Happy “Judged Works” Weekend, Everyone!
Romans 2:17-29
“But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” (Romans 2:29)
In our Sunday School lesson this week that I am privileged to teach this Sunday, the apostle Paul is showing that God will judge self-righteous and religious people.
The hurdle to meet the demands of God is just as high on top of the food chain, so to speak, as it is at the bottom of the food chain. The only difference is that the man at the bottom will probably see his need sooner than the man at the top. Religious people, self-righteous people, and so-called good people need a Savior.
In Romans chapter 2 Paul sets down certain principles by which God is going to judge “good” people. (These principles apply today as much as they did in the Apostle Paul’s day.) Note that Romans chapter 1 reveals the unrighteousness of man, and Romans chapter 2 reveals the self-righteousness of man.
If you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, your sins have already been judged on the cross. But are you ready for the Judgment Seat of Christ where your works will be judged?
Sooooooooooo, lets ask ourselves these questions…
Do I judge myself or others? How easy it is to cover up my own failures by criticizing others. Shouldn’t we first get the log out of our own eye before removing the splinter from someone else’s?
Am I grateful for God’s goodness? It is not the badness of the person but the goodness of God that brings us to repentance, therefore, do I take God’s many blessings for granted?
Is my faith proved by works? Paul was not teaching salvation by works but works that prove salvation. Do I obey God’s truth and persist in holy living? Do I have a hard heart or a tender heart?
Am I hiding behind religion? The Jews boasted of their law, but it could not save them. External rituals do not produce internal changes. God searches the heart. What does He see in my heart?
Do I practice what I profess? Do I tell others what is right but then do what is wrong? Do I expect more of others than I do of myself?
Friends, God judges honestly and without partiality, and no secret is hidden from Him. Are you prepared to stand before Almighty God and give an account to Him? Can anyone “Hide” from God?
You say you do not believe in a God? When you stand before Him in Judgment do you think “OOPS” will suffice?
(Romans 2:21-22) Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
Paul mentions three common sins: immorality -- sin against others; sensuality -- sin against self; and, idolatry -- sin against God.
“Teachest thou not thyself?” In other words, “Do you practice what you preach?” For many of us our preaching is better than our living. Wear your steel toed boots to class 
See you there. Amen Deacon Neal
This document is not meant to be a definitive statement on the matter, but rather a launch pad for discussion in Sunday School or with Church Leaders, on a very important issue—the Church.
Two fundamental questions are: What is the Church? The Church is made up of all born-again believers (“Ye must be born-again”) of all nations, tribes, tongues, generations, and eras. What is a local church? The local church is a community of born-again believers, living within accessible proximity, striving to live in obedience to God’s Word in every area of their lives with the ultimate purpose of glorifying God.
10 Un-exhaustive Functions of the Church
- Evangelism: Believers in every local church should have a keen focus on discovering and implementing culturally appropriate ways to share the Good News with unbelievers in their communities in a way people can understand and respond appropriately (Matthew 24:14; Luke 19:10; John 17:18; Acts 2:8-11; Acts 4:12).
- Edification: Believers in every local church should understand their corporate responsibility to use their God-given gifts to mutually edify and build one another up to do the work of the ministry. Interdependence is a concept built into the Body of Christ and finds its visible manifestation in the local church (Acts 2:42; Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:11-13; 2 Peter 3:18).
- Worship: A primary reason for the gathering of local believers is for creative and corporate expressions of adoration and exaltation of God (Psalm 29:2; 95:6; 100:2; 132:7; Jeremiah 32:39-40; John 4:24; Hebrews 12:28; Revelation 4:11). True worship should be marked by 3 elements: [a] Focused on God (Matthew 15:8; Revelation 4:8-11) [b] Carried out in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24) [c] Done in an orderly manner, which to a great degree is culturally determined (1 Corinthians 14:26-40)
- Fellowship: Since its inception, the local church has been the foundation for thriving communities of faith where individuals find unconditional love, acceptance, and interaction both spiritually and relationally. This is the Family of God, manifest on a local and visible level, to address both the spiritual and social needs of people (Acts 2:42; John 13:35; Hebrews 10:24-25).
