1 Corinthians 15 – Something is True

Hello Project Ezra!  It’s a pleasure and a privilege to be able to share these thoughts on scripture and evangelism again this week.  As always, I pray they are a blessing and an encouragement to you, and I pray that as they are, you will pass them on and encourage others as well.

Our chapter this week is 1 Corinthians 15.  It’s not from this week’s normal list, but I read through it as part of my regular daily reading, and it impacted me, as it always does.  I thought it was particularly relevant to our current culture, since we are so deeply entrenched in relativism.  One of the reasons sharing the gospel can be so difficult, at least in the Western world, is because the entire concept of truth has been twisted almost beyond recognition.  Truth is no longer something absolute, something that is for time and for eternity, but is simply a reflection of what an individual feels and prefers.  Things can be true for you, but not necessarily for me, and every truth is subjective rather than objective.

Of course, this is a vast departure from the message of scripture, and this chapter in particular destroys the idea of religious relativism.  The truths of the death and resurrection are clearly stated, and given the highest level of importance.  And even more, Paul says that if these things are not true, then we, as believers, are foolish, and the most of all to be pitied.  What a contrast to the world!  But while this will be scoffed at and rejected by many, it is this very fact that makes the Gospel of Jesus Christ eternally relevant.  We are real people, created by a real God and guilty of real rebellion against our creator.  And there is only one real solution to: the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  I pray that you will be encouraged to share that reality through this week’s outline.

All for His glory,

Dan

INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND PROJECT EZRA

READ 1 CORINTHIANS 15

This chapter talks about something that is true

The idea of truth is often considered dangerous, or oppressive, or even arrogant by many in our modern culture

Never the less, God’s word claims, again and again, to be actually true, and exclusively true

It talks about events that really happened, at a specific times, in specific places, and to specific people

And as Christians, we believe, we have faith that these things are true

We talk a lot about faith in our culture, and most think that faith is a good thing

But most people think that what you have faith in doesn’t matter, as long as you believe in something

But faith is only as useful as what it is placed in.  If what you are trusting in is not true, or real, it won’t help you.

And having faith in false ideas can often have severe consequences.

But when I talk about truth, I want to be clear about the kind of truth, the kind of claim that this chapter makes, and that Biblical Christianity makes

1 Corinthians talks about the truth of the historical resurrection of Jesus Christ

We are told it is not just a personal belief or an idea we prefer, but that it actually took place

Christ is proclaimed as actually raised from the dead

In fact, Paul, the author, says that these truths are of first importance.  They are primary.

Have you thought about Jesus Christ as just another good teacher?  This chapter destroys that notion!

The chapter tells us that if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is in vain, and so is our faith, and we are misrepresenting God

It even says that if in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied

If the resurrection of Jesus Christ did not happen, Christianity is a total waste of time

If Jesus is still dead, we have reason to be fearful, because the Bible says we are still in our sin

Every one of us is guilty of sin.  And we know it.

Every one of us has a conscience, an inward awareness of right and wrong.

Romans chapter 2 tells us this is because God has written His law on our hearts, and our conscience bears witness.

GO THROUGH THE MORAL LAW AND BRING CONVICITON OF SIN

We are all guilty of real sin, and as is true of any criminal, we deserve to be punished for our crimes.

The scriptures tell us there will be a real day of accounting, when books will be opened that have a record of every one of our thoughts, words, and deeds.

If you consider, with a tender conscience, the sinful things you have done, said or thought, then you know you are guilty.

You have a court date before the judge of the universe, and when you stand before Him, he will see that justice is satisfied.

The evidence is in, the verdict has been reached, and the sentence has been passed.

The sentence, the just punishment for rebellion against God’s perfect holiness, is eternity in the lake of fire.

Hell is not imaginary, and it is not a place where you can enjoy the unrestricted pleasures of sin.

It is fire, and darkness, and pain, and separation for all of God’s good blessings for all of eternity.

That is where I deserve to go, and so do you

NOTE:  It is vitally important when dealing with the subjects of sin and hell, that we approach them, and those listening, with humility.  We deserve hell.  We deserve God’s judgment just as much as those listening (maybe more).  The only things that separate us from the sinner we are sharing with are timing, and the grace of God.  NEVER forget that!!

