Now That is the God of the Bible!
Ephesians 2:1-10
Introduction:
Archeologists have unearthed and discovered over 1,000 temples designed to host collective worship to over 5,000 gods and goddesses. The Egyptians, the Sumerians, the Romans, the Greeks, the Assyrians, the Canaanites, the Mayans, the Aztecs and the list goes on and on. So many dedicated and committed followers that sacrificed so much to these false religions, some even going as far as to sacrifice their firstborn child on their altars. These gods and goddesses were presented by the priests who led the people in worship as deities who demanded sacrifice and deities who compelled people to service by motivating them with fear. All of this dedication and sacrifice with no results and no response, their gods remained silent unable to move.
And then there is the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible stepped out from eternity and informed us that “in the beginning God” -Gen. 1:1 and “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God” – John 1:1. There is no defense or explanation, there are no apologetics used, God simply steps out from eternity and introduces Himself as the “I AM” –Ex. 3:14 And it is our God of the Bible that is in contrast to every other god or goddess that was ever worshipped in that He is all powerful, all knowing, all present, all loving and He not only created us but desires an intimate day-by-day relationship with us. He does not compel us to service by motivating us with fear but compels us to service by motivating us with love, in that “while we were yet sinners He sent His Son to die for us” –Rom. 5:8
What has God done that would cause me to be so excited? Excited enough to stand back in amazement and awe with anticipation declaring, “Now That is the God of the Bible?!”
1. He Received His Christ Yesterday:
• As a Lamb:
In Christian Living, Lafadio Hearn tells of a Japanese seashore village over a hundred years ago, where an earthquake startled the villagers one autumn evening. But, being accustomed to earthquakes, they soon went back to their activities. Above the village on a high plain, an old farmer was watching from his house. He looked at the sea, and the water appeared dark and acted strangely, moving against the wind, running away from the land. The old man knew what it meant. His one thought was to warn the people in the village. He called to his grandson, “Bring me a torch! Make haste!” In the fields behind him lay his great crop of rice. Piled in stacks ready for the market, it was worth a fortune. The old man hurried out with his torch. In a moment the dry stacks were blazing. Then the big bell pealed from the temple below: Fire! Back from the beach, away from the strange sea, up the steep side of the cliff came the people of the village. They were coming to try to save the crops of their rich neighbor. “He’s mad!” they shouted. As they reached the plain, the old man shouted back at the top of his voice, “Look!” At the edge of the horizon they saw a long, lean, dim line –a line that thickened as they gazed. That line was the sea, rising like a high wall and coming more swiftly than a kit flies. It drew back, roaring. Then is struck over and over again into the shore. Destroying all of the homes to matchsticks. On the plain no word was spoken. Then the voice of the old man was heard, saying gently, “That is why I set fire to the rice.” He stood among them almost as poor as the poorest, for his wealth was gone-but he had saved over 400 lives by his sacrifice.
Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, sacrificed more than His wealth, although He did give up Glory to don human flesh. And He was able to save more than 400 people from death. He was able to reconcile the entire human race by His gift that we might not be eternally separated from God the Father. John the Baptist declared Him as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” –John 1:29. And Jesus loved us so very much, that when His creation prepared to nail Him to a tree He created, when “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opens not his mouth.”-Isa. 53:7. He sacrificed so much as the lamb, even tasting death that we might have life and that we “might have it more abundantly”-John 10:10.
• As a Lion:
Last week I shared some statistics that reveal how our country is declining morally. While you were visibly shocked when I read statistics such as over 3 million children being sexually abused and used in child pornography every year, please never buy into the lie that either God must be dead or He must not care to allow things like this to happen. No matter what the statistics reveal about how our country and world are declining morally. No matter how sinful and wicked our culture becomes, NEVER believe or buy into the lie that God is dead, does not care or that our Lord is not in control! Because Jesus Christ was accepted by God as the sacrificial lamb, He rose from the dead after three days and returned to His position at the right hand of God the Father “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” –Heb. 1:3 and retains His rightful title of the “Lion of the tribe of Judah”-Rev. 5:5.
Do not mistake the humility shown by Jesus, when He came the first time as a lamb, as a weakness. Do not mistake the silence exhibited by Jesus, when He came the first time as a lamb, as ignorance. Do not mistake the death of Jesus, when He came the first time as a lamb, as being powerless.
I tell you the truth. There is coming a day when the clouds will break open and Jesus will return to this Earth, “For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”-Rom. 14:11. He is coming again and next time it will be with full pomp, power and position. He came as a lamb once quiet, but He is coming again and “And out of his mouth goes forth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” –Rev. 19:15. He came as a lamb the first time to die, but He is coming again to show the entire world that He is alive and well and no grave or government can stand the way of Him avenging the blood of His people and establishing His Kingdom on earth. He came the first time as a lamb, but the next time He comes it will be as a lion, the question is, are we ready?
1. He Received His Christ Yesterday:
2. He Reclaims and Renames His Children Today:
• We are Reclaimed:
“Among whom also we all had our behavior in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”-Eph. 2:3. Our culture loves to think we are all children of God. We love to picture everyone holding hands, skipping through a field of tulips, singing Kumbaya as we make our way to heaven. The truth is that “as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” –Rom. 5:12 However there is great news! It is called the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God has sent His Son Jesus Christ to live as an example and to die for salvation “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”-Acts 26:18. Christian, today you may not be all that you should be, but praise the LORD you are not who you used to be! For you, Child of God, have been reclaimed!
