ACTS 7:58-60 - They Cast Stones

Series #14: Acts of the Apostles - Witnesses to Jerusalem
TOPIC: Consecration; Heritage, Matyrdom, Persecution, Sacrifice

TITLE: THEY CAST STONES - He Cast Eyes On Heaven!
TEXT: Acts 7:58-60 (54-60]

When they’d driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he fell asleep.

[HERITAGE] This passage reminded me of a dear friend B. T. Austin (95) and he reminds me of Veterans Day; this is Veterans Day in the US.

B. T. was of the Texas Austins, the thirteenth of sixteen kids; he wrote an Austin family history and let me read it, he mentions Armistice Day; aka Veterans Day. Prior to 1954 we celebrated Armistice Day instead of Veterans Day …

Being reminded of this caused me to consider how easy it is to forget our heritage … the armistice ending WWI was signed in 1918. He said they had a saying to remind them: “the 11th month, the 11th day, and the 11th hour.” He remembered it well … he was eleven.

He and his mother were sleeping on blankets in the town square in Portales, NM; people ran into the street firing guns and setting off fire crackers. They hung an effigy of Kaiser Wilhelm in the square and shot it up while it burned.

Veterans Day is to remind us of those who served in the American armed forces in wartime (now peace time too). We’ve another day to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice … Memorial Day.

Luke, the author of Acts, records Stephen’s martyrdom as an example of giving our lives for the cause of Christ … and, on lesser scale, how to die with dignity and grace.

Let’s move to our text …

(54) “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.”

Anger wells up in the heart of those who live by the flesh … righteousness wells up in the heart of the one who lives by the Spirit ...

(55) “But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; (56) and he said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’”

Stephen’s eyes turned upward, on the things of God; their eyes turned outward, looking for rocks ...

(57) “But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears, and they rushed upon him with one impulse. (58) And when they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him, and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.”

Those who gave testimony were required by law to cast the first stones at the condemned.

“The hand of the witnesses shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.”

Deuteronomy 17:7

The first was to hit him in the chest with a small boulder to knock him to his “loins”; the second was to hit him on the head ...

(59) “And they went on stoning Stephen as he called upon the Lord and said, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’”

If he survived the first two …the other witnesses were to follow; then, if still alive, the congregation would follow ...

(60) “And falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’ And having said this, he fell asleep.”

The Law kills, but the Spirit gives life.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What great teachings of our faith may be gleaned from our text?

I. CONFIRMATION OF CHRIST'S READINESS TO INTERCEDE!

(56) “... he said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’”

Irony: Stephen stood condemned, without justice or mercy … yet he’ll soon intercede with heaven for them ... while Christ stood before the Judge Most High, in Court of courts, interceding for him.

And He is ready to intercede for us …

“Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”

Romans 8:34

[Albert Barnes] “... seeing that there was no safety in the Great Council of the nation, and no prospect of justice at their hands, he cast his eyes to heaven and sought protection there. When dangers threaten us, our hope of safety lies in heaven. When people threaten our persons, reputation, or lives, it becomes us to fix our eyes on the heavenly world; and we shall not look in vain.”

II. CONFIRMATION OF CHRIST'S DEITY!

(59) “And they went on stoning Stephen as he called upon the Lord and said, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’”

The word “God” (i.e., theos) is not in the record to support its inclusion here; thus we can say a godly man, in his dying moments, would turn to his god … Stephen turned to his “Lord Jesus”.

Only God forgives sin, only God is prayed to; Jesus the Christ is God, Stephen addressed Him as God!

III. CONFIRMATION OF ETERNALITY & IMMATERIALITY OF SPIRIT!

Again verse 59 ...

If we accept Stephen is a man “full of the Spirit and wisdom,” yet facing certain death then we must accept such a man would not err in his theology or offer up his spirit to God in the event he didn’t believe in its immaterial and eternal nature.

So, we must accept Stephen believed in the immateriality and eternality of his spirit; and as Christ gave His spirit to God the Father, Stephen gave his spirit to God the Son.

IV. CONFIRMATION OF SUFFICIENCY OF CHRIST'S VICTORY OVER DEATH!

Again verse 59 ...

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 6:23

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”

Romans 8:2

For the same reasons as our last point Stephen’s actions and words confirm this reality.

V. CONFIRMATION OF NEED TO SETTLE ACCOUNTS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE!

(60) “And falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’ And having said this, he fell asleep.”

We must not continue our debt of forgiveness of others at the moment of our death.

