11/30/16

"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW" The Challenge Of Following Jesus (8:18-22) by Mark Copeland

                        "THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"

               The Challenge Of Following Jesus (8:18-22)

INTRODUCTION

1. As Jesus went about His earthly ministry, He was often followed by
   large multitudes...
   a. Drawn by His teachings - Mt 7:28-8:1
   b. Attracted by His miracles - Mt 8:16-18

2. Some of those who followed Him wanted to become His disciples...
   a. Willing to be taught by Jesus - e.g., Mt 5:1-2
   b. Wanting to follow Jesus as their Lord and Master - e.g., Mt 8:19

3. Jesus would later command His apostles to make disciples of all the
   nations...
   a. As found in The Great Commission - Mt 28:19-20
   b. Clearly Jesus wanted people to become His disciples

4. But Jesus never misled the multitudes...
   a. It would not be easy to be His disciple
   b. Following Him would be a challenge!

5. In our text for today's study (Mt 8:18-22), we find Jesus responding
   to two individuals regarding the matter of discipleship...
   a. "The hasty scribe" who wanted to become a disciple
   b. "The reluctant disciple" who needed to be reminded of what it
      meant to be a disciple

[This passage should remind us of "The Challenge Of Following Jesus",
taken seriously by all who would be His disciples.  For instance, in 
the case of "the hasty scribe" we learn...]

I. ONE MUST BE WILLING TO COUNT THE COST

   A. THE SCRIBE'S OFFER...
      1. He expressed a willingness to follow Jesus anywhere - Mt 8:19
      2. A commendable offer, but does he know what it means?

   B. THE MASTER'S REPLY...
      1. Jesus informed the scribe that He was homeless - Mt 8:20
         a. As an itinerant preacher, Jesus had no place to call home
         b. Many a night might be spent with no roof overhead
      2. To follow Jesus at that time would mean to leave all
         a. As was necessary for Peter, Andrew, James, and John - Mt 4:
            18-22
         b. As was encouraged of the rich young ruler - Mt 19:21

   C. ONE NEEDS TO COUNT THE COST BEFORE BECOMING A DISCIPLE...
      1. As Jesus told the multitudes who followed Him - Lk 14:25-33
      2. One does not have to become homeless to follow Jesus today, 
         but we must still:
         a. Love Him more than family and life
         b. Forsake all by making Him the Lord and Ruler of our lives
      3. In our zeal to win souls, do we neglect to tell people the 
         cost of becoming a disciple of Jesus?
         a. The cost of observing all that Jesus commands? - Mt 28:20
         b. A cost that might require a radical change in one's life?
            1) E.g., quitting jobs that interfere with holy living
            2) E.g., leaving friends who seek to lead one astray
            3) E.g., changing lifestyles, or getting out of unlawful
               marriages
         c. That one's repentance is fundamental to the gospel message? 
            - cf. Lk 24:46-47; Ac 2:38; 3:19; 17:30-31; 20:20-21

[When a person wants to follow Jesus, that is wonderful!  But we should
remind people there is a cost involved, one they need to consider 
before they commit.

For those who are already disciples, we must not forget "The Challenge
Of Following Jesus".  In the case of "the reluctant disciple", we are
reminded that...]

II. WE MUST BE WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE

   A. THE DISCIPLE'S REQUEST...
      1. He desires to forego following Jesus in order to bury his
         father first - Mt 8:21
      2. Sounds like a devoted son, what harm is there in his request?

   B. THE MASTER'S RESPONSE...
      1. Jesus tells him to follow Him and let the dead bury their own
         dead - Mt 8:22
         a. I.e., let the spiritually dead bury the physical dead
         b. Others could handle such familial tasks, his responsibility
            was to answer to a higher calling
      2. Jesus often made it clear...to follow Him meant putting Him
         before family
         a. As we saw earlier - Lk 14:26
         b. As He taught His disciples in preparing them for The 
            Limited Commission - Mt 10:34-37
         c. As He set the pattern on one occasion when His family was
            seeking Him - cf. Mt 12:46-50

   C. WE NEED TO PAY THE PRICE OF BEING DISCIPLES...
      1. As disciples, we are taught there may be a price to pay to
         remain faithful
         a. As Paul taught the new disciples on his first journey 
            - Ac 14:21-22
         b. As Paul wrote to Timothy at the end of his life - 2Ti 3:
            10-12
      2. Far too often, disciples today want to first "bury the dead",
         such as:
         a. Putting family responsibilities before the Lord
            1) E.g., missing services to entertain visiting family or
               friends
            2) Did not Jesus tell Martha some things take precedent
               over the desire to be a gracious host? - Lk 10:38-42
         b. Accepting jobs when they know it will hinder their service
            to the Lord
            1) E.g., occupations that are so demanding, one has little
               time or energy left
            2) You might think them necessary to support family, but
               did not Jesus promise that God will provide if you put
               the kingdom first? - Mt 6:31-33
      3. In our zeal to provide for our families, do we forget that we
         are disciples of Christ?
         a. There are many good and noble things that can be done in
            relation to kin and occupation
         b. But as disciples of Christ, we have a higher and more noble
            calling - 1Pe 2:9-10
            1) As a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy 
               nation, God's own special people
            2) To proclaim the praises of God who called us out of
               darkness into His marvelous light
         c. If we can't "bury the dead" without neglecting our service
            to Jesus, then we must "let the dead bury the dead"!

