Podcast appearances and mentions of christ heb

Bearing the Fruit of Christ (3) (audio) David Eells – 4/30/25 I'm going to pick up where I left off in part 2 and continue speaking about bearing the fruit of Christ in part 3. The “love” chapter in 1 Corinthians has a lot to say about perfection and, while we won't delve too deeply into all of that now, I would like to point out a couple of things there to you: (1Co.13:9) For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; (10) but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. (11) When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things. Notice, “when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.” What is he talking about? A lot of people say, “Oh, this is talking about the Gospel, when He came”; or “When Jesus comes again.” No, he's talking about you. You put away childish things “when that which is perfect is come,” as you mature. (12) For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face…. There it is, right there. “When that which is perfect is come,” you see in the mirror clearly, “face to face,” Jesus Christ. As we are told, But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit (2Co.3:18). We see Jesus face to face by faith now, but the more we grow, the more we see Him maturely, purely and perfectly. It's definitely not talking about the physical coming of Jesus. It's talking about Him coming in you. And he goes on to say, (1Co.13:12) … Now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known. And we were fully known before the foundation of the world. Remember, Jesus says to those who don't arrive at any form of fruit, “I never knew you” (Mat.7:23). He didn't know them before the foundation of the world. But Paul says, “When that which is perfect is come, I'm going to know, even as I was fully known.” He's talking about you coming into the pure, true revelation of Christ. (1Co.13:13) But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three: and the greatest of these is love. We're coming into His image, we're looking into His love, we're coming into His faith and we're coming into His hope because it's all been given to us from the foundation of the world. God is going to finish the good work He started in us. We should continue to hold fast the glorying of our hope firm unto the end because this is His plan. We're just entering into it. First, with our understanding, because we have to know what to exercise our faith in, we have to seek the Word to know what our opportunity is. Then, once we're convinced of the Will of God, we can stand in the faith and stay firm. If a person is not convinced that something is the Word of God, they're not going to be able to endure in their faith unto the end. They're not going to be patient in their faith to receive perfection, as James 1 says. We need to be convinced from the Scriptures that it's the Will of God for us to be perfect; what the Bible calls perfect, not necessarily what men call perfect. That's why I like to look at a lot of Scriptures and study them. I don't have to be a great preacher because God already said it very well. So I think that as we continue to look at what He said and put that in our heart, He's able to bring it to pass through our faith. He'll bring it to our remembrance, and faith cometh of hearing and hearing by the Word. (1Co.2:6) We speak wisdom, however, among them that are fullgrown (or “perfect”; it's the same word): yet a wisdom not of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, who are coming to nought. The rulers of God's people didn't understand this wisdom, either. Remember the Pharisees, reputed to be the leaders of God's people, who were supposed to be leading God's people in the Word, didn't know it or Him. (7) But we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, [even] the [wisdom] that hath been hidden, which God foreordained before the worlds unto our glory: (8) which none of the rulers of this world hath known; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Amazingly, the leaders of God's people did not know this hidden mystery of “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” but those poor, ignorant disciples walked with Jesus. They had this mystery of the Kingdom. The leaders of Judaism crucified Him, but those simple men had this revelation because they walked with Jesus. And history is going to repeat. I tell you right now that the majority of the leaders of Christianity will do exactly as they have done throughout history. They will lead God's people astray. They don't understand the mystery that has been hidden for ages. Paul spoke about “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” That's the real and true Gospel. It's our opportunity to come into perfection, and the leaders don't understand it. Once again, they will crucify the Lord of glory. (Heb.6:6) … They crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. They will do it again because history always repeats: (Ecc.1:9) That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Because they don't know the Lord, they don't know this mystery and don't understand perfection, they will come against the ones in whom Jesus lives. They will crucify Jesus again in our day because history always repeats, so that we have “the word of prophecy [made] more sure” (2Pe.1:19). The word of prophecy made more sure is the Word of God. The Bible is teaching us how the history of Christianity, which is a prophecy, will be fulfilled in our day. We just have to read and see what has already happened to know what will happen. There's been a cycle for God's people, as we just read in James chapter three, the cycle of life. Well, we're coming to the last cycle here, and the history that happened in the days of Jesus is going to be repeated. The Lord spoke that to me many years ago – that everything that happened in the time of Christ and His disciples, in the time of the Gospels and in the Book of Acts, is going to happen again. Today, however, it will take place on a worldwide stage, with the New Testament people of God, who are worldwide. Do you want God's perfection? He is the One Who is going to manifest His sons in these days. (Rom.8:19) For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. And what is the manifestation of the sons of God, except Christ, the Son of God, manifested in you? That is perfection. This is God's promise. We don't live anymore; Christ lives in us. That's “the good confession in the sight of many witnesses” (1Ti.6:12). This is what the world is waiting to see. The world sees a lot of lukewarm Christians and, for that reason, they don't have much respect for Christianity. But, if they see Christ, you know “the sons of this world are for their own generation wiser than the sons of the light” (Luk.16:8). They see right through a lot of things Christians don't see. They see the hypocrisy in God's people. With our busy life we need to remind ourselves regularly of the principles of perfection through Christ: (Heb.5:11) Of whom we have many things to say, and hard of interpretation, seeing ye are become dull of hearing. (12) For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food. (13) For every one that partaketh of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. (14) But solid food is for fullgrown (or “perfect”) men, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil. What is “solid food”? I remember the Lord saying, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me” (Joh.4:34). The meat is not just to understand, but to do His Will. The people who are on the “milk” are people who have not experienced “the word of righteousness.” To put it another way, they have not experienced walking in it, obeying it and doing it. But solid food is for the mature. Mature people are able to take the Word and put it to use. It's being manifested in their actions, in their will, in their motives, and so on. It's for “perfect” men. Here is a similar verse: (Rev.3:1) And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars: I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and thou art dead. (2) Be thou watchful, and establish the things that remain, which were ready to die: for I have found no works of thine perfected before my God. Last time we saw that the works were only perfected in the people who were being perfected. Of course, imperfect or immature people cannot do perfect works. So He's condemning this group of people because, according to their works, they have “a name that … livest,” which is obviously “Christian,” but they're dead. These people are not living up to the name that was given unto them, and their works are not perfect. He said, “I have found no works of thine perfected before my God.” (3) Remember therefore how thou hast received and didst hear; and keep [it], and repent. God expects perfect works out of His people. We know we were perfected by Christ at the cross and now we're walking into it because it's our opportunity; it's ours to lose, too, by the way. What are works? Galatians chapter five speaks about the “works of the flesh” (verse 19) and the “fruit of the Spirit” (verse 22). Why compare the “works of the flesh” with the “fruit of the Spirit,” unless the fruit of the Spirit is also the “works” of the Spirit? The truth is that the fruit of the Spirit is our works. It's a manifestation of the Spirit through us. If we are Spirit-led, we will have Spirit-works. (Rom.8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Let me remind you of one of the verses that we emphasized earlier: (Luk.8:14) And that which fell among the thorns, these are they that have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of [this] life, and bring no fruit to perfection. In Galatians, we have the fruit of “perfect works” and in Luke we have “perfect fruit,” so, as we see, these are synonymous terms here. We have learned that this word “perfection,” or telesphoreo, actually means “to bring to completion or perfection, with the end in view.” In other words, we have discovered that, as we “calleth the things that are not, as though they were” (Rom.4:17), as we viewed the end and claimed the end, that it was ours! (2Co.3:18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord (which is the end in view), are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. We see here the end in view is Jesus in us. the power by we are receiving what God gave to us at the cross, which is perfection. “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” We've received this by faith and this gives us the power and ability to enter into it “from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.” Another verse that talks about arriving at the end that you've viewed as yours is (1Th.5:23) And the God of peace himself sanctify you (talking to Christians) wholly (holoteles, which means “perfection or completeness, unto the end”); and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (24) Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do it. There is perfection. The Lord promised to do it because “faith is assurance of [things] hoped for, a conviction of things not seen” (Heb.11:1). As we believe and as we walk by faith, we arrive at that end in view, which is Christ Himself. God will bring it to pass. The Lord Jesus Himself said, “According to your faith be it done unto you” (Mat.9:29). We are trusting Him to bring us to that place. The most important thing is not to walk by sight, not to see your natural face in the mirror, but to accept what the Lord did for you. Repent when you see anything contrary to the face of Christ. Repent and turn your heart toward Him in faith. He will do the work. So, what is perfection? What is maturity? What is full salvation? What is the end in view? (Luk.6:40) The disciple is not above his teacher: but every one when (notice its “when,” not “if”) he is perfected shall be as his teacher. Who is the teacher here? Jesus! Notice that when he is perfected he shall be as his teacher, so we have something wonderful to believe for, don't we? (2Co.3:18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. The Lord is the One Who's going to do this, but it's through our faith, and even that's a gift from Him. We have to renew our mind to see the gift of Jesus Christ that God has given to us. We're accepting His free gift, not on the grounds that we've earned it or have any ability or power to partake of it, but on the grounds that God has given Him to us, as a gift. And now Jesus is telling us that when we are perfected, we'll be as our Teacher. This tells us that it's very important who our teacher is. If we make religion our teacher, we're going to fall far short. If we make a certain denomination our teacher, we're only going to go to that level and we're going to stop, because they won't let us go beyond them. They'll judge us pretty harshly if we try. But if we make Jesus, the Word of God our Teacher then we can come into that image. So the best thing to do is to dig and study the Word, to find out exactly what it is to be like Him and to be a disciple. The disciple is not above his Teacher. He promised that a disciple, when he is perfected, shall be as his Teacher. Not all people called Christians will ever be perfected, but disciples will, because they're learners and followers, mathetes. They study the Master. They want to walk as the Master walked. Notice the promise is “when.” But that's for a disciple. There are many, many Christians, but not many disciples. Jesus made conditions for discipleship, and we need to study those conditions, too. Here's a similar verse: (Mat.10:24) A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his lord. (25) It is enough for the disciple that he be as his teacher, and the servant as his lord.  Again, an awesome word that the Lord has given unto us. Many people would call that blasphemy, but the Lord Himself is the One Who spoke it and therefore we must speak it to confess Him and His power. We see that Jesus is “the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom.8:29), who also will become sons and daughters of God. We, too, are being “born” into His image: spirit, soul, and, ultimately, body. (Mat.10:25) It is enough for the disciple that he be as his teacher, and the servant as his Lord. (1Jn.2:6) He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. To abide in Christ means to be coming into that place where you are walking as He walked, more and more. You're growing in the image and stature of Christ, and you're coming into that place. Let me also point out another verse: (Joh.8:34) Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. (35) And the bondservant abideth not in the house for ever: the son abideth for ever…. So there are some who are considered bondservants who will not enter the Kingdom; they will not be “in the house for ever.” They will not have eternal life because they're also bondservants of sin; only “the son abideth for ever.” Therefore we must be sons by faith or by manifestation. “Faith is accounted as righteousness.” There's a difference between a bondservant and a son. Let me explain something to you that the Lord explained to me. Every son is a bondservant and every son serves his Lord diligently, but not every bondservant is a son. A son is a special relationship. This is the heir we're talking about; they're not just a slave. Servants serve for one reason; sons serve for quite another reason. Sons want to promote their father's kingdom because they're also heirs of that kingdom, and they want to please their Father. He's their Father! Bondservants serve, many times, because they have to. Sometimes it might be just fire insurance to them. But to a son, it's different; it's personal when you're a son. And there are far fewer sons than there are bondservants. We see here that the bondservant is not going to abide in the house forever, but the sons abide forever. A son is a servant who has that relationship to the Father. I'd like to further point out the difference between a servant and a son: (Gal.4:1) But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all. Let's say that all who are called Christians are heirs. Some are children, and some are more and more manifesting sonship. Right now, he says, so long as the heir is a child, he's no different than a bondservant, even though, in reality and according to position, he's lord of everything. God has given us perfection at the very beginning of our walk. It's a free gift He's given unto us, and because we accept it by faith, we walk more and more in that position. What is perfection? It's Christ, it's sonship, it's the manifestation of the Son in you. This is God's plan. Reconciliation is an exchange of Christ's life on the cross for your life. “Reconciliation” means “an exchange.” God has given you His life and His blessings and taken your curse and your sin and put it upon the cross. Now we are entering into this because we believe in this. (Mat.9:29) … According to your faith be it done unto you. The Lord is manifesting this in us freely because we believe that we've been given sonship and not just the position of a servant. Here's another confirmation: (Pro.29:21) He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall have him become a son at the last. Servants and children are equal, but the end result, which we're looking in the mirror to see, is sonship.  (Gal.4:1) But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all; (2) but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed of the father. That's true; we all start out in kindergarten, which is a lot of religions out there. They are just kindergarten. The Lord told me one time that religions are like playpens that are meant to be outgrown – we're supposed to climb over the bars. They build all kinds of bars around you to keep you in, but you can outgrow them. You can be mature, but in the meantime, there are “guardians and stewards” who keep the baby from getting in trouble. (3) So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world. “Rudiments” here means “elements.” The Greek word stoicheion means “first principles in a series.” Many people are really hung up under the “first principles,” as we read in Hebrews chapter five. They're staying right there; they're not moving from the “first principles.” But if you stay there, you're not going to grow up, and you won't bear fruit. Some people are going around in little religious circles with the same old things, not stretching forth to grow in the fullness of the Word of God. (Gal.4:4) But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, (5) that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Heb.7:19) (For the law made nothing perfect)….If you're under the Law, you'll never come to perfection. We're all in a relationship with God, brethren. Grace is the right relationship. We need His grace and His power to work in us. The Law is actuated by our own works, but we receive grace through faith, and then God works the work in us. (Php.2:13) For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. We need to get out from under the Law, otherwise, we'll always stay a child and bondservant. (Gal.4:6) And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Now, what does “because ye are sons” mean? The answer is here: (Gal.3:25) But now that faith is come, we are no longer under a tutor. (26) For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus. (Rom.8:19) For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. That's the manifestation of the sons of God. This is the son of God by faith. We're sons of God by faith because now, in the New Testament, out from under the Law, we're justified by faith in believing that we don't live anymore – Christ lives in us. (Eph.1:4) Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: (5) having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. Remember, He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child Shall have him become a son at the last (Pro.29:21). This comes from both the Jews and the Romans. They had a procedure whereby they would adopt servants in whom they had particular pleasure, maybe if they didn't have a child of their own. They would adopt them as sons, the point being that the word for “child,” teknon, only emphasizes a birth, but the word “son,” huios, emphasizes a particular relationship with the Father. There are many people born into the Kingdom, but they never manifest sonship. They remain children all their lives. They never mature and don't bear fruit. If they believe the Gospel they will bear fruit. One thing that keeps children from bearing fruit is the Law, living under legalism. This is illustrated here: (Gal.4:7) So that thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. So we see that, by faith, we are no longer bondservants; we're no longer children. We're sons because we come out from under the Law and into grace to enter into this. (8) Howbeit at that time, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods: (9) but now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments (there's “first principles” again), whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again? (10) Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years. (11) I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain. They were going back under the Law and seeking to be justified by the Law, through their own self-efforts to keep the Law, instead of by faith. (Gal.3:11) Now that no man is justified by the law before God, is evident: for, The righteous shall live by faith. So our life comes from faith. Now Paul was worried because going back under the Law cannot manifest Christ in us and it is not the nature of Jesus Christ to begin with. The Law is just “our tutor to bring us to Christ.” He has to take us from that point on. (Gal.4:19) My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you (in other words, until sonship is formed in you). You're a child if you're under the Law in any form. If your religion is putting you under legalism, whether it's the legalism of the Old Testament Law or their own laws, rather than being able to follow the Spirit, you're going to stay a child. You're never going to grow up. He goes on to talk about the “son of the handmaid” and the “son of the freewoman”: (21) Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? (22) For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the freewoman. Now that's clear. If you're under legalism, you're not free to hear the voice of Christ and follow Him, and to submit to all that Scripture has to say – not just the little box that your religion has made for you. It doesn't matter whether it's man's legalism or of your own church rules, or even as far as going back under the Old Testament Law. You're not free, and you're not justified by faith like that. Paul goes on to talk about the difference between the sons of the handmaid and the sons of the freewoman. Sons of the handmaid are servants; sons of the freewoman are sons. He warns us in the next verse, (30) Howbeit what saith the scripture? Cast out the handmaid and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman. Yes, they were both children of Abraham, but Paul is making a type and a shadow here to show us that the bondservant who is not a son will not have the eternal life like the son will. The devil has a lot of people walking in bondage, thinking that they're justified by their works, thinking nobody else is obeying this particular part of the Law but them and they're seeking to be justified by that. They're not free and it's sad. (Rom.8:14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. The Spirit of God is not going to lead you back under the law, a covenant that God never made with you. The Spirit of God is going to lead you under grace because you are justified by faith. If you can't find your doctrine in the New Testament, brethren, be careful. And if you're twisting the New Testament to fit the Old, be careful because the New is the fulfillment of the Old. The Old was a parable, a type and a shadow of the New. You don't want to go back under the type or the shadow. You want to live under the fulfillment and that is, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Gal.4:31) Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman. Yes, that's exactly right by faith, not necessarily by manifestation, but by faith. So we need to repent. If you are listening to men who are dragging you back under a Law, you need to repent because this is going to stunt your growth. You will be called a son of the handmaid and not of the freewoman. You'll be a bondservant, but you'll never be a son. A bondservant is a child, the Bible says. We're waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God. The whole of creation waits. The whole purpose of God is to create His children into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. That's the manifestation of the sons of God. There are false doctrines about the manifestation out there and some are scaring away people from the very words “manifestation of the sons of God,” but it's in the Book. It was taught by the Lord and by the apostle Paul. We need an understanding of what “manifestation of the sons of God” means, which is what we're entering into. I'd like to point out that John says exactly what we read in Galatians: (Joh.8:34) Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. (35) And the bondservant abideth not in the house for ever: the son abideth for ever. “Ishmaels” do not have eternal life; “Isaacs” do. We are the seed of promise, through Isaac. Ishmael wasn't; that was a work of Abraham. By type and shadow, we understand what this means. The Parable of the Talents is very clear: (Mat.25:14) For [it is] as [when] a man, going into another country, called his own servants (these are not the people of the world; these are the people of the Kingdom), and delivered unto them his goods. (15) And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his several ability; and he went on his journey. So he gave forth his talents, and he expected them to bear the fruit of this. (16) Straightway he that received the five talents went and traded with them, and made other five talents. (17) In like manner he also that [received] the two gained other two. (18) But he that received the one went away and digged in the earth (in the flesh), and hid his lord's money. (19) Now after a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and maketh a reckoning with them. (20) And he that received the five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: lo, I have gained other five talents. (21) His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (22) And he also that [received] the two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: lo, I have gained other two talents. (23) His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (24) And he also that had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow (This man is like those who claims Gods works were their own, For the Lord did sow the gift unto them and He expected them to bear fruit.), and gathering where thou didst not scatter (But He did scatter); (25) and I was afraid, and went away and hid thy talent in the earth (He consumed the gift for his flesh.): lo, thou hast thine own. (26) But his lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter; (27) thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back mine own with interest. So when the Lord returned, He judged the two who brought forth fruit and they entered into the kingdom and were blessed abundantly. But he also judged the servant who had only one talent and didn't bear any fruit: (28) Take ye away therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him that hath the ten talents. (29) For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away. (Mat.25:30) And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. The unprofitable servant who doesn't bear the fruit, the servant who doesn't manifest sonship 30-, 60- and 100- fold, is cast forth into the outer darkness.  They took the one talent away from that person and gave it to the servant who had 10 talents. Remember that because we're going to see it again. In other words, if you have fruit, you'll get more. If you have less, you'll get less. So, great talents have been given to us through the promises, and we should bear their fruit. Matthew gives us another parable that ends up in the exact same place: (22:2) The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son. Jesus. The marriage feast is the time when the Bride and the Groom celebrate for seven days, while on this earth.  We see that He invited the Jews to come to that marriage feast, but they mostly refused and mistreated His servants, as happened then. So He sent his armies to destroy their city in 70 AD. He turned away from them and invited strangers, speaking of the gentiles in the Church now. At that time, when the Jews were rejected because of their unbelief in Jesus Christ, He turned and invited the Church, the early Jewish Christians and the gentiles, to His marriage feast. However, the time is coming now when many gentiles will have worldly excuses not to go to the marriage feast and they also will be rejected as the parables show. And then a remnant of the Jews will return. The marriage feast, by the way, is at the bride's home (on earth). At the end of the seven day feast is the marriage supper which is at the Groom's home (in heaven). All are escorted by the wise virgins. The marriage feast was seven days, and we have seven days/years called the Tribulation period that's coming. That will be our marriage feast, where the Bride and the Groom are going to feast upon the bread (the Word of God) and wine (the nature of Jesus Christ). (Lev.17:14) … For the life of all flesh is the blood thereof…. There's going to be a great feast in the last seven days – the last seven years; a great feast upon the very nature and life of Jesus Christ and upon the true Word of God. Jesus will attend as Groom and teach in the Man-child body. We read on: (Mat.22:11) But when the king came in to behold the guests, he saw there a man who had not on a wedding-garment. The wedding garment is the brilliant garment that's given to the Bride in Revelation 19:8. That garment is described as lampros, “bright”, and is described as “the righteous acts of the saints.” whereas the leukos, “white,” garment was on all the rest of those invited to the marriage feast (Revelation 19:14). If you don't have on one of those garments, which represent various stages of manifesting sonship or the righteousness of God, then you're going to be rejected. God is not going to accept people who are justified by works or by the Law. Self-righteousness is not the kind of righteousness He wants. He wants the righteousness of grace through faith. (Mat.22:12) And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding-garment? And he was speechless. (Because he was lied to by religion.) (13) Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. (14) For many are called, but few chosen. Notice there are many people called who are not going to be putting on the wedding garment. The chosen are the people who are wearing the wedding garment. The previous parable we just read gives the same ending, but in that case, the one with the one talent lost his talent, his reward. His reward was instead given to the servant who had the 10 talents. Trust the Lord. Read your Bible and don't trust in any man. Hold fast. Be willing to give up your old life. Be perfect, in the Name of Jesus.

