How to Prepare for Battle.  Part 3

How to Fight and win against our enemy by

Utilizing our weaponry

 

One of the best newspaper cartoons of all time is Calvin and Hobbes. One day Calvin and Hobbes come marching into the living room early one morning. His mother is seated there in her favorite chair. She is sipping her morning coffee. She looks up at young Calvin. She is amused and amazed at how he is dressed. Calvin’s head is encased in a large space helmet. A cape is draped around his neck, across his shoulders, down his back and is dragging on the floor. One hand is holding a flashlight and the other a baseball bat.

“What’s up today?” asks his mom.

“Nothing, so far,” answers Calvin.

“So far?” she questions.

“Well, you never know,” Calvin says, “Something could happen today.” Then Calvin marches off, “And if anything does, by golly, I’m going to be ready for it!”

Calvin’s mom looks out at the reading audience, and she says, “I need a suit like that!”

That’s the way many of us feel as we see the news and deal with life. Sometimes this world seems quite violent, and people seem to be at each other’s throats. A suit like that would help, so we can say with Calvin, “Whatever may come my way, I’m going to be ready for it! Bring it on!”

 

Where can we get a suit like that? Do they make a suite like that?

Utilize our weaponry – we have now looked at each article of Christian armor.

The devil is strong, but Christians are stronger through the Lord (Eph 6:11).

Ephesians 6:11 (NKJV) Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

They have the protection needed to withstand his assaults. The devil tempts, but God provides a way of escape (1 Cor 10:13);

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV) No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

the devil tries to take advantage of people (2 Cor 2:11),

2 Corinthians 2:11 (NKJV) …lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.

but he will flee if fought (James 4:7).

 James 4:7 (NKJV) Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

The devil should not be feared, for Jesus is more powerful than this deceiving prince of the demons (1 John 4:4).

1 John 4:4 (NKJV) You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

(from Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c)1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

 

Utilize our weaponry – we to have now looked at each article of Christian armor.

Ephesians 6:13-17 (NKJV)

¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
¹⁴ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

 

As Paul takes leave of his people, he thinks of the greatness of the struggle which lies before them.

Undoubtedly life was much more terrifying for the ancient people than it is for us today.

They believed implicitly in evil spirits, who filled the air and were determined to work men harm.

The words which Paul uses, powers, authorities, world-rulers, are all names for different classes of these evil spirits.

To him the whole universe was a battleground.

The Christian had not only to contend with the attacks of men; he had to contend with the attacks of spiritual forces which were fighting against God.

We may not take Paul’s actual language literally; but our experience will tell us that there is an active power of evil in the world.

Robert Louis Stevenson once said: “You know the Caledonian Railway Station in Edinburgh? One cold, east windy morning, I met Satan there.”

We do not know what actually befell Stevenson, but we recognize the experience; we have all felt the force of that evil influence which seeks to make us sin.

 

Paul suddenly sees a picture ready-made.

All this time he was chained by the wrist to a Roman soldier. Night and day soldiers were there to ensure that he would not escape.

Paul was literally an envoy in a chain. Now he was the kind of man who could get alongside anyone; and beyond doubt he had talked often to the soldiers who were compelled to be so near him.

 

As he writes, the soldier’s armor suggests a picture to him.

The Christian too has his armor; and part by part Paul takes the armor of the Roman soldier and translates it into Christian terms.

There is the belt of truth. It was the belt which girt in the soldier’s tunic and from which his sword hung, and which gave him freedom of movement. Others may guess and grope; the Christian moves freely and quickly because he knows the truth.

 

There is the breastplate of righteousness. When a man is clothed in righteousness, he is impregnable. Words are no defense against accusations, but a good life is. Once a man accused Plato of certain crimes. “Well then,” said Plato, “we must live in such a way as to prove that his accusations are a lie.” The only way to meet the accusations against Christianity is to show how good a Christian can be.

 

There are the sandals. Sandals were the sign of one equipped and ready to move. The sign of the Christian is that he is cagier to be on the way to share the gospel with others who have not heard it.

 

There is the shield. The word Paul uses are not that for the comparatively small round shield; it is that for the great oblong shield which the heavily armed warrior wore.

One of the most dangerous weapons in ancient warfare was the fiery dart. It was a dart tipped with tow dipped in pitch. The pitch-soaked tow was set alight, and the dart was thrown.

 

The great oblong shield was made of two sections of wood, glued together.

When the shield was presented to the dart, the dart sank into the wood and the flame was put out.

Faith can deal with the darts of temptation.

With Paul, faith is always complete trust in Christ. When we walk close with Christ, we are safe from temptation.

 

There is salvation for a helmet. Salvation is not something which looks back only.

The salvation which is in Christ gives us forgiveness for the sins of the past and strength to conquer sin in the days to come.

 

There is the sword; and the sword is the word of God. The word of God is at once our weapon of defense against sin and our weapon of attack against the sins of the world.

Cromwell’s Ironsides fought with a sword in one hand and a Bible in the other. We can never win God’s battles without God’s book.

 

as in the book of Nehemiah.

 

Can’t live in the will of God living outside the Word of God.

How to Prepare for Battle, Part 2

We need to Know Our Enemy

 

Eph 6:10-24

 

1. Analyze the enemy – began by getting to know Satan and his tactics.

 

 

Ephesians 6:10-12 (NKJV)

¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

 

 

We need to Know Our Enemy

 

On 10 September 1813, after defeating the British fleet in the Battle of Lake Erie, Oliver Hazard Perry, commander of the American fleet, dispatched one of the most famous messages in military history to Maj. Gen. William Henry Harrison. It read: “Dear Gen’l: “WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY, AND THEY ARE OURS.”, two ships, two brigs, one schooner and one sloop. Yours with great respect and esteem. H. Perry.”

 

Who is our enemy?

 

DEVIL (accuser) – the main title for the fallen angelic being who is the supreme enemy of God and man. Satan is his name, and devil is what he is-the accuser or deceiver. The title “devil” appears 38 times in the KJV. In every case it is preceded by the article “the,” indicating a title rather than a name. The term comes from a Greek word that means “a false witness” or “malicious accuser.”

 

If you see “a devil” or “devils” it means demons.

 

Several descriptive phrases applied to the devil in the New Testament point out the nature of his wicked personality and the extent of his evil deeds.