But although you deserve to pay the fine for your crimes, there is a way we can be pardoned.

That was is through the very real fact of Christ’s death and resurrection.

Jesus died and rose so that the penalty for sin could be paid.

Jesus, God the Son, became a man and lived a perfect life because we could not.

Then He went to a Roman cross and shed His blood, so that we wouldn’t have to.

And He rose again, as He had prophesied He would, to prove His power over death.

Now he stands in the position of authority in heaven, as judge and advocate.

For those who reject their creator, for those who desire to stay in their sins, he is the one who will destroy both body and soul in hell, as they rightfully deserve.

But for those who come to Him in humility, who will turn from their sin and trust in Him, and in Him alone, to save them, He is mighty to save!

God would be perfectly justified in wiping out every one of us right now.  But He has chosen not to

It could be that the only reason you are still drawing breath is because He is waiting for you to repent of your sins and put your trust in Him.

It could be that the only reason I am still drawing breath is so I would have the privilege of telling you.

But none of us is promised a tomorrow.  If you were to die tonight, where would you go?

One day I will stand in heaven, though I don’t deserve it.

And when I do, I pray that I will see each of you as well.

So today, while God has graciously given you time, turn to Him and be saved.  Turn to Christ, and live!

Sermon on the Mount Saturday 2013

Hello Project Ezra!  I pray that many of you will be able to join us for this year's Sermon on the Mount Saturday.  The day snuck up on me a bit this year.  For some reason, I thought it was next Saturday.  In any case, this holiday weekend will be a great opportunity to share the gospel in the open air through the reading of scripture, and I pray that many of you will join us and invite others to do the same.  The mission is this:

Invite a few friends to join you in taking to the streets this Saturday

Choose a spot with good foot traffic, or where people gather

Climb up on a bench, box, ladder, or something else that elevates you

Read the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), and share the truth of the gospel

Be ready with tracts and Bibles for the follow-up conversations that follow!

There are lots of different places you could go for this reading.  A local park, particularly one with picnic tables (which are very likely to be used this weekend), a downtown shopping area (lots of sales going on), or near sporting events or parades are all excellent places to read the word.  Find a spot that allows many people to hear, but try to avoid blocking foot traffic or setting up right in the middle of someone's event.  The message of the gospel is offensive enough.  We don't want our personal behavior to add to the offense.

The Sermon on the Mount is one of those passages in scripture that I believe provides very easy jumping-off points into the gospel, but for those of you who are new to this type of outreach, here are a few ideas of where to start:

Matthew 5:15-16 - Let your light shine before men.  This can be used to explain why you are sharing the message in the open air, that those hearing may praise your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:20-48 - There are many opportunities here to point out specific sins that many, if not all, of us are guilty of, and the fact that we can not meet God's standard of goodness.  The most difficult, of course, is verse 48, where we are told that we are to be perfect.  None of us come close.

Matthew 6:1-8 - This is good for showing the difference between true faith and religious hypocrisy, which is very common in our day.  Draw the contrast between a said faith, and a real faith.

Matthew 6:19-21, 24 - Talk about laying up treasure in heaven rather than on earth.  Most of our society is striving after material and earthly success, things that will burn away on the day of judgment.

Matthew 7:1-5 - You could choose to discuss the difference between the hypocritical judgment discussed here, and sharing the truth of God's law, and the dangerous position of those who deny Him.  This is often characterized as judgment, when it is not.

Matthew 7:13-14 - Contract the narrow and the wide gates.  Most people in our society will claim that all faiths believe basically the same thing, though they obviously don't.  This is a good way to illustrate this.

Matthew 7:15-23 - This would be an excellent section to use as a follow-up from the previous passage.  There are many false prophets, and many false believers, in the world.  How can you truly know if you are in right standing with God?

Matthew 7:24-27 - I used this when I preached last week.  If people are trusting in religious works or ceremonies, in their own goodness, or in the idea that God will forgive all sin, they are building their house on sand.  The only sure foundation for our lives and for peace with God is the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

I hope these ideas are helpful, and I look forward to hearing your testimonies, and seeing your pictures and videos.  Have a great weekend, and may God bless your efforts as you bring His gospel to the streets!


All for His glory,
Dan

Philippians 2 – Who, What, Why?