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRITContact with death, or even going into a tent where a dead body was, made the Israelite unclean under the Law. The remedy was for water of separation made from the ashes of a red heifer that was offered as a sin offering (Numbers 19)The red heifer was led “forth without the camp”. This pointed forward to Christ (Heb 13:12) who also suffered without the camp and so in Hebrews we are exhorted to go therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach. Just as the ashes of the heifer were for the purification of both Jew and gentile – stranger (v10) – the blood of Christ can cover the sins of any. There was no intrinsic virtue in the ashes. It required faith to believe in their efficacy – just like the blood of Jesus.Romans 6:23 states•The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God s eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.This was because the Lord Jesus had the opposite effect to the Law. He touched dead bodies and they came alive and was thus far superior to the water of separation (purification) made from the ashes of the Red Heifer•Heb 9:12-14 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?Rather than offering sacrifices, the Lord Jesus taught that the Law was fulfilled in love for others. Love God was the first Great Commandment and•Matt 22:38-40 the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.The Law of Moses was basically honouring God and loving your neighbour and it had been superseded by the Law of Christ.•Those who are led by Spirit are not under the Law( Galatians 5:18)Being led by the Spirit, means believing and practising the commandments of the Lord Jesus, and producing the fruit of the spirit, which is love, joy , peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control and Paul states these are far better than the law. Our Love needs to be like God's perfect love, an unselfish (agape) love.. Agape love is where you are prepared to unselfishly be like the Lord Jesus and give up all for the God you love and His servants, just as God gave His Son for us.1 Corinthians 13:4-8 states that someone showing this kind of love is long suffering, kind, doesn't envy, doesn't brag, or behave badly. They aren't partial nor easily annoyed. With no evil thoughts and hating sin, they are truthful, patient, hopeful and good under pressure.And we can aim to be that kind of person, if we develop the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, striving to have the type of love which God has for us and which we see in His daily care for us and by His gift of His only Son.Paul says•Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Gal 5:16 .

