Sunset Road Baptist Church Sermon Notes: October 2006

Sunday, October 29, 2006

October 29,2006 - Questions About Grace- Part 2

By Rev. Steve Bass

INTRODUCTION

The great thing about preaching a sermon series is that you get to pick up right where you left off the previous week

At least that’s what they told us in seminary
But 25 years in the pulpit tells me that’s not the way it works in the real world

And I'm okay with that

Sometimes I have a hard time remembering what I preached about last Sunday
So- just to be on the safe side- let’s review what we talked about last week

We started by asking a question: Can a person do something that would cause God to withhold His grace from your life?

In other words: Are there any limits to God’s grace?
And the answer is?...

Absolutely not!
There are NO limits to God’s grace

Romans 5:20 says: Where sin increased, grace increased all the more

The point being that no matter how bad the sin in your life may be
God ALWAYS has enough grace and mercy and forgiveness in His heart to save a person who trusts Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord

TRANSITION

Today we're going to take the next step and address the question:

Can you do something that would cause God to withdraw His gift of grace in your life?
In other words: Can you lose your salvation?

To be honest- a lot of Christians think you can

For some it’s a denominational thing

Methodists and free-will Baptists have this belief
They talk about Christians who fall from grace

For others:

This isn't a point of theological debate or Biblical discussion
It’s more of a feeling they have in the pit of their stomach

Illustration: Stella Ayscue

Years ago- I remember asking a woman named Stella Ayscue: Are you saved? Do you know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord?
Big tears came to her eyes as she said: I used to. I was saved when I was 15- got baptized and everything. But some things happened when I was in my thirties that made me lose my salvation. I'd like to get right with God again- but I'm sure He isn't interested in a loser like me.

Folks-

I have no idea what Stella did to cause her to feel like she'd lost her salvation
But trust me- she’s not the only Christian who’s ever felt that way

Some of you have undoubtedly had those kinds of feelings

You may still be having them
And if that’s the case

you're like Stella Ayscue
You DESPERATELY need to learn what the Bible says about this thing

So this morning let’s ask this critical question about God’s grace: Can you lose your salvation?

YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN

Over the last 10 years or so- I've developed a bad habit of losing things

Sunglasses- ballpoint pens- keys- hairbrushes- socks- hand tools and assorted wrist watches

I don't know where they go-
They just disappear

But in all that time- I can honestly say I have never lost a ROLEX wrist watch

That because I've never HAD a Rolex wrist watch
The point is: You can't lose something you never had

The reason I bring this is up is because the question of losing your salvation is based on a premise

At some point in your life you've accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord
At some point you've received God’s gift of grace and salvation

In John chapter 3 a man named Nicodemus pays Jesus a visit during the night

He begins by flattering Jesus: I know you're a great teacher- a real man of God. No one could do the miracles you've been doing if God were not with Him.
But Jesus doesn't fall for the flattery. Instead he cuts right to the chase: I tell you the truth- no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again
Nicodemus can't believe his ears: Born again? Jesus- how is that possible? Am I supposed to crawl back in my mother’s womb and go through the birth process a second time?

Of course that’s not what Jesus meant

Jesus was telling Nicodemus that in order to be saved- a person has to made an individual decision to receive Christ as their Savior

Your parents can not do it for you
You aren't born again because your name happens to be written on a church roll somewhere
And the fact you may have lived a good life is irrelevant

To be saved YOU must make a decision to accept Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord

Listen to what the Bible says in Romans 10:9
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Now look at what Jesus says in John 5:24
I want you to understand what these verses of Scripture are saying:

If you believe in Jesus- and have asked Him to:

Forgive you of your sin
And be your personal Savior and Lord

You are saved- PERIOD!

But what...

If I don't feel any different than I felt before?

It doesn't matter
The Bible says you are saved

Happens if I begin to doubt the validity of the experience I had?

It doesn't matter
The Word of God says you're saved

If I never join a church- or get baptized- or start to grow in my faith?

Now that matters- but it doesn't affect your salvation
The Bible says you are saved

Now with all this in mind- let’s get back to the question: Can a person who was genuinely saved- lose their salvation?

THE FACT OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS

Read Romans 3:1-4
I want you to understand what’s going on here

Throughout Romans Paul raises a series of questions that people ask about the things of God
Then he turns around and answers the question

Well notice the question that’s raised in verse 3:

What if some people- to whom God made a promise- suddenly decide NOT to believe?
Will the fact that they broke their promises to God- cause God to break His promises to them?

Read what it says in verse 4

God is going to keep His promises even if every Christian on the face of the Earth breaks their promise to Him
Where salvation is concerned:

It’s God’s righteousness- it’s His holiness- it’s His faithfulness- it’s His reputation that’s at stake
And God will ALWAYS be found true and faithful

Of course- it’s like we talked about last Sunday:

All of this makes perfect sense as long as we're talking about little sins
Our assumption is that God is gracious to forgive and forget the minor sins the average Christian commits

But our feeble human brains convince us that surely God draws the line SOMEWHERE

There’s got to be a point of no return- a sin that’s so heinous- so terrible- so blasphemous
That God would say: That’s IT!

you've gone too far. I am withdrawing my gift of grace from your life
As of this moment- you have lost your salvation

But folks-

Even if a Christian were to commit...murder
The Bible says God would never...

Withdraw His grace-
Fail to keep His promise to you

And I'll give you four reasons why:

THE FOUR REASONS:

God’s love is unconditional

In 1 John chapter 4 the Bible says God is love

Love doesn't define who God is- God defines what love is
That sounds simple and straight-forward- but most people don't understand this fundamental truth about God

This week TIME magazine had a cover story: America At 300 Million

The article looked at who Americans are- and what we do- and what we believe
According to the article-

67% of Americans who identify themselves as religious or Christian believe God is authoritarian- distant-angry- critical- and determined to punish those who do wrong
Only 23% believe God is loving, kind and gracious

How do people get so confused about God?

Simple: They think God’s love is like human love
And far too often human love is conditional love

It comes with strings attached
It’s determined by situation and circumstance
It can be damaged and destroyed

See- conditional love is always an If-Then proposition

If you do these things- then I will love you
If you don't do these things- then I won't love you

Folks- that’s not what the Bible says about God’s love

God’s love for you is unconditional
It...

Never changes- it never varies
Comes with no strings attached
isn't determined by situation and circumstance
Can NEVER be damaged or destroyed

I know we read 1 Corinthians 13 a lot-

But if only 23% of Americans believe God is loving-
I'd say we need to read it a lot more

Folks- the unconditional nature of God’s love is the foundation of our hope as Christians

You may fail God
But God will never stop loving you!

Eternal is forever

Read Titus 3:4-7
How long is eternal?

The answer is forever!
It literally never ends!

The Bible is saying that if you've received Jesus Christ as your Savior you have received God’s gift of eternal life

Life that lasts forever!
Life that literally never ends!

But here’s the thing: If you could loose your salvation from one moment to the next

God wouldn't be giving you eternal life
He'd be giving you a temporary stay of execution

As long as you do what I'm telling you to do- I'll keep you on life support
But you cross this line- and I'll cut you like THAT!

