I know what the bible says, but I believe this, PART II

My Friend Jeff Peterson wrote this as a Agape talk on a Keryx weekend, It is my belief also am proud to post it here.

I know what the bible says, but I believe this, PART II

Have you been broken? That’s what this bread in Communion signifies as we break it. God sent his son to be broken for our sins. Understanding that God is truly sovereign. Understanding that we are indeed free. Grace falls like rain on our sinful heads.

But also understanding that our freedom never takes precedence over God’s freedom. Also understanding that biblical freedom isn’t about doing whatever we want – biblical freedom is about being free from the curse of sin – that what Jesus was talking about in John 8 when He said, “"If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Then the Jews respond right away by saying they have never been in bondage. Oh? What about Egypt? And Jesus goes on to say they slaves to sin and they serve their father the devil. That was a hard teaching for them, for sure.

You can repent and believe that Jesus died for your sins and you can believe that He will save you. If you do that now, come forward to Accept the Christ Jesus as your personal savior. NOT in front of man but truly, honestly between you and God.

The Shorter Catechism based on the Westminster Confession of Faith starts off with a question.
What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. The Scriptural basis for that? 1 Corinthians 10:31: So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Romans 11:36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Psalm 73:24-26 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. John 17:22 and 24: The glory that you have given me, I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,….. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

That’s our charge – to give glory to our Father.
As we walk through life the Holy Spirit will testify to us about Jesus as Jesus testified about Himself in a passage from Luke chapter 24. Two men are on the road to Emmaus and Scripture says: 13That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17And he said to them, "What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?" And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?" 19 And he said to them, "What things?" And they said to him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see." 25 And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29but they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?" 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.”

Jesus will be revealed to us as we walk with Him. But when we sin, we’re not walking with Him. I had a lousy week spiritually. I had a Romans 7 week. Why do I do the things I know I should not do and why do I not do the things I know I should? Paul beat me to it by 1900-some years. When I’m being disobedient, I find I’m not learning about Jesus. How can I learn about Him when my eyes are off Him? I’ve called out for mercy this week, trust me. Like Paul. Oh, wretched man that I am, who will save me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
God, be merciful to me, a sinner. Luke 18:13. That’s me. That’s all of us, if we’re honest. If we understand we serve a sovereign God. Scripture says “He reigns.” Present tense. I take comfort in that. But I also tremble. That means He knows what I’m doing and will deal with my rebellion how He sees fit.

Remember 1 Cor 12:12-27. And consider this – God heard what you prayed, he see’s what you do.

Does not the potter have rights over the clay? You might say that’s a bad example – we’re more than clay and God is more than a potter. Your objection isn’t with me then, it’s with the Apostle Paul and the prophet Isaiah, the human authors of Scripture, and ultimately with Almighty God, who 2 Timothy 3 says breathed out ALL Scripture? Paul and Isaiah both use the potter and the clay examples. God heard what you prayed here today and in His sovereignty He will choose to respond however He sees fit and our response to His response should be to glorify Him whatever that response may be. I pray you are ready for Him to answer. I also pray we are ready to receive each other’s answers.

I know what the bible says, but I believe this, PART II

I know what the bible says, but I believe this,

1 Cor 12:12-27 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves [4] or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

That’s not the first time you’ve heard this. Just as importantly as our salvation being an individual, personal matter – Scripture does tell us in Philippians 2 to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that we, the church have been justified by faith.
As Romans 5:1 says – working that salvation out is for me to do and for you to do. But the point of the 1 Corinthians passage is to show us that our salvation is also, in a sense, a “we” matter. “We” are the church. As a corporate body. The question I want to raise here, for you, knowing that as a Christian, if you are one, that your salvation came from God and God alone, how much do you trust Him. Just how much? How much do you submit? How much do you believe He is sovereign? That God is truly, presently, actively in charge of all things, governing His creation in the same way He has since he created it? Listen to what God had to say to His people in Isaiah 46, verses 8-11: “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.”

Do we, Christians living under the New Covenant, believe that? Really? How about Psalm 115:3?: “Our God is in the heavens; He does all that he pleases.”
How about Isaiah chapter 14, verses 24-27? “24 The Lord of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand, 25 that I will break the Assyrian in my land, and on my mountains trample him underfoot; and his yoke shall depart from them, and his burden from their shoulder.” 26 This is the purpose that is purposed concerning the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations. 27 For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?”

How about Proverbs 16? The first 9 verses: The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. 2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. 3 Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. 4 The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble. 5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished. 6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil. 7 When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. 8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice. 9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

That’s all Old Testament, right? Doesn’t apply to us because we’re under the New Covenant – we’re not under law, we’re under grace…oh, yeah?