Stephen follows Christ’s example; we ought to follow the examples of both.

Though there is no remission of sin in the forgiveness of others by fallen men, there is settling of accounts and cleansing of sorts.

APPLICATION: If man honors the sacrifice of others how much more should the church remember those who’ve sacrificed for her?

Stephen’s example reminds us of what others have done to preserve that freedom; as in the days after Joshua’s judging Israel, people arise in every era who know not Joshua.

Where there’s no sense of investment, there’s no motivation for preservation.

Our Lord and His martyrs are His legacy and that legacy is in His church; that legacy is wrapped up in His deity, the sufficiency of His victory over sin and death, and the immateriality and eternality of man’s spirit. Ain’t that great?

CHALLENGE:

"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Matthew 5:10-12

Acts, Christianity, Expository, Homiletics,
Outlines, Persecution, Preaching,
Sermons, Stephan, Veterens Day

THE MARK: The Center of Christian Living!

TOPIC: Jesus
TITLE: THE MARK – The Center of Christian Living!
SERIES: Jesus, His Person and His Works

TEXT: Philippians 1:21
“For me to live is Christ.”

INQUIRY: How does the authentic believer manifest “to live is Christ”?
CONCISE OUTLINE

I. BY PAYING THE TOTAL PRICE
II. BY DEVOTING HIS TOTAL LOVE
III. BY OFFERING THE TOTAL SACRIFICE
IV. BY ATTEMPTING TOTAL IMITATION

TRUTH/CONTEXT: Our meditative music this morning says, “Lord, we’ve come to listen, and hear what you would say.” Often I’m concerned that many church people listen but do not hear what the Lord has to say. As the Scriptures say -

“Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, Who have eyes, but see not; Who have ears, but hear not.” [Jeremiah 5:21]

Apparently I’m not alone in this concern. Let me read a few words from R. Albert Mohler Jr.’s Commencement Address to the 2004 graduating class at Southern Seminary. Mohler is president of the school. He became president at age of 30 (I believe) and was voted one of Time Magazine’s top 50 young adults in America the same year.

[DEMONSTRATED LIFE] Mohler said, “there are two types of people who hear the Word of God: those who believe it and seek to conform their lives to it and those who' listen to it but remain unchanged – like the man of James 1:23-24 who stares at his reflection in the mirror. … .

“We are to center our ministries, ourselves, and all that we do in the teaching and the preaching of God's Word, and in the demonstration [of it], motivating others likewise to be doers of the Word. We will know that our ministry is effective … if our congregations show what God's Word is in their lives.

“We live in an emotive age when many people judge the authenticity of their faith by how they feel,” he warned. “But if we give our primary con-sideration to feeling, eventually we will no longer even be able to feel.”

“I think I can say on the basis of an observation of the times that we will soon find out who are the doers of the Word,” Mohler said. “In this day there will be no more cultural Christianity. In the white-hot heat of our current confrontation, there will be no casual Christianity.”

“We must confront the church of God with this truth. We must arm Christians with this realization. We must challenge ourselves and others with the task and the litmus test of true faith, which is its demonstration.”

I agree Roy and Revel Hession who said many come by the “door” way of Christianity, but very few arrive at Heaven’s gate on the “walk” way.

Apparently, many of God’s so-called children are too fearful to walk publicly with or for the Lord … to be a fool for Jesus! Or as our text says, “to live is Christ.”

The Bible speaks of sin as missing the mark … this implies that there is a mark which we should desire to hit. And that Mark is Jesus! Anything missing the Mark is sin.

The committed believer did not always live to Christ! Of course not! He began to do so when the Holy Spirit convinced him of his sin. He committed to do so when “by grace” he saw his dying Savior making propitiation for his guiltiness. From the moment of this new and heavenly rebirth, he began to “live” to Christ.

INQUIRY: How does the authentic believer manifest “to live is Christ”?
EXPANDED OUTLINE

I. BY PAYING THE TOTAL PRICE

To the committed believer, Jesus is the Pearl of Great Price, for which he is willing to part with all that he has.

II. BY DEVOTING HIS TOTAL LOVE

To the committed believer, Jesus has completely won his love: so much so that his heart beats for Him alone.

III. BY OFFERING THE TOTAL SACRIFICE

To the committed believer, Jesus’ glory is his life; in defense of His Good News, he would sacrifice his life.

IV. BY ATTEMPTING TOTAL IMITATION

To the committed believer, Jesus is the template of his life, the model by which he would sculpt his character and reputation.