Illustration: The Phone Call

I recently received a phone call from someone who was concerned about a loved one who had recently died

This person had accepted Jesus as a child
But never really lived a Christian life

Conversation:

TR: I'm worried about her. Is she in heaven? Am I going to see her again?
Steve Bass: Absolutely! When she accepted Jesus she received God’s gift of eternal life- and that’s a gift God doesn't take back!

Salvation is a matter of grace- not works

Read Ephesians 2:8-9
Here’s what the Bible is saying here:

You can be saved because God is God of grace
Through His grace God showers you with His love and mercy and forgiveness in spite of...

Who you are
Or what you might have done in this life

Which is the exact opposite of what most people think

Most people think God holds some giant set of scales in His hands
On the one side-/ On the other-

God stacks all the sins you've committed
God stacks all the good things you've done in life

If...

The scales tip clearly on the side of your good deeds you're in- otherwise you're out
It’s close God may throw in a little grace- but that’s about as far as it goes

That’s not the message of the Bible

The Word of God says the sin in your life has automatically condemned you to a sinner’s hell
BUT- Jesus died on the Cross for you! His death enabled a gracious and loving God to declare you righteous in His sight

You didn't have anything to do with it
It was God’s accomplishment from start to finish

So what’s all this saying about losing your salvation?

If you could lose your salvation because of something you did- or didn't- do
The doctrine of salvation by grace would have to be tossed out the window

You can't have it both ways

You don't begin the race with grace- and finish it with works
Instead- it’s grace from the beginning to the end

Give thanks to God! It’s grace all the way!

Judgment is past for the Christian

Read what the Bible says in Romans 8:1

The word condemnation means judgment- specifically the judgment of sin
So look at what it’s saying: There is no judgment of sin awaiting people who know Jesus as their Savior

In other words:

When Jesus died on the Cross He received the judgment- the condemnation- for sin
Because Jesus paid that debt- judgment is OVER for those who believe in Him

Illustration: The Canceled Check

A few years ago Pam and I got a letter from Insurance Company saying we hadn't paid our health insurance premium

The letter was pretty scary
It said effective the 30th of April your coverage has been canceled for failure to pay premium

Fortunately- Pam had the canceled check in our file cabinet

She sent the company a copy of the check proving we'd paid the premium
Which ended things right then and there

The bill had been paid
They couldn't demand a second payment

Folks- God is fair- He is just

Because Jesus paid the penalty for sin
He will not- under any conditions- demand a second payment

AN EXAMINATION OF ROMANS 8:35-39

But maybe you're still not convinced

Maybe you're thinking: "I don't know Steve...All this SOUNDS pretty good..."
But I still think there’s got to be something that would cause God to stop loving me

Turn with me over to Romans 8:35-39
Look at the question raised in verse 35

Are you sure there’s NOTHING that can separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus?

What happens if I'm persecuted for my faith and wind up turning my back on God?
What if I'm so hungry I lose confidence in God’s ability to provide for me?
Or- what if I'm threatened with death because I'm a Christian- and renounce my faith in order to save my life?

Will I lose my salvation then?

Let me paraphrase what the Bible says beginning in verse 37

No way! In spite of all the things you've mentioned...you will STILL have the victory through Jesus Christ who loved you and died for you!
In fact NOTHING on this Earth- or in eternity- can stop God’s love from being made real in your life!

Let me give you one of those hard cases- to demonstrate what I'm talking about

Larry Flynt is the publisher of Penthouse magazine
About 25 years ago Flynt suddenly announced that he'd accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and Lord

For a short time he started living like a Christian
But it wasn't long before he was back to his old way of life- using smut to sell his magazine

Now here’s the thing:

IF he was sincere when he asked Jesus to be His Savior- and God is the only one who knows that
THEN he is saved by the blood Jesus shed on the Cross of Calvary- and he'll spend eternity in heaven

Now you may be sitting there thinking: Wait a minute! Guy mumbles a few words of prayer- spends a few weeks acting like a Christian- spends the rest of his life peddling porn- and HE’S going to be in heaven?

That’s EXACTLY what I'm telling you
And you'd better be glad that’s true

You see it’s the hard cases like Larry Flynt
That guarantees that God will always keep His promise of love to you and me!

A LAST ILLUSTRATION OF GOD’S LOVE

I want you to turn to Isaiah 49:15-16
Illustration: "Miss Bessie and the Child That Died"

I was once talking to a 92 year old lady who started telling me about her family

She told me that she had given birth to eight children
Seven of whom were still living

But then- with a tear in her eye- she said: My first baby died when he was two days old
Conversation:

I remember asking her: Miss Bessie- how old were you when your baby died?
She brushed back a few more tears and said: I was seventeen

As I listened to Bessie Faulkner tell that story- I couldn't get over it:

75 years had passed since the death of her child
And this mother still shed tears of grief and memory

And yet God says: A mother will forget her child, but I will NEVER forget you!

Folks, that’s the kind of God we worship and adore
One who persistently and consistently and faithfully loves us and NEVER forgets His words of promise!

CONCLUSION

Do you know His love in your life?

Have you ever accepted His gift of salvation- and been saved- once for all time?
If not- I encourage you to invite Jesus into your life this morning!

If you have asked Jesus to be your Savior- what are you going to do with His love?

The one thing you can be sure about- the one certainty in your life- is that you will NEVER- NO NOT EVER- be separated from His love
doesn't that make you want to love Him and serve Him with all your heart and soul?

Let us pray

Sunday, October 22, 2006

October 22, 2006 - Questions About Grace: Part 1

Audio Version

Available

October 22, 2006
By Rev. Steve Bass

INTRODUCTION

The word for today is GRACE

G-R-A-C-E. Maybe the most profound word in the English language
How many adjectives can you think of to describe grace? (Offering ‘Amazing’ as an example)

Encourage congregation to provide answers- ask people if necessary
Those are all great- but I've got one more: Mystifying

Face it- grace may be amazing- wonderful- glorious- etc.
But let’s be honest-

Sometimes it doesn't make much sense
Sometimes it’s more than a little confusing

Grace says God forgives and accepts anyone who comes to Him by faith in Jesus Christ

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound- that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost- but now am found. Was blind- but now I see
Wonderful song. Absolutely true. And completely mystifying

See- as human beings we don't really GET grace

We sing about it- we preach about it- we depend on it
But somehow we don't fully grasp what God’s grace means

That’s why we're beginning a new sermon series this morning

Over the next few weeks we're going to ask some important questions about grace
These questions address the very nature and scope of God’s wonderful, amazing, mystifying grace

Next Sunday we're going to ask: Can you do something that would cause God to remove His grace from your life?
On November 12 we're going to ask: What happens if you die before you're able to respond to God’s grace?
This morning we're going to begin by asking the question: Can you do something that would cause God to withhold His grace from your life?

You may be surprised what you're going to learn!

TRANSITION

Can you do something that would cause God to withhold His grace from your life?

The Sunday School answer says:

Absolutely not! There are no limitations to God’s grace.
In this case the Sunday School answer is right...

