“WHERE PEACE SHOULD FLOURISH!”
“Have peace with one another” (Mark 9:50).
“If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18).
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God”
(Matthews 5:9).
“The Church is where peace should flourish. The disgrace of the Church, in too many cases, in too many communities, is its envyings, jealousies, ill-natured scandal, idle gossip, love of pre-eminence, willingness to impute the worst possible motives to one another, having sharp eyes for our brother’s failings and none for our own. Where these abound peace vanishes, rumbling and discontent prevail, and divisiveness rears its ugly head. But these same things characterize the world of unredeemed, unconverted, unloving men! Should not the Church present a strong contrast to the world and show the world a different spirit and a different tone than its own? But does it? Why not?”
(Alex. Maclaren – Adapted).
When David sinned against God by committing adultery with Bathsheba and causing her husband Uriah to be murdered, the Prophet Nathan said to the King, the Lord’s anointed, “By this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme.” (II Samuel 12:14). At this moment David was not a good representative of the Lord.
Likewise when churches do not exhibit the true spirit of Jesus their Lord, but act with unbrotherly attitudes, the world is given occasion to speak evil of the Savior and His Gospel. This should not be.
God is the God of peace. Jesus came bestowing peace and making peace, reconciliation, and brotherly love possible. Paul mentions in the greetings or closings of most of his epistles “Peace” (the O.T. greetings/blessing) and “Grace” (the N.T. salutation/benediction). The Church is to be a body of peace-loving, peace-making, peace-keeping people! Every effort is to be made by every Church and every Christian “to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”!
Never in the history of the United States has there been a greater need for the demonstration of the peace of Jesus Christ! The Church, we Christians, are to be the living manifestation of this peace! Let joy abound! Let grace be multiplied! Let love prevail! Let peace flourish! When the world sees what happy, loving, peace-practicing folk we are, won’t it want the same Jesus who makes it happen?
Larry Atkin, Preacher
Monday, June 29, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
"THE HOLY STANDARD!"
“Pilate therefore said to Him, Are You a King then? Jesus answered, You say rightly that I am a King.” (John 18:37).
”For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (II Cor. 5:21).
“One of the most dangerous features of this irreligious culture in which we live is its tendency to elevate cleverness above goodness. If only a man in his walk of life has a touch of genius, that, it holds, more than atones for any defect in his ethical standards. But this quite certainly is not the view of Jesus! Nor is it the view of any Christian who is taking Jesus seriously! It is surely a strange and discreditable idea that because a man happens to write better, or paint better, or make better poetry than his neighbor, he is automatically exempted from certain of the moral standards to which his neighbor is expected to conform. That is not only absurd; it is a dangerous heresy. For in the realm of culture, Jesus claims, and rightly claims to be King… It comes to this. Everywhere, in art, literature, the theater, music, ethics, politics, all society, our standard is to be the character of Christ, the most gifted of men, yet without sin, that all our efforts and all our conduct may be judged in view of His white, scorching purity.”
(James S. Stewart – Adapted.)
It is such a common idea, that a person with talent, exceptional skills, or some degree of genius is exempt from the rules of society and the laws of God! Thus the celebrities of our nation, idolized by the masses, because they can sing, act, write, accumulate wealthy, or get elected to public office, often have barnyard morals and engage in the most licentious practices, but are excused, applauded, and imitated by many!
In God’s eyes there is one law for all and Jesus is both the example and the King! No one is “great” and worthy of our adoration, no matter how gifted he or she may be, or how successful, if they are living in open violation and deliberate disregard of the standards of holiness revealed in God’s Word!
The bad thing about the worship of heroes, icons, and idols is that the worshiper eventually comes to be just like them! There is room for just one King in our lives. Let us worship Him alone. And then some day perhaps we will become just like Him!
Larry Atkin, Preacher
”For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (II Cor. 5:21).
