Moraine Valley Church

Love on Display at Christmas/ 12.25.22

 Love on Display at Christmas
1 John 4:9-10 December 25, 2022   

Introduction:

1. This Christmas we have done a series we have called the rest of the story as we have looked at other reasons Jesus was born other than the one that is most often referred to and that is “Jesus was born to die!”  
   1. But the statement “Jesus was born to die!” is a very true statement 
   2. “Jesus was born to die!” in order to forgive our sins, bring us into a relationship with God, and to give us a new and eternal life.
2. The rest of the story behind that is that God not only loves us but he sooooo loved us!   
   1. That means God loves you so so much to an extremely high degree!

• Turn to 1 John 4:9

1.  God put his love on display 
   1. As I read this verse, we are going to see that God put his love on display for all of us to see.   
      1. We are told over and over again in the Bible that God loves us but he also made it his business to not only tell us he loves us but to show us as well
   2.  Read v9 
      1. God displayed his love by sending Jesus into this world.  That is referring to his birth.

• Love is one of those vague words that we know it when we see and experience it but it is hard to simply define but in v10 we see 

1.   The ingredients of love
   1. Just like when we read the ingredients on the side of a food package so we know everything that food is composed of so in v10 we learn what ingredients that make up God’s love.  Read
   2. The first ingredient is this: God takes the initiative to love us first and does not wait for us to love him before he loves us!
      1. We often call this unconditional love – where God places no conditions on his love.  His love is not a response to something we do, but his nature is to love us first.
      2. As 1 John 4:19 says we love, because he first loved us.
   3. The second ingredient is this: God sent his Son.  – we just saw in v9 that God put his love on display when he sent Jesus to be born into this world
   4. The third ingredient is this: read 10c   
      1. Simply Jesus was sent into this world to die to satisfy what God required of us because of our sins.
      2. As we saw in v9, this has resulted in life for us!  His death was for our benefit!
   5. So the three key ingredients of love are:
      1. Taking the initiative, making the first move to love someone else
      2. It cost something – love requires some kind of sacrifice just as it cost God to sacrifice his son.
      3. The third ingredient of love – it benefits someone else.
      4. Repeat those three benefits:   initiative, cost, benefit
      5. So my simple definition of love: love takes the initiative, at your own expense to bless someone else!  
   6. Now listen to what he says:   read v11a
      
      
      
      1. God sooooooo loved us. – here we see that God’s love was a love – to a great degree, he loves us sooooo so much because he took the initiative at the great great cost of giving his Son to die for us so that we can be blessed with life
2.  Two applications come out of this
   1. First, v11 is using God’s love as an example of how we are to love others!
      1. Read v11b
      2. Will you, this Christmas day or this next week take the initiative, the first step at a personal cost to yourself to bless someone else!  
   2. Second  – read John 3:16 
      1. God sooooo loved us in sending his Son and he sooooo loved us in sacrificing his Son for us so that we can live.
      2. This is all he asks of us – to believe, rely, trust, and lean on what Jesus did for you on the cross to give you eternal life.
      3. It is not what we do first but rather he took the initiative at the cost of his own Son to give us the gift of an abundant life now and an eternal life that goes throughout eternity!
      4. If you want to begin the journey of loving God, then begin by responding to his love gift this morning by trusting in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sin and for a brand new and eternal life!

TheRest of the Story / Expecting a Kingdom

 Expecting a Kingdom
Various passages  December 18, 2022    

Introduction:

1. This Christmas we are looking at the rest of the story of Christmas as we learn that Jesus came for more reasons than just to die for our sins!  
   1. Last week we learned that Israel was waiting for a king whom they called “Messiah,” the New Testament calls him the “Christ.”  Even getting a bit closer to home with our personal lives, we call him Lord!
   2. You cannot have a king without a kingdom 
2. A kingdom is simply made up of a territory or realm, and people over whom a king rules.    
   1. That means the kingdom of God is simply the territory, the realm and the people over whom Jesus rules as king.  
   2. Therefore, at the first coming of Christ Israel was not only waiting for a king but a kingdom that he was going to set up as well!

• Today I want to try to better understand what the kingdom is turn to Matthew 3

1. The kingdom is at hand
   1. Jesus and John the Baptist both began their preaching with the same message:  the “kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 
      1. Read Matthew 3:1-2; 4:17. 
      2. Jesus and John were saying that the kingdom of heaven was so close to appearing that they could reach out and touch it, they could smell the aroma of it like a fine cooked meal in the next room. 
   2. It is interesting to note also that neither one of them felt a need to explain just what that kingdom was or what it would be like
      
      
      1. That is because when they heard John and Jesus preach about the kingdom of heaven the Jew could not help but think about God’s covenant promises and what the prophets said in the Old Testament.   
      2. The one that Daniel 2 would simply summarize as a kingdom that would crush all the other earthly kingdoms!   Read Daniel 2:44  (note heaven)
         1. People try to make a distinction between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God – 
         2. I think that is reading our current theology into the text rather than letting the text inform our theology!
      3. What they would have known is what we learned in the series of the people of promise and particularly the sixteen promises we summarized for you on the handout we gave you.  Review quickly:
         1. Abrahamic 
            1. a land forever
            2. innumerable descendants that would be 
            3. blessings
            4. in his seed all the nations will be blessed
            5. God will be their God forever
               
               
         2. Deuteronic 
            1. future repentance of Israel
            2. restoration to the land
            3. regathered from dispersion
            4. nation converted
            5. Israel’s enemies will be judged
            6. nation receive full blessings in the land
               