But there’s always a nagging voice in the back of our heads that says: There’s got to be SOME limits to God’s grace.

Take the case of David Berkowitz

Some of you may remember Berkowitz by his alias: Son of Sam

In the late 1970’s Berkowitz went on a killing spree in New York City
Before being caught he killed six young women- and seriously wounded a number of others

Because New York state didn't have the death penalty Berkowitz was sentenced to 365 years in prison

Now the reason I bring up the case of a serial killer is because for most of us murder is the most extreme example of sin and evil we can imagine

Murder means you have willfully taken the life of another human being
ANY concept of justice dictates that a murderer-

Deserves to be punished to the fullest extent of the Law
doesn't deserve any grace- or mercy- or forgiveness

Think about it this way: What about the VICTIM of the crime?

Let’s say one of Berkowitz’s victims died without knowing Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord

The Bible says that person lost their chance to be saved the instant David Berkowitz pulled the trigger
Which means that person has received the wages of sin which is death

Spiritual death
Eternal separation from God in a place called hell

Is it fair to think the murderer would go to heaven if he or she experienced a Death Row conversion?

You read about these kinds of things all the time

Seems like every murderer facing execution will suddenly claim to have come to know Jesus

Gets them favorable treatment in the press
Almost inevitably some well-meaning Christian will take up their cause

But here’s the question:

Would murdering another human being put you beyond the scope of God’s grace?
Or- to put it another way- can a murderer be saved?

Now here’s why this question is so important

If we can prove that God’s grace extends even to someone who commits murder
Then obviously- it extends to anyone who calls on the name of the Lord for salvation

BIBLICAL BACKGROUND

Turn with me in your Bibles to Luke chapter 23. We'll begin with the 32nd verse

Luke calls the two men who were crucified with Jesus criminals

A better way to describe them would be insurrectionists
These men were political zealots dedicated to the overthrow of the Roman government

In all probability, they were members of a Jewish extremist group called the Sacari

Today we'd called the Sacari terrorists
One of the Sacari’s weapons of terror was murder

In other words: The men who were being crucified with Jesus had undoubtedly murdered Roman soldiers and Jews who cooperated with the Romans

If you remember- Barabbas was supposed to have been executed with these men
Read the way Barabbas is described in Luke 23:19

Now- the reason this is important to our discussion is because of something that happens in verses 39-42
I want you to understand what’s going on here: A MURDERER is asking Jesus for forgiveness and salvation

Earlier in the day he'd joined the crowd in cursing Jesus
But now he recognizes that there’s something different about the Man on the middle Cross

Jesus isn't a terrorist- He’s not a murderer
Something about Jesus has convinced this man that Jesus is the Messiah! God’s Promised One!

So he asks Jesus to "remember me when you come into your kingdom."

It may not sound like the Sinner’s Prayer
But this murderer is asking Jesus to give him the hope and assurance of heaven!

And notice what Jesus does

He doesn't say: you're a cold-bloodied murderer. You don't deserve My forgiveness. You killed another human being. Your actions have placed you totally beyond the scope of God’s love and grace!
Instead Jesus tells the man: I tell you the truth: Today you will be with me in paradise

Your sin- as great as it is- has been forgiven
You have called on Me for salvation- and you will receive the gift of God which is eternal life!

Folks- here’s the thing:

The real question we're trying to answer isn't about whether a murderer can be saved- Jesus answered that question at Calvary
The real question is: Why are there no limits to the scope of God’s love and grace? Why would God choose to save a murderer?

THE NATURE OF GOD’S GRACE

The Bible answers that question very simply: Because that’s WHO God is, and that’s WHAT God does!

From Genesis to Revelation God reveals Himself to be a God of love and mercy and grace
Throughout the Bible- there is a bold proclamation that says God is in the business of saving people who are lost!

Scripture references:

You know- if you study the Bible carefully you detect an underlying tension in how God feels about human beings and our sin problem

On the one hand- He loves you because He is your Creator- you are the object of His affection
On the other hand- your behavior- the willful, sinful rebellion in your heart- repulses Him

Read Hosea 11:1-9
One moment.../ But then- in the next instant-...

God is ready to destroy Israel because of its sin: Swords will flash in their cities, will destroy the bars of their gates and put an end to their plans. My people are determined to turn from me. Even if they call to the Most High, he will by no means exalt them.
God cries out His love and mercy and grace: Hosea 11:8

Illustration: Being A Parent

Anyone who has children can relate to what God is feeling
When Matthew and Stephanie were growing up there times:

I'd feel like jerking a knot in their head
But then I'd feel this overwhelming sense of love that caused me to forgive them and love them and show them whatever grace they needed

Now here’s the point:

If a weak, sinful human being can show that kind of compassionate love to his children
How much more will God- who defines what love is- demonstrate grace and mercy and forgiveness to HIS children!

In Romans 5:20 Paul puts it this way: Where sin increased- grace increased all the more

The point is that no matter how bad the sin may be
God ALWAYS has more than enough love and grace in His heart to forgive the repentant sinner!

Read how 1 John 1:8-9 puts it.

THE PROOF OF GOD’S UNLIMITED GRACE

Of course- all this makes perfect sense when you're talking about the little sins

Face it: In our eyes the sins we commit are fairly insignificant

You know you shouldn't do ‘em- you know they're wrong
But Satan dupes you into thinking: you're not really a bad person. You haven't done anything that a thousand other Christians didn't do today.

But murder? That’s a different story

The idea that a murderer could be saved
THAT’S the point where God’s grace becomes scandalous- where it shocks and offends our sense of justice and righteousness

You can NOT let a murderer get off scott free
Someone must pay a heavy price for that sin!

To that objection- the Word of God says: you're absolutely right! A price has been paid- and God Himself paid the price!

Folks- the Cross is the reason God can pour out His love and grace on people who-

Don't deserve it-
couldn't possibly earn it-
And shouldn't have any reason to hope in it

See- Jesus had already paid the price

He accepted the punishment for your sin
He did it by dying on the Cross for you!

The first time I visited Israel- and stood at the base of Golgotha

My body began to tremble- and tears filled my eyes
Looking at that hillside- that still resembles a human skull after 2000 years- it hit me with the force of hurricane wind

This is the place Jesus died for my sin
This is the place Jesus died for your sin
This is the place Jesus died for everyone- and anyone- who receives Him as their personal Savior and Lord

CONCLUSION

Someday- when you get to heaven- you're going to meet people who were-

Thieves and rapists
Pornographers and drug dealers
Abortionists and child abusers
And "Yes" you will meet people who committed murder

In fact, someday- when you get to heaven- you're going to meet David Berkowitz

In 1987 a ministry working with Prison Fellowship lead David Berkowitz to receive Christ as his Savior
Today- David Berkowitz is still an inmate in Attica State Prison

He serves God as a prison chaplain
Working daily to leading other inmates to Jesus

And least you think it’s all an act

In 2002 Berkowitz was scheduled to have a hearing before the state Parole Board

His conduct in prison had been unimpeachable
That he had turned his life around was unquestionable

As hard as it is to believe- David Berkowitz had a reasonable chance to be released

But before the hearing he wrote Gov. George Pataki a letter- asking that the hearing be canceled

In the letter Berkowitz talked about his faith and concluded by saying:
There are things that happened in the past that I deeply regret with all of my heart...I know that I can't change these things and I...accept the punishment that was meted out to me. God has just given me the strength to endure from day-to-day

Folks- David Berkowitz is going to be in heaven just like you- if you know Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord

And you know what?

