"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW" Introduction To The Sermon On The Mount (5:1-2) INTRODUCTION 1. In Matthew 5-7, we have recorded the most famous sermon that has ever been preached... a. Commonly referred to as "The Sermon On The Mount" b. It has touched more hearts, and in turn has sparked more sermons than any other 2. In Mt 5:1-2, the setting for the sermon is given... a. He saw the multitudes that were following Him - Mt 4:25 b. He therefore ascended a mountain 1) Many believe this refers to a natural amphitheater between the "Horns of Hattin", on a slope that arises above Capernaum (Believers' Study Bible) 2) This may be the same occasion as "The Sermon On The Plain" - cf. Lk 6:17-49 c. When His disciples came to Him, He sat down and began to speak 1) It was common to speak while sitting, rather than standing as we do today 2) Cf. Mt 13:1-2; Jn 8:2 3. What is Jesus talking about in this sermon? a. What is the main "THEME?" b. What is the "CONTENT" of this sermon? [In this study we shall introduce "The Sermon On The Mount" by seeking to answer these two questions. To begin, let's determine...] I. THE "THEME" OF THE SERMON A. NOTE THE "SETTING" LEADING UP TO THE SERMON... 1. In Mt 3:1-3, we read of the preaching of John the Baptist a. Who was sent to prepare the way of the Lord b. The theme of his preaching concerned "the kingdom of heaven" 2. In Mt 4, we read of the beginning of Jesus' ministry a. After His temptation, Jesus preaches a message similar to John's - Mt 4:17 b. His preaching in Galilee pertained to the "gospel of the kingdom" - Mt 4:23 -- Could Jesus' theme be "the kingdom of heaven"? B. NOTE A "PHRASE" USED THROUGHOUT THE SERMON... 1. "for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" - Mt 5:3 2. "for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" - Mt 5:10 3. "...shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven" - Mt 5:19 4. "...shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven" - Mt 5:19 5. "...will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven" - Mt 5:20 6. "Your kingdom come" - Mt 6:10 7. "But seek first the kingdom of God" - Mt 6:33 8. ". . . shall enter the kingdom of heaven" - Mt 7:21 -- Isn't Jesus talking about "the kingdom of heaven"? [Both the setting and His repeated use a particular phrase should lead us to conclude that the "theme" of Jesus' sermon on the mount is: "THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN" With this in mind, let's briefly consider the "content" of the sermon as I offer the following outline...] II. THE "CONTENT" OF THE SERMON A. THE "CITIZENS" OF THE KINGDOM... 1. Their character and blessedness - Mt 5:3-12 a. Qualities to be found in those who will be citizens of this kingdom b. The blessings enjoyed by these citizens 2. Their relation to the world - Mt 5:13-16 a. They are the salt of the earth b. They are the light of the world B. THE "RIGHTEOUSNESS" OF THE KINGDOM... 1. In contrast to the "traditional interpretations and applications" of the Law - Mt 5:17-48 a. Jesus has not come to destroy or show disrespect to the Law 1) It will not pass away until it is fulfilled 2) Those who violate it teach contrary to it (while it exists) will be least in the kingdom b. Jesus does require that the righteousness of those in the kingdom exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees c. He illustrates by a series of contrasts concerning: 1) Murder and anger 2) Adultery 3) Divorce 4) The swearing of oaths 5) The taking of revenge 6) The treatment of enemies -- In each case His teaching is consistent with the Law, but not the traditional interpretations and applications of the Law 2. With respect to man's relation to God - Mt 6:1-33 a. Charitable deeds b. Prayer c. Fasting d. Materialism e. Anxiety 3. With respect to man's relation to man - Mt 7:1-12 a. Judging others b. Asking, seeking, knocking c. The golden rule C. THE "EXHORTATION TO ENTER" THE KINGDOM... 1. The "beginning" of the way - Mt 7:13-14 a. It will be narrow and difficult b. Not many will find it 2. The "progress" along the way - Mt 7:15-20 a. Beware of false prophets who are wolves in sheep's clothing b. You will know them by their fruits 3. The "end" of the way - Mt 7:21-27 a. In which "sayers" will be contrasted with "doers" b. In which "hearers" will be contrasted with "doers" CONCLUSION 1. In view of its content, we can appreciate why this sermon has been called... a. The Magna Carta of His Kingdom b. The Manifesto of the King 2. Our next study will begin a look at the sermon in closer detail... a. With the first of two lessons on "The Beatitudes" - Mt 5:3-12 b. In which we examine the character and blessedness of those who are citizens of the kingdom of heaven Have you responded to the exhortation to enter the kingdom? Remember the words of our Lord to Nicodemus... Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." (Jn 3:3-5) Have you been born again of water and the Spirit? - cf. Mk 16:16; Ac 2:38
2/8/13
Introduction To The Sermon On The Mount (5:1-2) by Mark Copeland
The Itinerant Ministry Of Jesus (4:23-25) by Mark Copeland