Hello Project Ezra!  I’m excited about the direction this week’s reading took me.  The passage we will be focusing on in Philippians 2 is one of my favorites, and I think led to a pretty good outline, though the gospel is presented in a slightly different order than usual.  I’m actually considering taking the outline, continuing to clean and tighten it up, and turn it into a gospel tract.  I would love to hear your feedback on that possibility.

The outline focuses on three questions, which are drawn out of the passage in Philippians 2.  They are the identity of Christ, what He did, and why it should matter to us?  Though I don’t like to over-simplify the gospel, since there is so much depth to the truth of what God has done for us through Jesus Christ, I do like to press people to consider the central issues, and I think these questions summarize those issues well.  I would encourage you to consider them carefully yourself, and determine the best way to present them.  They are a good template, but each instance of sharing the gospel will be different.  I highlighted the key questions, and used a lot of supporting Bible verses, so hopefully that will be helpful as well.  There is a lot of information here, so don’t feel obligated to use it all.  Frequently I find myself using only part of my outlines, and focusing on specific verses, and that is perfectly fine.

Don’t forget that we have another major reading coming up in two weekends.  Our suggested reading on Memorial Day weekend will be the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7),and I will try to get the event posted on the Facebook page (HERE) this weekend.  As always, this is a great time to invite friends to join you, since there are multiple chapters and they are easy to divide up.   I always look forward to hearing about those who step up onto the box for the first time!

God bless, and have a good weekend.  I will be praying that God uses you and your boldness in sharing His word in public to impact many people this weekend, for their salvation and for His glory.

Dan

Philippians 2:5-11 says this:

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Many people have questions about Jesus Christ, questions that have been asked for nearly 2000 years.

Hearing his chapter may have brought a few of these questions to mind.  I pray you will stay for a few minutes and see what God’s word tells us about the answers to three of these questions.

Those questions are:

Who was Jesus Christ?

What did he do?

Why does it matter?

Have you considered these questions?  If not, I would encourage you to.  Truly, how we answer these questions should impact every other area of our lives.

First, who as Jesus of Nazareth?  Was he a good moral teacher?  Was he someone with a special 

awareness of the divine?  Or was He something more, as He claimed to be?  Was He the Christ, the promised Jewish Messiah?

Take a moment to consider what the Bible has to say about Him

Philippians 2 tells us He was in the form of God, but emptied Himself. 

Addressing the same subject, John 1 says "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God." and "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

And Colossians 1 tells us "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him." 

In Colossians 2:9 it also says "For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily"

So the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is by nature God, it was Him for whom and through whom all things exist, but that He chose to lay aside those rights for a period of time, and became a man.

Secondly, What did He do?

Philippians 2 tells us that Jesus humbled Himself, became obedient to death, and was crucified.  But the Romans crucified many people, for many reasons.  How was Jesus different?

Jesus is different because of the way He lived, the way He died, and the fact that He rose again and ascended to heaven.

Jesus lived a perfect life, something no other person on earth has ever done.

In John 8:46 He asked "Which one of you convicts me of sin?" and in 2 Corinthians 5:21 we are also told He knew no sin.

He also died a perfect death.  

Without the shedding on blood, there is no remission of sins (Hebrews 9:22), so Jesus shed His own blood, for us.

God’s law demanded a perfect sacrifice, a sacrifice human priests could never make.  So Jesus became that perfect sacrifice.

He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. (Hebrews 9:12)

The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:23-25)

But the Bible tells us He didn't stay dead.  It tells us He rose from the dead, just as He had told His disciples He would.  Jesus is alive today!

We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. (Romans 6:9)

 

So, why does that matter?  Why should we care if Jesus died and rose?  What difference does the life of Jesus make to you today?

It matters because we have a problem only Jesus can solve.  That problem is called sin, and we are all sinners. (Romans 3:10-18)

Perhaps this sounds odd to you.  Maybe you've never thought of yourself as a "sinner."

Or perhaps, like many people, you think you're a pretty good person, and your sins are not that serious.  But my opinion and your opinion don’t really matter.  What does God think about them?         

A sin is a moral crime against God.  It is breaking His law.  Though we often take sins lightly, He does not.

