Coffee Shop Chapel

[Dr. Bob]

Whole sermon at the ballpark, Ed. Can develop that analogy on walks, fouls, catches, etc

And thanks, Jim. The discussion on the Theology forum some time back on understanding "propitiation" is more centered on academic.

Need to see the big picture, for certain sure!

 

[Dan Todd]

September 26

Romans 10:4, “ For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

Jesus Christ fulfilled the law on our behalf. Our Savior is not only the source of our righteousness, He is also “the righteousness of all who are joined to Him by faith.” (Boice) Paul confirms that Jesus is the source of our righteousness in 1 Corinthians 1:30, “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” In 2 Corinthians 5:21 Paul tells us that Jesus is the righteousness of the believer, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” This is the crux of justification, that we are made right before God. This is the message of Romans 9 and 10.

In the latter part of Romans 9 and in the verses preceding our Romans 10 text, Paul left a major question unanswered. What has the apostle shown us so far? First he contrasted the righteousness that is “by works” with a righteousness that is “by faith, Romans 9:32, “Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law.” Second, he defined the righteousness he was talking about as “God’s righteousness,” showing that it comes “from God” as opposed to the righteousness that comes from ourselves, Romans 10:3, “For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” But Paul has yet to tell us outright where this righteousness that is “by faith,” can be found. Boice writes, “If righteousness is to be received ‘by faith’ and faith has content, as it must if it is true faith, what is faith’s object?”

We have the answer in our text. Romans 10:4 introduces us to the name of Christ for the first time since Romans 9:5. Jesus Christ is faith’s object. He is the one in whom is located the righteousness we need to be saved.

“This justification, by which we stand or fall in the sight of the holy God, involves two corresponding transactions.” (Boice) First, if we are believers, our sin has been transferred to Jesus Christ. Sin must be punished, and for the believer, sin was punished in our Savior when He died in our place on the cross.

My sin – O the bliss of this glorious thought!–
My sin, not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more;
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

Second, the righteousness of Jesus Christ was transferred to the believer at the moment of salvation. The result of this transfer, we stand (are counted) as being righteous in Him.

Jesus, thy blood and righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
‘Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
With joy shall I lift up my head.


The transfer of our sin to Christ, and the corresponding transfer of His righteousness to us are part and parcel of justification. If you have turned from your sin and trusted Jesus Christ by faith, your sin, all of it, has been placed on Him, and His righteousness, all of it, has been placed on you. When the Father looks at a believer, He sees Christ’s righteousness, not our own filthy-dirty rags self-righteousness. The believer is clothed in Christ’s righteousness. This indeed is a “glorious thought!”

“So justification is another meaning of our text: ‘Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.’” (Boice)

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd

 

[Jim1999]

Justification ,,,just as if we never sinned. It is complete in Jesus Christ, praise God.

Thanks Brother Dan,

Cheers,

Jim

 

[following-Him]

Dan, Thank you for that.

Blessings

Sheila

 

[dianetavegia]

For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him for this purpose long before the world began, but now in these final days, he was sent to the earth for all to see. And he did this for you.
1 Peter 1:18-20 NKJV

 

[Jim1999]

Saturday, September 27, 2003

Luke 11: 1-10

"After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two by two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come." Verse 1

First off, the Lord will never send us where he would not go himself; secondly, where we go, we are the Lord's annointed and this gives us authority as we go; then, not a place is left unturned. We go to the hills and the lowland, the high and the lowly, rich and poor alike.

The next thing we see is that "the harvest truly is great." If it was great then, how great must it be to-day? When we go door knocking, do we go in full anticipation of results? Or do we just go as a church duty. Do we fully anticipate the Lord's blessing. Compare how many show up for a church feast, compared to how few show up for door knocking. The harvest is great, but the labourers are few. The one thing to keep in mind is that we go in the face of God, and one in Christ is a majority.

We are told to pray in verse two. Pray that He would send forth labourers. We are to specifically pray for the team that will go forth and not just invite people out. Lay this burden uponthe subconscious mind of other brethren that they too will find the burden to "seek and to save that which is lost."

The world fears crowds. For example, in business, the salesman does not want too many salespeople lest they cut into his sales and reduce his income. We have no such fear in the Lord. We have but one commission: "GO"....In verse two the first condition is "PRAY" and in verse three it says "GO".