CONCLUSION

1. In many places, the Lord's church suffers through neglect...
   a. Attendance is sporadic
   b. Service rendered is minimal
   c. Discipleship is practiced only when convenient

2. There may be many reasons for this, but I suspect two head the 
   list...
   a. Teaching the gospel without mention of the cost of discipleship
   b. Disciples who have forgotten there is a price to pay for 
      following Jesus

3. In an age of "easy believism", do not forget "The Challenge Of
   Following Jesus"...
   a. Let "the hasty scribe" remind you to count the cost of becoming a
      disciple
   b. Let "the reluctant disciple" remind you of the need to pay the
      price of being a follower of Jesus!

This is one of the paradoxes of Christianity:  the salvation that Jesus
offers is a free gift, but it comes at a high cost.  Jesus truly "paid
it all", so one cannot earn their salvation; but as our Savior and Lord
He requires that we have the servant mentality:

   "So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you
   are commanded, say, `We are unprofitable servants. We have done
   what was our duty to do.'"  (Lk 17:10)

Have you counted the cost?  Are you willing to pay the price?  Both are
required to follow Jesus!
 
Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2016

"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"A Man Under Authority (8:5-13) by Mark Copeland

                        "THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"

                     A Man Under Authority (8:5-13)

INTRODUCTION

1. In Mt 8:5-13, we read of the healing of the centurion's servant...
   a. In which Jesus highly commends the centurion's faith
   b. Calling his faith greater than any He had found in Israel

2. This is not the only time we read of military personnel presented in
   a favorable light...
   a. There are several Biblical examples of soldiers
   b. Who were outstanding in their service to God

[In our text, I believe we find why soldiers were often such notable
examples of faith and service. Before we consider why, let's first
review the examples of...]

I. SOME NOTABLE SOLDIERS IN THE BIBLE

   A. JOSHUA AND CALEB...
      1. These two men were soldiers who stand out
         a. They tried to persuade Israel to trust in God, and were
            threatened with death - Num 14:6-10
         b. In the end, they were the only ones over twenty-one who
            left Egypt to enter the Promised Land - Num 14:26-32
      2. Caleb was highly praised by God
         a. At the time he stood fast for the Lord - Num 14:24
         b. At the time he received the land promised to him - Josh14:6-14
         -- It is repeatedly emphasized that he "wholly followed the
            Lord God of Israel"
      3. Joshua was similarly remarkable
         a. In his farewell address (at age 110), he takes his stand
            for the Lord - Josh 24:14-15
         b. His influence over his family was great enough that he knew
            how they would choose

   B. CORNELIUS, THE FIRST GENTILE CONVERT...
      1. His piety was remembered by the Lord - Ac 10:1-6
      2. In responding to the vision...
         a. He immediately sent for Peter - Ac 10:7-8
         b. He prepared an audience for Peter by gathering relatives
            and close friends - Ac 10:24
         c. He was ready to hear whatever Peter had to say - Ac 10:33
      3. Cornelius and his family were obedient as implied in Ac 10:48

   C. THE PHILIPPIAN JAILER, THE FIRST EUROPEAN MALE CONVERT...
      1. Like Cornelius, his conversion was immediate - Ac 16:30-34
      2. His family likewise obeyed the gospel

[These four Biblical examples remind me of military men I have known;
men with similar dedication to the Lord, and success in influencing
their families to follow them in their service to the Lord.

Coincidence?  I think not.  What I see is a particular attitude toward
authority, one found in the centurion of our text (cf. Mt 8:8-9).
Consider what is involved with being...]

II. A MAN UNDER AUTHORITY

   A. THE MILITARY TEACHES THE IMPORTANCE OF AUTHORITY...
      1. Without a respected line of authority, chaos would develop
         a. It is impossible for a large group of individuals to
            function efficiently without a chain of command that is
            respected
         b. Instead of united, coordinated forces, it would be every
            man for himself!
      2. Soldiers are taught to submit to authority immediately
         a. Delay can be disastrous on the battlefield, where speed can
            mean the difference between life or death, victory or
            defeat
         b. Questioning authority, balking at keeping commands, can
            easily result in one's own death and that of their comrades
      3. Thus the military teaches both:
         a. How to submit to authority
         b. How to exercise authority over others
         -- As expressed by the centurion - Mt 8:8-9

   B. KNOWING HOW TO "SUBMIT" TO AUTHORITY, MILITARY MEN...
      1. Often obey the will of the Lord immediately upon hearing the
         gospel
         a. They realize that delay can be disastrous
         b. They would not hesitate to follow orders if their lives
            were in danger, why hesitate when their souls are in
            jeopardy?
      2. Often follow the Lord with a "whole heart"
         a. They understand the need to submit to authority totally
         b. If it were just a game, one might be justified to be half-
            hearted, not taking things seriously
         c. But warfare, whether carnal or spiritual, requires complete
            devotion and total concentration to the task at hand! - cf.
            Ep 6:11-13
      3. Often influence their entire families for the Lord
         a. By such careful submission to the will of the Lord, they
            set a notable example for their children
         b. Their children see that serving the Lord is serious
            business for their father; there must be something to it

   C. KNOWING HOW TO "EXERCISE" AUTHORITY, MILITARY MEN...
      1. Often raise their children in subjection
         a. Obedient to their parents
         b. Eventually following parental in obedience to the Lord
      2. This is not to say they are necessarily strict martinets, but
         they exercise authority...
         a. With firmness, making it advisable for a child to obey
         b. With wisdom, making it natural for a child to obey
         c. With love, making it with willingness for a child to obey
      3. Often become elders to rule over the house of God - cf. 1 Ti3:4-5
         a. Having demonstrated their ability to rule over the house of
            God
         b. By first exercising authority over their own household

