March 11, 2018

Immanuel

 

God became Flesh

• The Word became flesh—John 1:14a
• He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.—2 Corinthians 5:21
• Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”.— Galatians 5:21

God dwelt on Earth

• He dwelt among us, and we saw His glory.—John 1:14b
• Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.— Hebrews 2:17

March 4, 2018

 

The Promise Keeper

 

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.—Genesis 3:13

Since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed—Genesis 18:18

“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.—Genesis 49:10

There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.—Isaiah 9:7

God Directs the Course of the Promise

• Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign—Isaiah 7:14

God Determines the Terms of the Promise

• Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.—Isaiah 7:14

God Disposes the Efficacy of the Promise

• When it was reported to the house of David, . . . his heart and the hearts of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake with the wind.—Isaiah 7:2

February 25, 2018

 

The DNA

1 Corinthians 13

All is not Gold that Glitters

• If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor,and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.—verse 1-3

All is Godlike that Love

• Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.—verse 4-7
• We love, because He first loved us— 1 John 4:19
• And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins — 1 John 4:10
• If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.—l 1 John 4:20
• But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness— Galatians 5:22
• and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.—Ephesians: 5:2

 

February 11, 2018

 

Love’s All Things

1 Corinthians 13:7

 

Bears All Things

• Love . . . bears all things.
• Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions.—Proverbs 10:12
• Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.— 1 Peter 4:8

Believes All Things

• Love . . . believes all things

Hopes All Things

• Love . . . hopes all things.

Endures All Things

• Love . . . endures all things.
• And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.—Luke 17:4
• The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,—2 Timothy 2:24
• For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory,—2 Timothy 2:10

February 4, 2018

 

Loveless Life

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

 

1. MISCONCEPTIONS
   The use of the word “charity” is ambiguous. It is often used as equivalent to tolerance, as in the phrase, “the judgment of charity;” and often as synonymous with “almsgiving,” as in the sad proverb, “Cold as charity.” Neither of these uses meets the requirements of the text.

   2. “Love” is also an ambiguous word, being commonly applied to the feeling of attraction and attachment between young people of opposite sexes – a usage which evidently has no applicability here.

 

2. THE NATURE OF CHRISTIAN LOVE
   It is between one human being and another. The question is not of reverent love to God, but of the mutual feelings of those endowed with the same spiritual nature.

   2. It is a sentiment, and there is no love where there is simply a principle of action, cold and unimpassioned.

   3. It is a sentiment which governs conduct, restraining men from injuring or slandering one another, and impelling them to mutual assistance.

Is a Useless Life

1. Wonderful words without love are useless v1; the utmost facility of expression; the most splendid eloquence. He does not even limit to humanity, but adds, “and of angels,” to show that no acquisition in this directionat all meets the case. The Corinthian Church was peculiarly proud of its “gift of tongues;” its love was not so conspicuous. Talking power without love is noise without music, sounding brass, clanging cymbals. Heavenly language would lose its heavenliness without the royal grace.

 

2. Superior Knowledge without Love is useless v2.Knowledge of the future, human knowledge, knowledge of the secret purposes of the Most High. To know is not enough. If the knowledge of the head does not rightly affect the heart it is thrown away. Knowledge is a splendid weapon, but it is in dangerous hands if it is not in those of love. We may know Christ – know very much about his person, his character, his work – and yet not be his. “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy Name?… then will I profess unto them, I never knew you ‘ (Matthew 7:22, 23).

 

3. Faith without love is useless v2.Judas wrought miracles; but how less than nothing, judged by true standards, was he! What profit if other mountains be removed and the mountain of selfishness be left! How sad to get so near the cross and to catch nothing of its spirit! Here is faith without the chief of works, which alone can prove its genuineness and power. Here is a faith which does not work by love, and is useless except for boast and display.

 

4. Kindness without love is useless v3.The worth of kindness lies not in what we give, but in how we give. The object for which the gift is bestowed does not determine its value; the motive prompting the gift does. We may give “all our goods,” and that to “feed the poor,” and yet perform no virtuous action. We can give lavishly from motives which rob our charity of all its charitableness. Men who give without love do not give; they   It is not a spiritual act; it is a commercial speculation. They invest and expect a large return – it may be of’ distinction or applause, or something similarly self tending.

 

5. Sacrifice without love is useless.Though the body be given to the flames, yet all may be “nothing” A man may go to the stake for Christianity, and yet know nothing truly of Christ. There is a self sacrifice which is no self sacrifice. Man has fallen so low that he has originated false and worthless martyrdoms. In later centuries the history of the Church was blotted by some who sought martyrdom from motives of notoriety and vain glory. The martyr’s crown may be sought by those who have not the martyr’s spirit. The martyr is made, not by the burning of the body, but by the love which binds the truth to the heart, and will not let it go at any cost:

Is a Meaningless Life

1. Nothing can compensate for the moral quality. The motive is more than the deed. To dois nothing compared with to be. The internal is greater than the external.

 

2. Unless we have love we cannot be brought near to God. God is love.Love is of the Divine essence. If we are destitute of love we are destitute of that which is most conspicuous in God.   The ultimate origin of love is in the nature of God, who is love.   Its introduction among men is chiefly owing to the Lord Jesus, who was the gift of the Father’s love, whose whole ministry to earth was a revelation of love, and whose benevolent conduct and sacrificial death were the fruit of love.

 

Its individual power and social efficacy are owing to the presence and operation of the Spirit of God. Not without significance is love mentioned first in the inventory of the fruits of the Spirit, which are these: love, joy, peace, etc.

 

When the great archangel fell he fell out of love. When we get power we do not grow away from Satan, neither when we get knowledge, nor when we do unusual deeds from selfish motives. When we get love we do. Love is never attributed to Satan; “love is of God.” As we have love, so far we are like God. Satan has power, knowledge, and is doubtless willing to sacrifice much to secure his own cuds; if we have these, without love, we tend to grow in the devils side. Love has redeeming power, consecrating quality, pervading deeds that highlights the life sustaining character of God.