July 7, 2020

The Family Tree of Mankind

Have you ever tried to write out your family tree? It is a noble exercise to learn the roots of your family’s history. Over the years, we have received many phone calls in the church office from people asking if we have records of their family members in our church records, as they seek to accurately recount their family tree. One person shared that she had traced her family tree all the way back to the 1600s!

There is a key truth found in the Bible that involves every human being’s family tree. This truth is vitally important today, as our country wrestles with racism. No matter the color of your skin (mine tends to be a shade of brown); no matter the color of your eyes (mine are blue); no matter the color or amount of your hair (mine is dirty-blond and receding); we, as human beings, all have the same starting point for our family tree. This truth declares, therefore, that all human beings are really one race. So what is this truth? Genesis 3:20 states, “And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.” In other words, if every human being was able to trace their family tree back not just to the 1600s, but all the way to their original parents, every human being would have Adam and Eve at the start of their family tree. We all have the same original parents: Adam and Eve!

If Adam and Eve were the original parents and every human being descended from them, then where did Adam and Eve come from? The Bible declares that God created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them. But when He created Adam and Eve, we read that they were not only created by God but they also were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Therefore, since Eve is the mother of all living, all human beings are created in the image of God! Being created in the image of God is the distinguishing characteristic of mankind. All mankind was created in the image of God. The gene pool which determines our skin color, eye color, and hair color all come from Adam and Eve! It is, at best, arbitrary to classify people by skin color. One could classify people by eye color or hair color, but again that would be at best arbitrary. God’s Word classifies one race that was created in the image of God.

Sadly, the Biblical view of mankind is often rejected and our true family tree is replaced with what is called an evolutionary tree. Charles Darwin wrote a book that popularized the evolutionary model of the origins of mankind. The book is commonly called, “On the Origins of Species.” This book has been a major influence on our education system in America. Public schools and colleges now proclaim that mankind has evolved by time and chance over billions of years from lesser life forms. They say that mankind is not made in the image of God, but rather man is an ever evolving being that has been fit enough to survive. Sadly, beliefs affect behavior. And this false view of the origin of man, which does not recognize that all humans are created equal and in the holy image of God, has led to all forms of racism and the devaluing of human life. Charles Darwin did have something right about his evolutionary view: he correctly observed the consequences of adopting an evolutionary tree of mankind! The full title of his book is “On the Origin of Species by Natural Selection or the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life.” The family tree rooted in God’s Word doesn’t allow for “favored races,” rather for one race created in the holy image of God!

May 2, 2020

What Needs to be Saved?

There are many things that we as Americans are currently concerned about saving. Save lives, save the economy, save our liberties, save jobs, and save the sports season are just some of the many things we want to save. And in this time of crisis, many people out of fear are asking the question, what must I do to save my life from COVID-19?

In Acts 16:30, a prison guard asked the question, “What must I do to be saved?”  This guard was in a state of panic. He had just woken from sleep and he saw the prison doors open, and he thought that all the prisoners had fled. In those days, if a prisoner escaped, the penalty for the prison guard would be his life.  The panic this man was in caused him to draw his own sword, and he was about to kill himself.  And that is the context for the man’s question to the Apostle Paul, one of the prisoners. The guard, in fear and panic, is thinking he is going to lose his life.  Trembling, he falls down before Paul and Silas and asks them the question, “what must I do to be saved?”

It is interesting to hear how Paul and Silas responded.  They did not address the man’s primary concern about being executed for losing a prisoner, but rather they addressed this man’s greatest need of salvation.  This guard wanted his physical life spared, and that is a good desire. It is a good desire to be pro-life and to see lives spared. There is nothing wrong with desires to save jobs and the economy and other noble things. But what would happen if we saved everything, but lost our own souls?  Paul and Silas responded to this man by telling him how his soul could be saved; “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”

Jesus said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” (Matthew 10:28).  Today, we recognize that viruses can kill. But the Lord says that is not something we should fear. The prison guard was fearful of being put to death, but Paul and Silas told him how his eternal soul could be saved. Job loss, economic loss, liberties lost and even death itself cannot touch the soul that believes in the Lord Jesus Christ. Why Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again, and there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Jesus himself said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26. The good news for the prison guard is he did believe and his eternal soul was saved.

Our neighbors and our fellow-citizens are conversing about “what needs to be saved?” May the Lord give us the love and boldness to speak about what really needs to be saved.  Here is a link to a fitting resource during this time that might help you in sharing the message of eternal salvation!

April 1, 2020

The War has been Won: from Virus to Victory!

We are at war with a virus! I am grateful for our federal, state and local leaders who are doing their best to protect our country during this time of war. I am thankful for those on the front lines serving in our hospitals and in the medical realm seeking to provide healing to our wounded. Our citizens are like soldiers exercising great discipline in personal hygiene and social distancing so as not to give the enemy an advantage. And it is to all those who are fighting this war, that I want to provide these words of hope, “the WAR has been WON!”