CONCLUSION

1. My purpose is not encourage you to enlist in the military... 
   a. But to suggest we would do well to remember the examples of those
      in the military
   b. For we are to be a people under authority, the authority of Jesus
      Christ!
      1) An authority over all things in heaven and on earth - Mt 28:18
      2) An authority that demands that we do what He has commanded
         - Mt 28:19-20

2. In an aged marked by permissiveness, it behooves Christians to
   possess a military attitude regarding authority, for we are engaged
   in a spiritual warfare with Satan and his influences
   a. Not submitting to the authority of God with all haste...
      1) Could mean the damnation of our own soul
      2) And a bad example for our children
   b. Not exercising our authority as Christian parents...
      1) May lead to our children taking the broad way that leads to
         destruction!
      2) May result in delivering our children to Satan on a silver
         platter!

3. How much better...
   a. To be like Caleb, and "wholly serve the Lord God"
   b. To be like Joshua, and declare "as for me and my house, we will
      serve the Lord"
   -- Just as our nation says, "Uncle Sam Needs You!" so the Lord's
      church says, "The Lord Jesus Christ Needs You!"

Is your faith like that of the centurion, who recognized the power of
authority when he saw it?  If you have not yet obeyed the gospel of
Christ, or need to return to the Lord, follow the example of Cornelius
and the Philippian jailer and act immediately!  You might save not only
yourself, but your children and friends as well!
 
Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2016

Inspired Prediction is Proof of Bible Inspiration by Dave Miller, Ph.D.





http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=13&article=5150

Inspired Prediction is Proof of Bible Inspiration

by  Dave Miller, Ph.D.

Why would anyone believe that the Bible is the Word of God, having been transmitted through men who were supernaturally guided by God? Because the evidence so indicates. One of the proofs of Bible inspiration is predictive prophecy. Men committed to writing detailed predictions that pertained to events several hundred years into the future. One such example is the prophecy recalled by the writer of the book of Hebrews in which he quotes from Psalm 40. He places the words in the mouth of Jesus, applying the prediction to Jesus’ incarnation and sacrifice on the cross. His citation is taken from the Septuagint version rather than the original Hebrew:
Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: Sacrifice and offering You did not de-sire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, “Behold, I have come—in the volume of the book it is writ-ten of Me—to do Your will, O God” (Hebrews 10:5-7, emp. added).
The Bible teaches that Deity came to the Earth in human flesh in order to offer Himself as an atonement for the sins of the human race (Galatians 2:20; 1 Timothy 2:6; Titus 2:14; et al.). The book of Hebrews was written in the first century A.D. But the Psalms were written several hundred years before that, with Psalm 40, written presumably by David, a thousand years earlier. That means that a thousand years separates the prediction from the fulfillment. Even the most liberal treatment of the Psalms places their composition prior to the first century A.D. The Greek Bible is generally believed to have been completed in the third century B.C., which means the Psalms had to have been completed prior to that time.
But how detailed was this prediction? Did it contain vague generalities and ambiguous phrases that can be bent to refer to just about anything? By no means. Among the details of the prediction, observe that the passage represents God (the Father) as being responsible for preparing/providing a body for Jesus (the Son) to inhabit. This body would replace the animal sacrifices and offerings contained in the Old Testament economy for dealing with sin. Such predictions are hardly vague or ambiguous. In fact, they are extremely specific and complex.
One of the great marvels of the Christian religion is the virgin conception in which Mary was impregnated by the Holy Spirit, enabling her to conceive a child (Matthew 1:18-25). That child was Jesus Christ who vacated the heavenly realm temporarily to fulfill the magnificent, incomprehensi-ble purpose of sacrificing Himself for lost humanity (Philippians 2:6-8). A physical, fleshly body was necessary to accomplish this purpose. Hence, the need to be “born of a woman” (Galatians 4:4; cf. Genesis 3:15) by which Deity could inhabit a human body. Observe that the physical body was genetically derived from David via his descendent Mary (Luke 3:23,31; Romans 1:3)—in ful-fillment of another predictive prophecy (1 Samuel 7:12). But Jesus Himself is not to be confused with His physical body. Jesus Himself preceded the preparation and formation of the physical body that He inhabited in first century Palestine. Jesus Himself has always existed since He is Deity and eternal (Colossians 1:16; 2:9). Jesus Himself participated in the creation of the Universe (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:17).
How in the world could any mere human have predicted, hundreds of years in advance, that a person would be born who, unlike all other humans ever born, was in fact God inhabiting a physi-cal body? No mere human could have predicted such an event. Hence, the Bible bears the attributes of a supernatural origin.

God Did Not Condone Rape by Kyle Butt, M.Div.





http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=12&article=2333

God Did Not Condone Rape

by  Kyle Butt, M.Div.

