Sunday, July 24, 2011

To Build Up, or Tear Down: Part 2 - Building Up Sinners


To Build Up or Tear Down
Part 2 – Building up Sinners in Love
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION
Last week we spoke about John 3:16, and why Jesus came.  We saw that it was God's love for sinners that prompted the giving of His Son to pay our debt because of sin.  Verse 17 tells us that God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but Jesus came to seek and save the lost.

Jesus' mission on earth was to build and strengthen a body of believers through the power of the Holy Spirit, and call these followers of Christ, the church.

Jesus did this through love, as described in I Corinthians 13.  We see many examples of the biblical love we are to have towards others, whether they be sinners, saints or enemies.  We also learned from I Corinthians 13, that if we do not operate and walk in love, that everything we do is for nothing, and we ourselves are nothing without love.

How can this be?

I John 4:16 “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. “

If you are not living in love, you are not living in God, and He is not living in you.

I John 4:20 “If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.”

You cannot hate others, whether it be for selfish reasons, or because they are sinners, or you don't like their personalities, or for any other reason. 

You say you love God, what do the scriptures say that statement actually means?

I John 5:3 “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome...”

If God's commands have become burdensome to you, it is because there is an area of your life where you are not obeying.

The biggest reason people struggle with something from the Bible is because of self. 

If you place your wants above God's, your will above God's, you are living in the same selfish place satan was when he wanted to place himself above God.

If you want to damage your relationship with God, behave like satan rather than Christ.  This will work every time.

So we know from Romans 5:8 that God demonstrated His love for us by dying WHILE we were still sinners.

If we truly follow Christ, we must live in love REGARDLESS of others.  This is obeying what Christ commands.

If you are waiting for someone to change before you will love them, you are living in disobedience.

If you are waiting for someone to stop sinning before you love them, you are living in disobedience.

If you are waiting for someone to apologize to you for some wrong they did to you before you will show them love, then you are living in disobedience.

God loved the lost so much He sent His Son.
Jesus showed His love for us by dying for us WHILE we sinned against Him.
Jesus asked the Father in heaven to forgive the ones crucifying Him as they did it...not after they apologized, not after the repented, not after they saw the err of their ways.

Our obedience, and walking in love has to do with following Christ, and serving Him.  It is not based on others behaviors.

Why do the scriptures say in I Corinthians 13 that love never fails?

Because it's not based on others character, but God's.  We do these things because we are command, not because someone may deserve them.  Because in reality, as Paul said, “None are righteous.”

Are you obeying what Christ commands, living in love?Are you obedient, or living in disobedience?

Sunday, July 17, 2011

To Build Up, or Tear Down - Part 1: Where is our Heart?

To Build Up or Tear Down
Part 1 – Where is our Heart?
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION
Today, so many lay claims to following Jesus, yet, fail to follow His example.  One of the biggest problems that I see among followers of Christ is the issue of pride.  So many who have been forgiven of so much forget where they come from, who they were before Christ and who they are supposed to be afterwards. 

Some old habits, such as gossip, slander, judging, etc..., continue to keep followers in bondage, prevent their own spiritual growth, as well as damage others growth, and even prevent some from ever coming to a God, who in their minds because of the believers behavior, allows such things to take place.

We, as followers of Jesus Christ, need to remember why Jesus came, and what He commands of us.

Today we will explore these things, and see what scripture has to say about our behavior.

We will take a close look at what Jesus says about why He came; how He behaved while He was here, and what He says, our behavior should be until His return.

Today, we will take a serious look at ourselves, and ask the question which a follower of Christ MUST answer;

Is your life a reflection of Jesus Christ and his life, and are you building up or tearing down?









SCRIPTURE READING

John 3:16 - 18    
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

For God so loved...He gave His Son
God's LOVE for sinners prompted Him to reconcile the relationship between Himself and us, which was destroyed by sin.  He did this by paying the price for our sin, so that if we entrust our lives to Jesus Christ, we shall be reconciled to God.

But keep reading, and we see;

For God did NOT send His Son into the world to condemn the world...
Jesus did not come to condemn sinners for sinning, but BECAUSE of God's LOVE, came to SAVE those who are condemned already because they have not entrusted their lives to Jesus Christ.