In war, it is always wise to know as much about the enemy as possible! As we consider COVID-19, we know the medical field has quickly and rapidly learned an abundance of information about this novel virus. We know that this enemy ultimately attacks the respiratory system seeking to inflict pain, damage, suffering and death. Concerning the origin of this virus, our intelligence agencies confirm that the Coronavirus began in China. We know this is a new virus, but we also know it is not the first virus, nor will it be the last! So let us broaden our historical perspective of this enemy by asking where and when did viruses originate? What is the origin of the first virus? Was there ever a time on this earth when viruses did not inflict pain, damage, suffering and death? Every bit of information about this enemy, will equip us to be in a better position to defeat this enemy!

In war, it is also wise to make sure that your intelligence agencies are both resourceful and reliable. Resourceful, in that you will have the necessary information. And reliable, so that you will have accurate information. In every worldview, people have biases towards information sources that they believe to be reliable and resourceful. If you choose the wrong sources, then victory for winning the war is greatly diminished.

The Bible, God’s Holy Word is the most resourceful and reliable information source when it comes to providing a historical perspective on the origin of viruses. You see, God knows everything! God is truth! God has always been! And thankfully God has recorded for us the origin of pain, sickness, suffering and death. Let me provide you a brief perspective of what God tells us in the Bible regarding the origin of sickness, sorrow, suffering and death in this world.

God supernaturally created the world in six days (Genesis 1). When God finished creating the world, He looked at everything He made and declared that it was “very good.” God’s creation was not just good, but very good. If there was sickness and sorrow and suffering in the created world then God would be lying to declare everything “very good.” So when God originally created the world there were no viruses attacking man! So what happened to God’s Creation?

God gave Adam, the first human being that God created, a command! The command was part of God’s owner manual for what would be best for mankind as he lived in this new world. As a just God, He warned man of the penalty for disobedience. The command is recorded in Genesis 2:16-17, “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’” History confirms Adam’s choice, as the mortality rate is still 100%. The New Testament confirms this account, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men for all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).

So let us summarize this information in an intelligence briefing. 1. Creation: God created everything very good. 2. Choice: Man’s sin led to God’s just judgment. When man violated God’s operating instructions, sin entered the world and therefore death entered the world. Before Adam sinned there were no viruses inflicting damage, destruction and death upon mankind. Therefore, the ultimate origin of viruses is mankind’s sin and rebellion against a holy and just God. When we see the charts and graphs concerning COVID-19, what alarms us the most is not the virus but it is the high mortality rate that comes from the virus. The ultimate enemy is not the virus, but death. If our battle plan is only to defeat a certain virus, we will not win the war. History shows us that even after a major disease like the Spanish Flu is defeated, the mortality rate remains 100%. Therefore, our intelligence briefing based on the Holy Scriptures reminds us that our enemy is far greater than a virus. Mankind’s enemy is death. And the cause for death is sin.

I so much appreciate God’s reliable and resourceful intelligence, because He not only accurately describes our ultimate enemy and its cause, but He also informs us how this enemy is defeated. God is not only holy and just, but He is also loving and merciful. While God is announcing His judgment on sin in Genesis 3, we see an initial picture of God’s mercy. Genesis 3:15 points us to a seed that will come from the woman. And that offspring or seed is ultimately Jesus Christ. Romans 5:15 confirms, “For if by the one man’s offense (Adam’s sin) many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.” This gift of God is described in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

As we enter the month of April, we find two historical events that will be celebrated that summarize what Jesus Christ did for us. On Good Friday, Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Then He was buried. But then on the First Day of the week, the enemy of death was defeated as Jesus Christ rose from the grave. It is the resurrection of Jesus Christ that secures the victory. His death was absolutely necessary so that the just demands of our holy God could be satisfied. While Jesus was on the earth he went to the funeral service of his good friend Lazarus and this is what He said to comfort Martha, Lazarus’ sister: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” Jesus’ resurrection secures the victory. And Jesus tells us how we can participate in that victory and it is only by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the one who died for our sins, was buried and rose again.

It is possible to lose a battle to a virus and still win the war over death. Jesus said, “he who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live”. On the other hand it is possible to win a battle over a virus and still lose the war. All those that recover from COVID-19 and those that never come down with the virus, still have to deal with the enemy called death. But the good news is the war has been won! God in His great love and mercy invites you to participate in the victory that is found only in the Lord, Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

March 20, 2020

A message from our church leaders

As worshippers of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, one of the highlights of our week is to gather together with our church family to worship our great God. The corporate gatherings of believers for prayer and worship are glorious privileges for each one of us. One of the things the Lord has been teaching us through 1 Thessalonians is that we are to put on the breastplate of faith and love (1 Thessalonians 5:8). One of the prayers is that the Lord would make our love increase and abound toward one another and toward all (1 Thessalonians 3:12).