Militant atheists of the 21st century delight in accusing God of condoning the most heinous immoralities. They insist that the God of the Bible, especially of the Old Testament, was a murderous villain guilty of far worse than His human subjects. Richard Dawkins accused God of being a “misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully” (2006, p. 31).
One attempt that has been made to bolster these unfounded accusations is to suggest that in the Old Testament God condoned rape. Dan Barker commented: “If God told you to rape someone, would you do it? Some Christians, ignorant of biblical injunctions to rape, might answer, ‘God would never ask me to do that’” (Barker, 1992, p. 331, emp. added). If the honest truth seeker were to ask to see the “biblical injunctions to rape,” he would be struck by the fact that no such injunctions exist.
The passage that is most often used to “prove” that God condones rape is Numbers 31:25-40. In this passage, the young women who were taken captive after Moses destroyed the Midianites were divided between the Israelites and the priests. The priests were given responsibility for 32 of the women. Skeptics often suggest that these women were supplied so that the priests could abuse them sexually and rape them. But nothing could be further from the truth. The skeptic errs greatly in this regard either due to his ignorance of God’s instructions or willful dishonesty.
In Deuteronomy 21:10-14, Moses specifically stated what was to be done with female captives:
When you go out to war...and you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and desire her and would take her for your wife, then you shall bring her home to your house, and she shall shave her head and trim her nails. She shall put off the clothes of her captivity, remain in your house, and mourn her father and her mother a full month; after that you may go in to her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife (emp. added).
It is important to understand that God has never condoned any type of sexual activity outside of a lawful marriage. The only way that an Israelite would be morally justified in having sexual intercourse with a female captive was if he made her his wife, granting to her the rights and privileges due to a wife. Notice that the Israelite male could not “go in to her” (a euphemism for sexual intercourse) until she had observed a period of mourning and cleansing, and he could only “go in to her” with the intent of being her husband.
When the skeptics’ allegations about God condoning rape are demolished by the very clear instructions in Deuteronomy 21, the attack is usually shifted, and God is accused of being unjust for allowing war prisoners or slavery of any kind, regardless of whether or not rape was permitted. While these allegations about slavery have been dealt with decisively in other places (Butt, 2005a), it is important not to lose sight of the fact that shifting the argument to slavery is a red herring to draw attention away from the original accusation that God condoned rape.
For the skeptic to imply that God condoned rape, using Numbers 31, without mentioning Moses’ instructions in Deuteronomy 21, is unconscionable. It is simply another instance of dishonest propaganda designed to discredit God and the Bible. The irony of the skeptics’ position is that if atheism is true, the skeptic has no grounds upon which to claim that rape is morally wrong (Butt, 2005b). In fact, in my debate with Dan Barker, Barker admitted that fact, and stated that under certain circumstances, rape would be a moral obligation (Butt and Barker, 2009).
In reality, God’s ways and actions have always been fair, equitable, and just. But the errant thinking and self-contradiction of the skeptical worldview continues to show itself to be unjust in its criticism of God, and immoral in its practical application.

REFERENCES

Barker, Dan (1992), Losing Faith in Faith: From Preacher to Atheist (Madison, WI: Freedom From Religion Foundation).
Butt, Kyle (2005a), “Defending the Bible’s Position on Slavery,” [On-line], URL: http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/368.
Butt, Kyle (2005b), “Rape and Evolution,” [On-line], URL: http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/306.
Butt, Kyle and Dan Barker (2009), The Butt/Barker Debate: Does the God of the Bible Exist? (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press).
Dawkins, Richard (2006), The God Delusion (New York: Houghton Mifflin).

Does Mary Intercede for Christians? by Moisés Pinedo





http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=2676

Does Mary Intercede for Christians?

by  Moisés Pinedo

It has been argued that “Mary is the creature closest to God. Moreover, while Christ is the mediator of all grace between God and creation, Mary is the mediator of all grace between Christ and humanity. Consequently, Mary is a powerful intercessor for all who turn to her” (see Zoltan, 1994, emp. added). The Bible clearly teaches that Mary is not Deity and should not be worshipped as such (see Pinedo, 2009). If she is not Deity, is she the closest human being to Deity? Does she play an active role in heaven, interceding for individual Christians? Does she make intercession for us in prayer or have an effect on our salvation?

Mary is no closer to God than any other person, past or present.

When referring to Deity, the Bible mentions only the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19; cf. Matthew 3:16-17; John 10:30; 17:21; Acts 5:3-4). Mary is never mentioned in that context. Further, the heaven where God and His angels reside (Deuteronomy 10:14; 26:15; 1 Kings 8:27,30) is not yet inhabited by human beings. Jesus said: “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man” (John 3:13, emp. added). These words represent the truth about all the people who have left this world (including Mary). No one is in heaven because heaven is reserved for all faithful servants of God since time began (cf. John 14:1-3). Not until after the Second Coming of Christ and the final Judgment will it become home for the faithful, both living and dead (Matthew 25:31-46;
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
The idea that Mary occupies a special place in heaven, close to the Son, is a tradition. It shows a lack of understanding concerning biblical teachings on the afterlife. In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus explained that the dead (saved and lost) go to a place called “hades” (16:23, Hebrew sheol)—a spiritual waiting place that separates the consolation of the righteous (referred to as “paradise,” cf. Luke 23:43) from the torment of the wicked. In hades, the righteous begin to taste part of the joy that awaits them in eternity, while the wicked begin to taste part of the suffering that awaits them. Hades is not the dwelling place of God; God dwells in heaven. Mary, along with Abraham and other faithful servants from the past, is waiting in hades until its dead are delivered up, when the Lord returns to judge each man and woman according to his or her works (Revelation 20:13). In this spiritual realm that precedes heaven, there is nothing that those who are there can do for those who are here (Luke 16:27-31).

The gift of intercession was not given to Mary.