"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW" The Itinerant Ministry Of Jesus (4:23-25) INTRODUCTION 1. Jesus started His public ministry by moving to Capernaum - Mt 4: 12-17 a. A city on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee b. A fulfillment of the prophecy in Isa 9:1-2 c. From which He began to preach His message of the kingdom 2. But Jesus' work was not what you might call a "located ministry"... a. He did not stay in one place b. Where people might easily come to see and hear Him 3. His ministry was an "itinerant ministry"... a. He traveled from place to place b. If people wanted to hear Him more than once, they had to follow Him [In our text, Mt 4:23-25, we find a summary of "The Itinerant Ministry Of Jesus." In this study, let's begin by taking a look at...] I. THE NATURE OF JESUS' ITINERANT MINISTRY A. HE DID NOT STAY IN ONE PLACE LONG... 1. He "went about all Galilee" - Mt 4:23 2. He went about "teaching in their synagogues" - Mt 4:23 3. Luke records an example: in the synagogue at Nazareth - Lk 4: 14-30 4. But as mentioned by both Mark and Luke, Jesus felt compelled to keep moving - Mk 1:35-39; Lk 4:42-44 B. HE PROCLAIMED THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM... 1. His preaching involved "good news" about the kingdom - Mt 4: 23; cf. Mk 1:14 2. As recorded by Mark, this "good news" included the following: a. "The time is fulfilled" - the time foretold by the prophets, cf. Dan 2:44 b. "The kingdom of God is at hand" - the kingdom foretold by the prophets, cf. Dan 2:44; Lk 1:32-33 C. HE HEALED ALL KINDS OF SICKNESS AND DISEASE... 1. He healed people afflicted with various diseases and torments - Mt 4:23-24 2. Including the demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics - Mt 4:24 3. Both Mark and Luke provide more detail at this point in their gospels a. Casting out an unclean spirit - Mk 1:21-28; Lk 4:31-37 b. Healing Peter's mother-in-law - Mk 1:29-30; Lk 4:38-39 c. Healing many after a Sabbath sunset - Mk 1:32-34; Lk 4: 40-41 -- Matthew records these events after The Sermon On The Mount in his gospel D. HIS FAME SPREAD... 1. Throughout all Syria, the region to the north of Galilee - Mt 4:24 2. Evidently throughout Decapolis, Judea, and beyond the Jordan, regions to the south and east - Mt 4:25 3. The healing of a leper forced him to stay in deserted places - Mk 1:45 E. GREAT MULTITUDES FOLLOWED HIM... 1. From Galilee and regions all around - Mt 4:25 2. Mark says they came to Him from every direction - Mk 1:45 3. They came to hear Him, and to be healed by Him - Lk 5:15 II. OBSERVATIONS REGARDING JESUS' ITINERANT MINISTRY A. EVERYONE NEEDS TO HEAR THE GOSPEL... 1. Jesus' concern was not just for those in his town of Capernaum a. Compelled to preach the gospel in other cities, He went about "all Galilee" b. He later sent His disciples to preach throughout all the cities of Israel c. He finally commissioned to them to preach to every person, making disciples "of all the nations" - Mk 16:16; Mt 28:19 2. It has been said, "No one has the right to hear the gospel twice, before everyone has heard it once" a. This statement reflects a sentiment worth remembering b. Once the gospel has been shared, we are not under obligation to repeat it again and again to one not interested c. If those who hear are not interested, they have judged themselves unworthy of eternal life - e.g., Ac 13:44-47 d. As long as there are souls who have not heard, we do not always have the luxury of "spoon-feeding" the spiritually indifferent in an attempt to reach them! 3. Similarly, churches may not always have the luxury to hold on to their evangelists a. Some are like the people who tried to keep Jesus from leaving them - Lk 4:42 b. But having received the word, they need to appreciate the need for others to hear - Lk 4:43 c. Especially today, when we have Bibles to teach us, we can more liberal with letting evangelists do their work of evangelizing! - cf. Ro 10:14-15 B. THE PURPOSE OF THE HEALING MIRACLES... 1. Certainly they were an expression of Jesus' compassion - Mt 14:14; 20:29-34 2. Such miracles were also confirmation of prophecy - Mt 8:16-17 a. They were recorded that we might believe - Jn 20:30-31 b. They were intended to confirm who Jesus was - cf. Jn 5:36 3. In a similar way, the miracles done by His followers was for the purpose of confirming their message as being from God - cf. Mk 16:19-20; He 2:3-4 a. Their purpose was not to make Christians "healthy and wealthy" b. Their purpose was not for personal benefit; e.g., Paul did not heal Timothy of his stomach ailments and frequent infirmities, prescribing medicinal treatment instead - 1Ti 5:23 -- The primary purpose of such miracles, as always, was to confirm God's messengers; in this case, confirming Jesus to be the Son of God! - cf. Ac 2:22 C. AUTHENTIC MIRACLES CAN'T BE KEPT SECRET... 