 

The Wicked or Evil One (Matt 6:13; 13:19,38; 1 John 2:13).

This phrase depicts the devil’s fundamental nature.

 

Matthew 6:13 (NKJV)
¹³ And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

 

He is the source of all evil and wickedness. While the KJV reads, “Deliver us from evil,” the NKJV more accurately reads, “Deliver us from the evil one.”

 

Matthew 13:19 (NKJV)
¹⁹ When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

 

Matthew 13:38-39 (NKJV)
³⁸ The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.³⁹ The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.

He is in direct opposition to everything God is or all he wishes to do.

 

1 John 2:13 (NKJV)
¹³ I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.

 

Humanity needs this deliverance, for the devil “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

 

1 Peter 5:6-11 (NKJV)
⁶ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, ⁷ casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. ⁹ Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. ¹⁰ But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. ¹¹ To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

 

 

Enemy (Matt 13:25,28,39). The devil is man’s worst enemy.

This is one enemy Jesus does not want us to love.

He is an enemy of Christ, the church, and the gospel; and he is tireless in his efforts to uproot good and sow evil.

Matthew 13:25 (NKJV) but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.

Matthew 13:28 (NKJV) He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’

Matthew 13:39 (NKJV) The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.

 

Murderer (John 8:44). “He was a murderer from the beginning” are strong words from the lips of Jesus.

 

John 8:44 (NKJV) You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

 

The devil killed Abel and the prophets, and he wanted to kill Jesus before His time (8:40).

 

John 8:40 (NKJV) But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.

 

Deceiver (Rev 20:10).

Revelation 20:10 (NKJV) The devil, who deceived them, …

 

 

Starting with Eve, the devil has attempted to deceive every living soul. Evil men operating under the power of the evil one will continue to deceive.

2 Timothy 3:13 (NKJV) But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

 

Beelzebub, Prince of Demons (Matt 9:34; 12:24). The religious leaders of Jesus’ time were guilty of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit because they claimed the miracles of Jesus were actually conducted by the devil.

The KJV and some other versions incorrectly translate “demons” as “devils.” There are many demons but only one devil.

His name is Beelzebub, the chief leader of the fallen angels known as demons.

 

Matthew 9:32-34 (NKJV)
³² As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed. ³³ And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!” ³⁴ But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.”

 

Ruler of This World (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). Three times Jesus called the devil the “ruler of this world.”

 

John 12:31 (NKJV) Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

 

John 14:30 (NKJV) I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.

 

John 16:8-11 (NKJV) And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ⁹ of sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰ of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; ¹¹ of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

 

 

The devil offered the world to Jesus if He would worship him (Luke 4:5-7),

Luke 4:5-7 (NKJV)
⁵ Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. ⁶ And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. ⁷ Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”

but the Lord refused with these words, “Get behind me Satan” (4:8).

Luke 4:8 (NKJV) And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ “

 

At Calvary God dealt a death blow to this world ruler. It is only a matter of time before God will win the final victory at the end of time.

 

1 John 3:8 (NKJV) He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Matthew 25:41 (NKJV) Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:

 

Revelation 12:7-12 (NKJV)
⁷ And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, ⁸ but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. ⁹ So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. ¹⁰ Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.¹¹ And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
¹² Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

 

How to Prepare for Battle,

by putting on “The Whole Armor of God”

In the coming weeks we will look more in-depth at a more comprehensive breakdown of these verses in Ephesians 6:10-20. Our battel is not against Republicans, Democrats, Whites, Blacks, Latino, Asians, Men or Women. (Highly recommend the book by Andy Stanley “Not In It To Win It”) The battel is a spiritual one, and we need to FIGHT back and get ready for Battel! We as Christians know that the ultimate battel, we will be victorious. But we were warned by Christ Himself to prepare for a fight. And fight we must on every front.

 Luke 22:36-37 (NKJV)
³⁶ Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.

Otherwards GET A WEAPON!!! Again, not just a physical but including a physical weapon, but also and most importantly a Spiritual defense and weapons as well!

 

Ephesians 6:10-20

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which, you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints — 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.  NKJV

Per Charles Barclay commentary.

Paul suddenly sees a picture ready-made. All this time he was chained by the wrist to a Roman soldier. Night and day soldiers were there to ensure that he would not escape. Paul was literally an envoy in a chain. Now he was the kind of man who could get alongside anyone; and beyond doubt he had talked often to the soldiers who were compelled to be so near him. As he writes, the soldier’s armor suggests a picture to him. The Christian too has his armor; and part by part Paul takes the armor of the Roman soldier and translates it into Christian terms.

There is the belt of truth. It was the belt which girt in the soldier’s tunic and from which his sword hung and which gave him freedom of movement. Others may guess and grope; the Christian moves freely and quickly because he knows the truth.

There is the breastplate of righteousness. When a man is clothed in righteousness, he is impregnable. Words are no defense against accusations, but a good life is. Once a man accused Plato of certain crimes. “Well then,” said Plato, “we must live in such a way as to prove that his accusations are a lie.” The only way to meet the accusations against Christianity is to show how good a Christian can be.

There are the sandals. Sandals were the sign of one equipped and ready to move. The sign of the Christian is that he is cager to be on the way to share the gospel with others who have not heard it.

There is the shield. The word Paul uses is not that for the comparatively small round shield; it is that for the great oblong shield which the heavily armed warrior wore. One of the most dangerous weapons in ancient warfare was the fiery dart. It was a dart tipped with tow dipped in pitch. The pitch-soaked tow was set alight, and the dart was thrown. The great oblong shield was made of two sections of wood, glued together. When the shield was presented to the dart, the dart sank into the wood and the flame was put out. Faith can deal with the darts of temptation. With Paul, faith is always complete trust in Christ. When we walk close with Christ, we are safe from temptation.

There is salvation for a helmet. Salvation is not something which looks back only. The salvation which is in Christ gives us forgiveness for the sins of the past and strength to conquer sin in the days to come.

There is the sword; and the sword is the word of God. The word of God is at once our weapon of defense against sin and our weapon of attack against the sins of the world. Cromwell’s Ironsides fought with a sword in one hand and a Bible in the other. We can never win God’s battles without God’s book.