Catholics have given the title of “Intercessor for the Saints” to Mary, although nowhere in the Bible is it applied to her. “Intercession” means “seeking the presence and hearing of God on behalf of others” (Vine, 1966, 2:267). There are only two areas in which Christians need intercession: salvation and prayers. If Mary is now, or ever has been, involved as “Intercessor for the Saints,” there should be ample evidence in Scripture.
Concerning salvation, the apostle Peter clearly stated that “there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12, NASB). Of course, he was referring to Jesus Christ. Paul wrote: “[T]here is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). The Hebrews writer added: “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He [Jesus] always lives to make intercession for them” (7:25). Jesus is the one and only Mediator (Intercessor) between God and Man, and He lives to continually intercede for those who come to God.
But what about prayer? Does Mary intercede in the prayers of Christians? No, she does not. This intercession also belongs to Jesus. When teaching His disciples to pray to the Father (Matthew 6:9), Jesus did not teach them to pray to (or through) Mary. And yet, Catholicism created a prayer—the “Hail Mary”—to include the words “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death.” In John 14:13-14, Jesus declared: “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (cf. John 16:24). Jesus is the only One Who can mediate or intercede in our prayers, since “[a]ll things that the Father has are [His]” (John 16:15). If all things that the Father has are the Son’s, then what is left for Mary?
The prerogative of intercession supposedly given to Mary also is argued from the fact that she “interceded” before Jesus on behalf of a family at a wedding in Cana because the wine was running out during the celebration (John 2:2-3). This simple, solitary, tiny thread of argumentation, lost in a loom of confusion, has been misused extensively by the supporters of Marianism. By going to Jesus with a request for help, Mary was not intervening on behalf of anyone’s spiritual needs; she only reported the situation to Jesus. Moreover, consider Jesus’ response: “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me?” (John 2:4). With these words, He emphasized that Mary’s concerns did not dictate His actions. Whatever He did in Cana that day would be according to God’s will, not because of human or motherly influences or desires.
If the situation recorded in John chapter two establishes Mary as the “Intercessor of the Saints,” what should we conclude from Matthew 8:5-13 and other passages that tell of similar circumstances? In Matthew chapter eight, a centurion “interceded” before Jesus for his servant who was in bed, paralyzed, and greatly tormented. Seeing the centurion’s faith, Jesus performed a miracle and cured the sick servant. Should we consider this centurion as the “Intercessor for the Paralytics, the Sick, and the Tormented”? Should any paralytic, or anyone suffering from physical or mental illness, pray to this man of great faith, asking him to intercede with God on their behalf? [The Bible further condemns the act of invoking the dead (cf. Deuteronomy 18:10-13; 1 Chronicles 10:13-14; Isaiah 8:19).] Neither this centurion, nor Abraham, nor Mary, nor anyone else—living or dead—can intercede before the throne of God in favor of the faithful Christian, except Jesus Christ Himself.

Mary, like all men and women, needed intercession.

In Luke 1:47, Mary raised her voice and declared: “My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior” (emp. added). If she had a Savior, then she needed salvation. And, if she needed salvation, then she also needed the only Intercessor of salvation—Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:25). Therefore, Mary’s condition was no different from every human being before or after her. She sinned (Romans 3:23), and she needed the only Intercessor who could make peace between her and God (2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Colossians 1:20). Just as Jesus “interceded” on behalf of Mary before He died to make sure her physical needs were met (John 19:26-27), He interceded on her behalf to make sure her spiritual needs were met. Mary cannot intercede for any Christian since she, herself, needed intercession.
Finally, although Christians are commanded to pray for one another (1 Thessalonians 5:25; Hebrews 13:18; James 5:16), Jesus is our only Mediator in prayer. Through Him our prayers are answered.

REFERENCES

Pinedo, Moisés (2009), “Is Mary the Mother of God?” [On-line], URL: http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/240077.
Vine, W.E. (1966), An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words (Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell).
Zoltan, Abraham (1994), “A Detailed Guide to Our Lady’s Rosary,” [On-line], URL: http://www.blessedtrinityorlando.org/rosary.html.

Did Jesus Lie to His Brothers? by Eric Lyons, M.Min.





http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=10&article=3781

Did Jesus Lie to His Brothers?

by  Eric Lyons, M.Min.

Scripture repeatedly testifies that Jesus never sinned. The prophet Isaiah, speaking as if Jesus had already lived and died, said that the Savior “had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth” (53:9). The apostle Peter quoted from Isaiah in his first epistle (2:22), and added that Jesus was “a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19). Paul wrote to the Corinthians how Jesus “knew no sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21). What’s more, according to Hebrews 4:15, Jesus “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). He was “pure” and “righteous” in the supreme sense (1 John 3:3; 2:1). Simply put, Jesus was perfect; He never transgressed God’s law.
If Jesus never sinned, and specifically never lied, some wonder why Jesus told his brothers, “I do not go up to this feast [the Feast of Tabernacles]” (John 7:8, NASB), if later, “when His brothers had gone...He Himself also went” (7:10, NASB)? Some allege that, in this instance, Jesus “broke his word” and “lied” (McKinsey, 2000, p. 787), and thus was not the Son of God as He claimed. What is the truth of the matter?
First of all, several early manuscripts of the gospel of John, including p66 and p75 (believed to be from as early as the late second and early third centuries), have Jesus saying, “I am not yet [oupo] going up to this feast,” rather than “I do not [ouk] go up to this feast.” Thus, it may be that the correct rendering is found in the KJV, NKJV, and NIV, rather than the ASV, NASB, and RSV.
Second, even if Jesus did say at one point to His brothers, “I do not go up to this feast,” but later He went, that still does not mean that He lied. Suppose a co-worker saw me leaving the office at 2:00 p.m. and asked me, “Are you going home?” and I said, “No,” but later went home that day at 5:00 p.m. Have I lied? Not at all. When I left the office at 2:00 p.m., I went to run a quick errand—I did not go home. When I departed the office at 5:00 p.m., however, I went home. “No” is often truthfully used in a time-sensitive manner. Simply because at 2:00 p.m. I said I was not going home, does not mean I could not go home at 5:00 p.m. My “no” meant “I’m not going home at the present.” Similarly, if Jesus used the term “not” [ouk] rather than “not yet” [oupo], He could just as easily been implying the same thing: “I am not going to the feast at the present.”
At the proper time, after Jesus “remained in Galilee” for a while (7:9), He did go to the feast. The proper time was not when his unbelieving brothers told Him to “depart” (John 7:5), but when the Son of God said it was time—a God-appointed time. Furthermore, His attendance at the feast was not for the purpose that His brothers envisioned (to show Himself to the world—7:3-4), rather Jesus went to the feast “not openly, but as it were in secret” (7:10, emp. added).
Just as we often say, “I am not going,” but mean “I am not going yet,” Jesus had every right to use that same kind of language. Although Jesus embodied truth (John 14:6) and always told the truth (1 Peter 2:22), He still used figures of speech and language men commonly understood—some even today.

