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turn with me to
Luke 4:20
20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
Matthew 17:8
8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.
Acts 8:35
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
These are all wonderful texts that we have read this morning
"The eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on Him." That is the way it always ought to be.
"They looked up and saw no man, save Jesus only." That is the way it always ought to be.
And, "he began at the same scripture and preached unto him Jesus." That's the way it always ought to be.
in John 12:21 The Grecian people came one time looking for Jesus. They simply said these words, "Sirs, we would see Jesus," John 12:21.
that should be our desire this morning
Matthew 6:33
"But Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you"
I have a very interesting fact that I want to share with you.
some people might say this is just a coincidence
but Did you know that out of the 27 books in the New Testament, 23 of them jump right into Jesus in the very first verse?
that tells me that we ought to put jesus first
There are only four books in the New Testament, out of the total twenty-seven, that do not talk about Jesus in the first verse
Those books are: Luke, Hebrews, II John and III John.
Jesus is mentioned either by name or description in the first verse of Matthew, John, Acts, Romans, I and II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I AND II Thessalonians, I and II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, James, I and II Peter, I John, Jude, and Revelation.
Now, in Hebrews, the first verse does not mention His name. In the second verse, it mentions the word "Son." But in Hebrews 1:3, it jumps right into mention about the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 John gives a two verse introduction then jumps into mention the name Jesus in verse 3
with all of that we should learn that in everything we do, Christ ought to be first?
He ought to be first in our music.
He ought to be first in our preaching.
He ought to be first in our Sunday school.
He ought to be first in our work.
He ought to be first at school.
Jesus says, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
In Matthew 1:1, we find these words in the first verse of the first chapter: "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ."
In Mark 1:1 we find, "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ."
In John 1:1, we find, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God."
In Acts 1:1, we find, "All that Jesus began both to do and to teach."
In Romans 1:1, "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ."
In I Corinthians 1:1 we find, "Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ."
In II Corinthians 1:1, we find, "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God."
In Galatians 1:1, we find "Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither of man, but by Jesus Christ.)"
In Ephesians 1:1 the first verse, we find, "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God."
In Philippians 1:1, we find "Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ."
In Colossians 1:1, we find "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ."
In I Thessalonians 1:1 we read, "Paul, and Silvanus, said Timotheus…Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
In II Thessalonians 1:1 "Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus…in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
In I Timothy 1:1, we find in the first verse, "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God."
In II Timothy 1:1 we find "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God."
In Titus 1:1 we find, "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ."
In Philemon 1 we find, "Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ."
In Hebrews 1:1,2 we find, "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the prophets by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son."
In James we find, "James, a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ."
In I Peter 1:1 we find, "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ."
In II Peter 1:1 we find, "Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ."
In I John 1:1 we find, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our own hands have handled, of the Word of life." This does not say "Jesus", but speaks of Him, the Son of God.
In Jude 1:1 we find, "Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ."
And in Revelation 1:1 we find, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ."
Now I have gone through every book in the New Testament, (except the three that was mentioned a moment ago), and have read for you the first statement in that book.
That means 24 times out of 27 times in the Word of God in the New Testament, we jump right into Jesus Christ.
That means at school in 2014, Jesus Christ ought to be the first thing in your life. That means where you work in 2014, Jesus Christ ought to be the first thing in your life.
That means at home, on the job, at church, everywhere you go, Jesus ought to be first,
every book in the New Testament, save three, starts off with a direct mention of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, there is a lesson for us here
How do we start things off?
We usually start off in some other way.
But the apostles and those who wrote the New Testament started off about Jesus Christ.
There is something else we can learn from this
Jesus is the need for all people.
The New Testament was written for many, many people.
stop and think for a minute.
Matthew was written by a man from near the Sea of Galilee, in the City of Capernaum.
Mark was written by a person from the same basic area. John, the same thing.
Acts was written by Luke.
Romans, I and II Corinthians and, in fact, all the books down through Philemon, were written by the apostle Paul.