Finally, Paul comes to the greatest weapon of all–and that is prayer. We note three things that he says about prayer.

(a) It must be constant. Our tendency is so often to pray only in the great crises of life; but it is from daily prayer that the Christian will find daily strength.

(b) It must be intense. Limp prayer never got a man anywhere. Prayer demands the concentration of every faculty upon God.

(c) It must be unselfish. The Jews had a saying, “Let a man unite himself with the community in his prayers.” I think that often our prayers are too much for ourselves and too little for others. We must learn to pray as much for others and with others as for ourselves.

Finally, Paul asks for the prayers of his friends for himself. And he asks not for comfort or for peace but that he may yet be allowed to proclaim God’s secret, that his love is for all men. We do well to remember that ever Christian leader and every Christian preacher needs his people to uphold his hands in prayer.

Next week we will start with; “We need to Know Our Enemy”

“A Magic Dime”

 

Before we left on the adventure up the Dusty, Rocky Road. Granddaddy would always give every one of us a dime.

A “Magic Dime”, I call it a magic dime because when we got to the store it would buy pretty much whatever we wanted, always a box of Cracker Jacks, then maybe a Coke, or a bag of chips, and 5 or 10 pieces of penny candy.  All that for his magic dime. Then we would go back to his house and enjoy what WE bought.

After every visit with them, as all 5 grand kids loaded up to come back home to Georgia, Granddaddy would give all of us another dime even my Mother and Dad got a dime. This dime wouldn’t buy in Georgia what the magic dime would buy in Alabama. Believe me when I tell you I tried. It just didn’t work the same here.

Off to the Big Apple Store we went, I gather up what I got with Granddaddy and I put my Coke, my Cracker Jacks, and my ten pieces of penny candy on the counter, the clerk rang up my stuff, and then said, “that will be thirty-five cents.” I set the dime down on the counter and reached for my things, except they were not mine, I hadn’t paid the full price yet, so I left with only the candy.

 

Years passed and as we matured, we found that the dime wouldn’t buy much unless we were with our Grandfather.  You see, our Granddaddy had an open account at the store and whatever we purchased with our magic dimes was put on his account.

See the magic wasn’t in the dime but in the presence of the one that had control of the account. Granddaddy. Are you getting where I am going with this?

Life is the same way; we think that WE pay our way here and there, when the whole time its God that supplies our needs.

Philippians 4:19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. NKJV

Luke 12:29 And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30 For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  31 But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. NKJV

Malachi 3:10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it”.  NKJV

It’s all poured out from heaven.

It all comes from the one that controls the account. GOD. When I went on my own and try to spend my dime all I got was face value for a dime. But when I go with the one that has control of the account. More than what it’s worth was poured out.

 

After all, where did we get the first dime to start with. IT’S ALL HIS.

 

Remember the lesson of the dime. Give generously to the ones you love as our Grandfather did for his grandchildren and as our Heavenly Father gave so much more to us. It is with this in mind that you support your ministries and remember who gave you “The Dime”, and who carried you on that dusty rocky road?

 

The picture in the chapter page is an actual dime that I received from my Granddaddy.

Someone once said that a nickel is bigger than a dime but remember that the dime has more value. For me especially if it is from Granddaddy.

So, what are you doing with your “Magic Dime” that God has entrusted you with?

 

Dusty Roads, and Strong Shoulders

 

At times, I get reminiscent about my youth and simpler times in my life.

When I was just a child, two or three times a year my family would go to Fort Payne Alabama to visit my Grandmother and then up to Lookout Mountain to visit my step Grandparents there. My step Grandfather never showed any difference between me and his natural grandchildren, my brothers and my sister.

On every visit we (the grand kids) would go for a walk up the old dusty dirt road he lived on and go to the local store at the end of the road.

As we ventured down that dusty, rocky road I began to get tired, and the rocks were beginning to take its toll on my feet. So, Granddaddy threw me up on his shoulders. Granddaddy was one of the kindest and most humble people I had ever met, He was very trustworthy and very respected, a great mentor and role model to try to emulate as much as possible.

I was just 5 or 6 years old but I remember him carrying me on his shoulder, as if it were last week, I don’t recall ever saying anything about the walk, but he looked down and saw me struggling and up on his shoulders I went.

I wonder how often in our struggles without saying a word God just grabs us up and places us on his mighty shoulders, we go. The Bible says over and over how God guides and carries us:

Deuteronomy 33:12 Of Benjamin he said:

“The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by Him, Who shelters him all the day long; And he shall dwell between His shoulders.” NKJV

Psalms 17:5 Uphold my steps in Your paths, That my footsteps may not slip. NKJV

Psalms 119:117 Hold me up, and I shall be safe, And I shall observe Your statutes continually. NKJV

Psalms 139:10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me;

12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.  NKJV

Again, that got me thinking about the nature of God.

 

The poem about footprints in the sand. How when there were only one set of tracks is when He carried us. I think that is what He wants to do the whole time. I truly believe that if there are ever two sets of tracks it’s when we are trying to do things on our own.

Now if Jesus is in my heart in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus is in the Father, so how many tracks should we see?

Someone once likened God as a Father teaching a child how to ride a bike, How He runs along behind holding the bike and making sure that it doesn’t fall over, then when the time is right, He lets go and off we go on our own.

However, the more I read the scriptures, the more I believe that God does not want to ever let go,

He never intends for us to make it on our own,

He is always there and only when we try to do it on our own are we left to do just that, on our own.

Why would we want it on our own if we didn’t want to do something we shouldn’t be doing anyway?

I can make it on my own but it is so much easier to do it Gods way and stop pulling away, because He will let you leave, in Luke 15:1-7 we see in “The Parable of the Lost Sheep”, then Luke 15:8-10 we see “The Parable of the Lost Coin.”

 

Then, Luke 15:11 The story of “The Parable of the Lost Son” reads:

Luke 15:11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.  12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So, he divided to them his livelihood”.

 

The Father will let you go even though He knows that is not what is best for you, and as the saying goes:

 

“Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.”

As we see in this story.

13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.  14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.  15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

 

“Keep you longer than you want to stay and cost you more than you want to pay.”

 

17 But when he came to himself, he said, How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!  18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”

 

“But when he came to himself,” when he realized that things were better off at home, and the rules were not that bad after all,

 

20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.”