- Stewardship: God has charged local fellowships of believers to use their common resources (people, gifts, influence, possessions, money) sacrificially and strategically for the maximum benefit of the community of believers and the world around them (Malachi 3:10; Matthew 6:19-21; Acts 20:35; 2 Corinthians 8-9).
- Leadership: God has gifted certain individuals within the local body to exercise spiritual leadership. Other local believers must recognize leadership gifting in others and the impact of their influence in leading with godly character and look to them for vision and direction in the church. Regardless of the form this leadership takes (pastor, elders, leadership council), it is essential for some believers to accept and assume this responsibility within the local body for the church to thrive and grow. Within the local body of believers, God will equip some members with the gifts of administration and organization to help the body be strategic in using its God-given resources. These members may include the leadership, but they also may be different members (Acts 1-2; 6; 13; Acts 6:1-7; Romans 12; Ephesians 4; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 3).
- Ordinances: An ordinance is a Christian practice associated with tangible elements (water, bread, juice/wine) and celebrated by the church of Jesus Christ. The term is closely associated with the word sacrament, an outward and visible sign of an inward and invisible grace. One of the purposes for the local gathering of believers is the regular observance of these ordinances instituted by Christ. These practices have been part of the local church since its inception, Baptism and The Lord’s Supper. (Matthew 28:19; John 13:1-17; Luke 22:7-22; Acts 2:37-41; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34).
- Discipline: Jesus instructed His followers to follow the Kingdom way when dealing with interpersonal conflicts and sin within the local community of believers. From the church’s inception, local assemblies practiced corrective discipline by following these principles and taking action when fellow Christians fell into sin. The ultimate goal of healthy church discipline is the complete restoration of believers (Matthew 18:15-20; Acts 5; Romans 16:17; 1 Corinthians 5).
- Benevolence: Healthy local congregations look outside themselves to actively identify the needs of people in their communities, work to alleviate pain and suffering, and bring hope and healing as their means allow. Jesus made it clear the unbelieving world would identify Christians as His children by expressions of selfless love or mercy shown toward others by their acts of benevolence. Jesus said He didn’t come to the earth to be served, but to serve. These words summarize the highest calling for all believers: humble Christian service in and through the local church (Matthew 20:28; Acts 6:1-7; 1 Corinthians 8, 9; Galatians 5:13; 2 Timothy 5:13-16; 1 Peter 4:10; 5:2).
- Missional: Truly missional communities of believers (the Church) are infused with God’s overarching view of human history to reach a lost world outside the touch of a clear and personal gospel presentation. They do this by working to reproduce other like-minded communities of faith around the world, giving special emphasis to peoples among whom no viable Christian witness or church exists. They tailor everything they say and do—both inside their meetings and outside their meetings—to reflect this viewpoint (Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8).
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Happy “Holy Ghost” Weekend, Everyone!!
Acts 1:1-11
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you. (Acts 1:8a)
In my opinion the proper title for the Book of Acts should be: “The Lord Jesus Christ at Work by the Holy Spirit through the Apostles.” And the first seven chapters reveal the Lord Jesus Christ at work by the Holy Spirit through the apostles in Jerusalem. The first chapter, which is the preparation for the coming of the Holy Spirit, includes a brief introduction; a resumé of the forty-day post-resurrection ministry of Jesus; His ascension and promise of return; then the apostles waiting for the Spirit, and their appointment of an apostle to take the place of Judas. But that’s really long, so ACTS is good LOL
Friends, Luke’s gospel was “all that Jesus began both to do and teach,” and in the Book of Acts Jesus continues to do and to teach. Today He is still at it, and man am I glad, if I may use that expression, and He will continue on with this present program until He takes His own (us) out of the world.
“Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost [Spirit]” makes it clear that just because Jesus was taken up into heaven didn’t mean He ceased doing and teaching. But now, from the vantage place of the right hand of God, He is continuing to work through the Holy Spirit. As in the army where commands pass from one man to another, so the Lord Jesus Christ is working through the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit operates through the apostles and on out to you and to me where we are today. I love that!
