Millbrook Presbyterian Church

WHEN PRAYERS COLLIDE--JONAH 2-1-10 AND 4-1-4--I. JONAH'S GRATEFUL PRAYER -2-1-10--A. Jonah's Distress -vv2-6a--1. Thrown overboard -v3--2. Banished from God's presence -v4--3. Entangled in the weeds -v5--4. Descended --went down-- into Sheol -v6a--B. Jonah's Deliverance -vv6b-7--1. By God -v6b--2. By the fish-3. By prayer -v7--C. Jonah's Devotion -vv8-9--1. Loyalty-2. Worship--II. JONAH'S ANGRY PRAYER -4-1-4--A. Jonah's Predicament -v1--1. Ninevites had gotten rid of their ra-ah-2. God had gotten rid of his ra-ah-3. Jonah holding ra-ah-B. Jonah's Explanation -v2--1. When Jonah first prayed-2. What Jonah first prayed-3. Why Jonah first prayed-C. Jonah's Request -v3-

THE FEAR OF THE LORD--FACT OR FICTION---JONAH 1-4-16---INTRODUCTION -1- The structure of 1-4-16-Storm starts-sailors fear-Sailors pray and throw-On whose account-What-the LORD-I fear-Sailors fear a great fear-What-On my account-Sailors pray and throw-Storm stops-sailors fear a great fear-the LORD-2- The -fear of the Lord--a- Affective- Awe coupled with trust-b- Cognitive- --knowledge of God -Proverbs 2-5--c- Volitional- --turning away from evil--I. TALK IS CHEAP-A. An Orthodox Confession -v9--1. A Hebrew I am-2. The Lord, the God of heaven, I fear-3. Maker of sea and dry land-B. A Lack of Integrity-1. No praying like the sailors -v5--2. No working like the sailors -3rd -went down-- -v5--3. No concern about people perishing like the sailors--II. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS-A. An Amazing Confession -v14b--1. Not in what God had done-2. But is what God does-B. An Amazing Integrity-1. Genuine-2. Growing

DIVINE RESPONSIVENESS TO HUMAN ACTION--JONAH 3-10---INTRODUCTION-1- Some either ors-2- Westminster standards -a- WCF Chapter III - Of God's Eternal Decree-i- God from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass- yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures- nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established. -b- WSC -i- Q. 8. How does God execute his decrees- -ii- A. God executes his decrees in the works of creation and providence.-c- WCF Chapter V - Of Providence-i- Although, in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first Cause, all things come to pass immutably, and infallibly- yet, by the same providence, he orders them to fall out, according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently. --I. GOD SAW -V10A--A. Anthropomorphically-1. Definition-2. Examples-B. Truly-1. Definition-2. Examples--II. GOD RELENTED -V10B--A. The meaning of the English word-1. Not a common word-2. Used in two ways-B. The meaning of the Hebrew word-1. In general-2. In the immediate context-3. In the broader context

WHAT'S IN A NAME--JONAH'S STORY AS OUR STORY--I. JONAH- SILLY AND SENSELESS-- Hosea 7-11 -o Ephraim is like a dove, silly and without sense-. -ESV- -o So Ephraim has become like a silly dove, without sense-. -NASB---A. Seen in Jonah's Response to God's Call-1. Go to Nineveh-2. Went to Tarshish-B. Seen throughout the book-1. Jonah's Response to God's Storm-2. Jonah's Response to God's Grace-II. JONAH- SON OF GOD'S FAITHFULNESS-A. Seen in the Storm-1. The Lord throws the wind onto the sea -1-4-6--2. The sailors throw Jonah into the sea -1-7-16--B. Seen in the Fish-1. Jonah descends to Sheol -2-2--2. The Lord sends the fish -1-17-2-1--3. Jonah confesses the truth -2-10b--C. Seen in the Questions-1. Is it right for you to be angry--2. May I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh- -4-11-

The atonement is not a dry theological topic for the dusty halls of the university and seminary. It is a vibrant picture of the love of God.--I John 4-10 - In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.--Salvation requires atonement - paying for our sins - earning eternal righteousness - precisely what we could not do for ourselves.--Romans 5-6-8 - For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person-though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die- but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Session 5 of 2019 Millbrook Bible Conference at Millbrook Presbyterian Church -PCA- with Dr. Mark D. Futato as our guest speaker.