 

See the Father is looking for your return every day.

21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

 

The sin is already forgiven!

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.  23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry. NKJV

 

Treated the son as if he never left. Understand the fellowship may change with God, but the relationship never changes, if you are his child.

I believe He always carries us, if we let Him. We have seen that in “The Parable of the Lost Sheep”.

 

Luke 15:4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?  5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  NKJV

 

There are those shoulders again. So, happily He carries us.

Notice this even though I was on my Granddaddy’s shoulders, I was still on the dusty rocky road.

The circumstance didn’t change, where I was had not changed, my destination did not alter.

What changed was instead of me taking the steps it was Granddaddy,

Instead of me facing the rocky road, he took it on him.

Instead of my weight on my feet they are on his.

 

Remember who is carrying you! And that brings me to next weeks “The Magic Dime”

“Can’t We All Just Get Along”

 

If you were paying attention in the spring of 1992, you probably remember this quote coming from the mouth of Rodney King. His broadcast appeal to the violent masses was made half-way through the six-day-long rioting in Los Angeles.

This is the same question I feel that needs to be asked the Church community.

I am the youngest of five siblings. And to tell you we never had any disagreements would be an out-and-out lie. We fussed and fought with each other all the time, but God help anyone else who tried to attack any of us with the others around.

My brothers and sister have a different last name as mine, Their father was a motorcycle officer in the City of Atlanta in the late 50s and was killed in the line of duty. Mother later married again and her fifth and final child was me.

I never had anyone else to call my brothers or sister except them, but they had a choice. They had each other and me, but they always called me their brother.

Someone once told my sister that I wasn’t her brother. I was her half-brother, so she asked which half was her brother so she would know which half to hit. She said she didn’t understand how I could only be halfway her brother.

One day my Father came into my study and ask if I would take him riding somewhere? (He loved to go out riding anywhere). I was on Facebook at the time, and he saw DeWayne Home on the computer screen, and he asked who was DeWayne? I thought at first, he was playing with me but then I saw in his face and realized he had no idea who I was. I said, “I’m your son.” With that said he said, “DeWayne Busby?” He remembered his kids being Busby. I said “No, and I am not taking you anywhere because you don’t need to be going anywhere with people you don’t know.” About an hour later he came back into the study and said, “Are you not taking me anywhere?” I ask him then “who am I?” and his reply was “you are Elvin DeWayne Swann, you’re my boy. Aren’t you going to take me riding somewhere?” I said, “where do you want to go?” as I got up and took him riding for a while.

We were all raised in the same house, by the same parents. We are a Family. Just because our last names are different doesn’t mean that we are not family.

Everyone has extended family, I am a Swann, my brothers and sister are Busby’s. I have aunts and uncles and cousins that are Swann’s, Martin’s, Harper’s, Busby’s, Jarrells’, Sims’, Mabry’s, Yarbrough’s, Long’s, Evans’ and on and on. They may not carry the same last name as I do, but they are still part of my family.

Now as I look at the Church Family, I don’t understand why can’t we all just get along?

Some think just because they are Baptist, they are better than the other denominations. Let’s go a little further. If you are not an Independent Baptist, or let’s take it even further Independent Fundamental Baptist, then you are WRONG!

Really? (I don’t mean to attack the Baptist, but I know them because I am one).

Can I be honest, I really have heard that very statement, and not that long ago. I have heard preachers in their pulpit say that very thing and what gets me is the people that amen that statement, and they wonder why visitors don’t come back.

I hear preachers in small churches putting down the preachers in the larger churches, saying things like “they can’t be preaching anything convicting because all those people are there for is to hear only feel-good sermons”

Again Really? And what’s wrong with a sermon that makes you feel good when you leave the church? It’s better than feeling like you were held over the coals, and verbally beat to death.

Yea, boy, I want to go back to that kind of church, nothing like being beat down and never measuring up to what God wants.

So, they put the other Church down.

My question is have you ever been to one of their services? Have you ever tried to listen to them online? How on earth do you know what’s being preached?

They say, “I won’t go to one of those churches, it’s too crowded, the music is to loud, they let people dress any way that they want, I heard that they take up the offering in buckets, and they are a non-domination church” and on and on and on.

Well, I went to one of those churches, and sure enough, there was a crowd, the music was loud, they let people dress any way that they wanted, and when the time came to take up the offering here came a bucket, I really was hoping that chicken was in it, but it wasn’t, it was for the offering. (See I am still a Baptist)

Then much to my surprise the preacher came out and believe this or not he wasn’t wearing a suit, he didn’t even have a tie on and here’s the kicker his shirttail wasn’t even tucked in his pants. Heresy, I thought, how could he desecrate the pulpit in such a fashion? This was my honest thought and then much to my surprise?

As I sat in that service, I began to look around at the kind of people that would put up with that sort of thing.

I was invited to that church by some dear friends that I love and respect very much. I didn’t think that they would intentionally bring me somewhere that was bad. And so, I sat it out to see where we were going.

As the Lead Pastor began his sermon, I was ready to pick him apart, but he was spot on with his sermon, and as he continued, I saw a man in a pair of Liberty overhauls, and they have been worn more than on this occasion, his hair was on his shoulders, his beard was like something from Duck Dynasty, and as the preacher was preaching, he was wiping tears, and holding his hands up praising God.

As I looked at him, I thought you couldn’t tie him up and throw him in the church I had been attending. He wouldn’t have been welcome. But here, he was right at home.

AND SO WAS I!

The sermon was convicting, people were accepting Jesus as their Savior.

After spending a few years attending that church, it freed me up of so much stuff.

I never not once heard them put the little churches down, if anything they lifted them up. And they even allow me to teach one of their small groups.

What makes one so special, so sanctimonious, so much more spiritual, just because it says Baptist or Methodist or Assembly of God, Church of God or whatever on the sign outside the Church that they attend?

Why are you, or why do you think you are better than someone else because of the church that you are a member of?

I hate to break it to you but you’re not.

I have friends that go to nondenominational churches, one of my friends and a man I admire greatly is a Pastor of a Congregational Methodist Church. Also, I have friends that attend a Church of God, and Church of Christ, I had a lady that came regularly to a Church I served as Interim Pastor for a while that was a Catholic. After I spoke with her one day, and she assured me she was Saved through the blood of Jesus. But I had to know!