               
         3. Davidic 
            1. king forever
            2. kingdom forever
            3. reign forever
               
               
         4. New covenant  
            1. Spiritual blessings – forgiven, new heart, the Holy Spirit. 
            2. Abiding material blessings in the land

• This is the nature of the kingdom that John the Baptist and Jesus were offering, this is the kingdom the Jews were looking for but something significant happened in Matthew 12

1. The kingdom has come upon you
   1. Turn to Matthew 12:28.  Context is that Jesus had just cast a demon out of a man and the Pharisees said, “He cast out demons by Beelzebub the ruler of the demons.” Listen to Jesus’ response.  Read v25-28
      1. No longer is the kingdom at hand but now it has come upon them. Jesus said when he cast out the demon by the Spirit of God, and then the kingdom has come upon you.
      2. The Old Testament taught that during the kingdom the Holy Spirit would be doing extra ordinary works. Right here is one display of that.  
   2. Listen to Luke 17:20-21 when the Pharisees were questioning Jesus as to when the kingdom of God was coming.  Listen to what he said. 
      1.  Read Luke 17:20-21
      2. The word “in your midst or within you” cannot be referring to the fact the kingdom is residing in their hearts because Jesus was talking to a largely unbelieving group who rejected him!
      3. What Jesus was saying is that the kingdom of God is in your midst.  The kingdom of God is standing right here, right now, right in the middle of all of you.  The king and the kingdom go hand in hand.  Where King Jesus is, the kingdom is.

• In the parables Jesus teaches them and us the …

1.  Mysteries of the kingdom 
   1. Read Matthew 13:10-11
   2. A mystery is something that has not been revealed before but now is going to be.  New revelation comes in light of the fact that the religious leaders have just rejected and denounced Jesus, their Messiah.  
      1. The parables are the mysteries of the kingdom! 
      2.  Jesus is going to tell them and us something new about the kingdom of God, and it is much different from the kingdom they expected and learned about in the Old Testament.  
      3. The parables teach us the nature of God’s kingdom from the time of Israel’s rejection of him as their king until the time he returns to set up his kingdom here on earth, the kingdom they expected from the Old Testament.
   3. I will only read a summary of what the parables teach us about the kingdom, as it would take a whole series to understand it all.  See passages in the notes!
      1. The parables teach us new features of the kingdom that have been in operation from the rejection of Jesus as Messiah by Israel and will continue until the judgment at the end of this age (Matthew 12:28; 13:30, 39-40, 49).  During this time the righteous and wicked will co-exist (Matthew 13:24-30) and Satan himself will be very active (Matthew 13:39).  At the end of this age, no one else can enter the kingdom (Matthew 25:10-13) and there will be judgment for the wicked and rewards for the sons of the kingdom at that time. (Matthew13:30, 40-43, 47-50; 20: 1-16; 25:14-30).  The kingdom will start very small but powerful and will grow and advance until it surpasses all other kingdoms (13:31-33).  But it is a kingdom of supreme importance and value, worth everything a person has (Matthew13:44-46).  Because Israel rejected Jesus as Messiah /King, the kingdom is taken away from them and given to a people producing its fruits ( Matthew 21:33-44; Luke 13:28-29)  the invitation to this kingdom will now go out beyond the people of Israel to many others (Matthew 22:1-10).   People will respond differently to the word of this kingdom (13:18-23), since many are called but few are chosen (Matthew 22:14).  Entrance into this kingdom will not be based upon bloodline or religious heritage but rather upon repentance and belief (Matthew 21:28-32).  This kingdom will be an internal invisible powerful spiritual kingdom. It is a kingdom of receiving and giving forgiveness (Matthew 18:21-35).  Where Jesus is, the kingdom is, because the king and the kingdom go hand and hand. (Matthew 12:28; Luke 17:20-21).  Because no one knows the day or hour when Jesus will return and bring a close to this age, everyone should be prepared, watching, and serving the Master by doing his will until he returns (Matthew 25:1-30)
      2. Jesus told his disciples that his literal earthly kingdom would not be right away but in the future, after the king takes a long journey and they will be rewarded according to their faithfulness during that time. (Luke19:11-27)
      3. Simply stated, the kingdom of God during our time is the rule of God by his Spirit over the hearts and lives of men and women.  I believe the visible manifestation of this kingdom during this time that Jesus must be in heaven is the church.
   4.  In reality, the kingdom has already begun but it is not fully here yet!   Theologians call this already but not yet!
      1. The “already” part is the fact that since the kingdom is where the king is and the Spirit of Christ dwells in our hearts right now, then he is king over a group of people who have been born again by the Spirit of God.  It is a spiritual kingdom “right now” where Jesus rules as king over his people.
      2. The “not yet” part is the fact that when Jesus returns to earth, he is going to set up a literal earthly, kingdom where he will be king over all the earth from Jerusalem. 
2.  Application  
   1.  As believers, we are not just waiting for a kingdom but we are a part of God’s powerful invisible kingdom right now with our King Jesus ruling over his church as its head and over his people as their lord!  
   2. Here is the reality that we live in.  We live in the midst of two kingdoms, each with their own kings – the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan- the god of this world.
   3. Each kingdom has its own program/system, ways, pattern, mold, basic principles, standards, philosophy, values, goals, methods, wisdom, viewpoint, loves, and use of its money. etc.
      1. The world puts constant pressure on us to squeeze us into the mold of the world we live in buying into its ways and values
      2. God’s kingdom is seeking to transform us into the mold of Jesus Christ. 
      3. Each kingdom is vying/competing for our allegiance to its ways and its king
   4. While we are in the world, we are not of the world as God transferred us out of the kingdom of Satan and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved son.
      1. Read Colossians 1:12-13 
   5. Believers – which kingdom are you living by?  Which one reflects more of your thinking, values. loves and lifestyle?
      1. This is not about how many Bible studies you go to, how many times you go to church or even how much worship music you listen to!
      2. This is about who really is your king and which kingdom is influencing your life.  
   6. If you do not know Jesus, today you can transfer your membership from the kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of Jesus!
      1. Turn and listen to what Jesus said in John 3:3 
      2. You must be born again!  Born again by the Spirit of God.   Read John 3:7-8 
      3. Turn to John 1 and listen to what John the apostle said in v11-13
         1. Note what it is not – read 13b
         2. It is by God through faith in Jesus.  Read 12b
      4. Simple as ABC and invite

