“Abstinence…really?”  (Relationships)

Intro:  We were born with a need for human intimacy, babies moms dads cuddling etc.  as we grow, that God given need needs to be met appropriately. 

The natural progression of human relationships....

We get all kinds of mixed messages from the media about relationships.

Today we going to take a look at what God’s ideals are, because that s all that matters.

I previously told you about a dialog I had on FB with friends about same sex marriage etc.

They kept wanting my opinion, I kept going back to the Bible.

Text:  Ephesians 5:22-6:4

Key things mentioned in this passage:

Healthy husband/wife relationship, mutual submission

Godly spiritual leadership by the man

Marriage commitment and fidelity

Children obeying their parents

Parents raising children in the ways of the Lord.

Big Pic:   God’s original plan:  A child grows up in a healthy home with a mother and father and is taught godly relationship principles from them.

There is no magical number of siblings in the house.

God never said you have to grow up and get married.

But if and when you do enter into a relationship with someone from the opposite sex, marriage is the apex of that relationship.

In order to have a proper perspective on relationships, we first of all need to have the right relationship with God,  1 Peter 5:6-7.

Understanding God’s perspective on human relationships starts with humility and setting aside our agenda to follow Gods agenda.

Let’s first talk about dating relationships.

Proper dating prepares you for marriage, ideally that would be courtship.

“Are you going to marry this person?”  If not, then friendship is key as well as respect and treating each other right, especially physically.

 “The trouble with underage dating is that it presents an entirely faulty view of what interaction with the opposite gender should be about. Rather than placing emphasis on building one strong relationship with one person at a stage of life when a marital commitment is feasible, dating encourages young people to pour their energies into consistently seducing other young people at a time when neither of them are capable of making any long-term commitments. Their “relationships” are destined to fail from the get-go because they are founded on unhealthy perceptions of love and not backed by any real necessity to stick it out.”

The great ugliness of dating as it is practiced by our culture and portrayed by our media, is that it teaches two people of opposite genders to be selfish by giving them an easy “out” when things don’t go according to their initial feelings. I believe it is fair to say that this form of dating is a training manual for divorce, because it encourages young people to grow accustomed to giving their hearts away and then taking them back.

We should help our youth focus on developing healthy friendships with the opposite sex.

There are no bible verses on dating, but there are plenty on relationships and courtship that would eventually lead to marriage.

Friendship relationships

Prov.17: 17 says, “A friend loves at all times.” Prov.18: 24 “There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.”   Prov.27: 10 says, “Do not forsake your friend.”

God blesses friendships and young men and women would save themselves a world of hurt if they would focus more on friendships than dating. 

This is a platonic relationship and is based on personality and common likes and interests.

The Greek word for this is “Philo” and it’s a friendship love.

Brothers and sisters in Christ

When people are Christians, then they share a common interest in growing deeper in their relationship with God.  

That is of first priority.  Instead of looking for Mr. or Mrs. Right, they are becoming Mr. or Mrs. Right.

This also eliminates the need for “missionary dating.”

This is a great phase for boys and girls, men and women to be in before marriage, brothers and sisters in Christ.

It helps keep the focus on God and not each other and those raging hormones.

Those God-given hormones and sexual desires need to be controlled until marriage and then you can go crazy…

Now let’s talk about Marriage/family relationships. 

Ephesians 5:22-33

Wives submit to their husband?

Let’s back up to v. 15 & 21…(and remember 1 Peter 5:6-7 when we submit and humble ourselves before God.)

These verses tell us how to walk in wisdom, as we all submit to Christ.

This submission starts with each individual before God, men to God, women to their godly husbands, children to their godly parents.

So the first example under general submission is wives to husbands, not all men, but to their husbands.

Yes, and it’s the husbands job to provide godly leadership and set the example.

Then she will want to submit to his guidance and leadership.  

The larger responsibility falls to the man to be a godly leader.

Colossians 3:18-19

Parent/child relationships

Eph. 6:1-4, Colossian 3:20-21

Now the submission is from the children to the parents.

The kids may not always understand or agree with the parents decisions, but if they are making godly, well thought out decisions, then the kids need to submit to their authority.

And that’s where the Fathers especially are told not to provoke their children to anger.