Session 4 of 2019 Millbrook Bible Conference at Millbrook Presbyterian Church -PCA- with Dr. Mark D. Futato as our guest speaker.

Session 2 of 2019 Millbrook Bible Conference at Millbrook Presbyterian Church -PCA- with Dr. Mark D. Futato as our guest speaker.

Session 3 of 2019 Millbrook Bible Conference at Millbrook Presbyterian Church -PCA- with Dr. Mark D. Futato as our guest speaker.

Session 1 of 2019 Millbrook Bible Conference at Millbrook Presbyterian Church -PCA- with Dr. Mark D. Futato as our guest speaker.

Did you ever wonder why Jesus came exactly when He did- Though He had been promised throughout human existence, why did it take -so long- for Him to come after sin entered the world-----Paul tells the Galatians that Jesus came when the time was right. Just what made the time right- Listen in and find out.

How do you select a king- Samuel is tasked by God to anoint the next king of Israel. God teaches Samuel -and us- that the Lord's priority is the heart and not the external.--This sermon is the first in a series about the life of David

We are not to forsake gathering together. Worship involves community and gathering. In doing so, we-----1. Stimulate one another to love and good deeds.--2. Are encouraged in the presence of God's people.--3. Are motivated by an eternal -heavenly- perspective.

Sacraments are holy signs and seals of the covenant of grace. They were directly instituted by God to represent Christ and his benefits and to confirm our relationship to him. There are only two sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord in the gospel- baptism and the Lord's supper.

A Contrite Heart is...----1. God-focused - sin is a rebellion against God and forgiveness is found only in God.----2. Broken - we praise God for the pain of sin's consequences - it brings us to Him for healing.----3. Pleading - we cry out to God for He is our only refuge----4. Changing - joy replaces guilt and praise replaces sin

My question to you this morning - what makes you sing- But, you say, -I don-t sing.- Really- How about at a party with friends- Karaoke- Songs you grew up with- Don McLean-s American Pie- How about Sweet Caroline- Or, your favorite football fight song- War Eagle- Yeah Alabama- Hail Dear Ol- State- Or perhaps your Armed Service Anthem, Happy Birthday, God Bless America, Christmas carols-- Do you sing Rock-a-Bye-Baby to your grandchild- Do you sing in the care- In the shower-----What does this Psalm say---Sing a new song all the earth - a new song by a new creation, the joys of new life - for all who come to the Lord-----John Piper wrote, -We are a singing people. And there is a reason for this. The reality of God and Christ and creation and salvation and heaven and hell are simply too great for mere speaking- they must also be sung. So music and singing are necessary to Christian faith and worship for the simple reason that the realities of God and Christ, creation and salvation, heaven and hell are so great that when they are known truly and felt duly, they demand more than discussion and analysis and description- they demand poetry and song and music. Singing is the Christian's way of saying- God is so great that thinking will not suffice, there must be deep feeling- and talking will not suffice, there must be singing.-

If worship is entertainment then worshipers become an audience - they become the focus. Our consideration of our corporate worship sounds more like a movie review or restaurant critique.----A.W. Tozer believed this to be true back in the 1950s and 60s. Church members -want to be entertained while they are edified.- He said that in 1962. Tozer grieved, even then, that it was -scarcely possible in most places to get anyone to attend a meeting where the only attraction was God.-

Review - In the five points- we see our sin and our extreme need of God-s grace- we experience the complete grace of God which brings us to faith- we trust in the sufficient and complete work of Christ -not making salvation possible but making it real and actual-- we see the Holy Spirit acting to effect our salvation, not merely encouraging it- we trust that, by His strength, that we will persevere to the end.----The Fifth Point - Perseverance of the Saints - endurance, assurance, faithfulness, eternal security----Commonly said - once saved, always saved. True, but given to misinterpretation.----Charles Spurgeon - -If our religion be of our own getting or making, it will perish- and the sooner it goes, the better- but if our religion is a matter of God's giving, we know that He shall never take back what He gives, and that, if He has commenced to work in us by His grace, He will never leave it unfinished.-