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: Paul's words mean more than most men think; they imply that the aim and end of his life was Christ. Let’s be honest, to Paul, life itself was Jesus.

[SPURGEON] “Jesus was his very breath, the soul of his soul, the heart of his heart, the life of his life.”

Can you say, as a professing Christian, you meet this ideal?

Can you honestly say for you “to live IS Christ”?

1. Consider your employment – are you laboring for Christ? Or is it done for self-aggrandizement and personal advantage? You ask, “Is this an improper motive?” For the Christian? Yes!
2. Consider your finances – are they wholly devoted to Him?
3. Consider your home – is it a temple of the Living God?
4. consider this church – are you making it the sanctuary of worship He deserves?
5. Consider when no one is looking – is the time devoted to the King of kings?

Jesus Himself said, “You cannot serve to masters.” If you profess, “to live is Christ”; how can you divide your devotion and not commit adultery?

Many carry out this principle in some measure; but who is there who dares to say he lives wholly for Christ … in the same way Paul did?

But, this, my friends, is the authentic Christian life … its origin, its lifeblood, its nature, its means of operation, its objective are all gathered up in one person – the Living Word of God.

Lord, our prayer this day is that You forgive us our failure to live as You would have us live.

We here present ourselves to live only in You, for You, by You, and to You.

Let us be as the bull that stands between plow and altar, to work on the one hand, or to sacrifice on the other … let our motto forever be, “Ready for either.”

Morning & Evening

Consecration, Devotion, Jesus, Philippians,
Preaching, Sacrifice, Sermons

HEBREWS: Full Sermons

The following are links to full sermons, preached at either FBC La Verne (FBC/LV) in Southern California or at San Carlos Community Church (SCCC) in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico ...


3:13-13

SON OF ENCOURAGEMENT - How to be a Biblical Encourager!

12:1-2

POWER CHALLENGE – The Race Set Before Us!

CrossLinked: Spurgeon's Morning & Evening Proclaimed Series [January 2, "Evening" and January 3, "Morning"]

Church health, Commitment, Endurance,
Faith, Hebrews, Perseverance, Preparation

PSALMS: Full Sermons

The following are links to full sermons, preached at FBC La Verne (FBC/LV) in Southern California or at San Carlos Community Church (SCCC) in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico ...

50:7

I AM YOUR GOD - God's all sufficient essence!

100:4 (1-5)

NEW EACH DAY - How to avoid making Jesus trivial!

CrossLinked: Spurgeon's Morning & Evening Proclaimed Series (November 5 "Evening")

104:16

HEIRS OF HEAVEN - The Mysterious Hand of God!

CrossLinked: Spurgeon's Morning & Evening Proclaimed Series (August 13 "Morning")

Expository, Homiletics, Outlines,
Preaching, Psalms, Sermons

1 Peter 2:24 The Tapestry of Atonement

...and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

TOPIC: Atonement [Easter, Guilt, Imputation, Justice, Nature (of God), Propitiation, Reconciliation, Redemption, Retribution, Sacrifice, Substitution]

TITLE: THE TAPESTRY OF ATONEMENT - What it means to us!

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What is our condition that it decrees such an atonement?
CONCISE OUTLINE

I. We are dead in our trespasses and sins! [Ephesians 2:1]
II. We are by nature and practice the children of wrath! [v. 3]
III. We are found without hope and without God in the world! [v. 12]
IV. We are strangers and foreigners to the household of God! [v. 19]

SERIES: This is the 3rd in a four-part series paving the way for our Easter Sunday service; two weeks ago we took a hard look at sin "the gravity of depravity" ... its blackness, its pollution ... in "The Pollution Solution."

Last week we gave careful thought to what Christ suffered on the Cross ... in our place ... "Three Hours One Friday," as the Son was separated from the Father.

Last week the agony, this week the ecstasy ... last week the crucifixion, this week the atonement ... last week the work of art, this week the beautiful frame.

TRUTH/CONTEXT: Our text says we were healed. When you accepted the Lord, were you sick? Disabled? Diseased? Injured? Healed of what then? when? Of the debilitating effects of sin!

The sins of man must be atoned for ... God's nature demands it ... perfect justice is required by a perfect God ... holy through and through ... every wrong dealt with! Not even an imperfect yet compassionate human judge would fellowship with criminals who denied their crimes and continued to practice them.