Every Christian needs to move out of Luke’s Gospel into Acts. Knowing about the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ is enough for salvation but not for Spirit-empowered service. We must identify ourselves with Him as our ascended Lord and allow Him to work through us in the world. The church is not simply an organization engaged in religious work; it is a divine organism, the body of Christ on earth, through which His life and power must operate. He died for the lost world; we must live to bring that world to Christ.
Sooooooooooooooooo, may I just briefly give a short blurb of what we will study this week in Sunday School. Remember, from this point on, the Holy Spirit is the Subject, Object, and God in us!
Yes, Jesus Christ is coming again as King of kings and Lord of lords. It will be at the Second Coming of Christ when He sets up His kingdom in Jerusalem and rules the world for 1,000 years. If you were in Worship last Sunday, Pastor Todd laid all that out for us. Are you ready to meet Him? Have you been born again?
What do we learn from our lesson in Acts 1:1-26? Let me quickly share a little before our class.
We learn that believers have a living Lord.
Christ is the Head of the church and supplies life to His body, giving dynamic direction to His people. What He began to do and teach, the church continues as He guides and empowers through His Spirit.
We learn that believers have the power of the Holy Spirit.
God’s power is available to God’s people who want to do His will and be His witnesses. You do not have to be an apostle to have the power of the Spirit in your life.
We learn that believers have the promise of Christ’s return.
He is the Lord of history, working out His purposes in this world. The church may lose some battles, but we will win the war!
We learn that believers have the power of prayer.
God shares His power with us as we pray and ask Him for His help. Throughout Acts, notice Luke’s emphasis on prayer. The first church was a praying church.
We learn that believers have the guidance of Scripture.
God’s Word is still our lamp and light, and we must obey what it says. God guides His people when they are willing to follow. I said willing.
One hundred and twenty ordinary people hardly constitute an imposing army; but in a few days, they would make an impact that is being felt even today. The same resources God gave them are still available to us.
The New Testament teaches us that all Christians are to be involved in making disciples. As you have seen in Worship the past two weeks, that is a focus in our church, right now! This is to be motivated by our love for those who do not know Christ and by our obedience to our Lord’s command as found in John 14:15. Jesus Christ went to the cross out of His love for the people of this world and His obedience to His Father’s will. We should do no less!
See you in Sunday School
Deacon Neal
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Happy “Mealtime” Weekend, Everyone!
John 21:1-14
Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. (John 21:7)
My desire for Christ's church is that everyone who comes would know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and that each of you would grow in the character qualities and skills that will make you effective as you serve the Lord. This church will be healthy only to the extent that every person walks closely with Christ and serves Him as a member of His body, the church. As Paul says (Eph. 4:11-16), the job of pastors and teachers is to equip the saints for the work of service (or ministry), so that when every part works together, the whole body will build itself up in love. So, the pastors equip, but the saints do the work of the ministry. That means that we’re all in the ministry! There is no spiritual gift of “bench-warmer”!
With that said, I saw a post online the other day by someone. She claims to be a Christian but at every opportunity doesn’t miss the chance to condemn them. She doesn’t go to church, which is the hospital for sinners. Don’t people understand that we are all sinners saved by Grace. Doesn’t she know that by ridiculing Christians she is destroying her own testimony? Doesn’t she know that instead of joining the ranks of those who are blood bought, sincere, loving human beings, also saved by Grace, that she and many others are the hypocrites that cannot see their own reflections in the mirror. OF COURSE, WE MESS UP! So, get in the game.
The body will only fulfill its purpose when each individual part is working properly. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve compared my body to an old car. When you drive an old car, certain parts stop working. If it’s not too serious, you can keep driving the car, but it isn’t as functional as it used to be. So the LAST thing we (Christians) need is a back seat driver!
Friends, scripture is clear that every believer should be serving in ministries that impact others spiritually. Scripture commands us to “admonish one another” (Rom. 15:14) and “bear one another’s burdens” (Gal. 6:2).
Soooooooooooooooooooo, here is how I am going to feed Christ’s Sheep, Lambs, Sheep, this week in my devotional. By sheep, lambs, sheep I am talking about Christians who are faithful in church attendance, those who aren’t, and even those who stand on the sidelines and criticize other Christians, and finally, non-Christians who are sitting on the fence.