1. Jesus' reputation quickly spread throughout the region 2. Even His enemies had to admit His miracles were real - Jn 11: 47 3. Such was true with the miracles performed by the apostles - Ac 4:14-16 4. If one could truly heal today as Jesus and His apostles did... a. It would be on every TV network b. None would deny it, especially Christians who question the validity of what is often claimed to be miraculous today! -- The more you study the miracles of the Bible, the easier it is see that those who claim to do miracles today are either sincerely mistaken or deliberate deceivers! D. FOLLOWING JESUS REQUIRES EFFORT ON OUR PART... 1. The multitudes who wanted to hear and see Jesus had to follow Him where He went a. It required leaving their homes, probably at great expense b. It was probably very inconvenient, especially when sick and disabled! 2. Following Jesus today requires some effort also! a. Time and energy must be expended to learn and grow in the teachings of Christ b. It may not always be convenient to utilize opportunities to learn more about Jesus -- The next time you stay home because of some physical inconvenience, think of those souls who followed Jesus on His itinerant travels! CONCLUSION 1. Many Christians have often thought how wonderful it must have been to see Jesus on earth during His public ministry... a. To see the miracles, to witness the healings b. To hear His sermons proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom b. To sit at His feet, listening to His gracious words of instruction 2. In reality, it may not have been as easy as one might think... a. You would have had to leave home for an extended period of time b. Contending with the multitudes, it might have difficult to even get close to Jesus -- I wonder if many Christians today would have made the effort! 3. As we think of "The Itinerant Ministry Of Jesus", I hope we will remember... a. The importance of spreading the gospel of the kingdom today b. The compassion our Lord had for the sick and oppressed c. The effort we should be willing to make to follow the Lord 4. Perhaps most importantly, to realize... a. That once you have heard the gospel of the kingdom, no one is obligated to repeat it to you again and again b. That having heard it once, you may never have the opportunity to hear it again! It is _your_ responsibility to heed the call to repent and accept the good news concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you?
2/7/13
Promise and fulfillment
Short, sweet and to the point. When I saw this on facebook this morning, it hit home. My first thought was: A Valentine's day card from God. My second was this famous passage from the Gospel of John...
John, Chapter 3
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
I find the poem beautiful, but the verse from John inspiring. The first promises and the second fulfills. Actions speak louder than words. Thank you God, for sending Jesus; I need all the love I can get!!!!
Bible Reading, Feb. 7
Feb.
7
Genesis
38
Gen
38:1 It happened at that time, that Judah went down from his
brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
Gen
38:2 Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name
was Shua. He took her, and went in to her.
Gen
38:3 She conceived, and bore a son; and he named him Er.
Gen
38:4 She conceived again, and bore a son; and she named him Onan.
Gen
38:5 She yet again bore a son, and named him Shelah: and he was at
Chezib, when she bore him.
Gen
38:6 Judah took a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was
Tamar.
Gen
38:7 Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of Yahweh.
Yahweh killed him.
Gen
38:8 Judah said to Onan, "Go in to your brother's wife, and
perform the duty of a husband's brother to her, and raise up seed to
your brother."
Gen
38:9 Onan knew that the seed wouldn't be his; and it happened, when
he went in to his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground,
lest he should give seed to his brother.
Gen
38:10 The thing which he did was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and he
killed him also.
Gen
38:11 Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, "Remain a
widow in your father's house, until Shelah, my son, is grown up;"
for he said, "Lest he also die, like his brothers." Tamar
went and lived in her father's house.
Gen
38:12 After many days, Shua's daughter, the wife of Judah, died.
Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheepshearers to Timnah, he
and his friend Hirah, the Adullamite.
Gen
38:13 It was told Tamar, saying, "Behold, your father-in-law is
going up to Timnah to shear his sheep."
Gen
38:14 She took off of her the garments of her widowhood, and covered
herself with her veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gate of
Enaim, which is by the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was
grown up, and she wasn't given to him as a wife.
Gen
38:15 When Judah saw her, he thought that she was a prostitute, for
she had covered her face.
Gen
38:16 He turned to her by the way, and said, "Please come, let
me come in to you," for he didn't know that she was his
daughter-in-law. She said, "What will you give me, that you may
come in to me?"
Gen
38:17 He said, "I will send you a kid of the goats from the
flock." She said, "Will you give me a pledge, until you
send it?"
