Lent 2014 Day 4

Temptation comes in many subtle forms. It amazes me how so many think that temptation just comes at us in blatant ways. I've experienced in my life time and time again that temptation is hardly blatant in its approach.

In Matthew 4, One can see Jesus under the weight of temptation.

This passage shows us a couple of things about temptation.

The true author behind all temptation. We see that Satan is behind each temptation. He cannot make us do anything against our will, but he can make it look appealing.

The true intent of all temptation. Every single temptation is an attempt to thwart and offset the work of God. It may not even be a personal beef that Satan had with you. It might just be you are in the way of fire as he tries to steal glory from The Lord.

The many faces of temptation. It would be nice if temptation wore just one mask. The truth is temptation comes in various forms. It comes at us trying to get us to look at a different goal or accomplish the right goal in the wrong manner. We must be alert to the schemes of the Devil (2 Corinthians 2:11.

While temptation lies at every corner, the one who trusts and follows Jesus has victory because He has already conquered both temptation an the tempter.

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We Are The Champions: Over Our Communities

INTRODUCTION

Penny Brown and Kevin Stephan both owe their lives to the other. Kevin was an 11-year-old batboy in July of 1999 when a player accidentally dealt him a severe blow to the chest with a bat while warming up. Kevin passed out, and his heart stopped beating.

Penny (a nurse) was at the game to watch her son play when she saw this transpire. She rushed down to Kevin and performed CPR, which brought him back. Kevin’s mother said he was very fortunate because Penny was scheduled to work that day and had been given the day off at the last minute.

Fast-forward seven years. Penny Brown is eating in a restaurant at Depew, New York when she begins to choke on her food and cannot breathe. Kevin worked as a dishwasher in that restaurant and was immediately called to help Penny because he was a volunteer firefighter.

Kevin performed the Heimlich maneuver and dislodged the food that was suffocating Penny. After saving her life he realized that she was the lady that had saved his life seven years earlier.

Penny summed it up by saying, “This is an experience neither of us will ever forget.”

CPR has been a tool that has saved many lives through the years. It's one of those things that you want to know but hope that you never have to use it.

As we conclude our series entitled "We Are The Champions," I would like to look at how Christ has made us champions over our communities. Our text for this series has been Romans 8:37, which says, "… in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us."

Our community is the place where we do life. It is an important part of life as it can shape a person greatly. As we look around at our communities, it is easy to see that things are not what they once were. You can read the papers or watch the news and get very depressed at the state of our communities.

This should not be the case though. Because of what Christ has done in us as Christians, He has given us the victory over the darkness that looms over our communities. He has also given the church the responsibility to be a lighthouse in the community that we find ourselves. It is important to remember that the church is not a building, but us… the Christians. We are to be the lighthouses in our communities allowing the light of Christ to shine through us and impact our communities for good.

I would like to look at a portion of Scripture this morning that will help us know how to be champions over our communities. It is found in Luke 10:25-37. I believe that these Scriptures will show us the CPR that our communities need from us as the church.

LUKE 10:25-37

Jesus shares this parable as an answer to a question that was posed to Him by an expert in the law. This man had come trying to trap Jesus by asking what one had to do to inherit eternal life. The fact is that we cannot do anything to inherit eternal life. You inherit something because of a relationship. Eternal life comes from having a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Jesus shares a parable about the Good Samaritan. In this parable, the CPR that our communities need from the church (us) is shown. The first part is compassion. It is found in verses 30-33.

Some thieves had robbed, beaten, and left for dead the man in the parable. Jesus shared that two people, a priest and a Levite, passed him by. These are people who you would think would stop and help the victim here, but they didn't. They saw the man and kept on going their way. They even went so far to distance themselves from the man so that they would not become "dirty."

Jesus then mentions the Samaritan. Here is a man that would have every right to pass by and pay no attention to the victim. Jews hated Samaritans because they were only "half Jewish." The Samaritan was probably the butt of a lot of jokes. But we see that compassion moved this Samaritan to stop and help.