If we are using godly principles to parent our children, then we are raising them in the discipline of the Lord, not just ours.

Col. 3:20-21…”lest they become discouraged.”

Parent’s, we have a crucial, God-ordained role in the discipleship of our children.

Obeying your parents is one way you honor them.

This the only commandment of the ten that contain a promise.

In God’s eyes, marriage = one man, one woman for life.  Eph. 5:31, Gen. 2:24. Matthew 19:5

In God’s eyes, what constitutes marriage is when a man and a woman have sex together for the first time.

That’s what consummates the marriage.  Not a fancy ceremony or license from the state.

I do a lot of weddings and it’s so rare and refreshing when I meet a couple who are actually getting married in God’s eyes, right for the first time.  What a gift to give each other!

That’s why sex is so sacred in God’s eyes and reserved for a man and a woman inside of a committed marriage.

It’s really a shame that the concept of abstinence is such a foreign concept to most people today.

Page 73 from book.

People tend to forget what a sacred gift sex is and that God gave that to us to be used inside the proper boundaries.

God gave us sexual desire and his ideals are practically unheard of today.  

Save sex for marriage?  Seems loony to most people.  What’s the harm, plenty!

 95% of Americans admitted to having premarital sex in 2006…? 

Today, almost half of all US marriages ended in divorce….?

 4 in 10 children are born to unwed mothers today.

Antonio  Cromartie has 12 children with 8 different women…

Again, those proper boundaries are one man, one woman, committed for life.

Now what happens when people fall outside of God’s ideals for relationships?

All is not lost!  Even though we live in a culture of broken homes and marriages, kids growing up without a mom or dad, people making all kinds of mistakes in relationships…

We can get back on the right track with God.

Our God is full of grace, mercy and forgiveness.

We have to remember that God wants the best for us in our human relationships, just like a good parent does for their children.

Conclusion:     Here is your encouragement:  Colossians 3:12-17

“What’s with all the hand raising?” (Worship)

Intro: We were all created with the universal desire to worship someone or something.

Bill Maher Religulous: Devout secularists often portray religious people in their moments of frenzy, speaking in tongues or hands raised in the air, worshipping their God, going for the “lunatic fringe.”

Just when you may think it’s only those “crazy Christians” who get all caught up and lost in the moment…

Think about similar moments we’ve seen at any number of events down through the years:

Young girls swooning at mere glimpses of the Beatles, Elvis, 'N Sync or Justin Bieber, fans of JFK or Reagan, crazy sports fans…

Or how about those who regularly faint in the presence of our first African-American president, Barrack Obama.

Whoa…let’s slow down and think about what is really worth our devotion and worship.

I’m not saying you can’t have fun at your favorites event, but let’s keep it all in perspective here.

Text: Psalm 95:1-3, 6-7

Big Pic: The God of the universe is the only thing worthy of our worship, praise, adoration and “craziness.”

So what is worship? Let’s take a look at various passages throughout the Bible.

Deuteronomy 10:20-21

Fear equals love and respect in the same way you fear and respect something big and powerful.

Serve him, hold fast to him, by his name you shall swear. These are things you only do to something/someone as powerful as God.

Only God is worth serving, clinging tight to and committing to.

“He is your praise. He is your God.” True words of worship.

“The Ninja”

1 Chronicles 16:29

When we worship God we are ascribing to him the glory due his name.

Ascribe: “to credit or assign, as to a cause or source; attribute, impute”

When we bring an offering it needs to start with ourselves, coming in with the right attitude.

Watched a funny episode of “The Middle” where they were trying to “get church over with.”

Psalm 29:1-2

Even the heavenly beings worship God.

Glory and strength, ascribe…

“To acknowledge that these are true of God and that he deserves admiration for them.”

We worship the “splendor of God’s holiness”

Ever had “God moments?” Things that wake us up to the reality of God…that helps us to worship God…

We also need to remember that worship should happen all the time, anywhere and all throughout the Sunday morning service…

“The Half & Half”

Psalm 40:3

Why all the singing in church?

That comes with time. Think about how easy it is to hear a favorite song on the radio from your past and to start singing it.

Or singing in the shower, or whatever.

“He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise.”

