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Articles from Pastor Jon's Blog

1 Thessalonians 3:1-3 2007-04-19 00:00:00 1 Thessalonians 3 - Appointed to Affliction A. An appointment to affliction. 1. (1-3) Why Paul sent Timothy to the Thessalonians. Therefore, when we could no longer endure it, we thought it good to be left in Athens alone, and sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith, that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this. a. Sent Timothy . . . to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith: In the previous chapter Paul explained how much he wanted to be with the Thessalonians during their time of trial (1 Thessalonians 2:17-18). However, since Paul could not be with the Thessalonians himself he did the next best thing. He sent his trusted companion and fellow worker Timothy to them. i. We thought it good to be left in Athens alone: For the sake of the Thessalonians, Paul was willing to be left in Athens alon ...

Romans 5:20b-21 2007-04-18 00:00:00 Romans 5 - Benefits of Being Justified through Faith ?In the whole Bible there is hardly another chapter which can equal this triumphant text.? (Martin Luther) 7. (20b-21) The reign of grace. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. a. If sin abounded under the law, then grace abounded much more under Jesus. Literally, the phrase abounded much more means ?super-abounded.? God makes His grace super-abound over abounding sin! i. We might have expected that where sin abounded, God?s anger or judgment would have abounded much more. But God?s love is so amazing that grace abounded much more where we might have expected wrath. ii. If grace super-abounds over sin, then we know that it is impossible to out-sin the grace of God. We can?t sin more than God can forgive, but we can reject His grace and forgiveness. b. As Paul stated before, sin reigned in ...

Romans 5:20a 2007-04-17 00:00:00 Romans 5 - Benefits of Being Justified through Faith ?In the whole Bible there is hardly another chapter which can equal this triumphant text.? (Martin Luther) 6. (20a) The purpose of the Law. Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. a. Paul has shown us that the law does not justify us. Now he shows that in itself, the law doesn?t even make us sinners - Adam did that. Then what purpose does the law serve? What good is it at all? Was the giving of the law God?s failed experiment? No. There is a clear purpose for the law, and part of it is so that the offense might abound. The law makes man?s sin clearer and greater by clearly contrasting it with God?s holy standard. i. The flaws in a precious stone abound when contrasted with a perfect stone, or when put against a contrasting backdrop. God?s perfect law exposes our flaws, and makes our sin abound. b. There is another way that the law makes sin abound. Because of the sinfulness of my heart, when I see a line drawn ...

1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 2007-04-16 00:00:00 1 Thessalonians 2 - Marks of Paul?s Ministry 3. (17-20) Paul explains his absence from the Thessalonians. But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. Therefore we wanted to come to you; even I, Paul, time and again; but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy. a. Away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face: Paul knew that the Thessalonians appreciated the comfort he gave, but they wondered why he didn?t come and bring this comfort in person. They naturally thought that this would be much better. Yet Paul assured them that the reason was not a lack of love or desire on his part. b. We wanted to come to you . . . but Satan hindered us: It wasn?t that Paul did not want to visit the Thes ...

Sunday Quotes 04.15.07 2007-04-15 05:00:00 "When I do wrong - it's me. When I do right - it's God." - Unknown "Christianity is not a cloak to put on - it's a life to put in. Christianity is not a cloak to put on - it's a life to put in." -- Unknown "In those times I can't seem to find God, I rest in the assurance He knows how to find me." -- Neva Coyle "A wise man seeks much counsel...a fool listens to all of it." -- Larry Burkett "The Word of God can be in the mind without being in the heart; but it cannot be in the heart without first being in the mind." -- R.C. Sproul <:))))><< ...

1 Thessalonians 2:14-16 2007-04-15 00:00:00 1 Thessalonians 2 - Marks of Paul?s Ministry 2. (14-16) The Thessalonians welcomed suffering when they welcomed the word, yet they stood steadfast. For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost. a. For you also suffered the same things: When the Thessalonians responded to the gospel, they became the targets of persecution. As they did, they were not alone, because those among the churches of God have often suffered persecution. The Thessalonian Christians became imitators of those who had suffered before them. i. The Thessalonians willingly suff ...

Action Must Be Relational 2007-04-14 05:00:00 "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel:Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,"Says the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6).This is such a signature verse in the Christian community and memorizes by so many. But do we understand it. And having understood it, do we live it? Sadly, so much of my own effort in church planting and pastoral ministry ,mouths this verse while wiping off the sweat of my brow. Simply amazing. Psalms 33:16-17 expresses the same concept:No king is saved by the multitude of an army;A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.A horse is a vain hope for safety;Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. Living, ministering, laboring on behalf of the Kingdom of God in my own strength is a vain hope; it is nothing. And only false hope can come from it. Yet today, in the Christian community, so very much is built on the vain hope which, in turn, gives rise to false hope, which is followed by ensuing disappointments and failures. But then, t ...

1 Thessalonians 2:13 2007-04-14 00:00:00 1 Thessalonians 2 - Marks of Paul?s Ministry B. More thanksgiving for the work God did in the Thessalonians. 1. (13) Paul is thankful that they welcomed the gospel as God?s message, not man?s. For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. a. When you received the word of God: Paul earnestly believed and taught others that God had spoken to man and that we have recorded this word of God. Paul believed in a voice that speaks to mankind with the authority of eternity, and speaks above mere human opinion. Since we do have this word of God, we have a true voice of authority. i. Some people like to say that there is a word of God, but that we can?t be sure of what He says. When we appeal to the Bible, they like to reply ?That?s just your interpretation.? There are certainly some places w ...