The Rest of the Story / Expecting a King

Jesus the Christ
Various passages December 11, 2022     

1. Introduction:
   1. At the time of Jesus birth, every Jew’s hope was wrapped up in the one they called the Messiah, the one who was coming to be a forever king who would reign forever over a forever kingdom.
      1. The New Testament translates that Hebrew word into Greek with the word “Christ”  Read John 1:40-41 
      2. So simply the Messiah or Christ is synonymous for the King of Israel.  
         1. Read Matthew 2:1-4
         2. Show them that “King of the Jews” in v2 is equivalent to “Christ” in v4. 
      3. They were waiting and hoping for this Messiah/ Christ/ King because they were under the rule of Rome and they longed for the day when the Christ would come to set them free from Rome and set up God’s kingdom here on earth.
   2. When we think of the rest of the story of Christmas, we need to understand that Jesus was not just born to die, but he came to present himself as the King over both Israel and the whole world.
   3. Their expectations and hopes were shaped by what they knew about him from the Old Testament – summarize
      1. He would be God himself (Isaiah 5:7; 9:6-7; 24:23; Micah 4:7; Zechariah 14:9,16-17) who would dwell in their midst as a victorious warrior (Zephaniah 3:15-17; Zechariah 2:7-10) judging the nations (Psalm 110:5-6; Isaiah 42:1; 63:1-6; Zechariah 14:1-3,12-15;) and saving Israel so that they dwell in safety forever (Jeremiah 23:5-6; Zechariah 14:11). One from the line of Judah (Genesis 49:10) and the line of David (2 Samuel 7:12-19; Psalm 132:11), who would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) and preceded by a messenger who would prepare the way before him (Isaiah 40:3-5; Malachi 3;1).  
      2. He would enter into Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9) to be their  king forever ( 2 Samuel 7:16; Daniel 7:14; Isaiah 9:6-7),  over God’s kingdom forever (2 Samuel 7:16; Daniel 2: 44; 7:14 ), ruling over all the world (Psalm 2:4-12; Psalm 110:1-3; Isaiah 2:2-4; Daniel 7:14;  Zechariah 9:9-10; 14:9-10) from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:1-3; 24:23) after he enters through the east gate of the temple to set up his throne there (Ezekiel 43:1-7).  
      3. He would be anointed by the Spirit of God to be the King (Isaiah 11:1-5), a priest (1 Samuel 2:35; psalm 110:4) and a prophet like Moses in whose mouth God himself would put his words (Deuteronomy 18:15:18).  A prophet who would preach good news to the broken and imprisoned (Isaiah 61:1-2).  He would be the good and faithful shepherd who will care for them (Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:11-16) and supernaturally heal their infirmities (Isaiah 35:4-6).
      4. Therefore, this is what would have been in the mind of a Jew at the coming of Christ based on what they knew from the Old Testament.  

• Now we need to know that …

1.   Jesus born to be King
   1. Before he was born Jesus was King– John tells us in John 12:41 that when Isaiah saw that great vision of the glory of God sitting on the throne in Isaiah 6, that is was Jesus whom he saw.   
   2. At his birth, the angels announced that Jesus was a king, the Magi affirmed it and King Herod even tried to kill baby Jesus because he knew he was the King of the Jews!
   3. The whole book of Matthew was written to prove Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, the King of Israel they were all waiting for.      
   4. During Jesus’ life he claimed to be the Messiah/ Christ/ King
      
      
      
      1. In Luke 4 - when Jesus began his ministry, he read in the synagogue a passage of Scripture about the Messiah from Isaiah 61.  Then he said this, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”  They understood clearly that Jesus was proclaiming himself to be the Messiah and the people were so angry they threw him out of the city and tried to kill him
      2. In John 4 – the Samaritan woman said to Jesus “I know that the Messiah is coming and when he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her “I, who speak to you, am he.”
      3. In Matthew 16 when Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Then Jesus told him that this was a supernatural revelation that the Father opened up to Peter!
      4. At the triumphal entry
         1. Matthew said that it was to fulfill the prophecy of Israel’s king coming to them 
         2. The crowds recognized and affirmed him as King as they cried out, “Hosanna to the Son of David” and “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.”
      5. In Matthew 26 - we saw that the high priest asked Jesus directly, “Are you the Christ, the Son of God?” 
         1. Paraphrased for us that is, “Are you the coming king, are you God himself?” 
         2. When Jesus said he was; the high priest accused him of blasphemy and condemned him to death.
      6. In John 18 Pilate asked Jesus directly, “Are you the King of the Jews?” After a little discussion about this, listen to how the conversation closed.  
         1. Read John 18:37 
         2. So here is the rest of the story of Christmas, Jesus was born to be a king and keeping things in context – that is the truth he came to bear witness of, the truth that he is a king!
   5. Finally, when the charges were put above the cross for the reason for his death it said – “the King of the Jews” 
      1. The Pharisees wanted it to say, “He said he was” the King of the Jews 
      2. But Pilate insisted it stay as the King of the Jews 
   6. Jesus not only came to present himself as King and we are not only waiting for him to come back to be the king in the millennial kingdom but Jesus always was, is and will be King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords!  

