Sermon Nuggets Mon Sept 6
Theme Responses to Tragedy
Verses: Phil 1:12-19
15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
16 The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.
17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.
18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.
Responses to Tragedy
This week nine years ago we remember one of the worst American tragedies. Our hearts were gripped as we watched in horror the destruction of the World Trade Center and sections of the Pentagon where 3,000s of lives were lost. Our nation will no longer be the same. At that time President Bush declared a new type of war already on the United States and we cannot ignore terrorists anymore, for they are no longer in other lands they are among us in our own country. Each year there seems to be tighter security and for our protection surveillance cameras are everywhere.
Contrast the evil lashed against the US, with the many acts of love and outpouring of heroism. My heart was moved more to hear in a TV interview the CEO of financial company housed in the WTC. Of the 1,000 employees he has 700 have been lost. His passion toward the families and their commitment to help one another reminds us that love is stronger than hate and will overcome.
This month there has been controversy over the proposed building of a huge mosque near the site of the Twin Towers. It serves for some as a symbol of victory and for others as a symbol of insult. This week there also opened a new church by Bill Keller designed for evangelism. He plans to bring some of the noted evangelical preachers in to speak on the love of Christ and the importance of being ready for eternity.
What about personal tragedies or set backs? How we face difficulties as a nation or in our families or in our lives serves as reminders that the word of God is current even though it was written 2,000 years ago.
The Apostle Paul is in prison He is chained. I am sure he thought about how fellow servant Peter was in prison and people prayed and the angel of the Lord came and got him out of chains through supernatural means. Isn’t it common our prayer would sound like, “Lord save me like you saved Peter.”? Isn’t that how God is supposed to work? Does God love Peter more than Paul? One is released the other still imprisoned under false pretense.
Warren Wiersbe in his book :Be joyful” reminds us that when things go our way we feel a lot happier and easier to live with. But we have little control over most of the circumstances in our lives. The person whose happiness depends on ideal circumstances is going to be miserable much of the time? The apostle Paul is not living to enjoy his circumstance, he is living to serve Jesus Christ. Paul rejoiced in his chains because they helped to strengthen his fellowship with other Christians, gave him opportunity to lead others to Christ and enabled him to defend the Gospel before the courts of Rome.
As Steward Briscoe said, “He had discovered that things happened to him, in order that things should happen in him, and the things happened in him so that things could happened through him This week we will look at the things that happened because of his circumstances that gave him joy.
As we took at various tragedies in our lives and nation I want to use some responses from this letter to help us in our circumstances.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues Sept 7
Verses- 2 Cor 4:7-12 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;
9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.
12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
Some are Crushed
I am not talking about normal grief and heartache which we all feel when something bad happens to us. I am not talking about normal responses to tragedies which are anger, and shock, disbelief, sadness, depression. I heard of psychologist who deals with phobias that when people have experienced an accident they don’t like to go down that road, or maybe even drive for awhile. For someone who has experienced a severe burn have an emotional reaction to fires or fire engine sirens. That may be a reaction that might last for a temporary time, or maybe keep some from normal activity in certain areas.
As we look at the various Psalms of David people find comfort to know he identifies as a man of God with variety of emotions and expressions of feelings as he sings and talks and prays to God, His intimate friend.
Devastation of a home that has lost a loved one or many loved ones understands how tragedies turn your world upside down. The CEO of that financial company lost his brother and whole company and 100s of friends and employees. It is normal to grieve and be in hysteria. But he chose to do something. He chose to cry, and wail, and tell his stories, He chose to give out facts to his employee’s families and provide counseling and a place to go and share in grief together. He chose to make commitments to do everything in his power to help those in need and from an aching and broken heart he is making choices not to be crushed with nothing more to live for.
People who are crushed give up on life, give up on God, give up on hope, give up on love, They have experienced tragedy and hurts to the point they do not see good only evil. They do not feel they should every enjoy life again. Everything about them is seen with negative eyes, pain, sorrow and sadness. There is to brightness is a child’s smile or laughter, for only self pity and pain that cannot and will not accept a world that must face each day with courage.
There are people who make the choice to be crushed and those who do not. The crushed people expect life to always be pleasant and rosy, to be happy and prosperous and when it is not, bitterness resentment, despair are new words that define their very personhood. Not just in a temporary period of time until heals occurs, but makes a point to see that healing will not happen because hatred is not housed into a soul that refuses to turn to God, to others, or even to oneself for solace.
Some are crushed by the circumstances around them. I know a man who lost his wife to cancer. He chose to leave his church, no longer work, have contact with neighbors and was made to believe that his was the worse pain and hers was the worse situation that every happened on the face of the earth. He was a crushed man. He chose to let that cancer be the victory in happiness in life, and died a very broken spirit.
I remember repeated conversations with a woman who cried and cried about the loss of her husband. While providing a sympathetic ear for her I was somewhat surprised to learn it was 25 years earlier that he died. It was a natural death with a heart attack. I asked if it was an anniversary or Birthday that often brings out those memories and grief experiences, but it was not the case. She chose to not leave her home. Because of her loss she refused to participate in normal living and others waited on her. She chose to never enjoy a holiday or make acquaintances with others. She had chosen never to love again.
Have you known people who when difficulty, hardships and tragedies occur they have taken the route of no help, no hope, no way out of the realm of darkness.
Let me tell you that is not the way you have to go, hether it is a victim of abuse, murdered a loved one, or financial loss, painful divorce, or sickness. There is a way for the healing for the soul and facing life again.
Although we are centered on Paul and responses to being imprisoned for the gospel, I turned to the Corinthian passage where he tells himself the truth. The truth is in life he was hard pressed with life and stress and problems of every kind, but refused to be crushed or defeated by them. He acknowledged he was hated for his Christian commitment and was persecuted but he chose to center not on those who rejected him but God and the family of God who understood and loved him. He had dreams dashed, and defeated with plans and purposes, but chose not to be destroyed by those obstacles. Even if he was going to be killed, he chose to look upon the life offered by Christ. But more than that, for the present life he know God was still on the throne of his life and in time will show himself faithful to him. It’s hard, but not without the strength and presence of the Lord. When he cried out to God he found an inner strength and spiritual power to face tragedies of life. Some have no place to turn. He did and so to we.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Weds Sept 8
Verses- Phil 1: 12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.
13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.
Some are Converted
Paul, at 62 years of age, having just spent the last two years in prison in Caesarea for a crime he didn’t commit, Paul appeals to Caesar, as was his right as a Roman citizen. Roman law then required that the person under arrest be delivered to Rome where he would stand trial before the emperor.
The Apostle Paul acknowledge that his chains help accomplish the conversion of people, which is his very purpose for ministry. He wants the gospel of Jesus Christ preached to as many people as possible. He is no longer out in the streets, or in synagogues like he was before, but now he was put into contact with people who would never had heard the message otherwise. They were people of influence the palace guard, the Preatorian Guard which were the Imperial Guard of Rome. It was instituted a number of years earlier by Augustus Caesar, as a special 10,000 guard unit.
These guards also had some political influence in Rome. They were used after a number of years as the body guards of the powerful political leaders and prison guards within the palace for special prisoners. It seems that when an emperor had died another was to be elected. Every one that was elected was the one nominated by the Praetorium Guard. Does that give you an understanding of their political power as well?
Paul’s guard had to be relieved of duty because they were all becoming Christians. He would be in their presence at least 3-4 shifts a day and speak to each one about the Lord Jesus and why he was in trial and there were several Christian visitors came to talk and encourage Paul. Even there now as Paul was dictating this letter to Epaphrodities, there were guards listening to what he is saying. They were getting saved.
The way you endure suffering can stimulate interest in Christ. Paul’s life and witness brought about the conversion of many in Rome. I think that the way you remain true authenticates your witness. Our world is hungry for authenticity. Isn’t it amazing how God uses the sorrows and the successes of our lives and even our nation to communicate the Gospel?
This past week has bothered me in a number of ways. I am also bothered that the TV network producers had been announced this fall they will show more vulgarity and include characters in their shows that will blaspheme God. The article I read tells us the Christians are going to be more attacked at the core of their beliefs. In the news we have headlines of an off-beat preacher and his 50 member congregation planning the burning of Quran day on 9/11. The media is having a hay day and many Muslim can us that as an excuse to degrade and attack Christians. But with that comes others who will declare the truth of Jesus Christ and how we are instructed to act within our world where Jesus is rejected. To love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us we learn a different ethic. I am tired of how the liberal church recreates truth to adapt to our culture and yet how the culture keep molding the church that re assesses their views of the Bible.
During times of tragedy, even such as in Haiti, many re-evaluate the source of hope and meaning and do turn to the Lord.
The world is hungry for someone who will stand up for truth, even if it’s unpopular truth, and say, "I will not compromise what I believe because I stand for those things that are right." That’s authenticity. And when you are an authentic person then your witness is strengthened. Whether it is popular or not, politically correct or not, socially acceptable or not, these days are allows people to come to face the most significant life questions- do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Are you searching for spiritual meaning and purpose? Then there is only one answer for the world. Jesus Christ.
Converted means to turn from your own wisdom and your own way of living, confess your sin, and turn from it to Jesus Christ asking and praying that he will save you; It is a commitment of your will to follow him and to give him your lives. Today you can find that peace that so many already know. It will prepare you for heaven and allow you to know God in a personal and vital way. Will you accept Christ today?
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs Sept 9
Verse- Phil 1:14 Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
Some are Challenged
Paul noticed not only were many of the guards and prisoners becoming Christians and Rome was paying his bill, he also realized because he was in chains this brought courage to others Christians. They were helped by his ministry, but they were challenged to get personally involved as a result of the tragedy of his arrest and imprisonment. They were brought into unity of spirit in their prayers. It is inspiring for them to preach Christ more boldly, and willing themselves to go to prison if necessary. When someone speaks up strongly with their conviction they become an encouragement to me.
When I went to Russia and visited in the homes of people willing to suffer for their faith I was challenged as a Christian. Now I read that Russia has passed a one year extension of its controversial deadline for religious organization to reregister with the government or face court liquidation. Why is the government so troubled? People are coming to Christ and some religious groups don’t like losing converts.
When I went to India and saw people going into the villages telling Hindus about Jesus Christ and some were preaching the first time in some village. There was a new found challenge that gave Christians courage prompted by the Holy Spirit. Then the country is getting farther away from goal and values then there comes a point of courage to speak out regardless of the consequences.
In times of tragedy many of secret believers have the circumstance to speak up. I know there are people praying together who never even knew there were other fellows Christians. When 9/11 attack occurred, as president of the Braham Ministerial association I asked the school Superintendent if they would like some clergy at the schools to pray and be at the school after news of the attack spread. They provided us a room during the lunch hour. Throughout the four lunch periods over 80 people showed up. I know some kids never knew other kids were willing to pray or come for prayer. I can imagine teachers and staff in the elementary school for the first time holding hands in and reciting the Lord’s prayer together. It challenged faith, and challenged Christians to be more active in sharing what you believe.
There is lots of publicity over the event this Saturday when a pastor is planning on publicly burning the Quaran. There are already great threats among Muslim nations of retaliation as if one person’s freedom of speech is representative of all Christians. Would it not also seem reasonable that one Muslims actions are not representative of all Muslims? We cannot control peoples reactions except our own. But even if there are attack or not there is never a better chance than right of pointing people to the truth of Jesus Christ as some will question purpose and meaning in life to testify of your faith and talk about how Jesus Christ died to save the world and there is peace that passes understanding that keeps our hearts and our minds anchored in Jesus. Not just a belief but a connectedness available with God.
Some need the challenge to follow Christ in baptism, join the church and find your ministry and do it. Paul delights in his tragedy of others are challenged in their service and witness.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri Sept 10
Verses- Phil 1:15-18 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
16 The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.
17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.
18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
Some are Competitive
As Paul is inprison there are some Christians who were glad. Some werejealousy of him. But it got some working for the Lord even though their motives were not entirely correct. How did Paul respond? He was delighted because people were coming to faith in the Lord. That delighted him more than who got the credit. In some incidents there was unity brought about by his supporters. But Paul was a controversial figure. Anyone with strong conviction is going to alienate some people. It was common for any Christian leader to have enemies. Paul certainly did. Perhaps there was a spirit of competition Competition can be both good and evil. The reason for motivation wasn’t as much a concern for Paul as the outcome.
As we enter into another season of political campaigning there is a great deal of criticism among the candidates toward one another. Sometimes it is brutal. I seldom am informed by the ads on TV. Mud slinging has never stopped from election to election. Whatever leadership does there will be people who will criticize, second guess and react so they can be in the limelight. Paul looked at his criticism and realized ultimately the goal wasn't what people felt about him, but people were growting in their understanding of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, there were people who were glad for his arrest because now they could be in the limelight. They could take over some leadership. But what was important for Paul was people being helped.
I have talked to chaplains who have worked disasters before. Do you know where some of the stronger competition comes from as to who gets the greatest news coverage. I was surprised.. There is strong competition between the Red Cross ant he Salvation Army as to who can be there first, who can help the most people, who is given the greater news coverage, who will be in charge of directing assistance programs.
Helping and religious organizations are plagued by the human pride problem. Which church gives the most, which hosts the prayer meetings, what pastors are picked for national and local television, who will get the glory?
I know one church that was dead and lifeless spiritually, they were content in a maintenance program. They didn’t really invite neighbors, that weren’t friendly to visitors, they didn’t say much for the Lord, Whenever the preacher tried to get new program or encouraged them to look into the future are develop new programs to reach new folks, they were not interested after all it has worked this way for number of years it will continue to do so many years to come. Do you know what happened? Another church came into town and developed new programs and people started coming to Christ.
This new church reached out to the unchurched. And talked to others about the Lord and set up special meetings. And the older group didn’t want this other church to out do them so they started reviewing their program and started to do some things on their own. It started changing because they were being critical of this new group, but the result was they started doing what they should have been doing all along.
Some peach Christ out of good will and love, for Paul there are critics and enemies in competition with him. Some are out for selfish ambition or selfish gain. Some are preaching to build name for them and get personal attention, for others it doesn’t matter they are seeking to serve God. Paul is saying so long a Christ is being preached and if my chains are being used by my enemies to get them doing something they should be doing, then praise the Lord.
Maybe you have been hurt by another believer and haven’t quite resolved the issue with them. Maybe you need to forgive them or need to ask God forgiveness for having judged them. That’s for you to decide. What about those people, perhaps at work or in your family, who’ve been motivated by jealousy, and have been critical of you… How have you responded toward them? Here, we have a lot to learn from Paul. Has criticism kept you from serving and growing in Christ and in your love for others, then Satan will have gained his advantage in our disagreements, if however, you continue to grow and serve God then what difference do disagreements make. So what if others have different styles of worship, or different priorities of ministry, or don’t understand what God has laid upon your heart, so what? Keep doing what you believe God wants you to do and pray for your enemies and those who have despitefully used you. And keep on.
Remember who you’re working or” That was what kept Paul going. He never worried bout critics he only remembered who he worked for and Christ was using his circumstances.
Funny, isn’t it that very things that Satan tied to use to bind Paul became the very things that the Lord used to make Paul victorious.
How are you facing difficulties? Crushed, Converted, Challenged or Competitive? I believe there are chose that you can make that will help you and others during this time.
The poet puts it this way: "One ship drives east, another drives west with the self same winds that blow. ’Tis the set of the sails & not the gales which determines the way we go,"
Pastor Dale
Friday, September 10, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
Making it in Hard Times Phil 1:1-11
Sermon Nuggets week of Aug 30
Sermon Nuggets Mon Aug 30 – Hard times
Making it Through Hard Times
What hard times have you gone through or are going through? Loss job, loss of friends, maybe it is being misunderstood? Do you feel people are taking advantage of you, or worse yet, out to get you in some way? Trouble with the law? Trouble with other Christians?
There is one I want to thin about who went through hard times. He was jailed and beaten several times and under the threat to be killed. I call that hard times. Yet when you hear from him you would not imagine he was facing any of those things because of his positive spirit. I’m talking about the Apostle Paul and referring to his letter to the believers at Philippi. He is writing from a cold, cark, camp prison. Telling his friend Epaprodities what to say to the friends at Philippi.
Paul loved to preach and speak in synagogues he was taking the gospel were no other man has gone, to people others didn’t want to be with. But now he is locked in a cell unable to do any of those ministries. Yet God uses those letters as divine Scripture to instruct disciples for millenniums. I am sure that was not in Paul’s mind, but it was in God’s mind. He saw to it Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit not writing to just the particular needs in Philippi but indeed all the churches to come. He is writing to the believers at Stanchfield by the power of the Holy Spirit.
When I go through hard times, I complain wanting God to take care of it and right away if you please. Happiness tends to be so circumstance related. When good things happen I am happy. When bad things happen, I am not so happy. Happiness or pleasure is entirely dependent on circumstances. It is temporary
This man, Paul, by the world’s standards has nothing to be joyful about, yet that is the theme of his letter- JOY. Joy is of a different character. Joy is independent of circumstances. Joy is that which encompasses and transcends both happiness and sadness. Once endowed with joy, a person is not likely to lose it and in fact it grows with awareness of it. Happiness comes from humans, joy from God.
He writes to believers and many of these people he had the privilege of leading to Jesus Christ. So he refers to himself and Timothy as servants and the church as saints.
A saint isn’t a term for holier than thou , A saint isn’t a term some Catholics like to use for special people that deserve canonizing. No, Saint means they be have made pure by the blood of Jesus Christ. You and I are saints if you have make Jesus Christ your Lord in a personal way. If you have committed your life to Christ you are a saint.
