December 10, 2019

Why Great Fear is Necessary to the Christmas Message

Usually one of the last things associated with Christmas is fear and certainly not “great fear.” Yet, in The Gospel According to Luke, the author emphatically declares that on the night of Christ’s arrival, the shepherds were greatly afraid (Luke 2:9). And these shepherds were not wimps. They spent many nights in darkness fending off predators as they defended and protected their sheep. Yet, on the night of Jesus’ birth, they were “megas” – the Greek word for “greatly” – afraid! What started as a typical night quickly changed as an angel of the Lord stood before them and the glory of the Lord shone around them (Luke 2:9). It is interesting that both the angel and the glory are said to be “of the Lord.” The angel of the Lord certainly could have been responsible for causing some fear. In Luke 1:11-12, an angel of the Lord appeared to Zacharias, and when Zacharias saw the angel, “he was troubled and fear fell up-on Him.” In Luke 1:29, Mary was troubled when the angel Gabriel appeared to her. But it is interesting that even though Zacharias and Mary experienced fear when they saw the angel, neither of them were said to be greatly afraid. When the angel of the Lord appeared the to shepherds, they too would have experienced fear. But it is when the angel of the Lord is connected with the glory of the Lord that the shepherds experienced great fear!

Consider for a moment why the all-consuming, perfect and holy glory of the Lord would produce great fear. First, think of Isaiah’s response to seeing the glory of the Lord: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips.” The word “woe” describes a passionate cry of despair because of impending danger and judgment. The words “for I am undone” mean that he is about to perish or be cut off or destroyed. Isaiah was greatly afraid because he understood what his sins deserved when confronted with the glory of the Lord. Second, think of the often quoted memory verse found in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” And just four verses earlier, we read how all the world is guilty before God. The perfect glory of God exposes our sinfulness and the just judgment that our sin deserves.

It is this great fear that causes the shepherds to truly comprehend the “great joy” that the Christmas message from the angel of the Lord contained. Again, back in Luke 1, both Zacharias and Mary received a message of joy from an angel (Luke 1:14; 28), but the message that the angel of the Lord brings in Luke 2 is great joy. The angel of the Lord pro-claims to the shepherds why their message is one of great joy: “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Without the great fear produced by the glory of the Lord causing the shepherds to recognize that they were under the impending judgment of God, the shepherds would have no need for a Savior. The reason why so many people miss the Christ-mas message of great joy found in our Savior is because they have never been greatly afraid in light of the glory of the Lord!

Without the great fear, the shepherds would not have understood the great joy! When we understand our condition in the presence of the glory of the Lord, we will be ready for the gracious proclamation from the Lord and we will find great joy in the Savior, Christ the Lord! Luke 2 is a testimony of God’s amazing grace. It is His grace that “taught our hearts to fear and grace our fears relieved.”

November 5, 2019

Harvest is Coming

In Western New York, harvest is generally connected with the days of late Summer and early Autumn. As a church, we are looking forward to our Harvest Dinner on Sunday, November 10th at 5:00 p.m. Please feel free to invite others to join us for this wonderful meal with a celebration baptismal service to follow. Although there is no cost and tickets are not needed, we do ask that each person signs up for the Harvest Dinner via the sign-up sheet in our church foyer. As a church, we will also be taking our harvest offering on that day. The harvest offering will be used as a Christmas gift to the missionaries that our church supports.

Besides the yearly harvest season, there is another type of harvest that every person will someday receive. This harvest is not associated with fruits and vegetables, nor is it connected with a certain season of the year. Rather, this harvest is something in which all believers in Jesus Christ participate. Actually, there are two types of possible harvest. Notice what the Bible tells us in Galatians 6:7-10: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary in well doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.”

Notice several details about the harvest. First, there is a principle determining the harvest. God established this principle, and it is the same principle that guides farmers today. When you sow green beans you harvest green beans. When you sow sweet peas, you harvest sweet peas. The harvest is marked by the characteristic of what one plants. The life of every believer is also guided by this principle. They are not sowing physical seeds, but instead actions, thoughts, and deeds that are either going to come from the ground of the Spirit or from the flesh.