The atonement of sinful man by a merciful God is woven throughout Scripture like a scarlet thread in a brilliant tapestry of the middle ages ... from Genesis to Revelation.

In the Old it's seen in the "bruised heel" of Genesis 3:15; in the offerings of Abel, Noah, Abraham, and Joshua; in the Passover; in the offerings of Leviticus and Numbers. And so on, till we reach the prophetic words of the psalmists and prophets.

In the New it's fulfilled in Christ, "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world," as viewed in the Gospels. Doctrinally it's explained and applied in many of the Epistles. It's proclaimed in the manifestation of the slain Lamb of Revelation.

And finally - acknowledged as the right and experience of the Apostle's confession of faith: "We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement." [or "reconciliation"; Romans 5:11 ASV]

Peter's words set the stage for the body of this message which comes from the second chapter of Ephesians [1-22].

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What is our condition that it decrees such an atonement?
EXPANDED OUTLINE

I. We are dead in our trespasses and sins! [v.1]

Before Christ we "... were dead in [our] trespasses and sins," the Apostle says.

II. We are by nature and practice the children of wrath! [3]

He adds, "... we too ... lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath."

Notice immorality is not the sole domain of the flesh; the mind is involved as well. Let those with a lust for pornographic materials take note.

III. We are found without hope and without God in the world! [12]

Paul reminds us we "... were at that time separate from Christ ... having no hope and without God in the world."

IV. We are strangers and foreigners to the household of God! [19]

Though not specifically stated, it is implied in the condition which existed before we were " ... no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household."

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: You can see man's plight ... what if God had said, "No! I will not send my Son as a propitiation for their sins"?

Or what if the Father said, "Go!" but the Son said, "No! I won't go!"?

Where would we be ... still dead in our trespasses and sins, still separated from the love of God, still outside the household of God!

But praise be to God we ... "are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household."

I didn't seek a substitute, rather God offered one!

[SURROGATES] During the Revolutionary and Civil Wars wealthy and powerful men purchased substitutes to fight in their stead or for their sons.

In this Spiritual War no treasury outside of heaven is rich enough to buy a substitute for judgment. Yet, God didn't buy one, He gave one! While we were yet sinners Christ died in our place.

Were it not for the substitutionary atonement of Christ for my sins, they would continue to be an insurmountable barrier for me in the face of a holy and righteous God ... preventing for all time fellowship with Him ... no matter how hard no matter how long I tried to make things right!

The embarrassing biblical ignorance of our people today requires another question be asked and answered: knowledge of which elements of the doctrine of atonement are essential to the believer?

I. THE REASON (for the Doctrine of Atonement) - Sin!

Your Iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you. [Isaiah 69:2]

A. Sin is not bad luck, disease of mind, evil bias, a mistake, result of heredity or environment. Sin is the willful, rebellious breaking of the divine law.

Where no law is, there is no transgression. [Romans 4:15]

Sin is the transgression of The Law. [1 John 3:4]

B. Nor is sin just an offense against man; it is an offense against God:

Joseph said: "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God." [Genesis 39:9]

David said: "Against Thee have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight." [Psalm 51:4]

C. We must each humbly face the serious subjects of law, guilt, retribution, before the tender meanings of love, grace, redemption, are realized. So sin, which is a manifestly horrible thing, needs to be done away with ... and so -

2. THE MEANING - Covering!

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. [Psalm 32: 1]

Iniquities prevail against me; as for our transgressions, Thou shalt purge them away. [Psalm 65:3]

A. Atonement is a "shelter by means of representation." [Girdlestone, Robert Baker, Synonyms of the Old Testament; Eerdmans [Grand Rapids], 1948, p.127.]

He who knew no sin was made sin for you and for me!

B. The very holiness of God demanded He turn His face from our dying Savior at the
moment of His sin-bearing.

"My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" [Mark 15:34]

3. THE SOURCE - Christ Jesus (God)!

"Surely He (Jesus) has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. ... All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord (Jehovah) has laid on Him (Jesus) the iniquity of us all. ... Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him: He has put Him to grief." [Isaiah 53:4, 6, 10]

"Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain." [Acts 2:23]

"God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself." [2 Corinthians 5:19]

Thus the very God, whose law man has broken, and against whom he has sinned, Himself provides the Atonement.