There is no real joy for anyone ultimately without this precondition. If you want joy, real joy, wonderful joy, let Jesus come into your heart. If you are without Jesus and following your own pleasures or wisdom or priories of life this faith in Christ is the place to start today. All of us have going through hard times. I don’t think anyone is exempt. Some have had it worse than others. Almost all of you will say repeatedly, “If it wasn’t for the Lord, I don’t know what I would have done.” Most people will say that one key that helps is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. God is there to uphold and lift you up even when you do not understand why things happen the way they do.
The second thing mentioned is friends or family. People need people. As I begin a series from the book of Philippians this week we will look at how Paul demonstrates, not describes, but demonstrates joy in facing hard times.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues August 31, 2010
Verses Phil 1:3-6 I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Memories Help when going through Hard Times.
Memories are something that are rich. No one can take them away from us. I think back on experiences or people, or conversations that are positive and it brings delight even in a bad situation.
Paul had a lot of time to think in prison. He thought back a few years when he first met the people in Philippi. They were mostly Gentiles. He was directed to go there through a Macedonian vision or call from God. He had an unusual call that so dramatically confirmed Paul’s direction in his life. This was a place for divine appointments. God moved in great way in Philippi.
But next to their faith in God, most will say how much encouragement they have from good friends and family. Certainly, the support I get from people means so much. Notice the people make a difference in Paul’s life. The past that he has shared with them gives him encouragement.
He no doubt thought of Lydia the seller of purple goods. He stayed with her for she loved God and wanted to find out all she could from Paul. He remembered another slave girl from the other extreme economically and socially. The slave girl was not selling clothing and making clothes for royalty and the rice, but was demon possessed and under the bondage of men using her Satanic power for tell fortunes and soothsaying, Paul said, “I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And in commanding those devils she was set from bondage, but also no longer profitable to her owners. They were very upset with Paul. People don’t usually get too concerned with Christians trying to influence others for righteousness until they are faced with some losing some money. When we take a stand against the works of Satan to keep people from bondage of alcohol, Tobacco, sexual addictions, gambling, abortions the industry and community howl and get very upset.
One of the nastiest letters I got was when I protested a video store in Cambridge renting X rated movies. I said I wouldl make public the video stores that agree to not rent X rated movies, so people in the church can choose to support those stores if they wish. Some people make lots of money off those industries that addict people. They want their money and don’t care who and how many are ruined because of it.
So these angry men trumped up charges against Paul and dragged him and Silas into a market place and told the political leaders they are doing things against the new Roman law. Paul was taken and had his clothes ripped off his body and beaten with a whip, along with Silas. There they were in the Philippian jail, bloody and bruised, kept in stocks and bonds in the innermost prison and from the lips of Paul the other prisoners heard a most unusual sound. It was of singing praise to God. Joy in hard times? How can that be? Except his spirit was lifted beyond his circumstances counting it worthy to suffer for his Lord.
Imagine singing praises at midnight and preaching to the prisoners, when the great earthquake came. Paul even smiles now as he remembers it. The jailer was petrified. He was asleep and saw all the jail doors opened and chains unloosed. The Jail was so upset he was about to kill himself when Paul stopped him and told him that all was safe. “Men what must I do to be saved?” was his heart’s cry. It was in Philippi that these famous words are recorded for us. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.” And that man responded and told his family and they responded and in the middle of the night they went right to the river and were baptized. Funny congregation wasn’t it?- Jailer, slave girl rich lady, these were the core members for a new church.
Paul is filled with joy, for even now he is remembering them and their partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
Memories are important for people unable to be where they want to be. Soldiers are encouraged by letters and photographs that caused them to rejoice with memories. Prisoners in Rush City and elsewhere find life is bearable when they stop thinking about their conditions and circumstances but center their thoughts on the members of loved ones and plans for their future.
I heard from a lady I had a hand in seeing come to Christ and now 35 years later she is still walking with the Lord. I was overjoyed. I went to the reunion of Olivet Baptist 50th anniversary and talked with some of the kids in the youth group and found they are growing in the faith and the problems they had at 18 now at 43 years of age having a Christian family and involved in their churches excited me.
Think back on how God has worked in your life with others and get perspective of your situation.
Pastor Dale.
Sermon Nuggets Weds Sept 1
Verses- Phil 1:4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy
Phil 1:9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,…
Prayer Helps when going through Hard Times
Paul found talking to God is a blissful activity in and of itself. The communication with the Lord is wonderful especially during the hard times. Unfortunately that is the only time when some people turn to prayer. But the focus of his prayer is also on the people. There is so much hope and excitement when there is positive things happened in lives.
Paul begins by teaching that prayer must be a first response rather than a last resort. Listen to vs. 3, "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy..." Then, in chapter 4, vs. 6, he says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer & petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
Do you realize what Paul is saying? He is saying that whenever anything happens to him, whether positive or negative, he prays. That’s his first response. He prays, "God, thank you for the blessings that you give me. God, I even thank you for the troubles that come my way. Now teach me the lessons that I need to learn from them." Paul always started with prayer.
Paul could not be with them to preach, nor to teach other than by letters, but there was and is a present activity that is of the Lord it is prayer. Reflecting on what was right in the world rather than his bleak situation also reminded Paul that he was not alone. He knew that the Philippian believers were praying for him and thinking about him whether he was in jail or out evangelizing the nations.
But the encouragement with prayer is the recognition of the partnership each has with the gospel. We are not lone rangers in the Lord’s work. God designed us to be dependant upon Him and interdependent upon one another. Paul could not do the work alone. He needed people to give, and pray, and support, and help, like Timothy.
Dear people, regardless of your circumstances some of the best workers at Stanchfield Baptist are those who are unable to get out of their homes, but take the responsibilities of prayer very seriously, and very faithfully. Those prayer chain calls are marked and checks on them indicating the date and time of their prayers. The requests of the pastors and the people and leaders are prayed for. Some will go through their membership telephone book and pray for the people and their children. What a remarkable and joyful activity.
There are people who every day lift me up in their prayers as the pastor. What a wonderful blessing and privilege. But they also find joy in serving Jesus and having a part in the ministry. I remember one lady who when someone mentioned prayer for friend who didn’t know Christ they prayed for that person and when they accepted Christ they were so overjoyed as well because they worked on the evangelistic team of praying that person to conviction of the Holy spirit.
Do you pray for others that they know the best way to discern the will of God? The joy that Paul knew was to bring his friends into the mercy seat of Christ to communicate on behalf of others Paul shows bring joy even when it prison for he has a spiritual job to do and that is to keep on praying for the work and the people.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs Sept 2 – Love
Verses- Phil 1:7-8 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me.
8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Love Helps when going through Hard Times
Love is one of the ingredients for joy. It is the love folks have for one another that keeps people going during hard times. Paul tells them that he has the Philippian believers in his heart. He loves the church very much and can be filled with joy because someone out there is think about him and praying for him as he is praying for them. Paul reflected on his connection with the Philippian believers. He reflected on how much they loved him and he them. Those thoughts filled him with the same joy that you get when you look at your child’s picture or get a mental image of someone you have a mutual love relationship with.
As we have been observing the drama of the 33 trapped miners in Chile they were encouraged not only when contact was made and they have the hope of rescue, but what is on their hearts and minds is their loved ones. The notes expressing love were sent up to the waiting families. The video cam as well as a phone line boasted their spirits during their hard times knowing they have a reason for living and keep preserving. They needed food and water and medicine. The best medicine was loved ones.
Victor Frankel the German psychologist was put in the SS camp at Auschwitz, during WW II. He developed the science of logotheraphy centering on the will of meaning in lives. Frankl may not be a Christian, but he looked at many Christians in the camp along with others who were motivated by a loved one at home or faith in God, or strength through these hope of reuniting and saw the tremendous strength that allowed these men to endure tremendous hardship.
I John 3:15 says, “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remain in death.”
I know the people at Grasston and Braham Covenant and First Baptist but I don’t have the same feeling for them as the people at Stanchfield. There is an affinity and love that God gives. And time and again you have shown my family love that has been a great encouragement and wonder. Paul saw this and was encouraged when realized that he could love them and wanted to find out all about them and likewise realized that they loved him too. And that was adding his comfort while in prison. They were constantly on his mind. .
Paul said he was even willing to be in chains that they might so know the love of Christ
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri Sept 3
Theme- Hard Times
Verses- Phil 1:9-11 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-- to the glory and praise of God. (NIV)
Growing in Christ Helps you Make it in Hard Time v.9-11
Paul saw that people changed. He saw the work that God was doing in their lives and his heart was so uplifted. People can change, and so can you as one matures and grows in their relationship with Jesus Christ.
Perhaps in your life you are thinking it takes so long to be the person I want to be. Paul saw how the Lord was working in his life and how depending more on Jesus than circumstances established him in hard times. He continued to focus upward and outward instead of inward. He looked to the goal and not so much in the process of his faith. But as we allow Christ to have more of us, we become more like him.
He who has begun a good work in you will complete it. Isn’t that a great joy? God isn’t finished with you yet. God isn’t finished with me yet. Pastor Bob Grover would say to me, “The biggest room in the world is room for improvement.” I wonder why he keeps telling me that.
It’s true. There is the joy of knowing God has done a great work in our lives, but it is joyful to know that he is not done yet. There is more to do.
Paul looks at what God is doing in their spiritual lives and that lifts his spirits. People grow in the knowledge of the Lord and in the depth of understanding. We grow in the knowledge of God in reading the Bible in prayer and Sunday School, small groups, fellowship with the believers, and serving with our gifts. Paul took the time to refocus on his hope for the future. He saw what God did in the past. He looked forward to what was still to come. He refocused on his mission. Paul was excited by the prospects of the Philippian believers achieving Christ-likeness.
If you love someone you want to find out all you can about them. If they love Jesus they want to grow in the knowledge of Christ and that motivates them to know him more. There is confidence and hope. Growth is the hope that is yet to come.
When people are going through hard times it is joyful to know that this isn’t where it stops. Paul’s ultimate faith is in the Lord. He knows that the power of God is greater than he that is in the world.
Someone said if you like the changes you see in me now, just wait another 120 years. The spirit molds us into the fruits if we let him have his way in us. Gal 5:22-23. Paul is confident and excited because of gods work and the reward and goal. Vs. 10 the day of Christ, He knows that joy because those many don’t realize it there is a day coming when all will be completely well. Don’t worry about the future for Christian it can only get better. Complete joy in the presence of Jesus and that is what he is looking forward toward. He can’t lose. Even in a dungy cell it can be a place of worship and joy.
Paul’s confidence is in the promises of Jesus and the work to fruit of righteousness come through Jesus to the Glory and praise of God. Christian aim is to live such a life that the glory and praise are given to God. Christian goodness is not meant to win praise and credit and honor and prestige for self, bur rather praise for God. That is what gives Paul joy, not worried about self. But Kingdom is growing it is happening to Philippians whom he loves.
What are your prisons? Where are your dungeons that Satan would have you bound? Where are the potential problems that would bring disappointment and discouragement? Sickness. Family trouble, financial difficulty emotional uneasiness. May Paul’s joy be our joy, for it comes from the Lord.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Mon Aug 30 – Hard times
Making it Through Hard Times
What hard times have you gone through or are going through? Loss job, loss of friends, maybe it is being misunderstood? Do you feel people are taking advantage of you, or worse yet, out to get you in some way? Trouble with the law? Trouble with other Christians?
There is one I want to thin about who went through hard times. He was jailed and beaten several times and under the threat to be killed. I call that hard times. Yet when you hear from him you would not imagine he was facing any of those things because of his positive spirit. I’m talking about the Apostle Paul and referring to his letter to the believers at Philippi. He is writing from a cold, cark, camp prison. Telling his friend Epaprodities what to say to the friends at Philippi.
Paul loved to preach and speak in synagogues he was taking the gospel were no other man has gone, to people others didn’t want to be with. But now he is locked in a cell unable to do any of those ministries. Yet God uses those letters as divine Scripture to instruct disciples for millenniums. I am sure that was not in Paul’s mind, but it was in God’s mind. He saw to it Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit not writing to just the particular needs in Philippi but indeed all the churches to come. He is writing to the believers at Stanchfield by the power of the Holy Spirit.
When I go through hard times, I complain wanting God to take care of it and right away if you please. Happiness tends to be so circumstance related. When good things happen I am happy. When bad things happen, I am not so happy. Happiness or pleasure is entirely dependent on circumstances. It is temporary
This man, Paul, by the world’s standards has nothing to be joyful about, yet that is the theme of his letter- JOY. Joy is of a different character. Joy is independent of circumstances. Joy is that which encompasses and transcends both happiness and sadness. Once endowed with joy, a person is not likely to lose it and in fact it grows with awareness of it. Happiness comes from humans, joy from God.
He writes to believers and many of these people he had the privilege of leading to Jesus Christ. So he refers to himself and Timothy as servants and the church as saints.
A saint isn’t a term for holier than thou , A saint isn’t a term some Catholics like to use for special people that deserve canonizing. No, Saint means they be have made pure by the blood of Jesus Christ. You and I are saints if you have make Jesus Christ your Lord in a personal way. If you have committed your life to Christ you are a saint.
There is no real joy for anyone ultimately without this precondition. If you want joy, real joy, wonderful joy, let Jesus come into your heart. If you are without Jesus and following your own pleasures or wisdom or priories of life this faith in Christ is the place to start today. All of us have going through hard times. I don’t think anyone is exempt. Some have had it worse than others. Almost all of you will say repeatedly, “If it wasn’t for the Lord, I don’t know what I would have done.” Most people will say that one key that helps is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. God is there to uphold and lift you up even when you do not understand why things happen the way they do.
The second thing mentioned is friends or family. People need people. As I begin a series from the book of Philippians this week we will look at how Paul demonstrates, not describes, but demonstrates joy in facing hard times.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues August 31, 2010
Verses Phil 1:3-6 I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Memories Help when going through Hard Times.
Memories are something that are rich. No one can take them away from us. I think back on experiences or people, or conversations that are positive and it brings delight even in a bad situation.
Paul had a lot of time to think in prison. He thought back a few years when he first met the people in Philippi. They were mostly Gentiles. He was directed to go there through a Macedonian vision or call from God. He had an unusual call that so dramatically confirmed Paul’s direction in his life. This was a place for divine appointments. God moved in great way in Philippi.
But next to their faith in God, most will say how much encouragement they have from good friends and family. Certainly, the support I get from people means so much. Notice the people make a difference in Paul’s life. The past that he has shared with them gives him encouragement.
He no doubt thought of Lydia the seller of purple goods. He stayed with her for she loved God and wanted to find out all she could from Paul. He remembered another slave girl from the other extreme economically and socially. The slave girl was not selling clothing and making clothes for royalty and the rice, but was demon possessed and under the bondage of men using her Satanic power for tell fortunes and soothsaying, Paul said, “I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And in commanding those devils she was set from bondage, but also no longer profitable to her owners. They were very upset with Paul. People don’t usually get too concerned with Christians trying to influence others for righteousness until they are faced with some losing some money. When we take a stand against the works of Satan to keep people from bondage of alcohol, Tobacco, sexual addictions, gambling, abortions the industry and community howl and get very upset.
One of the nastiest letters I got was when I protested a video store in Cambridge renting X rated movies. I said I wouldl make public the video stores that agree to not rent X rated movies, so people in the church can choose to support those stores if they wish. Some people make lots of money off those industries that addict people. They want their money and don’t care who and how many are ruined because of it.
So these angry men trumped up charges against Paul and dragged him and Silas into a market place and told the political leaders they are doing things against the new Roman law. Paul was taken and had his clothes ripped off his body and beaten with a whip, along with Silas. There they were in the Philippian jail, bloody and bruised, kept in stocks and bonds in the innermost prison and from the lips of Paul the other prisoners heard a most unusual sound. It was of singing praise to God. Joy in hard times? How can that be? Except his spirit was lifted beyond his circumstances counting it worthy to suffer for his Lord.
Imagine singing praises at midnight and preaching to the prisoners, when the great earthquake came. Paul even smiles now as he remembers it. The jailer was petrified. He was asleep and saw all the jail doors opened and chains unloosed. The Jail was so upset he was about to kill himself when Paul stopped him and told him that all was safe. “Men what must I do to be saved?” was his heart’s cry. It was in Philippi that these famous words are recorded for us. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.” And that man responded and told his family and they responded and in the middle of the night they went right to the river and were baptized. Funny congregation wasn’t it?- Jailer, slave girl rich lady, these were the core members for a new church.
Paul is filled with joy, for even now he is remembering them and their partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
Memories are important for people unable to be where they want to be. Soldiers are encouraged by letters and photographs that caused them to rejoice with memories. Prisoners in Rush City and elsewhere find life is bearable when they stop thinking about their conditions and circumstances but center their thoughts on the members of loved ones and plans for their future.
I heard from a lady I had a hand in seeing come to Christ and now 35 years later she is still walking with the Lord. I was overjoyed. I went to the reunion of Olivet Baptist 50th anniversary and talked with some of the kids in the youth group and found they are growing in the faith and the problems they had at 18 now at 43 years of age having a Christian family and involved in their churches excited me.
Think back on how God has worked in your life with others and get perspective of your situation.
Pastor Dale.