Gen
38:18 He said, "What pledge will I give you?" She said,
"Your signet and your cord, and your staff that is in your
hand." He gave them to her, and came in to her, and she
conceived by him.
Gen
38:19 She arose, and went away, and put off her veil from her, and
put on the garments of her widowhood.
Gen
38:20 Judah sent the kid of the goats by the hand of his friend, the
Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman's hand, but he
didn't find her.
Gen
38:21 Then he asked the men of her place, saying, "Where is the
prostitute, that was at Enaim by the road?" They said, "There
has been no prostitute here."
Gen
38:22 He returned to Judah, and said, "I haven't found her; and
also the men of the place said, 'There has been no prostitute here.'
"
Gen
38:23 Judah said, "Let her keep it, lest we be shamed. Behold,
I sent this kid, and you haven't found her."
Gen
38:24 It happened about three months later, that it was told Judah,
saying, "Tamar, your daughter-in-law, has played the prostitute;
and moreover, behold, she is with child by prostitution." Judah
said, "Bring her forth, and let her be burnt."
Gen
38:25 When she was brought forth, she sent to her father-in-law,
saying, "By the man, whose these are, I am with child." She
also said, "Please discern whose are these--the signet, and the
cords, and the staff."
Gen
38:26 Judah acknowledged them, and said, "She is more righteous
than I, because I didn't give her to Shelah, my son." He knew
her again no more.
Gen
38:27 It happened in the time of her travail, that behold, twins
were in her womb.
Gen
38:28 When she travailed, one put out a hand, and the midwife took
and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, "This came out
first."
Gen
38:29 It happened, as he drew back his hand, that behold, his
brother came out, and she said, "Why have you made a breach for
yourself?" Therefore his name was called Perez.
Gen
38:30 Afterward his brother came out, that had the scarlet thread on
his hand, and his name was called Zerah.
O HAPPY DAY by Gary Womack
O
HAPPY DAY
The
name Philip Doddridge may not mean anything to you unless you are one
who pays attention to the authors of spiritual songs as they are
identified in our song books. Philip Doddridge was born on June 26,
1702. He was the twentieth child born to his mother, Monica
Doddridge. However, only one
of his siblings lived to see his introduction into this world. All
but one
before him had died in infancy. Even at Philip's birth he was
thought to be stillborn. But while being laid aside, thinking him to
have no life in him, he cried out.
His
mother, grateful for this life that had been given into her trust,
determined to raise him for the Lord. As a child, she would hold him
on her lap in front of the fireplace which was lined with Delft tiles
illustrating the stories of the bible's history and she would teach
him those marvelous stories. It was there that the beginnings of his
faith was molded and he learned to appreciate the truths of God's
word.
When
his mother died he became an orphan whose faith buoyed him beyond his
loss. In his diary he wrote, "God is an immortal Father, my
soul rejoices in Him; He hath hitherto helped me and provided for me;
may it be my study to approve myself a more affectionate, grateful,
and dutiful child." In the sentiment of those words he would
eventually dedicate his life to serve God and became a writer and
author of over 400 spiritual songs, some of which remain popular even
now.
Famous
among those songs is "O Happy Day", whose lyrics reflect
his joy in spite of having been orphaned early in his life, living in
deep poverty, suffering ill health from a young age, and yet having
fixed his choice on the Savior. This joy carried him though his life
to the day of his death on October 26, 1751.
O
happy day that fixed my choice
On
Thee, my Savior and my God!
Well
may this glowing heart rejoice,
And
tell its raptures all abroad!
Tis
done, the great transaction's done;
I
am my Lord's, and He is mine!
He
drew me, and I followed on,
Charmed
to confess the voice divine.
Happy
day, happy day,
When
Jesus washed my sins away.
He
taught me how to watch and pray,
And
live rejoicing every day;
Happy
day, happy day,
When
Jesus washed my sins away.
Everyone
who has ever put on Christ in baptism for the remission of their sins
can relate to the appropriateness of the words of this song. They
proclaim the joys of a special moment in time that is to define the
rest of their life. David wrote of such blessings that are worthy of
our joy and our praise to the Lord, saying that "He has not
dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our
iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is
His mercy toward those who fear Him; As far as the east is from the
west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." (Psm.
103:10-12) It is a joy like none other, when one's past is forever
removed from the divine record and they are allowed to start all
over, beginning with a clean slate upon which to write all the days
of their new life in Christ.
Saul,
who would become the apostle Paul, experienced that joy three days
after his frightful encounter on the road to Damascus and his
immediate humility that drove him to ask Jesus, "Lord, what do
you want me to do?" (Acts 9:6) Then, after those three days of
prayer and fasting in the dark of his blindness (vs. 9), Ananias came
to him and laid his hands on Saul and his sight was restored. (vss.