REFERENCE

McKinsey, C. Dennis (2000), Biblical Errancy (Amherst, NY: Prometheus).

Cause and Effect—Scientific Proof that God Exists by Kyle Butt, M.Div.





http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=9&article=879

Cause and Effect—Scientific Proof that God Exists

by  Kyle Butt, M.Div.

The Universe exists and is real. Every rational person must admit this point. If it did not exist, we would not be here to talk about it. So the question arises, “How did the Universe get here?” Did it create itself? If it did not create itself, it must have had a cause.
Let’s look at the law of cause and effect. As far as science knows, natural laws have no exceptions. This is definitely true of the law of cause and effect, which is the most universal and most certain of all laws. Simply put, the law of cause and effect states that every material effect must have an adequate cause that existed before the effect.
Material effects without adequate causes do not exist. Also, causes never occur after the effect. In addition, the effect never is greater than the cause. That is why scientists say that every material effect must have an adequate cause. The river did not turn muddy because the frog jumped in; the book did not fall off the table because the fly landed on it. These are not adequate causes. For whatever effects we see, we must present adequate causes.
Five-year-olds are wonderful at using the law of cause and effect. We can picture a small child asking: “Mommy, where do peaches come from?” His mother says that they come from peach trees. Then the child asks where the trees come from, and his mother explains that they come from peaches. You can see the cycle. Eventually the child wants to know how the first peach tree got here. He can see very well that it must have had a cause, and he wants to know what that cause was.
One thing is for sure: the Universe did not create itself! We know this for a scientific fact, because matter cannot create matter. If we take a rock that weighs 1 pound and do 50,000 experiments on it, we never will be able to produce more than 1 pound of rock. So, whatever caused the Universe could not have been material.
FROM NOTHING COMES NOTHING
I know that it is insulting to your intelligence to have to include this paragraph, but some people today are saying that the Universe evolved from nothing. However, if there ever had been a time when absolutely nothing existed, then there would be nothing now, because it always is true that nothing produces nothing. If something exists now, then something always has existed.
THE BIBLE SPEAKS ABOUT THE CAUSE
The Bible certainly is not silent about what caused the Universe. In the very first verse of the first chapter of the first book it says: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth.” Acts 17:24 records: “God, who made the world and everything in it…He is Lord of heaven and earth.” Exodus 20:11 notes: “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them.”
  • God is undoubtedly an adequate cause, since He is all-powerful. In Genesis 17:1, God told Abraham “I am Almighty God.”
  • He came before this material world, fulfilling the criteria that the cause must come before the effect. The psalmist wrote: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God” (Psalm 90:2).
  • And He definitely would instill within mankind the concept of morality, since He is a God of morals. Titus 1:2 says that He cannot lie.
Only God fits the criteria of an adequate cause that came before the Universe.
WHY DOES GOD NOT HAVE A CAUSE?
Hold on just a minute! If we contend that every material effect must have a cause, and we say that only God could have caused the Universe, then the obvious question is: “What caused God?” Doesn’t the law of cause and effect apply to God, too?
There is a single word in the law of cause and effect that helps provide the answer to this question—the word material. Every material effect must have a cause that existed before it. Scientists formulated the law of cause and effect based upon what they have observed while studying this Universe, which is made out of matter. No science experiment in the world can be performed on God, because He is an eternal spirit, not matter (John 4:24). Science is far from learning everything about this material world, and it is even farther from understanding the eternal nature of God. There had to be a First Cause, and God was (and is) the only One suitable for the job.
CONCLUSION
The law of cause and effect is a well-established law that does not have any known exceptions. It was not conjured up from the creationists’ magic hat to prove the existence of God (although it does that quite well). The evidence is sufficient to show that this material Universe needs a non-material cause. That non-material Cause is God. If natural forces created the Universe, randomly selecting themselves, then morality in humans never could be explained. Why is this Universe here? Because “in the beginning, God….”

Fishbowl Foolishness by Dave Miller, Ph.D.





http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=7&article=1170

Fishbowl Foolishness

by  Dave Miller, Ph.D.