Sermon Nuggets Weds Sept 1
Verses- Phil 1:4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy
Phil 1:9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,…
Prayer Helps when going through Hard Times
Paul found talking to God is a blissful activity in and of itself. The communication with the Lord is wonderful especially during the hard times. Unfortunately that is the only time when some people turn to prayer. But the focus of his prayer is also on the people. There is so much hope and excitement when there is positive things happened in lives.
Paul begins by teaching that prayer must be a first response rather than a last resort. Listen to vs. 3, "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy..." Then, in chapter 4, vs. 6, he says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer & petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
Do you realize what Paul is saying? He is saying that whenever anything happens to him, whether positive or negative, he prays. That’s his first response. He prays, "God, thank you for the blessings that you give me. God, I even thank you for the troubles that come my way. Now teach me the lessons that I need to learn from them." Paul always started with prayer.
Paul could not be with them to preach, nor to teach other than by letters, but there was and is a present activity that is of the Lord it is prayer. Reflecting on what was right in the world rather than his bleak situation also reminded Paul that he was not alone. He knew that the Philippian believers were praying for him and thinking about him whether he was in jail or out evangelizing the nations.
But the encouragement with prayer is the recognition of the partnership each has with the gospel. We are not lone rangers in the Lord’s work. God designed us to be dependant upon Him and interdependent upon one another. Paul could not do the work alone. He needed people to give, and pray, and support, and help, like Timothy.
Dear people, regardless of your circumstances some of the best workers at Stanchfield Baptist are those who are unable to get out of their homes, but take the responsibilities of prayer very seriously, and very faithfully. Those prayer chain calls are marked and checks on them indicating the date and time of their prayers. The requests of the pastors and the people and leaders are prayed for. Some will go through their membership telephone book and pray for the people and their children. What a remarkable and joyful activity.
There are people who every day lift me up in their prayers as the pastor. What a wonderful blessing and privilege. But they also find joy in serving Jesus and having a part in the ministry. I remember one lady who when someone mentioned prayer for friend who didn’t know Christ they prayed for that person and when they accepted Christ they were so overjoyed as well because they worked on the evangelistic team of praying that person to conviction of the Holy spirit.
Do you pray for others that they know the best way to discern the will of God? The joy that Paul knew was to bring his friends into the mercy seat of Christ to communicate on behalf of others Paul shows bring joy even when it prison for he has a spiritual job to do and that is to keep on praying for the work and the people.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs Sept 2 – Love
Verses- Phil 1:7-8 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me.
8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Love Helps when going through Hard Times
Love is one of the ingredients for joy. It is the love folks have for one another that keeps people going during hard times. Paul tells them that he has the Philippian believers in his heart. He loves the church very much and can be filled with joy because someone out there is think about him and praying for him as he is praying for them. Paul reflected on his connection with the Philippian believers. He reflected on how much they loved him and he them. Those thoughts filled him with the same joy that you get when you look at your child’s picture or get a mental image of someone you have a mutual love relationship with.
As we have been observing the drama of the 33 trapped miners in Chile they were encouraged not only when contact was made and they have the hope of rescue, but what is on their hearts and minds is their loved ones. The notes expressing love were sent up to the waiting families. The video cam as well as a phone line boasted their spirits during their hard times knowing they have a reason for living and keep preserving. They needed food and water and medicine. The best medicine was loved ones.
Victor Frankel the German psychologist was put in the SS camp at Auschwitz, during WW II. He developed the science of logotheraphy centering on the will of meaning in lives. Frankl may not be a Christian, but he looked at many Christians in the camp along with others who were motivated by a loved one at home or faith in God, or strength through these hope of reuniting and saw the tremendous strength that allowed these men to endure tremendous hardship.
I John 3:15 says, “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remain in death.”
I know the people at Grasston and Braham Covenant and First Baptist but I don’t have the same feeling for them as the people at Stanchfield. There is an affinity and love that God gives. And time and again you have shown my family love that has been a great encouragement and wonder. Paul saw this and was encouraged when realized that he could love them and wanted to find out all about them and likewise realized that they loved him too. And that was adding his comfort while in prison. They were constantly on his mind. .
Paul said he was even willing to be in chains that they might so know the love of Christ
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri Sept 3
Theme- Hard Times
Verses- Phil 1:9-11 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-- to the glory and praise of God. (NIV)
Growing in Christ Helps you Make it in Hard Time v.9-11
Paul saw that people changed. He saw the work that God was doing in their lives and his heart was so uplifted. People can change, and so can you as one matures and grows in their relationship with Jesus Christ.
Perhaps in your life you are thinking it takes so long to be the person I want to be. Paul saw how the Lord was working in his life and how depending more on Jesus than circumstances established him in hard times. He continued to focus upward and outward instead of inward. He looked to the goal and not so much in the process of his faith. But as we allow Christ to have more of us, we become more like him.
He who has begun a good work in you will complete it. Isn’t that a great joy? God isn’t finished with you yet. God isn’t finished with me yet. Pastor Bob Grover would say to me, “The biggest room in the world is room for improvement.” I wonder why he keeps telling me that.
It’s true. There is the joy of knowing God has done a great work in our lives, but it is joyful to know that he is not done yet. There is more to do.
Paul looks at what God is doing in their spiritual lives and that lifts his spirits. People grow in the knowledge of the Lord and in the depth of understanding. We grow in the knowledge of God in reading the Bible in prayer and Sunday School, small groups, fellowship with the believers, and serving with our gifts. Paul took the time to refocus on his hope for the future. He saw what God did in the past. He looked forward to what was still to come. He refocused on his mission. Paul was excited by the prospects of the Philippian believers achieving Christ-likeness.
If you love someone you want to find out all you can about them. If they love Jesus they want to grow in the knowledge of Christ and that motivates them to know him more. There is confidence and hope. Growth is the hope that is yet to come.
When people are going through hard times it is joyful to know that this isn’t where it stops. Paul’s ultimate faith is in the Lord. He knows that the power of God is greater than he that is in the world.
Someone said if you like the changes you see in me now, just wait another 120 years. The spirit molds us into the fruits if we let him have his way in us. Gal 5:22-23. Paul is confident and excited because of gods work and the reward and goal. Vs. 10 the day of Christ, He knows that joy because those many don’t realize it there is a day coming when all will be completely well. Don’t worry about the future for Christian it can only get better. Complete joy in the presence of Jesus and that is what he is looking forward toward. He can’t lose. Even in a dungy cell it can be a place of worship and joy.
Paul’s confidence is in the promises of Jesus and the work to fruit of righteousness come through Jesus to the Glory and praise of God. Christian aim is to live such a life that the glory and praise are given to God. Christian goodness is not meant to win praise and credit and honor and prestige for self, bur rather praise for God. That is what gives Paul joy, not worried about self. But Kingdom is growing it is happening to Philippians whom he loves.
What are your prisons? Where are your dungeons that Satan would have you bound? Where are the potential problems that would bring disappointment and discouragement? Sickness. Family trouble, financial difficulty emotional uneasiness. May Paul’s joy be our joy, for it comes from the Lord.
Pastor Dale
Friday, August 27, 2010
Heaven - Topical
Sermon Nuggets Mon Aug 23
Theme- Heaven
Verses- Hebrews 9:24- For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are figures of the true; but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us”
Realms of Glory
The study this week is on heaven. Charles Spurgeon told his seminary students when you speak on Heaven be sure to smile and make your face light up. And when you speak on Hell….Well, Your ordinary face will do.
There is a great deal of literature and media presentations on the theme of heaven. Many ideas are from our imagination. One young man concluded he was not interesting in going to heaven for as he understood by preachers it is an eternal church service with way too much singing and preaching. Others talk about getting their harps and wings. Still others imagine being turned into angels.
How do you explain something that we have not experienced? Only through figures of speech and making comparisons with what we know, even though it is not just like that. There are things explained to us but it is natural to want to fill in the blanks with what we think it might look like. It is with humility we must recognize the difference between what the Bible teaches and what our own ideas might be. We do not have a complete picture of heaven.
Scriptures pictures heaven as a garden, a city, a kingdom, a throne room, all of which adds to our understanding. We are told Jesus is preparing a place for us, a mansion, a throne, a dwelling. Is Heaven non physical? The Bible talks about it being a place.
I enjoyed reading and teaching a study on Heaven by Randy Alcorn. However, I found his imaginations often falling more into the conjecture than revelation. 1 C 2:9 “No eye has seen nor ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.” That points us to the wonders that are unimaginable because we can only compare a seed to a tree as the vast difference of what God has planned. But Alcorn justifies his thoughts in the next verse “but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”
How can we determine whether revelations come from the Spirit or from ourselves? I’ve never been able to get that straight unless it falls in line with the Bible. When I fill in the spaces with my thoughts, I will try to warn you.
An instant after death the departed saint will know more about heaven than all of the saints here on earth. But until we are called home to be with the Lord, our knowledge is confined to what the Holy Spirit has revealed to us in the Bible.
Like Stephen at his stoning, I believe we will be greeted by Jesus. You will know Him and He already knows you and calls you by name. You will have entered into his presence without a break in consciousness.
I am attracted to his thoughts which picture God as eternally creating. We will not know everything there is to know when we get to heaven for some things do not exist yet, if God is perpetually creating and renewing things. There will be an eternity to keep discovering and having responsibilities and enjoying our growing relationship with our wonderful Lord. I like the idea that just like the angels will be shown more things not yet revealed to them, so we too will found out more and more about God as eternity continues.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues Aug 24
Verses- 2 Cor 12:2-4 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know-- God knows. And I know that this man-- whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows-- was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.
Heaven- The Words
Where is Heaven? The word heaven is used in the Bible both literally and figuratively. It is used often to refer to God and his judgments or decrees. Like when it says in the Old Testament. “May they hear from heaven so their sins may be forgiven” or I will lift my hands up to the heavens. Or heaven is his throne and the earth his footstool.
Matthew often speaks of the Kingdom of heaven is here, meaning the rule of God in the person of Jesus Christ. A voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, Hear Him.” That voice from heaven was God the Father.
I find that word heaven used a lot in reference to God and his authority in a figurative way. Solomon admits God is so big the heavens can’t hold him. But like all Bible reading the context helps us understand that when it speaks of heaven in a literal way it refers generally to three levels.
First there is the atmospheric or aerial heavens where the birds fly. This is visible to the naked eye and is mentioned by Jeremiah where he said: “The birds of the heavens have fled”. In this way God made the first heaven as the expanse over the earth. The tower of Babel reached upward to heaven. The clouds and atmosphere make up the first heaven.
Next, there are the stellar heavens from which shine the stars and constellations. Isaiah speaks of the Day of the Lord when “the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light” (Isaiah 13:10). There are also many references of the stars of heaven, and look to the heavenlies. We marvel to see the creation of earth and heavens, meaning all the things of earth and the vastness of the moon, stars, planets, and sun the galaxies of the heavens.
Finally, there is the third Heaven, the celestial. “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are figures of the true; but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Hebrews 9:24). Jesus said “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Here our Lord was referring to the third heaven, and He says the Father is there.
The third Heaven is treated as a place. It was the dwelling of Christ before His Incarnation. He said: “I came down from Heaven” (John 6:38). Heaven was also the place to which He ascended after His resurrection as Luke says: It is the place where the glory and power of God are set forth. Jesus is there now, “Set (or seated) on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Hebrews 8:1). Our Lord said: “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). When Jesus went away He must have gone somewhere to a place.
Some people have concluded that because heaven could not be found, there is no such place. But the great expanse of the Almighty God is not within the measuring lines of man. True, the astronomer has located the North Star over 400,000,000,000 miles away, but neither is that far when one reckons distance with God. We believe in the Biblical idea of heaven as a definite, tangible place.
But do we know the location of the third heaven where God, Christ, the angels, and the disembodied spirits of the believing dead are? In other words, exactly where is heaven? If this question were asked of a small child, the answer doubtless would come back in the form of a finger pointing up, and perhaps the accompanying words, “Up there.” Heaven to almost everyone is “up.”
Karl G. Sabiers asks: “Which way is ‘up’? If we say it is in the direction at right angles with the earth’s surface wherever we may happen to be, then it would be in a different direction from every point on earth. From North America and from China it would be in exactly the opposite directions. According to this, ‘up’ would be everywhere in general and nowhere in particular.” When Satan rebelled against God, he said: “I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; and I will set upon the mount of congregation in the uttermost parts of the north” (Isaiah 14:13 ). No matter on what part of the earth one is standing, north will always be “up.” When the prophet Ezekiel got his vision from the Lord, he wrote: “And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north” (Ezekiel 1:4). It would seem reasonable to conclude that heaven is somewhere in the northern heavens beyond the reach of the astronomer’s powerful telescope, or it is just invisible to any human apparatus.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Weds Aug 25
Verses- Rev 21:18-23 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
Heaven -The Wonders
“Some do not yearn to be near God because they do not find sin utterly repugnant or goodness wonderfully attractive.” C.S. Lewis stated “We are half hearted creatures fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what it meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.”
So it is in our world. We are content with the mud pies the best we know because we can’t really imagine what heaven will be like. But Revelations helps us know more.
In Rev 21:1-22:5 pictures heaven as the new Jerusalem, the Holy City coming to a new earth. It is no surprise that holiness will characterize the eternal city. God is everywhere revealed as God of infinite holiness. No sin will abound in this place. It is eternal and everlasting. How
can we understand perfection?.
If we can say anything about heaven, the Bible uses figures that sort, kinda, like describe it’s beauty. “It’s kind of like this, it is sort of like that.” But the bottom line is our minds cannot comprehend it as the experiences are incomparable. There are no words invented to describe the glories of heaven. So lets take the best things we can think of and combine them together.
Take the whiteness of the winters in the woods, the majestic mountains of Switzerland, the awesome moonlight reflections of the boundary water lakes. The balm trees of California, the vastness of the Grand canyon, the glories of the stars in the videos from our space ships. Take the botanical gardens of Vancouver Island, or serenity of Hawaii, and combine them together. But that isn’t good enough.
If in a world cursed by sin God has made so many beautiful things, how much more beautiful must be that home where there is no sin to mar His perfect handiwork.
The most important part of heaven is that it is the dwelling place of God and we will be with Him. The unveiled presence of almighty and Holy God is the essence of Heaven. Just as Moses face shined for days when he was for in it every person and every thing will echo the glory and the holiness of God. All powers of evil and all unbelievers will have been cast into the lake of fire forever. This means that every possibility of sin will have been expelled.
The fellowship in Heaven will surpass anything that we have known on earth. Up there “God is with men; He will dwell with them, and God Himself shall be with them.” We shall enter into a fellowship with the triune God that is utterly unknown on earth. Men dwelling with God Himself.
In addition to having fellowship with “God Himself,” Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we will commune with the company of angels, as well as the saints who went on before us.
Revelations 21 also tell us there will be no Tears, no death, no pain, no suffering.
There is complete righteousness, justice, and truth. There are no legal loop holes that people seek to cheat one another. There will be no lying lips or a judge that does not understand even the heart of the matter. God knows my heart and my intensions and my confusion and my doubts now. I don’t have to explain myself.
I know sometimes I make a decision and I’m 49 % one way and 51% the other way, but the act or the decision is made while I vacillate over the two. People cannot understand completely intentions but only actions. God knows all.
In verse 6 it describes water of life that is satisfying. When Jesus was at the well he said I will give you water where you will not thirst again. She wanted this super bottled water. But she was looking for love in all the wrong places with all the men she lived with, But Jesus was able to give her pure love and in that context find fulfillment that she had been looking for. Verse. 7 reminds us of an incredible inheritance All things. It will all be ours for the living. But the Bible does not teach universalism that everyone will be saved and going to heaven. It also talks about those who are excluded. There are people who do not respond to the revelation and truth they have received.
As I look at the rest of the chapter the angel carries John to a mountain. Sounds better than light rail or an airplane! What he saw there was the shining from the glory of God and brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel jasper clear as crystal
The passage above is described as a temple where the dwelling of God is with a great high wall, 12 gates as tribes of Israel serve as an entrance into place now for all nations. But you don’t need a temple because the light is from God and the Lamb.
In Heaven there will be no more death. God has arranged a time when death itself shall be removed. “Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’”
The 22nd chapter continues to gives us figurative and picturesque views. People all over live by rivers and water for drinking, refreshment, irrigation, and transportation. That pictures of all those shows there is a river of the water of live clear and clean and plentiful. Just like God had water come from the rock. Jesus is also that living water from the throne. With tree of life 12 crops of fruit, Recreation in perfection.
Heaven is too splendid for our human hearts and too vast for our finite minds. So we see only a glimpse of glory. The street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass; The wall was made of jasper the twelve gates were peals, each gate made of a single pearl. But none of these are the main attraction. They are only symbols of its glory. The central glory is God Himself. He is the chef attraction.
John wishes he had words to describe it.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs Aug 26
Verses- Matt 25:21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
Rev 22:3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.
Heaven- The Work
Huck Finn thought heaven was a place where a person would go around all day long with a harp and sin, forever and forever. We have many hymns that teach us about heaven, and unfortunately we get more of our ideas from hymn that men write than from the Bible which God wrote.
God works and his creation works. We have purpose and meaning in work that is not toilsome as we’ve been under the curse. Jesus in his life here worked as a carpenter after the trade of Joseph. God is working every day all the time, and has prepared for us meaningful work in heaven.
In the parable of talents those who have been faithful in little things shall be given responsibility over much. There apparently is rewards that include various responsibilities based on our faithful work here on earth. Doing what God wants us to do with whatever God chosen to give us. Some have many talents others few, but use them by Gods Spirit and for Gods’ glory and it will produce for you greater joy in heaven.