When you get to heaven- and meet him
you're not going to become bitter thinking God has unfairly given him a Get Out Of Hell free card

You won't have time because you'll be too busy praising the name of Jesus

The One who died on the Cross to secure David Berkowitz’s salvation
The One who died on the Cross to secure
YOUR salvation

Let us pray

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

October 18, 2006 - What You Need To Understand: About The Rapture

Audio Version

October 18, 2006By Rev. Steve Bass

INTRODUCTION

Riding home after playing golf last Friday

Wanted to talk about the game of my life
Bill Henderson brought up the Rapture

What can I say? It’s an occupational hazard

Christians are incredibly interested in the Rapture
Note:

Word Rapture never appears in Bible
Odd people get so keyed-up about it

Why this happens:

People are curious
People are confused

No reason to be curious- no reason to be confused

God wants you- God expects you
To know the truth about the Rapture of the Saints

Before we get started let’s define two words:

Rapture- Means to seize quickly or suddenly- transported to a state of extreme happiness or joy
Saint-

Not someone canonized by RCC
Biblically a saint is someone who knows Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord

Rapture of saints- A specific time when all born-again Christians will be suddenly taken from this land of sorrow to be with God

SCRIPTURE BACKGROUND

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:4-9
Paraphrase: Because you belong to Christ your thinking about these matters should be clear-headed and sober. God wants you to know the truth- and let the truth set you free
Note that most of the theories about Rapture (pre- post, etc.) have only been around about 100 years

Some churches identify themselves by the doctrinal theory they subscribe to
General observation about people who become so obsessed about Rapture

They’re spending too much time studying timelines, etc
When they should spend more time focusing on what Bible actually says

Discuss the First Coming/ Second Coming reality

First Coming-

Jews spent centuries dreaming of- and being taught about it
When Jesus came they missed it- turns out their theories had been all wrong

Second Coming-

Everybody will get it wrong
But God will get it right

Note how you approach text as if never read- never heard any of theories

Take it at face value
What would you know?

1 Thessalonians 4:13-17

Ignorant-

To be uninformed
To lack understanding

Clearest teaching in New Testament on Rapture

Not coincidental- this is what God wants you to know
Stay focused on it

"We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him."

Notice what Paul is doing here:

Tying saving faith in Christ

Died
Rose Again

To a belief in the Second Coming

Normal to be interested in Second Coming

It’s not some sort of pipe dream
It’s an absolute- etched in stone- event that will have a direct impact on each and every one of us

Note problem for Thessalonian Christians

Paul taught them about Rapture- taught them to hope in Second Coming
Then loved ones started to die-

What a tragedy to die before Jesus Comes Again
Their untimely death caused them to miss out on all the excitement

Paul says that won’t be a problem. In fact- read 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17
This is one of the most difficult passages of Scripture in the Bible

Reason: There seems to be a breakdown in logic between verse 14 and verse 16
In 14.../ In 16...

It says that people who have died knowing Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord will accompany Christ back to Earth
It says the dead in Christ- people who have died knowing Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord- will rise first- or be resurrected

Problem:

If you’re with Christ in the air- which indicates you’re alive already
How can you be resurrected- or rise first?

Some Christians- Martin Luther for one- have resolved by expressing a belief in soul sleep

Theory: When you die your physical body is buried and your soul sleeps in the grave until Jesus comes
Compare the soul asleep to being under general anesthesia- as you experience it:

You die
As far as you’re concerned- next instant is Second Coming

To a certain degree-

Does solve the problem between 1 Thessalonians 4:14 &16
But conflicts with other passages of Scripture

2 Corinthians 5:6-8
Point:

No lag time between physical death and experience of being at home with the Lord
Years of being pastor taught me people facing death- or grieving death of loved one- are interested in one thing:

Am I going to be all right?
Is my loved one all right?

Message of 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 is that when a Christian breathes last breath on Earth- instantly goes to be with Jesus

Get back to 1 Thessalonians 4- simplest explanation also best

Verse 14- People who have died in Christ will accompany Jesus on His trip back to Earth
Verse 16- Their bodies be called out of grave and will be transformed into Resurrection Body!

1 Corinthians 15:51-57
2 Corinthians 5:1-5 goes into greater detail about this event
Talk about ‘Secrets Of The Dead’ episode

Trying to identify- by DNA- Titanic victims
Note process
Exhumation

Nothing there
Body completely disintegrated

Christ delays long enough inevitable ashes to ashes

No problem for God
He created the world- can figure out how to call a disintegrated body from grave

THE HOPE OF THE RAPTURE

One of the dangers in studying the Rapture is to go beyond what the Bible says

As long as you stick to what Word of God says- you can’t go wrong
Go beyond Bible- indulge in speculation- that’s where trouble starts

For instance- look at verse 17
Seems straight-forward- doesn’t it? But it still generates controversy

Some Christians read verse and claim it means Christians will meet Jesus in the air and accompany Him as He establishes His kingdom on Earth
Others read and conclude- We meet Jesus in the air- then we go with Him to heaven

PEOPLE! Get with the program! Focus on what’s really important:

Whether it’s here on Earth- or in heaven
WE’RE GOING TO BE WITH JESUS!

That’s what God wants us to remember

1 Thessalonians 4:17-18

Fact: Paul wrote these words to encourage discouraged people

He doesn’t get bogged-down in detail and speculation
Instead he stays focused on the big picture:

Jesus is Coming Again
Those who have died in Christ- or live until the coming of the Lord- will have an equal share in the celebration
After the Rapture we’ll be together with the Lord in heaven

In the OT the Bible says: Where there is no hope- no dream- no vision- the people perish

Apart from the hope of Christ people are in a state of spiritual and emotional death
Apart from the Truth that Jesus is Coming Again-

This is all there is
And this isn’t enough

As Christians we live with the hope that someday we’ll be swept up into a glorious eternity in the presence of God

It will happen in a moment- in the twinkling of an eye-
But it’s going to happen

Following her imprisonment from a Nazi concentration camp Corrie ten Boon wrote these words: We are not a post-war generation- we are a pre-peace generation. Jesus is Coming Again!
Let us pray

Sunday, October 15, 2006

October 15, 2006 - A New Way Of Looking At Christian Stewardship

Audio Version Available

October 15, 2006By Rev. Steve Bass

INTRODUCTION

How many of you have ever had a therapeutic massage?

They're GREAT!

Whatever stress or tension you're feeling before the session begins

By the end of the hour- it’s gone!
Your body’s so relaxed it feels like your muscles have turned into a half-melted stick of butter

A massage is so relaxing-

I'd have at least one a week
If it weren't for one thing

Getting a massage is ridiculously expensive

Something like 60-100 dollars an hour

And here’s the kicker-
They expect to get a tip!