We live in a very fast-paced society. We always have something going or somewhere to be. Could it be that, in living life in the fast lane that we are like the priest and Levite? Are we passing by people who are broken, beaten, and abused because we do not want to get "dirty" ourselves?

If we have experienced the compassion of Christ and had it change our lives, then Christ's compassion is within us and should stop us when we see people along the path that our lives are taking. Sometimes in order to go where God wants us to go we have to stop. God's plans might not be the agenda we had planned.

We may think, "Someone else will help them." Who will that be? The government? No, we are the ones that Christ called the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). We are the ones who have the answer to a broken person's true need: Jesus. The government, action groups, programs cannot give a person Jesus. Only someone who knows the Savior can truly share the Savior with those in need.

As we continue on with the parable, we see the second part: provision. Look at verse 34. We see that the Samaritan went over to the man and bandaged his wounds. He took time to truly assess the situation. He didn't just throw out cliché answers to the man's problems. He took the time to see what had happened and what was exactly needed.

The Samaritan applied oil and wine to the man's wounds. This was a common but specific cure to a specific problem. We need to get into people's lives and see exactly what they are going through before we are quick to throw out answers and solutions. There is one Gospel message, but there are many ways in which it can be shared. We need to listen to people so that we know how to provide the life-saving message of Christ to them.

Sometimes in providing the necessary medicine it will cost us. We see the Samaritan provided lodging and care for this man. This course of action cost him not only money but time. He had to put his plans on hold. What is the value of a person? Is someone that the Lord allows us to cross paths with worth it? Jesus thought they were or He would not have gone to the cross to provide for their needs. As the body of Christ, the church should share in seeing the value of people.

The final part of this CPR that will aide us in being champions of our communities is responsibility. In verse 35, Jesus shows that this Samaritan agreed to pay for all the man's expenses during his stay, even those that were to come. He was taking responsibility for the man's well being. This is one of the clearest ways that a person can show love for another.

It was Cain after killing his brother, Abel, said, "Am I my brother's keeper?" The mindset of not caring enough for others to see the best for them has plagued the human race ever since that day.

If we are going to be a lighthouse in our communities, we have to be willing to pay the price of getting in their world. It will take time. It might take money. Once again, we are faced with the question of "Do we value other people as Christ does?"

Responsibility is a tough road. Just ask any parent. It can be scary and heartbreaking at times. Just because it is tough… just because it costs something… just because we might get a little dirty ourselves… these cannot be deal breakers for us. We are the church. We are the body and representation of Christ to a lost, broken, and dying world.

CONCLUSION

As the body of Christ, we have been made victorious and champions over our communities. We do not live, work, and worship where we do by chance. God has placed us here for a purpose. He has called us to be lighthouses to the communities that He has planted us in. Our communities are in desperate need of some CPR: compassion, provision, and responsibility. Our communities will not find it anywhere else. Will we be that lighthouse?

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We Are The Champions: Over Our Families

INTRODUCTION

The months of May and June have a tendency to draw our attention towards two primary roles that are in our society: mothers and fathers.  When we think about these roles in society, we have to look at the family.  The family is a very important part in a society.  People from all walks of life and all across the spectrum realize this fact.

"Family is not an important thing.  It is everything." – Michael J. Fox

"Dad kept us out of school, but school comes and goes.  Family is forever." – Charlie Sheen

"A man should never neglect his family for his business." – Walt Disney

"A family is a risky venture, because the greater the love, the greater the loss… that's the trade-off.  But I'll take it all." – Brad Pitt

"As the family goes, so goes the nation and goes the whole world we live in." - Pope John Paul II

The family is the centerpiece of a society.  It was the very first institution that was created by God among humans.  He created the family even before He created the church.  It is because the family plays such an important role that Satan has made it the target of many attacks.

We see the family under fire in so many different ways.  Divorce is tearing families apart and causing children to question the validity of a strong marriage.  Abuse of children is rampant.  Children abusing parents is on the rise.  A study done by Lifeway Research this past March shows that while love, protection, provision, and involvement were among the leading desired qualities of parents, "being a committed Christian" was close to the bottom[i].  The family in our society is under attack.