4. THE FOUNDATION - Love!

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. [John 3:16]

Christ also has loved us, and has given Himself for us ... [He] also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it. [Ephesians 5:2, 25]

Herein Is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation [substitute] for our sins. [1 John 4:10]

God demonstrates His Love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. [Romans 5:8]

5. THE METHOD - Blood!

It is the blood that makes atonement for the soul. [Leviticus 17:11]

Without shedding of blood there is no remission. [Hebrews 9:22]

6. THE RESULT - Forgiveness (Salvation)!

A. The Immediate Result -

1. Healing of sin's disease.

He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. [Isaiah 53:5]

2. Deliverance from sin's power of attraction.

Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world. [Galatians 1: 4]

3. New Life for holiness and service.

Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness. [1 Peter 2:24]

B. Future Result

1. Gain of eternal inheritance.

He is the Mediator ... that they which are called might receive the promise of Eternal Inheritance. [Hebrews 9:15]

2. Glory of the Divine presence.

Unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His Glory with exceeding joy. [Jude 24]

The Atonement is the only means by which God could pardon transgressors of the Divine Law; the INSATIABLE NEED of man met by the INFINITE PROVISION of God.

Theological and biblical considerations were culled from George E. Morgan's "Atonement," in The King's Business, a now defunct monthly periodical of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (BIOLA); (July 1922) Vol. 13, No. 7, 701-02. Thanks also to Dr. J. Richard Chase; ibid., nd, 11-13, for suggesting the outline to the Ephesians content.

Atonement, Easter, Guilt, Imputation, Justice,
Nature, Outlines, Propitiation, Reconciliation, Redemption,
Retribution, Sacrifice, Sermons, Substitution

Isaiah 53:1-8 Higher Purpose!

Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For He [cf. 52:13-15] grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched [i.e., “dry”] ground; He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.

He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.

All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.

By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and, as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?

TOPIC: Easter; atonement (substitutionary), sacrifice, worship
TITLE: The Message of God to Man!

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What can we say of God’s Suffering Servant?

TRUTH/CONTEXT: This is my continuing Easter prequel for the lack of a better word. I intend to have a bona fide Easter Series but want to build up to it by covering the marvelous touchstones of the season … so much! So much indeed! We must remember Isaiah’s Suffering Servant did this not just as an act of obedience to the Father and an act of love to mankind, but as an act of worship as well.

[SACRIFICE] When the government phased out its surplus commodity food program, a poor man went early to the closest distribution to get into line before the food ran out. A few hours later, he neared the door where the food was handed out. In the corner of his eye he saw a neighbor approach the end of the line. He called out to him. He knew the man. Neither his wife nor he had any work for some time. They had four children.

The man in line knew the food would run out soon, but he insisted his neighbor take his place. The first man went to the end of the line. Within a short time the distribution ended; the one who gave up his place also gave up his food.

In the same way, Jesus Christ drew us to His place, while He stepped into ours … taking upon Himself all the consequences of our failures.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What can we say of God’s Suffering Servant?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:

I. WE CAN SAY: WHILE HELL FOCUSED ON HIM, HE FOCUSED ON US!

A. He Knew …

1. Sorrow

a) Anguish
b) Affliction

2. Grief

a) Malady
b) Disease
c) Sickness

B. He was treated Like a Leper …

People hid (pulled cloaks over) their faces from Him [i.e., averted]

C. He was disparaged and disrespected

1. Distained
2. Scorned

D. Other …

1. Stricken – violently taken and thrown around
2. Smitten – severely beaten
3. Afflicted

E. Instead He …

1. Bore our griefs

a) Both lifted up and
b) Carried away

2. Carried our sorrows

a) Bent under
b) Burdened by

II. WE CAN SAY: WHILE FORFEITING HIS OWN WELL-BEING, HE LABORED FOR OURS!

A. For Our Transgressions – Pierced!
B. For Our Iniquities – Crushed!

1. Beaten
2. Bruised
3. Incapable of carrying himself; muscles wouldn’t respond

C. For Our Healing – Scourged!

1. The Passion of Christ
2. Black and blue all over
3. Cut and bleeding

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: He suffered and He died that we might live; while we were yet in our sins, He died for you and for me.

Man was and is prone to do what seems right in his own eyes, to go the way of least resistance.

[LIGHT] No one switches on a flashlight in broad daylight; we turn on the light to dispel darkness. It is the darkness that makes the light necessary. God from eternity knew we would choose the darkness rather than His Light, and therefore He sent His only begotten Son to shine in the darkness … and the darkness will flee.

And so He, the Light of God, shined in the darkness [John 1:4, 5] and he “has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.”