The Resolutions Of Jonathan Edwards 31-40 2007-04-13 05:00:00 The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) BEING SENSIBLE THAT I AM UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT GOD' S HELP, I DO HUMBLY ENTREAT HIM BY HIS GRACE TO ENABLE ME TO KEEP THESE RESOLUTIONS, SO FAR AS THEY ARE AGREEABLE TO HIS WILL, FOR CHRIST' S SAKE. Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.31. Resolved, never to say any thing at all against any body, but when it is perfectly agreeable to the highest degree of Christian honor, and of love to mankind, agreeable to the lowest humility, and sense of my own faults and failings, and agreeable to the golden rule; often, when I have said anything against anyone, to bring it to, and try it strictly by the test of this Resolution.32. Resolved, to be strictly and firmly faithful to my trust, that that, in Proverbs 20:6, A faithful man who can find? may not be partly fulfilled in me.33. Resolved, to do always, what I can towards making, maintaining, and preserving peace, when it can be done without overbalancing detriment i ...

1 Thessalonians 2:8-12 2007-04-13 00:00:00 1 Thessalonians 2 - Marks of Paul?s Ministry 4. (8-9) Paul?s self-support and hard work among the Thessalonians demonstrated that his motives were pure. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God. a. We were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives: The sacrifices Paul endured for the sake of ministry to the Thessalonians were not a burden. He was well pleased to do it, because Paul was affectionately longing for the Thessalonians, because they had become dear to Paul and his associates. i. Affectionately longing for you: ?Is from an extremely rare verb of obscure origin. Wohlenberg conjectured that it was ?a term of endearment derived from the language of the nursery.? ...

Testing The Hearts & Minds 2007-04-12 05:00:00 But God who tests our hearts. (1 Thessalonians 2:4b)I have been considering this part of verse 4 in  light of Jeremiah 17:9:The heart is deceitful above all things,And desperately wicked;Who can know it?I, the LORD, search the heart,I test the mind,Even to give every man according to his ways,According to the fruit of his doings.The Lord tests our hearts and our minds. And it is really for our own benefit. He tests us so we can know where we stand in our faith. I need to know where I am with the Lord and in my walk. It is important. Paul said :For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load. (Galatians 6:3-5) God knows the easiest thing for me to do is to fool myself. The Lord tests me, He sends reminders so I will know if I am walking in faith or in the weakness of my own flesh. I can not change my ...

1 Thessalonians 2:3-7 2007-04-12 00:00:00 1 Thessalonians 2 - Marks of Paul?s Ministry 2. (3-5) The integrity of Paul?s message in Thessalonica. For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit. But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness; God is witness. a. For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness: The purity of Paul?s message made it apparent that there was no deceit, uncleanness, or guile in his ministry. In the first century world Paul lived in, there were many competing religions, and many ministers of those religions were motivated by greed and gain. i. The city of Thessalonica sat on the Egnatian Way, the famous highway that went east to west through Macedonia. Thessalonica was also an important port and a melting pot city with cultures from all over the world. There were a stagg ...

1 Thessalonians 2:1-2 2007-04-11 00:00:00 1 Thessalonians 2 - Marks of Paul?s Ministry A. Paul proves he was sincere and not a charlatan. 1. (1-2) The integrity of Paul?s ministry in Thessalonica. For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict. a. For you yourselves know: This begins a section where Paul defended his own character and ministry before the Thessalonians. This wasn?t because Paul was insecure about his ministry, but because he had many enemies in Thessalonica (Acts 17:5-6 and 17:13) who discredited him in his absence, especially because of his hurried departure from Thessalonica. Paul?s enemies said he left town quickly because he was a self-serving coward. i. ?This self-revelation is not being made because the Thessalonian believers themselves were suspicious or doubtful about the missionaries. Paul is answering ...

1 Thessalonians 1:8-10 2007-04-10 00:00:00 Thessalonians 1 - Receivers and Responders 4. (8-10) The Thessalonians responded by sounding forth the word of the Lord. For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. a. From you the word of the Lord has sounded forth: This was part of the good example that the Thessalonian Christians provided. Sounded forth means ?a loud ringing sound, as of a trumpet blast.? The good work the Lord did among the Thessalonians became known all over the region, and everyone talked about the changes. i. In a cosmopolitan trading city like Thessalonica, the good news could sound forth in every ...

A Church Plant 2007-04-09 00:00:00 On Sunday, a long time vision began to bear fruit. The vision the Lord gave me before we left Arizona to come to New England to begin a work in the Lord was that out of that work would spring other church plants. It is my desire in the Lord to plant churches throughout New England as well as New York. On Resurrection Sunday, we ordained Jon Lewis as a Pastor to plant a church in Greenwich, Connecticut. In addition, Jon will serve as an elder in Springfield Calvary and I will serve as an elder in Calvary Fellowship Greenwich. Ordaining Jon was a poignant moment in my ministry. And so, this desire of my heart has begun to blossom. I pray it will bear fruit for the Kingdom of God. I pray it would bless and please the Lord. I pray He would bless this church plant and Jon and Serena Lewis as they begin to serve the Lord by ministering to His people. <:))))><< ...