Now follow me. He wrote to the Church of Galatia and started off talking about Jesus Christ. Galatia was north of Palestine.
what they needed was Jesus Christ
He wrote to the Christians in Rome. Rome is in Italy, in Europe.
what they needed was Jesus Christ.
Whether it is in Galatia, north of Jerusalem, or in Rome in Europe,
they need the Lord Jesus Christ.
Think about the Church over in Greece, just about 30 or 60 miles from Athens.
Their need was the Lord Jesus Christ.
Then there is the church at Ephesus in Asia.
Their need was the Lord Jesus Christ.
Then there was the church at Philippi;
their need was the Lord Jesus Christ.
There is the church of Colosse
their need was Jesus Christ.
There is the church at Thessalonica in Greece,
their need was Jesus Christ.
There is Titus on the Island of Crete,
the need was Jesus Christ.
There is John on the Isle of Patmos,
the need was Jesus Christ.
There is the Book of Hebrews, to all of the Hebrews scattered all over the known world;
their need was Jesus Christ.
You can check out the entire New Testament and you will find that it doesn't matter who the people were.
It doesn't matter where the nation was.
It doesn't matter what the circumstances were.
The need was the Lord Jesus Christ.
Do you know what we need today in America to solve our problems,
to change our dirty lives,
to change our rotten politics & government
to change our slide toward hell?
Do you know what America needs?
we needs Jesus.
That is what we need.
That is the need. Whether they are in London, England, or canada, or germany, or china, or wherever
They need Jesus Christ.
doesn't matter who you are,
rich or poor
young or old
healthy or not
you need Jesus.
you say, well preacher I come from a very good background.
I was raised right I don't lie, cheat, or steal
Okay, you still need to be born again
You say, well preacher I help the poor & needy & if i see someone who needs help I always try to help them
that's good!
if you are not saved You still need to get converted.
Old, young, rich, poor, white, black, whatever if you don't get born again, you are going to go to hell just like any other sinner.
The need of everybody, whether Thessalonica or Rome or Galatia or Jerusalem or Ephesus or Philippi, wherever it is,
the need is the Lord Jesus Christ.
I want to see this church grow
I want to see people get saved
I believe what it will take for that to happen is that Jesus be exalted!
We must exalt Jesus!
You say what you want to say, but there is an attractiveness in the preaching of Jesus that people still want to hear.
"In these days of dying churches and congregations going out of business, " I'll tell you what we need to do and that is lift up Jesus!
Jesus said in John 12:32 "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me."
nowadays preachers want to use fancy words motivational messages & deep theology
The honest truth is what we need to be preaching is Jesus Christ & him crucified. not deep theology and fancy words
Billy Sunday used to say, "I hate botany, but I love flowers. I hate zoology but I love animals. And I hate theology but I love God." And what the world needs is a simple exaltation of Christ.
That's what Matthew did.
That's what Mark did.
That's what John did.
That's what Luke did in Acts.
That's what Paul did in Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Timothy, Titus and Philemon.
That's what Peter did in I and II Peter.
That's what Jude did in Jude.
There is nothing wrong with this nation that a generation of preachers filled with the Holy Spirit and lifting up the name of Jesus Christ couldn't cure.
nowadays churches have motivational speakers using all the right words
singers that are entertainers with a lot of glitter and shine
people want to gather around whats popular, whats cool, what they think is fun
I say Let's gather around Christ!
Somebody said, "The Bible is Jesus on paper." then let's get back to the bible
the Gospel is not complicated
What this world needs is a simple presentation and exaltation of the person of Jesus Christ!
you mark it down that I made this statement today
this church will grow in direct proportion to the way we magnify the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
the simple message of Jesus Christ & him crucified that's what we need
the message that Jesus saves
it don't matter who you are where you've been or what you've done
Jesus saves
we all need Jesus
don't complicate it it's just that simple
Don't read the Bible like a calculus book. Read it like a love story!
what the alcoholics need? Jesus Christ.
what the fallen man needs? Jesus Christ.