He was tortured and stomped, mocked, and spat upon, “Yet He did not open His mouth.”

His fate was as certain as a new born lamb on the day He was born … He would be “led to the slaughter,” to be torn apart to cover and feed the flesh. He knew this but He did not bleat!

Man wanted to destroy the Lamb of God for his own purposes but God had a greater purpose for His Lamb.

[COVERING] Two Aussies invented an inflatable covering for cars to protect them during hailstorms. The blanket is stored in the trunk until needed; then inflated with a lighter attachment in about 45 seconds. By the time the covering is up its too late! We need a covering to protect us from the strokes that are due us ... the covering provided by Christ does just that.

Mankind (under the influence of sin) took the Lamb away to be cut off from the land (Israel) in order that Satan might deliver “the stroke … due” God’s people “for [their] transgression.” Notice the singular form of the word “transgression” … it’s a collective – meaning rebellion.

What was the greater purpose of God in all of this … other than that He would provide the ram as Abraham told his son God would do? It was this …

• Instead of His Lamb being used by man, He would be used for man.
• Instead of His Lamb being used by man to satisfy the Law, He would be used by God to satisfy the Royal Law.
• Instead of satisfying the flesh (will of man), He would satisfy the Spirit (will of God).
• Instead of a mortal, perishable, and natural purpose, He would be used for an immortal, imperishable, and supernatural purpose.

God gave His only begotten that He might be worshipped in the way He desires and deserves … a living sacrifice, whole and well-pleasing.

His Son gave Himself as a living propitiation to His Father, for our rebellion, that we might be cleansed and prepared for that Great Day of salvation and glory.

What, I pray, what have you given of yourself that you might be so presented on that day?

Atonement, Christianity, Easter, Expository,
Homiletics, Isaiah, Outlines, Preaching,
Sermons, Sufficiency

HEBREWS 3:12-13 - Son of Encouragement!

TOPIC: Encouragement; prophesy
TITLE: SON OF ENCOURAGEMENT – How to be a biblical encourager!

“Take care … there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart which falls away from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What is the profile of an authentic biblical encourager?
CONCISE OUTLINE:

I. AN ENCOURAGER IS FIRST A BIBLICAL CHRISTIAN
II. AN ENCOURAGER IS CHRIST-LIKE
III. AN ENCOURAGER HAS AN OBEDIENT SPIRIT
IV. AN ENCOURAGER THRIVES ON HIS LABOR'S FRUIT

TRUTH/CONTEXT: I was reminded this week by one of my daughters of the importance of encouragement as a ministry in our relationships.

A couple of weeks ago I preached on koinonia – fellowship! We can’t actually have authentic fellowship without encouragement ... you see they’re both rooted in love and if the church is rooted in anything it is rooted in love, agape love – for God is love!

How should I encourage others? What is the practical side of encouragement?

A Scottish blogger friend, John Brown at Scotwise, who lives on the Gold Coast of Australia, just finished a 3-part series on the subject. I’ve borrowed from some of his material.

When you encourage someone, is it limited to just words? Or do you get up close and personal, where you can see the whites of their eyes?

Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you. -

William Arthur Ward

It is wonderful when you run into an encourager … often they don’t know they are because it’s so natural to them. Many who are convinced they have no ministry have the ministry of encouragement.

My friend shares this story ...

[PLAY ME A SONG] An elderly widow, restricted in her activities, was eager to serve Christ. After praying about this, she realized she could bring blessing to others by playing the piano. The next day she placed this small ad in the Oakland Tribune: "Pianist will play hymns by phone daily for those who are sick and despondent – the service is free." When people called, she would ask, "What hymn would you like to hear?"

Within a few months her playing had brought cheer to several hundred people. Many of them freely poured out their hearts to her, and she was able to help and encourage them.

– Source unknown

Your image of a biblical Christian might be of one who speaks positive words of encouragement to you, one who says nice things, communicates with honey-like words. But you’d be wrong.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: What is the profile of an authentic biblical encourager?
EXPANDED OUTLINE:

I. AN ENCOURAGER IS FIRST A BIBLICAL CHRISTIAN –

A. Being a Biblical Christian of course means he is born again

Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

John 3:3

B. Being a Biblical Christian means the bible is his operations manual, his daily guide ...

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

II. AN ENCOURAGER IS CHRIST-LIKE –

A. He is an imitator of Jesus (Christian means, lil' Christ)
B. He has compassion on the multitudes [Matthew 9:36]
C. He cares for the least of these [Matthew 25:31-46]

