Fulfilled Today!

 

"When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:

 

'The Spirit of the LORD is upon me,

for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,

that the blind will see,

that the oppressed will be set free,

 

and that the time of the LORD's favor has come.'

He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. Then he began to speak to them. 'The Scripture you've just heard has been fulfilled this very day!'" (Lk 4:16-21).

Such a wonderful proclamation in the weekly gathering of the faithful in Nazareth provoked amazement, but it also produced severe skepticism... 

"Everyone spoke well of him and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. 'How can this be?' they asked. 'Isn't this Joseph's son?'" (Lk 4:22).

In the eyes of the world and in the sight of the community where He grew up, Jesus was simply Joseph's son. He was a former apprentice and now the local carpenter. There is no denying this partial truth. So let's not deny the same truth about ourselves. The very same potential to fulfill the word of the Lord as spoken and recorded by His servant and prophet Isaiah is in us today because... 

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Gal 2:20a). 

Aren't we just like Jesus, seen and understood imperfectly by the people we encounter every day? Don't they see us as average Joe's and common Cathy's? They know us as mom, dad, brother, sister, neighbor, friend, co-worker, teacher, student, pastor, etc. What is the secret to turning sermon truth loose in and through us to profoundly transform us and our circle of friends and family? What is the key to unleashing the healing, saving, delivering, sanctifying power of truth implanted in our hearts and minds as we read and meditate on God's word daily in our lives, and through us, into the lives of others? How do we and those we encounter experience the Scripture you've just heard has been fulfilled this very day, every day?

It's all about how we see ourselves. It's about what we believe about ourselves. Paul got it, as the Holy Spirit revealed and he believed the truth about who he was in Christ... 

"And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal 2:20b). 

When we start believing the whole truth about who we are in Christ, the transforming power of His word is fulfilled in and through us in God glorifying and honoring ways just as it was in the life of the son of Joseph the carpenter.

The Way to Go!

 

What’s the number one threat to America today? Some say it’s white supremacy. Some say it’s a new form of racism. Some say it’s China. Others say it’s Russia. Some believe it’s from within, others say it’s from without.

I believe the number one threat to America today is experiencing the consequences of turning away from God. How did we get here? Here’s a big and overlooked clue… 

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6).

It’s obvious that today’s adults, many of whom now hold positions of influence, from the White House to the preschool classroom, are simply walking in the way their parents started them off in.

Shape the child’s heart and mind today, shape the future.. 

To save the future, shape the child’s heart and mind today.

Consider the future-shaping impact of your child hearing God’s Word while they are studying God’s world. Might just be “the way to go!”

The Undeniable Convincing Truth

 

“Christianity is essentially a historical religion. It bases its claims on the historical facts it asserts. If these are demolished it is nothing.” -- Dr. Arthur Lindsley, The C.S. Lewis Institute, “Can the Gospels Be Trusted?” May 25, 2012.

Sir William Mitchell Ramsay is considered one of the greatest archaeologists in history. He performed most of his work across Asia Minor and the Middle East. He was raised an atheist, the son of atheists of great wealth. Receiving his doctorate in archaeology from Oxford, he committed his entire life to archaeology and set out for the Holy Land with the intention of undermining the validity of the Bible. However, Ramsay was forced to completely reverse his beliefs as a result of the overwhelming evidence uncovered in his research. After thirty years of vigorous and comprehensive study and analysis, this is what he had to say about Luke’s ability as a historian...

“Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statements as facts trustworthy . . . this author should be placed along with the greatest of historians . . . Luke’s history is unsurpassed in respect to its trustworthiness.” -- Josh McDowell, "Evidence that Demands a Verdict", (San Bernardino: Here’s Life Publishers, 1972), 71.

Eventually, after uncovering many hundreds of artifacts confirming the historicity of the New Testament record, Ramsay would shock the archaeological community when he revealed to the world that he had become a Christian. -- D. James Kennedy, "Why I Believe", (Dallas: Word Publishing, 1980), 33.

"As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him" (Psalm 18:30). 