17-18) It was after this that Ananias said to him, And now why are
you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash
away your sins,
calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22:16)
Paul
would share in that same joy with a jailer and his family in the city
of Phillipi, but not before having been beaten with rods and then put
in stocks in the deepest confines of the prison by this same jailer.
Their unpleasant encounter with each other eventually led to Paul's
release from prison and the jailer asking, "What must I do to be
saved?" (Acts 16:30) Paul and Silas on that occasion "...spoke
the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he
took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And
immediately he and all his family were baptized." (vss. 32-33)
The reaction of this jailer was a familiar one; "...he
rejoiced,
having believed in God with all his household." (vs. 34)
When
we read of the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch we see this same
response. Philip "...preached Jesus to him. Now as they went
down the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, 'See,
here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?' Then Philip
said, 'If you believe with all your heart, you may.' And he answered
and said, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.' So he
commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch
went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up
out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that
the eunuch saw him no more; and
he went on his way rejoicing."
(Acts 8:35-39)
That
joy is not intended to be but for a little while. As the song says,
"He drew me, and
I followed on."
Let us all
remember that "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the
Lord,
so walk in Him,
rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have
been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving." (Col. 2:6-7)
-
Gary V. Womack - July 2005
MOSES and AMERICA by Gary Womack
MOSES
& AMERICA
In
recent weeks we have watched the playing out of a standoff between
the proponents for the keeping of a stone monument containing the ten
commandments placed at the entry to an Alabama courthouse, and those
who opposed it. The outcome of its removal is not surprising in
light of the decadence of the society that we live in. As a people
who are bent on rejecting the foundation upon which this nation was
founded, it is little wonder that God and His providence is ever more
ignored and His worthy name rejected as the Author upon whose
principles the Constitution of our government were formulated. May
He have mercy on us as a rebellious people!
The
ten commandments was God's constitution for the children of Israel
upon their acquisition of freedom from Egyptian bondage. We are very
much aware that Christ fulfilled that law upon His dying on the cross
"having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of
commandments contained in ordinances..." (Eph. 2:15) and that
"...He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the
cross." (Col. 2:14) While we recognize that, according to God's
divine purpose, the law of Moses was intended to give way to the New
Testament law (see Jer. 31:31-34 and Heb. 8:6-13), and that we are
now under "...the perfect law of liberty..." (Jas. 1:25),
let no one fail to recognize that God is still
to be recognized as the only true and living God and that there are
no others before Him, and idolatry is therefore no less a sin now
than it was when the Israelites partied around the golden calf at the
foot of Mt. Sinai. These truths being so, God is no less pleased in
our day when His exalted name is used in vain as is so commonly heard
on the streets of our cities. Rest assured that He will still
"not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain."
(Compare Ex. 20:7 and Phil. 2:9-11) Children are no less obligated
to honor their parents now than they were in the days of Moses.
(Compare Ex. 20:12 and Eph. 6:1-3) And as surely as murder was a sin
under the old law, Jesus has assured us that it is no less a sin
under the new law, even to the point of being in danger of the
judgment if we become angry at our brother without a cause. (Compare
Mt. 5:21-22 and Ex. 20:13) Adultery, robbery, lying and covetousness
are still sins that will condemn us to hell as surely as they were
forbidden in God's old commandments. (Compare Ex. 20:14-16 and 1
Cor. 6:9-10)
The
very nation to whom God gave those commandments was forewarned before
receiving the promised land, not to forget the God who had delivered
them from bondage and who was giving them that land flowing with milk
and honey. Listen to God's solemn warning to them. "Beware
that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His
commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you
today, lest - when
you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and
dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your
silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is
multiplied; when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord
your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of
bondage;...then
you say in your heart, 'My
power and the might of my
hand have gained me this wealth.' ... Then
it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow
other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you
this day that you shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord
destroys before you, so you shall perish, because you would not be
obedient to the voice of the Lord your God." (Deut. 8:11-14, 17,
19-20) His words ring familiar to our time.
The
prophet Amos warned the people of Judah of the impending doom which
was to befall them at the hands of the Assyrians. But his words fell
on the deaf ears of a people who had become guilty of the very thing
God had warned their forefathers of before their entering into
Canaan. Listen to their complacency as they indulged themselves in
the wealth of their "soft" life. "Woe to you who are
at ease in Zion...Woe to you who put far off the day of doom...who
lie on beds of ivory, stretch out on your couches, eat lambs from
the flock and calves from the midst of the stall; who chant to the
sound of stringed instruments, and invent for yourselves musical
instruments like David; who drink wine from bowls, and anoint
yourselves with the best ointments, but are not grieved for the
affliction of Joseph. Therefore they shall now go captive as the
first of the captives, and those who recline at banquets shall be
removed. The Lord God has sworn by Himself, the Lord God of hosts
says: 'I
abhor the pride of Jacob, and hate his palaces; therefore I will
deliver up the city and all that is in it.'"