• So what does that mean for you and me this Christmas

1. Application 
   1. Simply a king is the one who has the right to rule, he has the right to direct, order, command.  He has the highest rank and superior status over everyone and everything in his kingdom. He is preeminent and has first place over everyone and everything in his kingdom.  
      1. It is what we sometimes refer to the lordship of Christ.  While our response to him, as Savior is to trust him, our response to him, as Lord is to obey him.   
      2. Luke 6:46 
   2. When we think of a king, we think of King Charles!  He is really distant from the details of people’s lives and his decisions make an impact but in a very general way.  
      1. So when we think of Jesus as King we often think of him reigning from a distance over the world or for some even in the future when he returns.
      2. But Jesus is an up-close kind of king, who is reigning right now over with the intimate details of his people’s lives! 
   3. Turn to Colossians 1.  Read v16-18
      1.  All things created through and for him!
      2. First place in everything!
         1. ESV – preeminent  
            1. Web - before all others in importance, having paramount rank
         2. MSG – towering far above everything, everyone!
         3. Amplified explains this as he will stand supreme and be preeminent in everything!
      3. That sounds like a king to me, an up-close king over everyone and every detail of their lives!
   4. Implications for you and me this Christmas is that Jesus was not only born to be King over Israel and the whole world in the future but also born to be our King, our Lord who has first place over everything in our lives right now.   
   5. So does Jesus have first place in everything in your life?   Is he ruling and directing your life from the throne of your life, or are you sitting on that throne of your life, ruling and directing your own way?

• Let me do a quick check up like your primary care pastor! 

1. Heart 
   1. Affections – is Jesus truly the top love and delight of your heart or is some local sports team, political party, or reaching some achievement or position, or certain pleasures I have become addicted to, or certain things you want to get?
   2. Motives so as to do everything in life to the glory of God, 
   3. Choices you make consistent with the choices Jesus would make if he were in your shoes – by the way he may not be in your shoes but he is in your heart, 
2. Head
   1. Thought life so as to focus upon that which is true and pure, 
3. Tongue
   1. Words you speak to others so as to build them up, encourage them and point them to Jesus, 
4. Assets
   1. Possessions – am I stewarding everything I have as one who is managing what God really owns or do I treat it as my own, doing whatever I want with it?
   2. Money – am I honoring God with the first fruits of my money by giving that to him and am I using all my money under his direction for his glory, 
5. Relationships – 
   1. Am I connecting deeply with other believers to support one another in our walk with Jesus or am I being influenced primarily by those who do not know God so as to forget that bad company corrupts good morals, etc. 
   2. Jesus/Christmas - does Jesus have first place this year in your Christmas plans, your family gatherings, your decorations, your gift giving, your music, your conversations with your kids and friends about Christmas? 

1. Let me ask you this – 
   1. What is that still small voice of the Spirit speaking to your heart this morning?
   2. Even more importantly now – what specific thing or things are you going to do in response to what he is speaking to you about?
   3. Take a moment to consider those two questions

 

The Rest of the Story / Hesed: The Greatest Love

Christmas: The Rest of the Story

 The Rest of the Story!
The Mystery of the Covenants and Christmas
November 27, 2022   

1. Introduction:
   1. When I was younger there was a radio commentator named Paul Harvey and he would do a daily radio segment called the rest of the story.  
      1. Paul would tell in a very interesting way a little-known historical fact and at the end of the story connect it with a famous person or event 
      2. His final words would be, “Now you know the rest of the story!”   
   2. Well there are some very interesting and important facts that relate to Jesus’ birth that are often overlooked when it comes to Christmas.
      1. Most often, we hear from Christians this simple little phrase connected with Christmas that “Jesus was born to die!”  
         1. True, Jesus was born to die for our sins, 
      2. But there were other reasons for his birth, reasons that are often overlooked a Christmas and that is the rest of the story we want to talk about this Christmas.
   3. The series this Christmas I am calling the rest of the story, the rest of the story about Christmas, the rest of the story about why Jesus was born and some of the other key reasons Jesus was born other than just to die for our sins.
   4. Today’s message closes up the series regarding people of promise and opens up Christmas, the rest of the story at the same time.  
      1. The knowledge you gained about the covenant promises will help you better understand the rest of the story as to why Jesus was born!
   5. In the Davidic covenant, we learned that God was going to send from the line of David, one who would be king forever, reigning forever over a forever kingdom. 
      1. This expected king was known as the Messiah, which translated into Greek is Christ.
      2. In Isaiah 9 God tells them that there will be a son born to whom God will give the throne of David and over his kingdom, he will reign from then on and forevermore.  
         1. Read Isaiah 9:6-7 
         2. This is where the stories of the Bible and the covenants and Christmas intersect with Jesus as the main character of all three!
      3. Right from the very start of the New Testament, they are showing that Jesus is the Messiah by proving through his genealogy that he is the son of David and the son of Abraham – the seed who was promised in both covenants to those two men, the one who would bless all the nations and reign as king forever. 
         1. Read Matthew 1:1-2
         2. Thus, we see in 1:16 that Jesus birth is connected with him being the Messiah – the one who was promised to Israel to be their savior and king who would set up a forever kingdom!
      4. So the one question that I have heard the most in this series is “What about the church, what about us believers today, how do we fit in to all of these covenant promises?” 
         1. I am encouraged by this question because that means you have followed us well as we have sought to be faithful to what the Bible teaches rather than forcing our times, lives, our applications and our theology on what the Old Testament clearly has taught.
         2. We have learned over the past few months that the covenant promises God made were with Abraham, David and Israel, not with the church, nor with humankind, or with us as individuals!
      5. So what about us – I going to show us today that one of the other reasons for Jesus’ birth was so that you and me, believers today, can participate in God’s covenant program.

