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Articles from Pastor Jon's Blog

Romans 5:13-14 2007-03-28 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) 2. (13-14) An objection answered: ?I thought we were sinners because we broke the Law.? (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. a. Until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law: We know that at the root of it all we are made sinners because of Adam and not because we break the law ourselves. We know this because sin and death were in the world before the Law was ever given. i. The law was too late to prevent sin and death and it is too weak to save from sin and death. b. Nevertheless death reigned: The total, merciless reign of death - even before the law was given at th ...

Romans 5:12 2007-03-27 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) B. The Two Men. 1. (12) The spread of sin through the human race. Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned; a. Just as through one man sin entered the world: The Apostle Paul regarded Genesis 3 as totally, historically true. According to Paul (and Jesus, as He says in Matthew 19:4-6), Adam and Eve were real people and what they did has a lasting effect to the present day. i. It is important to understand that the Adam and Eve account is not an optional passage to be accepted or rejected, or allegorized away. According to Paul?s theme here in Romans 5, you can?t take away Genesis 3 without taking away principles that lay the foundation for our salvation. ii. ?To Paul, Adam was more than a historical individual, the first man; he w ...

Romans 5:9-11 2007-03-26 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) 5. (9-11) Salvation from God?s wrath. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. a. Much more then, having now been justified His blood, we shall be saved from wrath: If we are justified by the work of Jesus, we can be assured that we are also saved from wrath through Him. The wrath of God that was revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men (Romans 1:18) was placed on Jesus as a substitute in the place of the believer. i. By nature, some are inclined to preface the ...

Sunday Quotes 03.25.07 2007-03-25 05:00:00 "Worship lifts us up to see the problems and troubles we face from God's perspective instead of being trapped in an earthly, time-bound viewpoint. The higher we go, the smaller our problems seem." -- Tenny Compassion will cure more sins than condemnation. -- Henry Ward Beecher God has wonderful things to display if He can only get the showcases. - Unknown God looks more where men look the least - at the heart. - Unknown The rich are not always godly - but the godly are always rich. - Unknown <:))))><< ...

Matthew 24:48-51 2007-03-25 00:00:00 Matthew 24 - Jesus? Olivet Discourse 2. (48-51) The evil servant. "But if that evil servant says in his heart, ?My master is delaying his coming,? and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." a. If that evil servant says in his heart, "My master is delaying his coming": Jesus warns us of the attitude which says, "my master is delaying his coming." We must live in constant anticipation of Jesus? return, and that means being about our business for Him now. i. The most dangerous lie is not "There is no God", not "there is no hell"; but the most dangerous lie of Satan is "there is no hurry." It is not small thing to say "Jesus is not coming today, or fo ...

Matthew 24:44-47 2007-03-24 00:00:00 Matthew 24 - Jesus? Olivet Discourse E. Parable of the two servants. 1. (45-47) The faithful servant. "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods." a. Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing: Jesus tells us that we must carry on with diligence while the Lord is gone. We must be that faithful and wise servant who takes care of his master?s business while the master is away. b. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods: Jesus also promises that we will be rewarded for our diligence. The servants serve the master, but the master knows how to take care of and reward the servants. Unless otherwise noted all Scripture is taken from the New King James translation of the Bible.<:))))>< ...

The Resolutions Of Jonathan Edwards 11-20 2007-03-23 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. 11. Resolved, when I think of any theorem in divinity to be solved, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if circumstances do not hinder. 12. Resolved, if I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by. 13. Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out fit objects of charity and liberality. 14. Resolved, never to do any thing out of revenge. 15. Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger towards irrational beings. 16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good. 17. Resolved, that I ...

The Resolutions Of Jonathan Edwards 1-10 2007-03-23 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. 1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God' s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many soever, and how great soever. 2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new contrivance and invention to promote the aforementioned things. 3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutio ...