The implication of this and other passages is that there will be responsibilities and service in the afterlife. Not toilsome like the curse, but rewarding like the responsibility God gave Adam to care for the animals and name them.
Work is true in every well ordered home on earth. Some people are so overworked that their greatest longing is for rest. The Bible verse that most appeals to them is “There remains therefore a rest to the people of God. Heb 4:9. But the time will come when they will be rested and will become weary of doing nothing. Each one will be given exactly the taste that suits his powers, and his tastes and his abilities.
The saints “shall serve Him day and night in His temple”. By no means does the “rest” of the redeemed mean idleness. When we rest from our labors, I think it implies the hard labor that came with the curse. The heaven responsibilities we must handle in a fallen world. When Adam and Eve sinned, part of the curse was that hard work was not the joy that they experienced in the garden, but thorns and thistles, sweat and weariness were added.
In Heaven we shall serve Him unhampered by earth’s enemies and limitations, without painful stress and strain and sweat. “And what will we be doing?” someone asks. David said: “In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11). On earth we are hampered by so many things. The Apostle John realized that believers were enjoying merely a measure of that which God had for them. He wrote: “These things write we unto you, that your joy may be full” (1 John 1:4). In Heaven the joys and pleasures of our union with Jesus Christ will be appreciated and apprehended to the full, unhindered by the disturbing and distracting things on earth.
But we will not only be servants for the Bible speaks as well of authority to his faithful servants. All those in authority are also servants of the company or church, or government. I suppose the difference would be if you own and operate your own company, but even then most of a board under which they must give an account. But there will be no competition or slackers in heaven, no trying to beat the other guy. I believe that just like angels have different ranks of responsibilities so will we, based on the works of this world. Will the Lord find you faithful now?
Pastor Dale
Sermon nuggets Fri Aug 27
Verses- Rev 14:1-3 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads.
And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.
And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
Heaven- The Worship
The way the Bible implies Heaven is home. Jesus told his disciples that he will go and prepare a place for them, in my Fathers house. This will be in the presence of God the triune, Father Son and Holy Spirit.
But the Father’s house will be happy because there will be nothing to make it sad and there will be music. I think of the variety of styles and preferences of worship music. We are limited also in this earthly realm. I wonder if those who love praise choruses and drums will be in one section and those who love classical hymns over in that corner; southern gospel to the right and spirituals to the left?
Now some people’s work is music. There are musicians that enjoy making music and spend all their professional life writing, composing, practicing and performing. Is that work? All of them will tell you there are times when they do not feel like doing it and it is a chore, but there are times more often when it is a delight. And reward isn’t in the paycheck that may come, but in the engagement of the communication of emotions that music is known for. How wonderful would the music be when it flows out of a full heart and not out of obligation to get the job done. That is how it will be with all work. But in the Bible worship holds a special category in heaven.
The entire opening part of Revelations 19 is devoted to a scene of worship in heaven. Many of the Psalms are filled with expressions of worship, assigning praise to God. The book of Psalms is a book of hymns, but the book of Revelations has 14 songs in it all of them by groups appearing in heaven, some by angles some by elders, but a number of them by the redeemed saints.
In Revelation 4:10-11 we are clearly shown that in heaven some will worship our Lord and cast down crowns before His throne. On earth He is not worshipped and adored as He should be. Our so-called worship is sometimes no worship at all. How often we have gone through the motions when our hearts were not right! We enthrone self and steal the crowns to the boast of what we have done. But some day we will see Him as He is and we shall give Him our all. The more we focus on the person of Christ and what He has done for us it should lead us to more delight of heart and faithfulness of service while we are on this journey here and now. But when more is revealed in glory we will know Him who has redeemed us and brought us to our eternal dwelling place. We will see with different eyes how He as loved us and won us unto Himself.
Man is the apex of God’s creation, the crown of all that our heavenly Father has brought into existence by His own mighty power. The remarkable strides that men have made in scientific research, in industrial progress, in agricultural development, and in the civilization and evangelization of the peoples of the world are an indication of the treasures of genius which God has given to mankind. But think of how limited we are here and how much more we will be able to enter a realm where even the confines of our scales and notes will be expaned. I think there will be music beyond our imaginations. There will be new sounds and voices. There will be new instruments and new sounds and new music.
Some day a message will be given by the Father above and say to an angel it’s time to bring Dale Cope home. All who know Christ personally are given freedom from the fear. It is going home to the one who loves us most.
Perhaps you are not a Christian or not have the confidence of going to heaven when you die. Some day you are going to die. To you death will be a terrible agonizing enemy. You will be banished from the presence of God in hell. Right now you can receive the love of Christ and take Him as your Lord and Savior. You can renounce your sin, turn by faith to Him, and ask Him to save you. Will you do that?
But we take courage and press on hopefully, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Today our knowledge is confined to the revelation that God has given us in His Word. But in that day--“face to face!” Face to face with family and friends whom we have loved long ago. But more wonderful still we shall see Him as He is, “face to face.”
As the old Swedish Hymn says, “ Face to face with Christ my Savior. Face to face what will it be—when with rapture I behold Him, Jesus Christ who died for me? Face to face I shall behold Him, far beyond the starry sky face to face in all His glory, I shall see Him by and by.
Only faintly now I see Him with the darkened veil between. But a blessed day is coming when His glory shall be seen. What rejoicing in His presence when are banished grief and pain, when the crooked ways are straightened and the dark things shall be plain.” (Grant Tullar)
Pastor Dale
Theme- Heaven
Verses- Hebrews 9:24- For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are figures of the true; but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us”
Realms of Glory
The study this week is on heaven. Charles Spurgeon told his seminary students when you speak on Heaven be sure to smile and make your face light up. And when you speak on Hell….Well, Your ordinary face will do.
There is a great deal of literature and media presentations on the theme of heaven. Many ideas are from our imagination. One young man concluded he was not interesting in going to heaven for as he understood by preachers it is an eternal church service with way too much singing and preaching. Others talk about getting their harps and wings. Still others imagine being turned into angels.
How do you explain something that we have not experienced? Only through figures of speech and making comparisons with what we know, even though it is not just like that. There are things explained to us but it is natural to want to fill in the blanks with what we think it might look like. It is with humility we must recognize the difference between what the Bible teaches and what our own ideas might be. We do not have a complete picture of heaven.
Scriptures pictures heaven as a garden, a city, a kingdom, a throne room, all of which adds to our understanding. We are told Jesus is preparing a place for us, a mansion, a throne, a dwelling. Is Heaven non physical? The Bible talks about it being a place.
I enjoyed reading and teaching a study on Heaven by Randy Alcorn. However, I found his imaginations often falling more into the conjecture than revelation. 1 C 2:9 “No eye has seen nor ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.” That points us to the wonders that are unimaginable because we can only compare a seed to a tree as the vast difference of what God has planned. But Alcorn justifies his thoughts in the next verse “but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”
How can we determine whether revelations come from the Spirit or from ourselves? I’ve never been able to get that straight unless it falls in line with the Bible. When I fill in the spaces with my thoughts, I will try to warn you.
An instant after death the departed saint will know more about heaven than all of the saints here on earth. But until we are called home to be with the Lord, our knowledge is confined to what the Holy Spirit has revealed to us in the Bible.
Like Stephen at his stoning, I believe we will be greeted by Jesus. You will know Him and He already knows you and calls you by name. You will have entered into his presence without a break in consciousness.
I am attracted to his thoughts which picture God as eternally creating. We will not know everything there is to know when we get to heaven for some things do not exist yet, if God is perpetually creating and renewing things. There will be an eternity to keep discovering and having responsibilities and enjoying our growing relationship with our wonderful Lord. I like the idea that just like the angels will be shown more things not yet revealed to them, so we too will found out more and more about God as eternity continues.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues Aug 24
Verses- 2 Cor 12:2-4 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know-- God knows. And I know that this man-- whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows-- was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.
Heaven- The Words
Where is Heaven? The word heaven is used in the Bible both literally and figuratively. It is used often to refer to God and his judgments or decrees. Like when it says in the Old Testament. “May they hear from heaven so their sins may be forgiven” or I will lift my hands up to the heavens. Or heaven is his throne and the earth his footstool.
Matthew often speaks of the Kingdom of heaven is here, meaning the rule of God in the person of Jesus Christ. A voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, Hear Him.” That voice from heaven was God the Father.
I find that word heaven used a lot in reference to God and his authority in a figurative way. Solomon admits God is so big the heavens can’t hold him. But like all Bible reading the context helps us understand that when it speaks of heaven in a literal way it refers generally to three levels.
First there is the atmospheric or aerial heavens where the birds fly. This is visible to the naked eye and is mentioned by Jeremiah where he said: “The birds of the heavens have fled”. In this way God made the first heaven as the expanse over the earth. The tower of Babel reached upward to heaven. The clouds and atmosphere make up the first heaven.
Next, there are the stellar heavens from which shine the stars and constellations. Isaiah speaks of the Day of the Lord when “the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light” (Isaiah 13:10). There are also many references of the stars of heaven, and look to the heavenlies. We marvel to see the creation of earth and heavens, meaning all the things of earth and the vastness of the moon, stars, planets, and sun the galaxies of the heavens.
Finally, there is the third Heaven, the celestial. “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are figures of the true; but into Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Hebrews 9:24). Jesus said “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Here our Lord was referring to the third heaven, and He says the Father is there.
The third Heaven is treated as a place. It was the dwelling of Christ before His Incarnation. He said: “I came down from Heaven” (John 6:38). Heaven was also the place to which He ascended after His resurrection as Luke says: It is the place where the glory and power of God are set forth. Jesus is there now, “Set (or seated) on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Hebrews 8:1). Our Lord said: “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). When Jesus went away He must have gone somewhere to a place.
Some people have concluded that because heaven could not be found, there is no such place. But the great expanse of the Almighty God is not within the measuring lines of man. True, the astronomer has located the North Star over 400,000,000,000 miles away, but neither is that far when one reckons distance with God. We believe in the Biblical idea of heaven as a definite, tangible place.
But do we know the location of the third heaven where God, Christ, the angels, and the disembodied spirits of the believing dead are? In other words, exactly where is heaven? If this question were asked of a small child, the answer doubtless would come back in the form of a finger pointing up, and perhaps the accompanying words, “Up there.” Heaven to almost everyone is “up.”
Karl G. Sabiers asks: “Which way is ‘up’? If we say it is in the direction at right angles with the earth’s surface wherever we may happen to be, then it would be in a different direction from every point on earth. From North America and from China it would be in exactly the opposite directions. According to this, ‘up’ would be everywhere in general and nowhere in particular.” When Satan rebelled against God, he said: “I will ascend into Heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; and I will set upon the mount of congregation in the uttermost parts of the north” (Isaiah 14:13 ). No matter on what part of the earth one is standing, north will always be “up.” When the prophet Ezekiel got his vision from the Lord, he wrote: “And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north” (Ezekiel 1:4). It would seem reasonable to conclude that heaven is somewhere in the northern heavens beyond the reach of the astronomer’s powerful telescope, or it is just invisible to any human apparatus.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Weds Aug 25
Verses- Rev 21:18-23 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.
Heaven -The Wonders
“Some do not yearn to be near God because they do not find sin utterly repugnant or goodness wonderfully attractive.” C.S. Lewis stated “We are half hearted creatures fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what it meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.”
So it is in our world. We are content with the mud pies the best we know because we can’t really imagine what heaven will be like. But Revelations helps us know more.
In Rev 21:1-22:5 pictures heaven as the new Jerusalem, the Holy City coming to a new earth. It is no surprise that holiness will characterize the eternal city. God is everywhere revealed as God of infinite holiness. No sin will abound in this place. It is eternal and everlasting. How
can we understand perfection?.
If we can say anything about heaven, the Bible uses figures that sort, kinda, like describe it’s beauty. “It’s kind of like this, it is sort of like that.” But the bottom line is our minds cannot comprehend it as the experiences are incomparable. There are no words invented to describe the glories of heaven. So lets take the best things we can think of and combine them together.
Take the whiteness of the winters in the woods, the majestic mountains of Switzerland, the awesome moonlight reflections of the boundary water lakes. The balm trees of California, the vastness of the Grand canyon, the glories of the stars in the videos from our space ships. Take the botanical gardens of Vancouver Island, or serenity of Hawaii, and combine them together. But that isn’t good enough.
If in a world cursed by sin God has made so many beautiful things, how much more beautiful must be that home where there is no sin to mar His perfect handiwork.
The most important part of heaven is that it is the dwelling place of God and we will be with Him. The unveiled presence of almighty and Holy God is the essence of Heaven. Just as Moses face shined for days when he was for in it every person and every thing will echo the glory and the holiness of God. All powers of evil and all unbelievers will have been cast into the lake of fire forever. This means that every possibility of sin will have been expelled.
The fellowship in Heaven will surpass anything that we have known on earth. Up there “God is with men; He will dwell with them, and God Himself shall be with them.” We shall enter into a fellowship with the triune God that is utterly unknown on earth. Men dwelling with God Himself.
In addition to having fellowship with “God Himself,” Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we will commune with the company of angels, as well as the saints who went on before us.
Revelations 21 also tell us there will be no Tears, no death, no pain, no suffering.
There is complete righteousness, justice, and truth. There are no legal loop holes that people seek to cheat one another. There will be no lying lips or a judge that does not understand even the heart of the matter. God knows my heart and my intensions and my confusion and my doubts now. I don’t have to explain myself.
I know sometimes I make a decision and I’m 49 % one way and 51% the other way, but the act or the decision is made while I vacillate over the two. People cannot understand completely intentions but only actions. God knows all.
In verse 6 it describes water of life that is satisfying. When Jesus was at the well he said I will give you water where you will not thirst again. She wanted this super bottled water. But she was looking for love in all the wrong places with all the men she lived with, But Jesus was able to give her pure love and in that context find fulfillment that she had been looking for. Verse. 7 reminds us of an incredible inheritance All things. It will all be ours for the living. But the Bible does not teach universalism that everyone will be saved and going to heaven. It also talks about those who are excluded. There are people who do not respond to the revelation and truth they have received.
As I look at the rest of the chapter the angel carries John to a mountain. Sounds better than light rail or an airplane! What he saw there was the shining from the glory of God and brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel jasper clear as crystal
The passage above is described as a temple where the dwelling of God is with a great high wall, 12 gates as tribes of Israel serve as an entrance into place now for all nations. But you don’t need a temple because the light is from God and the Lamb.
In Heaven there will be no more death. God has arranged a time when death itself shall be removed. “Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’”
The 22nd chapter continues to gives us figurative and picturesque views. People all over live by rivers and water for drinking, refreshment, irrigation, and transportation. That pictures of all those shows there is a river of the water of live clear and clean and plentiful. Just like God had water come from the rock. Jesus is also that living water from the throne. With tree of life 12 crops of fruit, Recreation in perfection.
Heaven is too splendid for our human hearts and too vast for our finite minds. So we see only a glimpse of glory. The street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass; The wall was made of jasper the twelve gates were peals, each gate made of a single pearl. But none of these are the main attraction. They are only symbols of its glory. The central glory is God Himself. He is the chef attraction.
John wishes he had words to describe it.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs Aug 26
Verses- Matt 25:21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
Rev 22:3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.
Heaven- The Work
Huck Finn thought heaven was a place where a person would go around all day long with a harp and sin, forever and forever. We have many hymns that teach us about heaven, and unfortunately we get more of our ideas from hymn that men write than from the Bible which God wrote.
God works and his creation works. We have purpose and meaning in work that is not toilsome as we’ve been under the curse. Jesus in his life here worked as a carpenter after the trade of Joseph. God is working every day all the time, and has prepared for us meaningful work in heaven.
In the parable of talents those who have been faithful in little things shall be given responsibility over much. There apparently is rewards that include various responsibilities based on our faithful work here on earth. Doing what God wants us to do with whatever God chosen to give us. Some have many talents others few, but use them by Gods Spirit and for Gods’ glory and it will produce for you greater joy in heaven.
The implication of this and other passages is that there will be responsibilities and service in the afterlife. Not toilsome like the curse, but rewarding like the responsibility God gave Adam to care for the animals and name them.
Work is true in every well ordered home on earth. Some people are so overworked that their greatest longing is for rest. The Bible verse that most appeals to them is “There remains therefore a rest to the people of God. Heb 4:9. But the time will come when they will be rested and will become weary of doing nothing. Each one will be given exactly the taste that suits his powers, and his tastes and his abilities.
The saints “shall serve Him day and night in His temple”. By no means does the “rest” of the redeemed mean idleness. When we rest from our labors, I think it implies the hard labor that came with the curse. The heaven responsibilities we must handle in a fallen world. When Adam and Eve sinned, part of the curse was that hard work was not the joy that they experienced in the garden, but thorns and thistles, sweat and weariness were added.
In Heaven we shall serve Him unhampered by earth’s enemies and limitations, without painful stress and strain and sweat. “And what will we be doing?” someone asks. David said: “In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11). On earth we are hampered by so many things. The Apostle John realized that believers were enjoying merely a measure of that which God had for them. He wrote: “These things write we unto you, that your joy may be full” (1 John 1:4). In Heaven the joys and pleasures of our union with Jesus Christ will be appreciated and apprehended to the full, unhindered by the disturbing and distracting things on earth.