Even the “classic” hymns were considered too much when first introduced in the church…

For many years acceptable church music consisted primarily of Catholic monks singing Gregorian Chant Latin hymns.

For 2,000 years songs of praise, old and new have been rising from the collective heart and mouth of the worldwide Christian Church.

“Music can initiate the souls encounter with an aspect of reality for which reason has no concepts and language has no name.” Abraham Heschel

“The Pound Cake”

Philippians 2:9-11

As you grow and mature in your faith, you learn the importance of worshipping God.

We need to remember that a correct posture for worship starts in the heart and mind.

You aren’t necessarily more worshipful if you’ve got your hands raised.

We can even do that with a wrong attitude.

I have good Christian friends on both sides of the spectrum.

At my dad’s memorial service I think I may have been the only guy out of 500 to raise my hands..

These verses remind us thought that at some point, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.

So, we might want to get used to worshipping him now.

“The Double High Five”

Psalm 150

And, that my friends is your justification for instruments in church.

Song, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord…”

“The YMCA”

The next time you see people with their eyes closed and hands raised to God, and begin to think it strange, remind yourself that the desire to worship and praise is a universal one, that there's nothing strange about it at all and that one way or another, whether it's in church, at an Obama rally, a Chargers game or a Green Day concert, most of us do it, and all things being equal, I'd say the God of the universe is more deserving of that praise than Phillip Rivers or Billie Joe Armstrong.

Conclusion:

“Awesome” video

Palm Sunday, 2012

(To hear a Podcast of this sermon, please go to www.pacificviewbaptist.com and click on "Sermons" from the top menu. You'll have to wait a few minutes for the audio to start on this weeks sermon. Sorry.)

Matthew 21:1-11

“The Triumphal Entry ”

The big three in church life, Christmas, Easter and Palm Sunday

These are the times of the year people who don’t normally come to church may come because they were invited, or maybe because they are “supposed to” or maybe out of guilt or catching up…

Easter invite idea, “What do you do for Easter?"

Text: Matthew 21:1-11

Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter, and marks the beginning of Holy Week, the week of events leading up to Jesus' death.

Sunday, Jesus enters Jerusalem, Monday, clears the temple, Tuesday Jesus argues with the chief priests and predicts his death, Wed., warns against religious leaders, Thursday, last supper, Good Friday, Saturday, Jesus lay in the tomb, Sunday, resurrection!

Today is about celebrating the triumphal entry but also getting our hearts ready for Good Friday and Easter (communion today).

The celebration of Palm Sunday originated in the Jerusalem Church, around the late fourth century.

Early Palm Sunday ceremonies consisted of prayers, hymns, and sermons recited by the clergy while the people walked to various holy sites throughout the city.

At the final site, the place where Christ ascended into heaven, the clergy would read from the gospels concerning the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is the city of the great king (Ps. 48:1-2), the center of Israel’s religious life and messianic expectations.

In the early evening they would return to the city reciting: "Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord."

The children would carry palm and olive branches as the people returned through the city back to the church, where they would hold evening services.

By the fifth century, the Palm Sunday celebration had spread as far as Constantinople.

Changes made in the sixth and seventh centuries resulted in two new Palm Sunday traditions - the ritual blessing of the palms, and a morning procession instead of an evening one.

Adopted by the Western Church in the eighth century, the celebration received the name "Dominica in Palmis," or "Palm Sunday".

Palm Sunday commemorates the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.

The significance of Jesus riding a donkey and having his way paved with palm branches is a fulfillment of a prophecy spoken by the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 9:9).

In biblical times, the regional custom called for kings and nobles arriving in procession to ride on the back of a donkey.

The donkey was a symbol of peace; those who rode upon them proclaimed peaceful intentions.

A king came riding on a horse when he was bent on war and rode on a donkey when he wanted to point out he was coming in peace.

Therefore, Jesus' entry to Jerusalem symbolized his entry as the Prince of Peace, not as a war-waging king.

This is an open declaration by Jesus that he is the Messiah.

It starts with his triumphal entry, followed by clearing/cleansing the temple, cursing the fig tree, debates with religious leaders, and woes pronounced on the teachers of the law and Pharisees.

v. 3 Jesus refers to himself as Lord, the sovereign orchestrator of these events.