The town council of the city of Rome, Italy has passed some rather unusual laws recently. The most startling concerns the illegality of goldfish bowls. That’s right, goldfish bowls are now outlawed in Rome (“Rome Bans...,” 2005). Animal rights activists say the bowls are cruel. The council also passed a law requiring citizens to regularly exercise their dogs. Such pronouncements reflect significant erosion of the Christian worldview.
After creating the animals, God created the first human beings, setting them apart from the animal kingdom by creating humans in His own image (Genesis 1:27). Humans possess a soul—a spirit—that lives on after the death of the body (Ecclesiastes 12:7; Zechariah 12:1; Luke 16:22-31; Hebrews 12:9; James 2:26). Animals do not share this spiritual dimension in common with humans. Animals are not human, and are not to be regarded as such. The Bible speaks directly to the question of the relationship between humans and fish. Humans are to “have dominion (i.e., rule) over the fish of the sea” (Genesis 1:26,28; cf. Psalm 8:6-8)—which surely includes confining them to fishbowls! In fact, the Bible declares specifically that, among other things, “all the fish of the sea...are given into your hand...[and] shall be food for you” (Genesis 9:2-3, emp. added).
When humans stray away from God and the proper view of life and human existence provided in His inspired Word, they end up with distorted sensibilities (see Miller, 2004). They end up exchanging the truth of God for lies, and worshipping and serving the creature rather than the Creator (Romans 1:25).

REFERENCES

Miller, Dave (2004), “Where Godless Evolution Leads,” [On-line], URL: http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2651.
“Rome Bans Goldfish Bowls” (2005), Reuters, October 26, [On-line], URL: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051026/od_nm/italy_pets_dc;_ylt=ArSNdiSc xxeineP6q4Sq6Oys0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3NW1oMDRpBHNlYwM3NTc.

One Question, Three Different Answers by Eric Lyons, M.Min.

http://apologeticspress.org/AllegedDiscrepancies.aspx?article=646&b=Acts

One Question, Three Different Answers

by Eric Lyons, M.Min.

Three times in the book of Acts, Luke the physician recorded non-Christians asking what they needed to do to be saved, and three times a different answer was given. The heathen jailor from Philippi asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?,” and was told: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (16:30-31). The Jews on Pentecost asked the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?,” and were instructed to “repent and be baptized” (2:37-38). A few years later, Saul (later called Paul—Acts 13:9) asked Jesus, Who appeared to Saul on his way to Damascus, “Lord, what do you want me to do?” (9:6; 22:10). After being told to go into Damascus to find out what he “must do” to be saved, Ananias, the Lord’s servant, commanded Saul to “[a]rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (22:16). The question that many ask is: “Why are three different answers given to the same question?” Are these answers contradictory, or is there a logical explanation for their differences?
The reason that three different answers were given to the question of salvation is because on each occasion the questioners were at different “locations” on the road to salvation. The rationality of such answers can be illustrated by considering what a person is told in reference to his physical distance from a certain city. If a friend calls me to ask how far it is from his house in Jackson, Tennessee to my parents’ house in Neosho, Missouri, I would inform him that he is 475 miles from Neosho. If he calls me back the next day, notifying me that he is now in Little Rock, Arkansas, and asks about the distance to Neosho, I would give him a different answer. He now would be 260 miles from Neosho. If, later that evening, he called me one last time and asked how far Fort Smith is from Neosho, again I would give him a different answer—130 miles. No rational person would accuse me of contradicting myself, since each question was asked from a different reference point. Three different answers were given, but all three were correct. Likewise, the New Testament records three different answers given to the question, “What must I do to be saved,” because the sinners who asked these questions were at different places of understanding on the road to salvation.
The Philippian jailor was commanded to believe in Christ, because he had not yet heard and believed the saving message of Jesus (Acts 16:31-32; Romans 10:17). It would have been pointless for Paul and Silas to command the jailor to repent and/or be baptized when he had not yet even heard the Gospel. If today, a Muslim, Hindu, or Buddhist, asked a Christian the same question the Philippian jailor asked Paul and Silas, the same answer would need to be given. Before ever teaching a Muslim about the essentiality of repentance and baptism, he first must express belief in Jesus as the Son of God. If this step (i.e., believing) is never taken on the road to salvation, the other steps are meaningless. [NOTE: The Bible reveals that after Paul and Silas “spoke the word of the Lord” to the jailor and his household, they believed and “immediately” were baptized (Acts 16:33). By implication, Paul and Silas must have taught the jailor and his family about the essentiality of baptism after stressing the need to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” (cf. Acts 8:35-36,38). Question: If water baptism has nothing to do with salvation, then why were the jailor and his household immersed in water not long after midnight (cf. Acts 16:25,33)?]
The Jews on Pentecost had already heard Peter’s sermon when they asked their question about salvation (Acts 2:37). Peter knew that they already believed, and that such belief came from hearing the message he preached (cf. Romans 10:17). The Jews had passed the point of belief (being “pricked in their heart”), and were told to “repent and be baptized” in order to obtain salvation (cf. Mark 16:16).
Still, someone might wonder why Ananias told Saul neither to believe nor repent when he informed him about how to have his sins washed away. The reason: Saul already was a penitent believer in Christ by the time he came in contact with Ananias. Saul did not need to be told to believe or repent, since he had already done so. He knew the Lord existed, having spoken directly with Him on the road to Damascus, and he expressed a penitent attitude by praying to God and fasting for three days (Acts 9:9,11). At this point, Saul lacked only one thing: he needed to be baptized (Acts 22:16).
The reason these sinners were told three different things regarding salvation was because they were at different starting points when given the various answers. It is as if the jailor were in Jackson, Tennessee, the Jews on Pentecost in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Saul in Fort Smith. All wanted to go to the same place, but were at different starting points when they asked the question, “What must I do to be saved?” The unbeliever was told to believe. The believers were told to repent. And the penitent believer was told to be baptized. The three statements may be different, but they are not contradictory. For a person to become a child of God, he or she must do all three (see John 8:24; Luke 13:3,5; Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16).