     Believers are called to engage in various mental activities that align our thoughts with God's will and deepen our spiritual lives. These activities are essential for spiritual growth, discernment, and maintaining a Christ-centered mindset. One key mental activity is the renewing of the mind, where we are instructed to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom 12:2). This involves rejecting worldly patterns of thought and embracing God's perspectives. Additionally, we are encouraged to meditate on Scripture, allowing it to permeate our minds and influence our words and actions. God's Word describes the righteous person, whose “delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Psa 1:2). Here is a function of the mind, one that is in constant need of recalibration that adjusts to the perfect standard of God's Word.      Believers are also called to take every thought captive to obey Christ, ensuring that our mental life is disciplined and aligned with God's truth. Paul wrote, “We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:5). This requires vigilance in guarding against thoughts that are contrary to God's will. God's Word reveals that spiritual warfare begins in the mind, and that the “speculations” and “every lofty thing” refer to human philosophies, false ideologies, and Satanic deceptions that challenge biblical truth. The discipline of “taking every thought captive” means actively using the mind, strengthened by Bible doctrine, to imprison false ideas that undermine divine viewpoint thinking. This verse highlights our responsibility to protect our mental framework from worldly thinking and to consistently apply doctrinal truth, making each thought obedient to the Word of God. The “obedience of Christ” signifies the application of Bible doctrine, bringing our thoughts into harmony with divine revelation as obedient-to-the-Word believers.      Furthermore, we are instructed to focus our minds on heavenly things rather than earthly concerns. Paul wrote, “Since you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Col 3:1-2). This mental activity involves prioritizing eternal values over temporary, worldly matters. Paul wrote, “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things” (Phi 4:8). To “dwell on these things” means we intentionally focus our thoughts in a particular direction; namely, on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, of excellence, and worthy of praise. Peter tell Christians to “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Pet 5:7). This is a mental function of giving our concerns to God and letting Him deal with those things that are beyond our capability.      In addition, we are called to guard our hearts and minds. Solomon wrote, “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life” (Prov 4:23). Other translations read: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Prov 4:23 NIV), and “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Prov 4:23 NLT). The Hebrew concept of the heart (לֵב leb) is the total inner person; which includes the mind and will. It is the base of operations which determines the course of life. We are also commanded to maintain a mindset of joy, regardless of circumstances, as Paul wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Phil 4:4). Filling the mind with God's Word is another essential activity, as Paul said, “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you” (Col 3:16a). This means implanting Scripture so that it permeates all our thoughts. And we are encouraged to seek wisdom from God, asking Him to guide our thoughts and decisions. James wrote, “if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (Jam 1:5). This involves a humble reliance on God for insight and understanding. Altogether, these mental activities are vital for spiritual maturity, helping us align our thoughts with God's truth, develop a Christ-centered mindset, and live out our faith in practical ways. Faith to Say      When God's Word controls our thinking, our speech will reveal it, “For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart” (Matt 12:34). Scripture emphasizes the power of words, both for good and for harm, as Solomon wrote, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Prov 18:21a). Sometimes God's people are to say nothing, for “When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise” (Prov 10:19), and “Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is considered prudent” (Prov 17:28). Solomon said there is “a time to be silent and a time to speak” (Eccl 3:7b). Sometimes, this act of faith means refraining from speaking altogether, especially when emotions are high or when silence is more in line with godly wisdom (Jam 1:19).      The wise believer thinks before speaking, for “The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer” (Prov 15:28a). John Kitchen states, “The idea here is that a righteous man does not respond quickly to a question or a rebuff. Rather, he takes the comment or question in. He considers it. He weighs his answer. He responds from the strength of contemplation, rather than from the weakness of immediate emotion.”[1] In all situations, “The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition” (2 Tim 2:24-25a).      When it's time to speak, Scripture should guide our words so that we speak truthfully, lovingly, and wisely. When we are walking by faith, our speech will be governed by divine viewpoint rather than human viewpoint or flaring emotions. Paul wrote, “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear” (Eph 4:29). Here, the call to action is in our speech, ensuring that our words build others up and reflect God's love and truth. Thomas Constable said, “Christians should use words to build up people (‘for edification') rather than to tear them down. Words can give grace (help) in the sense that they can communicate encouragement and direction and thus enable the hearer to do right.”[2] Paul wrote, “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person” (Col 4:6). Osborne notes, “In Colossians 4:6 Paul's reference is to a life that makes an impact on the world, to speech that draws people to God…Our discussions and even our small talk with ‘outsiders' ought to be carefully crafted to draw people to ourselves—and through us to the God who has saved us and wants to save them too.”[3] In this, Christians are to be “ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1 Pet 3:15). These are actions of speech that benefit others, and they are executed by faith and not feelings.      Encouraging speech is vital for uplifting others and promoting unity within the body of Christ (Heb 10:24-25). Additionally, grateful speech reflects a heart that recognizes God's blessings, as Paul wrote, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Col 3:17). Paul also wrote, “Do all things without complaining or arguing” (Phil 2:14) and “Be hospitable to one another without complaint” (1 Pet 4:9). Instead, by faith, we “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; and in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Th 5:16-18). The mind that is soaked with God's Word will manifest itself “with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col 3:16b). Dr. Steven R. Cook   [1] John A. Kitchen, Proverbs: A Mentor Commentary, Mentor Commentaries (Fearn, Ross-shire, Great Britain: Mentor, 2006), 342. [2] Tom Constable, Tom Constable's Expository Notes on the Bible (Galaxie Software, 2003), Eph 4:29. [3] Grant R. Osborne, Colossians & Philemon: Verse by Verse, Osborne New Testament Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016), 134–135.

Sunday School: October 13, 2024 Teacher: Pastor Nathan Ruble

Because Christ has fulfilled the old covenant Law, but not destroyed it, we must receive it as fulfilled Scripture and listening to Christ, our covenant Lord who tells us how it applies to our lives in the new covenant.-- I. How Should We View the Old Covenant Law in Light of the Coming of Christ-- Mt 5-17- -1- The Old Covenant has been abolished by the coming of Christ Heb 8-13- Gal 3-23-25- -2- The Old Covenant Law has not been abolished, but is fulled in Christ Mt 5-17- II. The Old Covenant Law is Relevant to our lives, but only in and through Christ- - -1- In the New Covenant our eyes are not set on the Covenant of Law, but on Christ Himself- - -2- No part of God's word is to be disregarded, all is to be understood and applied through Christ

Because Christ has fulfilled the old covenant Law, but not destroyed it, we must receive it as fulfilled Scripture and listening to Christ, our covenant Lord who tells us how it applies to our lives in the new covenant.-- I. How Should We View the Old Covenant Law in Light of the Coming of Christ-- Mt 5-17- -1- The Old Covenant has been abolished by the coming of Christ Heb 8-13- Gal 3-23-25- -2- The Old Covenant Law has not been abolished, but is fulled in Christ Mt 5-17- II. The Old Covenant Law is Relevant to our lives, but only in and through Christ- - -1- In the New Covenant our eyes are not set on the Covenant of Law, but on Christ Himself- - -2- No part of God's word is to be disregarded, all is to be understood and applied through Christ

Because Christ has fulfilled the old covenant Law, but not destroyed it, we must receive it as fulfilled Scripture and listening to Christ, our covenant Lord who tells us how it applies to our lives in the new covenant. I. How Should We View the Old Covenant Law in Light of the Coming of Christ? Mt 5:17 (1) The Old Covenant has been abolished by the coming of Christ Heb 8:13; Gal 3:23-25 (2) The Old Covenant Law has not been abolished, but is fulled in Christ Mt 5:17 II. The Old Covenant Law is Relevant to our lives, but only in and through Christ! (1) In the New Covenant our eyes are not set on the Covenant of Law, but on Christ Himself! (2) No part of God's word is to be disregarded, all is to be understood and applied through Christ

The Supremacy of Christ // Hebrews 1:1-4Sunday Morning Service // August 4, 2024Michael Crouse, Elder

For the past several days we have been laying the foundation and background for our study in the Book of Joshua. The Book of Joshua is the book of new beginnings for the people of God, and many believers today need a new beginning. After forty years of wandering in the wilderness, Israel claimed their inheritance and enjoyed the blessings of the land that God had prepared for them. That's the kind of life God wants us to experience today.   God gave Israel a new leader, Joshua. For us to enjoy and experience God's blessings in our life as a believer we must follow our new leader, Jesus Christ. God gave Israel a new land, Canaan, which is the “Promise Land”. As believers we have been given a new inheritance in Jesus Christ. Today we are going to talk about how God also gave Israel a new life. We have a new life in Jesus Christ. Paul put it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”   The events recorded in the Book of Joshua have to do with the life of God's people and not their death! The Book of Joshua records battles, defeats, sins, and failures—none of which will take place in heaven. This book illustrates how believers today can say good-bye to the old life and enter into their rich inheritance in Jesus Christ. I love how Peter put it in 2 Peter 1:2-4; “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”   The Book of Joshua explains how we can meet our enemies and defeat them, and how to claim for ourselves all that we have in Jesus Christ. Paul wrote about this to the Church of Ephesus. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians1:3). What Paul's letter to the Ephesians explains doctrinally, the Book of Joshua illustrates practically. It shows us how to claim our riches in Christ.   But the Book of Joshua also shows us how to claim our rest in Christ. This is one of the major themes of the Book of Hebrews and is explained in chapters 3 and 4 of that epistle. In those chapters, we find four different "rests," all of which are related: God's Sabbath rest after creating the worlds (Heb. 4:4; Gen. 2:2); the salvation rest we have in Christ (Heb. 4:1, 3, 8-9; Matt. 11:28-30); the believer's eternal rest in heaven (Heb. 4:11); and the rest God gave Israel after their conquest of Canaan (Heb. 3:7-19).   God's promise to Moses was "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest" (Exodus 33:14). The Jews certainly had no rest in Egypt or during their wilderness wanderings, but in the Promised Land, God would give them rest. In his farewell message to the people, Moses said, "For as yet you have not come to the rest and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you" (Deuteronomy 12:9). This "Canaan rest" is a picture of the rest that Christian believers experience when they yield their all to Christ and claim their inheritance by faith.   Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:5, “Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.”  To be meek means to be totally surrendered to the authority of Jesus Christ in our lives. That is why daily we present our bodies as a living sacrifice in our service to Christ which is only our reasonable service (Romans 12:1).   Yes, my friend, today would be a good day to quit striving and simply surrender and yield our lives to the power of the Holy Spirit!   God bless!

The term “cancel culture” is often used today. Someone who says or does something another group does not like is “canceled,” ignored or disregarded. While our society has become pretty good at canceling people, we are not so skilled at welcoming into the community. In the book of Leviticus, we learn how a person was determined to be clean or unclean. The purpose again was to protect the holiness of the camp and the tabernacle. Some types of uncleanness were severe enough that people were required to live outside the camp (13:46). However, the laws did not leave those people without hope. There were also instructions on reintegrating people into the community (vv. 1–7). This ceremony had four elements: two birds, cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop (v. 4). The significance of this ceremony is not given and is a bit obscure to us today. However, the result is clear enough. After going through the ceremony, the whole community would know that this person was now considered clean. They would now be integrated back into the camp and could join in corporate worship. If you read further in chapter 15, you will see laws regarding bodily discharges for men and women. These occur in the regular course of life and could be handled without going to a priest. For these situations, people had to trust each other that they would not defile the sanctuary by entering it when they were not ceremonially clean. As believers, we have permanent access to worshiping God at any time because of the finished work of Christ (Heb. 13:12). God provided a temporary way for this to be accomplished in ancient Israel that pointed forward to Jesus who “suffered outside the gate” on our behalf! >> How and when can we welcome back those who have been “outside the camp” of our Christian community? This is a topic worthy of prayer and discussion as individuals and as a church body.

The author warns his readers to grab their attention. The audience had yet to mature beyond milk to solid food (Heb 5:11-14). They were stuck still learning the elementary doctrine of Christ (Heb 6:1-3). Pray & Read Hebrews 6:1-8. Three primary interpretations of this passage: 1. Genuine Christians who lose their salvation which would be contrary to Scripture that speaks to the perseverance of the saints (Phil 1:6). 2. This is only a hypothetical description. However, nothing in the text indicates The post Is It Possible To Fall Away? Pt. 2 Hebrews 6:4-8 appeared first on Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA).