• We are Renamed:
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”-Rev. 2:17. When I was four, my Mom and Dad got a divorce and my Dad moved away. A year or so later my Mom remarried. The first thing my Mom said I did when she introduced me to her fiancé was to grab his leg and ask if he would be my new Dad. As the years went on having a different last name than my Mom and Dad really started to affect me. The kids in school assured me that my new Dad would adopt me and change my name. I even started writing my name on school papers, hoping to inspire my new Dad to adopt me and change my name to his so I would finally feel like I was part of this family. As a last ditch effort, I boldly approached my Step-Dad and asked if I could have his name. When that did not work, I simply gave up hope that I would ever be a real part of this newly formed family.
At twenty-one, when I came to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ I was told by those around me, including the pastor, that I was now a part of the family of God. WOW! Then to find Revelation 2:17 that explained that I had really been adopted and finally given a new name, something I had been seeking for 17 years! When I was attending Calvary Baptist Chapel in Tazewell years ago, the choir used to sing a special song entitled “A New Name Written Down in Glory”. We may not have been the best sounding 25 member choirs that ever lived, but that choir had some folks in it that really believed what they were singing. I remember “Bud” used to hold his hand up every time we would sing this song and tears would roll down his face when he sang the words “there’s a new name written down in glory and its mine, yes its mine and the white robbed angles sing the story, a sinner has come home..with my sins forgiving I am bound for heaven, never more to roam” I often wonder if Bud had a story similar to mine that caused this song to mean more to him than anyone else in the choir. PRAISE GOD, THROUGH SALVATION, HE HAS GIVEN US A NEW NAME!
1. He Received His Christ Yesterday:
2. He Reclaims and Renames His Children Today:
3. He will Release and Reward His Church Tomorrow!:
• He Will Release us from Burdens:
Death is a gift for the child of God…for only through death can we be released from sorrows…Paul said that he was “in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better” Phil. 1:23.Why did he say that departure by death was better? Because he knew that to “live is Christ and to die is gain”- Phil. 1:21, and that death would allow him to be with Christ forever. While we were saved from the penalty of sin yesterday and the power of sin today we must wait for the rapture or death to be saved from the very presence of sin tomorrow. The reason I believe so many “Christians” struggle with this life and all of its trials and tribulations, is their expectations are misguided. I do not believe what the prosperity preachers are spreading: that in this life we can be free of trouble and have the nicest homes, most luxurious cars, fattest bank accounts and disease free health. I prefer to believe the Bible that tells us that “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble”-Job 14:1 and I prefer to believe the words of my Lord when He says “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”-John 16:33 so, my expectations of trouble, trials and tribulation for this world never let me down or impact my faith. I do not expect this world to be heaven. That is what makes the prospect of heaven so grand, and to understand that heaven can only be attained through the rapture or death, I now see death as a gift from God.
• He Will Release us from Bodies:
Death is a gift for the child of God…for only through death can we be released from the confines and limitations of these bodies. “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”-Phil. 3:20-21. I heard about an elderly couple that came back from a wedding one afternoon and were in a pretty romantic mood. While sitting on the loveseat, the elderly woman looked at her companion and said, “I remember when you used to kiss me every chance you had.” The old man feeling a bit obliged leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek. Then she said, “I also remember when you used to hold my hand at every opportunity.” The old man again feeling obligated reached over and gently placed his hand on hers. The elderly woman then stated, “I also remember when you used to nibble on my neck and send chills down my spine.” This time the old man had a blank stare on his face and started to get up off the couch. As he began to walk out of the living room his wife asked, “Was it something I said? Where are you going?” The old man looked back at her and replied, “I’m going in the other room to get my teeth!”
Old age is no fun! When our own Rhonda fell down on the floor while playing with the children in AWANA, the announcement heard by some of our members over the emergency radio frequency was “we have an elderly woman down at CommUNITY Church”! Old age is no fun, BUT, when death comes for the believer, we will be given bodies that are no longer limited, bodies that are not affected by: bad knees, old hips, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, fibromyalgia, arthritis, migraines, kidney disease, heart disease and the list goes on and on. We will be set FREE! And if the “Son shall set you free, you will be free indeed”-John 8:36 Yes, death is a gift for the believer.
• He Will Reward us for our Sacrifice and Service:
Never think that you are going unnoticed, that you are not making a difference in what you are doing in the name of our Lord “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” –Heb. 6:10. Our sacrifice and our service is all in vain unless we are motivated by love, compelled by the Holy Spirit and minister in His Name. As you evaluate your life of service, be honest. Are you really being sacrificial in the sharing of your tithe, talents and time? When was the last time it actually hurt when you gave in the name of the Lord? Here is another question: What more could Jesus Christ had done for you to be more faithful, committed and dedicated than you are? He stands ready to reward you for your sacrifice and your service. “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”-I Cor. 9:24-27
And, while I look forward to receiving crowns of reward up there for my sacrifice and service down here, I look more forward to making my Father proud and hearing Him say “Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”-Matt. 25:23
Prayer/Invitation