Matthew 24:40-44 2007-03-23 00:00:00 Matthew 24 - Jesus? Olivet Discourse 3. (40-44) Jesus cautions His disciples to be ready for an unexpected coming. "Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." a. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left: Jesus here points to curious disappearances; to a catching away of some at the coming of the Son of Man (as also described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). b. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming: Since the day and hour of this coming are unknowable, Jesus? followers must be on constant guard for ...

Matthew 24:37-39 2007-03-22 00:00:00 Matthew 24 - Jesus? Olivet Discourse 2. (37-39) Jesus says that His coming will be when the world is as it was in the days of Noah. "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." a. As the days of Noah were: Jesus explained what He meant by the days of Noah. It means life is centered around the normal things: eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. In other words, life will be business as usual; reprobate perhaps, but usual. i. We should also remember that the days of Noah were also marked by violence and demonic oppression (Genesis 6:1-5). b. And did not know until the flood came and took them all away: Though the people in the days of Noah were warned, judgment eventually came. ...

Romans 5:6-8 2007-03-21 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) 4. (6-8) A description of God?s love towards us. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. a. When we were still without strength: Paul describes the greatness of God?s love. It is love given to the undeserving, to those without strength, to the ungodly, to sinners. This emphasizes the fact that the reasons for God?s love are found in Him, not in us. i. Who are these people? Who are the ungodly and wicked people Jesus died for? Paul spent the first two-and-a-half chapters of the Book of Romans telling us that we all are those people. b. In due time Christ died for the ungodly: ...

Romans 5:5 2007-03-20 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) 3. (5) Evidence for hope: God?s love in our hearts right now, evidenced by the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. a. Now hope does not disappoint: The hope that tribulation builds in us is not a hope that will be disappointed. We are assured of this because God has proved His intention to complete His work in us - the proof being the love of God . . . poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. b. Every Christian should know what it is like to have the love of God . . . poured out in our hearts - to have a deep inner awareness of God?s love for us. i. Paul?s logical arguments in Romans are devastating but the Book of Romans doesn?t lack emotion or passionate experience ...

Matthew 24:36 2007-03-19 00:00:00 Matthew 24 - Jesus? Olivet Discourse D. More on His coming, but from a different approach. 1. (36) Jesus says that the day and hour of His return is unknowable by men, and even unknowable by angels. "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." a. Of that day and hour no one knows: Here, Jesus refers back to the original question of Matthew 24:3 (what will be the sign of Your coming?). His answer is somewhat unexpected - saying of that day and hour no one knows. b. Based on what He had told us about the abomination of desolation, we might have expected that the exact day and hour could be known. After all, Daniel set the day of Jesus? return as being exactly 1,290 days after the abomination of desolation (Daniel 12:11). i. In this, there is a dilemma. How can the day of Jesus? coming be both completely unknown, and at the same time be known to the day according to Daniel 12:11? Unless otherwise noted all Scripture is taken ...

Sunday Quotes 03.18.07 2007-03-18 05:00:00 Those who walk the closest and work the hardest are the best prepared for Christ's return. If Christ is kept on the outside, there must be something wrong inside. -- Unknown "Worship lifts us up to see the problems and troubles we face from  God's perspective instead of being trapped in an earthly, time-bound  viewpoint. The higher we go, the smaller our problems seem." - Tenny Compassion will cure more sins than condemnation. -- Henry Ward Beecher One thing you can give and still keep ... is your word. -- Unknown Jumping to conclusions can be bad exercise. -- Unknown ...

Matthew 24:32-35 2007-03-18 00:00:00 Matthew 24 - Jesus? Olivet Discourse 5. (32-35) Jesus speaks more regarding the timing of these events. "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near; at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." a. Learn this parable from the fig tree: The fig tree has a regular pattern. The leaves appear, and then summer follows. When you see the leaves, you know summer is near. i. The fig tree was a common fruit tree in Israel. It is mentioned many times in the Old Testament, especially as a description of the abundance of the land. Sometimes figs or fig trees are also used as symbols or pictures. In passages like Jeremiah 24:1-10 and Hosea 9:10, figs or fig trees are used as an represen ...