, do you love me more than this lake and these mountains — this beautiful scenery? Or, it may simply have meant all of the above. I tend to think that Jesus was challenging Peter to break away from the love of the world. Now, we need to ask ourselves…

What kind of love? Let's read on. John 21:15-17, When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16. He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17. He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

Three times Jesus asked what appears to be the same question but it's not! The first time Jesus asked, "Simon, son of John, do you agape me?" And Peter responded with, "Yes, Lord; you know that I philo you." Jesus responded with, "Feed my lambs."

Then Jesus immediately asked again the same question the same way and Peter responded to the same question the same way. Jesus said, "Do you love me with the highest kind of love?" And Peter responded with, "I love you like a brother." Peter could not have missed Jesus use of "agape" rather than "philo" and yet he persisted in using the word for lesser love that Jesus asked for.

The third time Jesus changed words. Instead of, "Do you agape me?" Jesus asked, "Do you philo me?" He brought the question down to the level of Peter's answer. It grieved Peter that Jesus asked the question a third time, and perhaps because Jesus changed word usage, and yet, Peter could not say, "agape"! He still asserted that he loved Jesus with a brotherly love. Perhaps he had no idea how to love Jesus with the highest kind of love.

That's Interesting, how does it apply to us?

Do you love me? This question only appears here. In relation to Jesus' life this question is only asked at this point and only to Peter!

What is love? We have God's own definition and direction related to love in …

1 Corinthians 13, let's read verses 4-8a Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5. or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6. It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8. Love never ends.

Time will not allow us to go into all that is revealed about love in this chapter. Suffice it to say that 1 Corinthians 13 does NOT say, "Love is a feeling of warmth and passion toward another person." Instead, we are told that, Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; It does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.

Or, in the words of Don Francisco, "Love is not a feeling it's an act of your will." Love is not how we feel. Love is what we do. You don't have to even like a person in order to love them. It helps a great deal but is not necessary. However, if you act lovingly towards a person long enough you will like them! Of that I'm sure! Now…

How much must we love? Jesus touched on the question in John 13:34-35, A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

His command is to love one another. How much? As much as he loved us. At the time Jesus said this his disciples could not fully grasp how he loved them but they would in a few days learn. He went to the cross as evidence of his love. God loved the world so much that he gave his only son. Gave his only son? Not just sent him to earth but also sent him to become sin for us and to die the death that we deserve. If we are to love as much as Jesus loves us and we have to be willing not only to die for our faith but to give up, or die to, anything that hinders our spiritual growth and our ministry. We need to be able to answer Jesus' question, "Do you love me more than these?" with, "Lord, you know that I love you!" And then, we need to life it out!

In the words of William Ralph Featherstone: My Jesus I love Thee, I know Thou art mine; for Thee, all the follies of sin I resign; my gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou; if ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

I love Thee because Thou hast first lov-ed me, and purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree; I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow; if ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

Perhaps the most famous passage of Scripture goes like this, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." That son was Jesus! Born of Mary, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. That son, Jesus, gave us the command to love one another as much as he loved us. Love that goes beyond feeling into action. He loved us enough to give his life that we might have life. Won't you receive him today?

All scripture quotes from:The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Thanks be to God!

Romans 7:13-25, "Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin."

Chapter seven of Romans is often considered to be the most depressing and defeating passage in the New Testament. It seems to many people to reflect the view of a spiritual schizophrenic. And our experience seems to support that idea. Nothing could be further from the truth. When a person is born again he/she becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus. Jesus hasn't just been added to the life of the believer. Jesus has become the life of the believer. We still have the old flesh patterns, or habits of the old life, but we have been born again to a new way of living. The problem is most of us have never understood that and we struggle on using the equipment of the old life: walking in the flesh rather than walking in the Spirit. Consequently, most believers read Romans chapter seven, verse fifteen, and say something like this, "Yeah, that's what my life's like. I just can't help myself." They do this without reading verse twenty-five and applying it to their lives.

In verse twenty-five you can almost hear Paul shout, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”. In 1 Corinthians 15:57 he says almost the same thing, “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” In the second passage he’s talking about victory over physical death. In the first, that is part of our text, he’s talking about victory over spiritual death and destruction in the life of the believer. There are several truths that need to be incorporated into our lives.

The first thing we see is that believers are new creatures in Christ!