Now my theory is:

If you're charging $100 hour for a service- and you set the cost
you've already got your tip!

Don't get me wrong: I've got nothing against tipping

The wait staff at most restaurants depend on tips to make a living
And if they give me good service- I don't mind tipping them

In fact- I try to be a fairly generous tipper

Generally I take the total bill- including taxes- and tip 20%
Does that sound about right?

Let’s take a survey? Assuming good service- how much do you regularly tip a waiter or waitress?

Anybody do more than 20%?
How many other 20%-ers do we have?
15-20%?
How about 10-15%?

Hmm- very interesting!

TRANSITION

...So- how much have you been tipping God lately?

Whoa!
That’s a different way of looking at Christian stewardship- isn't it?

In fact- some of you are probably offended that I would approach a subject as sacred as Christian stewardship so flippantly

Folks-

I can assure you-
I'm not trying to be flippant

But think about it-

How can some Christians be so generous towards someone who brings them a plate of food?
And so tight-fisted when it comes to the One who:

Created them
Sent His Son to die for them
Blesses them with all good and perfect gifts
And provides for all of their needs- and many of their wants as well

But look- this sermon is not about making you feel guilty

What I want us to do is to take a fresh look at the matter of Christian stewardship
And by the way- what you're going to learn is probably going to surprise you

STEWARDSHIP isn't ABOUT A PERCENTAGE OF YOUR INCOME

We'll begin with the "T" word- tithe

The words tithe or tithes occurs some 30 times in the Old Testament
The Hebrew word translated as tithe is maaser

Maaser means a tenth- or 10%
And here’s the thing: In the Old Testament the Law required people to give a maaser- a tithe- to the Lord

Read Malachi 3:8-10
With that in mind- let’s say you're a good Jew living in Jesus’ time

And you make- 500 shekels a year
The law of the maaser- the tithe- means:

You give God 50 shekels a year (paid weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually)
And you're off the hook- right?

I mean isn't that what we've always been taught?

The first ten cents of every dollar belongs to God! That’s what God requires!
Give that tithe to God- and you're free to spend the other 90% as you see fit!

But here’s the thing they didn't tell you

Under Jewish law- there were THREE annual tithes that were to be given to God
There was a...

Tithe which was used to care for the Temple- and support the Levitical priesthood
Tithe which was used to fund the various religious celebrations held at the Temple in Jerusalem
And a tithe that was devoted to fund acts of charity

In other words: To be a tither under the Law meant you wound up giving THIRTY percent of your income to God!

For the last few years we've struggled with our budget here at Sunset Road Baptist Church
But I'm pretty sure that if every one gave 30% of their income to the church-

We've make our budget!
And have plenty left over to put in the bank

You know- it’s interesting that tithing is the last vestige of Old Testament Law we hold on to in our Christian faith

For instance- we don't observe Sabbath law

We don't refrain from work- or try to keep Saturday as a day holy unto the Lord
We correctly worship on Sunday- the day Jesus Rose from the dead

We don't practice the Old Testament sacrificial system

We don't have any altars covered in the congealed blood of goats and lambs and birds
About the only meat roasted around here is the occasional Sunday School class cookout

Christians today certainly don't worry with Old Testament laws concerning:

Menstrual cycles
Or ritual cleanliness

And if some Christians- namely Pam- couldn't eat an occasional cheeseburger they wouldn't be very pleasant to live with

So if we given up all these other vestiges of legalism-

Why do we keep harping on tithing?
You want to know the honest answer?

It’s because we're afraid the church coffers will run dry if we don't stress the Ten Percent Solution
Folks- fear is a stupid reason to give up the wonderful gift of God’s grace for the oppressive burden of legalism!

STEWARDSHIP IS ABOUT SOMETHING MORE THAN MONEY

The truth is that in the New Testament stewardship has never been about tithing
Read Mark 8:34-38
Folks- this is what stewardship means in the New Testament

Stewardship is about having a total commitment to Jesus Christ.
It’s a response to God’s grace that says:

Jesus- You are my all-in-all!
All that I have- and all that I am- EVERYTHING belongs to You!
From this day forward- I will hold NOTHING back from You

If you want to do an interesting Bible study

Go back to the Gospels
And notice what Jesus requires from people who express an interest in being His disciple

There was a rich young man who came to Jesus seeking eternal life

The young man could honestly say:

He'd obeyed all the Old Testament rules
Observed all the Old Testament rituals

But then Jesus drops the bombshell: There’s one more thing you need to do:

Sell everything you own
Give the proceeds to the poor
And come follow Me

In other words Jesus is saying: I expect you to put Me before all of your wealth and material possessions

There was another man who expressed an interest in following Jesus

But first let me go and bury my parents

Now this guy’s parents weren't dead
What he was saying was: Let me take care of all the other business in my life first

But Jesus wouldn't hear of it

No- you must follow Me
And let the dead bury the dead

In other words Jesus was saying: I expect you to give Me all the time and effort and energy you're willing to give others

On other occasions Jesus said:

If you don't love Me more than your mother and father and sisters and brothers you're not worthy of Me
No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.
You can not serve God and money- because you'll reach the point where you'll love one and hate the other

And finally there in Mark 8:34 Jesus says: If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Folks- here’s the problem with emphasizing tithing at the expense of genuine stewardship

It’s not that tithing requires too much
The problem is it doesn't demand nearly enough!

See- when stewardship becomes nothing more than giving a percentage of your income to the church

THAT’S when you're trying to tip God
Heavenly Father- thanks for that gift of salvation! Thanks for dying on the Cross for me Jesus!

Here’s the 10% I owe-
Now we'll call it even! All right?

STEWARDSHIP IS A RESPONSE TO THE LOVE YOU HAVE RECEIVED IN CHRIST

And that’s the problem with seeing tithing as the end-all and be-all of Christian stewardship

It’s never going to be even
What God has done for you is INFINETLY greater than anything you can do for Him

Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
To really understand this passage of Scripture you need to keep 1 John 4:8 in mind

Anybody happen to remember what 1 John 4:8 says?
God is love

In other words: Love doesn't define who God is
God defines what love is!

So here in 1 Corinthians 13 the Bible is actually defining the character of God. It’s saying-

This is who God is
This is the way God has chosen to relate to you!

He is...

Patient-

He puts up with a lot
He gently corrects you when you're wrong

Kind-

There’s never a frown of condemnation on His face
There’s always a smile of love and grace and forgiveness and acceptance

It isn't in God’s personality to be envious- or boastful- or rude

He isn't going to fly off the handle if you get tripped up by sin
He’s not going to pound you relentlessly with a record of every sin you've ever committed
He takes no pleasure in seeing you under Satan’s assault

Instead- He always...

Embraces you with His arms of protection
Keeps the sacred trust He has with you in Christ
Sees the best in you- and wants the best for you
Maintains His faithfulness- even when you fail to be faithful to Him

He will NEVER let you down

He will ALWAYS be there for you
He’s the one thing you can count on in this life

And finally- in the greatest act of love- He sent Jesus to die on the Cross for you!

Even though He has every right to destroy you because of your sin
He'd rather let Jesus die than to let you go!