But we will not only be servants for the Bible speaks as well of authority to his faithful servants. All those in authority are also servants of the company or church, or government. I suppose the difference would be if you own and operate your own company, but even then most of a board under which they must give an account. But there will be no competition or slackers in heaven, no trying to beat the other guy. I believe that just like angels have different ranks of responsibilities so will we, based on the works of this world. Will the Lord find you faithful now?
Pastor Dale
Sermon nuggets Fri Aug 27
Verses- Rev 14:1-3 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads.
And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.
And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
Heaven- The Worship
The way the Bible implies Heaven is home. Jesus told his disciples that he will go and prepare a place for them, in my Fathers house. This will be in the presence of God the triune, Father Son and Holy Spirit.
But the Father’s house will be happy because there will be nothing to make it sad and there will be music. I think of the variety of styles and preferences of worship music. We are limited also in this earthly realm. I wonder if those who love praise choruses and drums will be in one section and those who love classical hymns over in that corner; southern gospel to the right and spirituals to the left?
Now some people’s work is music. There are musicians that enjoy making music and spend all their professional life writing, composing, practicing and performing. Is that work? All of them will tell you there are times when they do not feel like doing it and it is a chore, but there are times more often when it is a delight. And reward isn’t in the paycheck that may come, but in the engagement of the communication of emotions that music is known for. How wonderful would the music be when it flows out of a full heart and not out of obligation to get the job done. That is how it will be with all work. But in the Bible worship holds a special category in heaven.
The entire opening part of Revelations 19 is devoted to a scene of worship in heaven. Many of the Psalms are filled with expressions of worship, assigning praise to God. The book of Psalms is a book of hymns, but the book of Revelations has 14 songs in it all of them by groups appearing in heaven, some by angles some by elders, but a number of them by the redeemed saints.
In Revelation 4:10-11 we are clearly shown that in heaven some will worship our Lord and cast down crowns before His throne. On earth He is not worshipped and adored as He should be. Our so-called worship is sometimes no worship at all. How often we have gone through the motions when our hearts were not right! We enthrone self and steal the crowns to the boast of what we have done. But some day we will see Him as He is and we shall give Him our all. The more we focus on the person of Christ and what He has done for us it should lead us to more delight of heart and faithfulness of service while we are on this journey here and now. But when more is revealed in glory we will know Him who has redeemed us and brought us to our eternal dwelling place. We will see with different eyes how He as loved us and won us unto Himself.
Man is the apex of God’s creation, the crown of all that our heavenly Father has brought into existence by His own mighty power. The remarkable strides that men have made in scientific research, in industrial progress, in agricultural development, and in the civilization and evangelization of the peoples of the world are an indication of the treasures of genius which God has given to mankind. But think of how limited we are here and how much more we will be able to enter a realm where even the confines of our scales and notes will be expaned. I think there will be music beyond our imaginations. There will be new sounds and voices. There will be new instruments and new sounds and new music.
Some day a message will be given by the Father above and say to an angel it’s time to bring Dale Cope home. All who know Christ personally are given freedom from the fear. It is going home to the one who loves us most.
Perhaps you are not a Christian or not have the confidence of going to heaven when you die. Some day you are going to die. To you death will be a terrible agonizing enemy. You will be banished from the presence of God in hell. Right now you can receive the love of Christ and take Him as your Lord and Savior. You can renounce your sin, turn by faith to Him, and ask Him to save you. Will you do that?
But we take courage and press on hopefully, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Today our knowledge is confined to the revelation that God has given us in His Word. But in that day--“face to face!” Face to face with family and friends whom we have loved long ago. But more wonderful still we shall see Him as He is, “face to face.”
As the old Swedish Hymn says, “ Face to face with Christ my Savior. Face to face what will it be—when with rapture I behold Him, Jesus Christ who died for me? Face to face I shall behold Him, far beyond the starry sky face to face in all His glory, I shall see Him by and by.
Only faintly now I see Him with the darkened veil between. But a blessed day is coming when His glory shall be seen. What rejoicing in His presence when are banished grief and pain, when the crooked ways are straightened and the dark things shall be plain.” (Grant Tullar)
Pastor Dale
Friday, August 20, 2010
Death of Christ 1 Cor 15:3-4
Sermon Nuggets- Monday August 16
Theme Death of Christ
Verses 1 Cor 15:3-4 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”
Death of Christ
Death is the process we know that prepares us for this body. Just like the seed cannot produce fruit without first dying and being buried, so it is with you and me. That is the way that He has chosen to translate us from this earthly life into the heavenly. That is the only way that we can be forever with the Lord. This is the 4th in the series and I want to look at the Death of Jesus.
Some have called this passage the gospel in a nutshell. It defines the work of Christ in his body while on earth. These four events are the foundation of our faith- He died, was buried, arose and appeared. Without those events Paul says our faith would be in vain.
The events of Jesus coming were all preplanned. He was not a victim of circumstances. The death of Jesus wasn’t a last minute decision. It was planned before creation (1st Peter 1:19-20) That plan for redemption that was planned before creation, has now come to pass through the death of Christ
The prophecies about the crucifixion of the Messiah, were written hundreds of years before there was such a punishment as crucifixion. Psalm 22 is a prophetic psalm pointing to the suffering of the Messiah 950 years before it occurred.
Yet Jesus was not forced by any man to die. It was voluntary. In spite of the cruelty of the cross, Jesus still choose to die. John 10:17-18 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life-- only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
I sometimes ponder the circumstances recorded both in the out of Scripture to remind myself how unique Jesus death as from any other. I am not just talking about the cross or the beating because many had received at horrific punishment and suffering. Combined with the events we read about how the sky was darkened from the 6th to the 9th hour. In a book on the crucifixion of Jesus I am reminded that it wasn’t an eclipe for those everns last only a few minutes not for 3 hours. This event is also recorded by non-biblical sources –Tertullian writes about it being recorded in the Roman records, and Dionysius of Alexandria, also recorded witnessing this pheromone
We also read that at the moment of Christ’s death the curtain in the Temple was torn in half. This was a heavy curtain that hung between the holy place and the holy of holies. According to rabbinical literature of the first century, the veil in Herod’s temple was 4 fingers thick. Thick enough that no man could see through it, and it separated God from sinful man as we have been studying Sunday mornings when the tabernacle was build in the wilderness. Men would have torn the veil (if they possibly could) from bottom to top, this was done from top to bottom, showing that it was God who had done it.
We also read that at the very moment that Jesus died, there was a great earthquake, that the earth shook and the rocks split. This happened right at the time of his last breath. Calvin Miller describes it as, “The earth shuddering at her awful crime”
This earthquake shook open many of the nearby tombs according to Matthew 27:52-53. A soldier put his spear into the side of Jesus to see that blood and water came out to prove his death and the centurion trying to take in all of this change his whole outlook when he exclaimed, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
We will look more at the atonement of His death in the days ahead.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues Aug 17
Verses 1 Cor 15:3-4 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”
The Purpose of Christ’s Death
We defined death earlier as a separation in regards to our body, soul and spirit. We looked at what happens after we die, the teachings of Hades, and Paradise, and Abraham’s bosom, and the presence of God. We talked about near death experiences, and what the Bible teaches.
But since death is the result of sin why did Jesus die? Even though He had human flesh if death was a punishment for sin and a curse upon our world, it should not have affected the one who was completely holy. Since John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance, Jesus should not have been baptized by John. John the Baptist was right in objecting to baptize Jesus. But Jesus said He must do so to fulfill the righteousness of God. So as the purpose of his baptism was different, so was the purpose of his death.
The first mention of any death in the Bible was interestingly the day that Adam and Eve sinned. God had prepared skins for them to wear for they saw they were naked and ashamed. That was more than a bodily condition of being without clothes. But it was that sense of wanting to cover up the nature and not expose their sinful character.
If magically God would project on our power point all the thought and images that come into your mind. The things you want to say to people but culture and politeness prevent you. The attitudes you have toward people for whom you respond nicely, or the lusts of the flesh. Even if the wrong people overheard your private conversations sins of your heart would be exposed. You would feel like Adam and Eve, naked and ashamed. You would want to hide.
How can we get the pictures of a most holy God in our minds? When He abhors sin everyone of us have offended him greatly. And so there is no relationship we can with Him for our sin separates us. The Bible tells us no person is worthy of relationship with a Holy God
We are helpless to correct this situation and can do nothing to hide our sin from God. He has a holy wrath against sin which makes us enemies and condemned to death.
In the Old Testament God demonstrated another important quality. It was grace. He provided a way to allow people to have a relationship with Himself. It came in a sacrificial system where the death of blood of the animal was accepted by God as a substitute for the death we deserve. "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls" Lev. 17:11.
The Law required that the sacrificial victims must be free from defect, and buying them always involved some cost to the sinner. But an animal's death did not automatically make people right with God in some simple, mechanical way. The hostility between God and man because of sin is a personal matter. Mankind was personally expected to recognize the seriousness of their sin. They must also identify themselves personally with the victim that dies: "Then he shall put his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him" Lev. 1:4.
All the bulls and sheep and doves and oxen which were killed and bled to death still were only a temporary situation. It was like paying on credit the bill that is owed.
"For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins" Heb. 10:4. Atonement means to bring something in our place to die for us in order for the price of sin to be paid.
What Jesus represents for us is this: 1) In his divine/human nature he is able to represent us before God. As Priest- carrying out the duties as on anointed to enter the holy of holies. He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. Heb. 9:12. He fulfills the place of the sacrificial lamb without spot or blemish provided by God to take away our sins by his death forever since he is without sin. He fulfills the place of the mediator represented us before God. No believer who truly understands the awesome holiness of God's wrath and the terrible hopelessness that comes from personal sin can fail to be overwhelmed by the deep love of Jesus for each of us, and the wonder of God's gracious gift of eternal atonement through Christ. Through Jesus, God will present us "faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy"
His purpose in dying is that we might be redeemed, purchased for God, set apart now with holiness that is given to us as a gift. It is not to be taken lightly as American’s are prone to do. Nor is it to be taken with some thought that we must pay some of the debt ourselves that is not atonement it is self righteousness.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Weds Aug 18 –
Verses- 1 Cor 15:3-4 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”
The Burial of Christ-
The gospel proclamation was that Christ died. And He was buried. After the atoning blood was shed they took the dead body of Jesus and buried it.
We have various burial customs. The most common explanation of the reason we bury bodies is to depose of it in a memorable way. The dead flesh begins to decay and will rot and stink. Left on its own it can cause disease and rampant infection among the living.
The Bible teaches us that from dust we were taken and to dust we shall return. Entombing the bodies in caves and mounds were common. Most were placed under the ground or burned. Those at sea were tossed overboard. Many cultures have various traditions and rituals among religions as to how to dispose of the bodies.
There is also a finality of our earthly life when it comes to burial. The finality of the customs of burial that allow grief to be expressed and a social acceptable way of coming together to mourn to cry, to remember to bear the pain of separation of loved ones. Something is supposed to happen when we take two or three days, up to a week and have a night or two of visitation. We carry out prescribed steps to help mourn loved ones when we hold a service and walk with dignity out to the grounds for burial. The hole is dug. A vault it purchased so in our sandy soil so it doesn’t collapse before or sink when decay sets in or caskets rot and it is sealed.
My mother laughed at the funeral director when she purchased her own vault and had a prepared burial. She was told it was sealed with a 10 years warranty. She asked, “Who’s going to dig it up and look? What are you going to do, get your money back if it wasn’t hermetically sealed?”
Due to the hot climate of Palestine, dead bodies decayed rapidly, so burial usually took place within a few hours after death. If someone died late in the day, burial took place the next day, but always within 24 hours after death. That was the Jewish custom. Even among orthodox Jews today it is not uncommon to have the burial within 24 hours and some family members do not even know their loved one has died. But they spend a considerable amount of time in mourning in the house afterwards as a gather place for relative’s friends to support one another in the loss.
When death occurred, the oldest son or nearest of kin closed the eyes of the dead and the mouth was closed and the jaws bound up After the body was washed it was usually wrapped in cloth. The wealthy used linen with spices placed between the folds
Depending upon economic and social status, burial at the time of Jesus was either in a shallow grave covered with stones or in a cave or tomb hewn out of stone. Tombs were made secure by rolling a circular stone over the entrance and sealing the tomb. This was done to secure the body from animals. Graves were often marked with a large, upright stone.
Matt 12:40 “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
With burial there is finality; there is the affirmation that it was real death. There is the contrast between resuscitation and resurrection. For someone who has just died or been in a near death experience and brought back to life can be easily referred to as a resuscitation. There is no question in anyone’s mind that a burial is leaving on dead without the hope of recovery.
But burial has another emphasis for us. It is yes, the prelude to life, but if we consider the symbolism of Romans 6 that we are united with Christ in this death and burial and resurrection. It implies that our old self is put to death and we are created new Creatures in Him.
Burial is the final act related to our bodies on earth. The job of Jesus was completed. There was no more use for his earthly body. It was finished.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs August 19, 2010
Verses- 1 Cor 15:4-8…that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
The Resurrection of Christ
The power of the gospel of course is climaxed in the tremendous victory that is ours by Jesus overcoming death. Paul went so far as to say the death and burial of Jesus means really nothing without the resurrection. But with the resurrection of Jesus Christ then the significance of His death is made clear.
It certainly validates that Jesus is true. It affirms for us the victory we have over sin and death and Satan. It takes away the fear of the death as it did for the all the apostles and followers that looked not at this life only but most importantly on the life to come.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ affirms for us forgiveness of sin. Coming up out of the waters of baptism doesn’t buy us anything, it is only Jesus coming out of the tomb and our faith in Him that says we are new creatures and cleansed, but baptism symbolizes that. It proclaims our healing and our salvation and eternal life and our righteousness our sanctification and our reconciliation, and the hope of eternal life.
This thing called death now had a different perspective for the children of God. That which was and is feared above all things is now put in perspective by the power of Jesus Christ. It is a transition, nothing more for those who follow HIM.
The fact that he died was well established. People understood that. But how can the facts of the resurrection from the bodily death be well established by those who have not experienced anything like this before. There have been some temporary incidents given to mankind in the likes of a resurrected sons in the Old Testament. Both Elijah and Elisha were used in these unusual examples.
But when Jesus came on the scene he demonstrated power over death before He gave up his physical body. He raised some children who were the objects of great love by their parents. He changed their grief into joy. What was lost was now found again.
He opened the grave of Lazarus before many witnesses. It was undeniable the greatest of miracles so far since no one could possibly do any tricks after being gone for four days. It was too late! But Jesus came before the tomb and called out the body of Lazarus and his clothing was untied and walked and ate and talked among them again. Grief was turned to joy. Satan lost, Jesus won.
Matt 12:40-41 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.
It was there in Scripture but of course, who could understand prophecies? There were given for another generation to marvel at the works of God in times of old and how they pointed to the Messiah brought new appreciation and understanding not only to the Holy Word, but to God. Jonah was rebellious. He was disobedient. But he was to preach to the gentiles the good news. Jesus was obedient. He was willing to do the will of His Father and after his resurrection the gospel was preached to pagan people. It is there in the Scriptures. Paul is doing the preaching. Hearts are moved by the Spirit to see Jesus.
But now does one get proof these things are true? Mark 8:31-33 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
No one wants suffering. No one wants death. Those things are the result of sin. No one wants pain or hardship or difficulties, but they are here among us daily. It is fact. But do not stop at resenting what we cannot escape. Look to the one who serves as our victory over these things and shows us how He defeated the things we fear the most. He took on the sufferings, the pain, the rejection, and even death. But with the appearances of the resurrected body on earth for those 40 days there were over 500 witnesses. Now these words came back to them. He told them these things were happen.
Now he tells us what will happen to us. What is it hard to believe? What does the fear of death still grip us? What other proofs can convince us? What can take our grief and turn it into joy? The answer is in the resurrection of Jesus Christ that validates who He is and what He will do and for proof there were hundreds who saw Him again.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri Aug 20
Verses- 1Thes 4:16-18 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Therefore encourage each other with these words.
Christ’s resurrected body
In I Thes 4:16-18 the teaching is on the return of Christ and the bodily resurrection of the saints. This is also called the rapture of the church to meet the Lord in the air. At that time when Christ returns the souls of the saints will join with Christ and the angels and receive their permanent resurrected bodies, and the dead in Christ will rise.
Let’s reflect a bit on the resurrected body. Some people ask how could God take bodies which have deteriorated, burned, or been destroyed in different ways and reconstruct them again? What if a cannibal ate a person? There are all kinds of things that are hard to understand.
Yet when God first made mankind he did so out of dust. Do you think re-created new bodies are any harder for the God of all creation? But the spiritual bodies will be far different than our present physical bodies. In 1 Cor 15 Paul compares the seed as one form to the mature tree which is an entirely different form, but the same ingredients in that acorn. Unless that seed dies and is put into the ground it does not become a full tree.
1 Cor 15:35-44 But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?"
How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another.
There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.”
Our resurrected body does not wear out. I am not sure if I’ll have a new gall bladder or not, I suspect I won’t need one at all for my life won’t be dependent upon food as we know it. But imagine ladies when people ask your age, “Oh I’m million and 34 years today.”
“ O dearer don’t give out your age, You don’t look at day over 1 million 29.”
No one will comment on your age or notice the years taking their toll. Dr. Hinson wrote: “The stars shall live for a million years A million years and a day. But God and I will live and love when the stars have passed away.”