Jesus is greater than the angels and Moses. He is a superior high priest. But before he can elaborate upon Christ's superiority, he warns his readers to grab their attention. The audience had yet to mature beyond milk to solid food (Heb 5:11-14). They were stuck still learning the elementary doctrine of Christ (Heb 6:1-3). Pray & Read Hebrews 6:4-8. In 1981, Rev. Mansfield Kaseman, of National Capital Presbytery, was charged with apostasy because he denied Christ's sinlessness, bodily resurrection, vicarious The post Is It Possible To Fall Away? Pt. 1 appeared first on Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA).

Hebrews 13:7-14

Hebrews 13:7-14

In this episode, Cliff concludes the discussion of chapter 10 with the practical encouragement of endurance and holding fast to our confession of faith in Christ (Heb. 10:32-39).

Message from Caleb Mucklow on July 31, 2022

Message from Caleb Mucklow on July 31, 2022

Message from Caleb Mucklow on July 31, 2022

Message from Caleb Mucklow on July 31, 2022

Before leaving this earth, Jesus commissioned his apostles: “Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” (Matt 28:19-20). As one pastor has put it, “We are doing a pretty good job of baptizing people, but we are falling short in our obligation for teaching them to obey everything that the Lord commanded.” Catechesis is the ancient practice of instruction in “the basic teaching of Christ” (Heb 6:1-2). It has historic roots in the claim by Tertullian of Carthage that Christians “are made, not born.” Instruction in these elemental matters is critical to ensuring that the faith is faithfully handed on to faithful followers of Christ (2 Tim 2:2). In this workshop, participants will learn how for centuries Christians passed on the basic teaching of Christ, and explore how retrieving the lost practice of catechesis might equip the church to be more faithful and effective in following the call to make disciples. Pastors, teachers, catechists, parents and others interested in learning more about catechesis are especially welcome. Resource: Curtis W. Freeman, Pilgrim Letters: Instruction in the Basic Teaching of Christ. Fortress Press, 2021. ABOUT THE SPEAKER:Dr. Curtis Freeman (Duke Divinity School)Dr. Curtis W. Freeman is Research Professor of Theology and Baptist Studies and Director of the Baptist House of Studies at Duke Divinity School in Durham, NC, and a Research Fellow with the IRCC. His research and teaching explores areas of Free Church theology.His most recent book, Pilgrim Letters: Instruction in the Basic Teachings of Christ (Fortress, 2021) is a work of catechetical instruction written as a series of letters providing instruction in the basic teaching of Christ (read an IRCC review here). He is also the author of Undomesticated Dissent: Democracy and the Public Virtue of Religious Noncomformity (Baylor University Press, 2017), Contesting Catholicity: Theology for Other Baptists (Baylor University Press, 2014), A Company of Women Preachers: Baptist Prophetesses in Seventeenth-Century England (Baylor University Press, 2011), and Baptist Roots: A Reader in the Theology of a Christian People (Judson Press, 1999). He is an ordained Baptist minister and serves as editor of the American Baptist Quarterly and serves on the Baptist World Alliance Commission on Doctrine and Christian Unity.

In this study, Rob leads through a discussion of Gen 4 and the Cain and Abel story. We will note how sin is increasing and getting worse. Adam and Eve are deceived and so is Cain (1 John 3:11-12). As we move through Genesis 4 we note Cain kills his brother and hides--just like Adam and Even hid. Then as the story continues we learn that within 7 generations one of Cain's descendants (Lamech) kills 2 kids and boasts about it! Sin is getting increasingly worse!    Please "follow" this podcast and give a review on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your review will go a long way towards helping others find this podcast. Then share it with others so that we can get the word of the Gospel of the Kingdom to more people!   NB: our goal is to keep these episodes free of charge. I do not intend to ever hide them behind a paywall. I can only do this if those of you who have been blessed by them and can afford to give ($5, $10, $25, or more/month) do so. You can give a tax-deductible contribution by following this link.     Good news: If you wish to view these podcasts on your smartphone through the Determinetruth app simply download the “tithe.ly church” app on your smartphone and insert “determinetruth” as the church name you wish to follow. Once it is loaded, simply click on the “blog” icon and they will automatically load.    If you would like to have Rob and/or Vinnie speak at your church or organization in person or via zoom, please let us know by filling out the contact info on the Contact me tab on this Rob's determinetruth site.   If you have questions that you would like addressed in future episodes, you may submit them in the Contact me tab on this site.    Notes:  It is not uncommon for readers of the Bible to assume that the narrative of the “Fall”—i.e., humanity's fall from grace and into sin—is depicted in Gen 3, the narrative Genesis suggests that we should read all of Gen 3-11 as one account of humanity's “fall.”[1] What happens next is that humanity gets what it wished for. They wanted the ability to make decisions for themselves. Now, Gen 4 describes over the course of the next seven generations what happens when humanity makes the decisions. One way of describing it is that in Gen 3 the vertical relationship with God was broken, now in Gen 4, the horizontal relationships follow.  As a result of Adam and Eve's decision to determine good and bad for themselves, conflict entered into human relations. Instead of ruling together as one, they now are distinct from one another and vying for power against one another. The story of Cain and Abel demonstrates what happens when deception is allowed to be a part of humanity. Not only does sin continue, but it also intensifies (see 1 John 3:7-12). In fact, sin becomes murderous (Gen 4:1-15). Then, humanity begins to relish in their murderous ways (4:23). Thus, the sin of Adam and Eve worsens in the account of Cain and Abel. NB: Note the parallels between Gen 3 and Gen 4: Adam and Eve knew they were naked (3:7); Adam knew his wife (4:1): in both accounts, God says, ‘where are you' (3:9); ‘where is your brother' (4:9); in both accounts, God asks “what have you done?” (Gen 3:13; 4:10): in both accounts, the earth is cursed (3:17; 4:11); and both Adam and Cain are banished from the presence of God (3:24; 4:14); to the east (3:24; 4:16). In Gen 4, God announces that Cain's punishment will be an intensification of the punishment brought on Adam and Eve. They were expelled from the garden of Eden, but now Cain will be a “restless wanderer on the earth” (Gen. 4:12). God told Adam that his labors would be a struggle, but, though the land would produce thorns and thistles, “you will eat of the plants of the field” (3:19). When Cain works the ground, “it will no longer yield its crops for you” (4:12). The story of Cain and Abel demonstrates how when unchecked sin continues to worsen. Eventually, sin will increase to the point that God becomes grieved (Gen 6:6) and decides to start over (Gen 6:7). The Cain and Abel narrative also affirms that humanity is failing to heed God's desire to “fill the earth” (Gen 1:28). Instead, they build cities (Gen 4:17). The account ends with a note of hope. Adam and Eve have another son who will replace Abel. That this son appears to be the hope of mankind is evident from his name: “Seth” lit. “seed” (see Gen 3:15).    4:1-7 Cain and Abel Adam knew his wife and Cain is born (1; cf 3:7) Abel kept the flocks; Cain tilled the soil (2) Cain's no adjectives: therefore, just plain old vegetables? Abel's ‘the firstlings' and of their ‘fat portions' (4:4): reflects gratitude (Exod 23:19; 34:26; Num 15:17-21; 18:12-13; Deut 26:1-11) God addresses Cain (6) Sin is crouching at your door Its desire is for you (cp 3:16) You must master it (cp 3:16) 4:8-16 Cain is Judged Cain told Abel (8): told him what? Cain finds Abel and kills him Blood cries out from the ground (pl): (10) God addresses Cain (9): Where is Abel your brother? Cain's responseFirst, he lies: “I don't know” Then he suggests that God's question is inappropriate: “Am I my brother's keeper?” (cf Ps 121:4-8; 2:15; 3:24) God becomes the interrogator (10-12)What have you done! (accusation not a question) Blood cries out (cf Heb 11:4) Punishment: cursed: the ground (11)He will be a wanderer Cain protests (13)Punishment is too great  God promises to protect Cain (15)Cain receives a mark Cain settles in Nod (16): East of Eden Although Yahweh condemns Cain to wandering, Cain finds a place to settle down and builds a city. ‘Nod' is related to the verb ‘nud' (14) which means “wanderer” 4:17-24 Genealogies of Cain Cain has a son Enoch (17) Cain builds a city and names it after his son Enoch Lamech has 2 wives (19) Lamech's sons are associated with cultural accomplishments (21-22) Lamech's song (23-24) Killed a young man for injuring him Moves well beyond an eye for an eye 4:25-26 The Birth of Seth Seth: zera; ‘seed'; ‘offspring' (25) Seth fathers Enosh (26); another Hebrew word for ‘man'; includes ‘weak, frail' Then men began to call on the name of the Lord Moving to the NT: Why Cain's offering was not accepted (1 John 3:11-12) Abel is a type of Christ (Heb 12:24)   [1] I am not sure that “fall” is the proper term. They are excluded from the Garden and cas  

In this episode, Cliff discusses the significance of the new covenant for the Jews and how God has provided righteousness for Jews and Gentiles through faith in Christ (Heb. 8:7-12).

In this episode, Cliff discusses the practicalities of ministry in the body of Christ (Heb. 6:9-12).

In this episode, Cliff discusses the challenging topic of falling away from Christ (Heb. 6:3-8).

A new VIDEO from Harvest Bible Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: The Superiority of Christ (Heb 9) Subtitle: Non-Series Speaker: Doug Horton Broadcaster: Harvest Bible Church Event: Sunday Service Date: 4/24/2022 Bible: Hebrews 9:1-26 Length: 59 min.

In this episode, Cliff continues talking about the rest and the role of the word of God in the life of the believer to bring us to a deeper awareness of the rest that is available in Christ (Heb. 4:12-13).

In today's study, we sadly come to a close on the book of Hebrews. In this episode we see that we are to obey them who have the rule over us, and that we are to be well-pleasing to Christ. We then examine the ending salutation of the author, and we consider his closing remarks. After 5.5 months, we have finally come to the end of this great book!In our Q&A segment, we answer the question: What is meant by the term: 'Vessels of wrath fitted for destruction'?If you have been encouraged or challenged by this study of Hebrews, would you be so kind as to email us at dkministries1977@yahoo.com and let us know?We hope you enjoy this episode!

The first letter John wrote was to the church of Ephesus. This was a church that he knew quiet well since he at one time had pastored this church. This church was founded by the Apostle Paul (Acts 19-20). We need to remember also, that even though John is writing this letter, it is a message from the Lord Jesus Christ, “These things says He…..” (v. 1). If you would have visited this church, you definitely would have wanted to join it. Outwardly, it was a great church in so many ways. That is why the Lord first graciously speaks words of approval and words of commendation (vv. 2-3, 6)! To begin with, this was a serving church, busy doing the works of the Lord. No doubt their weekly schedule was filled with activities. He said, “I know your works…”. As a pastor I was very grateful for the many people who were willing to serve alongside of us to reach our community and minister to broken and hurting people. The church of Ephesus was also a sacrificing church. The Lord said, “I know your labor…”. The word labor means "toil to the point of exhaustion." The Ephesian Christians paid a price to serve the Lord. These believers were willing to “present their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to the Lord” (Romans 12:1). The members of this wonderful church were a steadfast assembly. Jesus said, “I know your patience…”. The word patience carries the meaning of "endurance under trial." Remember when John was writing this letter the church was under tremendous persecution. It is easy to serve the Lord when everything is going good but another thing to keep on serving when things go south! I have seen so many people throw up their hands in surrender at the first sign of hurt or disappointment when they begin serving. But I still know hundreds of great followers of the Lord, that despite what has happen to them or around them that are still faithfully serving! This church at Ephesus kept going when the going was tough. The Ephesian church was a separated people, for they carefully examined the visiting ministers (see 2 John 7-11) to see if they were genuine. “You have tested those…”. Paul had warned the Ephesian elders that false teachers would come in from the outside and even arise from within the church (Acts 20:28-31), and John had instructed them to "try the spirits" (1 John 4:1-6). Indeed, Satan has his false ministers and the church must be constantly alert to detect them and reject them (2 Cor. 11:1-4, 12-15). Ephesian Christians separated themselves not only from false doctrine but also from false deeds. “But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” (Revelation 2:6). The word Nicolaitan means "to conquer the people." These false teachers initiated what we know today as "clergy" and "laity," a false division that is taught nowhere in the New Testament. All God's people are "kings and priests" (1 Peter 2:9; Rev. 1:6) and have equal access to the Father through the blood of Christ (Heb. 10:19). And finally the believers at Ephesus were a suffering people who patiently bore their burdens and toiled without fainting. “You have persevered and have patience…”. And they did all of this for His name's sake! No matter, how you examine this congregation, you would conclude that it is just about perfect and you probably would want to join it. Yes, outwardly the church of Ephesus was a great church! But remember the Lord is looking at the heart and knows why people are serving and laboring. What does Jesus see when He looks in your heart? God bless!