III. AN ENCOURAGER HAS AN OBEDIENT SPIRIT –

A. He loves the Lord his God with all that he is [Matt 22:35-38; the Great Commandment]
B. He loves his neighbor [Second Commandment]
C. He seeks first the Kingdom of God [Matthew 6:33]
D. He denies himself [Matthew 16:24]
E. He serves others not self [Philippians 2:3-4]
F. He reaches out to others [Matthew 20:28; Jesus did not come to be served]
G. His focus is on things above and not things of this world [Colossians 3:1-3]
H. He takes one day at a time [Matthew 6:34; Christy Lane’s song]
I. He makes disciples and teaches God’s commandments [Matthew 28:19-20]
J. He is a John 15 disciple …

1. He knows "apart" from Jesus he "can do nothing" [John 15:5a]
2. He glorifies the Father by bearing much fruit [John 15:8]
3. He loves the brethren [John 15:12]

IV. AN ENCOURAGER THRIVES ON HIS LABOR'S FRUIT –

A. He is not one who is satisfied with a moment's elation (e.g., Ananias and Sapphira)
B. He incites and exhorts others to act (Stephen)
C. His reward is a changed life (Paul at the Areopagus)

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: The greatest encourager is the Holy Spirit; the Father had the Son tells us He sent Him to help and comfort us, lit. to encourage us.

He is referred to as the paracletos! One who comes along side of to console and to counsel, to edify and exhort!

[FLOTATION] During the Second World War a plane went down and the crew was for some reason unable to get their “Mae Wests” on and found themselves in the middle of the ocean with nothing to help them stay afloat … except a box of paper cups. Somehow they arranged the cups in such a ways that they served as a flotation device until they were rescued.

Encouragement is like those paper cups, it helps keep us all afloat until we are rescued.

My friend John says …

The ministry of encouragement does not involve great personal gifts of speech, or musical talent. Encouragement can be done by anyone, who will simply try to see those around them through the eyes of Christ, and there is a great need for people who will lift up rather than put down. It is a gift that we all must cultivate, or many who are downtrodden, will be ground into the dust.

He says ….

It costs us nothing to encourage people, it is a free gift from our encouraging God, let us use it freely to glorify his name, and to extend the Kingdom of Heaven!

But to be a biblical encourager one must be like the cups and not just like the “play me a hymn woman,” we must get in the water with the discouraged and put ourselves at risk with them.

[HALLMARK CARDS] has a great series of commercials on encouragement … the trou-bled teen whose principle encouraged her and the little boy who stayed in from his recesses in order to befriend a crippled boy … but they are only biblical if they cost you something.

I think of the 22 year old clerk at the florist who included a card of cheer to a customer’s friend’s 15 year old son who had just found out he had leukemia … she didn’t have to do it, but she’d survived the disease herself and wanted to encourage him … it changed his life!

The bottom line is this: and encourager exhorts, entreats, incites, uplifts, consoles, comforts, coun-sels, stimulates, edifies, excites courage, inspires, builds confidence & hope, motivates, and em-boldens among many things.

Notice an encourager is not a discourager, or a discomforter, a conspirator, a destroyer, a demotivator, or a robber of hope.

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ROMANS 6:19 – Our obligation!

I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.

TOPIC: Sanctification
TITLE: OUR OBLIGATION – To die, live, serve, and be united to God!

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How does Paul attempt to free the Romans from the Law and lead them to understand their new freedom?
CONCISE OUTLINE:

I. BY USING DEATH TO ILLUSTRATE THEIR FREEDOM!
II. BY USING LIFE TO ILLUSTRATE THEIR FREEDOM!
III. BY USING SLAVERY TO ILLUSTRATE THEIR FREEDOM!
IV. BY USING MARRIAGE TO ILLUSTRATE THEIR FREEDOM!

TRUTH/CONTEXT: Paul apologizes to his Roman audience for using slavery as an illustration; slavery had a specific meaning in Roman times … a citizen of the Roman Empire could not, by law, be enslaved to anyone!

This later word is a new word in Paul’s day … a word that supposedly enhances its twin, holiness; but the word “sanctification” has, in English, become something inferior to the twin.