The Bible teaches the bodies will be raised in power and in strength. Like Jesus resurrected bodies, barriers and walls will not be a problem for us. Little Anders died at two years of age. But I do not believe His resurrected body will be that of a 2 year old dependent upon others for needs, he will be strong, and whatever our new bodies can do so will his. Babies who have died will not remain babies but have the completeness that awaits us all regardless of our age. The one who dies with one leg or paralyzed or burned at the stake will all be completed able to run and jump and fly for even gravity will not hinder the resurrected body.
But life will be different. Christ made it clear that we will not marry or be married in heaven. Race, gender, age, and looks will not be important, but we will know one another. A wife will know her husband and a husband will know his wife. We will recognize friends and relatives, but as mentioned clearly not all will be with the Lord. Those who will be are all equal before the throne of God. Our attentions will be more on the magnificent wonder of God whose loves is the purest.
I am imagining we will be able to exist on other planets- planets, say, without oxygen or water, without having to resort to “space suits” and other cumbersome apparatuses. It seems God will use the same atoms, but rearrange them in such ways as to “conform” to the heavenly world.
I’ve read a couple of people use the caterpillar and butterfly as an illustration. They provide insight as to what happens to us when we physically die. The caterpillar is a fuzzy worm crawling on the ground. To the naked, unaided, unaided by scientific knowledge, human eye it is only a worm. But inside that caterpillar there is a butterfly. Oh, not a fully-grown butterfly, but only the potential for one. At just the right time in its life the caterpillar turns gray and hangs upside down on a tree and weaves a cocoon. It looks like it is dying and creating its own casket and tomb. But the cocoon is no tomb. It is an in-between house, a place where a process takes place. So it is more a process than place. Inside the cocoon the caterpillar is transforming into a butterfly. It uses the same atoms as it had as a caterpillar, only rearranges them, recycles them, in order to emerge, rise, from the cocoon as a beautiful butterfly, no longer crawling but flying! Its atmosphere, its arena, it environment is not longer limited to the earth. It can now travel in the “outer space” of the air, the sky, the heavens.
The same is true of us when we die. Our bodies will be transformed, using the same atoms, into a “body” equipped to live on a different level. When the caterpillar “dies” to being a caterpillar it looks to the casual observer that that is the end. It is not, of course. It is the beginning of a new life as a butterfly. That “different level,” that potential, was always present in us, but not awakened until the right time.
Dear people some have stood on the threshold and told their experiences, but there is one who went through the threshold into death and life and knows what is even beyond. Christ is the only One who is qualified to tell what we can expect on the other side. He was dead- laid in a tomb for three days. He arose with a glorified body. Here is someone whose opinion can be trusted and comes to us in love. To John the risen Christ said, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, the living One, and I was dead, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades.” For that we remember and praise our God
Pastor Dale
Theme Death of Christ
Verses 1 Cor 15:3-4 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”
Death of Christ
Death is the process we know that prepares us for this body. Just like the seed cannot produce fruit without first dying and being buried, so it is with you and me. That is the way that He has chosen to translate us from this earthly life into the heavenly. That is the only way that we can be forever with the Lord. This is the 4th in the series and I want to look at the Death of Jesus.
Some have called this passage the gospel in a nutshell. It defines the work of Christ in his body while on earth. These four events are the foundation of our faith- He died, was buried, arose and appeared. Without those events Paul says our faith would be in vain.
The events of Jesus coming were all preplanned. He was not a victim of circumstances. The death of Jesus wasn’t a last minute decision. It was planned before creation (1st Peter 1:19-20) That plan for redemption that was planned before creation, has now come to pass through the death of Christ
The prophecies about the crucifixion of the Messiah, were written hundreds of years before there was such a punishment as crucifixion. Psalm 22 is a prophetic psalm pointing to the suffering of the Messiah 950 years before it occurred.
Yet Jesus was not forced by any man to die. It was voluntary. In spite of the cruelty of the cross, Jesus still choose to die. John 10:17-18 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life-- only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
I sometimes ponder the circumstances recorded both in the out of Scripture to remind myself how unique Jesus death as from any other. I am not just talking about the cross or the beating because many had received at horrific punishment and suffering. Combined with the events we read about how the sky was darkened from the 6th to the 9th hour. In a book on the crucifixion of Jesus I am reminded that it wasn’t an eclipe for those everns last only a few minutes not for 3 hours. This event is also recorded by non-biblical sources –Tertullian writes about it being recorded in the Roman records, and Dionysius of Alexandria, also recorded witnessing this pheromone
We also read that at the moment of Christ’s death the curtain in the Temple was torn in half. This was a heavy curtain that hung between the holy place and the holy of holies. According to rabbinical literature of the first century, the veil in Herod’s temple was 4 fingers thick. Thick enough that no man could see through it, and it separated God from sinful man as we have been studying Sunday mornings when the tabernacle was build in the wilderness. Men would have torn the veil (if they possibly could) from bottom to top, this was done from top to bottom, showing that it was God who had done it.
We also read that at the very moment that Jesus died, there was a great earthquake, that the earth shook and the rocks split. This happened right at the time of his last breath. Calvin Miller describes it as, “The earth shuddering at her awful crime”
This earthquake shook open many of the nearby tombs according to Matthew 27:52-53. A soldier put his spear into the side of Jesus to see that blood and water came out to prove his death and the centurion trying to take in all of this change his whole outlook when he exclaimed, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
We will look more at the atonement of His death in the days ahead.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues Aug 17
Verses 1 Cor 15:3-4 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”
The Purpose of Christ’s Death
We defined death earlier as a separation in regards to our body, soul and spirit. We looked at what happens after we die, the teachings of Hades, and Paradise, and Abraham’s bosom, and the presence of God. We talked about near death experiences, and what the Bible teaches.
But since death is the result of sin why did Jesus die? Even though He had human flesh if death was a punishment for sin and a curse upon our world, it should not have affected the one who was completely holy. Since John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance, Jesus should not have been baptized by John. John the Baptist was right in objecting to baptize Jesus. But Jesus said He must do so to fulfill the righteousness of God. So as the purpose of his baptism was different, so was the purpose of his death.
The first mention of any death in the Bible was interestingly the day that Adam and Eve sinned. God had prepared skins for them to wear for they saw they were naked and ashamed. That was more than a bodily condition of being without clothes. But it was that sense of wanting to cover up the nature and not expose their sinful character.
If magically God would project on our power point all the thought and images that come into your mind. The things you want to say to people but culture and politeness prevent you. The attitudes you have toward people for whom you respond nicely, or the lusts of the flesh. Even if the wrong people overheard your private conversations sins of your heart would be exposed. You would feel like Adam and Eve, naked and ashamed. You would want to hide.
How can we get the pictures of a most holy God in our minds? When He abhors sin everyone of us have offended him greatly. And so there is no relationship we can with Him for our sin separates us. The Bible tells us no person is worthy of relationship with a Holy God
We are helpless to correct this situation and can do nothing to hide our sin from God. He has a holy wrath against sin which makes us enemies and condemned to death.
In the Old Testament God demonstrated another important quality. It was grace. He provided a way to allow people to have a relationship with Himself. It came in a sacrificial system where the death of blood of the animal was accepted by God as a substitute for the death we deserve. "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls" Lev. 17:11.
The Law required that the sacrificial victims must be free from defect, and buying them always involved some cost to the sinner. But an animal's death did not automatically make people right with God in some simple, mechanical way. The hostility between God and man because of sin is a personal matter. Mankind was personally expected to recognize the seriousness of their sin. They must also identify themselves personally with the victim that dies: "Then he shall put his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him" Lev. 1:4.
All the bulls and sheep and doves and oxen which were killed and bled to death still were only a temporary situation. It was like paying on credit the bill that is owed.
"For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins" Heb. 10:4. Atonement means to bring something in our place to die for us in order for the price of sin to be paid.
What Jesus represents for us is this: 1) In his divine/human nature he is able to represent us before God. As Priest- carrying out the duties as on anointed to enter the holy of holies. He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. Heb. 9:12. He fulfills the place of the sacrificial lamb without spot or blemish provided by God to take away our sins by his death forever since he is without sin. He fulfills the place of the mediator represented us before God. No believer who truly understands the awesome holiness of God's wrath and the terrible hopelessness that comes from personal sin can fail to be overwhelmed by the deep love of Jesus for each of us, and the wonder of God's gracious gift of eternal atonement through Christ. Through Jesus, God will present us "faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy"
His purpose in dying is that we might be redeemed, purchased for God, set apart now with holiness that is given to us as a gift. It is not to be taken lightly as American’s are prone to do. Nor is it to be taken with some thought that we must pay some of the debt ourselves that is not atonement it is self righteousness.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Weds Aug 18 –
Verses- 1 Cor 15:3-4 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”
The Burial of Christ-
The gospel proclamation was that Christ died. And He was buried. After the atoning blood was shed they took the dead body of Jesus and buried it.
We have various burial customs. The most common explanation of the reason we bury bodies is to depose of it in a memorable way. The dead flesh begins to decay and will rot and stink. Left on its own it can cause disease and rampant infection among the living.
The Bible teaches us that from dust we were taken and to dust we shall return. Entombing the bodies in caves and mounds were common. Most were placed under the ground or burned. Those at sea were tossed overboard. Many cultures have various traditions and rituals among religions as to how to dispose of the bodies.
There is also a finality of our earthly life when it comes to burial. The finality of the customs of burial that allow grief to be expressed and a social acceptable way of coming together to mourn to cry, to remember to bear the pain of separation of loved ones. Something is supposed to happen when we take two or three days, up to a week and have a night or two of visitation. We carry out prescribed steps to help mourn loved ones when we hold a service and walk with dignity out to the grounds for burial. The hole is dug. A vault it purchased so in our sandy soil so it doesn’t collapse before or sink when decay sets in or caskets rot and it is sealed.
My mother laughed at the funeral director when she purchased her own vault and had a prepared burial. She was told it was sealed with a 10 years warranty. She asked, “Who’s going to dig it up and look? What are you going to do, get your money back if it wasn’t hermetically sealed?”
Due to the hot climate of Palestine, dead bodies decayed rapidly, so burial usually took place within a few hours after death. If someone died late in the day, burial took place the next day, but always within 24 hours after death. That was the Jewish custom. Even among orthodox Jews today it is not uncommon to have the burial within 24 hours and some family members do not even know their loved one has died. But they spend a considerable amount of time in mourning in the house afterwards as a gather place for relative’s friends to support one another in the loss.
When death occurred, the oldest son or nearest of kin closed the eyes of the dead and the mouth was closed and the jaws bound up After the body was washed it was usually wrapped in cloth. The wealthy used linen with spices placed between the folds
Depending upon economic and social status, burial at the time of Jesus was either in a shallow grave covered with stones or in a cave or tomb hewn out of stone. Tombs were made secure by rolling a circular stone over the entrance and sealing the tomb. This was done to secure the body from animals. Graves were often marked with a large, upright stone.
Matt 12:40 “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
With burial there is finality; there is the affirmation that it was real death. There is the contrast between resuscitation and resurrection. For someone who has just died or been in a near death experience and brought back to life can be easily referred to as a resuscitation. There is no question in anyone’s mind that a burial is leaving on dead without the hope of recovery.
But burial has another emphasis for us. It is yes, the prelude to life, but if we consider the symbolism of Romans 6 that we are united with Christ in this death and burial and resurrection. It implies that our old self is put to death and we are created new Creatures in Him.
Burial is the final act related to our bodies on earth. The job of Jesus was completed. There was no more use for his earthly body. It was finished.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thurs August 19, 2010
Verses- 1 Cor 15:4-8…that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
The Resurrection of Christ
The power of the gospel of course is climaxed in the tremendous victory that is ours by Jesus overcoming death. Paul went so far as to say the death and burial of Jesus means really nothing without the resurrection. But with the resurrection of Jesus Christ then the significance of His death is made clear.
It certainly validates that Jesus is true. It affirms for us the victory we have over sin and death and Satan. It takes away the fear of the death as it did for the all the apostles and followers that looked not at this life only but most importantly on the life to come.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ affirms for us forgiveness of sin. Coming up out of the waters of baptism doesn’t buy us anything, it is only Jesus coming out of the tomb and our faith in Him that says we are new creatures and cleansed, but baptism symbolizes that. It proclaims our healing and our salvation and eternal life and our righteousness our sanctification and our reconciliation, and the hope of eternal life.
This thing called death now had a different perspective for the children of God. That which was and is feared above all things is now put in perspective by the power of Jesus Christ. It is a transition, nothing more for those who follow HIM.
The fact that he died was well established. People understood that. But how can the facts of the resurrection from the bodily death be well established by those who have not experienced anything like this before. There have been some temporary incidents given to mankind in the likes of a resurrected sons in the Old Testament. Both Elijah and Elisha were used in these unusual examples.
But when Jesus came on the scene he demonstrated power over death before He gave up his physical body. He raised some children who were the objects of great love by their parents. He changed their grief into joy. What was lost was now found again.
He opened the grave of Lazarus before many witnesses. It was undeniable the greatest of miracles so far since no one could possibly do any tricks after being gone for four days. It was too late! But Jesus came before the tomb and called out the body of Lazarus and his clothing was untied and walked and ate and talked among them again. Grief was turned to joy. Satan lost, Jesus won.
Matt 12:40-41 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.
It was there in Scripture but of course, who could understand prophecies? There were given for another generation to marvel at the works of God in times of old and how they pointed to the Messiah brought new appreciation and understanding not only to the Holy Word, but to God. Jonah was rebellious. He was disobedient. But he was to preach to the gentiles the good news. Jesus was obedient. He was willing to do the will of His Father and after his resurrection the gospel was preached to pagan people. It is there in the Scriptures. Paul is doing the preaching. Hearts are moved by the Spirit to see Jesus.
But now does one get proof these things are true? Mark 8:31-33 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. "Get behind me, Satan!" he said. "You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
No one wants suffering. No one wants death. Those things are the result of sin. No one wants pain or hardship or difficulties, but they are here among us daily. It is fact. But do not stop at resenting what we cannot escape. Look to the one who serves as our victory over these things and shows us how He defeated the things we fear the most. He took on the sufferings, the pain, the rejection, and even death. But with the appearances of the resurrected body on earth for those 40 days there were over 500 witnesses. Now these words came back to them. He told them these things were happen.
Now he tells us what will happen to us. What is it hard to believe? What does the fear of death still grip us? What other proofs can convince us? What can take our grief and turn it into joy? The answer is in the resurrection of Jesus Christ that validates who He is and what He will do and for proof there were hundreds who saw Him again.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri Aug 20
Verses- 1Thes 4:16-18 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Therefore encourage each other with these words.
Christ’s resurrected body
In I Thes 4:16-18 the teaching is on the return of Christ and the bodily resurrection of the saints. This is also called the rapture of the church to meet the Lord in the air. At that time when Christ returns the souls of the saints will join with Christ and the angels and receive their permanent resurrected bodies, and the dead in Christ will rise.
Let’s reflect a bit on the resurrected body. Some people ask how could God take bodies which have deteriorated, burned, or been destroyed in different ways and reconstruct them again? What if a cannibal ate a person? There are all kinds of things that are hard to understand.
Yet when God first made mankind he did so out of dust. Do you think re-created new bodies are any harder for the God of all creation? But the spiritual bodies will be far different than our present physical bodies. In 1 Cor 15 Paul compares the seed as one form to the mature tree which is an entirely different form, but the same ingredients in that acorn. Unless that seed dies and is put into the ground it does not become a full tree.
1 Cor 15:35-44 But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?"
How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another.
There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.”
Our resurrected body does not wear out. I am not sure if I’ll have a new gall bladder or not, I suspect I won’t need one at all for my life won’t be dependent upon food as we know it. But imagine ladies when people ask your age, “Oh I’m million and 34 years today.”
“ O dearer don’t give out your age, You don’t look at day over 1 million 29.”
No one will comment on your age or notice the years taking their toll. Dr. Hinson wrote: “The stars shall live for a million years A million years and a day. But God and I will live and love when the stars have passed away.”
The Bible teaches the bodies will be raised in power and in strength. Like Jesus resurrected bodies, barriers and walls will not be a problem for us. Little Anders died at two years of age. But I do not believe His resurrected body will be that of a 2 year old dependent upon others for needs, he will be strong, and whatever our new bodies can do so will his. Babies who have died will not remain babies but have the completeness that awaits us all regardless of our age. The one who dies with one leg or paralyzed or burned at the stake will all be completed able to run and jump and fly for even gravity will not hinder the resurrected body.
But life will be different. Christ made it clear that we will not marry or be married in heaven. Race, gender, age, and looks will not be important, but we will know one another. A wife will know her husband and a husband will know his wife. We will recognize friends and relatives, but as mentioned clearly not all will be with the Lord. Those who will be are all equal before the throne of God. Our attentions will be more on the magnificent wonder of God whose loves is the purest.
I am imagining we will be able to exist on other planets- planets, say, without oxygen or water, without having to resort to “space suits” and other cumbersome apparatuses. It seems God will use the same atoms, but rearrange them in such ways as to “conform” to the heavenly world.
I’ve read a couple of people use the caterpillar and butterfly as an illustration. They provide insight as to what happens to us when we physically die. The caterpillar is a fuzzy worm crawling on the ground. To the naked, unaided, unaided by scientific knowledge, human eye it is only a worm. But inside that caterpillar there is a butterfly. Oh, not a fully-grown butterfly, but only the potential for one. At just the right time in its life the caterpillar turns gray and hangs upside down on a tree and weaves a cocoon. It looks like it is dying and creating its own casket and tomb. But the cocoon is no tomb. It is an in-between house, a place where a process takes place. So it is more a process than place. Inside the cocoon the caterpillar is transforming into a butterfly. It uses the same atoms as it had as a caterpillar, only rearranges them, recycles them, in order to emerge, rise, from the cocoon as a beautiful butterfly, no longer crawling but flying! Its atmosphere, its arena, it environment is not longer limited to the earth. It can now travel in the “outer space” of the air, the sky, the heavens.