18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

I.       WHY DID JESUS COME?
1.      Because of God's love of sinners (the lost)
1.      Not to condemn, but to save those already condemned

2.      Jesus Himself said, For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”  Luke 19:19

3.      Jesus' ministry displays all of the following characteristics
1.      LOVE (I Corinthians 13)
1.       1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

2.       2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

3.       3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4.      Love IS; patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not prideful, does not dishonor others, not self-seeking, not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil, rejoices in the truth, always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres, love never fails.

5.       13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

4.      Scripture says, without love...I am nothing.
1.      Jesus acted in love with compassion towards sinners.

2.      I Timothy 1:14 – 1614 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
 15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinnersof whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.

3.      Jesus Christ has patience with sinners...because as I Corinthians 13 says, Love is Patient...

5.      Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

So we can see plainly from scripture that Jesus came;
1.           Because of God's love for sinners
2.           Not to condemn them, but save them (they are already condemned)
3.           To do this in LOVE, because that is how and why Jesus came to begin with, God's Love for sinners.

After reading these scriptures, can you answer, saying “yes” I am following in Christs footsteps?
Are you showing the lost sinners in this world the love Christ displayed?

Is your love for them patient as Christs?

Or do you condemn those who are already condemned for not trusting their lives to Jesus Christ?

II.   WHO IS THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE?
1.      Many times in scripture, we see the Lord showing love and compassion to sinners, as onlookers, and even the disciples judge, not only the sinners, but the Lord's actions!

2.      Matthew 9:10-12  10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
 12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

1.      Are you following Christs example, or are you acting like a Pharisee when it comes to sinners?

2.      Jesus tells the Pharisees that it is not the healthy who needs a doctor, but the sick. 

3.      Jesus then quotes a scripture to them, For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6

4.      Are you showing mercy to sinners?  That's what Jesus did.  Are you truly following Jesus and His example?


3.      Luke 7:36 – 4836 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

 40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

 44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

4.      Are you showing forgiveness to sinners who may be seeking Jesus Christ?
1.      You do not know the heart of a sinner, or any man.
1.      Psalm 44:20 – 21 “ 20 If we had forgotten the name of our God, or spread out our hands to a foreign god, 21 would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart? “

2.      It is NOT YOU who saves, but the work of the Holy Spirit.
1.      If you do not know the heart of someone, and you are not the one who saves, is it your place to decide whether or not God is trying to bring a sinner to salvation?

3.      Are you following Jesus and His example of lifting others us in love? Or, are you like the Pharisee who only sees another person’s faults, and sits in judgment over them?

1.      The judgment of those who say they follow in Christs' footsteps is not always about whether someone is going to heaven or hell...but rather a judgment of character, based solely on past behavior.

2.      This type of Christian is in turn, categorizing people based on their own perception, understanding and judgment, therefore does NOT build and minister to the lost sinner in love as Jesus demonstrates repeatedly in scripture, but rather casts a class judgment upon them, and sets them aside as “untouchable”.

3.      Are you trying to reach out and lift others up to Christ, or are you too busy judging them as unworthy of the Kingdom?



III.     WHAT DOES JESUS COMMAND US?
1.      We should all KNOW the great Commission
1.      Preach the Gospel of Christ to ALL nations
2.      Baptize in the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit
3.      Then teach them to obey all that Christ commands

2.      But this applies to us as well!
1.      Christ commands us to love those who are condemned as He does!
1.      Remember, it was God's love for sinners that began this!
2.      It was Christ’s love for sinners that fueled His ministry!
3.      Christ’s PATIENCE allowed you to be saved!

2.      If we call ourselves His followers, should we not then follow His example?


CONCLUSION

Today, we ask ourselves the question, which a true follower of Christ MUST answer;

Is your life a reflection of Jesus Christ and his life, and are you building up or tearing down others?

In closing, let us reflect on Christ, and His behavior in ministry, thinking about God and His love for the sinners, and how we treat the ones who are so precious to Him.

Let us also reflect on the following verse...

Romans 14:12-14
12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
 13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.

In your life and ministry, as you follow Jesus, do not become the one who prevents another from coming to the Lord because of pride, such as the Pharisees, tearing down others because of their sin, but rather, follow Jesus' example of love, showing compassion, mercy, and patience with those who are already condemned.

We have not come into the Kingdom to condemn the world, which is already condemned, but to save the lost through the preaching of the gospel, for I am not ashamed of the Word, which has the power to save the lost!