Hebrews 1:1-4

Happy Ascension Day! Today, all around the world, Christians celebrate Jesus' bodily departure from earth to heaven, 40 days after His resurrection. Many give attention to His death, burial, and resurrection, but when it comes His ascension, we don't think much about it. Yet, it plays a very important part in the redemption work of Christ. These are the five ways Jesus' bodily departure to heaven is an important blessing to us:(1) The ascension gives us a new position of authority (Eph 1:17-18; 2:6).(2) The ascension gives us a new confidence in Christ (Heb 4:14, 16).(3) The ascension gives us a new life in the Spirit (Jn 14:16-17; 16:7).(4) The ascension gives us a new mindset for living (Col 3:1-2).(5) The ascension gives us a new pursuit of eternity (Heb 12:1-2).Meditate on the truth of these blessings! Once again … Happy Ascension Day!

Today, we dig down deep into one of the most misunderstood verses in the book of Hebrews. We study several key words within this verse, and then we jump right into the middle of a subject that has been neglected, overlooked, shied away from, and flat out denied in recent years... the impeccability of Christ. We believe there is undeniable proof of this much maligned topic that can easily be seen in Heb. 4:15.In our Q&A segment, we attempt to answer a hard question that a listener sent in: It sure seems like some people die before they have a chance to get right or get saved. How is that just or right?We invite you to journey with us through this episode!

Cross TrainingGet Behind Jesus on Life's RoadRead or WatchNewborn puppies are just the cutest! But as much as you might want to take one of these tiny bundles of fur home right away, they really should stay with their mother and littermates for a while. A dog who hasn't spent the first months of its life learning the "pecking order" of the pack becomes an unsocialized, over-excited, nervous wreck of a dog later in life. At one point in their puppyhood, even older pack leaders were a bottom-of-the-totem-pole pack member, obediently — and adorably — learning the ropes. But learning to be a follower isn't just for the dogs. It's also a requirement for all who want to serve in Christ's kingdom today.We're Cross Training to develop our leadership, one of twelve marks of the Master we're working on this year. Leadership comes when we follow Jesus, live with meekness, let our lights shine, and shepherd those around us. So how can we become great leaders by first becoming obedient followers?What You Need to KnowThe four gospels repeatedly capture moments when Jesus called people to follow him. Walking up to Matthew at a tax booth (Mark 2:13-17), summoning four fishermen on the shoreline (Mark 1:16-20), or telling a rich, young man to sell his possessions and follow (Mark 10:17-27). Why emphasize these invitations? Maybe because the essence of discipleship lies in accepting that call and following Christ. Where he went, they went. They lived as his constant students, imitators, and apprentices. And if we follow Christ today, we must commit to walking with him, too. When young people reach adulthood, sometimes they feel compelled to make their own way in the world, to forge their own path. But as disciples of Christ, we follow his path, walking "in step with the Spirit" (Gal. 5:25) and never running ahead of Jesus or his instruction. "Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son" (2 John 9).Let's acknowledge some words that have never sounded fun and these days seem outright antiquated: submission (James 4:7). Obedience (1 Peter 1:2). Subjection (Heb. 12:9). Why would any intelligent, competent human willingly yield their own rights and choices in deference to another? Even more strange: why surrender your will to someone you can't even see? For Christians who have come to know a Savior they trust implicitly, Peter summarizes our answer well:"Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls" (1 Peter 1:8-9).What You Need to DoReplace what you want with what Christ wants. A positive commitment to Christ has more inherent power than a negative commitment NOT to do evil because we find our strength in him (Eph. 6:10; Phil. 4:13). When we empty our house of unhealthy desires and habits, we need to fill it up with the good stuff, or it can all come back (cf. Matt. 12:43-45; Eph. 4:22-32). Rather, turn your attention to all that is "true ... honorable ... just ... pure ... lovely ... commendable ... anything worthy of praise" (Phil. 4:8). Focus your attention on Jesus in everything you think, say, or do. His life serves as our perfect example as he leads us through this life. Study and imitate how Christ lived, but most importantly, why he lived that way. He is your cornerstone (Eph. 2:20-21), your leader (Heb. 2:10; 12:1-2), "Christ who is your life" (Col. 3:4). With equal parts humility and conviction, we declare our aspiration and commitment: "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Gal. 2:20).Walk away from anything weighing you down in your walk with Christ (Heb. 12:1-2). Jesus invites us into his rest, his light and easy burden (Matt. 11:30). He invites us to yoke ourselves to him, walking side by side with him and learning from him (Matt. 11:29). And when we love and trust him, we, at last, find peace under the yoke of his leadership. "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome" (1 John 5:3). Through the WeekRead (Mon) — John 21:15-22; Mark 1:16-20; Matt. 9:9-13; 19:16-30; Luke 9:23-62Reflect (Tue) — Have I given Christ full control over my life's direction?Request (Wed) — "Lord, lead me and help me to always walk with you, and never turn back" (cf. John 6:66).Respond (Thu) — Share with someone what your life might have been like if you hadn't answered Christ's call.Reach Out (Fri) — Why did you first decide to follow Jesus and why do you still follow him?Support the Show

Sunday October 24,2021 Apostolos - literally "one sent forth" (apo = from; stello = to send). Used for Christ (Heb 3:1) We noted that the title was used for Christ and that Christ Himself said that He was sent by the Father using the verb apostello. for full notes: https://www.cgtruth.org/index.php?proc=msg&sf=vw&tid=2516

Church &The Return of Christ - Heb. 10:1-25

Have you ever worn a brand new white shirt only to mar it with an accidental food stain? Even when you try your best to remove the offending mark, the shirt no longer has the same pristine appearance. The blemish is all you see. In the Old Testament, animals, brought to the Temple for sacrifice, were judged on their appearance. Only a spotless animal was considered worthy. Today’s description of the sin offering highlights three key principles behind the Old Testament sacrifices. First, the animal to be sacrificed had to be perfect, without defect (v. 32). This symbolized their need for a righteous substitute and pointed forward to Jesus Christ, who would one day be sacrificed for sinners like “a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:19). Second, the animal was to be sacrificed or killed in the worshiper’s place, to demonstrate how the substitutionary principle worked (v. 33). This is why people laid their hands on the animal, identifying with it and admitting their sinfulness. All have sinned, and death is the just penalty for sin. The animal died in a person’s place to symbolize the justice of God’s forgiveness. He hadn’t simply waived the penalty. Someone had to die—the animals were “placeholders” until the coming of Christ (Heb. 10:1–6). Third, atonement for sin required blood sacrifice (vv. 34–35). “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22). Hebrews teaches us that Jesus Christ is the perfect fulfillment of the Old Testament sacrificial system. He died on our behalf so that our sin is covered. Not only is Jesus Christ the perfect Shepherd, He was also the perfect Sacrifice. >> The next time you scrub at a stubborn stain, give thanks to God for the tremendous gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. Because of this gift, your sins are forever washed away. Christ’s righteousness has redeemed us once and for all.

                   Hebrews – A Call to Commitment:                                        The Overview     I.          Why is the letter of Hebrews Neglected?      1)      Its form seems unusual. Hebrews is grouped with the NT letters but it does not resemble a letter: 1 Cor 1:1-3Instead the document begins with a majestic sentence celebrating the dignity of the Son of God through whom God has spoken his final word: Heb 1:1-3     2)      Its setting in life seems uncertain.          a.       Who is the Author?          b.      Who are the recipients?           c.       What was the situation?    3)      Its Argument seems unfamiliar.        a.       It talks about Jesus in contrast to angels        b.      It focus on the sacrificial law – The Torah (OT).        c.       It mentions Melchizedek        d.      It seems way too long—13 chapters.II.        How can we get a handle on it?   1)      Hebrews is not a letter; it is a sermon!         a.       Heb 13:22 “Word of exhortation.”Technical term for sermon: Acts 13:15         b.      He wants his audience to listen to the voice of God in the present (tense):  Heb 12:25;        c.       The Author identifies himself with the Audience: Heb 2:1   2)      The context is about the Cost of Discipleship        a.       Their world is falling apart 10:32-34        b.      In Rome in AD 49, the Jews were expelled from Rome, under Claudius: Acts 18:1-2   3)      Hebrews addressed human frailty.The location may be Rome: Heb 13:24Fear of death is real: Heb 2:14-15   4)      Hebrews Expresses the Concern of a Friend.He recalled the requirement for discipleship: Mk 8:34-38So, he reminds them that they are not alone!Peter also remind his readers: 1 Pet 5:9When confronted by opposition look to Christ: Heb. 12:2ff  Support the show (https://paypal.me/pwp398?locale.x=en_US)

Originally Presented: October 16, 2016 Scripture Reading: Hebrews 1:4-14 Having begun this letter with seven statements describing the exalted position of Christ (Heb 1:1-4), the writer now displays the preeminence of Jesus over angels. The author utilizes seven Old Testament quotations to make a case showing Christ to be superior to angels. Angels were held a high position in the minds of first century Jews and there is New Testament evidence of worship of angels (Col 2:18). So Christ is shown here to be superior, infinitely superior, to angels. God declares that Jesus is His Son, but never made such a declaration of any angel (Heb 1:5,6). The angels are commanded to worship the Son (Heb 1:6). Angels are messengers whose role is to carry out the commands of God (Heb1:7), but Christ's role is to rule as divine Sovereign (Heb 1:8,9). Christ is creator of all (Heb 1:10-12) who rules at the Father's right hand (Heb 1:13). Angels, on the other hand, are servants of the King, sent to watch over His people (Heb 1:14). The question for our own hearts is, "In light of Christ's supremacy over all things, how do I respond to Him?" Is there a longing after Christ that exceeds all our longings for other things? Is there a joy in Christ that exceeds all our other joys? Is there a love for Christ that exceeds all the other people we love? If Christ is supreme, then there ought to be affections in our hearts corresponding to His greatness and value.