The laying of palm branches indicated that the king or dignitary was arriving in victory or triumph.

And Jesus was a king, not so much with a political triumph, but with a spiritual triumph.

Jesus rides into Jerusalem and the people think he`s coming to kick out the Romans and bring freedom to the Jews so they lay down Palm branches and shout, "Hosanna " King of the Jews."

Here we are 2000 plus years later and we know why Jesus rode in on a donkey….

But it helps to understand why the people are so excited and shouting “Hosanna.”

For centuries they have been oppressed and conquered by everybody - the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, the Romans.

They want to be freed from the tyranny!

They are so excited because finally they think Jesus is going to give them a political victory, but that`s not what Jesus came to do.

Jesus came to die to take the punishment that we all deserve on himself.

Sometimes we get caught up in all the other great things he did and said, but we always have to remember that his primary purpose in coming to earth was to die.

Jesus riding on a donkey, coming in peace and bringing a spiritual victory is not what they expected or wanted.

How sad and true…

Well, I didn’t win the Lottery…I bought a Lottery ticket for the second time in my life…$654 million?

I read a great article that said if you weren’t happy before you bought a ticket and won, you won’t be happy if you win…true.

If all we are looking for in life is relief from our own selfish needs, then we will miss out on something much bigger and better that God wants to give us.

Jesus came to release us all from the spiritual bondage we are in.

Palm Sunday represents all the times that we get really excited about Jesus because of what we want or what we think He can do for us.

Instead we should be focused on his grand purpose for our lives.

21:10 “Who is this?” (this isn’t what we expected…)

The people are still expecting to be freed from the Roman government.

What happened 5 days later? They killed him!

Now, we know Jesus was going to die anyways and we can’t just blame it on these people or the Jews.

Who’s fault is it that Jesus died? Everyones!

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned…

Palm Sunday reminds us that anyone can turn on Jesus at any moment in spite of our fevered devotion to Him.

They, like us, were quick to profess their admiration and love for Jesus, yet little did they suspect that most of them would be crying for His death on Good Friday, that very week!

In the simplest of terms, Palm Sunday is an occasion for reflecting on the final week of Jesus' life.

It is a time for Christians to prepare their hearts for the agony of His Passion and the joy of His Resurrection.

It’s a time for us to (as always) get the focus off ourselves and onto Jesus.

Hosanna: “O save” or “Save now”

PIC Matthew 21:9, Psalm 118:25-26 (stand and read close together, waving/holding palm branches)

Prayer: God save us from ourselves and our self-centered lives. Give us a broader vision of what we really need.

The balance of God's character

Revelation 6:9-17 “The balance of God’s character ”

Intro… Puppies and babies…everybody loves em…unless they aren’t trained…

”train up a child…” (Prov. 22:6)

What makes a good parent, or dog owner? Someone who has a good balance of love and discipline. No one likes an untrained child or dog…

When we think of God, it’s more comfortable to imagine his love, grace and mercy than his judgment and wrath.

Today we’ll see both important sides of God.

Text: Revelation 6:9-17

Big Pic: A good sign of growth and maturity for a Christian is a healthy understanding of God’s love and mercy as well as his wrath.

Previously we have studied the scroll which contains the future of mankind…

It can only be opened by Jesus…

It has seven seals and the first four seals were opened in last weeks study… the four horsemen of the apocalypse…God’s judgment on the earth.

Today we look at seals 5, and 6.

One of the primary doctrines of the Reformation, taught by Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox and others, is:

The Sovereignty of God. “All things are under God's rule and control, and nothing happens without His direction or permission.”

This helps especially when studying Revelation, end times, God’s judgment, wrath etc. (For some, uncomfortable subjects)

This week’s passage in Revelation is about the Sovereignty of God, especially with regard to God's children who suffer for their Faith, God's power over natural disasters, and God's power over all mankind, rich or poor.

When we study Revelation, God’s judgment and wrath, it’s important to remember that God is fully in control of all these events.

Nothing is spinning out of control at the end of this earth.

v. 9-11 The fifth seal. “The glory of the martyrs.”

“Under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they bore. “

This scene is occurring in the temple of heaven.