I went to the Full Gospel Businessman Association Meeting a few times with my Church of God friend Rodney Dobins. He calls me a combination of Baptist and Pentecostal a “Baptacostal”.

As I was there, I had a chance to meet with a Preacher that I love to hear preach and have a number of his books. (and even more after that day)

His name is Dr. Mark Rutland. I leaned over the table in which he was behind signing his books, and I carefully looked both ways so no one could hear us and I said “I am a Baptist Preacher.” He then carefully looked both ways and leaned up and said “Brother Pastor, you are in the wrong place”, and we both laughed. I heard some great sermons and testimony’s that day.

I live in a little city named Powder Springs, in Cobb County Georgia. While I was growing up, I attended McEachern High School. We would make jokes about the other schools in our county. Just because we went to McEachern it was the best. Then since I lived in Cobb County, it was the best county to live in, we then made jokes about Paulding County and the other counties around us. The same is said about the state of Georgia, we would make jokes about Alabama, and the other surrounding states. Nothing is any better than where I am.

I believe it’s the same for you too, right?

That seems to be the same way with Churches too, only the one I go to is right.

And again REALLY?

My Mother said when she was growing up in North West Alabama if the Baptist Church was having a Revival meeting, that the Holiness Church and the Methodist and the other Baptist Church’s in the area would all show up to the meetings.

The same was if the others were having their Camp Meetings that every church around no matter the denomination showed up and supported each other’s services.

But even then, there were some prejudice, My Mother shared a story that her Mother told; The Baptist Church was on one side of the road, and a Methodist Church on the other. They say you could stand out near the road and hear the choirs singing from both Churches. She said the Methodist Church was singing “Will there be a star in my Crown?” and on the other side of the street the Baptist Church was singing, “No Not One, … No Not One”.

So, this is nothing new.

One of my favorite Authors, Max Lucado, deals with this subject in one of his books better than I ever could.

The book is “In the Grip of Grace” Chapter 16 — Life Aboard the Fellowship.

Max Lucado shared this chapter at the 1996 Promise Keepers Clergy Conference in Atlanta which I had the pleasure of attending. It’s called:

“Rocking the Boat” He likened the Church to a Ship and said,

“God has enlisted us in his navy and placed us on his ship. The boat has one purpose—to carry us safely to the other shore. This is no cruise ship; it’s a battleship. We aren’t called to a life of leisure; we are called to a life of service. Each of us has a different task. Some, concerned with those who are drowning, are snatching people from the water. Others are occupied with the enemy, so they man the cannons of prayer and worship. Still, others devote themselves to the crew, feeding and training the crew members. Though different, we are the same… Some wear uniforms whenever seen, sporting styles we’ve never witnessed. “Why do you look the way you do?” we ask them. “Funny,” they reply. “We were about to ask the same of you.” The variety of dress is not nearly as disturbing as the plethora of opinions…””

Then he said things on how different the dominations were, but we all are in the same ship and then how we argue and put each other down, and he then said:

“And, oh, how we tend to cluster. The consequence is a rocky boat. There is trouble on deck. Fights have broken out. Sailors have refused to speak to each other. There have even been times when one group refused to acknowledge the presence of others on the ship. Most tragically, some adrift at sea have chosen not to board the boat because of the quarreling of the sailors. “What do we do?” we’d like to ask the captain. “How can there be harmony on the ship?” We don’t have to go far to find the answer. On the last night of his life Jesus prayed a prayer that stands as a citadel for all Christians: I pray for these followers, but I am also praying for all those who will believe in me because of their teaching. Father, I pray that they can be one. As you are in me and I am in you, I pray that they can also be one in us. Then the world will believe that you sent me. (John 17:20) How precious are these words? Jesus, knowing the end is near, prays one final time for his followers. Striking, isn’t it, that he prayed not for their success, their safety, or their happiness? He prayed for their unity. He prayed that they would love each other. As he prayed for them, he also prayed for “those who will believe because of their teaching.” That means us! In his last prayer Jesus prayed that you and I be one.”

Now back to me. As I have said I have a lot of family and we don’t share the same last name, but we are family by blood. I even claim people as part of my family that has no blood ties at all, but are family because of Love. We are all in the Family of God.

For the life of me why are we fighting and fussing over things that matters very little when it comes to one, just one soul accepting Christ as their savior.

Try to look at what we say, and how we treat other Brothers and Sisters in Christ and guard that mouth of yours.

Did not James say:

James 1:19So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. NKJV

So why can’t we all just get along?

Laying Down Your Stones

Part 3

 

The Reason for Throwing Stones:

The Reality of the Throwing Stones:

The Rejection of Throwing Stones:

John 8:10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

 

[Hath no man condemned thee?] Jesus had directed them, if innocent, to cast a stone, thus to condemn her, or to use the power which he gave them to condemn her. No one of them had done that. They had accused her, but they had not proceeded to the act expressive of judicial condemnation.

 

11 She said, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” 

 

 

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. KJV

 

[Neither do I condemn thee] This is evidently to be taken in the sense of judicial condemnation, or of passing sentence as a magistrate, for this was what they had arraigned her for. It was not to obtain his opinion about adultery, but to obtain the condemnation of the woman. As he claimed no civil authority, he said that he did not exercise it, and should not condemn her to die. In this sense the word is used in the previous verse, and this is the only sense which the passage demands. Besides, what follows shows that this was his meaning.

 

[Go, and sin no more] You have sinned. You have been detected and accused. The sin is great. But I do not claim power to condemn you to die, and, as your accusers have left you, my direction to you is that you sin no more.

 

Jesus is the only one who has both the right and the reason to condemn, and this is what Jesus does He condemns. Jesus always condemns the sin and loves the sinner. Sin destroys the lives of those that Jesus loves. Sin in essence is the corruption of God’s creation. We are called to look at the lives of others the way that Jesus does: recognize the corruption and still love the creation. Love the person and hate their sin.

Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us

 

Romans 8:34 Through Jesus we are set free from condemnation, and the punishment of sin.

John 3:16-21

 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

Go and leave your life of sin.

12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” 

 

YOU DON’T HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THIS ANYMORE!!!

