Gold refined in a fire...

Warning to the church which thinks because it has no needs it is right with God…

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art the wretched one and miserable and poor and blind and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich; and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest; and eye salve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I reprove and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent...Revelation 3:17-19.

The clothing we are clothed in comes from righteous deeds…

And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints...Revelation 19:8.

Here are some righteous deeds to gain gold tried in a fire…

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or athirst, and gave thee drink? And when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? And when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels...Matthew 25:37-41.

Prayer

Father please meet our soul’s deepest needs and open our eyes to gain gold refined in a fire…in Jesus of Nazareth’s name amen.

Try…A…Pause for Prayer and Devotional a Wellsaid Christian Devotional about the teachings of Jesus… https://www.anopenbiblestudy.com/blog-by-ben-the-friend

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Incarnation of Jesus

Incarnation of Jesus

Introduction:

1. What is the Bible about? How would you answer this question?

a. It is about man’s redemption from sin, which means it is about Jesus our redeemer

b. A person could reason that the Bible’s theme is Jesus Christ

2. A general outline of the Bible: Old Testament point to Jesus coming, the New says Jesus came and Is coming back to take us home

3. Jesus Christ is the very center of Christianity, obviously there can not be Christianity without Christ

4. I want to talk about the incarnation of Jesus Christ with 3 major points:

a. Jesus is God

b. Jesus is Man

c. Jesus purpose for becoming a man

I. Jesus is God

A. The Inspired Word of God says Jesus is God

1. The bible declares that Jesus is God

a. Rom 9:5, “whose are of the fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all, God blessed forever amen”

2. Thomas and his good confession (John 20:19-29)

a. Thomas was not with the other disciples, when Jesus showed Himself to them

b. Thomas said he would not believe unless he put his fingers into the nail prints and into His side. Some because of this event call Thomas doubting Thomas.

c. Jesus came again and showed Himself to Thomas, when Jesus asked Thomas to put his fingers into His nail pierced hands, Thomas said My Lord and My God.

d. If Jesus was just a man then He could never be called God without someone sinning.

e. Jesus accepted Thomas and his worship, so Jesus was God. Peter in Cornelius’s house would not allow a man to worship him and declared to Cornelius that he too was just a man. Jesus however is more than just a man.

f. It is idolatry to worship anything other than God Himself. It is idolatry to worship the created.

3. Jesus equated Himself equal to God

a. John 10:30, Jesus said my Father and I are one.

b. No man could ever say that he and God are one

4. John the Apostle witness concerning Jesus (John 1:1-14)

a. Jesus is inferred to be the word in verse 14

b. In verse 2, He was with God. In verse 1, He is God

c. He created all things, John was originally a Jew and believed in one God Deut 6:4. No Jew would say that there were two God’s unless they knew Jesus was indeed God.

5. General epistles concerning Jesus

a. Col 1:15-18, who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature for by Him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in the earth, visible, invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, principalities, powers, all things are created by Him and for Him. He is before all things and by Him all things consist. He is the head of the church the firstborn from the dead that in all things He might have preeminence.

b. Heb 1:8, with the Father speaking, it says “thy throne O’ God is forever and ever a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom”

B. The 3 in 1 Trinity

1. Father is God

a. 1 Cor 8:6, but to us there is but one God, the Father of whom are all things and we in Him

b. Gal 1:1, Paul an apostle (not of men, neither by man) but by Jesus Christ and God the Father

c. Paul references the Father as being God

2. Holy Spirit is God

a. Acts 5:1-4,

b. Anannias had predetermined to lie about how much money they were giving. Probably did this in order to receive prestige, prominence, and inflated pride

c. Peter says in vs 3, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit? You have not lied unto men but unto God.

d. Rom 8:9, “You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be the Spirit of God dwells in you”

3. Summary of the Trinity

a. Jesus is said to be God. The Father is said to be God. The Holy Spirit is said to be God

b. Scripture clearly says that anyone of them can be called God. These are inter-dependent on each other, co-equal, co-eternal and inseparable. They are united in oneness by their essence or substance or what they are made out of. You and I are both flesh, they are God. God is One Authority.

c. Mat 3:13-17, Jesus baptism is a picture of the Trinity. Jesus being baptized, the Spirit descending and the Father speaking

II. Jesus was human

A. The Scripture Says He was a man

1. John 1:14, the word was made flesh.

a. The eternal Word that had existed from the beginning, was made flesh

b. God decided to make Himself flesh. Like me putting on a glove.