As we continue our series, "We Are The Champions," we are going to talk a little about how Christ has made us champions even in the area of the family.  Romans 8:37 says, "… in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us."  Contrary to what may seem to be unraveling in our society, the family is God's centerpiece and showcase in a society.  Through Christ's sacrifice and resurrection, He has given us victory in our families.  Today, we are going to take a look at some of the ways in which He has made us champions over our families.

LUKE 15:11-32

In Luke's Gospel, Jesus shares a series of parables for the Pharisees and scribes who had come and were complaining against Him for eating with sinners.  One of these parables is the well-known one about the prodigal son.  It is found in Luke 15:11-32.  As we examine this parable, I would like for us to see some keys to being a champion for our families.

First, we see that Christ has made us family champions by enabling us to be providers.  Provision of needs is critical in a family.  Children look to the parents to provide what is needed for them.  It is important that the parent make provisions for those in their care.

Luke 15:11-12

The father in this parable had taken the time to provide for his family.  The soon-to-be prodigal son demanded his inheritance immediately.  While we focus many times on the boldness and harshness of this prodigal son, do not miss the father.  The father was able to provide that for him.  We may not all be "well off" financially, but it is important that we make plans and be wise so that we might be able to be the best provider that we can be.

While this is talking about finances, it is the responsibility of the parents to provide all the needs a child needs.  Money may be needed for many things in this life, but our families also need love, respect, shelter, and an example to follow.  During my time of working at the MS Baptist Children's Village, I had the opportunity to see countless times where children were neglected in many areas.

It is easy to look at this task of providing for our family's needs and say, "this is too much for me."  It is too much for you.  But for Christ in you, it is not too difficult.  Christ has given us everything that we need to carry out this task in providing for our families.

A second key that we see is that Christ has made us family champions by enabling us to be teachers.

Luke 15:17-19

After the prodigal son found himself in a very undesirable position, he remembered things that he had learned about home.  He remembered that in his father's house, people were valued and taken care of.  He realized that the way in which he was living was not the way he had been brought up.  He was sinning against God and his family.

This education does not come without intentional teaching done on the part of the parents.  We can hope that our children are good people who love and serve the Lord, but that is not going to just happen on its own.  It is going to take some intentional teaching of the parents to the children.

One of the best teaching tools that we have is modeling.  If we will live the life that we hope for our children before them, they will see the value in it and pick it up much easier.  I'm sure that you've heard or seen the advertisements about foster families on radio and tv.  A parent does not have to be a "perfect" parent with all the answers, just available and willing.  The classroom with that has the most impact for children today is the home.

A third key that we see that Christ has given to us to be champions over our families is compassion.

LUKE 15:20

There is no telling how long this father had been looking out the window and longing for his son's return.  Some of us have children or other family members that our hearts are broken over and we're longing for them to return to the Lord.  I would encourage you to follow the example of this father here: don't give up on them.

As the prodigal son returned broken and bankrupt by the life he had chosen, the father ran to him and loved on him.  The compassion that Christ has shown to us should cause us to show that same kind of compassion to others, especially those in our families.  One important thing that I see here is that the father was not afraid to demonstrate his compassion.  The compassion that Christ has placed in our hearts is one that cannot and should not be restrained.

A final key that Christ has given to us to be champions over our families is the ability to initiate.

LUKE 15:25-28

The older son was not so thrilled at the reaction of his father to this prodigal son.  He was a little bitter and refrained from joining in the festivities.  The father did not just sit back and let things go; he went to the older son.

In our culture today, it is frowned upon to initiate help or thoughts into a situation without being asked to first.  Many feel that they do not want to intrude.  It might be a situation like the father in this parable found himself: the other person is in the wrong.  They need to make the first move.

By sitting back and waiting for others to make the first move, we will lose a generation.  Christ made the first move towards us by His compassion and love for us.  He has instilled that within the hearts of His people to do the same.  We are not to sit back and wait for things to get better.  We have been charged with the duty of initiating in our families.