                         Strangers in a Strange Land:                    “Following in the Steps of Jesus”                                     1 Pet 2:18-25 He blazed a trail for us: Heb 12:2 Societal slavery did not exist in the church; all were free in Christ: Gal 3:28Free to be slaves of God: 1 Pet 2:16Submit in Reverent fear of God…1 Pet 2:13aJacob served his father-in-law, Laban, even though Laban cheated him: Gen 31:6-7We don't serve men, but serve God: Col 3:1Suffering leads to joy because you are doing the will of God: 1 Pet 1:6-7Justice will be served: Rom 12:19 It is commendable because it is inevitable:  2 Tim 3:12 Suffering leads to glory: Lk 24:25-26 Suffering is discipleship at its core: John 15:20  He quotes Isaiah 53:9 Scripture declares the sinlessness of Christ: Heb 4:15The heart of man expresses sin most often through the mouth:  Mt. 15:18Peter again is thinking of Isaiah: Isaiah 53:7 Look how he responded to abuse: Mt. 27:12-14Jesus not only entrusted himself but also the wrongdoers, and his followers, and the entire situation to God the Father: Col 3:25Jesus forgave them: Luke 23:34Christ was a substitute for his people, one who stood in our place  and set us free: Rom 6:6-7Christ healed us spiritually and morally. Isaiah 53:5Peter again quotes a portion of Isaiah 53:6The wayward sheep have returned to the Good Shepherd:  John 10:11 Isaiah describes the shepherd this way: Isaiah 40:11 Paul uses both Shepherd and Overseer in Acts 20:28   Support the show (https://paypal.me/pwp398?locale.x=en_US)

Disciple Up #176 Hard Work & Hebrews By Louie Marsh, 9-9-2020   Since I'm recording this on Labor Day, and since this has been on my mind lately, I preached a little bit about this two weeks ago, I thought I'd an episode on this as well as do an introduction to Hebrews.   Work Is Not a Result of the Fall   15  The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16  And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:15-17 (ESV)   "to serve, cultivate, enslave, work." This root is used widely in Semitic and Canaanite languages. This verb appears about 290 times in all parts of the Old Testament. The verb is first used in Gen. 2:5: "…And there was not a man to till the ground." God gave to man the task "to dress [the ground] Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words.   Working in An Environment That Fights You Is   17  And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18  thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19  By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:17-19 (ESV)   Give God my all by working HARD.   6  Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. 7  Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, 8  she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. 9  How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? 10  A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, 11  and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man. Proverbs 6:6-11 (ESV)   23  Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24  knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV)   God's wisdom: to see everything from a Christ Centered perspective.   10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)   Work Is Tied to God's Will for Us   24  There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, Ecclesiastes 2:24 (ESV)   10  Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going. Ecclesiastes 9:10 (ESV)   8  The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. Psalm 138:8 (ESV)   11  To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, 12  and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; 13  when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things. 1 Corinthians 4:11-13 (ESV)   Because Work Is Tied to God's Will Refusal to Work (when able) Is a Sin   6  Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. 7  For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, 8  nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. 9  It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. 10  For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11  For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12  Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13  As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good. 14  If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. 15  Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 (ESV)   Working with My Gifts & Abilities IS God's Will   7  To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8  For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10  to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11  All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (ESV)   27  To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28  Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29  For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. Colossians 1:27-29 (ESV)   2  “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3  and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, 4  to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, 5  in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. 6  And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: 7  the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent, 8  the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, 9  and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, 10  and the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests, 11  and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do.” Exodus 31:2-11 (ESV)   An Introduction to the Book of Hebrews Introduction to Hebrews   The letter to the Hebrews is a unique book in the New Testament. It begins as an essay (Heb 1:1-2), progresses as a sermon (Heb 2:1-4), and ends as a letter (Heb 13:23-25). Its contents are deep and challenging. Many Christians find it difficult; some equate its difficulty with the book of Revelation.   But for Christians willing to take the time to read and reflect upon it, they will be:   Reminded of how blessed they are to have trusted in Christ Impressed with the superiority of Christ and His New Covenant over Moses and the Old Covenant Warned of the danger of apostasy and the need for steadfastness in their faith.   AUTHOR   The author does not identify himself. Many believe it to be the apostle Paul (e.g., Clement of Alexandria) and have offered arguments in his favor (cf. Commentary on Hebrews, Robert Milligan, p. 5-19). Yet it seems unlikely when you consider the author's statement, "...was confirmed to us by those who heard Him" (Heb 2:3). This suggests the author received the gospel message second-hand, while Paul declared that he had not received the gospel from or through men (Gal 1:11-12).   Other names have been proposed over the years: Barnabas (suggested by Tertullian), Apollos (suggested by Luther), even Priscilla (suggested by Harnack). Perhaps Origen says it best, "But who wrote the epistle, to be sure, only God knows."   RECIPIENTS   The general consensus is that this letter was written to Jewish Christians. There is uncertainty as to where they and the author were at the time of composition. Many believe the recipients were in Palestine, and the author in Rome. Others suggest the readers were in Rome and the author elsewhere, based upon a possible implication in Heb 13:24. In any case, they were Jewish Christians whom the author knew personally (Heb 10:34; 13:19).   DATE   We know the epistle was written prior to 96 A.D., because Clement of Rome quotes from Hebrews in his letter that was written at that time. There are certainly strong indications that it was written prior to 70 A.D....   There is no mention of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple The author writes as though priests were still offering sacrifices - Heb 8:4; 10:11 If the Jewish Christians were in Palestine, it was likely before or at the beginning of the Jewish Wars (ca. 66-70 A.D.; cf. Heb 12:4).   The time frame of 63-65 A.D. is often suggested.   PURPOSE AND THEME   The author wrote this epistle to prevent his readers from abandoning their faith in Christ (Heb 2:1-4). To encourage his Jewish brethren not to go back to the Old Law, he endeavored to show the superiority of Christ and His Covenant (Heb 8:1-2,6). A key word found throughout the epistle is "better":   Christ is "better than the angels" - Heb 1:4 We enjoy "the bringing in of a better hope" - Heb 7:19 Jesus has become "the surety of a better covenant" - Heb 7:22 He is also "the Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises" - Heb 8:6 The heavenly things benefit from "better sacrifices" - Heb 9:23   Indeed, the purpose of this epistle was to exhort his readers to remain faithful to the much better things they have in Christ (Heb 13:22). As for its theme here's what almost all Bible scholars would agree with:   The Superiority of Christ and The New Covenant   OUTLINE   1) The superiority of Christ - Heb 1:1-8:6 Better than the prophets, as a much better Spokesman - Heb 1:1-3 Better than the angels, by virtue of His Deity and humanity - Heb 1:4-2:18 Better than Moses, for He is the Son who provides a heavenly rest - Heb 3:1-4:13 Better than Aaron, as His priesthood is a superior one - Heb 4:16-8:6 2) The superiority of the New Covenant - Heb 8:7-10:18 For it is based upon better promises - Heb 8:7-13 For it is based upon a better sanctuary - Heb 9:1-28 For it is based upon a better sacrifice - Heb 10:1-18 3) Exhortations drawn from this superiority - Heb 10:19-13:25 Draw near to God and hold fast - Heb 10:19-39 Run the race of faith with endurance - Heb 11:1-12:29 Miscellaneous exhortations - Heb 13:1-25   Where this information came from: https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/eo/Heb/Heb000.cfm    

Are you concerned about the future? To interpret the current history and this crisis is to be able to apply the Word of God to any situation. Be confident and comforted knowing Jesus Christ controls history. But you can only understand the context of history through learning Scripture from a qualified pastor, not drawing your own conclusions. Don't try to make current events fit into Bible prophecy. “Take heed that no one deceives you…See that these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet” (Matt 24:4-6). Without a divine viewpoint, you'll be suckered into the lies of the world. Take heed—God wants you to have discernment and insight through learning the Mind of Christ (Heb 1:1). This discernment will give you tremendous stability to prevail through any circumstance you'll face. Full transcript: The transcript is unavailable at this time. If you need a transcript to access the show leave us a message, with contact information. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rick-hughes/message

Today's Bible Readings: Numbers 17-18; Psalm 55; Isaiah 7; James 1At one level, the brief account in Numbers 17 wraps up the report of the rebellions in the previous chapter. God wishes to rid himself of the constant grumbling of the Israelites as they challenge Aaron’s priestly authority (17:5). So the staff of the ancestral leader of each tribe is carefully labeled and then secreted by Moses, as directed, in the tabernacle, the “Tent of Testimony.” God declares, in advance, that the staff belonging to the man he chooses will sprout.Moses does as he is told. The next morning he fetches the twelve staffs. Aaron’s staff, and only his staff, has budded — indeed, it has budded, blossomed, and produced almonds. This staff, by God’s instruction, is preserved for posterity. As for the Israelites, it dawns on them that their rebellion was not just against a couple of men, Aaron and Moses, but against the living God. Now they cry, “We will die! We are lost, we are all lost! Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the LORD will die. Are we all going to die?” (17:12-13).What shall we make of this account?(1) The response of the Israelites is partly good, but is still horribly deficient. It is good in that this event, at least for the time being, prompts them to see that their rebellion was not against Moses and Aaron alone, but against the living God. Fear of God can be a good thing. Yet this sounds more like the cringing fear of people who do not know God very well. They are afraid of being destroyed, but they are not in consequence more devoted to God. In Numbers 20 and 21, the people are whining and grumbling again; this miraculous display of the staff that budded settled nothing for very long. That, too, is horribly realistic: the church has a long history of powerful revivals that have been dissipated or prostituted within a short space of time.(2) One must ask why God attaches so much importance to the fact that only the designated high priest may perform the priestly duties. We must not infer that this is the way we should defer to all Christian leaders. Within the canonical framework, much more than this is at stake in the account of Aaron’s rod that budded. The point is that only God’s prescribed high priest is acceptable to God for discharging the priestly office. As the opening lines of Numbers 18 make clear, only Aaron and his sons are to “bear the responsibility for offenses against the sanctuary and . . . priesthood.” The New Testament insists, “No one takes the honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was” (Heb. 5:4). So also Christ (Heb. 5:5)! Only God’s appointed priest will do.This podcast is designed to be used alongside TGC's Read The Bible initiative (TGC.org/readthebible). The podcast features devotional commentaries from D.A. Carson’s book For the Love of God (vol. 1) that follow the M’Cheyne Bible reading plan.

Listen to audio and read notes from Day 3 and please join us today for Day 4. Yesterday was Day 3 of GospelBells Radio’s Daniel-in-14-Days study. We read and discussed chapter 4. Our facilitator, Dr. Adegboyega Ogunwale led the discussion by emphasising the following themes from Daniel 3: 1. No earthly kingdom, ruler, or power can last forever. Only God is from everlasting to everlasting. 2. It should not matter to Christians that the crème de la crème of the society, the elites, and the so-called leading lights are doing a thing or holding a particular view. The Christian’s compass must be Christ (Heb. 12:2) and the word of God as revealed in the scriptures (Psalm 119:11). 3. No one who intends to stand for the truth of God will go untested. Those that will live a godly life must be ready to suffer persecution. (2 Tim. 13:12). The Christian must then be willing to suffer for the sake of Christ. 4. In the same vein, the Christian must not fear losing all earthly things for Christ’s sake. After all, the Christian is already dead to the world (Col.3:3; Gal. 2:20): A man who is dead cannot be killed. 5. God will always be with us in our trials and temptations (Heb. 13:5) 6. If we endure temptation, we will be blessed with the crown of life (James 1:12.) Participants also shared their take-away points: For Day 4, we will read and study Daniel chapter 4, the account of King Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream and its fulfillment. To join us at 7.30 (West Africa Time): Call 01 227 9422 When prompted, enter the following Access Code on your keypad: 469801# However, the preferred option is to: a. Download the "Free Conference Call" app link for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.freeconferencecall.fccmeetingclient link for iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/free-conference-call/id1076834814 b. Tap "Join" c. When prompted for "Meeting ID", write: femioguntokun d. You may be requested to give your name and email address after which you will be admitted to the conference. +++Please endeavour to call in 5 minutes before 7.30pm so that the study can begin at 7.30pm prompt. Thank you!

The Cleansing of a Leper read Mark 1:40 Leprosy is a picture of sin Many people in the ancient world were affected by leprosy A disease deep inside, spreads, decay and it was a slow death A leper was a social out cast , dressed in clothes of mourning, cried unclean Leprosy caused eventual death and separation A perfect example of everyone who comes to know Jesus Christ “ LORD if you are willing You can make me clean ! ” Jesus is MOVED with COMPASSION …put forth His hand …touched him “ I WILL” LORDSHIP – “ Lord “ Repentance – “ beseeching, ….please make me clean “ – hated his condition Faith – he said, “ YOU CAN …”I know you can make me clean …He BELIEVED Surrender to God HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT OF WHAT YOUR GREATEST NEED IS ? Clean heart / Clear Conscience / Rest in your soul / knowing you are Loved by God GOD IS ABLE TO OFFER THAT TO EVERYONE WHO COMES TO HIM (John 6:35) Cleansing from Sin 1. Understanding Cleansing – Read John 13:3-8 2. Experiencing Cleansing – I John 1: 8, 7, 8,9 Why do I need cleansing ? The Curse of Sin Mark 7:15, 20-21 Who can cleanse me ? The Coming of Christ Heb 1: 3 “ God spoke by his Son” How does it happen ? The Conversion of the Soul Titus 3:3-5 “ washing of regeneration” Understanding Cleansing – Read John 13:3-8 – deep spiritual imagery Eternal love - “ loved them unto the end Stooping down in grace - “ He lay aside his outer garment Became the servant who washed their feet – “ washing the filth from his disciples” Complete cleansing – “ he that is washed is entirely clean…save to wash his feet” Cleansing from Sin Experiencing Cleansing – I John 1: 8, 7, 8,9 Experiencing Cleansing – I John 1:7-9 Realizing our weakness – “ If we say we have no sin …we deceive ourselves Walking in the light – “ If we walk in the light ….we have fellowship one with another” Humility in confession - “ If we confess our sins …He is faithful to forgive us and will CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS After we have confessed our sins ….we need to accept His forgiveness by faith … HE PROMISED ! Romans 7 Experience “ Oh wretched man that I am …. Who shall deliver me VICTORY IN JESUS !