The Undeniable Supernatural Truth

"Darwin “made it possible to be an intellectually fulfilled atheist.” -- Richard Dawkins, life-long committed atheist, acknowledging that atheism has no intellectual credibility apart from evolution.

Dawkins and other dedicated atheists must deny the fact that the universe has a beginning and therefore a cause. They have no explanation whatsoever about how life originated on this planet, and the collapse of Darwinian evolution would be their demise. It is no wonder they have such fanatical fervor for this theory that clearly is in crisis.

But for those who honestly and fervently study God's creation in search of truth, there is a liberating treasure waiting to be discovered...

“Darwinian theory does rest on truly miraculous assumptions." -- Dr. Rodney Stark, written when he was a self-described agnostic and Professor of Sociology and of Comparative Religion at the University of Washington for 32 years.

"Independent Christian" -- Dr. Rodney Stark, describing his personal faith when he became Professor and co-director of the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University.

"You will know the truth and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32).

Can't You See?

 

"The eye was made for vision; the telescope was made for assisting it. Each uses a sophisticated lens to achieve its function and purpose. Both reflect and manipulate light. ​Both are able to bring an object into proper focus. The muscles surrounding the soft lens of the eye move to bring objects into focus, while a telescope uses dials to move the lens. With would it be reasonable to believe that the telescope was created by a craftsman while the eye was not? Should they not both be considered products of design?" -- (William Paley, Natural Theology, 1802)

To see the evidence of creation we only have to open our eyes!

“The eye to this day gives me a cold shudder" -- (Charles Darwin, The Life and Letters of Charles Darwin, London: John Murray, 1988).

God wants us to see and know Him...

"For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse" (Romans 1:19-20).

God's Got This

Despite the glaring lack of evidence, the world continues to try to convince us that we are the result of a chaotic, random, chance series of evolutionary events. Believing what the world says makes us impotent puppets, controlled by the world and people that confront us each day.

“Perhaps generations of students of human evolution, including myself, have been flailing about in the dark... There is no clear-cut and inexorable pathway from ape to man” (Dr. David Pilbeam, distinguished paleontologist and Professor of Anthropology at Harvard University).

Believing what God says about us sets us free from becoming a victim of our circumstances, being a slave to temptation and sin, and manipulation by others. Living in His truth empowers us to conquer any distraction, threat, or trial as He receives glory in our mounting victories.

What God says about us...

"Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it" (Psalm 139:14).

What God says about each day...

"This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24).

Conquer the day, don't believe anything less than the truth that God's got this because God's got this day and everything in it and God's got you!

Why Does Math Work?

"If the universe evolved by blind, material forces acting randomly, why should it fit so neatly into mathematical formulas we invent in our minds? In short, why does math work?" (Pearcey, Total Truth, 316).

"The fact that math works so well in describing the world ‘is something bordering on the mysterious.’ Indeed, ‘there is no rational explanation for it'" (Eugene Wigner, The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences, essay).

"The mathematical precision of the universe reveals the mathematical mind of God” (Albert Einstein).

"The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world" (Ps 19:1-4).

"He counts the stars and calls them all by name. How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension!" (Ps 147:4-5).

Our Talkative God

Have you ever reflected on the existence of the Bible? The presence of God's Word in our world says much about the nature of God. It says God is talkative. He loves to speak. Since what we call the beginning God has been speaking... "And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light" (Genesis 1:3). Every time God speaks, something good is introduced into the life of the listener... "And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day" (Genesis 1:31). 

The existence of the Bible also declares that God is also very social. The presence of God's Word in our world reveals God's desire to connect with us. Every time God speaks He is forfeiting His personal privacy in order to let us approach Him, to invite us to get a glimpse of Him, to compel us to hear from Him. The clearest demonstration of God's social nature is the incarnation, where His Word, His Voice took on a nature we could approach, touch, and follow... "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:1, 14). But long before and ever since the incarnation, we have the Bible, the Word, the Voice of God calling out to us to connect with Him... "All Scripture is breathed out by God" (2 Timothy 3:16). 