“One of the most dangerous features of this irreligious culture in which we live is its tendency to elevate cleverness above goodness. If only a man in his walk of life has a touch of genius, that, it holds, more than atones for any defect in his ethical standards. But this quite certainly is not the view of Jesus! Nor is it the view of any Christian who is taking Jesus seriously! It is surely a strange and discreditable idea that because a man happens to write better, or paint better, or make better poetry than his neighbor, he is automatically exempted from certain of the moral standards to which his neighbor is expected to conform. That is not only absurd; it is a dangerous heresy. For in the realm of culture, Jesus claims, and rightly claims to be King… It comes to this. Everywhere, in art, literature, the theater, music, ethics, politics, all society, our standard is to be the character of Christ, the most gifted of men, yet without sin, that all our efforts and all our conduct may be judged in view of His white, scorching purity.”
(James S. Stewart – Adapted.)
It is such a common idea, that a person with talent, exceptional skills, or some degree of genius is exempt from the rules of society and the laws of God! Thus the celebrities of our nation, idolized by the masses, because they can sing, act, write, accumulate wealthy, or get elected to public office, often have barnyard morals and engage in the most licentious practices, but are excused, applauded, and imitated by many!
In God’s eyes there is one law for all and Jesus is both the example and the King! No one is “great” and worthy of our adoration, no matter how gifted he or she may be, or how successful, if they are living in open violation and deliberate disregard of the standards of holiness revealed in God’s Word!
The bad thing about the worship of heroes, icons, and idols is that the worshiper eventually comes to be just like them! There is room for just one King in our lives. Let us worship Him alone. And then some day perhaps we will become just like Him!
Larry Atkin, Preacher
Monday, June 15, 2009
"JESUS IS LORD!"
“I do not receive testimony from man” (John 5:34).
“There is an idea abroad of a semi-dependent Christ. It is the idea that Christ appeals for help, men imagining that by professing Christianity they are doing Christ a favor. You know what is apt to happen whenever any prominent man of letters, or scientist, or celebrity writes an article, publishes a book, or gives an interview in which he speaks approvingly about Jesus of Nazareth and the Christian religion. Immediately there are crowds of Christians ready to applaud it, as if it were another feather in the cap of Christianity, ready to broadcast it excitedly; “So-and-So has given his note for Christianity; isn’t it fine?”—As much as to say, “How gratified Jesus must be that this man of the world, this sophisticated pagan has thrown Him a bouquet!” That is all wrong. It is a travesty of the truth. Christ does not court any man. Christ commands him! And Christianity does not consist in complimenting Christ as a genius, or artist, or poet, or teacher, or social reformer, or anything else whatsoever: it means bowing to Christ as Lord and Commander-in-chief. Christianity is being ready to make Christ’s will our law, His command our joy, and His hardest marching-orders the music of our life!”
(James S. Stewart – Adapted.)
It was Peter’s conclusion in his Pentecost sermon that “God has made this Jesus…both Lord and Christ!” (Acts 2:36). He asks no man leave to serve as King. God has powerfully proven in every conceivable way that Jesus is His Son and the Redeemer—by prophecy, by miracle, by angelic appearance, by Jesus’ own character, wisdom, and truth! Now it is up to us, and all men, to believe, receive, and obey Him! Nothing is lacking in evidence, proof, or testimony that Jesus requires additional witness from the world, or powerful or gifted men, or clever and cunning celebrities. Nor is any earthly prominent personality doing Jesus a favor by “joining the church”!”
Jesus calls us to Himself by the truth of His message, the love of His Father, and the splendor of His character! He is Lord and Savior! Let us bow before Him and keep His commands!
Larry Atkin, Preacher
“There is an idea abroad of a semi-dependent Christ. It is the idea that Christ appeals for help, men imagining that by professing Christianity they are doing Christ a favor. You know what is apt to happen whenever any prominent man of letters, or scientist, or celebrity writes an article, publishes a book, or gives an interview in which he speaks approvingly about Jesus of Nazareth and the Christian religion. Immediately there are crowds of Christians ready to applaud it, as if it were another feather in the cap of Christianity, ready to broadcast it excitedly; “So-and-So has given his note for Christianity; isn’t it fine?”—As much as to say, “How gratified Jesus must be that this man of the world, this sophisticated pagan has thrown Him a bouquet!” That is all wrong. It is a travesty of the truth. Christ does not court any man. Christ commands him! And Christianity does not consist in complimenting Christ as a genius, or artist, or poet, or teacher, or social reformer, or anything else whatsoever: it means bowing to Christ as Lord and Commander-in-chief. Christianity is being ready to make Christ’s will our law, His command our joy, and His hardest marching-orders the music of our life!”