2. Phil 2:5-8

a. Jesus laid aside the glory of Heaven, so He could become a slave to the Law He ordained

b. He was God and was being worshipped in Heaven. Jesus laid aside His throne and became a servant. The Creator became the created, instead of being served He began to serve. God can never stop being God, He just laid aside His will and submitted to the predetermined will of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that was decided before the world was formed.

3. John 8:40

a. Jesus said, but now you seek to kill me a man that told you the truth.

b. Jesus said he was a man

4. Acts 2:22

a. Ye men of Israel, hear these words Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God among you by miracles, signs, and wonders…

b. Peter says, the Jesus was also a man

c. We all know that Jesus was a man

B. As a Man he felt our weakness

1. He was tempted

a. In Mat 4:1-11, Jesus was tempted by the devil. Jesus responded with the word of God

b. Jesus due to flesh was tempted, but His will, and the power of the Holy Spirit that lighted upon Him at his baptism, was stronger than the flesh

c. Heb 4:15, for we have not a high priest that can not be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted as we were yet without sin”

d. Jesus felt the pull of the flesh in the direction that leads away from God but did not succumb to it

e. Heb 2:15, in that He Himself suffered temptation He is able to succor (comfort) them that are tempted.

2. He was tired

a. When dealing with the woman in Samaria at the well, He sat down because He was tired

b. John 4:6, “Now Jacob’s well was there and Jesus being wearied from His journey sat thus on the wall”

3. Jesus also was thirsty

a. John 19:28, Jesus was on the cross about to die and says I thirst

4. Jesus went to sleep

a. Luke 8:23, as He sailed He fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake

b. He woke up and rebuked the wind and the storm settled down. In this example, we see Jesus Divinity and his humanity

C. He had human emotions

1. Sorrow

a. John 11:33-36 Raising of Lazarus

2. Compassion

a. Mat 9:36, “but when Jesus saw the multitudes He was moved with compassion”

3. Strong Crying

a. Heb 5:7, “who in the day of temptation offered prayers and supplications with strong tears and crying unto Him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that He feared”

b. Jesus became a man and as such he submitted to doing the predetermined will ordained before the foundation of the world.

4. Anger

a. John 2:13-17, Cleansing of the temple

b. In this scene of Jesus life, Jesus took a cord and threw out the moneychangers. He called it a den of thieves.

c. Then the disciples remembered that it was written the zeal of Thine house has eaten me up Ps 69:9.

d. Anger is not sin, it is an emotion. However any emotion left uncontrolled can cause a person to sin. Be angry and sin not Eph 4:26

III. The Role of Jesus

A. Each Member of the Trinity has a role or function to perform

1. The father

a. He plays the role of the designer or authority

b. He is the one with the plan

2. The Son

a. He plays the role of the provider

b. He provided a way for all mankind’s needs to be met

3. The Holy Spirit

a. The Spirit plays the role of the doer

b. He takes the plan and the provision and works it to completion

B. The Son

1. Jesus referred to Himself as God the son of Man

a. Think about that literally. He is the God that became the son of mankind

2. His Humanity

a. We can identify with Jesus because He became like us

b. We can see ourselves in His shoes doing what He did according to our ability

c. We all have heard of the phrase wwjd have we not?

d. Jesus also had vulnerability because of His human side. He was hungry, thirsty, sleepy, suffering in pain

e. Emotional vulnerability could also worked to undo Jesus. He was betrayed, lied about, rejected, the very people he trusted betrayed him, the people He tried to save plotted to kill Him, Jesus took it all for us though, because He loves us.