2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." The problem we usually have is that we do not think of ourselves as a new creation. Folks, we are new creatures in Christ! We don't think of ourselves that way because we've been trained to "feel" a certain way about ourselves. All of our old habits, flesh patterns, ingrained over all the years of our lives are still with us. And they're deeply ingrained. Why are our flesh patterns so deeply ingrained?

We were born "dead on arrival". Ephesians 2:1, tells us, "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins,". You see, we were born dead in trespasses and sins! All of us were born sons and daughters of Adam and Eve and as such we inherited a dead-to-God spirit from our father Adam. Romans chapter five clearly points this out. Our nature was in opposition to God. We began immediately upon entry into Earth's atmosphere to try to meet our basic needs in our own strength because we had no other. As time went by we developed patterns of behavior designed to meet our needs apart from God. These are not evil needs. They are basic needs to all human beings and the greatest need is love. God designed us to need love because he is love. That's his very nature and we were born physically with that need in our life so that we would desire him. But indwelling sin tried to keep us from our goal of meeting our need for love in God. But for every believer God had a plan to end their dead-to-God existence and give them a new life in Christ.

We are born again — made alive! Jesus was talking to Nicodemus, a teacher of Israel, who came to Jesus one night hungry for what Jesus had been teaching. In John 3:3 Jesus told him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Earlier in his gospel John had written, "to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12,13) Paul wrote to the Ephesians, "even when we were dead in our trespasses, (God) made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—" Ephesians 2:5. You see, we didn't need better habits, or a nicer personality, or any other kind of improvement on our old life. We needed our old life to be put to death so we could be born of God not of the flesh or the will of man.

However, the flesh is still present. When a person is born again he or she is a baby in Christ. The Holy Spirit has come to live in you but you are not fully equipped for the new life. When you're born of the flesh you were equally unequipped. Most of us had all the right parts but we didn't know what to do with them. We had a "thinker", or mind, we had a "chooser", or will, and we had a "feeler", or emotions. Our thinker had to be taught. Our chooser had to be trained. But our feeler had no problem expressing itself. As a matter of survival we cried a lot! When we were hungry we cried. When we were wet or dirty we cried. When we were lonely we cried. When we were hurt, physically or emotionally, we cried. Thank God for mothers!

Having spent all of our lives up until salvation "walking in the flesh", rather than in the spirit, we continue with our old habits. I know, the Holy Spirit has come to live in the new believer. However, our "chooser", our "thinker", and our "feeler" had not yet been fixed. The way we used live in the flesh still seems to be the way to go but somehow it doesn't feel right. In fact, when we follow the flesh we can say with Paul, "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death." We struggle with how to live the Christian life. With Paul, we want to do right but find that we are not doing right. With training, we can get the outside looking pretty good but we know on the inside we are just not hacking it. It's as though we have a split personality. What could be the problem?

The problem is Sin dwells in us.

You see Adam sold us to Sin. Genesis 2:16-17, "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Our father Adam didn't just want to be like God, or to be a friend of God, or even a child of God, Adam wanted to be God and rule his own little kingdom himself. Eve was deceived by Satan, Adam volunteered! From that time forward, the human race was sold under sin and in bondage to the prince of the power of the air, Satan himself. The moment he sinned, by rebelling against God, his spirit, that had been attached to God, became attached to Satan. Then, as Don Francisco put it in his song, "all their unborn children die as both of them bow down to Satan's hand."

The power of Sin indwells us. Romans 7:20-23, "Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members." Let me hasten to say to you that we do not have two warring natures. Remember, when a person comes to Christ, he or she becomes a new creature. That person's soul becomes a sealed unit attached to God and filled with the Holy Spirit. There is no room for the sin-spirit in your spirit or soul. However, Satan's tool remains in the members of our body. That tool is called, "Sin", or, "the law of sin". In last week's message we saw that Sin seized the opportunity of twisting the law, "You shall not covet." And produced all kinds of lust. Paul said that Sin, through that commandment, deceived him and killed him spiritually. The law that is holy, righteous, and good was used to stimulate sins in the life of Paul by the power of Sin that dwelt in his members.