Sunday, July 10, 2011

THE END TIMES - Part 8: The Sheep and the Goats


The End Times
Part 8 – The Sheep and the Goats
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

Jesus began this discussion with the disciples when they heard Him speak of the destruction of the temple.  When they asked Jesus in private, he explained to them that He was speaking of the end times, to which they wanted to know more.

Jesus explained to them the signs of the end times.  He also talked about the anti-Christ, referred to as the abomination of desolation, where the anti-Christ will stand in the temple, and claim to be God.  Jesus says that the anti-Christ will deceive many, even the elect (the Jews).

Jesus talked to them about the Great Tribulation that will take place, a time like no other the earth has ever seen, or will see again.

Jesus also told the disciples about His second coming. 

He talked about the parables;
·        of the fig tree (recognizing the signs of the end times)

·        the parable of the faithful and unfaithful servant (not knowing when Christ will return)
·        the parable of the ten virgins (some five faithful and five unfaithful)

Last week we looked at Jesus’ parable of the talents to understand that our master has entrusted us with a great treasure, the Holy Word, and expects us to take this word and understanding of salvation and repentance, and multiply the kingdom by teaching it to others, planting seeds for the Holy Spirit to work.

This week we will look at the scriptures and see where Jesus explains to the disciples how He will judge the nations by the way they treat the Children of God.



SCRIPTURE READING

Matthew 25:31-46    The Sheep and the Goats
 31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
   
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
   
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
   
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
   
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
   
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
   
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
   
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
I.       THE SECOND COMING AND ITS JUDGMENT
1.      The Second Coming is NOT the Rapture

2.      Separation of the Sheep and the Goats
1.      Sheep and goats were allowed to mingle during the day while at pasturage, but at night are separated.  Jesus is illustrating here the truth that although righteous and wicked are now together, there will come a time of separation.



II.   BLESSINGS AND CURSES
1.      Blessed are Rewarded at the Right Hand of Christ (Sheep)

2.      WHY?
1.      The Right Hand - Most believe that this is a reference to the custom of the Sanhedrin of putting the acquitted prisoners on the right of the president, and those who were convicted on his left. 
2.      I was hungry and you gave me food.
3.      I was thirsty and you gave me drink
4.      I was a stranger and you took me in
5.      I was naked and you clothed me
6.      I was sick and you visited me
7.      I was in prison and you visited me
8.      ALL of these are descriptions of our BEHAVIORS towards others...why?  BECAUSE LOVE IS AN ACTION - not a feeling or emotion.  When we LIVE IN LOVE, we outwardly express the love which is in us...the love of Christ.

3.      But Lord, when did we do these things?

4.       40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

5.      Cursed will be Punished at the Left Hand (Goats)

6.      WHY?
1.      The Left Hand
2.      They did NOTHING for the hungry, the thirsty, the strangers, the naked, they did not visit the sick or those imprisoned.  They lived SELF-centered lives, only truly caring about themselves.

7.      41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 
8.      44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’


III.                        EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT OR LIFE ETERNAL?
1.      God's Plan, and His Will for YOU
1.      34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

2.      God has prepared a place, a kingdom, an inheritance, in which He wants YOU to qualify for. 
1.      1 Timothy 2:3-53 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, “
2.      Hosea 4:6 “my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you “

3.      God created this place with the intention of ALL PEOPLE being saved from sin, that is God's will!

2.      Jesus tells us in Matthew 28, that WE must share this good news with the entire world.  Baptizing in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit...(meaning to reconcile the entire Word of God, from the Commands man cannot measure up to, showing the need for Christ, Christ, the answer to our separation from God because of sin, and the Holy Spirit, our mediator and connection to our Father in heaven through Christ Jesus!)  After that, teaching them to obey all that Christ has taught.

CONCLUSION

2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?”

Knowing that Christ will one day judge you, look at 2 Corinthians 13:5, telling you to examine yourself...

Ask yourself this question, after reading what Jesus Himself says is the measure of one of His sheep, how are you measuring up today?

Galatians 6:1010 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

Have you put away selfishness, or selfishly put things away?

Are you living in love, or merely talking about it?

Is the love of Christ Jesus in you?  If He is alive and well within you, then your life MUST be a reflection of this.