How does a rebellious people come to follow the Lord- Stubborn. Stiff-necked. Totally depraved. God must change us. In a real and effective way.----The Fourth Point - Irresistible Grace - Better- Effective, Invincible, Uncommon, Real, Amazing Grace----Effective grace - but what is grace-----Unmerited favor. God-s free action for the benefit of his people. God-s Riches at Christ-s Expense.----The heart of flesh is superior to the heart of stone. The stoney heart is rebellious. Nasty inhospitable soil in which the outward call - the preaching of the word - withers and dies. The heart of flesh receives the word - it hears, understands, embraces, and is filled with the glorious gospel.

The Third Point in the Doctrines of Grace- Limited Atonement - Better- Particular Atonement, Definite Atonement----- The atonement is the work of God in Christ, by his obedience and death, by which he cancelled the debt of our sin, appeased his holy wrath against us, and won for us all the benefits of salvation.----New Testament scholar J. Gresham Machen -1881-1937- said of the Atonement, -This Bible doctrine is not intricate or subtle. On the contrary, though it involves mysteries, it is itself so simple that a child can understand it.- Christ died for our salvation-----Limited -definite- atonement - the atonement is designed for definite individuals who are effectively saved by it. God has particular people in view in the design of the atonement to purchase all the blessings of salvation for his people.

We study, preach and teach what the Bible actually says, not what we want it to say.----As we study the Doctrines of Grace, we come to the second point...----The Second Point - Unconditional Election - unearned, undeserved, unconditional----The words we choose - unconditional election - will cause many to cry out, -Wait a minute- But what about unconditional love------In the moments of pain and tears, in loneliness and despair - is there a greater need than a love that will not let us go- A love not dependent on our fickle feelings or erratic behavior. That someone, somewhere, would know me- my secrets, my sins, my weakness, my ugliness- and love me anyway-------Definition- Unconditional election is God-s free choice before creation, not based on foreseen faith, to which traitors he will grant faith and repentance, pardoning them and adopting them into his everlasting family of joy.

The -Doctrines of Grace- is a five part sermon looking at five particular points of theology which push us to embrace the grace of God as the source of our salvation, our hope, and our eternal life.----In these five points- we see our sin and our extreme need of God-s grace- we experience the complete grace of God which brings us to faith- we trust in the sufficient and complete work of Christ -not making salvation possible but making it real and actual-- we see the Holy Spirit acting to effect our salvation, not merely encouraging it- we trust that, by His strength, that we will persevere to the end.----We begin with the depravity of man - in essence - we cannot save ourselves - Romans 3-10-11 - -None is righteous, no, not one- no one understands- no one seeks for God.-

Hear the Lord Jesus deal with the question of how David, His ancestor, would refer to Him as 'My Lord.-

Love, as the Father has shown to us, is the faithful summary of the duty of man and the whole of the moral-spiritual law.--Heart, soul, mind, and strength all have their role in loving God. God is not content to be just part of your life. One vivid way our love for God is shown is the love we have for others.

The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection, yet they posed a hypothetical situation to Jesus about the status of marriages in the resurrection. Their desire was to trap Jesus - to undermine His impact and authority among the crowds. His reply to them pointed out that they were -badly mistaken.- How sad it is to see people wrapped up in hypotheticals and rabbit trails, when the truth of eternity is right there in their face.

Simeon sings a song of praise and contentment when he gazes upon the face of Jesus. Through millennia, men and women have awaited the coming Messiah. When Mary and Joseph bring Jesus to the temple, Simeon sees the fulfillment of God's promises-

An interesting season of the year - the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas - Advent. Historically a time in which the church reflected on the millenia of anticipation from creation until Christ.----But what is it we reflect most on- What do I want for Christmas- What does my wife want for Christmas- What do my children want for Christmas-----What do you want for Christmas- Not what is on your Amazon wish list. Not the letter you mailed to Santa care of the north pole. Let me suggest an item for your list.