Where are those passages annulled or made not applicable in the New Testament? Let’s go to the New Testament. Romans 8.
Some Christians get nervous when you start reading from Romans. There are some, as Peter referred to them in 2 Peter 3, some “things that are difficult to understand” in Paul’s letters. Here’s one.
Romans 8:28-30. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, [7] for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined He also called, and those whom he called He also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
We like verse 28. God works together all things. All means all, right. But for whom – for those who are called according to His purpose. Then it says those whom he foreknew He predestined to be conformed to the image of His son. As soon as you mention predestination to some people they throw up their hands and object. Immediately.

But to flat out say they don’t believe in any form of predestination, then they have to blow off Romans 8 and 9 and Ephesians 1, for starters. Maybe your belief in predestination isn’t the same as mine, but you better have SOME form or you aren’t believing the whole Bible. Paul goes on in Romans 8 with what is called the golden chain of salvation, then goes on to talk about the assurance of the Christina’s salvation and then in Romans 9 addresses the salvation of the Jews. Paul even addresses some objections he knows will come up during the course of his teaching. In verse 14, he knows there will be an objection, so he asks the rhetorical question, “What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part?” In verse 19, Paul says this: “You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” What was so objectionable? Saying that God loved Jacob and hated Esau. Saying that God will have mercy upon whom He will have mercy. Both times using the Old Testament passages to prove his points. I could go on. Go back and read Romans 8 and 9. Several times. Try to read it and come away not understanding God is absolutely sovereign. Absolutely. Over everything. He does as He pleases.

Is God sovereign. They all say, “Sure He is.” But then you ask a few questions – is He sovereign over this? Well, sort of. How about this? No, because my God is a God of love and He wouldn’t do that. I bet if I went around this sanctuary and asked this question: “Is God sovereign over your choices?” I‘d get some pretty differing answers. I know there are those here who disagree with me. That’s OK. But here’s what I believe. That Almighty God, in His sovereignty, created us and has the right, the authority and the ability to do whatever he wants to with us. He created us as creatures with the ability to make choices. I believe He also created us and ordains, as the Westminster Confession of Faith says, “whatsoever comes to pass.” Even my own choices. You might say that makes me a robot. No, it doesn’t. Scripture shows, time and time again, how God prophetically says what will happen and then it does happen and it happens through the free choices of humans. Like my friend likes to say, that’s a hard teaching. But read the Bible. Is not our God mighty enough to make us creatures who have free choices and that He can ordain or decree those free choices and do it in a way that does not violate His won standard of holiness, justice and righteousness? Making a point about the fall of man. The consequences of Adam’s sin. Everybody agrees that the Scripture made that point. But then one guy says this, and pay attention to what he said – he said, “I know the Bible says that, BUT I believe………….” I know what the Bible says, but I believe….” You laugh. It’s not funny.

a verse from Proverbs 16:4. 4The LORD works out everything for his own ends-- even the wicked for a day of disaster. “I know what the bible says, but I believe……..”

My point is this – are you ready and willing to submit to and believe all the Scriptures? Even the hard ones? Are you ready to understand that being a Christian is not about that book you can go to Wal-Mart and buy written by a guy with more white teeth than I could ever dream of and who says you can have your best life now and get the best parking space and get the hot blonde wife and never be sick a day if you just have enough faith.
Jesus didn’t come and die so I could get the hot blonde. Jesus didn’t come and die so I could get out of my job. Jesus didn’t die so I could bench press 300 pounds and be as healthy and active as I was when I was running track in high school.

Jesus came to give glory to His Father. That’s why He came. And He came to give glory to His Father by coming to save people who deserved the just condemnation of the pits of Hell for our sin and rebellion against Almighty God. Jesus came to fulfill the Law by obeying the Law perfectly and by dying a horrific, bloody, public, shameful death on the cross. And He did it willingly. Jesus came to provide redemption for our sorry rear ends and He did it out of love. For His Father. And for His people.

Matthew 1:21 says He came to save His people from their sins. He came to do the will of His Father and John 6 says that will was to save those who the Father gave him. That’s how Jesus gave glory to His Father. How about us? Do we think otherwise? That our Christianity is all about making our ride through life a smooth, sweet one and Heaven is just icing on the cake? Do we perform acts of Christian service so we can get mainline the Holy Spirit? Do we serve Missions on Keryx weekends or Emmaus weekends or go on short-term missions trips to get our next Holy Spirit high? If that’s true, are we any different than those people out there who run around looking for the next high or the thing that will satisfy their own lusts of the flesh? Isn’t that humanism? Isn’t humanism sin? Then don’t veil our humanism in Christian clothing. Paris Reidhead was a missionary to Africa back in the 40’s. He thought he had God all figured out. He wrote a sermon is called “Ten Shekels and A Shirt.” ( you can download a recording) It’s from Judges 17 and 18. What this man found in Africa is that the people there did not want Christ, they wanted what they wanted. Plain and simple. Just like in America today where Americans choose to live in the filth they desire. It is no wonder that we have a 50% divorce rate. Selfish, I want what I want, Me, Me, society. We leave destruction in the wake of a self centered society.