Folks- when the subject of stewardship comes up the issue-

isn't about certain percentage of your income
Is about how you choose to respond to the incredible, all-embracing love of God in Christ Jesus!

STEWARDSHIP IS A DECISION YOU MAKE

Now I want you to listen to what it says in 2 Corinthians 9:7
This is a very important verse of Scripture when it comes to Christians and giving to the Lord

The key word here is decided- which translates the Greek word proairemai
Proairemai means: to freely chose for oneself, to determine, to make up one’s own mind

Now most sermons on stewardship have taken this verse to mean you have one- and only one- choice:

You can choose to tithe- give 10% of your income to the Lord
Or you can choose to not to tithe- and rob God in the process

In way of confession- I admit I've preached those kinds of sermons in the past

And I'm deeply sorry- I was wrong
Because that’s NOT what 2 Corinthians 9:7 is saying

Again- look at the verse: Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion...

Doing something reluctantly means having some sense of regret over what you've done
Doing something under compulsion means you feel like someone is holding a gun to your head- telling you This is what you HAVE to do- or ELSE!

There are churches out there that REQUIRE tithing as a prerequisite for membership- or teaching a Sunday School class- or serving as a deacon

Folks those churches are practicing legalism
they've established a requirement that says:

Having a personal relationship with Jesus is important- but it’s not quite enough
If you REALLY want to be right with God- and this church- you have to:

Believe in Jesus
And let us compare your W-2 form to your church giving record

You can try to rationalize- or justify- legalism any way you want

But it still comes down to the same thing
The Bible says we are saved: By grace- through faith- not of works- so that no man can boast

Now I want to point out something else about 2 Corinthians 9:7

Notice the kind of attitude God wants you to have when you give: God loves a cheerful giver
Cheerful translates a Greek word which means to be filled with an almost giddy sense of happiness and joy and wonder

Let me ask you a question: Do you get giddy about paying taxes?

Of course not! Taxes-

aren't voluntary- they aren't freely given
Are compulsory- you pay them or face the threat of legal prosecution

That’s why making tithing a requirement to do anything is wrong

Not only is it legalistic nonsense
Requiring tithing removes the joy of giving to the Lord

Why isn't tithing required in the New Testament?

Because God wants you to be a cheerful giver
And the only way to be a cheerful giver is be free to decide how you will respond to the love of God you have received in Christ Jesus!

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

STEWARDSHIP IS A PRIVILEGE AND AN ACT OF WORSHIP BEFORE GOD

Now there’s one more passage of Scripture we need to think about- and that’s 1 Corinthians 16:1-2
On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

The specific issue Paul is addressing here is an offering he wants to take to the Jerusalem church
But in a broader sense he’s establishing the principle of faith giving

Notice what it says in verse 2: each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income

Now if a tenth was required- Paul would have said so

And he could have justified what he'd done
Remember- one of the tithes the OT Law required went to provide for works of charity

But here the Bible is saying a Christian should give what they are capable of giving based on their income

For instance-

A person living on Social Security may find that giving $100.00 a month to the church is an enormous sacrifice
Whereas a tithe of $20,000 a month would be chump change to a member of the Carolina Panthers

Folks- God understands the situations and circumstances that you face in life

When you freely give your gift of love God...

doesn't look at the figure written on the check
He judges your gift based on the attitude of your heart

When He sees you-

Giving in response to the love you've received in Christ
Bringing your gift as an act of worship and devotion and praise
Brimming with joy and excitement over the sheer privilege and pleasure of sharing in His work
Sacrificing your wants and desires for His glory
Expressing your faith and trust in Him as you give

Then- and only then- is your gift acceptable to Him

I want you to read Mark 12:41-44

CONCLUSION

Sometimes people wonder why I don't attend meetings of the church Finance committee

The answer is very simple

I don't understand finances
I couldn't read a spreadsheet if my life depended on it

But even I know a church can do more with $100,000 than it can with 2 pennies

But here in Mark 12 Jesus is saying that in the kingdom of God there is a different kind of balance sheet

A balance sheet that says a gift of 2 pennies can be worth more to God than $100,000
A balance sheet that says it’s not the size or percentage of the gift- it’s the heart of the giver that counts

Folks- when it comes to financial stewardship here’s what God wants you to do:

Stop asking yourself: What am I required to give?
And start asking yourself: How much can I cheerfully and joyfully and thankfully and worshipfully give back to the God who’s given me EVERYTHING?

Let us pray

Sunday, October 08, 2006

October 8, 2006 - The Two Directions Of The Lord’s Supper

October 8, 2006

By Rev. Steve Bass

INTRODUCTION

Question time: Which way does the needle on a compass face?

Listen for answers
That’s right. Any Boy or Girl Scout knows that the needle on a compass ALWAYS faces north

Except scientists say it hasn't always been that way

Evidence suggests that at different times in Earth’s history the poles have flip-flopped
Or more accurately: The magnetic polarity of the Earth switched from north to south and back again

Who knows? Maybe that’s why Moses and the children of Israel wandered in the desert for so long

I can see Moses looking at his compass on Monday and saying: Okay folks- I've got my bearings now. The Promised Land is straight ahead!
Only to wake up the next morning- glance at his compass- and say: Wait a minute! Something’s gone wrong! we're supposed to be going this way!

I mean YOU try to find your way through a desert with a compass that points in a different direction every day

TRANSITION

You know-

If there was a compass placed on the Lord’s Supper table this morning
It...

wouldn't point in a different direction every other day
would consistently point in two directions at the same time

One direction.../ The other direction...

Would point you back to the Cross upon which Jesus died for the sin of the world
Would point you forward to that glorious time when we will all be together with the Lord

For just a few moments- I want us to think about the two directions of the Lord’s Supper

THE DIRECTION OF THE CROSS

I want you to Read the instructions Jesus gives the disciples who are supposed to prepare the Passover meal
Matthew 26:18

Jesus understood that this was going to be the last time He would share the Passover meal with His disciples
He knew His appointed time was near- Jesus knew He was about to die on the Cross

You know- it’s interesting to note that the Bible never tries to describe the horror and brutality of crucifixion

Obviously- we know that...

Jesus was beaten by sadistic Roman soldiers before He reached the Cross
He was forced to carry the crushing weight of the crossbeam out to Calvary
He would have been stripped naked before He was nailed to Cross
Thick, rusty nails were driven into His hands and feet
A pleated crown of thorns were placed on His head

But those are just the facts

Facts that can't touch the torturous reality of being crucified
Facts that can't begin to describe what it must have been like for the perfect Son of God to become sin on our behalf

The amazing thing is that Jesus could have easily avoided the Cross

Satan offered Him an easy way out: Bow down- worship me- and I'll give you the world and all its riches
The people of Jerusalem were ready to make Him their king- and follow Him into battle against the hated Romans- if He would just give them the word
The disciples were prepared to die defending Him
As the Son of God He could have called down the armies of angels to protect Him from this terrible fate

But Jesus never wavered in His determination to see God’s plan for saving the world followed through to its final conclusion

You see- Jesus...