C. Jesus Purpose of the incarnation

1. Jesus put on humanity to kill sin

a. 1 John 3:5, and you know He was manifested to take away sin and in Him there is no sin

b. Jesus Role was to provide a way for mankind’s sin to be taken out of the picture

c. Jesus said I will become like the man that I created so I can impart my perfection and righteousness to them that believe and obey my will

2. Jesus was sinless

a. 1 Pet 2:21-24, 1Pe 2:20-25 ESV For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. (21) For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps. (22) He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth. (23) When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly. (24) He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. (25) For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

b. We are healed by the stripes that Jesus took for us on His back to save us from our punishment.

c. 2 Cor 5:21, for He has made Jesus to be sin for us, who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him

d. We cannot be righteous by our own merits, so we trust in Jesus promises to impart that righteousness to us through faith in obeying His words.

e. Jesus role revealed to us was to pay for infinite amount of sin, and to absorb an infinite amount of wrath.

Conclusion:

1. Jesus is God and was involved in the creation of Man and even planned to save mankind before man was ever created. Nothing was or has been done without His knowing about it. Jesus knew every detail of the life He was going to live before He chose to come down to earth and live it (Jn 1:1-18, Col 1:15-18, Eph 1:1-8)

2. God can never stop being God, Jesus simply decided before He became a man what He was going to do and then when He became a man submitted to the predetermined will He and the rest of the God head had decided to do before the creation of the world.

3. Jesus was fully human, he felt human emotions, human limitations, human temptations, but was still fully God just did not use His Godhood but relied upon the God Holy Spirit to do the miracles and inspire Him to teach the will of the Father.

4. The Holy Spirit was the reason for His inspiration and the miracles. Listen: John 6:28-29, “then they said unto Him, what shall we do that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, this is the work of God that you believe on Him whom He has sent”. The miracles were never the point but the pointer, that pointed to Jesus being the savior of mankind to all those that believe and obey His New Agreement between God and Mankind the New Testament of Christ, which He is the only Mediator of.

The Crucifixion of Jesus...

Basic Doctrines Crucifixion Mat 27:32-50

Introduction:

1. There is a God. It does not take a rocket scientist to see this fact. We see the stars, moon, sun, and ecosystem, etc…

2. All of these things have order and since out of chaos comes more chaos, then order must come from somewhere.

3. God is the reason for the order in the world because he designed it to have order. We can read about how God made man in Gen 1. When He did he gave us free will and this is the ability to reject him or love him. He also knew that before he created man we would reject him. This rejection of His will is called sin and sin results in punishment from God Eph 1:1-6.

4. He also seen a way to reconcile our punishment from sin. He planned to bring in a sacrifice for our sin. John 3:16

5. Today I want to talk about the greatest thing we should be thankful for and that is the love offering made for us on the Cross-of Calvary, The Crucifixion of Christ.

I. The Problem of Sin

A. What is sin?

1. Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. (1Jo 3:4 ESV)

2. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death. (1Jo 5:17 ESV)

3. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. (Jam 4:17 ESV)

4. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. (Rom 14:23 ESV)

B. The Beginning of Sin

1. Gen. 3:1-7

2. God had planned for this event

a. It was not a surprise

b. Jesus Christ was coming into the picture from before the beginning of Creation: “even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, (Eph 1:4-5)

c. There is a prophecy in Gen. 3:15” I will put enmity (hostility) between you and the woman, between your seed and her. He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise His heal.”

d. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (Joh 3:16-17)

C. Jesus Died Because of Sin

1. As foretold he died for our sins.

a. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, (1Co 15:3)

b. Isa 53:5-6 “But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

2. He gave himself for our sin: “who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, (Gal 1:4)

3. He bore all of man’s sin on the cross

a. 1 Pet 2:24 “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed”