When we are born again our old habits, or flesh, continue to live in our body. As Bill Gillham tells us in his book, Lifetime Guarantee, "These are the memory traces, the habit patterns, the software in your computer. If you are deceived into focusing on these thoughts, your brain will run the same program repeatedly." The flesh is left with us, by God, so long as we are on this Earth with a good purpose in mind. Remember, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28) When those old memory traces, or habit patterns kick in it doesn't "feel" like it's working together for good! Well, rain on your feelings! Remember, your "feeler" is pretty well stuck in your old way of living. The flesh will always be with us but thanks be to God it doesn't have to rule over us. We have to live in the realm of our "chooser" and our "thinker" and let them retrain our "feeler". We have a promise in Scripture that sin will have no dominion over us since we are not under law but under grace. (Romans 6:14) When your "feeler" tells you that you'll never be set free, tell it to get off the bus and go on without it. Which can you trust most, the word of God or the way you feel? I hope you don't have to spend too much time thinking about that.

If Paul had ended this passage with verse twenty-three we would be left thinking that there is no hope of our never being delivered. But we can join him in saying: "But thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 7:25

We have weapons of power. Paul told the Corinthians about those weapons of power in his second letter. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, "For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ," In this passage Paul uses the word "flesh" three times (ESV). The first time refers to the human body but the second two times referred to those flesh patterns, or habits, built into our lives over the years. The war we are fighting will never be won in our strength or by our training. Even if our flesh is good it is never to be used in our warfare. The apostle Paul had the best flesh possible. He wrote to the Philippians these words, "I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—" Philippians 3:4-9 Paul had excellent human credentials. He was above reproach by human standards. When he met Christ his value system was turned upside down. Now, whatever gain he had he counted as loss for the sake of Christ. He counted everything loss for the sake of knowing Christ. His own righteousness just wouldn't cut it. Remember he had said in our text, "I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh." Verse 18. Note that he did not say, "nothing good dwells in me", without adding, "that is, in my flesh". One thing for sure, something "GOOD" did dwell in him. That something good is the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit! We have the mind of Christ. But we also have habits of the past — flesh patterns programmed by Satan.

There are, at least, three sources of thoughts. 1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us that we have the mind of Christ. Our mind generates thoughts that are holy and good. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer and puts holy and good thoughts in our mind. The power of Sin, Satan's tool, also suggests thoughts to us. Now he doesn't do this in a strange scary voice or smelling of sulfur. When the enemy presents thoughts to our mind he uses our voice. Your mind receives thoughts from the Power of Sin and thinks those thoughts are your own! He doesn't say, "You should do thus and so." He says, using your own voice and your own words," I should do thus and so." Our job is to take every thought captive to obey Christ. When we are presented with a thought from the enemy we must learn to recognize the source. Sinful thoughts do not come from us. Be have been born again and have a new mind, a new thought pattern, a new way of living, because we have been indwelt by the Holy Spirit. John, writing to his beloved children in the Spirit, tells us, "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God." (1 John 3:6) Notice he doesn't say, "No one born of God sins." But he does say, "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning." You see in the beginning of the book, John says, "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8) John includes himself when he says "we" rather than "you". He was the last living apostle when he wrote these words. He was very close to Jesus and was included in the three who were usually with Jesus at very special times. He was there on the Mount of Transfiguration. He was there when Jesus raised Jairus' daughter from the dead. Still when John spoke of the possibility of sin and life of a believer he said if we say we have sin we deceive ourselves. So in chapter 3 he could not have been talking about sinless perfection but instead he speaks of sin habits and flesh patterns that we must take captive to obey Christ. It's not easy. In fact, especially in the beginning, it's hard. Anytime you have a thought to which you can not add, "In Jesus' name." it didn't come from your mind and it didn't come from the Holy Spirit. It came from the evil one and needs to be taken captive to Christ and rejected by you immediately. Never act on a thought that doesn't honor God.

If you have been with me very long you know that I believe the greatest promise in Scripture, apart from the promise of salvation, is that Sin will not win. Romans 6:14 tells us "For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace."

We need to be aware that we are not spiritual Siamese twins. God does not come into a person's life and attach his Holy Spirit to Satan's sin-spirit in us and then leave us to fight a battle all of our life. That certainly is not what Jesus promised when he, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10 God would not set us up for failure by leaving the Adamic nature intact in our life and attach His Spirit to it. Jesus laid down a spiritual principal when he said, "no city or house divided against itself will stand." Matthew 12:25b Since we become a new creature in Christ Jesus and we have spiritual weapons that are powerful to the pulling down of strongholds we must choose to walk by the Spirit not by the Flesh.

All Scriptures are from: The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001,. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.