• I am going to tell you my answer right up front and then show it to you in the Scripture  …

1. The church is heirs of and participates in the covenant promises through Jesus Christ!   
   1. Let’s start by defining an heir
      1. Many in this room have experienced being an heir.
      2. An heir is someone who inherits something normally from their parents when they die.  
         1. Normally they receive their possessions, 
         2. But in the case of King Charles recently he not only received possessions but also he inherited rights, privileges and a position from Queen Elizabeth when she died
      3. As believers, we are closer to King Charles as we do not just get possessions yet to come in the future but also rights, privileges, positions and promises in our inheritance!
   2. So let’s look at this in the Scripture – turn to Ephesians 2:11
      1. He is speaking to Gentile believers here and recalling their former state to them.  As I read I want you to note the five different things that characterized their condition when they were unbelieving Gentiles = non-Jews. Read 11-12.
      2. In verse 13, we see what has happened to them now that they are in Christ!   Read v13.
         1. They are no longer are strangers to the covenants but now they have been brought near to the covenants by Christ. 
      3. The five things mentioned in v12 that they were far from, four of those they are now near to, but in v14-15 he explained the fifth – being excluded from the commonwealth of Israel.  Watch as I read v14-15
      4. This one new man he is talking about is the church.   A new commonwealth if you will, a new community, one body in Christ – the body of Christ made up of Jews and Gentiles.
         1. It’s a completely new thing that God does, as Gentiles do not become Jews nor do Jews become Gentiles but they are all unified as a completely new community in Christ.
      5. Chapter 3 expands upon this and shows that they are not only together now as one but they are fully equal in status and privileges.
         1. Read 3:1-5 – what he is saying here is that during the time of the Old Testament God did not reveal to them this truth about the Gentiles that we just saw in chapter 2.
         2. Then he gets very specific – 
            1. As I read, recognize that fellow simply means to be of the same group with equal status and rights! 
            2. Read v6
         3. Simply Gentile and Jews through Jesus now share together equally as
            1. Heirs – someone who receives the inheritance – the possessions, rights and privileges and promises that are passed to them
            2. Members – that means Jews and Gentiles have equal status in the body of Christ 
            3. Partaking in the promise of Jesus the Messiah! – they share in the promise that comes from the Messiah himself.
         4. Turn now to Galatians 3 where we will see essentially the same thing. 
            1. Read v13-14 where we will see the death in verse 13 and the inheritance promises in v14
            2. Look down now at v16 and note to whom the Abrahamic promises were made .   Read
            3. In v19, we see again that the promise was given to Jesus as well.  Read
            4. Now go down to v28 where we will see once again the same truth that both Jews and Gentiles are all one new entity in Jesus Christ.   Read v28.
            5. Now here is the big one in v29.   Read
               1. Because we belong to Jesus – the seed, we are Abraham’s seed, heirs, recipients of the promise made to Abraham.
               2. Since I am in Christ, then I am in the seed to whom the promises were made thus as Romans 8:17 says I, as a Gentile, am not only a fellow heir with the Jews but with Christ!  Read Romans 8:16-17 
               3. “I will be their God” PowerPoint!
            6. Conclusion
               5. So like Paul Harvey, God was revealing a detail about his covenant promises that was little known and understood in the Old Testament times. But now with the coming of Jesus and his birth he came also to include the Gentiles in God’s program as full members along with the Jews.
               6. What a time to bring Thanksgiving, Christmas and the covenants all together by giving thanks to Jesus for bringing us near and making both Jews and Gentiles a brand new community who are co-heirs of the covenant promises and co-equal members of the body of Christ!   
               7. We have a reason to celebrate Jesus!

 

 

 

Being Thankful / Thanksgiving 11.20.2022

 Being Thankful
Various passages November 20, 2022   

1. Introduction:
   1. Psalm 127 says that children are a gift of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward…. how blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.  
      1. We have a God who not only delights to bless us but who has joyfully bound himself to bless us and even pursues us to bless us!
   2. It all started with Abraham when God blessed Abraham, told him to be a blessing and then said that through his seed, Jesus the whole world would be blessed!  He took that promise and turned it into a covenant just to assure Abraham of how serious God was about blessing.
      1. We learned just a few weeks ago in the new covenant that God has given some unbelievable life changing at the core of our being types of blessings to his children – things like forgiveness, the removal of the old heart and giving us a new heart and placing his Holy Spirit within us to enable us to live in his ways
      2. Because of Jesus, we learn in Ephesians 1 that we have already been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.  Ephesians 1:3
      3. Let’s go a step further the ultimate blessing is the blesser himself!  God and his presence with us and even in us by his Spirit, is the greatest blessing!  Sometimes we can get all caught up in the blessings and forget all about the blesser.
   3. Blessing is simply a benefit that has supernatural fingerprints on it!  
      1. That means it is not just good things that happen or even beneficial things happen.  But a blessing is a benefit that has God’s fingerprints on it!   It originates from God and he gives it to you as a gift!
         