The same is true of us when we die. Our bodies will be transformed, using the same atoms, into a “body” equipped to live on a different level. When the caterpillar “dies” to being a caterpillar it looks to the casual observer that that is the end. It is not, of course. It is the beginning of a new life as a butterfly. That “different level,” that potential, was always present in us, but not awakened until the right time.
Dear people some have stood on the threshold and told their experiences, but there is one who went through the threshold into death and life and knows what is even beyond. Christ is the only One who is qualified to tell what we can expect on the other side. He was dead- laid in a tomb for three days. He arose with a glorified body. Here is someone whose opinion can be trusted and comes to us in love. To John the risen Christ said, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, the living One, and I was dead, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades.” For that we remember and praise our God
Pastor Dale
Friday, August 13, 2010
Death - A Conscious State
Sermon Nuggets Mon August 9, 2010
Theme -Death- A Conscious State?
Verses- Rev 6:9-10 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.
They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?"
Conscious State
In a past issue of National Geographic there was an article on beauty. What we portray as beauty is ugly in some cultures. Yet this tribesman wanted to appear attractive. He painted himself in white, then bold colors over his face that looks to us like war paint. But such artwork on his face was admired by those he tried to attract.
I guess it is not unlike my older generation looking upon the many tattoos others wear that within some circles is attractive and other circles not so much.
Beauty products abound, each promising to make us look like movie stars or athlete. Wrinkles must be removed, hair must be tinted to hide the gray and blemishes must disappear. Some will be very aggressive using lipo-suction, implants, face lifts and plastic surgery. Yet our bodies were only made to last a short period of time before they die and are gone. We see it in the aging process, even though we try to hide or prevent it.
I wonder what would happen if people put 1/10 of the time devoted to spiritual health and beauty which lasts for all eternity as opposed to the physical which is like a vapor, here and then gone.
Now, I agree that we should be concerned about our bodies and take care of them, but I want us to think about the body we will have for eternity.
D.L. Moody said before he died, “Soon you will read in the papers that Moody is dead. Don’t believe it, for in that moment I will be more alive than I have ever been.”
The last time we preached, we explored Biblical teachings on the existence immediately after physical death. You might call that the intermediary state of people.
I also prefaced my remarks following the Bible interpretation that suggests what is clearly and plainly and repeatedly stated in the Bible, believe strongly. What is unclear, confusing, and mentioned only once or very seldom, believe, but allow for various interpretations and don’t be so dogmatic.
The Bible teaches there is life after death. Justin told me this past week he heard some preacher on TV teaching soul sleep meaning there is no conscious awareness until the second coming of Jesus Christ. On passage we looked at was the story of Lazarus and the rich man. I want to take it up from there again. Luke 16:19-31 I suggested that the context of this passage was before the judgment so it couldn’t have been reference to the final hell and heaven.
Doing a word study from the Old Testament and New Testament the waiting place of the dead was called Sheol in Hebrew and Hades in the Greek. Further illustrations indicated that in the place of the dead there was a division. Gathered to my people identified with Abraham the Old Testament saints. NT used Paradise and Abraham’s side or bosom in reference to this passage.
Now after the Crucifixion you see we are brought immediately into the presence of Jesus Christ in glory. The key figure in the place of the dead is not longer Abraham, but rather Jesus, and all the hope is to be absent from the body is to be immediately in the presence of the Lord.
We will explore more some verses as well as some opinions regarding this conscience experience after death.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues Aug 10 -After Death Experiences
Verses- 2 Cor 5:1 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed (talking about our bodies), we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.”
Matt 17:3-5 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters-- one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"
After Death Experiences
Rev 6:9-10 refers to the souls under the altar who were slain because of the word of God. They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" This takes place from the place of the dead believers before the second coming of Jesus. Later in the passage it talks about wearing white robes.
Some good evangelical Christians may not agree entirely on how to best interpret this in between period from our physical death to the resurrection of the bodies at the return of Jesus. Part of the differences rests on determining what is figurative, what is literal, what points to the final resurrected body after Jesus returns and what refers to the existence after death but before the second coming.
The Bible has to use ideas we are somewhat familiar with in order to help us get a closer understanding of a realm or world that we cannot imagine with our minds until we get there. So there has to be some figurative language and there has to be an awfully lot we just aren’t going to get. But we can still be helped by what is revealed.
I tried to prepare myself before I went to experience a third world country of India. I talked to people who have been there, looked at photos, seen a little of videos, but going to a third country will vastly open up things that you cannot get second hand. You need to see the crowded streets and explosion of color of clothes and smell the garbage and see the smiles. It will be foolish to think after two weeks I would ever experience India but I understand lots more after being there which is difficult to convey to those who haven’t.
When it comes to the place of the dead we just describe in words pictures to help us get a better idea, but we won’t know until we get there exactly, but what is important to know God has revealed in his word.
2 Cor 5:1 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed (talking about our bodies), we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.” Paul is contrasting tents to buildings. On one side is our physical body; on the other side is our resurrected body. The first is described like a tent. A tent is temporary compared to a permanent building.
Much of how we imagine this in-between stage is taken from a few verses. Are they literal or figurative? You decide. I believe there is a peek behind the curtain when we saw Hades, and Abraham’s side from Luke. I believe another glimpse is shown to us on the Mountain of Transfiguration. Moses and Elijah appeared in some kind of body, though neither yet has his permanent resurrection body. There they were talking, communicating, and evidently recognizable to Peter James and John. It seems there is communication, there is recognition, there is materialization of some form, but not permanent. It appeared and it disappeared.
When the rich man was in Hades, he asked Lazarus to dip his finger in cool water and touch his tongue. That conveys thirst and suffering, doesn’t it? Was it a literal finger and literal tongue? I think it is open for different interpretations, but willing to say that our souls are manifested in spirit form in body like characteristics to help us understand standing and singing, and going and coming, and speaking and hearing, and thinking, and being in one another’s presence. We are known and observed in some form that is recognizable immediately.
How would the rich man know Abraham, how would Peter know Moses? How would John know Elijah? There is a consciousness that relates to the world beyond.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Weds Aug 11
Verses- Acts 7:55-60 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
56 "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him,
58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.
Near Death Experiences.
Paul’s inspired writing also implies that the saints in heaven today are incomplete because there will also be a resurrection of the new body. When you die now, you are keenly aware that you have arrived in the presence of Jesus. He welcomed Stephen into glories of his presence while Stephen was being stoned to death. It was an encouraging vision while he was being stoned.
Pam told me of Kevin being in a coma before his death. His Aunt was with him praying when he opened his eyes had a big smile and was then was gone. Did Kevin see what Stephen saw? There are others who will say similar things sometimes when their loved one died. There was a better understanding for those in Christ- there is no death, you move from this conscious experience into a better one.
But that raises other questions of what we might call near death experiences. As a chaplain I have heard numerous stories similar to what is on TV portraying someone in a hospital room and declared died. The medical team work frantically on that person to keep him alive. The person arouses. He or she has sometimes described it as if they left the body and looked down upon to see themselves lying on a hospital bed. There was a feeling of peace and joy and light and wonder. There was a struggle to stay away from their body but they were forced back into the body. The medical team congratulated themselves and family thanked the Lord that he or she was brought back to life, but the patient has told me he didn’t’ really want to come back. It does seem to indicate the soul does leave the body.
However people have been asked what they experienced after their heart stopped and they have been brought back and most commonly they don’t remember anything.
Some have reported conversations that they could not possibly have heard that occurred while they were pronounced dead. Some could even identify family members in the hallway outside their room and what others said and were doing.
I have heard other stories of a tunnel like experience where there was a bright light beaconing them to come. Many will say they do no longer fear death after having that experience. It was peaceful and wonderful.
Another man was in a near death experience. He described it as just the opposite. There was fear and fire and he sensed demonic presence, When he recovered it was very easy for me to lead him to accept the Lord.
But what about these folks who are non Christians that confess to the bright light and tunnel as do some Christians? What about people of different religious backgrounds talking about leaving the body and coming back into it, now at peace with death?
I think there are 3 sensible explanations. First, is all that Jesus lived taught and died for was a lie. And many would rather take the testament of a moment of unconsciousness of various people than the testimony of centuries of the personal relationship and truth and lives changed to multitude of followers of Jesus Christ. Many hold to a universalism and new age teaching for all beings as partly divine or living in the light.
Or secondly, what they experience is not death, it is a semi conscious experience that scientifically is explained by brain waves giving a dream like reaction to chemical break down and it isn’t any more real that you dreams are. Connecticut psychologist Kenneth Ring stresses that near-death experiences do not prove the existence of the after-life but merely show that the act of dying may not be the agonizing event many people fear.
Or thirdly, angels carry us to heaven or Hades. Satan who also masquerades as an angel of light can counterfeit this initial experience, The Great Deceiver wants to have people think that one’s relationship with Jesus Christ has no bearing on the beauty of the afterlife. We see Lazarus had an angel that carried him to the bosom of Abraham.
If it is true that angels await those who have been made righteous by Christ, it is understandable that demonic spirits would await those who enter eternity without Gods’ forgiveness and acceptance. When angels are visible to human beings, angels consistently appear in human form. Personally, I think that is probably related to the spirit world that manifests itself in different ways but most commonly to what we can relate to as a body.
Regardless of people’s experiences all of them must be examined in the context of the Bible, God’s revealed Word. Personally, I am much more concerned about what I will experience after death than what I will experience when I am near death. It is not the transition but the destination that really counts.
Many believe that the Apostle Paul was describing this experience when he was left for dead 14 years earlier. 2 Cor 12:2-4. Is that why Paul could say with confidence “for me to live is Christ, to die is even greater.” There was no longer any fear for him.
One minute after you die our minds our memories will be clearer than ever before. Our personalities will go on yet without sin. We will still have our uniqueness and distinctiveness that makes us different from one another, not just physically, but more importantly in our very beings. You will know more then than now. Things that are confusing will be made clear.
Now I will add an opinion here. There is no indication in Scripture that focuses the attention on the people who are living. I don’t know if grandpa is watching me now or not. I do know it is against the teaching of the Bible to try to contact the dead, or pray to the dead- that is reserved only for the Lord. And when people do try they are involved in cultic and demonic activities. The Old Testament is very clear not to contact spirits. The New Testament teaches there is only one to whom we pray, it isn’t our loved one, it is not Mary or the saints, it is only God as revealed Father, by the spirit, through the Son.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thur Aug 12
Verses -1 Thes 4:13-18 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.
14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.
I Cor 15
The Resurrected Experience.
I Thes 4:16-18 is a wonderful passage of hope. Jesus introduces the hope of the other side, namely the resurrected bodies we will receive at His return. This is also called the rapture of the church when we meet the Lord in the air. When Christ returns the souls of the saints will join with Him and the angels and receive their permanent resurrected bodies. Those who have fallen asleep are also called the dead in Christ include believers who have died and professed belief in Christ. They will rise again.
We will know others and be known by others, even though we haven’t met. Paul also goes into a lengthy explanation in I Cor 15 of the differences between the body now and the body that is to come. The people in Corinth found it hard to accept the idea of the resurrection. How could God take bodies which have deteriorated, burned, or been destroyed in different ways and reconstruct them again? What if a cannibal ate a person? There are all kinds of things that are hard to understand.
Yet when God first made mankind he did so out of dust? Do you think recreating new bodies is any harder chore for the God of all creation? Paul uses a figurative illustration to helps us understand four truths.
First. Although it is a body it is very different in nature from our physical bodies. Take for example a seed. It seems dead, to have no life, no indication of life in it at all. How can a new plant come forth from this dead seed? Today we may explain it but it is still a miracle created by God.
If God can bring this dead seed to life, he can do the same with a dead body, regardless of its state. Then Paul explains that there are different kinds of bodies - within animal life and within the heavens. All have their own kind of splendor, all are different. So we must remember that we do not just think of our present bodies as to what our bodies will be like.
Secondly, it does not die. It is imperishable and eternal. Our bodies will not die. No one will comment on your age or notice the years taking their toll. Dr. Hinson wrote: “The stars shall live for a million years A million years and a day. But God and I will live and love when the stars have passed away.”
Thirdly, we are raised in power. When my mother was removed from her apartment after discovering she died in bed, Jay Mankie, the funeral director at the time, covered her body in a sheet. But contrast that with the purity of the white robes by the power of Jesus Christ that will raise him from the dead.
We are raised in strength. I always wanted to fly, I always dreamed of being strong. With the resurrected body there will not be any material barriers. I will not have to worry about things I cannot lift or places I cannot go. The angel that rolled the stone away was not to let Jesus out, but that the disciples might come in and see the empty tomb.
Of course some of the details of our new body and existence in heaven is speculative, I believer when a child dies his resurrected body will not be that of a 2 year old dependent upon others for needs. He will be strong, and whatever our new bodies can do so will his. Babies who have died will not remain babies but have the completeness that awaits us all regardless of our age. The one who dies with one leg or paralyzed or burned at the stake will all be completed in our imaginations more than and better than running and jumping and singing and dancing for even gravity will not hinder the resurrected body.
The Fourth idea is that we shall receive this spiritual body. God desired that soul and body be balanced together along with the spirit. It is somehow a reflection of his image. Now without sin and without decay of this world, so we reflect the glory of God and serve him. “We shall also bear the image of the heavenly one”: The glorified or resurrected body will resemble that of Christ’s resurrected body. It will be as real as Christ’s body, but “real” as defined in eternal terms, not earthly ones.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri Aug 13 -Resurrected Body
Verses- John 21:4-14 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
5 He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?" "No," they answered.
6 He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.
8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.
9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught."
11 Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.
12 Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord.
13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.
14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Christ’s Resurrection
The only complete new resurrected body we can use to help us understand is the resurrected body of Jesus Christ. It was real. He could be touched, he ate a fish and it was gone. Yet he could appear and disappear at will. Sometimes people recognized him on the earth and other times they did not know who he was. We understand with spiritual eyes, not with physical eyes.
Our resurrected bodies may eat, but not have to for continue to exist. There are all kinds of figures in the Bible that speak of the banqueting table, or parties, or feasting, because we can’t have a party without food.
I always felt so badly for Kortney whenever he was here for some event he had to be fed by tube and not participate in the fun of eating and drinking and talking with one another. Sometimes Kortney would go through the line and just pick up plate, knife and fork. Thanksgiving, Birthdays, and Christmas must seem much more boring without food to share. So maybe we’ll have angel food cake, I don’t know.
But life will be different. Christ made it clear that we will not marry or be married in heaven. Race, gender, age, looks will not be important, but we will know one another, A wife will know husband and husband wife, mother daughter father son, but all equal before the throne of God. Our attentions will be more on the magnificent wonder of God whose loves it he purest.
Imagine we will be able to exist on other planets, planets, say, without oxygen or water, without having to resort to “space suits” and other cumbersome apparatuses. IT seems God will use the same atoms, but rearrange them in such ways as to “conform” to the heavenly world.
I’ve read a couple of people use the caterpillar and butterfly as an illustration. They provide insight as to what happens to us when we physically die. The caterpillar is a fuzzy worm crawling on the ground. To the naked, unaided, unaided by scientific knowledge, human eye it is only a worm. But inside that caterpillar there is a butterfly. Oh, not a fully-grown butterfly, but only the potential for one. At just the right time in its life the caterpillar turns gray and hangs upside down on a tree and weaves a cocoon. It looks like it is dying and creating its own casket and tomb. But the cocoon is no tomb. It is an in-between house, a place where a process takes place. So it is more a process than place. Inside the cocoon the caterpillar is transforming into a butterfly. It uses the same atoms as it had as a caterpillar, only rearranges them, recycles them, in order to emerge, rise, from the cocoon as a beautiful butterfly, no longer crawling but flying! Its atmosphere, its arena, it environment is not longer limited to the earth. It can now travel in the “outer space” of the air, the sky, and the heavens.
The same is true of us when we die. Our bodies will be transformed, using the same atoms, into a “body” equipped to live on a different level. When the caterpillar “dies” to being a caterpillar it looks to the casual observer that that is the end. It is not, of course. It is the beginning of a new life as a butterfly. That “different level,” that potential, was always present in us, but not awakened until the right time. Jesus came and told us that “now” is the right time for us to wake up to our potential. When we follow his lead, trust him, imitate his attitudes and behavior, we begin, really he begins in us, the process of really becoming what is inside us, placed there by God, to become.
We die to our old selves and rise to a new level of life. That happens or can happen long before we physically die. Indeed, it has to happen before we physically die or we will not enter into the eternal realm of God, but be consigned to some other life or quasi-life outside of God. Just exactly what we will be, look like and how we will be composed has not yet been revealed. But, what has been revealed is that the process begins by being incorporated into, grafted onto, Christ. He is the essential, key ingredient that starts the process, advances it and finishes it. Without Christ we are like a brand new car with no key. Our outer bodies may look great but there is not life or movement.
Death is the process we know that prepares us for this body. Just like the seed cannot produce fruit without first dying and being buried, so it is with you and me. That is the way that He has chosen to translate us from this earthly life into the heavenly. That is the only way that we can be forever with the Lord.