* John Expresses His Desire to Share Many Things with Those Under His Care - John 16 : 12 - The 4 "Cs" of Revelation: (1) Creation - Ps. 19 : 1, (2) Conscience - Rm. 2 : 14, (3) Canon of Scripture, (4) Christ - Heb. 1 : 1, Jn. 1 : 18, Jn. 14 : 9 * John Expresses His Desire to Meet Face to Face - The heart of God is to also speak with us face to face which is why: church is so important, why prayer is vital to Christians, why we need to carry the message of the gospel * The Purpose of the Missionary Message - To bring peace - "Shalom" - peace with God through Jesus Christ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Steve Swartz, "Strength in the Desert, Part 15: Eternal-Minded Christians Say Be Looking for Christ" (Heb 9:28) from the Strength in the Desert: Lessons for Waiting on the Lord series. More sermons available online at www.steadfastinthefaith.org.

Authority of Christ - Heb. 2:8

Foundational Truths: The Bible is God’s self-revelation.God is the Eternal, Sovereign Creator; all that He creates is good.Man is a responsible agent, held to a moral standard.Sin originates within a person, separating us from God.God declares one righteous by faith alone, apart from works.The glory of God is the centerpiece and goal of all existence.God’s glory is maximally realized in the promised, coming Kingdom.A prevalent theme in the Scriptures is that of “inheritance,” where, in the Old Testament, the Lord is looking to give a promised piece of land to the smallest of all the peoples in the world, Israel. In the New Testament, an inheritance is promised to those believers who persevere in holding fast to Christ, being understood as a reward to be earned by faithfulness and good deeds in accordance with the Word of God. YHWH, the Creator, the God of the Bible, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is a giver.While Israel’s inheritance is earthly in nature, the inheritance offered to the Church is one that is heavenly. In both instances, each people group has been sufficiently provided for, extravagantly blessed, and has before them a life which they are to steward according to what they have been given. The Lord God has eliminated all excuses for one not receiving the inheritance offered to them, refusing to violate the free-will of each person. In the end, the things of this world, personal apathy and slothfulness, and neglect or misuse of the plenteous resources that have been supplied will be the only reasons that one will not inherit what has been offered. YHWH desires His children to have success. Regardless if the focus is on Israel or the Church, He desires them to take possession of the inheritance that awaits each of them.The word “inheritance” is used in the Old Testament over 230 times and occurs in the New Testament around 35 times. This concept is significant in Scripture, for with it comes the conversation of “heirs” (Isa 65:9; Rom 8:17), “sons” and “firstborn sons” (Exod 4:22; Matt 5:45), “rewards” (2 Sam 22:21; Matt 6:6), “ruling and reigning” (Isa 24:23; 32:1; 2 Tim 2:12; Rev 5:10; 22:5), judgment (1 Cor 3:11-15; 2 Cor 5:10), and being partners (partakers, companions) with Christ (Heb 1:9; 3:14). Reading Deuteronomy, the words “possess” and “possession” are used 66 times, with the Hebrew word “yerusha” meaning “to take possession, to be an heir, to inherit” (Deut 1:8, 21, 39; 2:5, 9, 12, 19, 24, 31, for example). In Deuteronomy, this word is interchangeable with “inheritance”.In Scripture, there are actually two types of inheritance regarding both the Israelites and the believer in Christ.The first type of inheritance is unconditional in nature, being something that the Christian receives at the moment that one believes in Jesus Christ. This inheritance is what is understood as “eternal life” in the Scriptures (John 3:16; 5:24; Gal 4:7). For Israel, this inheritance is YHWH Himself, as found in Psalms 16:5 and 119:57. Both are immediate for each respective group when faith is exercised (Gen 15:6; John 3:16).The second inheritance is conditional in nature, meaning that obeying by faith (“walking by faith”) is the requirement to receiving it. This can be seen in Colossians 2:6 which says, “as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.” “Receiving” is the unconditional inheritance, while the conditional inheritance requires the believer to “walk in Him.” For the Israelites, the conditional inheritance is their resting in the land that was promised to them. Numbers 14:28-30 shows the Lord’s perspective on the failure of the first generation to trust His promises and to move forward in possessing the Promised Land. “As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will surely do to you; your corpses will fall in this wilderness, even all your numbered men, according to your complete number from twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me. Surely you shall not come into the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.”Caleb and Joshua remained faithful to the Lord’s Word in this trying situation. Therefore, they are granted inheritance of the land. Those who walked in unbelief died in the wilderness.This Jewish understanding of the kingdom and the inheritance being earthly in nature is seen also in Acts 1:6 where the disciples ask Jesus if it was at this time that the Lord would be restoring the kingdom to Israel. The intentional use of “restoring” tells us that the Jewish mindset ofthese early Christians was that of Israel’s former glory when David and Solomon reigned upon the throne of Israel.This chart from James S. Hollandsworth may prove helpful. As with any passage of Scripture that we are looking to interpret, context determines the meaning.Another summary passage that explains both inheritances can be seen in Romans 8:16-17. It reads, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”Notice the emphasized portions. The Spirit of God testifies that believers are children of God. This is a fact that requires nothing of us but believing in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. The logical conclusion that the Apostle Paul draws is that IF we are children of God, then we ARE heirs of God. To be one is to automatically be the other. There are no contingencies in this matter. To be justified is to be God’s child, and to be God’s child is to be an “heir of God.” This is most important because it reflects the exact type of relationship that was put forth in the Old Testament when it spoke of YHWH being the inheritance (or portion) of the Israelites (Deut 18:2; Josh 18:7; Psa 16:5; 119:57; Lam 3:24). Thechildren of Israel did nothing to receive YHWH as their inheritance (portion), it is simply because of His love for them (Deut 7:7-8).However, the second part of Romans 8:17 entails the second inheritance. If we are automatically “heirs of God” we also have the opportunity to be “fellow heirs with Christ,” but such a designation comes with a requirement, namely that of suffering with Christ, or experiencing suffering because we are holding fast to Him and His Word. When speaking of the second inheritance there will always be a contingent factor present, which is seen in the phrase “if indeed we suffer with Him.” The reason for this is found in the emphasized words “so that.” Being glorified with Christ is the culmination of our salvation. Having suffered with Christ, we are qualified to be glorified “with Him,” IF we have suffered for His Name’s sake.When we talk about or read through passages in the New Testament that exhort the church to obedience, walking by faith, and good works, we are not simply subscribing to a “this-is-what-we-ought-to-do” existence that is without meaning or significance. Embracing the commands of Scripture and living out the New Life that Christ makes possible has monumental value in eternity to come, bringing greater degrees of glory to God! The more a saint lives this New Life in obedience, the more that God’s Word is promoted as trustworthy and sure, the more that He is glorified in the obedience of His children!For our purposes in the chronological approach of God’s Word, we look to Israel’s historical example regarding the second inheritance.With the failure of the first generation to trust YHWH in moving forward in inheriting the land, the opportunity was postponed (Num 14:28-33). After wandering for 40 years, the book of Deuteronomy finds Moses and the children of Israel standing on the edge of the Promised Land. This is the 2nd generation, for all that were 20-years-old and older had passed away due to their rebellion (Num 14:29). Only Moses was left to die before the 2nd generation of Israelites could crossover into the land to possess it (Num 20:9-12). Moses’ charge throughout the book of Deuteronomy is that they remain faithful, knowing the Word of God as revealed in the Law and doing all that it commanded them. Some passages to elaborate on the specifics would be helpful.Deuteronomy 1:8. The command is to go in and “possess” (inherit) the land that was promised to them.Deuteronomy 4:37-40. What motivates the faithfulness and blessing of God toward Israel is His love! Not only does He fight for Israel, but He has promised an inheritance to them, being the Land of Canaan. They are told in v.39 to “take it to your heart” that YHWH is the only true God and that by keeping His statutes and commandments, they would live long in the land, prospering there, even unto the times of their children.Deuteronomy 6:1-3. This passage occurs right before the Shema[2] setting the stage for what Israel was about to receive. The people would be taught doctrine and were expected to implement it in their daily lives. This was meant to leave a legacy, directing the family structure and lifestyle into successive generations that fostered a culture of obedience to YHWH, with the entire nation walking in fellowship with Him. The emphasis is found again in v.3 on the importance of listening to what Moses was teaching them and to apply it. Doing so would bring blessing.As mentioned in previous lessons, these historical events in Israel’s life are vivid pictures of the spiritual realities of the Christian life.With the death of Moses (Deut 34:5) comes the command for Joshua to assume command in leading the Lord’s people. The exhortations of the Lord toward Joshua hold some valuable secondary applications for us today in regards to receiving the inheritance.[3]Joshua 1:1-9. The command is given to Joshua to lead the people in crossing over the Jordan River (1:2). YHWH understands that this is a difficult assignment, and the people of Israel have just come off hearing Moses reiterate to them the failure of their fathers in inheriting the land forty years prior when the opportunity was given to them. For Israel, Moses was a symbol of leadership and stability. With Moses’ passing comes a void to be filled but also a new era; one which finds the second generation learning from their predecessors’ mistakes and trusting the Lord in moving forward.Three times in the passage YHWH encourages Joshua, telling him to “be strong and courageous” (1:6,7,9). Two of those times, the fact that YHWH is with him is communicated to reinforce the command (1:6,9), while the exhortation in 1:7 is one that calls for the keeping of the Law so that he will prosper in the land. The application for the Christian is that the Lord our God is always with us, even more so in the Church Age because the Holy Spirit indwells the believer in Christ (John 14:17; 2 Cor 1:22; Eph 1:13-14). We have no need to fear, since the Spirit that we received is not a spirit of fear (2 Tim 1:7). Too often fear has crippled the believer, shutting his or her mouth, and stifling the flames that would otherwise compel us to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These things need not be so because God is with us. Therefore, let us be strong and courageous so that we can move forward in sound obedience.The inheritance before Joshua is specified in 1:4, noting the boundaries of south, north, east, and west. This is the same designation of land as seen in Genesis 15:18-21. What God had promised years before was coming to fruition in Joshua’s time.Undoubtedly, the most familiar exhortation in this passage comes from 1:7 where YHWH tells Joshua to “be careful to do according to the law” exactly what it says to do. In taking the land, Israel was to be a beacon of righteousness to the pagan nations around her (Deut 4:6-8). This beacon can only shine forth if Israel is walking in fellowship with YHWH. So it is with the Christian today. While we are not saved by obedience, our salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone gives way to a new way of living before the world. This is the New Life, walking in love, operating in joy, confident at every turn because our hope is reserved in heaven, not earth. Such living causes us to inherit the wondrous riches and positions of ruling and reigning alongside Christ (Rev 20:4). Our lives on earth are a time of stewardship. How will you spend it? Jesus states, “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.” Are we ready?[1] James S. Hollandsworth, “Two Inheritances,” at http://kingdompreparation.com/2014/09/two-inheritances, accessed 10 April 2018.[2] Shema means “Hear, O Israel.”[3] Secondary application is how one who is not part of the originally-intended audience should respond to a command or moral teaching.

The Bible says that we have a great high priest in Christ (Heb. 4) – one who can empathize with our weaknesses for he was tempted in every way we have been, but was without sin. This week, guest pastor Rich Redman encourages us that we, as Christians, need to not get in the way of those who are trying to get to our High Priest.