The altar depicts their sacrificial suffering because of their faith and their witness.

They were crying out with a loud voice, asking for God’s judgment and vengeance. “How long, O Sovereign Lord, holy and true…”

The key to understanding revenge and vengeance is that God must be in charge. This is his thing, not ours.

It’s so tempting to want to take revenge into our own hands…

And the surprising answer is that God will restrain his wrath until the last martyr has been slain.

To me, this hints at the necessity of people dying for their faith…

Their reward for dying for their faith?

A white robe and rest, until the number was complete of those being killed for their faith. (readers 3:4-5, 7:9 & 14).

This white robe is a “garment of honor in everlasting light.”

This robe represents victory because of their purity and faithfulness.

What a great group to be a part of!

Who are these martyrs? (readers 13:15, 18:24, 20:4)

Not long after (6:15-17) God answers their request with the very ones who had put them to death.

“Every Christian should be prepared for martyrdom. Christians cannot express their communion with the Lord more perfectly than when they accept the suffering and the glory of martyrdom.”

So, whether that’s actual death or getting picked on…

v. 12-14 The sixth seal. “The judgment of the wicked.”

Great earthquake, black sun, full moon like blood, stars falling out of the sky to earth (a massive meteor shower?)

The sky vanished like a scroll rolled up (window shade)…every mountain and island removed.

Now we get to use a fancy word…

These are eschatological signs. From eschatology a system of doctrines concerning last or final matters such as death, judgment, the future, end times.

These eschatological signs point to the imminent final day of the Lord.

Isa. 2:10, 19, 21, Matt. 24:29, Luke 21:11

It can be difficult to know how literal the whole description should be taken.

V. 13-14 “as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit,” “like a scroll being rolled up.”

Regardless, it is a scene of catastrophe and distress for the whole earth.

This is the “terrible visitation of God’s final judgment on the earth.”

No matter how literal this passage ends up being…

“All hell broke loose.”

The luminaries that have marked earth’s times since creation (Gen. 1:14) will be removed.

This is a preview of the coming destruction of the first heaven and earth, but not necessarily the end of the world.

Similar imagery is used in Ezekiel, Joel and Isaiah.

These are big signs that the end has arrived…obviously if we witness something this drastic.

v. 15-17 You can run, but you can’t hide.

The entire population of rebellious humanity (rich and pour, great and small, slave and free) ran and hid themselves in caves because they were afraid.

These people would rather be buried under mountains and rocks than face the pain and terror of God’s judgment.

Since all kinds of people are included, we cannot say that God’s wrath is only directed at the powerful or rich or “wicked.”

God’s judgment will fall on all who refuse to repent and instead worship demons or idols and persecute Christians.

What are these people afraid of? The wrath of the Lamb.

An interesting metaphor because Lambs are usually gentle.

Jesus may be the Lamb of God, but he’s also God and God can be gentle and wrathful.

Lamb of God the band...

We always want to have a healthy respect for both sides of God. (today’s theme)

And that’s why in Revelation the wrath of God and of the Lamb is a continuing theme.

Let’s also not forget that God’s wrath is a present reality as well as an eschatological judgment.

God is God of the OT, NT and Revelation.

Conclusion:

UT sports headlines, “Saints Sinners”

One of the most severe fines in NFL history…they deserve it.

When that great day of wrath comes, who can stand?

Wow, all this doom and gloom, where is the hope?

Those who have given their hearts and life to Christ have nothing to fear.

Revelation 6:1-8 “The four horsemen of the apocalypse ”

Intro... The four horsemen of the apocalypse.

I think most people who have never even studied Revelation have heard of the four horsemen…

Although some interpretations differ, the four riders commonly are seen as symbolizing: Conquest, War, Famine and Death.

The Christian apocalyptic vision is that the four horsemen are to set a divine apocalypse upon the world as messengers of the Last Judgment.

This is the beginning of the great tribulation.

Text: Revelation 6:1-8

Big Pic: We don’t need to be afraid of God’s judgment when we know our hearts are truly His.

We go from Jesus’ words of instruction and warning to the seven churches, to images of worship before the throne of God in heaven…

Revelation now shifts to events on earth and God’s judgment.