Knew that God loved the world so much that He offered His One and Only Son as a sacrifice of atonement so that whoever would believe in Him would not perish but have everlasting life
Understood that while the wages of sin is spiritual death the gift of a gracious and loving God is eternal life through the blood Jesus shed on the Cross
Knew that without the shedding of blood there could be no forgiveness of sin

It would have to be...

HIS Body that was broken
HIS Blood that was shed- for the world to be saved!

Read what the Bible says in Matthew 27:42
The irony is that the elders and the priests were telling the truth!

The only way Jesus could save others
Was to allow Himself to be killed

One of the reasons why it’s so important to share the Lord’s Supper is because we constantly need to be pointed back to the Cross

It helps you remember that without Jesus you are utterly, hopelessly lost in your sin
It helps you dwell on the truth that YOUR sin- and MY sin- put Jesus on the Cross
It helps you pause and offer Jesus thanks and praise for loving you enough to die for you

1 Corinthians 11:26

THE DIRECTION OF HEAVEN

But the Lord’s Supper does something else: It points ahead to the heavenly home Jesus is preparing for you

As a Christian- Jesus wants you to look ahead to the wonderful future you will enjoy in your heavenly home
Read what Jesus says in Matthew 26:29

Folks- if you've received Jesus as your Savior someday you're going to heaven

It may happen when:

You physically die and go on to be with the Lord
When Jesus comes back to Earth a second time

But make no mistake about one:

Based on the authority of the perfect Word of the Living God
It’s GOING to happen!

Turn to 2 Corinthians 5:1-8
Now flip over to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
It’s easy to read these passages of Scripture- particularly 1 Thessalonians 4- and get caught up in Second Coming Fever

Second Coming Fever is what happens when Christians become obsessed with Jesus’ Second Coming
These are the kinds of folks who love to speculate- and create all these exotic theories concerning the time and chronology of the Second Coming

Folks- don't worry about things like that!

Jesus IS Coming Again because He said so
But you can feel free to leave the details to God

Instead- focus on the promise of your heavenly home!

To physically die as a Christians means you IMMEDIATELY find yourself in the presence of the Lord
The Bible says when Jesus Comes again we'll be together with Him for all eternity!

You know- if I had the eloquence of an angel I couldn't describe how wonderful heaven in going to be!

Whatever pain or misery or despair you've experienced on Earth will be HISTORY as God Himself dries every tear from your eye
And the singing! The book of Revelation says there’s going to be a 100,000,000 voice choir in heaven singing Jesus’ praise

I'll bet a choir like that will REALLY be able to belt out ‘I Am’
(Turn to choir) Don't you think?

In heaven there will be laughter and joyous hugs of reunion

Some times people wonder if we'll recognize one another in heaven
ABSOLUTELY! The Bible says in heaven we will know fully- even as we are fully known

It’s interesting to note that Jesus said heaven will be like a Great Banquet

A party- a celebration
That'll blow out any party you've attended here on Earth!

But best of all: When you get to heaven you will see Jesus face to face

The nail prints will still be in His hands and feet
And you'll drop to your knees and offer Him praise and thanks for dying for you on the Cross!

And when you get to heaven Jesus will fulfill the promise He made in Matthew 26:29

I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom."
With love in His heart Jesus will hand you the bread and offer you the cup and say: At long last I can share this Meal with My friends!

CONCLUSION

In just a moment we're going to share the Lord’s Supper. As we do-

Be sure to take time to look back at the Cross and tell Jesus Thank You for dying for me
But make sure you take a moment to look forward to heaven and tell Jesus Lord- I can't wait!

Let us pray

Sunday, October 01, 2006

October 1, 2006 - Celebrate Jesus!

Audio Version Available

By: Rev. Steve Bass
October 1, 2006

INTRODUCTION

Sometimes Christians make me SICK
Take the Rev. Fred Phelps

Pastors the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas
Claims the Bible preaches hate- runs a website called God Hates America.org

Phelps stages protests at the funerals of American soldiers killed in Afghanistan and Iraq
He holds up placards that read Thank God for Dead Soldiers

And then there’s U.S. Representative Katharine Harris

She recently told the Florida Baptist Witness that the principle of separation of church and state is a lie
And that if Christians aren't elected to office in essence you are going to legislate sin

Even Dr. Jerry Falwell recently got into the act- jokingly comparing Hillary Clinton to Satan

Look- Senator Clinton would never be my choice for President
But come one- she’s not Satan!

A few years ago Tony Campolo wrote a book entitled Following Jesus Without Embarrassing God

Apparently some folks need to read that book
Because some of the things Christians say or do are...

Idiotic at best
Downright dangerous at worst

In fact- if I thought Jesus agreed with some of the things that are said and done in His name

I'd change careers tomorrow- no way I'd be a pastor
And I'd probably stop calling myself a Christian

Fortunately- that’s NOT a problem.

You see- when you discover-

The Jesus revealed in the Bible-
The Jesus we're worshiping this morning

You...

won't be repelled or turned off
will want to love Him and serve Him and live for Him every single day of your life!

So this morning let’s celebrate Jesus!

LET’S CELEBRATE HIM AS GOD’S ONE AND ONLY SON

You know- it’s hard to believe but in less than 2½ months we'll be in the middle of the Christmas season

But before you get caught up in the buying and the decorating and the Ho-Ho-Ho-ing
Let’s talk about why Christmas matters

Christmas matters because of Jesus

That might sound like something you'd expect a preacher to say
But it happens to be the truth

See- Jesus was different from...

Anyone who had ever lived before Him
Or anyone who’s ever lived since He came to Earth

The Bible says Jesus was God’s one and only Son

This can be a hard thing to grasp- but the Bible is saying that Jesus came to Earth as God in human flesh

In other words:

He was completely, totally, absolutely God
And He was completely, totally, absolutely human

So what does that mean?

For one thing- it means Jesus had a relationship with God that was different from anything we can imagine.

It was more intimate
It was more perfect
It was closer than any relationship a human being could have another person

Read what Jesus said about this relationship in John 17:20-22
Now the fact that Jesus was fully God and fully human should tell you something.

It says God is concerned about you
He...

wasn't interested in being some remote God who could care less whether you lived or died
No! Jesus proves that God loves you and cares about you more than you could POSSIBLY imagine

But there’s more: Because Jesus was God in human flesh- He gets it!

Jesus knows what it feels like to be anxious about the future

He told His disciples that birds have their nests and foxes have their holes
But the Son of God had no place to lay His head

Jesus knows what it’s like to grieve the death of a loved one

Sometime between His 12th and 30th birthdays Jesus’ earthly father died
As Joseph’s oldest son Jesus would have been responsible for preparing his body for burial

Jesus knows what it’s like to experience the pain of a broken family

The Bible says Jesus’ brothers and sisters thought He was crazy and needed to be locked up for His own protection
Trust me- Jesus understands the conflicts and tensions that can exist in a family

Jesus knows what it’s like to stare in the face of death

In the Garden of Gethsemane- in the hours before His death- He sweat drops of blood
His anguish was so great He prayed: Father- if it possible take this cup from me. Nevertheless may Your Will be done

Jesus knows what it means to experience terrible, excruciating pain

Before His Crucifixion He was beaten and battered virtually beyond human recognition
When the soldiers drove the nails in His wrists and ankles He felt the white-hot pain of each blow

Read what the Bible says about Jesus in Hebrews 4:15
Like I said- Jesus gets it

Because He was fully God- and fully human He gets it
And THAT is something to celebrate

LET’S CELEBRATE HIS MESSAGE OF GOD’S LOVE, GRACE AND FORGIVENESS

From time-to-time people will ask me: Steve, what does the Bible have to say about sin?