(James S. Stewart – Adapted.)
It was Peter’s conclusion in his Pentecost sermon that “God has made this Jesus…both Lord and Christ!” (Acts 2:36). He asks no man leave to serve as King. God has powerfully proven in every conceivable way that Jesus is His Son and the Redeemer—by prophecy, by miracle, by angelic appearance, by Jesus’ own character, wisdom, and truth! Now it is up to us, and all men, to believe, receive, and obey Him! Nothing is lacking in evidence, proof, or testimony that Jesus requires additional witness from the world, or powerful or gifted men, or clever and cunning celebrities. Nor is any earthly prominent personality doing Jesus a favor by “joining the church”!”
Jesus calls us to Himself by the truth of His message, the love of His Father, and the splendor of His character! He is Lord and Savior! Let us bow before Him and keep His commands!
Larry Atkin, Preacher
Monday, June 8, 2009
"A WAY BACK!"
“Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son” (Genesis 22:13).
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
(John 1:29).
“The Old Testament prophets deepened Israel’s understanding of sin. All sin is sin against Jehovah, the covenant God. Sin is Israel’s breach of the covenant. Within the context of this understanding of sin is revealed the idea of atoning sacrifices as a manifestation of the grace of Jehovah. It was God’s way appointed for removing the sin barrier, of restoring the covenant, and of bringing Israel back into fellowship with their covenant God. Atoning sacrifices, then, are not so much man’s gift to God as God’s gift to man. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it for you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls” (Lev. 17:11). The blood through which atonement is effected is a gift from Jehovah God. The provision for sacrificial worship is made by the covenant God Himself. The apparatus of sacrifice is itself a gift graciously granted by the covenant God in order to give man the opportunity for confession and reparation.”
(Robert Culpepper – Adapted)
To sin is to break faith and fellowship with our Creator and God. So how do we rid ourselves of guilt, remove the sin barrier, and be restored to a right-standing and renewed fellowship with Him?
Man is wholly unable to purify his own soul and work his way back into God’s favor. But, because God is gracious and merciful, because He loves us with a love which defies comprehension, He Himself has provided the way back! It is the way of blood sacrifice! The Lord has instructed how it is to be done (priest and altar) and has even provided the sacrifice!
As God provided the ram to Abraham to be offered in Isaacs’s place, and as He provided all the lambs to Israel through the centuries to be offered in behalf of guilty sinners, so He provided the Son of His love to be offered as an atonement for all men! Thus went Jesus to Calvary, the gift of God to the world that through His death we might be forgiven, restored, and live eternally!
What a great God, what a great gift, what a great love! May we in gratitude return His love and serve Him forever!
Larry Atkin, Preacher
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
(John 1:29).
“The Old Testament prophets deepened Israel’s understanding of sin. All sin is sin against Jehovah, the covenant God. Sin is Israel’s breach of the covenant. Within the context of this understanding of sin is revealed the idea of atoning sacrifices as a manifestation of the grace of Jehovah. It was God’s way appointed for removing the sin barrier, of restoring the covenant, and of bringing Israel back into fellowship with their covenant God. Atoning sacrifices, then, are not so much man’s gift to God as God’s gift to man. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it for you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls” (Lev. 17:11). The blood through which atonement is effected is a gift from Jehovah God. The provision for sacrificial worship is made by the covenant God Himself. The apparatus of sacrifice is itself a gift graciously granted by the covenant God in order to give man the opportunity for confession and reparation.”
(Robert Culpepper – Adapted)
To sin is to break faith and fellowship with our Creator and God. So how do we rid ourselves of guilt, remove the sin barrier, and be restored to a right-standing and renewed fellowship with Him?