The Bible tells us God is holy (Revelation 4:8).  That means He is beyond our understanding, "other" than us.

It also means He is morally pure and perfect and good.  His eyes are too pure to look on evil (Habakkuk 1:13), and He will not leave the guilty unpunished (Exodus 34:7, Nahum 1:3)

It matters because we are guilty criminals who deserve to be punished for our crimes.  And we know we are guilty, because God has written His law on our hearts.

They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them (Romans 2:15)

Scripture tells us the soul that sins, it shall die (Ezekiel 18:4), and that we are by nature children of wrath (Ephesians 2:1-3) who are storing up wrath for the day of wrath (Romans 2:5)

Take a look at the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20), which is a summary statement of God's law.  Or look at one of the other passages that lists those things God calls sin, and which condemn us to judgment, such as 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 or Revelation 21:8, and you will see that this is true.

GO THROUGH SOME OF GOD’S MORAL LAWS TO BRING CONVICTION OF SIN

The Bible even gives us a list of things the LORD hates (Proverbs 6:16-19)

All of us have committed some of these sins.  Many of us have committed most, if not all, of them.

Because of our sins, we deserve God judgment.  We all deserve to suffer for eternity in hell.   (Revelation 14:10-11, 21:8, 2 Peter 2)

But although God is just (Ecclesiastes 3, 12), but He is also merciful (Psalm 103:8)

Although He is angry at the wicked (Psalm 7:11, 5:5), He is also patient with His children, waiting for them to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

God tells us that He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that they turn and live. (Ezekiel 33:11)

What Jesus Christ did matters because He paid the fine for sin on the cross, and if you will turn from your sin and place your trust in Him, and Him alone, then He we cleanse you of your sins, and give you a new heart, one that will be pleasing to Him (Ezekiel 36:25-27)

It matters because by Christ's sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection, through repentance and faith in Him, we can have peace with God, and purpose in life. (Romans 5:1)

And it matters because through Jesus Christ, and Him alone (Acts 4:12), we can be delivered from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10)

There is no greater blessing, and no greater joy, than being in a right relationship with your creator, and knowing you have been delivered from your sin.

The final, and perhaps most important, questions is what will you do with this truth?

There are only two possibilities.   Either you turn from your sins, and trust in Christ’s sacrifice to pay for your sins, or deny Him and reject Him, and pay for those fines yourself. 

I pray today that you will make the right choice, and that on the day I stand in heaven, I will see you there as well. 

Please consider this final passage of scripture I have to share with you today. 

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:19-23)

Indeed, Jesus Christ is faithful.  Turn to Him today, and live!

Deuteronomy 6

Deuteronomy 6

Hello Project Ezra!  This week our suggested reading is Deuteronomy chapter 6, and the central verse, verse 4, is well known.  It is the center point of both Christian and Jewish theology.  In using it a springboard for the gospel, I have tried to address the underlying cause of our denial of, and disobedience to, this truth.  I find that when we as believers share our faith, we often deal with issues on the surface rather than digging deeper to find the underlying world view issues.  It reminds me a bit of the story of the Titanic and the iceberg.  Icebergs may look small on the surface, but it is the bulk of the ice under the surface that can do the most damage.  In the same way, we can argue with people about individual laws and commands of God, but if the underlying problem is a denial of God due to pride and self-worship, no amount of argument about secondary issues will help.  The non-believer's pride needs to be addressed, their idolatry confronted, and there needs to be a brokenness and humility before God.  Only then will they be willing to submit to God's law.  But just as we don't deal with underlying issues, those we speak to are often totally unaware that they exist.  They have been conditioned by their environment, and have been blinded by the power of sin, so that they can not see their own assumptions.  Hopefully, through the power of the Spirit, this outline will help take the blinders from their eyes so that the can see the truth of the gospel.

All for His glory,
Dan

INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND PROJECT EZRA

READ DEUTERONOMY 6

In the chapter just prior to this, Moses gave the 10 Commandments to the people of Israel

In this chapter, he talks about the nature and purpose of God’s commands

Verse 4, often called the Shema, is a verse that observant Jews, both in our day and in the past, repeated as of central importance in their faith

"Hear oh Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one."

They use this phrase in prayer services, teach it to their children, and often repeat it as their last, dying words.