4. The thoughts of the Christ offering himself on the cross remind us of the seriousness of sin and the redemption of mankind.

a. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1Jo 1:8-10 ESV)

D. Jesus Killed Sin

1. He condemned sin in his flesh through his death

a. Rom 8:13 “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live”

2. Through baptism we die to our selves and are born of the Spirit

a. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his (Rom 6:5)

3. The crucifixion needs to remind us to crucify our fleshly lusts and pleasures.

a. Gal 5:24-25

b. Col 3:5-11

I. Revelation of Love

A. Jesus died because of His love for us

1. The love of the Father for a lost world.

a. John 3:16

b. but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom 5:8)

2. The love of the Son

a. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Eph 5:2)

3. The abundant love of God may we never forget it

a. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1Jo 4:9-10)

b. Propitiation- An eternal or forever atoning sacrifice

B. Jesus demonstrated what true love costs

1. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. (1Jo 3:16)

a. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends. (Joh 15:13 ESV)

2. His love serves as a pattern for our love

a. 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. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (Joh 13:34-35 ESV)

b. "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. (Joh 15:12 ESV)

3. May the love of Christ that was shown on the cross compel us to love.

a. Greatest Commandment: Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these. (Mar 12:29-31 ESV)

II. Jesus Died for All Mankind.

A. Jesus died for all

1. God wants all men to be saved

a. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2Pe 3:9 ESV)

b. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1Ti 2:4 ESV)

2. Jesus is our Propitiation

a. 1 Jn 1:6-10

b. 1 John 2:1-2

B. Jesus is our only hope

1. JN 14:6 He is the way the truth and the light no man comes to the father but through Him.

2. Acts 4:12” There is no other name…

3. Deny the son, and one has not the Father

a. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also(1Jo 2:23)

b. if you abide in Christ teaching then you have both the Father and the Son 2 John 9

4. May the love Christ showed us on the cross compel us to accept His free gift of salvation.

a. The whole idea of Christianity is “I know how to go to Heaven I tell you and then we both can go.”

b. Church growth formula to double in size every year : If each Christian converts 1 person every year then the church will double in size every year.

5. The death of Jesus should cause us to examine our own lives

a. We can see the seriousness of our sins

b. We are told to examine ourselves, Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you fail to meet the test! (2Co 13:5 ESV). Not only do we need to take a look in the mirror according to our spiritual needs, but we can help others see their need of salvation from the Saviour.

C. The Agony of Sin

1. MAT 27:32-50

2. “The wages of sin is death” Rom 6:23

a. God’s righteousness must punish sin. That punishment is death. If you are in your sins then you will suffer wrath of GOD. The good news is Jesus paid your debt.

3. As a process of Love offering and a propitiation of sin Jesus was scourged.

a. Every sin you have committed was the reason for Christ suffering.

b. Jesus died because of His love for you. He died because He loves you so much and He wants you to go to Heaven to live with Him forever.

4. Was Crucified.

a. They would put nails through the hands of the victim.

b. I seen on T.V where people were being suspended by fish hooks in a case. If they can be held up by that then Jesus could be held up by those nails.

c. They then would have the person carry the cross tot he places to the crucifixion.

d. Then they (Roman Soldiers) would fasten the beam onto the pole those forming a cross.

e. Then they would nail the victims feet to the tree

Conclusion:

1. Certainly more could be said about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

2. Perhaps this sermon will increase our appreciation of this great event.

3. Jesus death condemned sin

a. His death revealed the love of God

b. His death is for the ransom of many

c. His death is caused by my sin

4. Christ is the way for Salvation. You will never know happiness and peace until you know Jesus Christ Your Lord.

5. Rom 6:23 “The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

6. The way to accept the free salvation is :

a. Believe John 3:16 Heb 11:6

b. Repent Luke 13:3 Acts 17:30-31

c. Confess Mat 10:32-33

d. Baptism Mark 16:16 Acts 2?:38

e. Be Faithful Heb 10:26 Rev 2:10