Our President has issued guidelines for all of us to avoid gatherings of 10 or more people for at least the next 15 days. This guideline and others were given to slow the spread of the Coronavirus. One of the ways that we can express love to all is to honor this guideline as a church family during this difficult and strenuous time as a nation. Therefore, we will not hold our regularly scheduled Sunday and Wednesday worship services until further notice. We will continue evaluate this very fluid situation and determine the next steps.

We also still want to increase and abound in love toward one another during this time. Thankfully, because of modern technology, we have some unique opportunities that will help us through this time. Pastor will continue the series of messages through both 1 Thessalonians and Revelation the next two weeks and the sermons, along with a song service, will be uploaded on our website by the respective Saturday evening.

Here are some practical ideas that will help us to keep growing as a church family during this time:

  1.  Pray! Every time you hear news or update concerning the virus, take time to pray for God’s mercy and that His Word will continue to go forth.
  2.  Worship! Although we will not be meeting together as a church, take time by yourself, with a few other individuals, or as a family to worship the Lord through the sermons and song services that can be found on our church website.
  3.  Evangelize! Since most things are closed down, many people have extra time on their hands. Consider reaching out to those who need Christ with a link to an online sermon from our church or another applicable resource.
  4.  Reach out! Make a phone call to at least one person from the church just to see how they are doing and to see if they need anything during this time. Maybe make a phone call to another church member on Wednesday night just to pray with them.
  5. Give! This can involve giving of our food supply or personal items to someone in need or giving of our offerings to the Lord so that His work in Hamburg and around the world can continue to go forth. Without our regularly meetings, giving to First Baptist Church of Hamburg can either be done online at fbchamburg.com/give or through a check in the mail.
  6.  Guard! Guard your mind by putting on for a helmet the hope of salvation! Keep waiting for Jesus Christ to come from heaven to deliver us from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10, 5:8-9). This will help us to run with patience (1 Thessalonians 1:3) during this time of missing our corporate gatherings for worship.
  7.  Anticipate! With great joy and anticipation, we long for the next time that the body of Christ in Hamburg will meet together. It might be here or it might be in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), but either way, we know we will meet again!

Keep looking up,

Pastor Leary & the Deacons

March 2, 2020

Memorize

Last month we asked the question, “did Jesus sing?” The answer was a resounding “Yes.” This month we want to ask, “Did Jesus memorize Scripture?” And again the answer is a resounding, “yes.” And like last month, we want to allow the example of Christ to encourage us in our spiritual walk.

Now we might say that Jesus had an unfair advantage, because being fully God, He already knew every jot and tittle of Scripture! Although it is hard to comprehend how Jesus was both fully God and fully man at the same time, we do know Jesus “grew and be-came strong in spirit, filled with wisdom” (Luke 2:38). As a young child in Joseph and Mary’s home, one of the first things Jesus’ parents would have taught him is the Great Shema or Deuteronomy 6:4-5, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength.” All Jewish children would begin their theological education by learning that there is only one true God and He is the LORD. And therefore they were to love the LORD their God with all of their heart. An interesting truth about this passage is that the next verse provides a very practical means for how to love the Lord your God with all your heart. Verse 6 proclaims, “and these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.” A heart that loves God will be a heart that loves God’s Word so that he treasures it in his heart. The Psalmist who loved the LORD proclaimed, “Your Word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). In Luke 4, Jesus is tempt-ed by Satan three times and every time He responded with the Scriptures. Whether or not Jesus had an unfair advantage, we know that God’s Word was hidden in His heart.
As one goes back to the context of Luke 2:39-40, we find some interesting details about the context for how Jesus grew in wisdom. First, the context describes the period in Jesus’ life between the ages of approximately one and a half months and twelve years of age. The days of Mary’s purification (Luke 2:22; Leviticus 12:2-8) would have been forty one days into Jesus’ life and then verse 41 continues with Jesus being twelve years of age or when he would have been considered an adult. So this period of time is specifically talking about Jesus’ childhood.

A second observation is that this pas-sage focuses on the parents bringing up Jesus in a godly manner. “They had performed all things according to the law of the Lord” and then verse 41 says, “His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of Passover.” Although Joseph and Mary were not without sin, they were God fearing and seeking to train Jesus in a God-honoring way. It was this parental influence at home in Nazareth (vs. 39) during his childhood that was instrumental in Jesus growing in wisdom. You see, the Word of God that is in the heart of the father (Deuteronomy 6:6) is to be deposited into the hearts of the children. Deuteronomy 6:7 proclaims, “You shall teach them (God’s Words) diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” The goal was actually not for the children to know and memorize God’s Word. The goal was to have the children know there is only one true God and that He is to be loved with all of their hearts.

Yes, Jesus memorized God’s Word. May that truth encourage you to memorize God’s Word. If you are a parent, may it encourage you to be diligently depositing God’s Word into the hearts of your children. Why? So that we can love the one true God as we ought and not sin against Him.