The Lord further warns us that we will meet with adversity when he says, he sends us forth as lambs among wolves. One can fully expect adversity along the way. The marvellous thing in this passage is that God never leaves us empty.

At each home visited we offer the blessing of PEACE. If this is not received, we are not to fret and stew. God says even this will return to us...verse 6, "And it (the blessing) shall return to you again." I rather like that. A christian need not walk about in a dour mood because if we are about His business there is a written guarantee of returned blessing..satisfaction guaranteed.

Now, our compelling force and ambition lies in the fact that we belong to the Lord; we are the redeemed. Verse 20 "Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." Imagine our names in neon lights all over God's heaven. You and I are that important to God. As Sprgeon reminded the people, "It is better to be elect than to be endowed with the greatest gifts. When we are likely to become too elated with what the Lord does by us, it will be well to remember what the Lord has done for us. Oh what joy, Oh what peace, Oh what understanding we are to embrace in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord help us to understand, as orphans and imps of this world, who we are and yet whose we are. We are the Lord's, humble yet mighty and blessed beyond measure. Thank you, Father.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[following-Him]

Amen. Thank you Jim. We never stop learning do we?

Blessings

Sheila

 

[Jim1999]

It is amazing wot we can learn from those familiar passages,,even a few words by times. Then, this is a devotional approach and different things come out.

I am at that stage in my life where the academic approach takes a back seat to the devotional approach to scriptures.
Cheers,

Jim

 

[following-Him]

Jim,

There is still a lot to be learnt from the devotional approach.

Although I love the academic perspective, I still have to remember that I am a sinner saved by grace with an awful lot yet to learn.

We are blessed here at BB with people like yourself who have experience in both perspectives and communicate both approaches so well.

Thank you and blessings

Sheila

 

[Dan Todd]

September 28

Romans 10:4, “ For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

Jesus Christ is the “end of the law,” in that He fulfilled (was completely obedient to) the entire law of God, something that none of us can accomplish. Jesus Christ is also “the end of the law,” in that He fulfilled the law on our behalf, He took our sins upon Himself, and at the point of salvation, He gives us His righteousness. There is a third way Jesus Christ is the “end of the law.” This time, instead of thinking of the word “end” as fulfillment, we will look at “end” as termination. Boice writes, “It teaches that Christ has ended the law as a system by which we are supposed to attain to righteousness. Or, to put it in other language, He has freed us from the law’s bondage.”

As we consider that our Savior terminated the law, we must be careful not to be misunderstood. One commentator wrote, “Christ put a stop to the law as a means of salvation.” That statement is an unfortunate misunderstanding of the purpose of God’s law. Why? Because God’s law was never the means of salvation. The true purpose of the law was to “reveal the nature and extent of our sin, and to point us to Jesus Christ as the only place salvation can be found.” (Boice) Paul’s treatise on the law can be found in Romans 7. Paul amplifies this truth in Galatians 3:24, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” The “end of the law” does not mean that Christ terminated it as a way of getting saved.

Neither does the termination of the law mean that there is no value in the law. The law is part of Scripture, and 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” In fact in Romans 3:31 Paul asked and answered a question regarding the law, “Do we then make void [nullify] the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish [uphold] the law.” In Romans 7:12 Paul states, “Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.”

In Acts 15, there was a Council at Jerusalem, which gathered to decide whether or not the Gentiles needed to submit to the law of Moses, a submission that the church at Jerusalem held to at that time. The focal point of the debate was circumcision. Was it necessary for Gentile males to be circumcised to be Christians?

The council decided that it was not necessary. Peter argued that God saved the Gentiles without their becoming Jews, giving the Holy Spirit to Gentile believers, as He had to Jewish believers. Then Peter made this statement, “Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” (Acts 15:10) The “yoke” was the law. “So Peter was admitting that the law had been a burden for the Jews in the past and was arguing that it should not be imposed on the Gentiles, since even the Jews had been unable to sustain that harsh burden.” (Boice)

Did Peter’s statement encourage lawlessness? NO! Peter encouraged righteousness. “The council’s decree reiterated some of the law’s moral absolutes, but Peter was acknowledging that righteousness is not attained by legalism.” (Boice) Friends, we do not become better followers of Jesus Christ, nor do we become more holy by adhering to a list of rules. What we need to understand is that the moral end of the law is attained by Christians, but it is attained by a different principle. That principle is the life of Jesus Christ within the believer.