Jesus wants His followers to be fishers of men. And, as the story of Peter’s restoration shows, He wants us engaged in tending His lambs. In other words, He wants us serving Him in spiritual ministries by making disciples. Not condemning those disciples who are struggling to find their way. Here are five qualifications that we must have to serve Christ effectively, here we go:
1, To serve Christ effectively, you must have trusted in Him as your risen Savior and Lord.
2. To serve Christ effectively, realize your insufficiency and Christ’s all-sufficiency.
3. To serve Christ effectively, obey His commands.
4. To serve Christ effectively, be eager for fellowship with Christ and His church, the Bride of Christ. (Will you be at the wedding!)
5. To serve Christ effectively, first let Him minister to you before you try to minister to others or tell other Christians how to minister to others.
So, friends, are you being used to impact others spiritually or are you part of the problem? I’m not asking whether you’re busy in serving the Lord. Rather, is the Lord using you to tell the good news of salvation and to help others grow in Him?
Lastly, Anyone and everyone is welcomed to walk through the doors of Christ’s church, BUT Jesus will be the FIRST to tell you, you cannot walk out the same! I was a lifeguard when I was young. What we were taught first thing was that we are not in the chair to tell people “how” to swim. We are in the chair to save them when they’re drowning!
There is room at the cross for you.
Amen!
See you in Sunday school, the most important class you’ll ever attend!
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Happy “Believing” Weekend, Everyone!!! (EASTER SUNDAY)
Luke 24:13-35
“And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.” (Luke 24:31)
They had all heard the reports of the women that the tomb was empty and that Jesus was alive, but they did not believe them. They had hoped that Jesus would redeem Israel, but their hopes had been shattered.
We get the impression that these men were discouraged and disappointed because God did not do what they wanted Him to do. They saw the glory of the kingdom, but they failed to understand the suffering.”
The story of the Emmaus’ disciples, that I will be teaching on Resurrection Sunday, highlights the living hope found only in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote to his friends at Corinth, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead."
But on that first Easter day that living hope was far from being established in the experience of the two people, Cleopas and his friend, we read of in our New Testament. Let’s put ourselves in their shoes as they set out on the eight mile walk from Jerusalem to Emmaus.
Friends, I will have as many questions for you in my class as the followers had on this morning and day following. Get ready!
This question, raised by Cleopas, reveals a sidelight not given by anyone but the Physician Luke. The arrest, Crucifixion, and “purported” resurrection from the dead had stirred Jerusalem. These two men could not believe that there was anyone in the area that did not know about it.
It would be like walking down the street in Three Springs with a friend and discussing the trip to the moon. A stranger joins you and says, “You mean someone has been to the moon?” You would naturally react. It would be difficult for someone to live in this day and age and not know that someone has been to the moon and back to earth. It was just as incredible to these disciples that someone had not heard about the events of the past few days.
I am imagining that “Jesus graciously walked with them and listened to their “animated heated conversation”. No doubt they were quoting various Old Testament prophecies and trying to remember what Jesus had taught, but they were unable to put it all together and come up with an explanation that made sense.
Doesn’t that happen to us, Christian or not a lot? Was He a failure or a success? Why did He have to die? Was there a future for the nation (Israel)?” Is there a future for me?
Soooooooooooooo, this is going to be a major focus for me in class…“And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? Whether you’re a Christian or not, if your heart has never burned for Jesus you may be a Christian in name only. Think about that!
It changed their direction: they hurried back to Jerusalem. Has Jesus Christ changed the direction of your life?
It changed their message: No longer did they moan about His death. They proclaimed that the Lord Jesus Christ was alive! If a man dies, will he live again? What about you?
It changed their attitude completely: Christ lives! “The Lord is risen indeed!” Praise the Lord! Do you believe that Jesus rose from the dead? Will you?
What do/will we realize after reading and studying our lesson in Luke 24:13-35?
We Realize That We Should Read the Bible More; It’s Important!