It is also a central belief of the Christian New Testament.  We also believe there is only one God

Following this, verse 5 tells us to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and might

Though many scoff at this, it is a very reasonable command from the God who created us, owns us, and knows what is best for us.

But men have always desired to go their own way

We want to be as God.  We want to define reality, and right and wrong, for ourselves

1 John 2 talks about the love of this world, and the sinful desires that come with that love.

It describes those desires as the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, or of possessions.

The same three desires led to the fall in the garden

Genesis tells us that Eve saw that the fruit was good for food, was pleasing to the eyes, and was desirable to make one wise.

Eve rebelled against God, and ate.  Adam, who was there with her, followed suit, and all of us have followed after him.  We have chosen to rebel against God’s law

Yet God also tells us in this chapter that His commandments are for our good

They are good in protecting us from ourselves and the world, and they are good in keeping us obedient to God, and keeping us from His wrath

Yet we believe our way is better, and that we are more wise than God, and His word.

IN THIS SECTION WE WANT TO BRING CONVICTION OF SIN, SO TRY TO EMPHASIZE THE COMMANDS IN YOUR PRESENTATION

We reject God's provision, believing we deserve more or different than what He has given us, so we steal and covet.

We believe that we understand sexuality better than Him, and that we should be allowed to act on every desire, so we commit adultery, engage in or approve of homosexuality, and have lustful thoughts about those we are not married to

We do not trust that God is truly in control, or that there is purpose behind all that He allows to happen, so we lie to protect ourselves and disrespect our parents and others in authority over us

In the end, we commit idolatry, putting ourselves or an idol in the place of God, and twist His truth to fit our desires.  All in the end is a type of self-worship, founded on pride.

But God does know best.  God designed all, and gave His commands for our good, and for His glory.

And although we deserve hell as punishment for our sin, our prideful rebellion against God, and although He would be perfectly just to send us to the lake of fire because of our rebellion and idolatry, He made a way of escape.

Even though we are guilty criminals, having broken God’s law, and although He as a just judge must see our guilt is punished, He Himself satisfied justice so we could go free

God the Son, Jesus Christ, the promised Jewish messiah, came into the world 2000 years ago

God’s standard of goodness is perfection, a standard we could never meet.  

Jesus lived that perfect life, a life we could never live, and then died a perfect death

God demonstrated His love in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us

Through His life and death, our sins can be removed, and His righteousness can be applied to us, so we can be seen as pure and righteous on the Day of Judgment

But though Jesus died a horrible, bloody death for us, He did not stay dead.  He laid His life down to take it up again.

As He had prophesied, He rose again on the third day.  Christians serve a living God!

Now we too can be raised to new life, through repentance and faith.

To repent means to turn.  It is turning from sin, in humility, and turning to God.  It is a change of direction and a change of allegiance

You must turn, and trust in Jesus Christ, and in Him alone.  You must trust that only His sacrifice is sufficient to save you.

If you trust in anything else to save, or even to help you, you are again in idolatry.

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him

Every one of us will stand before the Judgment Seat of God one day. 

When you stand before God, and He looks on you, what will He see?

Will he see a man or a woman who has been trusting in their own goodness, in a false god, or in a false view of the reality He created?

Or will He see you covered by the sacrifice and goodness of His own Son?

I pray that today, you will turn and trust in Jesus Christ, and in His sacrifice.

I pray you will abandon your false beliefs and depend on Him alone

Repent and trust Him today, while He has given you time.

Matthew 4

Hello Project Ezra!  Thanks for joining us for another week, and I pray the outline will be an encouragement to you.  This week we will be reading Matthew chapter 4, where Jesus is tempted in the desert by Satan.  When Jesus took on a human body, the temptation He experienced was similar to what all of us experience.  1 John 2 talks about the lust of the flesh and of the eyes, and pride in possessions.  Sinful thoughts, sinful actions, and pride encompass all our temptations, but unlike Jesus, we frequently give in to them.  But He did not sin as we do, and so His perfect life and perfect death can be applied to us, so we can be seen as perfect before God.  This is the truth that most non-believers have never heard, and even many inside the church don’t truly understand, so it is vital that we preach it clearly and faithfully.  I pray that God will give you strength and wisdom as you do so.