What does God want me to do? by Roy Davison




http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/032-whatdoes.html
 

What does God want me to do?
People who heard the gospel on Pentecost cried out: “What should we do?” (Acts 2:37).

This is a good question -- also for Christians. Instead of doing what we want to do, we should continually ask ourselves: “What does God want me to do?”

How can we know what God wants us to do? Only through the holy Scriptures. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).

As we study the Scriptures we should ask ourselves, “What does God want me to do?”

The Scriptures are full of instructions for daily living. Jesus tells us to follow Him, to repent, to bear fruit, to be meek, to hunger for righteousness, to be merciful, to be pure in heart, to be peacemakers, to do good, not to call anyone a fool, not to commit adultery, not to look at a woman lustfully, not to divorce our spouses without a valid reason, not to swear, not to resist one who is evil, to go the second mile, to love our enemies, to be perfect like our Father, not to be religious for show, to forgive, not to lay up treasures on earth but in heaven, not to serve money, not to be anxious about physical needs, to seek God's kingdom and righteousness first, not to judge, to do to others as we want them to do to us, to do what He says and not just listen, to be wise as serpents and harmless of doves, to endure to the end, to be like Him, to preach the gospel, to mention just a few items from the first ten chapters of Matthew.

Let us examine just three of these points.

God wants me to follow Christ.

“And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, 'Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men'” (Matthew 4:18, 19).

“Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, 'Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.' And Jesus said to him, 'Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.' Then another of His disciples said to Him, 'Lord, let me first go and bury my father.' But Jesus said to him, 'Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead'” (Matthew 8:19- 22).

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me'” (Matthew 16:24). “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:38).
“Jesus said to him, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me'” (Matthew 19:21).

God wants me to be meek.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).

To be meek is to be mild tempered, soft, gentle, humble, lowly, unpretentious, yielding, not easily provoked or irritated, enduring injury with patience and without resentment.

Is this the way we tend to be? Is this the way the world thinks people should be? The world tells us that we should be self-assertive, stand up for our rights, not allow others to get the best of us. But God wants me to be meek.

This is part of following Christ, for He said: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Meek is the best way to be. If we are self-assertive and aggressive, others will resist us and try to beat us down.

Meekness must be genuine. Some people appear meek as a lamb when all is going their way, but if something irritates them they begin to snarl and snap and growl like a vicious wolf.

Meekness can be learned. It is not how we tend to be. To have peace for our souls we must follow Christ and learn to be gentle and lowly in heart. Our glorious King came to us lowly, riding on a donkey (Matthew 21:5).

God wants me to be merciful.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7).

To be merciful is to have a kind, compassionate and forgiving attitude that overlooks injuries and does not give deserved punishment.

“But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Matthew 9:13).

Jesus refers to Hosea 6:4-6.
“O Ephraim, what shall I do to you?
O Judah, what shall I do to you?
For your faithfulness is like a morning cloud,
And like the early dew it goes away.
Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets,
I have slain them by the words of My mouth;
And your judgments are like light that goes forth.
For I desire mercy and not sacrifice,
And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

A similar thought is found in Micah 6:6-8.
“With what shall I come before the Lord,
And bow myself before the High God?
Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,
With calves a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
Ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?”

Jesus also referred to this principle when His disciples were condemned by the Pharisees for plucking grain on the Sabbath: “But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless” (Matthew 12:7).

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!” (Matthew 23:23,24).

God wants me to be merciful. “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13).

What does God want me to do? I must continually study the Scriptures to find out. We have examined three things from the book of Matthew. Although sermons and group Bible studies are helpful, we must all spend time studying the Scriptures ourselves to learn all that God wants us to do.

God wants me to follow Christ, to be meek and to be merciful.

Roy Davison
The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982, Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers.
Permission for reference use has been granted.
Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

What matters by Gary Rose


I love this time of year in central Florida. The weather is mild and the air conditioning is off, the windows are open and the fresh air is wonderful!!! The oppressive heat of the summer months are fading from my memory and life is GOOD!!!

When I saw this jpeg today, I was reminded that it is based on a jpeg written by an eight year old girl (printed, not cursive, of course) and marveled at its wisdom. I couldn't help but wonder how one so young could be so insightful.  Then, I realized that if a person truly understands love, so many other things just "fall into place"!!

Consider this passage from Paul's letter to the Romans...


Romans, Chapter 8 (World English Bible)
  28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose. (verse 28 - emp. added GDR)  29 For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  30 Whom he predestined, those he also called. Whom he called, those he also justified. Whom he justified, those he also glorified. 

  31 What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?  32 He who didn’t spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things?  33 Who could bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 

  35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Could oppression, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Even as it is written, 

“For your sake we are killed all day long. We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”


  37 No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  38 For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,  39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from God’s love which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  
(verse 37-30 - emp. added GDR)


The hymn says "Jesus loves me, this I know" and if you believe it, you have come a long way in this life. You have an advantage in everything you do, including the way you look at life. The girl who originally wrote the saying and the "Little church mouse" are a success in life because of their attitude. And the weather doesn't really matter, does it?

What really matters? God loves you and you love God. Jesus died for your sins and showed his love for you- what have you done in response??