As we apply these truths to our lives, we need to be aware that God’s ultimate goal, in saving us, is that we are to be a holy people. Paul stated in Romans 8:1-4, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus ... For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

“We are neither justified nor sanctified by the law. But those who are justified will also be progressively sanctified by the Spirit of Christ who lives within them, and this means that they will inevitably and increasingly live righteous lives. If they do not, they are not Christians.” (Boice)

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd

 

[following-Him]

Amen.

Thank you Dan,

Blessings

Sheila

 

[Jim1999]

Amen, and thank you. Just reminds us of the fallacy of "once saved-Always saved"..HE it is that keeps us, and keeps us keeping on. Now THAT is eternal security. We have been saved; we are being saved and ultimately we will be saved.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[Jim1999]

Monday, September 29, 2003

Luke 10: 23-37

This is prolly one of the most preached from passages in scripture. Verse 23: "And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes that have seen the things that you see...." The disciples are made privy to certain things and events that no other eyes would see..." What a privileged lot we are. I wonder how much we appreciate that our Lord has shared the most intimate things with us.

He has shared with us the gospel. This is one time we are entitled to share our secret with others. How much do we appreciate the commonness of the gospel, or has it become cheap in our eyes. Are we sharing this most precious commodity, or are we hiding our light under a bushel? Just like the children's song: This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine, let it shine, Oh, this little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine.......hide it under a bushel..No! I'm going to let it shine........

We cheapen the gospel by not sharing it.
We cheapen the gospel by not living it.
We cheapen the gospel when we falsly present it.

Verse 25 "And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life." He was saying simply, How do I get to heaven by doing it my way? Jesus uses what this person should know best; the law. What saith the law?..."Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart....soul....strength....and, mind......and, you neighbour as yourself."

Seems simple enough for an intelligent man to understand, but this lawyer asks for further clarification. Who is my neighbour. He doesn't really want to know who his neighbour is. He wants to justify his own existence.

We then pass from the certain lawyer to a certain man, a certain priest and a certain Samaritan. The first fell among theives and was stripped of everything. The second was stripped of al decency; he passed him by. The certain Samaritan...do you remember them from a few devotionals back? These were the ones who would attack and mock the Jews who were heading toward Jerusalem. Bitter enemies to be certain. This Samaritan saw him; had compassion for him; cared for him; transported him; lodged with him and paid for his safe keeping.

Isn't this the turnabout the Christian experiences when Jesus comes to stay in our abode? We love the unlovely, we provide healing for the ill, and we house the homeless. Or so we ought to do these things.

Lord, help us to be good Samaritans every day of our lives, that we may show forth the gospel we are privileged to know. In Jesus' blessed name.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[following-Him]

Amen. Thank you Jim.

I pray that we will all radiate the light and love of our Saviour in the places He has set us.

Blessings

Sheila

 

[Dan Todd]

September 30

Romans 10:4, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

There are three practical applications that we want to draw from the study of this verse:

1. Christ is everything. It is difficult for us to comprehend just how important the Mosaic Law was to the Jewish people living in Paul’s day. That is not to say that the law is not important to religious Jews today, because it is important to them, even though tradition has tended to replace a thorough knowledge of the law. Boice writes, “It was more so then. The law was the very essence of Jewish religion. Yet Paul, who was himself a Jew, is telling us that Christ is the culmination, fulfillment, and (in a sense) termination of the law. For He ‘is the end of the law.’ It is a way of saying that everything that matters in salvation and religion is in Him.”

Donald Grey Barnhouse, Boice’s predecessor at Tenth Presbyterian in Philadelphia, PA, wrote in his commentary on Romans, “Instead of the temple it is to be Christ; instead of Moses, Christ; instead of Aaron, Christ; instead of the law, Christ; instead of ceremonies, Christ; instead of worship localized in a building, there is to be the eternal, omnipotent Christ.” I believe what Dr. Barnhouse was trying to tell us is, that it is impossible to exalt the nature and place of the Lord Jesus Christ too much!

2. If I am in Christ, I will never be condemned for breaking the law or be rejected by God. How is this possible? Jesus fulfilled the law on my behalf, and He bore the punishment that was due me for breaking that law! Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity, has become my righteousness, He is the righteousness of all who have placed their faith in Him as Lord and Savior.