We are also moving toward Sermon on the Mount Saturday, another one of our larger events, toward the end of this month.  On Memorial Day weekend (that's the last Monday in May for those of you outside the States) we will be reading the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) in the open air.  Please start thinking now about who you might like to invite to join you.  With three chapters to read, it’s easy to share the responsibility.  I'll have the Facebook event up shortly.  Be sure to join and let us know where you will be reading once you see it.  And please share it on your own social media pages

God bless you as you head to the streets to share His message of grace!

All for His glory,

Dan

INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND PROJECT EZRA

READ MATTHEW CHAPTER 4

The beginning of this chapter talks about Jesus being led into the desert to be tempted by the Devil

Elsewhere in scripture we are told that He was tempted in every way as we are, but without sin (Hebrews 4:15)

Every member of the human race is tempted by sin, just as Jesus was

If you take a moment to consider the temptations Jesus faced, you will see they are not much different than yours.

Satan first tempted Him to turn stones to bread

We often treat the physical as more important than the spiritual, living for the present rather than living for eternity.

Instead, we need to trust in the Lord’s provision, and feed on His word.  He will provide for our needs.

Satan then tempted Jesus to throw Himself off the highest point of the temple, and to trust that God's angels would save Him.

Jesus replied, saying He would not foolishly challenge God.  Have you done that?

God could indeed have done what Satan suggested, but Jesus did not need to jump to know that was true.  He already knew the Father to be trustworthy.  This is the difference between trusting God and testing God

Just because God is able to do something, or you think He ought to respond in a certain way, does not mean He is obligated to do so. 

God can and does protect and heal, but in His timing, and He is not obligated to protect you from your foolish, arrogant behavior

Then Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, and offered Him control in exchange for worship.

The Bible calls Satan the god of this world, and he certainly can give much power and influence.

But all the power, influence and riches the world has to offer are of far less value that the privilege of worshiping the true God.

After all, what does it prophet a man if he gains the world and forfeits his soul? (Matthew 16:26)

1 John 2 says - Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

This is what Satan tempted Jesus with: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.

The Lust of the Flesh leads us to satisfy our physical desires outside of the parameters God has placed on them.

It is because of this lust that people engage in gluttony, adultery, unnatural sexual practices, drug use and drunkenness.

Are these sins, moral crimes that you are guilty of?  Have you broken God’s law, rebelled against Him, and offended His holiness?

The Lust of the Eyes leads us to sinful desires, such as adultery of the heart, coveting, envy, and even murderous thoughts.

Have you looked with lust?  Have you coveted or envied someone around you?  Have you hated, and thus committed murder in your heart?

And what about pride, which is the root of much of our sin?  It is because we put our desires first, acting as if what we want is more important than obedience to God, that we twist God’s word, ignore His word, or simply deny His existence.

We are all guilty of these sins.  And because of our sins, just like all guilty criminals, we deserve justice.

God created Hell to satisfy that justice.  Hell is a real place of fire, and darkness and pain, where we will be rightly and justly punished for our sins against God.

All those who deny the existence of God or hell, or who trust in their own goodness to get them in, are destined to spend eternity there.

I deserve to spend eternity in hell, and so do you.  But I don’t want to go there, and we are here today because we don’t want you to go there either.

Because of God’s grace, you don’t need to go, and neither do I

Through Christ’s atonement, we can be freed.  Through His shed blood, our sins can be paid for, and we can escape the terrors of hell.

When Jesus started His public ministry, he preached “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand!”

To repent is to turn, to change direction and to change allegiance.

Jesus told His early disciples “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They left everything and followed Him.

We too must be willing to turn, and leave everything to follow Him, and to trust in Him alone to save us.

Only Jesus Christ was truly God in human flesh. 

Only Jesus lived the perfect life we could not live, and then died the death we deserved.

Only Jesus is now risen from the dead, and only He stands before God as our great high priest, who will speak for us on the Day of Judgment.

Are you willing to follow Him?  Will you forsake everything to follow Him?

If you want to find out more, please come and talk to us.  But please do not go another day without making peace with your creator.

Life is short.  The Bible tells us we are like grass and leaves, that are here today and fade tomorrow.   

None of us are promised even another day on this earth.

So while God has been patient with you, while He has given you more time, repent and trust in Him!