This passage is often reduced to an essay about righteous indignation, the fact that Jesus was no wimp, and that anger is no sin when it is prompted by an offence to the glory of God.--But, what was the greatest concern of the Savior- The way priests washed their hands- The number of steps allowable on the Sabbath- No, His concern was the heart. Particularly the hearts of the people and their leaders in what was set apart as the house of God.--But here's what I want to concentrate on and it's this - in the cleansing of the temple, Jesus is indicating that His people are in the grip of the sin of religious hypocrisy. They gather for public worship, they go through the motions of worshipping the living God, but they do not live in such a way to indicate that they-re really worshipping the living God.--They show up and busy themselves in the activities of the temple. They rush and hurry and not only fail to worship but they prevent others.

What does Jesus find when He looks upon His church today- Across the country and around the world- Sure. But how about right here- Will he find a tree that is full of leaves but devoid of fruit- A church that esteems entertainment and personal satisfaction higher than worship and sacrifice- A spiritual massage and a pious spa for a few moments-----Francis Schaeffer said were the two great values that shape our culture - still valid today. And they are personal peace - -Don't bother me. Leave me alone. Don't involve me.- And affluence - -Give me more, more, more of what I want.-----Will He find comfortable business or mountain moving faith- Will He find the chaotic busy-ness of the money changers or the sweat and labor of prayer, meditation in the word- Men and women who wake each morning and trust in the Lord with all their hearts, leaning not on their own understanding, acknowledging God in all their ways-

The cry and the request of Bartimaeus to Jesus. -Have mercy on me, Son of David------He makes his request known to Jesus. This requests is-----1. From a point of helplessness--2. Made with Persistence--3. Is Clarified to his pressing need--4. Is timely - for Jesus would never pass his way again.

This is a passage of great contrast - a picture of servanthood and a picture of what it is not. If our Savior was a servant - then how do we dare seek a different path-----We begin with the amazement of followers - Jesus was resolute - something in the eyes, the walk, the steadfast way Jesus advanced to Jerusalem. He had spoken about His purpose in going there.----Jesus is teaching them - and teaching us - the true nature of love. Sure the disciples had great fondness for Jesus. They had some appreciation of each other. Jesus knew their hearts as He knows ours. We cannot look at this passage without seeing the magnitude of Christ-s love.----Imagine for a moment - you have not heard the story of Jesus. You are hearing it from Him, as it is happening. The betrayal, the mockery, the brutal physical assault, the crucifixion, the death. With each detail, with wide eyes, you ask -Why-- Why not continue this ministry- Healing, traveling, teaching- Why the brutality- Why the cross-----Because, says our Savior, because I love you and this is how much. The teaching, the healing, the fellowship, - it would all be for nothing if I left you in your sin. Your debt unpaid. Your punishment untaken. Why- Because all that made Calvary a horror would be yours if I did not take it. Why- Because my love, the love of the Father - it is that great-

This is more than just a cute interlude in the life of Jesus. A vital moment of instruction to His disciples. Remember, His time with them is drawing short. Every moment, He teaches, corrects, instructs- why- They will carry on this ministry after He is gone.----This passage teaches us about the special love of God for our children.----Jesus also teaches His disciples -and us- the necessity of humility.

Two lessons - a follower of Christ is a servant. A Christian embraces the call of service. To be a nobody. To wash feet when others avoid making eye contact lest the job fall to them. To bear patiently with others, to love with selflessness, to give sacrificially to others. To be unremembered and uncelebrated in this world. It is enough that our Father in heaven smiles. He sees. ----Secondly, we Christian nobodies pay attention to nobodies. We must love as Jesus loved. Who did He give His time and attention to- He came to seek and save the lost. The weary and heavy-laden. He came for Mary Magdalene, the woman of Samaria with a string of husbands, the small tax collector Zacchaeus, and Peter, the man who seemed to always have the wrong words for any occasion.----Then, Christians, what is a great church- One whose pews are full of this world-s nobodies - each loved by the nobody sitting next to them and praising God with all their hearts, for knowing me, for paying attention to me, for loving me - an unloveable nobody.