         
         
      2. Sometimes those blessings/benefits come in wrapping paper that looks more like trouble or a trial because our God is using everything in our life, the good, bad and ugly to work out his good purpose in our life!
   4. Going back to Ephesians 1:3 we are called to bless God for all the blessing he has given us in Christ.
      1. Psalm 103:1-2 tells us the same thing.  Turn and read 
      2. To bless God is to speak well of him, to praise him and thank him for these blessings.  
      3. So we are to bless God, praise and thank him for all the benefits and blessings that touch our lives both spiritual and daily practical benefits and blessing!   
         1. We are to do it with all our hearts!
         2. So we are to bless God with all our hearts for all he has done for us.
   5. As we prepare for the Thanksgiving week, which really according to the Bible should be thanksgiving life, moment by moment, day by day in both the ups and downs of life 

• I want to talk to you for a moment about 

1.  Thanking God for his blessing us!   
   1. The word thanks simply means the acknowledgement and expressing appreciation for something you have received from someone else!   
      1. It is the natural response that just flows out of our hearts when someone does something special for us.   It’s like – wow!  Thanks! 
   2. If giving thanks to God is not a natural response that spontaneously flows from your heart on a regular basis; then 
      1. You are not aware of the working of God in your life and the blessings that ultimately come from him James 1 says, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights!”  James 1:17 
         1. The every good thing and every perfect gift includes both spiritual and daily practical blessing and benefits that come our way that have God’s fingerprints all over them.
   3. So if I am depending moment by moment upon Jesus for everything in my life then I should be constantly and naturally from the depths of my heart be thanking him for literally everything in my life
      1. Even the difficult things that come my way that God uses to grow me and build more of the life of Christ within me.   
      2. This should be true all the way from forgiveness in Christ, the ability to live the way he calls us to, to every breathe we take every day!

• So let’s 

1.  Practice thanks for the blessing God has given us!
   1. I hope that we can prime the pump today for a weeklong attitude and practice of thanks that would prime the pump for a day-by-day, moment by moment lifelong thanking of God for his blessings upon us!
   2. Let’s start right now
      1. I want you to take a few minutes and think of the three biggest benefits/blessing over this last year that you are or should be thankful to god.  
         1. Either spiritual or daily practical, or internal or external are fair game!
      2. Now I want you to take a few minutes to actually express to God your thanks for these benefits/blessing 
   3. Close by finding someone sitting close to you and share what one or two of the biggest things you are grateful to God for and how he has spoken to you today.

Understanding the Old Testament Prophets Through the Lens of Covenant / People of Promise

When Will All of These Covenant Promises Happen

Acts 3, Zechariah 10, Romans 11, Revelation 16-19

November 13, 2022

I. Introduction:

A. We have learned in this series that God has joyfully bound himself

by means of covenants to carry out promises he made to Abraham,

David, and Israel. We also learned that we are heirs of these

covenant promises, because we also are the seed of Abraham

because we belong to Jesus.

B. What are all these covenant promises? Remember when I first

introduced this series I said that all the prophecies have their roots

in the covenants so when we make sense of the covenant promises

it will make sense of the prophecies as well.

1. Like a puzzle it simply takes a picture and cuts it in as many

pieces as they desire- could be 1,000 pieces could be 16

pieces. While the picture is still the same it is much easier to

figure out when we see the whole picture in just 20 pieces.

a. 1,000 piece puzzle

b. 16 piece puzzle

C. So what are these key pieces? The covenant promises that God

joyfully bound himself to do!

1. Abrahamic – God promised Abraham

a. A land forever

b. Innumerable descendants

c. Blessings

d. In his seed all the nations will be blessed

e. God will be their god forever

2. Deuteronic – God promised Israel in spite of their

disobedience and discipline that he would grant them

a. Future repentance of Israel

b. Restoration to the land

c. Regathered from dispersion

d. Nation converted

e. Israel’s enemies will be judged

f. Nation receive full blessings in the land

3. Davidic –God promised David that from his line would be a

a. King forever

b. Kingdom forever

c. Reign forever

4. New covenant – God promised Israel that for his own name

sake he would

a. Spiritual blessing – forgiven, new heart, the Holy

Spirit.

b. Abiding material blessings in the land

B. That is the literal 16 piece puzzle of prophecy which drives the

hundreds of verses on prophecy that describe in detail what these

things will be like.

1. The Bible teaches us that there are two main pieces of prophecy

puzzle.

a. 1 Peter 1:10-11

b. The two main pieces are:

1. Suffering of Christ

2. The glories to follow!

• So my question today is simple “when are these glories that follow

Jesus’ sufferings

II. When will all the covenant promises take place?

A. We learned in the new covenant that certain aspects of the

covenant – the part of being in fellowship with God – forgiven and a

new heart indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we already participate in but many

of the sixteen pieces we just saw are yet to be fulfilled!

B. We also know from the New Testament and Jesus’ words

that when it comes to his kingdom we are in a position of already

not yet.

1. Already means we are enjoying the first fruits of the kingdom

of God right now in a spiritual sense, a spiritual kingdom where

Jesus rules over the hearts of the children of God from the right

hand of the throne of God in heaven

2. But the not yet means our hope is found in the future when the

fullness of a literal earthly kingdom where all the promises of

the covenants will be fulfilled. Then Jesus will rule over the

entire earth from his throne where he will sit on it in

Jerusalem.

a. We, the church, during that time will reign with Jesus

in that kingdom.

b. The way we live our lives today determines just what

role we will have in the reign

C. So some aspects of the covenant promises and the kingdom

of God we are already experiencing much like the first fruits as a

guarantee of the rest to come in the future.