 

[I am the light of the world]

John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

We will never be completely free from the power of sin because sin brought death into the world and we will all one day die. We can be set free from the bondage of sin. The actions that reveal sin within us. When we speak destructively. When we seek to create discord. When we stir up division. When we settle in disagreement.

Forgiveness flows from the life of Jesus. It is empowered by His sacrifice on the cross and it is finalized by the triumph of the resurrection.

Conclusion: What stones are you holding onto today?

• Stone of bitterness
  • Stone of anger
  • Stone of hatred
  • Stone of prejudice

 

Are you like I was? I thought I threw away my stones, but I keep a string tide to it in case I need it in the near future. Dragging it everywhere I went and when you do that it drags you down.

Whatever stone you are carrying it is a needless weight that you bear. It is a pointless part of your life. The stone in your hand can be a means of letting go.

Don’t you think it is time for you to lay down your stones? Why not take this opportunity to give your stones over to God?

If God has been speaking to you, listen to His voice and submit those stones that you would use to destroy to let Jesus build something beautiful with them.

Come to the altar and lay down the stones that you carry?

Laying Down Your Stones

Part 2

The Reason for Throwing Stones:

The Reality of the Throwing Stones:

Why were these men so intent on destroying Jesus?

 

Jesus took away the curve of sin.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT2)
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

The root of the cause flows from an unforgiving heart. A heart that will neither let go of past pains or endure current difficulties. Jesus has disturbed their way of life. He had challenged their preconceived ideas of religion. Jesus has disturbed their power by appealing to the masses that the religious leaders had forgotten. Jesus disturbed their position because He was drawing large numbers of people to be His disciples. Jesus disturbed their personal ideals that were not in line with the direction of the Father.
If we remember the wrongs which men have done us, we destroy the power of the remembrance of God – Abba Macarius the Great

If any of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her

Can we really afford to throw stones?

We all make mistakes.

We all have sinned.

We all have the same spiritual need for Jesus.

Rom 3:23-26

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

 

We would never think of actually throwing stones at other people but we far too often throw emotional or spiritual stones at others.

Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,

30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;

32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

 

Romans 2:1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.

3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?

 

• Hurtful comments just saying something to hurt someone
  • Use generalizations all that kind is like that
  • Gossip     sharing what doesn’t need to be shared, sharing a prayer request
  • Judgmental statements      well they deserve that
  • Harsh with the truth  “speak the truth in love”

What is it that makes people want to throw stones?

• Frustration: When we become frustrated it distorts our ability to see things clearly
• Fatigue: Everything always looks worse when we are tired
• Failure: When others fail us, we are quick to judge their actions. When we fail others, we are quick to justify our actions
• False Assumptions: When we get only bits and pieces of the truth, we create assumptions based on faulty logic, looking with our earth eyes
• Feelings: If we make the choice to follow our feelings, we make the choice to be shallow,

  The moment we seek retribution for wrongs done to us, either real or imagined, we lose a piece of our relationship with God. Once this happens, it becomes much, much easier to throw stones. We use the things that happen to us as a way of justifying our actions.

 

 

Laying Down Your Stones

Part 1

Today’s Text comes from the book of John chapter 8 verses 1-12

Jesus the Light of the World

1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.

3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.

5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”  8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” 

12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

PRAY and ask God to teach you the lessons of this text!

Introduction:
I can remember a time when my neighbor and I were looking for rocks (stones) in the garden spot next door. That we could play with. We made a nice pile of stones (rocks) that might work well for the task of.

 

You get two kids together gathering up rocks and before long one of them will throw one at the other.

 

So, war began. We had a friend show up and he started throwing hand full of rocks at a time and called them smart bomb. Well, he threw one hand full over our heads and in to the street, just as a police car was coming and blue lights came on and I cleared two chain link fences and ran home.

That hot summer day I learned a valuable lesson, don’t throw stones.

Stones can be valuable as well; you use stones to build something. You can use stones cover something up or you can even decorate with stones.

If you hold a rock long you can feel it, what would you feel? There is a hardness. There is a heaviness. There is a coarseness.

 

There is sometimes a feeling that you just want to throw that stone.

Back ground of John 6 and 7 they want to kill Jesus so he sort of avoids them and the end of chapter 7 states:

John 7:53 And everyone went to his own house.   NKJV

 

An Adulteress Faces the Light of the World

 

John 8 Jesus the Light of the World

 1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

[Mount of Olives] The mountain about a mile directly east of Jerusalem. Matt 21:1. This was the place in which he probably often passed the night when attending the feasts at Jerusalem. The Garden of Gethsemane, to which he was accustomed to resort (John 18:2), was on the western side of that mountain, and Bethany, the abode of Martha and Mary, on its east side, John 11:1.

 

2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.

 

3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.

5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”  

[Moses in the law …] The punishment of adultery commanded by Moses was death, Lev 20:10; Deut 22:22. The particular manner of the death was not specified in the law. The Jews had themselves, in the time of Christ, determined that it should be by stoning. See this described in the notes at Matt 21:35,44. The punishment for adultery varied. In some cases, it was strangling. In the time of Ezekiel (Ezek 16:38-40) it was stoning and being thrust through with a sword. If the adulteress was the daughter of a priest, the punishment was being burned to death.

 

They are thinking we got Him now, we got Him!

 

The Reason for Throwing Stones:

There is absolutely nothing wrong with calling sin exactly what it is. God hates sin and makes it clear that sin will never have a place in His presence. As believers, we are called to hate sin and stand against sinful behavior. However, it is important to remember that God hates sin but He loves the sinner.

 

Jesus died to redeem lost people, to buy them back from the penalty and punishment of sin. More important than our call to hate sin, is to love sinners. Far too often we forget this fundamental fact. We look at people, size them up, pass judgment and begin throwing stones. The sad truth is that we are far more willing to point out the faults and failures of others without realizing and recognizing that we are not without faults ourselves.

As the Pharisees take this woman out before Jesus, she is nothing more than a pawn in a plan to attack Jesus. Let’s not forget the fact that there was indeed a man involved in this situation and it doesn’t make sense for the Pharisees to bring the woman and not the man. Both of them were guilty but one thing is clear about life, the behavior that comes from the flesh never has to make sense. The stone throwing began when they discarded being just.