Man is wholly unable to purify his own soul and work his way back into God’s favor. But, because God is gracious and merciful, because He loves us with a love which defies comprehension, He Himself has provided the way back! It is the way of blood sacrifice! The Lord has instructed how it is to be done (priest and altar) and has even provided the sacrifice!
As God provided the ram to Abraham to be offered in Isaacs’s place, and as He provided all the lambs to Israel through the centuries to be offered in behalf of guilty sinners, so He provided the Son of His love to be offered as an atonement for all men! Thus went Jesus to Calvary, the gift of God to the world that through His death we might be forgiven, restored, and live eternally!
What a great God, what a great gift, what a great love! May we in gratitude return His love and serve Him forever!
Larry Atkin, Preacher
Monday, June 1, 2009
"A WAY BACK!"
“Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son” (Genesis 22:13).
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
“The Old Testament prophets deepened Israel’s understanding of sin. All sin is sin against Jehovah, the covenant God. Sin is Israel’s breach of the covenant. Within the context of this understanding of sin is revealed the idea of atoning sacrifices as a manifestation of the grace of Jehovah. It was God’s way appointed for removing the sin barrier, of restoring the covenant, and of bringing Israel back into fellowship with their covenant God. Atoning sacrifices, then, are not so much man’s gift to God as God’s gift to man. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it for you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls” (Lev. 17:11). The blood through which atonement is effected is a gift from Jehovah God. The provision for sacrificial worship is made by the covenant God Himself. The apparatus of sacrifice is itself a gift graciously granted by the covenant God in order to give man the opportunity for confession and reparation.”
(Robert Culpepper – Adapted)
To sin is to break faith and fellowship with our Creator and God. So how do we rid ourselves of guilt, remove the sin barrier, and be restored to a right-standing and renewed fellowship with Him?
Man is wholly unable to purify his own soul and work his way back into God’s favor. But, because God is gracious and merciful, because He loves us with a love which defies comprehension, He Himself has provided the way back! It is the way of blood sacrifice! The Lord has instructed how it is to be done (priest and altar) and has even provided the sacrifice!
As God provided the ram to Abraham to be offered in Isaacs’s place, and as He provided all the lambs to Israel through the centuries to be offered in behalf of guilty sinners, so He provided the Son of His love to be offered as an atonement for all men! Thus went Jesus to Calvary, the gift of God to the world, that through His death we might be forgiven, restored, and live eternally!
What a great God, what a great gift, what a great love! May we in gratitude return His love and serve Him forever!
Larry Atkin, Preacher
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
“The Old Testament prophets deepened Israel’s understanding of sin. All sin is sin against Jehovah, the covenant God. Sin is Israel’s breach of the covenant. Within the context of this understanding of sin is revealed the idea of atoning sacrifices as a manifestation of the grace of Jehovah. It was God’s way appointed for removing the sin barrier, of restoring the covenant, and of bringing Israel back into fellowship with their covenant God. Atoning sacrifices, then, are not so much man’s gift to God as God’s gift to man. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it for you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls” (Lev. 17:11). The blood through which atonement is effected is a gift from Jehovah God. The provision for sacrificial worship is made by the covenant God Himself. The apparatus of sacrifice is itself a gift graciously granted by the covenant God in order to give man the opportunity for confession and reparation.”
(Robert Culpepper – Adapted)
To sin is to break faith and fellowship with our Creator and God. So how do we rid ourselves of guilt, remove the sin barrier, and be restored to a right-standing and renewed fellowship with Him?
Man is wholly unable to purify his own soul and work his way back into God’s favor. But, because God is gracious and merciful, because He loves us with a love which defies comprehension, He Himself has provided the way back! It is the way of blood sacrifice! The Lord has instructed how it is to be done (priest and altar) and has even provided the sacrifice!
As God provided the ram to Abraham to be offered in Isaacs’s place, and as He provided all the lambs to Israel through the centuries to be offered in behalf of guilty sinners, so He provided the Son of His love to be offered as an atonement for all men! Thus went Jesus to Calvary, the gift of God to the world, that through His death we might be forgiven, restored, and live eternally!
What a great God, what a great gift, what a great love! May we in gratitude return His love and serve Him forever!
Larry Atkin, Preacher
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