1. According to Ephesians 1, that is why we have been given the

Spirit, a pledge, down payment, a guarantee of our future

redemption and inheritance!

D. Let’s see in the Bible when all these things will happen!

1. We already learned there are two key categories to prophecy –

Jesus’ suffering and the glories to follow. Now look at what we

learn in Acts 3:17-21. Where we see the same two categories

but with a bit more detail! Turn

a. Read

b. Tells us that in Jesus’ first coming he fulfilled the Old

Testament prophecies concerning his sufferings

c. When he returns he will fulfill the Old Testament prophecies

concerning the restoration of all things. restoration = kingdom =

glories

2. At Jesus’ return is when he fully sets up his kingdom.

a. Key verses that shows Christ’s kingdom is in the future

1. Matthew 19:28 = regeneration equals restoration of Acts

3.

2. Matthew 25:31- says at Jesus’ return is the time he will

sit on his glorious throne!

3. Revelation 3:21 – Jesus speaking to the church in

Laodicea said, “In the future you will sit down on my

throne with me just as he is seated now on the Father’s

throne, at his right hand.”

b. He makes a distinction here between the Father’s throne now and

Jesus’ own throne in the future! I love to trace the place of Jesus on the

throne.

1. In Old Testament – Father and Son on throne

2. While Jesus was on earth – the Father

3. After Jesus ascended into heaven – right hand of the

Father

4. During future millennium – Jesus on his throne in

Jerusalem

5. Eternity – Father and Son on the throne

together! Revelation 22:3

3. Romans 9- 11 indicates that God still has a future plan for

Israel. Romans 11:11-15 – stumble = trip, fall = cease;

a. V16-17 – Gentiles grafted in with Israel, not in place of them.

b. V24 Israel will be grafted back in- key word “will”

c. V25-28 - Israel will enter back into God’s covenant program after

the fullness of the Gentiles have come in,

1. Note the words mystery and until

2. We see first that this is the time when Jesus returns – the

deliverer will come

3. It is at the time Israel sins will be forgiven. - We know

that is the new covenant.

4. So the new covenant goes into effect for Israel when

Jesus returns. When the new covenant goes into effect,

as the catalyst covenant, the covenant that activates all

the other covenants so they go into effect at the return of

Jesus.

4. Zechariah 12:1-3 – nations gathered for war against

Jerusalem and Judah

a. Revelation gives us the heavenly view of this war. Revelation

16:13-14,16; 17:12-14; 19:17-21 -

1. Satan and his demons against the Lamb and his chosen

ones

b. Zechariah teaches us the earthly human view of the

war - all the nations against Judah and Jerusalem

c. Zechariah 12:8-11 – Jesus returns to defend Israel, and

Israel repents when they see Jesus and new covenant

begins. Read

d. Zechariah 13:1-2 – forgiveness

e. Zechariah 13:8-9 – 2/3 of Israel is judged and 1/3 is

saved all Israel, 1/3 left at that time saved – read Romans

11:26

f. Zechariah 14:9, 16-17 – the outcomes of this war

F. We see all of these things come together in the future in four major

passages (Jeremiah 32:36-42 & Jeremiah 33:7-9, 14-26; Ezekiel

36:16-36 & Ezekiel 37:21-28)– I want to read just one of

them. Ezekiel 37:21-28

F. While the terms or promises of the new covenant were made in the

Old Testament during the time of Ezekiel, the new covenant was

ratified by Jesus through the shedding of his blood at the cross, but

the complete enactment, fulfillment of the new covenant will take

place at the return of Christ.

1. How does that make sense – work out a deal to buy a house and

you agreed upon the terms last week. But the contract will not

be signed until the end of next week, that is when it is ratified,

but you will not take possession of the house until the start of

next year.

III. Application

A. So what do we do right now while we are waiting for Jesus’

return? Suggest just two

1. Many Christians are trying to turn the 16 piece puzzle into a

1000 piece puzzle by trying to mix current events and Bible

prophecies so we can figure out who is who and when it will

happen? But that in not what God’s word tells us to do!

2. Let me suggest two things: First listen to 1 Peter 1:13

a. Fix your hope completely on the grace and glory yet to come at

Jesus’ second coming.

b. Do you have your hope fixed there or in your political party or

the rebound of the stock market?

3. Secondly, listen to Jesus’ counsel on how to operate while

waiting for his return and not knowing the exact time.

a. Read Matthew 24:42-47

b. More important than figuring out the puzzle is doing the will of

God for our lives!