Typically- my answer puts a look of surprise on their face
A lot less than you probably think

What I mean is that...

A lot of people have this idea that the Bible is-

A big book of No’s
Created by an angry God who is obsessed with sin

But the fact is- it really isn't

If you want the essence of what the Bible says about sin it comes down to three things:

1- Sin is a fact of human existence. According to the Bible:

All people are sinners
It’s not so much that-

you're a sinner because you've sinned
you've sinned because sin is a tragic part of human nature

2- Sin is an expression of your rejection of God

The essence of sin- the reason why you do the things you do- is because you've rebelled against God

Something within you made you reject God’s authority in your life
Having made that decision- you're capable of doing almost anything

That’s why the Bible says all sin is the same in God’s eyes

This doesn't mean that telling a little white lie is the same as killing someone
What it means is both lying and murder are symptoms of the underlying disease of sin
A disease that affects every human being on the planet

Finally- the Bible says the wages of sin is death

Which doesn't mean physical death
It means spiritual death- eternal separation from God in a place of punishment prepared for Satan and his demons

Now these three truths encompass pretty much everything the Bible has to say about sin!

In other words: There’s no obsession here (hold up the Bible)
Because God loves you-

He wants you to know the truth about sin
Because He REALLY wants you to know about His love- and grace- and forgiveness

When Jesus lived on Earth He constantly talked about God’s love- and grace- and forgiveness

Do you know what a parable is?

A parable is a story with a message
During His time on Earth Jesus told a lot of stories with a message

And the vast majority of these parables illustrated the depth and power of God’s love- and grace- and forgiveness

In one- He compared the love human beings have for their children to the infinite love God has for you and me
In another- He told a story about a loving father who joyously welcomed a rebellious son back home- before the son had a chance to even say Dad- I'm sorry
In still another- He said we should practice unlimited forgiveness to others because we've received unlimited forgiveness from God

Throughout His time on Earth- Jesus went out of His way to prove that a holy and righteous God is ready to:

Freely forgive you of all of your sin
Purify you from the stain of unrighteousness
And literally remember your sin no more!

I could keep going- but I think you get the point:

Jesus came bearing Good News of God’s grace- and love- and forgiveness
And THAT’S something to celebrate

LET’S CELEBRATE HIS SACRIFICIAL DEATH ON THE CROSS

If you've seen the movie The Passion Of The Christ you know it earned its R rating

It was a brutal movie- horrific movie- it was very difficult to watch
It was also historically accurate

The way the movie depicted the terrors of crucifixion
Is pretty much the way it was

Which may make what I'm about to say sound crazy: Jesus’ death on the Cross is something to celebrate

Not the obscene violence of crucifixion
What we're celebrating is what Jesus accomplished by dying on the Cross

At one time there was a law in Tokyo, Japan that said no foreigner could live in the city unless they had a substitute

A substitute had to be a native of Japan who would be hired to represent the foreigner in a court of law
But we're not talking about a lawyer-client relationship

The substitute didn't defend the foreigner
His job was to take the foreigner’s place if he got in trouble with the law

In other words: The SUBSTITUTE would suffer the penalty for the foreigner’s crime
Even if you were talking about a crime calling for the death penalty

That may sound strange- even extreme

But that’s what Jesus did for you on the Cross
By dying- Jesus became your substitute- receiving the punishment for your sin

Scripture references

In commenting on these verses Max Lucado writes: God watched in silence while the sins of the world were placed upon His Son. Was it right? No. Was it fair? No. Was it love? Yes! In a world of injustice, God once and for all tipped the scales in favor of hope...
And now it REALLY gets good! Read what the Bible says in Romans 5:10-11
The key word here is reconciliation

Reconciliation means the coming to agreement of two or more person after a period of estrangement
What this means is that by dying on the Cross Jesus was able to make things right between you and God!

In one of his books, James Hewett tells the story of a little girl whose parents were going through a bitter divorce

Shortly after her parents separated- the little girl was diagnosed with leukemia

Despite the best efforts of the doctors
She got sicker and sicker until it became clear she was going to die

Now you'd think in that kind of situation her parents could set aside their bitterness and anger

But you'd be wrong
Throughout the little girl’s ordeal the rancor intensified on both sides

Finally- just before she died the little girl...

Looked at her father and said Daddy- hold my hand
Then she turned to her mother and said: Mommy- hold my hand

With those words- she pulled her parents together- and died

That’s a pretty good illustration of what Jesus accomplished on the Cross

By sacrificing Himself, He took your hand and lovingly placed it in the hand of God
And THAT’S something to celebrate

LET’S CELEBRATE HIS WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT YOU JUST AS YOU ARE

You know- a lot of people think that before you become a Christian you've got to straighten up and fly right

You know-

Get your act together
Change some bad habits
And start living a GOOD life

But that’s not the way it works

You don't get right- and then become a Christian
First you get right with God- you become a Christian- and THEN He takes care of the other stuff

Read Luke 19:1-10
It’s interesting that Zacchaeus told Jesus IF I have cheated anybody out of anything

Look- there’s no question Zacchaeus had cheated people and stolen their money
He was a Roman tax collector- that’s how he made his living

He was required to meet a tax quota the Romans had set for his district
Anything he could get beyond that was money in his pocket

Jesus knew that going in

He knew Zacchaeus was a lying, cheating, conniving crook
But He accepted him anyway: Zacchaeus- come down here and join Me. I'm going to stay in your house tonight!

The amazing thing about Jesus is that He always accepted people just the way they were

He hung out with a motley crew of prostitutes- and adulterers- and criminals- and outcasts- and tough guys- and religious rejects

we're talking about people who were completely alienated and cut off from polite society
People that good religious folks avoided at all costs

And He didn't ask them to change

Instead He loved them- and accepted them- and forgave all of their sin
And offered them a fresh new start in life!

Guess what? He’s still doing it today

Jesus is taking people as they are
And saving them through the power of the blood He shed on the Cross

Read what Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30
Now THAT’S something to celebrate. Let us pray.

Sunset Road Baptist Church Sermon Notes

Sunday, October 29, 2006

October 29,2006 - Questions About Grace- Part 2

Sunday, October 22, 2006

October 22, 2006 - Questions About Grace: Part 1

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

October 18, 2006 - What You Need To Understand: About The Rapture

Sunday, October 15, 2006

October 15, 2006 - A New Way Of Looking At Christian Stewardship

Sunday, October 08, 2006

October 8, 2006 - The Two Directions Of The Lord’s Supper

Sunday, October 01, 2006

October 1, 2006 - Celebrate Jesus!

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