Revelation 4-7, spans the entire time period between Christ's first coming and His return.

This section, is describing for us the history of the church in the world as she lives between the first coming of Christ and His return.

Last week we talked about the seven seals that protect the scroll, which reveals the future of mankind.

The first four seals are different from the last two in that they describe four horses of different colors with riders who are given different powers over the earth.

Zechariah’s visions of these horsemen are divine instruments of judgment of the enemies of God’s people.

v. 2 The white horse whose rider has a bow and a crown, came out to conquer.

Some people think this horse represents Christ, however, Rev. 19:11-16 is a better description of Christ on a white horse.

Remember the Lamb (who is Christ) is the one who opens the seals, so he can’t also be the one on the while horse here.

The rider on the white horse could more likely represent God’s enemy, the Antichrist and his forces which seek to conquer the followers of Christ.

The bow and crown represent war and conquest.

When we go with this explanation of the rider on the white horse, then we can see how each of the four seals (horses and riders) represent the conflict directed at Christians to test them and sift out false disciples.

v. 3 The red horse whose rider represents war (“permitted to take peace from the earth so that people should slay one another”) and he was given a great sword.

The color red symbolizes bloodshed and slaughter.

The great sword permitted the rider to take peace from the earth.

With the first horse, the pursuit of conquest brings bloodshed.

v. 5-6 The black horse whose rider carries scales for measuring grains and their prices.

This horsemen represents poverty and famine.

The grain prices cited here about 12 times normal.

Conquest and war will destroy trade routes driving prices up and producing scarcity.

Oil and wine…staple foods in the East, so this third seal brings poverty and partial, but not severe famine.

v. 7-8 The pale horse whose rider represents death and Hades (Hell).

2 Pale Rider “A mysterious preacher protects a humble prospector village from a greedy mining company trying to encroach on their land.”

Pale, yellowish-green, depicting death and decomposition-of a sick person in contrast to a healthy appearance.

This death is brought on by pestilence or plague, which often follows famine.

Death is no respecter of persons; it comes to believer and unbeliever alike.

Yet for the believer, there is comfort in knowing that we belong to the One who holds the keys to Hades and Death.

Death sums up the disasters symbolized by the white, red and black horses.

So these are God’s judgments carried out by various agencies, conquest, the sword, famine, plague and the wild beasts (horses) of the earth.

Even with the fourth horse, death, their authority to kill is limited to a fourth of the earth.

However, even a fourth of the earth would be a great tribulation, such that has never been seen before.

So…Revelation 6-19 could represent the great tribulation.

God’s providence restrains both his own wrath and humanity’s violence.

Four horsemen… four ends of the earth or the four corners of the earth.

These four horsemen ride forth to the ends of the earth; no part of the earth is left untouched. God’s judgment is total.

The horsemen of the apocalypse proclaim to us the activity of God!

God is active in the salvation of His people and in the judgments He pours forth upon the unrepentant.

In the same sense, hearing the word of God taught, either by me or someone else should wake us up to God’s judgment.

Let’s listen to God’s judgment now so when the four horsemen of the apocalypse show up, we are not afraid.

The image of the four horsemen/four winds/four corners of the earth/four tools of death is a theme in Zechariah, Daniel, Ezekiel and Jeremiah.

In Matthew 24-25 known as “The Olivet Discourse” (because Jesus sat on the Mt. of Olives) he speaks of the same judgment and tribulations.

So the concern is not so much for the detail specifics of each rider, but that they represent God’s judgment on the entire earth.

Conclusion:

It is Christ Himself who sends forth the judgments that proceed from the opening of those seals.

God’s judgment is swift and sure, that’s never changed whatever imagery you use.

These four horsemen of the apocalypse are intended to point us to another Horseman. We read of Him in Revelation 19:11-16.

Are we ready for the Horsemen?

Psalm 68: 1-2, 17, 32-34

We find similar imagery in Zechariah 6:1-8.

In these passages we find the Lord coming from His holy habitation, riding upon the chariots, bringing judgment upon the wicked, and at the same time salvation for His people.

We need to remember that no matter who is riding on these horses, Christ will be the ultimate victor. (17:14)

Big Pic: We don’t need to be afraid of God’s judgment when we know our hearts are truly His.