c. Do you know what God’s will is for your life –

1. It is different than mine because your gifts, passion,

calling are all different than mine

2. If not read this book and talk to someone mature

3. If you do, then do it

God’s Faithful Love / People of Promise

 God’s Tenacious Faithful Radical Love
   November 6, 2022   

1. Introduction:
   1. We have completed going through each of the major covenants that we are going to cover in this series. so today and the next few weeks we just want to close up with a few details that help us better understand the context of these covenants.  
   2. This morning I want us to see it is God’s tenacious, faithful, radical love that is the ultimate driver of these covenants.
      1. We have placed this series in the context of the big story of the Bible with the covenant promises being the major structure, the backbone, the major thoroughfares to the story
      2. It is possible that so far in the series you’ve seen these covenants more as a story line or a legal contract of how God would relate to Israel and ultimately us, rather than a love relationship
      3. While at times covenants were used to legally define the relationship between nations or a superior over an inferior, the covenants we studied were based on a love relationship between God and the people he has chosen to love.
   3. We have said all along that there are two key words throughout the Scripture that go hand and hand with the covenants, faithfulness and loving-kindness.   They help us clearly see the motivation of God’s love behind these covenants.
      1. Loving-kindness – an intense deep desire and active pursuit to bless your covenant partner.  It is both an attitude and an action
      2. Faithfulness – speaks of the unending nature of a covenant as long as each member of the covenant is alive.  It gives confidence that one covenant partner will never leave or forsake the other covenant partner.   
      3. Some other words that reveal God’s heart in the covenants are kindness, mercy, peace, steadfastness, loyalty and friendship.
   4. What I have to say today I believe can be a major encouragement to those who feel unloved or unlovable because of the neglect they’ve received from key relationships.   And for those who have committed major grotesque sins against God and others resulting in feeling as if they’re not worthy of God or maybe even lost their salvation because of it. I think everyone in between those two should be encouraged as well!
   5. Today’s message gives us another window to see the truth in 2 Timothy 2:13 
      1. When I see the way God deals with Israel in the midst of their unfaithfulness and disobedience by not quitting on them it gives me greater understanding and personal encouragement regarding the way God deals with me when I am unfaithful and disobedient to the Lord and that he will not quit on me.
      2. We will see the truth of 1 Corinthians 13:7 regarding love in action.   

• So today I want to look at some things that helps us see …

1. God’s tenacious faithful radical love!
   1. Is first seen in the very nature of a blood covenant.
      1. We have said repeatedly in this series that God joyfully bound himself to do these promises:  
         1. If he just bound himself to do them, it can feel legal 
         2. But when you recognize that he joyfully bound himself to do these promises; the aspect of love is at the heart of it
      2. The fact that God used covenants showed them how serious he was to be tenaciously faithful to them at all cost since: 
         1. A covenant is kept until death and since God will never die, he will be faithful throughout eternity.  They are everlasting covenants
         2. God would be worthy of death if he breaks his covenant promises with Abraham, Israel and David.
      3. In the Mosaic covenant, God says he will discipline Israel for their rebellion but that he would not break his covenant with them!   
         1. Listen to what God says he will do if they repent!  Read Leviticus 26:42-45
         2. Yes, God is going to spank them with discipline but he is not going to break off the relationship with them just as our parents spanked us but did not end their relationship with us!
         3. Thus, he remains tenaciously faithful to these promises and his people in spite of their disobedience!
      4. Turn to Deuteronomy 7.  Read v 6-9
         1. V6 – becoming God’s chosen people was what the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants were all about.  
         2. Listen now to why God set his love on them and choose them.  
            1. Read 7-9
            2. God set his love upon them because he loved them period.   
         3. It was God’s unconditional, unprovoked, tenacious, faithful, radical love that moved God to make and keep his covenant promises.
      5. Turn to Micah 7 which talks about the return of the Lord and the time of new covenant goes into effect with the forgiveness of their sins!
         1. Read v18-20
         2. Unchanging love is the Hebrew word for loving-kindness so the translators are saying God’s loving-kindness equals his unchanging love.
         3. In verse 20 when he talks about God’s unchanging love/loving-kindness towards Abraham that he swore to him, they are basically equating or describing God’s covenants with his unchanging love/ loving-kindness  
      6. In Mary’s magnificat in Luke 1 listen to what she says
         1. Read Luke 1:54-55  
         2. She views the covenant promises and Jesus’ birth to fulfill them, as God’s mercy to his people.   
      7. Finally, the existence of Israel in the land after nearly 1900 year of being out of it is unheard of regarding any other nation. This helps us see God’s tenacious faithful radical love for his people

• As we prepare for
• Communion 
  1. Listen to this amazing account of Israel’s history with God and how he loved and responded to them and loves and responds to his children today even though we may be unlovely or unfaithful  
  2. Ezekiel 16 where God married (v8) the abandoned and unloved Judah and poured his amazing, tenacious, faithful, radical love upon them. Read 13-14
     1. But then they played the harlot on him in the boldest way! V15, 32-34, 46-47, 51 – 
        1. Samaria in was the northern kingdom, Israel’s capital
     2. God said he would give them into the hands of their lovers who will tear them apart; just as he told them in the Mosaic covenant. 
        1. Read v37-39.     
        2. Yes, he will discipline them for disobedience
     3. But we also learn in this passage that in spite of their disobedience and discipline God will not break his relationship with them but he will restore and bless both Israel and Judah in light of their repentance, which we learned in both the Deuteronic and new covenants that God brings about.  read v55, 61; 
        1. He establishes his covenant with them when they repent and God forgives them.      
        2. That is the new covenant in the future when Jesus returns to fulfill the covenant promises.
     4. Now I love this word at the start of v60, nevertheless.  
        1. Nevertheless means in spite of this 
        2. So even though their sins were much more and grosser than Israel and Sodom, both who were judged for their sins, and even though Judah was being disciplined for their sins.
        3. In spite of this listen to what God says he is going to do!   Read v60-63   
     5. My hope is that this sermon has become different windows for us to look in and see God’s amazing grace and mercy to Israel
        1. God’s amazing grace and mercy to you and me!
        2. God’s amazing, tenacious, faithful, radical love to all his children.
     6. As we take communion today let God’s love sink into your heart and respond as your heart moves you.
        1. Reflect
        2. Take communion

 

The New Covenant / People of Promise

The Davidic Covenant / People of Promise