If we want to see a reversal in the direction of families around us, we are going to have to take the initiative and not sit on the pews or sidelines and watch them crumble.  The father in this parable had every right to just blow off the older son and continue the celebration of the prodigal's return, but he didn't.  He went to the older son with a heart of compassion and the truth about the situation to make a difference.

CONCLUSION

The family is an important part of our society and culture.  God has a great plan for the family.  Through Christ's work on the cross and by His resurrection, He has made us champions over our families.  This great work can only come through the life that has been surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  If you have not given your life to Christ, I would like to invite you to do that this morning.

With today being Father's Day, I would like to say a word to the Dads in the congregation.  He has called us to take the lead.  We have a part in each of these keys that we've discussed this morning.  I know that you get beat up and put down from so many directions.  I want to encourage you today.  I would like you to know that we at Bethany Baptist Church are for you.  I would like to call all fathers to the front as we have a prayer over you.

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[i] http://www.lifeway.com/Article/research-religious-convictions-not-among-most-desired-parent-traits

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We Are The Champions: Over Sin

INTRODUCTION

In 1977, the rock group, Queen, introduced a song to the world.  This song has gone on to become one of the most recognized songs in history.  You will hear it played at almost any sporting event to celebrate the victory of a team.  The song is "We Are the Champions."

This morning, we are going to begin a new series that I am calling "We Are the Champions."  Romans 8:37 says, "No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us."  Through the work of our Lord Jesus Christ, He has made us champions. Over the next four weeks, we are going to look at a couple of things that Christ has made us champions over.

We are going to begin our journey by looking at how Jesus Christ has made us champions over sin.

WHAT IS SIN?

Sin is one of those words that is used frequently, but sometimes people have a hard time defining it.  In short, sin is the breaking of God's commands.  The holy God of the universe has set up standards that all of creation are supposed to go by.  Sin happens when creation decides on its own free will to go against those commands.

THE BEGINNINGS OF SIN IN MANKIND

We see in Genesis 3 that sin came to mankind in the Garden of Eden.  This seems strange to me because in the Garden there was just one man  (Adam) and one woman (Eve).  They had everything that a person could dream.  The entire created world was theirs to enjoy.  The only forbidden thing was one tree in the Garden.  We see that through the cunning words of Satan, Adam and Eve broke the one rule that was given to them.

THE UNIVERSAL NATURE OF SIN

Romans 5:12 tells us, "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all men, because all sinned."  Every single human being since Adam and Eve have been carrying a spiritual disease within themselves – it is called sin.  The act of Adam in the Garden instilled within each human being a tendency to rebel against the ways of God.

Romans 3:9-12

This sin nature within us causes us to go in the opposite direction of God.  We all are prone to it.  The Bible says that not one person seeks after God on their own.   There have been good people in the world, but at the center of every heart is this longing to rebel against our Creator.

THE EFFECTS OF SIN

Romans 3:13-18 shows us some of the effects that sin has on a person's life.

• Their language is filled with venom  - cursing and bitterness (v 13-14)


• Their actions are hateful (v 15-16)


• There is no peace (v 17)


• There is no fear of God (v 18)

Romans 6:23 shows an even more dreadful effect on each person's life.

• Death – both physical and spiritual

THE DEFEAT OF DEATH

With all that we have talked about so far, it seems to be a very bleak picture.  We see from God's word that we are all infected with this sin and guilty before God.  But there is hope.  God in His amazing graceful manner has chosen to provide a remedy.  That remedy was the cross of Calvary.

Romans 3:23-26

• This remedy for sin came from the gracious heart of God (v 24)


• Jesus' sacrifice was a propitiation – a substitute that appeased the needed judgment

Through the sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross, a way to be made right with God has come!  Our part is to recognize that we in ourselves cannot do anything about our sin and come to Jesus by faith and allow Him to wash our sins away by His blood.

This cleansing that Christ provides is one that will last for eternity.  He takes the guilt of our sins away and replaces it with the Holy Spirit who lives inside of us and gives us the ability to live according to God's plans instead of in opposition to them.