Baked and Awake Episode 22 Discussion of Mars Hill Church Part Two   Guests: Douglas Moreland, Adam Schaeffer   Today is a continuation of the conversations with Douglas and Adam, with the addition of a sample of a Mark Driscoll sermon, and some commentary to further set things up. I encourage everyone who finds this story to be of any interest at all to look into it further- there is an absolute wealth of information out there about the rise and fall of Mars Hill, and the lessons that can be learned from it.   Listeners who would like to reach out to Douglas or Adam can contact me in order to connect with them directly.   Thank you for taking the time to listen to this episode! Please review us on iTunes if you enjoy the content at all.   Smoke Indica, Do shit anyway   Mark Driscoll Sermon, Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkaeAkJO0w8   Chriatianity Today Article Read: http://www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/2014/december-online-only/painful-lessons-of-mars-hill.html   Mars Hill Church Membership Covenant: https://joyfulexiles.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/mars-hill-membership-covenant.pdf   Covenant Text in full: Mars Hill Membership Covenant "When you make a vow to the Lord, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it." (Ecclesiasties 5:4-5) Purpose When anyone enters into relationship with God by grace from, and faith in, the person and work of Jesus Christ they are entering into two covenants. The first is to journey with God for the rest of their lives and love Him fully. The second is to journey with His other children in the community of the local church. Your membership in a church is an official recognition of this, and the purposes of the Mars Hill Membership Covenant is: To join the Spirit in forming an authentic church community that reflects the relationship between the Father, Son & Spirit To clarify the on-going blessings & responsibilities of each member. To encourage consistency, accountability and loving unity within the church family. To accomplish God's call for the MH church family. This agreement does not imply that you will never fall short of the goals, but that the desire of your heart is to fulfill each of the responsibilities stated to the best of your ability. We trust that your commitment will be a personal blessing to your own journey in Christ, as well a blessing to those around you. The Facts of Membership • A numerical record was kept (Acts 2:37-47) • Records were kept of widows (I Tim. 5:3-16) • Elections were conducted (Acts 6:1-6) • Discipline was carried out (Matt. 18:15-20; I Cor. 5; Gal. 6:1) • Elders will be held accountable for members (Heb. 13:17) • There was an awareness of who was a church member (Rom. 16:1-16) With the help of the Holy Spirit, the church leadership covenants the following: 1. We commit ourselves to lovingly caring for you and seeking your growth in Christ (Heb. 13:17; I Thes. 5:12). 2. We covenant to provide teaching, preaching and counsel from the Scriptures (Gal. 6:6; I Tim. 5:17-18). 3. We commit that this teaching will span the whole counsel of God's Word (Acts 20:27-28). 4. We commit to helping you in times of need (Acts 2:42-47, 4:32-35, Jm. 2:14- 17). We covenant that your elders and deacons will meet the criteria assigned to them in the Scriptures (I Tim. 3:1-13 & 5:17-22, Titus 1:5-9, I Pt. 5:1-4). We covenant to pray for you regularly, particularly when you are sick (Jm. 5:14). We covenant to be on guard against false teachers (Acts 20:28-31). We covenant to exercise church discipline when necessary (Matt. 18:15-20; I Cor. 5; Gal. 6:1). We covenant to help you become equipped to serve Christ (Eph. 4:11-13). We covenant to seek God's will for our church community to the best of our ability as we study the Scriptures and follow the Spirit (Acts 20:28, I Peter 5:1-5). We covenant to set an example and join you in fulfilling the duties of church members (1 Co. 11.1, Philip. 3:17, I Tim. 4:12 ). With the guiding help of the Holy Spirit, I, the undersigned, covenant the following: 1. I am a Christian who has been saved from my sins by the grace of Jesus Christ. I have been baptized to give testimony of my identification with the body of Christ & obedience to the Scriptures. 2. I have read and understood MH doctrinal statement and agree to not be divisive to its teaching. I also understand the importance of submission to church leadership and will be diligent to preserve unity and peace (Hebrews 13:7, 17; Ephesians 4:1-3) 3. I will endeavor to maintain a close relationship with the Lord through regular personal Bible reading, prayer, fellowship and practice of the other spiritual disciplines. My journey in Christ will be evident through my regular participation in the corporate worship services, and involvement in a small group or class (Ps. 119:97, 105l; Acts 2:42-47; Hebrews 10:23-25). 4. I will strive to properly manage the resources God has given me, including my time, body, gifts and talents, attitudes, finances and possessions (Eph.5:15-18; Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:1-16; Gal 5:22-26; Proverbs 3:9-10). This includes regular giving to MH that is sacrificial and cheerful (2 Corinthians 8&9). 5. I commit myself to the MH church family and agree to aid in fulfilling its missional purpose to both be and bring the gospel to Seattle. I recognize that his will be accomplished by pursuing Mars Hill's core values of meaning, beauty, truth, and community. 6. I commit to using the spiritual gift(s) God has given me for the building up of the church, both at MH and universally (I Pt. 4:10-11; Romans 12:1-8, 1Corinthians 12:7-31). 7. I covenant to practice the humility and sacrificial attitude of Christ by considering the needs of others (Philippians 2:1-11), not gossiping (Pr. 16:28, Matt.18: 15-17), and seeking spiritual friendships (Pr. 17:17). 8. I covenant to have friendly Christian relationships with brothers and sisters in Christ from other churches, but I will not function in leadership or as a member in another church family (Hebrews 13:17). 9. I covenant to follow the biblical procedures of church discipline, and submit myself to discipline if the need should ever arise (Matt. 18:15-17,Gal. 6:1-5). 10. I covenant to submit to the authority of the Scriptures as the final arbiter on all issues (Psalm 119, 2 Tim. 3:16-17). God enabling me, I will strive to consider my commitment to this Membership Covenant on a yearly basis. I understand that it is an evaluative tool, as well as an affirmation of my continuing conviction and purpose. My responsibility will be to notify the MH leadership if at any time I can no longer commit to this covenant, or if I have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding MH. Signature _________________________________________ Date ____________ Printed Name _______________________________ Phone __________________ E-mail ____________________ Address _________________________________ Names and Birthdays of Family ______  

Hebrews 6:1-8 Gifts God gave us to keep us from falling away I. The Doctrine of Christ (Heb 6:1-3) II. The Holy Ghost (Heb 6:4-6) III.The Glory of His Riches (Heb 6:7-8)

Episode 66 Sanctification What is sanctification? We are told this is the will of God but how does it take place? Is sanctification optional or is sanctification a necessary part of our salvation? How are we sanctified unto God? In the Old Testament we see many references to sanctification. The priests were sanctified in a very detailed way for their service in the temple. The altar was sanctified before the sacrifices were offered on it. The people were commanded to sanctify themselves before they approached God. Instructions for sanctification are brought into the New Covenant but on a higher plane.   Christ sanctified Himself that we might be sanctified unto God. • The basic meaning of sanctification is to be separated from the world and set apart to God • Sanctification has two basic parts ( by Jesus and the Holy Spirit) o We are set apart to God because of the blood of Christ (Heb. 10:5-14) o The Holy Spirit brings truth into application in our lives (2 Thess. 2:13) • Christ sanctified Himself on the cross that He my sanctify us in truth (John 17:19) • The continual work of sanctification comes through the word of God as we obey o The washing of the word (Eph. 5:26) o Through obedience (2 Tim. 2:21) • Sanctification results in purification of the whole person (body, soul, spirit) I Thess. 5:23) • Sanctification is an essential part of our salvation  “Chosen for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth (2 Thess 2:13) • Submitting to the sanctification of the Spirit results in us being conformed to His image. That is what God is doing, changing us from glory to glory into the image of His Son, preparing us for the final wedding day. • Sanctification touches anything in our lives that is contrary to the nature and character of God • Salvation is not just a “ticket to heaven”, leaving us here to live for ourselves until that day, but calling us out of this world, out of sin, and into union with Christ. The Holy Spirit is our “down payment” or dowry, waiting for the final wedding day, or the consummation of the marriage. • “He who has this hope, purifies himself, even as He is pure” (I John 3:3) • How do we insult the Spirit of grace? (Heb. 10:29) • Additional resources at  http://www.ntchurchsource.com/ • Theme song “Will Your Anchor Hold” sung by J. Ashley Milne • Comments and questions welcome. Email David@AnchorOfTruth.com

Guest speaker Duane B. uses Heb. 1 to explain that Christ is supreme and exalted above the angels. (Due to microphone problems, there may be some static spikes and blank spaces.)

02/10/2016 - Darren Finlay

02/10/2016 - Darren Finlay

The Gospel of Christ is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes in Christ. In the Gospel the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed as a gift through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom. 1:16-17). The Gospel is God's promise of eternal redemption fulfilled in and through Christ (Heb. 9:11-12). This insightful teaching (Part 4 in a series of 5) aptly explains why the Gospel is rightly referred to in the Bible as the Gospel of Righteousness, the Gospel of His (and your) Salvation, and the Everlasting Gospel.

Lesson 1: Sin is compared to pregnancy because it... (Part I) Is __ ______________ (Jam 1:15; Job 15:35; Psa 7:14; Isa 59:4b). (Part II) __________. (Part III) Produces __ __________ (Pro 7:27; 2 Sam 11:4; John 8:34). Lesson 2: The ________________ ________ is a picture of the spiritual rest we have in Christ (Heb 3 & 4, Matt 11:28-30). Lesson 3: God wants us to be ruthless with ______ ______________ we face (Num 33:50-52 cf. Rom 6:6; Gal 2:20, 5:24, 6:14; Matt 5:29-30). Lesson 4: Sin that __________ __________________ comes back to harass us (Num 33:55; 1 Pet 2:11; Gal 5:17; Rom 6:16). Lesson 5: We can’t remove all the sin, leaven, or Canaanites from our lives, but ______ can ______________ us of it (1 John 1:8-9; Psa 32:5, 51:1-2, 7, 9). Family Worship Guide for Sermon Memory Verses: 2 Corinthians 8:9 Day 1: Read Job 15:35, Ps. 7:14, Is. 59:4b and discuss: Consider a common sin (i.e. stealing/coveting, anger, etc.) and discuss what kinds of desires “conceived” these sins. Consider what sins are common to you and what desires “conceived” these sins. Pray together with others for vigilance to resist these temptations and make no provisions for the flesh. Day 2: Read Rom. 6:6, Gal. 2:20, 5:24, 6:14 and discuss: Consider who you were before Christ and what your life looked like. Discuss relevant details (with discretion) with your children or close friends. Reflect on how God has made you into a “new creature” and changed your desires.Discuss: Is this change instantaneous? Is it incremental, over time? Why? Pray for the grace you need to yield to the Spirit’s work in your life and to “make no provisions” for the old man. Day 3: To prepare for next Sunday’s sermon on November 1st, read Deut. 7:1-7 and discuss what Israel was supposed to do with the Canaanites and discuss WHY they were supposed to do it. Read Judges 1:19-36 and as a family discuss: why didn’t Israel drive out all the enemies? Why would Israel let the Canaanites remain in the land? What similarities/parallels do we see to why believers allow sin to remain in our lives?

Week 7 Session 25 Monday Dan Mohler has been preaching the Gospel for many years. The Truth he preaches comes from a life lived in intimate communion with Holy Spirit. Out of that place Holy Spirit equips the body with the life changing Truth that he teaches. See Pastor Dan Mohler's website at www.neckministries.com Love & What Love Looks Like - Fragrance of Christ - Born Again Experience & Baptism of the Holy Spirit The Sacrament of Communion * ● Grace Touches Faith ● God Reality ● We're the Expression of His Son - The Fragrance of Christ ● 2 Cor. 2 - Fragrance of Christ ● Eph. 1 - For His Glory ● Receive Holy Spirit ● Spirit with a Small "s" - Grace ● Self-Condemnation ● Believing ● The Valley of the Shadow of Death ● Above Every Power● We're the Expression of Christ ● Heb. 2 - All Things Under His Feet ● Mentors ● Two Different Experiences - Born Again & Baptism of the Spirit - John 4, 7, 20; Luke 24; Acts 1, 8, 10, 19 ● Tongues as Outward Evidence - Don't Limit Faith

Jeramie Rinne - By Faith Standing for Christ - Heb 11:23-27

Jeramie Rinne - The Blood of Christ - Heb 9:15-28