The Law that the Pharisees were so careful to quote and defend had already been disregarded because they had only brought the woman. Clearly there was no interest in justice. The stone throwing began before anyone ever picked up a rock. It began with a malicious intent to discredit Jesus no matter who got harmed in the process.

The motive of these leaders was not to promote the things of God but instead they were promoting their own agenda and were looking out for their own interests. At first glance most of us would come down hard on these Pharisees because after all their behavior is despicable. However, are we really that much different from the Pharisees? Haven’t we all at one point or another pushed to get our way? Haven’t we all had times when we got upset over things that are really insignificant? Haven’t we all done things that we desired instead of what God desired?

The truth of the matter is this: we are all guilty of sin. We all point fingers at others. We are all guilty of throwing stones.

6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.  

 

[Tempting him] Trying him, or laying a plan that they might have occasion to accuse him. If he decided the case, they expected to be able to bring an accusation against him; for if he decided that she ought to die, they might accuse him of claiming power which belonged to the Romans-the power of life and death. They might allege that it was not the giving an opinion about an abstract case, but that she was formally before him, that he decided her case judicially, and that without authority or form of trial. If he decided otherwise, they would have alleged that he denied the authority of the law, and that it was his intention to do away with it. They had had a controversy with him about the authority of the Sabbath, and they perhaps supposed that he would decide this case as he did that-against them. It may be further added that they knew that Jesus admitted publicans and sinners to eat with him; that one of their charges was that he was friendly to sinners (see Luke 15:2); and they wished, doubtless, to make it appear that he was gluttonous, and a winebibber, and a friend of sinners, and disposed to relax all the laws of morality, even in the case of adultery. Seldom was there a plan more artfully laid, and never was more wisdom and knowledge of human nature displayed than in the manner in which it was met.

 

[Wrote on the ground] This took place in the temple. The “ground,” here, means the pavement, or the dust on the pavement. By this Jesus showed them clearly that he was not concerned to pronounce an opinion in the case, and that it was not his wish or intention to intermeddle with the civil affairs of the nation.

 

[As though he heard them not] This is added by the translators. It is not in the original, and should not have been added. There is no suggestion in the original, as it seems to be implied by this addition, that the object was to convey the impression that he did not hear them. What was his object is unknown, and conjecture is useless? The most probable reason seems to be that he did not wish to intermeddle; that he designed to show no solicitude to decide the case; and that he did not mean to decide it unless he was constrained to.

7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 

 

[They continued asking him] They pressed the question upon him. They were determined to extort an answer from him, and showed a perseverance in evil which has been unhappily often imitated.

[Is without sin] That is, without this particular sin; he who has not himself been guilty of this very crime-for in this place the connection evidently demands this meaning.

 

[Let him first cast a stone at her] In the punishment by death, one of the witnesses threw the culprit from the scaffold, and the other threw the first stone, or rolled down a stone to crush him. Deut 17:6-7. This was in order that the witness might feel his responsibility in giving evidence, as he was also to be the executioner. Jesus therefore put them to the test. Without pronouncing on her case, he directed them, if any of them were innocent, to perform the office of executioner. This was said, evidently, well knowing their guilt, and well knowing that no one would dare to do it.

 

Max Lucado “Grace More than We Deserve, Greater than We Imagine”

 

“The woman had no exit. Deny the accusation? She had been caught. Plead for mercy? From whom? From God? His spokesmen were squeezing stones and snarling their lips. No one would speak for her. But someone would stoop for her. Jesus “stooped down and wrote in the dust” (v. 6 NLT). We would expect him to stand up, step forward, or even ascend a stair and speak. But instead, he leaned over.”

 

“He descended lower than anyone else—beneath the priests, the people, even beneath the woman. The accusers looked down on her. To see Jesus, they had to look down even farther. He’s prone to stoop. He stooped to wash feet, to embrace children. Stooped to pull Peter out of the sea, to pray in the Garden. He stooped before the Roman whipping post. Stooped to carry the cross. Grace is a God who stoops. Here he stooped to write in the dust.

 

Remember the first occasion his fingers touched dirt? He scooped up soil and formed Adam. As he touched the sunbaked soil beside the woman, Jesus may have been reminding himself from whence we came.

Earthly humans are prone to do earthly things. Maybe Jesus wrote in the soil for his own benefit.

 

Or for hers? To divert gaping eyes from the scantily clad, just-caught woman who stood in the center of the circle? The posse grew impatient with the silent, stooping Jesus. “They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up”

(v. 7 NLT). He lifted himself erect until his shoulders were straight and his head was high. He stood, not to preach, for his words would be few. Not for long, for he would soon stoop again. Not to instruct his followers: he didn’t address them. He stood on behalf of the woman. He placed himself between her and the lynch mob and said. ” All right, stone her. But let those who have never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust” vv7-8 NLT

 

8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

 

[Beginning at the eldest] As being conscious of more sins, and, therefore, being eager to leave the Lord Jesus. The word “eldest” here probably refers not to age, but to benefit-from those who were in highest reputation to the lowest in rank. This consciousness of crime showed that the state of the public morals was exceedingly corrupt, and justified the declaration of Jesus that it was an adulterous and wicked generation, Matt 16:4.

 

[Alone] Jesus only was left with the woman, etc.

[In the midst] Her accusers had gone out, and left Jesus and the woman; but it is by no means probable that the people had left them; and, as this was in the temple on a public occasion, they were doubtless surrounded still by many. This is evident from the fact that Jesus immediately (John 8:12) addressed a discourse to the people present.

 

Why did these men want to throw stones?

 

The same reason that we want to throw them.
• We throw stones because we harbor hatred
• We throw stones because we hold on to bitterness
• We throw stones because we are entangled in anger
• We throw stones because we want to have revenge
• We throw stones because we will not let go of the things that upset us

Next week “The Reality of the Throwing Stones:”

 

Don’t you Care???

Does Jesus Really Care?

Part 3

 

After teaching the lesson called “Can you sleep on a stormy night?” in my Sunday School class, that night, my friend Norma Head gave me this poem that she had written.

 

Why Trials come our way

By Norma Head

It seems when times are getting hard,

And things are looking bad,

That’s when we call on the Lord the most,

When we are very sad.

But if you stop and think a while,

We need Him most of all.