3. To be “in Him” I must believe on Him. The verse says, “Christ is the end of the law .... to every one that believeth.” Boice writes, “For everyone? Yes, but for everyone who believes. The promise is universal and specific.”

In one of his books, Dr. H. A. Ironside tells of a young woman whom he led to the Lord. She had received a Christian upbringing, but as young people often do, she forsook her upbringing and had lived a worldly life. Now she was dying of tuberculosis, and she sent for Ironside. She had been given but three weeks to live. “Do you think there is any hope for a sinner like me?” she asked Dr. Ironside.

Ironside led her through the gospel, coming at last to John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” “Are you included in that ‘whoever’?” he asked the young woman.

The young woman was ready to trust Christ, and she did so. Ironside assured her that if she was truly in Christ that there was no condemnation for her, even though she had led a very sinful life, and was coming to the Lord Jesus at what was the end of that life. John 3:18 says, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already ...”

Ironside concluded his meetings in that area and moved on to another location. About a month later, Ironside was told of her passing. Her minister had been there with her, and had asked her if she believed on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Her answer was “Yes.” The minister replied, “What does He say about you?”

“Not condemned,” she replied. And then, uttering her last words, she said, “If you see Mr. Ironside, tell him it’s all right.”

Boice concludes, “It is all right, and will be. ‘For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.’”

Are you in Jesus Christ? Have you put on His righteousness? Scripture tells us that “now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). Romans 10:9-10, 13 tell us, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Adapted from “Romans” by Boice.

In Christ,
Dan Todd

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

Thanks Dan. There are many people who have found the Lord by walking down the "Roman's Road".

§ue

 

[Jim1999]

Wednesday, Oct 1, 2003

Luke 10: 38-42

“Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a
certain woman named Martha received him into her house.” Jesus was not alone.
“as they went”. They are following Jesus on his publicity campaign through the
Jordan Valley and perhaps in Bethany, about two miles from Jerusalem.

Martha assumes the group is hungry and tired. She goes about preparing a great
feast for them and getting the house ready to receive them. How often have you
witnessed this. Company arrives and the woman of the household goes to great
measure to assure your comfort and satisfy your appetite.

“And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his
word.” vse 39 In verse 40 we read, “But Martha was troubled about much serving,
and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to
serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me.”

The Lord says, verse 41, “Martha...........Martha......thou art careful and troubled
about many things.” The Lord knows all about us and he notes every detail.
Sometimes we think we are all alone, but the truth is, we are never alone. The
Lord will come to our aid. How does he respond to Martha?

“And Jesus answered and said unto her..........but one thing is needful: and Mary
hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” verse 42

Here is this host to feed and care for, and Mary sits about doing nothing and
Martha wants her to get with the program and give a hand. This would appear , on
the surface, to be a decent thing to ask. Jesus may very well have been gentle with
Martha, but he actually rebukes her. First, she is hinting that the Lord does not
care about her slaving away, and secondly, she is putting the physical wants above
the spiritual needs. Oh how often we do this. We labour and toil in the church, at
home and in our village and we pat ourselves on the back for the good we are
doing. But Jesus says, sit and listen. “Mary...sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his
word...” It was not general gossip, but it was his word. We need to take time at
Jesus’ feet.....in prayer, in meditation, in silence.....and listen,,not to our wants, but
to our needs, and this particular need is spiritual; his word.

Lord, teach us to learn the discipline of sitting at your feet and waiting upon your word. We hear our name repeated in that gentle voice causing us to pause and wait upon you.

Cheers, and God bless each of us as we wait upon Him.

Jim

 

[Dr. Bob]

Like you, Jim, I am learning in the school of physical suffering, to sit and listen to that peaceful voice.

Lots to learn. Lots to learn.

 

[following-Him]

Amen. Yes, I too can relate to this and I too have so much to learn.

Thank you Jim,

Blessings

Sheila

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

I am a "Martha". Not only when it comes to Jesus, but my family also.

I used to work so hard making sure everything was 'just so' before my family visited that I was always too tired to visit.

Many lost people work so hard to make things 'just so' for Jesus that they miss what He is saying, "Come, just as you are".

I am learning to turn my priorities around...

Thanks Jim!