As Jesus teaches His disciples that He is the Messiah, it becomes apparent to them that He is not the type of Messiah they were expecting. When Jesus explains that He will be falsely accused and put to death, Peter pulls Him aside to rebuke Him. To this, Jesus responds, -Get thee behind Me, Satan.-----In His love for us, Jesus would not be detoured from His appointment with the cross. He would accomplish, perfectly, the Father's work for our salvation.

This moment with Jesus and this deaf man - it was a ...--1. Private Moment--2. Peculiar Moment--3. Prayerful Moment--4. Pathetic Moment--5. Passionate Moment--6. Powerful Moment--6.

When Jesus encounters the woman with a demon possessed daughter, He speaks to her of Israel and the Gentiles.----John Calvin speaks of this encounter, -It was not the intent of the Savior to extinguish her faith but, rather, to whet her zeal and inflame her ardour.-----She does not rebel against God-s election of Israel. She does not scream - it-s not fair- She pursues Jesus. She repeats her plea and presses her case.----And, Jesus heals her daughter-

Jesus engages His disciples in conversation and instruction. During the course of this discussion, He asks two key questions.----1. Who do people say that I am-----2. Who do YOU say that I am-----To answer the first, you have to know people - you have to involve yourselves in their lives and talk to them about Jesus.----To answer the second, you have to know Jesus - you have to wrestle with the truth of God's grace incarnate. ----Both questions are important. But, the second truly carries the weight of eternity with it.

What question comes to mind when we encounter this trouble- What did I do wrong- What did I do to deserve this trial- Romans 3 - All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We think about the storm on the sea that threatened to destroy the boat and crew that was transporting Jonah to Tarshish. His sin - his disobedience - the reason for the storm. But, all trials are not the consequence of particular sins. In this case, the disciples find themselves in trouble as they obey Jesus. He made them get in the boat, remember-----The lesson is clear - to follow Jesus is to know trouble in this world. This is contrary to the very popular teaching of many throughout history. We want to hear a different message.

Several problems arise from legalism and the elevation of traditions to the level of scripture. Fatal problems. There are several causes of such an approach to God---1. We think too little of God's Word.--2. We think too little of true worship.--3. We think too little of sin.--4. Bottom line, we think too little of God.

One of the most familiar stories from the life of Jesus. One of 2 miracles recorded in all four Gospels - the feeding of the 5000-the resurrection is the other miracle recorded in all four-.----The thousands come to Jesus, He doesn-t scold them or send them away. Literally, v34, His heart went out to them - He was moved in His inner being. As Isaiah wrote in chapter 53, verse 4 - Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.----Jesus teaches them. Then He feeds them. He is the Good Shepherd.

There would come a day when Jesus would not physically be with His disciples. They needed to be ready. Jesus was building His church. These ordinary men would be the means by which He did so. Much about these young men was immature and imperfect. They were untried men with a limited grasp of who Christ was. They had a poor understanding of themselves. They-d never preached a sermon.----Praise God, the spread of the gospel doesn-t depend on our perfection or our merit but on the call of Christ, and obedience to that call and the equipping of Christ. If God can use a reluctant disobedient man like Jonah, He can surely use me. ----These disciples still had much to learn, but they already had much to give.