(Amos 6:1, 3-8)
As
a nation, we have not learned the lesson of those thankless people
whom God richly blessed with wealth and ease of living, only to
forget where those things had come from and in arrogance boasted as
though they had accomplished it by their own power. How soon sinful
man forgets his Creator!
Theodore
Roosevelt made such an observation when he said, "Like all
Americans, I like big things: big prairies, big forests and
mountains, big wheat fields, railroads...and everything else. But no
people ever yet benefited by riches if their prosperity corrupted
their virtue." (quoated
in "The New Joy of Words," 1961)
As
a nation, how will we be remembered? Abraham Lincoln, during the
trying times of the civil war, said, "Fellow-citizens, we cannot
escape history. We...will be remembered in spite of ourselves...The
fiery trial through which we pass will light us down, in honor or
dishonor, to the last generation." (ibid.)
Whether
such reminders of the God in whom we are blessed as a nation, and in
whom we once as a people founded our trust, are removed or made light
of, there is no denying that in whatever age He has spoken, His word
is a declaration of His divine power and authority. Ignoring God's
authority does not change our responsibility to acknowledge and
submit to Him. Such irresponsible acts of disregard only emphasizes
the fact that people who do not want to acknowledge God are not
comfortable around the reminders of His existence and His authority.
As
God's children, we must soberly consider our responsibility before
God as citizens of this country. God was willing to spare Sodom for
just ten righteous people if they could be found. (Gen. 18:16-32)
What about us?
"Righteousness
exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people." (Prov.
14:34) These words of wisdom from the pen of Solomon declares for
all time the outlook of God upon the nations of the world. Time
after time, as the nation of Israel repeatedly rejected God and then
would repent after He would punish them, demonstrated the truth of
Solomon's words. Oh, how our nation needs to soberly consider those
words and see where we have come. Daniel proclaimed God's praise
as he acknowledged that it is God who "changes the times and the
seasons; He
removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have
understanding." (Dan. 2:21) The reason that any nation has ever
existed, including America, is by the divine providence of God.
History bears out the truth that no nation has ever stood against God
for any length of time. As a nation, we need to recognize our place
as God views us. "Behold, the nations are as a drop in a
bucket, and are counted as the small dust on the balance; look, He
lifts up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not
sufficient to burn, nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt offering.
All nations before Him are as nothing, and they are counted by Him
less than nothing and worthless...It is He who sits above the circle
of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, who
stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a
tent to dwell in. He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the
judges of the earth useless. Scarcely shall they be planted,
scarcely shall they be sown, scarcely shall their stock take root in
the earth, when He will also blow on them, and they will wither, and
the whirlwind will take them away like stubble." (Isa.
40:15-17, 22-24)
How
utterly foolish it is to ignore the God whom the founding fathers of
this nation looked to as they forged that declaration in order to
become an independent nation. In the closing words of that document
their acknowledgment and dependence upon the God of heaven is evident
as they unashamedly proclaimed, "And for the support of this
Declaration, with
a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence,
we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our
sacred Honor." (In Congress, July 4, 1776, The unanimous
Declaration of the thirteen united States of America)
As
those early statesmen struggled to formulate the Constitution of the
United States, "After many jarring sessions, in which
understandings, jealousies, and selfish sectional interest bore down
their efforts to agree, the delegates were almost in despair. Their
hearts cried out for union, but their minds seemed to be overwhelmed.
At this crisis, the venerable Benjamin Franklin suggested that they
call
upon Providence to give them guidance, that their appeal to the
Almighty Father might soften their temper, and, drawing strength by
relying upon Divine aid, they might go forward together in common
sympathy"
(Spoken in an address by Sol Bloom, Director General of the United
States Constitution Sesquicentennial Commission; as recorded in The
Story of the Constitution, by Sol Bloom, July 28, 1937)
How
far we have come, from calling upon God for guidance and strength -
to being offended by the sight of the ten commandments being on
public display. As a people, we need to be reminded of these words;
"Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have
set." (Prov. 22:28) While those words were written specifically
for the people of God who lived under the law of Moses with its ten
commandments, they are no less appropriate to a nation whose
foundations were anchored in a solemn trust in the Almighty God.
Perhaps
we could take a lesson from Judah as Jeremiah the prophet pleaded for
their repentance in the face of certain destruction by the
Babylonians. He described their complete defiance of conscience as
they cast off their consciousness of their God; "Were they
ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at
all ashamed; nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall
fall among those who fall; at the time I punish them, they shall be
cast down,' says the Lord." (Jer. 6:15)
This
is not a call to political action nor is it to suggest that the
church is to become involved in such matters. It is not!