We may not be as committed to reading the Bible as we need to be because we do not fully understand how important this studying is. Reading about Jesus helps us anchor to Him during our troubled times, and we can use that knowledge to encourage others as well. Read the Bible; it is the Word of God!
We Realize That False Teachers Are Prevalent Today; Don’t Be Deceived!
We need to be aware of the false teachings that surround us – they are more numerous than we may realize. How can we distinguish the true from the false if we do not know Jesus Christ as we should? Read the Bible; it is the Word of God and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior!
Dear friends, live as if Christ died yesterday, arose this morning, and is coming back tomorrow. Tomorrow may be THE DAY! Amen.
See you in Easter Sunday school class – The most important class you’ll EVER attend!
Deacon Neal
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Happy “RISEN” Weekend, Everyone!!!
Luke 24:1-12
KEY VERSES: “Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.” (Luke 24:5b-6a)
In Luke 24, the Lord Jesus Christ wins the victory FOR US! In this week’s devotional I’m going to insert lots of scripture. That way, if you study for the upcoming Easter season, and for Sunday school and Worship, you will be ready and aware.
“Christianity is in its very essence a resurrection religion,” says Dr. John Stott. “The concept of resurrection lies at its heart. If you remove it, Christianity is destroyed.”
The resurrection of Jesus Christ affirms to us that He is indeed the Son of God, just as He claimed to be (Rom. 1:4). It also proves that His sacrifice for sin has been accepted and that the work of salvation is completed (Rom. 4:24-25). Those who trust Him can “walk in newness of life” because He is alive and imparts His power to them (Rom. 6:4; Gal. 2:20). Our Lord’s resurrection also declares to us that He is the Judge who will come one day and judge the world (Acts 17:30-31).
It is no surprise, then, that Satan has attacked the truth of the Resurrection. The first lie that he spawned was that the disciples came and stole Christ’s body (Matt. 28:11-15), but it is difficult to imagine how they could have done this. To begin with, the tomb was carefully guarded (Matt. 27:61-66); and it would have been next to impossible for the frightened Apostles to overpower the soldiers, open the tomb, and secure the body. But the biggest obstacle is the fact that the Apostles themselves did not believe that He would be resurrected! Why, then, would they steal His body and try to perpetrate a hoax?
A second lie is that Jesus did not really die on the cross but only swooned, and when He was put into the cool tomb, He revived. But Pilate carefully checked with the centurion to see whether Jesus was dead (Mark 15:44), and the Roman soldiers who broke the legs of the two thieves knew that Jesus had died (John 19:31-34). Furthermore, how could a “cool tomb” transform Christ’s body so that He could appear and disappear and walk through closed doors?
The message of the Gospel rests on the death of Jesus Christ and His resurrection (1 Cor. 15:1-8). The Apostles were sent out as witnesses of His resurrection (Acts 1:22), and the emphasis in the Book of Acts is on the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This explains why Luke climaxed his book with a report of some of the appearances of Jesus after He had been raised from the dead. He first appeared to Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18), then to the “other women” (Matt. 28:9-10), and then to the two men on the way to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-22). At some time, He also appeared to Peter (Luke 24:34) and to His half-brother James (1 Cor. 15:7).
That evening, He appeared to the Apostles (Luke 24:36-43), but Thomas was not with them (John 20:19-25). A week later, He appeared to the Apostles again, especially for the sake of Thomas (John 20:26-31). He appeared to seven of the Apostles when they were fishing at the Sea of Galilee (John 21). He appeared several times to the Apostles before His ascension, teaching them and preparing them for their ministry (Acts 1:1-12).
Sooooooooooooooooo, when the believers discovered that Jesus was alive, it made a tremendous difference in their lives.
Many saw the risen Christ. He appeared to Mary and to Peter and to James and to “the eleven” and to more than five hundred disciples at one time. Of the appearances on the day of His resurrection none is recorded with more dramatic vividness and more assurance of detail than that related by Luke.
How about YOU? Have you experienced the Risen Savior? Would you like too?
It’s the greatest experience in this life that will give you a guarantee into eternal life with Him!!! Amen!
See you in Sunday school, the most important class you’ll ever attend!!!
Deacon Neal
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