Our Savior encounters two significant events in this passage. One event is chronic. It has been going on 12 years. How easy would it have been to lose hope- This woman had no contact with other people. She could not go to the synagogue. We was unclean. But, she comes to Jesus and He -not His clothes- makes her clean.----The other event - the illness and death of Jairus's daughter is quite acute. How easy would it have been to get overwhelmed in the thrashing and panic of that moment- Can you imagine the despair of Jairus when he heard that his little girl was dead-----But, in both cases, Christ is sovereign. He does not grow weary in doing good and He is not overcome when the storms of life rage-

The undeniable Christ-focus of this sermon. It is all about Jesus. Our words, our life, our messages, our lessons, - Without Christ, we have nothing to offer. Without Christ, we are pitiful. Without Christ, we are wasting our time. -This Jesus-- This, specific Jesus. Not the politically correct, redefined, neutralized Jesus which is culturally palatable. The Jesus of God-s Word. Jesus, as He is, not as we might like to imagine.----We are told about Christ-s posture, that in fact he is sitting at the right hand of God, in other words, he has completed the work of atonement. In both the earthly tabernacle and earthly temple there was not a single chair. There were lamps and tables and altars and curtains, but no chairs because when priests were on duty they had no time to sit down. There were always more sinners coming with their animals to be sacrificed and with the confessions of their sins, seeking advice for their pardon. The priests had no time to stand and stare let alone sit down. But now God says to his Son, -You have finished the work of redemption. Sit at my right hand side-- Have we all come to appreciate this, that the saving suffering work of Christ is all over- That God has accepted all that his Son has done, and so now he exalts him.----The message of God is not to be received with complacency, with non-chalance. We are not to receive it, even, with intellectual amusement. It calls for response. Honest response is to love it or hate it. I would that you were either hot or cold - be done with the lukewarm nonsense.

Jesus loves and He is Able. He heals the broken and miserable man - bound and bloody - the man crying out in abandon and wrath. This poor soul was bound in the place of the dead. How does Jesus heal this man- How does Jesus heal us- By becoming this man. By being broken. By being abandoned. He became bound and bloody and was left in the place of the dead. He breaks the power of sin, of death, of misery, of the devil - for us.----And, to us He says - v19 - -Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.-

Imagine the scene that day. The teaming masses of men and women crowding Jesus. They have heard about His teaching. The stories of His healing are all anyone is talking about these days. Hundreds, probably thousands, have come to see Jesus. It wasn-t in a concert hall, a sanctuary, or an auditorium. This assembly was out the open. The crowds are closing in around Jesus. So, He steps onto a boat and has it pushed a bit away from the shore. This builds some buffer. It also provided a bit of amplification. If you have ever been on a body of water, you know that voices carry. So, on the smelly stage of a working fisherman-s boat, Jesus teaches. And, here He tells a story - we call it a parable.----Again, the word -parable- itself means to cast alongside. A parable is a story used to teach. It is cast alongside the plain instruction. It is a powerful way of teaching. -Let me tell you a story- are six words that open wide doors for preachers and speakers. When teaching, I find that pens are set down, eyes come up, and students listen when the lecture moves from a point by point lesson to a story. Stories come in under the radar. Our defenses are down. We listen and the picture is painted with characters, places, and actions. ----A parable is -an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.-----Jesus, on the boat with waves gently lapping against the shore, tells us a story.----The parable does not call us to look into the heart of another and discern the soil before casting the seed. Jesus says, -A sower went out to and as he sowed-- The seed is plentiful. Cast it.----But, we must do a soil analysis in our own heart.

Imagine the scene that day. The teaming masses of men and women crowding Jesus. They have heard about His teaching. The stories of His healing are all anyone is talking about these days. Hundreds, probably thousands, have come to see Jesus. It wasn-t in a concert hall, a sanctuary, or an auditorium. This assembly was out the open. The crowds are closing in around Jesus. So, He steps onto a boat and has it pushed a bit away from the shore. This builds some buffer. It also provided a bit of amplification. If you have ever been on a body of water, you know that voices carry. So, on the smelly stage of a working fisherman-s boat, Jesus teaches. And, here He tells a story - we call it a parable.----A parable is -an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.-----There are three types of soil -picture of the human heart- in which the seed -the Word of God- does not grow. When the seed falls upon hardened hearts -the pathway in the parable-, it lies dormant on the surface. Roots don-t sink in. It leaves no mark at all. Sometimes the seed finds rocky, shallow soil. It is met with temporary enthusiasm but this quickly fades. Sometimes thorns -worldly concerns and cares- choke out the work of the seed. But, by God-s grace, many times the Word finds fertile, rich hearts and take deep root. Praise God- It is then that the harvest is great-----The perfect example of the sower is Jesus. But, we are called to sow the seed of the Word liberally. The seed is powerful. We are going to meet with many -failures.- But, we are called to faithfulness in casting the seed. We look to the Lord and give Him the glory for the harvest -I Corinthians 3-7-.