The church and government are separate entities with distinct
responsibilities that are respectively peculiar to their individual
roles. The quotes from civil documents as have been stated herein
have been used to contrast the attitudes of an earlier generation
from that of our present generation. It is clear and undeniable that
as a nation, we have drifted from a profound faith in God to a
repugnance of any such acknowledgment. However, this is intended to
provoke us to an awareness of our increased responsibility in having
a leavening effect on those around us.
As
sure as sin is a reproach to any nation, righteousness
is
that which can exalt
a nation. That is where you and I come in. Each of us have an
influence for good when we sanctify God in our heart. This country
in which we live is our scope of influence, city by city, neighbor by
neighbor. Though you are but one person in a sea of humanity,
remember Jesus' words; "You are the light of the world. A city
that is set on a hill cannot be hidden." (Mt. 5:14)
Collectively, we are "the pillar and ground of the truth."
(1 Tim. 3:15) "Therefore I exhort first of all that
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made
for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead
a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this
is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires
all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."
(1 Tim. 2:1-4)
As
Abraham prayed for the city of Sodom, asking God's mercy on behalf of
only a few righteous souls, (Gen. 18:16-32) so we can we do likewise
on behalf of our home. A nation of souls are at stake. Will you
respond with the compassion of prayer and holiness? It is your
"reasonable service." (Rom. 12:1)
When
you woke up this morning and began to get ready to assemble with your
brethren, going through the normal Sunday morning routine, what were
your thoughts for this day? Were you in a "mad dash"
trying to get all of the family to cooperate and hurry up so you
wouldn't be late? Did you think about the football game that will be
on TV later in the day? Or maybe your thoughts were of what you
would have for lunch today after leaving the worship services.
Somewhere,
in another part of the world, far from the comforts of our own home,
some of our brethren woke up early on this Sunday morning and also
prepared to assemble with their brethren to worship the God of
heaven. Likely, their thoughts were much different than ours as
their concerns were much more grave. Perhaps their thoughts were of
the possibility of being observed by someone who might turn them in
to the authorities on the suspicion of assembling to worship contrary
to the edicts of the government under which they live. Perhaps their
thoughts were for a brother or sister in Christ who has recently been
arrested for such "crimes," wondering what their condition
is or whether they are still alive or not. Perhaps their concerns in
getting ready for worship ran deeper than how the children were not
being cooperative this morning. Maybe their concerns were more about
how long they can continue to worship "underground" without
getting caught and being able to keep their children from harms way.
Does
that sound far fetched in our "civilized" world that we
live in, so far removed from the realities of the real world? Do we
ever consider that such things are going on as we go about our daily
routine? In the shelter of our own government that allows us to go
about our lives in pursuit of "Life, Liberty and Happiness"
are we oblivious to the plight of many to whom such a concept is
beyond reach of their thinking? Or have we come to take for granted
that which the founding fathers of this nation held so dear as being
"self-evident?" They were firmly convinced that "all
men are created equal" and "that they are endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable Rights."
In
our quest to insure that our "Rights" are not infringed
upon, have we taken for granted that it is indeed our Creator who has
blessed us with the privilege to assemble on this Lord's day under
the protective banner of the country that we live in? Have we
assumed that in the equality under which all men are created, all men
are automatically free to persue "True
Happiness" without denial by a totalitarian form of government?
When
we soberly consider the real
world in which we live, it should give new meaning to the Divine
admonition to "let us consider one another in order to stir up
love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so
much the more as you see the Day approaching." (Heb. 10:24-25)
It ought to cause us to hang our head in shame as we offer our
frivolous excuses for not being able (?) to assemble with our
brethren to worship the God of heaven "who has blessed us with
every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ."
(Eph. 1:3)
Brethren,
what we take for granted is eroding away before our very eyes. The
blessings of our freedom are not merely the combined thoughts of
early statesmen penned in noble words on a document. Freedom is a
gift from God under the instrumentality of a form of government that
has been patterned by the Divine purpose of God. Many of our
countrymen deny it, but sadly, many more obviously have forgotten it.
God
has ordained three institutions within the society of mankind. In
Genesis chapter 2, after creating man and woman in the garden, His
divine decree for the marriage relationship in which they were to
cohabit and populate the earth was stated as His law throughout the
coming ages. In Acts chapter 2 we see the establishment of the
church, a fulfillment of God's eternal purpose, elsewhere described
as "the body" (Eph. 1:22-23), or His "kingdom."
(Mt. 16:18-19)
Between
the time of the inception of these two Divine institutions, God also
provided the necessary order under which the growing population of
mankind should be governed. This does not mean that He prescribed
the specific type
of governmental system to be used, but only that some means of order
be in place for man to coexist. However, He has defined what the
responsibility of government is to be and how we are to honor those
God-given responsibilities. We see this in Paul's words; "Let
every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For
there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist
are appointed by God.
Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of
God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For
rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil...For
he is God's minister to you for good.
But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in
vain; for
he is God's minister,
an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you
must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience'
sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for
they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing.
Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due,
customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor."
(Rom. 13:1-7) Also, "...submit yourselves to every ordinance of
man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to
governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of
evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For
this is the will of God."
(1 Pet. 2:13-15)
Citizenship
is not without responsibility. Whether it is a matter of abiding by
the traffic laws, or paying taxes, we are all bound by Divine decree
to honor the laws, the enforcers of those laws and the judges who
carry out those laws, so long as they do not violate God's Divine
law. However, our responsibility does not stop there. We are also
commanded to pray
"for kings and all who are in authority, that
we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and
reverence."
(1 Tim. 2:2) Simply stated, government is intended to insure
"justice"
and
"peace."
Do
you see the reason
for God's institution of government? Honor it!
An
example of this "justice" and "peace" is found in
the first amendment to the Constitution. Congress is prohibited from
establishing a religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
While government cannot tell us how we will worship or what we are
allowed to believe religiously, if any person or group of people
become guilty of trying to prevent our assembling to worship, it
would become the responsibility of our government to apprehend and
punish those who were party to such efforts. That is justice and
that is God's purpose.
Understanding
that
to be the responsibility and purpose of government, we ought to
recognized God's protective hand in such matters as they carry out
His will for our good. It is for this reason that Paul urged
Timothy, saying, "Therefore I exhort first of all that
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made
for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that
we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and
reverence. For
this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who
desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the
truth." (2 Tim. 2:1-4)
Notice
in Paul's admonition, there are implied two main purposes behind our
praying for those who are in high places of authority. The first of
those implications is plainly stated;
"that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness
and reverence." This
is intended for our present
good while we seek to serve God as he has instructed. Our praying to
that end is described as being "good and acceptable in the sight
of God our Savior." The second of those implications is not
nearly so obvious, but is none the less revealed in stating God's
desire for "all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the
truth." It should become
obvious within the context of these verses, that part of the purpose
of government is not only for the immediate protection of His
children, but also to provide a favorable "climate" in
which His word has free course in order for mankind to "come to
the knowledge of the truth" and ultimately "to be saved."
This
latter thought seems to be the idea behind Paul's words when he stood
before the Athenians and proclaimed the one true God as Creator of
all things. "And He has made from one blood every nation of men
to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their
preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so
that they should seek the Lord,
in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is
not far from each one of us." (Acts 17:26-27)
To
state that God "has determined their preappointed times and the
boundaries of their dwellings" is to declare that He rules over
mankind in determining such matters. Therefore we can come closer to
understanding how God could foretell the rising and falling of world
empires (See Dan. 2:36-45). But even beyond His ability
to accomplish His will in the affairs of the nations of mankind, we
also see His purpose
in doing so, "that
they should seek the Lord...and find Him."
This should tell us that it is part of God's will to provide a means
of "finding Him" in order to obey Him and serve Him for
the benefit of those who desire to do so. And so it has been
throughout the earthly existence of mankind.
There
is great comfort knowing that God's purposes are intended for our
good. At the same time, it is a sobering thought that such blessings
demand a greater accountability on our part to make
full use
of such blessings. Consider Jesus' condemnation of those who had
received greater
opportunity than others
who had met their own doom; "And you, Capernaum, who are
exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades, for if the mighty
works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have
remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more
tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you."
(Mt. 11:23-24)
Those
words of Jesus ought to ring in the ears of every citizen of this
great nation. We are a people who have been blessed beyond measure
by the God of heaven who "removes kings and raises up kings"
(Dan. 2:21). We have been given the greatest opportunity to bask in
the sunshine of His grace and to pursue to the fullest extent our
praise and adoration of the God who has loved us beyond measure. His
word has not only had free course, but God has blessed us with
communication opportunities beyond the wildest imaginations of all
previous generations of mankind. He has blessed us with no limit of
bibles and the ability to print them as fast and abundantly as we can
acquire them. Truly, we have been blessed "good measure,
pressed down, shaken together, and running over." (Lk. 6:38).
Therefore, could the Lord say to us as well, "And you, America,
who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades, for if the
mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would
have remained until this day?" Could He say that it will be
more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for
us?
Our
society is offended by our acknowledgment of the Divine lawgiver.
However, this does not relieve us of our individual responsibility to
proclaim Him before men. Nay, but rather, it demands
it. While we are not under the law of Moses and the ten
commandments, we are
subject to the same God who has said, "Anyone who has rejected
Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three
witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be
thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the
blood of the covenant by which he has sanctified us a common thing,
and insulted the Spirit of grace?" (Heb. 10:28-29)
-
Gary V. Womack - September / October 2003
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