Holiness is the goal of the sanctified life, and is the focus of chapters 6-8. Let me illustrate what the essence of the section is …

[MASTER BUILDER] A master shipbuilder steps out into his yard and looks around him. There are vast skeletons of ships in the process of completion; there are others nearing completion. But there is nothing in the scene to satisfy, nothing is as he envisions. The big hulls are at present good for nothing. A thousand hammers pounding a thousand rivets into place like a thousand woodpeckers from hell. The yard is strewn with scrap and jigs. [Continue reading ... ]

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. [1 John 3:2]

Sanctification is both the inauguration of and the process of the life in fellowship with God, as well as that life’s objective … an ultimate state of permanent and perfect sanctification. It’s my opinion that the whole kit and caboodle are in view in verse 19, though the process seems to dominate.

FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How does Paul attempt to free the Romans from the Law and lead them to understand their new freedom?

EXPANDED OUTLINE:

PAUL DOES SO BY USING …

I. DEATH TO ILLUSTRATE THIS NEW FREEDOM! [6:1-8]

A. If indeed we died to sin “how shall we … still live in it?” [v.2]
B. Our baptism is a baptism into Christ Jesus’ death [v. 3]
C. So we’ve been buried with Him (with our unrighteousness, and the Law that enslaved us) [v. 6]
D. Thus, we’re free from sin by our death in Christ [v. 7]

II. LIFE TO ILLUSTRATE THIS NEW FREEDOM! [6:5-14]

A. If we're like Him in His death and His burial, how is it that we will not be like Him in His resurrection? [v. 5]
B. We will live again ... this should motivate us to a new kind of life [v. 8]
C. Death is no longer a master over Christ [v.9] and (by our baptism into His death [v. 3]) it no longer is masters us
D. The life He now lives He lives to God [v. 10] “so consider yourselves to be dead to sin” and “alive to God in Christ” [v. 11]

III. SLAVERY TO ILLUSTRATE THIS NEW FREEDOM! [12-23]

A. I’m glad Paul used slavery as a type of commitment to God for sanctification … today’s culture insists on it
B. Paul says because of our intentional slavery to sin we are morally defective [v. 19]
C. Therefore, we must, in the same way, intentionally submit ourselves to righteousness, so sin might not, like death, “reign in [our] mortal body so that [we] obey its lusts” [v. 12]
D. This, he says will lead to sanctification (aka: holiness) [v. 19]
E. This goal demands and deserves this new master “for sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace” [v. 14]
F. So obey this new Master [v. 16] for “you became slaves of righteousness” [v. 18]
G. What benefit is there in those “things of which you are now ashamed?” [v. 21]
H. You are now free from all that and are “enslaved to God” which results “in sanctification” and the benefit? Life eternal! [v. 22]
I. The wage of sin is death, but God in Christ gives us life everlasting [v. 23]

IV. MARRIAGE TO ILLUSTRATE THIS NEW FREEDOM! [7:1-6]

A. In this sin fallen world, if one is alive, the Law, by default, reigns over him [v. 1]
B. But if we’ve died to sin and born-again to God [v. 11] the law no more reigns
C. Paul’s example: the Law binds a woman to her husband as long as he lives (don’t get any ideas women), but when he dies, she is free to marry again [v. 2]
D. by dying to sin and the law you’re now free to join with another [v. 4-6]
E. Remember, Jesus said we can't serve two masters [Luke 16:13]
F. “so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter” [v. 6]

APPLICATION/CHALLENGE: When we accepted Christ as Lord we discovered

• we were free from sin, its yoke had been removed from our shoulders,
• we had a spontaneous desire to have nothing more to do with it; and
• a desire to serve and please God, with Him as our Master and righteousness as our labor

We’ve, so to speak, been led out of our personal Egypt, passed through the our Red Sea, into an our earthly wilderness, and now await our arrival at the Jordan, with the Promised Land before us.

Let's surrender to holiness and be as sincere and unqualified in our zeal for it as we were to sin. This is every Christian’s obligation.

Had every Christian employed the same energy in advancing the Kingdom of God as they did in promoting Satan’s kingdom, every land would have felt every step the Bride of Christ took.

It should be our lament that we have not; that we’ve used so much energy in Satan’s cause and have done so little in God’s service is our shame.

Remember, God is our Master Builder and though we may not yet be what He wants us to be ,He is building us according to blueprint drawn in the Blood of the Lamb.

We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. [Romans 8:28]

So we should be serving Him as if the goal is in sight.

The key of course is do you love God? Are you called according to His purpose? If indeed you do are, you should be looking back upon the fervor with which you served the devil and in the same way give service to God as your Master, only the latter should exceed the former.

If it does not or can not you would be wise to ask why!

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