This leads us to the possibilities of what we can harvest. If our lives are marked by the flesh, then we will reap the corruption that comes from the flesh. Corruption gives the idea of rottenness and decay. However, if our lives are controlled by the Spirit of Christ, then we will reap life everlasting. The word for everlasting speaks about that which endures beyond this present age. If you go back to the beginning of this book in Galatians 1:4, you will see that the only harvest a natural person can produce will be marked by this present evil age. But the good news of the Gospel frees us from our bondage to sin and in Christ we now have liberty to live according to the Spirit. Our harvest no longer needs to be marked by the corruption of this present evil age, but in can be marked by the fruit of the Spirit of God. Sadly, some believers in Christ will abuse their freedom and still produce a harvest of corruption.

This brings us to the plan to produce a good harvest. Instead of doing evil, by continuing to do that to which you were once in bondage (Galatians 1:4), now through the gospel of Jesus Christ you have been set free, so that you can now serve the Lord as you serve one another through love (Galatians 5:13). God in His mercy and grace saved us so that we could produce the fruit of the Spirit. He saved us so that in this season, we would do good to all, especially those of the household of faith.
May we believers in Christ live by faith in the one who loved us and gave Himself for us, knowing that the passions and desires of our flesh have been crucified with Christ. And as our faith works through love, may we persevere in doing good as we look forward to reaping an eternal harvest that is full of the fruit of the Spirit.

October 8, 2019

When Global Warming Strikes

No matter where you turn, it is likely you will hear someone say something about global warming or climate change. This subject has infiltrated our public education system, it has dominated political events, and it
frequently is promoted through news outlets. Some will make doomsday predictions, while others claim that the science does not support the alarming cries. How is anyone to know what to believe about what is going to happen to the earth? For the Christian, our final authority is the Word of God. So what does the Bible say about a theology of the
earth?

We don’t have to read too far in the Scriptures to see the first reference to the earth.  Genesis 1:1 states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Truth #1 is that God created the earth. An important sub-point is that all things God created are designed to bring glory to God. Truth
#2 is described in Genesis 6-8; that God destroyed the earth by a worldwide flood. Genesis 7:17-20 makes it clear that this was not a local flood, but a worldwide flood that covered the mountains and every high hill under
the whole heaven.

Both of the truths from Genesis concerning the earth also teach us something about God. God is the Creator of all things and therefore He is to be worshipped. God is also the judge. Therefore, one’s view of the
earth’s history will also be seen in one’s theology of God. Romans 1:18-25 describes man suppressing the truth in his unrighteous state. It is not that man doesn’t know the truth of who God is, because God has shown it to them in the creation. But unrighteous man changes the truth of God into a lie and worships and serves the creature rather than
the Creator.  2 Peter 3 describes how false teachers willingly forget that God destroyed the world by a flood.

Not only does the Bible begin in Genesis talking about the earth, but it concludes in Revelation by also talking about the earth. In Revelation 13, during the future 7-year tribulation period when the Anti-Christ has gained political control over all the earth, he will demand that people worship him. The Anti-Christ will have a press secretary called the “False Prophet,” and the False Prophet will not only cause the people who dwell on the earth to worship the Anti-Christ, but he will also cause the earth to worship the Anti-Christ (13:12). The false worship system of man will reach its climax during this period. A key component of it will be that earth, which is designed to bring glory to its Creator, will become part of a political agenda that worships a man.

Revelation also tells us what is going to happen to this earth after Christ returns to the earth and rules and reigns on the earth for a thousand years. In Revelation 21, John saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first
heaven and the first earth had passed away.  2 Peter 3 provides the details for how this earth will pass away. This time it won’t be by water but by fire. The Lord is going to judge the earth again for its rebellion against its Creator. Global warming will strike. But the cause will not be man, but rather our Creator God as He judges this world.

So when you hear the chatter about global warming or climate change, use it to testify of our Creator God who is coming to judge the earth. Warn them of the time when global warming will truly strike when He destroys the
earth by fire. Share with them the good news of how Jesus Christ came to earth the first time to die for our sins.

September 10, 2019

Addressing the Root Cause of the Mass Shootings

Tragically, our nation’s attention has been gripped again this summer by two mass shootings. As victims’ families are still grieving, as investigators are still trying to figure out the motives, as lawmakers are searching for answers, and as citizens ask the question “why,” it is good for us to turn to the Scriptures to understand what is at the root of mass shootings.

Many have accurately described the shootings as pure evil. But where does this evil come from? Is there hope to combat this great sin and wickedness? Jesus tells us clearly in Matthew 15:16 where these things come from: “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders . . .” At the root of every murder is a sinful heart. This is drastically different than mere mental illness. There is no pill or medicine that one can digest to change a sinful heart. Laws are good. Laws are necessary. Laws might even restrain some sinful behavior. But laws cannot change a sinful heart! God is the ultimate Law-giver and He commanded, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). Yet even God’s law hasn’t prevented murder. When man’s laws or proposed laws neglect the root of the problem, they run the risk of making a bad situation worse.