Dear people some have stood on the threshold and told their experiences, but there is one who went through the threshold into death and life and knows what is even beyond. Christ is the only One who is qualified to tell what we can expect on the other side. He was dead- laid in a tomb for three days. He arose with a glorified body. Here is someone whose opinion can be trusted and comes to us in love. To John the risen Christ said, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, the living One, and I was dead, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades.”
There are some things we know, and many we don’t, but all of the passages we have quoted are for two main purposes: To know Christ, to Grow in Him. Amen.
Pastor Dale
Theme -Death- A Conscious State?
Verses- Rev 6:9-10 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.
They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?"
Conscious State
In a past issue of National Geographic there was an article on beauty. What we portray as beauty is ugly in some cultures. Yet this tribesman wanted to appear attractive. He painted himself in white, then bold colors over his face that looks to us like war paint. But such artwork on his face was admired by those he tried to attract.
I guess it is not unlike my older generation looking upon the many tattoos others wear that within some circles is attractive and other circles not so much.
Beauty products abound, each promising to make us look like movie stars or athlete. Wrinkles must be removed, hair must be tinted to hide the gray and blemishes must disappear. Some will be very aggressive using lipo-suction, implants, face lifts and plastic surgery. Yet our bodies were only made to last a short period of time before they die and are gone. We see it in the aging process, even though we try to hide or prevent it.
I wonder what would happen if people put 1/10 of the time devoted to spiritual health and beauty which lasts for all eternity as opposed to the physical which is like a vapor, here and then gone.
Now, I agree that we should be concerned about our bodies and take care of them, but I want us to think about the body we will have for eternity.
D.L. Moody said before he died, “Soon you will read in the papers that Moody is dead. Don’t believe it, for in that moment I will be more alive than I have ever been.”
The last time we preached, we explored Biblical teachings on the existence immediately after physical death. You might call that the intermediary state of people.
I also prefaced my remarks following the Bible interpretation that suggests what is clearly and plainly and repeatedly stated in the Bible, believe strongly. What is unclear, confusing, and mentioned only once or very seldom, believe, but allow for various interpretations and don’t be so dogmatic.
The Bible teaches there is life after death. Justin told me this past week he heard some preacher on TV teaching soul sleep meaning there is no conscious awareness until the second coming of Jesus Christ. On passage we looked at was the story of Lazarus and the rich man. I want to take it up from there again. Luke 16:19-31 I suggested that the context of this passage was before the judgment so it couldn’t have been reference to the final hell and heaven.
Doing a word study from the Old Testament and New Testament the waiting place of the dead was called Sheol in Hebrew and Hades in the Greek. Further illustrations indicated that in the place of the dead there was a division. Gathered to my people identified with Abraham the Old Testament saints. NT used Paradise and Abraham’s side or bosom in reference to this passage.
Now after the Crucifixion you see we are brought immediately into the presence of Jesus Christ in glory. The key figure in the place of the dead is not longer Abraham, but rather Jesus, and all the hope is to be absent from the body is to be immediately in the presence of the Lord.
We will explore more some verses as well as some opinions regarding this conscience experience after death.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Tues Aug 10 -After Death Experiences
Verses- 2 Cor 5:1 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed (talking about our bodies), we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.”
Matt 17:3-5 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.
4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters-- one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."
5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"
After Death Experiences
Rev 6:9-10 refers to the souls under the altar who were slain because of the word of God. They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" This takes place from the place of the dead believers before the second coming of Jesus. Later in the passage it talks about wearing white robes.
Some good evangelical Christians may not agree entirely on how to best interpret this in between period from our physical death to the resurrection of the bodies at the return of Jesus. Part of the differences rests on determining what is figurative, what is literal, what points to the final resurrected body after Jesus returns and what refers to the existence after death but before the second coming.
The Bible has to use ideas we are somewhat familiar with in order to help us get a closer understanding of a realm or world that we cannot imagine with our minds until we get there. So there has to be some figurative language and there has to be an awfully lot we just aren’t going to get. But we can still be helped by what is revealed.
I tried to prepare myself before I went to experience a third world country of India. I talked to people who have been there, looked at photos, seen a little of videos, but going to a third country will vastly open up things that you cannot get second hand. You need to see the crowded streets and explosion of color of clothes and smell the garbage and see the smiles. It will be foolish to think after two weeks I would ever experience India but I understand lots more after being there which is difficult to convey to those who haven’t.
When it comes to the place of the dead we just describe in words pictures to help us get a better idea, but we won’t know until we get there exactly, but what is important to know God has revealed in his word.
2 Cor 5:1 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed (talking about our bodies), we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.” Paul is contrasting tents to buildings. On one side is our physical body; on the other side is our resurrected body. The first is described like a tent. A tent is temporary compared to a permanent building.
Much of how we imagine this in-between stage is taken from a few verses. Are they literal or figurative? You decide. I believe there is a peek behind the curtain when we saw Hades, and Abraham’s side from Luke. I believe another glimpse is shown to us on the Mountain of Transfiguration. Moses and Elijah appeared in some kind of body, though neither yet has his permanent resurrection body. There they were talking, communicating, and evidently recognizable to Peter James and John. It seems there is communication, there is recognition, there is materialization of some form, but not permanent. It appeared and it disappeared.
When the rich man was in Hades, he asked Lazarus to dip his finger in cool water and touch his tongue. That conveys thirst and suffering, doesn’t it? Was it a literal finger and literal tongue? I think it is open for different interpretations, but willing to say that our souls are manifested in spirit form in body like characteristics to help us understand standing and singing, and going and coming, and speaking and hearing, and thinking, and being in one another’s presence. We are known and observed in some form that is recognizable immediately.
How would the rich man know Abraham, how would Peter know Moses? How would John know Elijah? There is a consciousness that relates to the world beyond.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Weds Aug 11
Verses- Acts 7:55-60 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
56 "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him,
58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.
Near Death Experiences.
Paul’s inspired writing also implies that the saints in heaven today are incomplete because there will also be a resurrection of the new body. When you die now, you are keenly aware that you have arrived in the presence of Jesus. He welcomed Stephen into glories of his presence while Stephen was being stoned to death. It was an encouraging vision while he was being stoned.
Pam told me of Kevin being in a coma before his death. His Aunt was with him praying when he opened his eyes had a big smile and was then was gone. Did Kevin see what Stephen saw? There are others who will say similar things sometimes when their loved one died. There was a better understanding for those in Christ- there is no death, you move from this conscious experience into a better one.
But that raises other questions of what we might call near death experiences. As a chaplain I have heard numerous stories similar to what is on TV portraying someone in a hospital room and declared died. The medical team work frantically on that person to keep him alive. The person arouses. He or she has sometimes described it as if they left the body and looked down upon to see themselves lying on a hospital bed. There was a feeling of peace and joy and light and wonder. There was a struggle to stay away from their body but they were forced back into the body. The medical team congratulated themselves and family thanked the Lord that he or she was brought back to life, but the patient has told me he didn’t’ really want to come back. It does seem to indicate the soul does leave the body.
However people have been asked what they experienced after their heart stopped and they have been brought back and most commonly they don’t remember anything.
Some have reported conversations that they could not possibly have heard that occurred while they were pronounced dead. Some could even identify family members in the hallway outside their room and what others said and were doing.
I have heard other stories of a tunnel like experience where there was a bright light beaconing them to come. Many will say they do no longer fear death after having that experience. It was peaceful and wonderful.
Another man was in a near death experience. He described it as just the opposite. There was fear and fire and he sensed demonic presence, When he recovered it was very easy for me to lead him to accept the Lord.
But what about these folks who are non Christians that confess to the bright light and tunnel as do some Christians? What about people of different religious backgrounds talking about leaving the body and coming back into it, now at peace with death?
I think there are 3 sensible explanations. First, is all that Jesus lived taught and died for was a lie. And many would rather take the testament of a moment of unconsciousness of various people than the testimony of centuries of the personal relationship and truth and lives changed to multitude of followers of Jesus Christ. Many hold to a universalism and new age teaching for all beings as partly divine or living in the light.
Or secondly, what they experience is not death, it is a semi conscious experience that scientifically is explained by brain waves giving a dream like reaction to chemical break down and it isn’t any more real that you dreams are. Connecticut psychologist Kenneth Ring stresses that near-death experiences do not prove the existence of the after-life but merely show that the act of dying may not be the agonizing event many people fear.
Or thirdly, angels carry us to heaven or Hades. Satan who also masquerades as an angel of light can counterfeit this initial experience, The Great Deceiver wants to have people think that one’s relationship with Jesus Christ has no bearing on the beauty of the afterlife. We see Lazarus had an angel that carried him to the bosom of Abraham.
If it is true that angels await those who have been made righteous by Christ, it is understandable that demonic spirits would await those who enter eternity without Gods’ forgiveness and acceptance. When angels are visible to human beings, angels consistently appear in human form. Personally, I think that is probably related to the spirit world that manifests itself in different ways but most commonly to what we can relate to as a body.
Regardless of people’s experiences all of them must be examined in the context of the Bible, God’s revealed Word. Personally, I am much more concerned about what I will experience after death than what I will experience when I am near death. It is not the transition but the destination that really counts.
Many believe that the Apostle Paul was describing this experience when he was left for dead 14 years earlier. 2 Cor 12:2-4. Is that why Paul could say with confidence “for me to live is Christ, to die is even greater.” There was no longer any fear for him.
One minute after you die our minds our memories will be clearer than ever before. Our personalities will go on yet without sin. We will still have our uniqueness and distinctiveness that makes us different from one another, not just physically, but more importantly in our very beings. You will know more then than now. Things that are confusing will be made clear.
Now I will add an opinion here. There is no indication in Scripture that focuses the attention on the people who are living. I don’t know if grandpa is watching me now or not. I do know it is against the teaching of the Bible to try to contact the dead, or pray to the dead- that is reserved only for the Lord. And when people do try they are involved in cultic and demonic activities. The Old Testament is very clear not to contact spirits. The New Testament teaches there is only one to whom we pray, it isn’t our loved one, it is not Mary or the saints, it is only God as revealed Father, by the spirit, through the Son.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Thur Aug 12
Verses -1 Thes 4:13-18 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.
14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.
I Cor 15
The Resurrected Experience.
I Thes 4:16-18 is a wonderful passage of hope. Jesus introduces the hope of the other side, namely the resurrected bodies we will receive at His return. This is also called the rapture of the church when we meet the Lord in the air. When Christ returns the souls of the saints will join with Him and the angels and receive their permanent resurrected bodies. Those who have fallen asleep are also called the dead in Christ include believers who have died and professed belief in Christ. They will rise again.
We will know others and be known by others, even though we haven’t met. Paul also goes into a lengthy explanation in I Cor 15 of the differences between the body now and the body that is to come. The people in Corinth found it hard to accept the idea of the resurrection. How could God take bodies which have deteriorated, burned, or been destroyed in different ways and reconstruct them again? What if a cannibal ate a person? There are all kinds of things that are hard to understand.
Yet when God first made mankind he did so out of dust? Do you think recreating new bodies is any harder chore for the God of all creation? Paul uses a figurative illustration to helps us understand four truths.
First. Although it is a body it is very different in nature from our physical bodies. Take for example a seed. It seems dead, to have no life, no indication of life in it at all. How can a new plant come forth from this dead seed? Today we may explain it but it is still a miracle created by God.
If God can bring this dead seed to life, he can do the same with a dead body, regardless of its state. Then Paul explains that there are different kinds of bodies - within animal life and within the heavens. All have their own kind of splendor, all are different. So we must remember that we do not just think of our present bodies as to what our bodies will be like.
Secondly, it does not die. It is imperishable and eternal. Our bodies will not die. No one will comment on your age or notice the years taking their toll. Dr. Hinson wrote: “The stars shall live for a million years A million years and a day. But God and I will live and love when the stars have passed away.”
Thirdly, we are raised in power. When my mother was removed from her apartment after discovering she died in bed, Jay Mankie, the funeral director at the time, covered her body in a sheet. But contrast that with the purity of the white robes by the power of Jesus Christ that will raise him from the dead.
We are raised in strength. I always wanted to fly, I always dreamed of being strong. With the resurrected body there will not be any material barriers. I will not have to worry about things I cannot lift or places I cannot go. The angel that rolled the stone away was not to let Jesus out, but that the disciples might come in and see the empty tomb.
Of course some of the details of our new body and existence in heaven is speculative, I believer when a child dies his resurrected body will not be that of a 2 year old dependent upon others for needs. He will be strong, and whatever our new bodies can do so will his. Babies who have died will not remain babies but have the completeness that awaits us all regardless of our age. The one who dies with one leg or paralyzed or burned at the stake will all be completed in our imaginations more than and better than running and jumping and singing and dancing for even gravity will not hinder the resurrected body.
The Fourth idea is that we shall receive this spiritual body. God desired that soul and body be balanced together along with the spirit. It is somehow a reflection of his image. Now without sin and without decay of this world, so we reflect the glory of God and serve him. “We shall also bear the image of the heavenly one”: The glorified or resurrected body will resemble that of Christ’s resurrected body. It will be as real as Christ’s body, but “real” as defined in eternal terms, not earthly ones.
Pastor Dale
Sermon Nuggets Fri Aug 13 -Resurrected Body
Verses- John 21:4-14 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
5 He called out to them, "Friends, haven't you any fish?" "No," they answered.
6 He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, "It is the Lord," he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.
8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.
9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you have just caught."
11 Simon Peter climbed aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.
12 Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord.
13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.
14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Christ’s Resurrection
The only complete new resurrected body we can use to help us understand is the resurrected body of Jesus Christ. It was real. He could be touched, he ate a fish and it was gone. Yet he could appear and disappear at will. Sometimes people recognized him on the earth and other times they did not know who he was. We understand with spiritual eyes, not with physical eyes.
Our resurrected bodies may eat, but not have to for continue to exist. There are all kinds of figures in the Bible that speak of the banqueting table, or parties, or feasting, because we can’t have a party without food.
I always felt so badly for Kortney whenever he was here for some event he had to be fed by tube and not participate in the fun of eating and drinking and talking with one another. Sometimes Kortney would go through the line and just pick up plate, knife and fork. Thanksgiving, Birthdays, and Christmas must seem much more boring without food to share. So maybe we’ll have angel food cake, I don’t know.
But life will be different. Christ made it clear that we will not marry or be married in heaven. Race, gender, age, looks will not be important, but we will know one another, A wife will know husband and husband wife, mother daughter father son, but all equal before the throne of God. Our attentions will be more on the magnificent wonder of God whose loves it he purest.
Imagine we will be able to exist on other planets, planets, say, without oxygen or water, without having to resort to “space suits” and other cumbersome apparatuses. IT seems God will use the same atoms, but rearrange them in such ways as to “conform” to the heavenly world.
I’ve read a couple of people use the caterpillar and butterfly as an illustration. They provide insight as to what happens to us when we physically die. The caterpillar is a fuzzy worm crawling on the ground. To the naked, unaided, unaided by scientific knowledge, human eye it is only a worm. But inside that caterpillar there is a butterfly. Oh, not a fully-grown butterfly, but only the potential for one. At just the right time in its life the caterpillar turns gray and hangs upside down on a tree and weaves a cocoon. It looks like it is dying and creating its own casket and tomb. But the cocoon is no tomb. It is an in-between house, a place where a process takes place. So it is more a process than place. Inside the cocoon the caterpillar is transforming into a butterfly. It uses the same atoms as it had as a caterpillar, only rearranges them, recycles them, in order to emerge, rise, from the cocoon as a beautiful butterfly, no longer crawling but flying! Its atmosphere, its arena, it environment is not longer limited to the earth. It can now travel in the “outer space” of the air, the sky, and the heavens.
The same is true of us when we die. Our bodies will be transformed, using the same atoms, into a “body” equipped to live on a different level. When the caterpillar “dies” to being a caterpillar it looks to the casual observer that that is the end. It is not, of course. It is the beginning of a new life as a butterfly. That “different level,” that potential, was always present in us, but not awakened until the right time. Jesus came and told us that “now” is the right time for us to wake up to our potential. When we follow his lead, trust him, imitate his attitudes and behavior, we begin, really he begins in us, the process of really becoming what is inside us, placed there by God, to become.
We die to our old selves and rise to a new level of life. That happens or can happen long before we physically die. Indeed, it has to happen before we physically die or we will not enter into the eternal realm of God, but be consigned to some other life or quasi-life outside of God. Just exactly what we will be, look like and how we will be composed has not yet been revealed. But, what has been revealed is that the process begins by being incorporated into, grafted onto, Christ. He is the essential, key ingredient that starts the process, advances it and finishes it. Without Christ we are like a brand new car with no key. Our outer bodies may look great but there is not life or movement.
Death is the process we know that prepares us for this body. Just like the seed cannot produce fruit without first dying and being buried, so it is with you and me. That is the way that He has chosen to translate us from this earthly life into the heavenly. That is the only way that we can be forever with the Lord.
Dear people some have stood on the threshold and told their experiences, but there is one who went through the threshold into death and life and knows what is even beyond. Christ is the only One who is qualified to tell what we can expect on the other side. He was dead- laid in a tomb for three days. He arose with a glorified body. Here is someone whose opinion can be trusted and comes to us in love. To John the risen Christ said, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, the living One, and I was dead, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades.”
There are some things we know, and many we don’t, but all of the passages we have quoted are for two main purposes: To know Christ, to Grow in Him. Amen.
Pastor Dale
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