What the dope addict needs? Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ! That's the need!
if you get online or go to classes they tell you a whole long list of what it takes to win souls to The Lord.
Well i'm not bragging but i was blessed to be able to lead 80 souls to Jesus last church year.
If I did what they said in the soul-winning courses I'd have to carry a four-drawer filing cabinet soul winning with me.
people don't need your cute arguments.
They need Jesus. That's what they need.
The church of Corinth, needed Christ.
The church as Thessalonica,needed Christ!
The church at Ephesus, needed Christ!
The church at Colosse, needed Christ.
The Church at Philippi, needed Christ!
All throughout the Bible, all types of people needed the Lord Jesus Christ.
now you say what you want to say,
but I tell you if you're not saved today what you need is not a trip to the psychiatrist. Your need is not a trip to the psychologist.
Your need is not a college education or some school with a major in philosophy. Your need is a trip to an old-fashioned altar and a face-to-face confrontation with Jesus Christ.
That's the need of all lost people!
It's Jesus Christ.
I will tell you that I have come to this conclusion: If you reach people, you're going to have to reach them, not with fancy words or motivational speeches, not with entertainment or loud worldly like music, not with illuminated sermons but with a simple presentation that man is a sinner. Christ died for sinners and Christ is the answer. That's the need of the world!
we need preachers who just get up and preach Him. Christ is the answer!
if we're going to reach people we are going to have to reach them with the simple Gospel of Jesus Christ.
we ought to exalt Christ.
Matthew, Mark, John, Luke, Paul, Peter, Jude, all of them, jumped right in exalting Jesus Christ.
that's why we ought to put Him first.
That's why Matthew 6:33 says, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…"
Jesus first. Jesus first in Matthew, Mark, John, Acts, Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians.
Jesus first in jeffersonville ohio,
Jesus first in school, at work, at home, in your personal life.
Just Jesus first.
real quick I know i've been long winded today, real quick let me list a few things God wants to be first
God wants the first years
young people, give God the first years of your life
be dedicated.
Put Jesus first in the first years.
I believe that we should give God the first day of the week Sunday ought to be different.
God wants the first fruits of your income. The tithe is the Lord's. One dime of every dollar. In fact, the first dime of every dollar belongs to God.
Then God wants first place in your life.
Matthew 6:33, "But seek you first the kingdom of God and His righteousness."
First place is what He wants.
today is the first day of the rest of your lives let's start it off like they started it off in 24 of the 27 books of the New Testament. Jesus first.
First years of your life.
First day of the week.
First fruits of your income or your increase,
and first place in your life.
I close with this true story.
A missionary came back from Africa. The missionary saw ladies worshiping the Nile River. They believed that they could appease their gods by bringing their babies and offering their babies to the crocodiles in the river. The missionary who saw this said he stood on the banks of the river, and he saw these ladies. One lady had two little babies. One was scrawny, skinny and sickly. The other was a picture of health, a beautiful, rosy-cheeked baby. There were the crocodiles of the river. There was the river worshiped as God by this lady. One of these babies she was going to throw as a sacrifice to her god. She put the babies on the ground. On this side was the little, scrawny, sickly one. On this side was the beautiful, healthy baby. Then she took up the little beautiful baby, rosy cheeked, and threw it in the river in the mouths of the hungry crocodiles."
The missionary ran down quickly and said, "Wait a minute! Wait a minute!" But it was too late. This heathen lady had given her baby. Then the missionary said, "Why? The little baby couldn't have lived long. Why didn't you save the healthy baby and sacrifice the skinny, sickly one?" And the heathen lady said, in her own way, "Sir, I do not know what god you serve or what god you worship. I do not know about your god, sir, but my god deserves my best." And with that she took her little sickly baby and went back to the woods.
well don't go home saying that I condoned that type of false worship but the point of that story is that our God deserves our best.
He deserves your best.
First place in your life.
Put Jesus first
& if you haven't already done so then let me tell you one more time you need Jesus!
this altar is open
Let us pray.