Jesus says here - my family - my true and eternal family will bear the family resemblance - they will look like their heavenly Father and their brother, Jesus. It-s not a nose, or body shape, or hair color - Verse 35 - -Whoever does God-s will is my brother and sister and mother.- Obedience in repentance. Obedient in faith. Coming to the Father through the Son and Him alone. We prayed it earlier - -Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.- Thy will be done in my life-----Do you know that you are part of the family of God today- Have you repented of your sins and placed your hope fully in Jesus- If not, let today be the day of adoption - the day in which Jesus looks about the room and points to you and says - you are my brother, my sister, my family. If you have, I pray God will increase your assurance - that you would know the joy family - eternal in Christ Jesus.

A text Martyn Lloyd Jones calls the most fearful text in all of the Bible. A pastoral warning to all who sit week in and week out in church - who have tasted of heavenly things- and then walk away to chase the desires of this world and then grievously resist and deny the Holy Spirit. A warning to all who would hear today. Daily, draw close to God through Christ. Do not seek how far you can roam. Do not seek how wide you can stray and then still return.

Discipleship works most essentially through instruction and imitation. Discipleship works best through love. As we lovingly instruct younger believers in the way of godliness and live commendable lives, they grow in Christlikeness by imitating our life and doctrine. The Bible teaches us that discipleship is to be our pattern - -Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ- -1 Cor. 11-1-- -Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith- -Heb. 13-7-- -What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me-practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you- -Phil. 4-9-- ---You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings- -2 Tim. 3-10-- -Beloved, do not imitate evil, but imitate good- -3 John 11-.----Discipleship is one of the things a church MUST do. We must accurately and practically teach the Word of God to the people of God. Our end in this ministry is that the Church family would develop and grow in a comprehensive Christian outlook on life. Through the lens of the Word, we must equip our families for service, worship, evangelism, and all types of ministry. In accordance with Deuteronomy 6, we are to teach in a variety of ways. Sunday school, small groups, home studies, sermons, and group studies are all opportunities to teach God-s people. Further, all ministry events ought to be imbued with instruction. This is true discipleship. As the disciples learned while they walked with Jesus, so ought our brothers and sisters learn as we walk together.

I. The value and necessity of the local church has always been under attack. While I would like to say that today is unique, it has always been the case. What is true of today is that it is viewed as a consumer good. We shop for churches. We covet upgrades like the newest iPhone. We criticize, critique, and find fault. Churches appear on yelp next to restaurants, stores, and plumbers.----II. Wherever we go, whatever we do, we must always remember that, like our Master, we are -marked- men and women. Our actions are watched. We must exercise a holy diligence over all our conduct, that we do nothing to give the enemy cause to accuse. We must avoid even the -appearance of evil.-----III. It was the consistent practice of our Savior to be in the synagogue on the Sabbath -Luke 4-16-. Though there were many problems with religious leadership in that day, Jesus did not forsake the assembly -Hebrews 10-25-. Worship in the house of God must be precious to us because it is precious to Jesus.----IV. Jesus sympathized with the man with the withered hand. He healed him. He dealt with the immediate needs -hunger, healing, -- because He is full of compassion. Note, though, that the Lord did not come first of all to deal with diseases of the body but with sin in the heart. This is seen in His reaction to the hardness in the hearts of the Pharisees.----V. Christians will always be the objects of accusation and wicked plotting. As wicked men sought to do evil to Jesus, so also will they seek to bring down His followers -John 15-18-. In this world there will be MANY troubles. However, we rejoice and don-t despair for Jesus has overcome the world -John 16-33-.