CONCLUSION

The question of the hour is who is paying for your sins?  The price has to be paid by someone.  Either we choose to come to Jesus by faith and give our lives to Him allowing Him to pay for our sins, or we once again turn from God and pay for them ourselves.  The choice is up to us.

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We Are The Champions

During the month of June, I have preached a series of messages that I have entitled, "We Are The Champions."  It is based on Romans 8:37, which says,

"...in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us."

For any person who has placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, He has granted them victory over certain things.  This series of messages from God's word shows just a few of them.  Too many times, we live in fear and defeat over things that have already been conquered on our behalf.  It does not have to be this way for the Christian.

I have been encouraged as I have had the privilege of sharing these messages with our congregation at Bethany Baptist Church.  I thought that I would share my outline and some thoughts from the messages here on the blog for others to read and give comments on.

What are some of the ways that you have experienced victory through Christ?

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An Easter Picture

This past Sunday was the celebration of the greatest day in history.  It was the celebration of Jesus Christ's victory over death and the grave.  We commonly call it Easter.  It was also my first Easter as the pastor of a local congregation.  I'm not sure why, but that didn't really sink in until Saturday sometime.  It turned out to be an amazing day of worshipping the living Savior at New Life Fellowship.

As I was leaving the building and heading home, I came upon a picture that is not that uncommon in these parts, especially this time of the year.  God used this picture to remind me about the power of the resurrection and just what it had accomplished for me and every other person who has placed their faith in Jesus Christ.

Due to the graphic nature of the picture, I have chosen to not post the picture.  What was this picture you may be asking... I'm glad you asked.  The scene that I drove up on was that of a snake that had been run over in the middle of the road.  Pretty common scene in these rural parts.  As I drove up on this scene where this reptile lay dead, God reminded me of something He pronounced way back in the Garden of Eden:

Then the LORD God said to the serpent:

Because you have done this, you are cursed more than any livestock and more than any wild animal.  You will move on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life. I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.  (Genesis 3:14-15 HCSB)

It was like God was saying to me that His plan of redemption for us as sinners and also defeat of evil and the evil one that was first pronounced in the Garden of Eden had come about.  Satan has been defeated!  We can live in victory through Jesus Christ!

What did God show/speak to you this Easter?

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Fighting the Old Man

This morning, I had a great time as I broke open my bible and sat down to see what God would have for me today. I found myself in Colossians 3:1-11 (via intervarsity daily bible study). This passage was so awesome and timely for me. It was speaking about the battle between the "old nature" and our "new nature in Christ." I don't know about you, but I find myself frequently in this battle. I was particularly drawn to one of the questions that had me thinking about "how can we set our mind on things above rather than earthly things?" As I pondered this and examined the Scriptures, I came up with four things that help in this fight...

1. Focus our hearts and minds on Christ. It is easy to just let our minds and attention wonder to and fro. If we are going to win this battle though, we must keep our minds and attention pointed to the cross and the empty tomb. It is through Christ and Christ alone that we find victory.


2. Spend time with God in prayer and His word. I find myself teaching students many times that you can tell what you love by how much time you spend with it. If we are going to win the battle against the flesh, we must take up the weapons that God has given to us (Ephesians 6:17-18).


3. Yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit that lives within us. When we accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, He placed within us part of the Trinity - the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guides us to live a godly life. For victory in this life, we must be in tune (not going against) what the Holy Spirit is directing in our lives. He is seeking to bring glory to God through our lives. Will we let Him?


4. Be alert to the temptations all around us. Peter warns us that the devil is roaming around looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). At every turn of our lives, temptations stand there to knock us off of the path that God has for us. We must be alert and remember that we are in a war. No soldier just hap-hazardously walks around. They are constantly on the lookout for attacks. So must we be.

The main thing that stuck out to me from this time with God this morning was that I cannot just go about my day and life in any fashion. If I live life "naturally", then I will venture away from my Creator and Lord. My flesh still seeks its own way. I have to live life on purpose and alert - for the glory of God!

What are some other tools (from Scripture) that you use in the daily battle against the flesh?

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