When things are good and we can smile,

But then we seldom call,

Why trials come our way?

They help to keep Him in our hearts,

When on our knees, we stay.

 

Does He care?  How much does God care???

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

 

Most important question you have to ask yourself is “Do you believe that God loves You?”  Does He Care????

 

He was in the Ship with them. They were never alone.

 

Heb 13:5-6 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”   6 So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” NKJV

 

Even Jesus was in the middle of the Storm.

 

A book called

Intense Moments with the Savior by Ken Gire

INTRODUCTION

“Our Savior’s life was not an unbroken succession of intimate moments that changed people’s lives, or incredible moments that captured their attention, or instructive moments that challenged their thinking. There were intense moments too. Moments when he overturned the tables of moneychangers and moments when money changed hands and his enemies turned the tables on him.

As we focus on these intense moments, we see the Savior as a son who learned obedience through the things he suffered. But through this apprenticeship of suffering,

Jesus learned something else.

He learned to feel.

He learned the feeling of hunger from his forty days in the wilderness and thirst from his feverish hours on the cross. But he learned to feel a greater hunger in the wilderness than bread alone could satisfy and a greater thirst on the cross than mere water could relieve. He learned the pain of rejection and the sorrow of unrequited love.

We learn to feel in much the same way. We learn to feel when our faith is tested in some wilderness. When our best-laid plans go awry and our bravest prayers go unanswered. When we’re belittled by a crowd or betrayed by a colleague. When we’re deserted by our friends or done in by our enemies.

Whether it’s a single thorn in the flesh or a crown of them mashed on our heads, suffering teaches us to feel.”

 

We learn from the storms!!!….from the fire   from the disappointments      from the rejections   from the heartache 

 

This is why.

2 Cor 4:7-18

Cast Down but Unconquered

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed — 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you.

13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, 14 knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

 

Seeing the Invisible

 

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. NKJV

 

Back to our text:

Mark 4:39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

“And then the storm raged, the wind blew, the boat filled with water, and they all drown!” is that what happened?

Mark 4:39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

 And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

Ever been in a boat and have another boat comes by, the wake of the other boats moves your boat. Long after the other boat is gone the waves keep rocking the boat you are in. Storms affected the water even after it was over but with Jesus even the remanence of the storm is calmed down to a Great Calm.

 

Again we know they were going to make it because Jesus said that the were!

35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.”  when Jesus says you going to the other side, you are going to the other side.

 

 

Could you imagine what that was like. Jesus asleep (His Humanity) then Jesus got up …. And the Winds listen to Him (His deity) He arose and the winds lay down, then he gets up and the storm goes down!!!

 

Back to our text:

 

Mark 4:40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”  

 

Why are we so afraid??? Christ is with us!

 

Mark 4:41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, (What manner of man is this,) that even the wind and the sea obey Him!” NKJV

 

Why are you so fearful and have no faith?   365 times fear not.

 

And then the question of questions; What manner of man is this?

 

Ben Turner said in his message “What Manner of Man Is This”

Everybody sees Him different;

3 Hebrew boys would see Jesus as the 4th man in the fire

Ezekiel saw Him as the wheel inside a wheel

Noah saw Him as an arc of safety

Solomon saw Him as the rose of Sharon

Jacob saw Him as a golden ladder top in haven and the base on the earth.

Israel saw Him as a star out of Jacob

David saw Him as the great Shepard

Daniel saw Him as a Stone cut out of a Mountain

Abraham saw Him as the great and mighty builder

Ruth saw Him the provider of hands full on purpose

Moses saw Him as the smitten rock

Church saw Him as the foundation of the rock on which it was built

Sad sees Him as the comforter

Leper sees Him as the healer (great Physician)

Lost sees Him as the way

Hungry sees Him as the bread

Thirsty sees Him as the water

Pilgrim sees Him as the faithful guide

Accused sees Him as the faithful witness

Disciple sees Him as the teacher

Weary sees Him as the rest

Pilot or boat captain sees Him as a compass

Weak sees Him as the strength

Sheep sees Him as the Shepard

Astronomer sees Him as the bright and morning star

Bride sees Him as the fairest among 10,000

Gentiles sees Him as a light to lighten the way

Merchant man see him as the purchaser

Ship of Zion see him as the captain

Preacher sees Him as the energizer

Tired sees Him as the strength

Troubled sees Him as builder of mansion

Captive sees Him as the deliver

Unhappy see Him as joy without end

Dead see Him as the resurrection and the life

The sinner I hope they would see him as the pleading savior caring for their soul.

Everybody sees him different!!!

How do you see Him?

 

 

John 1

The Eternal Word

(Gen 1:1-2:3)

1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. NKJV

 

What does Jesus called Himself, we have, “The 7 I am’s of John”

 

1

John 6:35-36 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

2

John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

3

John 10:7-10 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.  8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.  9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

4

John 10:14-16 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.  15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

5

John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

6

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

7

John 11:25-26 Jesus talking to Mary and Martha on the way to Lazarus’ grave:

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

 

back to “Intense Moments with the Savior”

“But learning to feel carries with it both a blessing and a curse: a blessing, because those feelings are what lead us out of ourselves; a curse, because once out we can never again go back and enjoy the simple pleasures of a self-absorbed life. For suffering sensitizes us not only to the world around us, which is needy, but to the world within us, which is needier still, and ultimately to the world beyond us, which we long for in so many ways. Yet in so few ways do we ever fully realize it.

Until we suffer”

 

Tony Evans said for some that came out of a storm last week they can see one coming this week.

 

Ben Turner said you are either in a storm, coming out of a storm, or about to go into a storm.

 

How are you going to handle it?

 

When He was on the Cross…

Matthew 27:38-54 (NKJV)

38 Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left. 39 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

41 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said,

42 “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.

43 He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44 Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.

45 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

47 Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!”

48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.

49 The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”

50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;

53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

He will put you in what ever you need to go thru to get to a point to say “Truly this is the Son of God”

 

Intense Moments with the Savior

“Then we realize that this is not our home, that our home is with him who suffered and died and left this earth to prepare a place for us. Once we understand that and who it is that keeps a candle burning for us in the window, then the road ahead, however long, however difficult, is infinitely easier to travel.”

 

Now the question is, do you care?

Pray

Amen!!