Some would say that education or more counsel will prevent the next mass shooting. But again, the best counsel in the world cannot change a sinful heart. Consider the first human murder. It is recorded in Genesis 4. But just before Cain killed Abel, God Himself gave counsel to Cain: “So the LORD said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.’ Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.” Some would argue that if we legislate the elimination of guns, then violence and murder would cease. But a brief look at history shows that even in a world without guns, violence and murder still abound. The account of human history continues in Genesis 6 noting that the wickedness and violence of mankind grew in abundance (Genesis 6:5, 13). Violence and murder abounded and this was before the days of guns. The reason was the sinful heart of mankind; “every intent of the thought of his heart was only evil continually.”

So if the root of the problem is a sinful heart and if medicine, laws, education and even the elimination of guns can’t change a sinful heart, is there any hope? The answer is a resounding yes! The Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior, came to deliver us from this present evil age (Galatians 1:4) as He died for our sins, was buried and rose again. It is Jesus Christ alone that can change our sinful hearts! Some might be thinking, “Well I’m not a mass murderer because I’ve never killed anyone.” Jesus said that if you have been angry with your brother with-out a cause or if you know your brother has some-thing against you and you refuse to make it right, then you already are guilty of the command, “you shall not murder” (Matthew 5:21-26). The Apostle John wrote, “whoever hates his brother is a murderer” (1 John 3:15). Before mankind sinned, there was no death, there was no murder. But when mankind sinned and join in the rebellion with Satan, the murderer from the beginning (John 8:44), we all stood in need of a Savior. All of us have needed our sinful hearts to be changed. And only through Christ can one become a new creation (1 Corinthians 5:17).

God’s law is necessary because it is a tutor to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24). What has our nation done with God’s laws? When did the 10 commandments cease being a part of the required school curriculum? God’s law is designed to reveal our sinful hearts and show us our need of Christ and what he did for us in the gospel of Jesus Christ. But again, we no longer promote that as a nation. Christmas break is now winter break. Good Friday and the Resurrection of Christ is now Spring break. Christian, our mission is to live out the gospel of Jesus Christ and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. These national tragedies provide a logical reason to proclaim this message, because Jesus is the only one who addresses the root cause of the mass shootings.

July 9, 2019

Not by Works

One of the battles that the Apostle Paul had to face was with false teachers who taught that a person was saved or justified (declared righteous by God) by their works. Galatians 2 and Acts 15:1 clearly teach that there were false brethren who taught that one must be circumcised in order to be made right with God. There is nothing new under the sun. Today, there are many people blinded to the true gospel as they believe that they can be justified by their works. One of the great truths of Scripture is that a man is justified by faith alone in Christ alone apart from our works. Ephesians 2:8-9 clearly proclaims, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” And Galatians 2:16 states, “knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.”

Consider several biblical and logical reasons why we can’t be saved by our works. First, works reveal our need of Christ. Galatians 3:24 states, “therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” The reason why the law was our teacher or tutor was because it revealed God’s holy standard. As we compare ourselves to God’s holy standard, we learn that we all fall short because the law reveals our sin. When we recognize our sin, we know that we are guilty before a holy God. Romans 3:19-20 reads, “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

A second biblical reason why our works can not save us is Christ would have died in vain. If man can do enough good works to be saved, then there would have been no reason for Christ to die. The heart of the gospel message is “Christ died for our sins” (Galatians 1:4). Galatians 2:21 reads, “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” In other words, the Apostle Paul is saying if you can keep enough of the commandments by doing enough good works, then Christ would not have had to die. Paul knew Christ didn’t die in vain, because he knew that Christ came to save sinners and he knew there was no other way for a man to be justified other then by faith alone in Christ alone (1 Timothy 1:15). If man could be saved through his own works, then man would be his own savior and there would not be a need for the saving work of Jesus Christ in his death, burial and resurrection.

Although there are other reasons to consider, I will just share one more for this article. If man is saved by works, then he would be able to boast or take glory in him-self. Paul’s conclusion to the book of Galatians is a powerful conclusion in Galatians 6:14: “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” And again he told the church in Ephesus that our salvation is “not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:9). To learn more about the glorious gospel Christ join us on Sunday mornings at 11:00 a.m. as we study the book of Galatians.