The existence of the Bible confirms God's earnest desire to be heard. The presence of God's Word in our world is an undeniable shout-out to us from our amazing Creator and caring Father. It's no surprise that God-in-the-flesh, Jesus Christ repeats an urgent command to listen to His Word as He speaks to us about His beloved Church about it's trials and tribulations here in this temporal world... "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Revelation 2:7). 

The existence of God's Word in our fallen world is evidence that He longs to speak, touch, and be heard by His children. The ability to pick up and read His Word is confirmation that God has given us an ear to hear His Word. The only question that remains is, will we listen to our wonderful, talkative God?

The Devotion that Pleases God

The Devotion that Pleases God

At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea.” When the angel who spoke to him had departed, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who attended him, and having related everything to them, he sent them to Joppa (Acts 10:1-8).

The Holy Spirit shows us God at work in the heart of a Roman officer. We get a beautiful picture here of how the Lord brings people together to accomplish His work in our world. The gospel was spreading beyond Israel and beginning to bear fruit among the Gentiles in fulfillment of God’s divine plan… “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:11-12). Jesus had affirmed the truth that He came to save Jews and Gentiles alike… “I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd” (John 10:16). God’s grace was at work among the Gentiles, drawing them to Himself and preparing them to receive the gospel message. The centurion and his family would soon hear the gospel and believe in Christ because this devout Gentile and his whole household had the devotion that pleases God.

God pleasing devotion produces a fear of the Lord. Something about this Gentile Roman officer prompted a visit from an angel of God. The Holy Spirit inspired Luke to record that Cornelius… “feared God”. The Greek word for fear used here is phobeō, and it means to frighten, to be alarmed; to be in awe of, to revere, to be afraid, to fear exceedingly, and to reverence. Cornelius lived in a pagan culture where there were many idols and false gods competing for his devotion, but his attention, his heart and mind were devoted to the one true God, and in response, God placed a holy fear and reverence in his heart. The scriptures promise that this kind of holy fear leads to the discovery and knowledge of God Himself… “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Proverbs 9:10). Here God fulfills his Word by sending an angel to arrange a meeting for Cornelius and his family with the evangelist Peter. Like Cornelius, do we have a holy fear of the Lord that increases our awareness of His presence and are we sensitive and responsive to God fearing seekers around us?

God pleasing devotion inspires a generous spirit. Cornelius’ whole-hearted devotion to the one true God left no room for selfishness in his heart. In fact, the angel of God noted that along with his prayers, his generosity… “ascended as a memorial before God”. Devoted disciples recognize that God is generous with us so we can be generous to others, and through our generosity God is glorified… “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:11). Does our giving reveal a generous spirit that reflects the generosity of our Father?

God pleasing devotion compels a prayerful heart. Like Cornelius’ pagan world, our culture is full of distractions and temptations that compete for the attention of our hearts and minds. God calls us to look away from the world… “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:1-2). I like the way the Holy Spirit inspires Paul to compel us to place our hearts and minds in the presence of Christ where He is seated. This is a powerful picture of what happens during times we devote to prayer. Does our time devoted to sitting and conversing with Christ in the presence of God reveal an increasingly prayerful heart?

As we grow up into Christ, we grow in reverence, generosity, and a prayerful spirit through…

The Devotion that Pleases God.

The Faith that Produces New Life

Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter rose and went with them. And when he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows stood beside him weeping and showing tunics and other garments that Dorcas made while she was with them. But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. And he stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner (Acts 9:36-43).

Today we examine a miracle. As Peter continued to serve the Lord, minister to people, and preach the gospel, the Holy Spirit led him to a group of mourning disciples in the town of Joppa. He might have expected that the purpose for his visit was to offer comfort and lead them in the burial of their beloved sister Tabitha. But God had much more in store. He knows what we really need and He is sovereign over all the good and bad circumstances of our lives… “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). God is always eager to give us more than we know to ask for… “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20). On this day, after Peter cleared the room and met with God in prayer, the Lord led him to command Tabitha to return to this life. Next, confronted with the testimony of this miracle, throughout Joppa… “many believed in the Lord”, and many received new life in Christ. Today, the Holy Spirit helps us see a great miracle that led to even greater miracles, as we witness the faith that produces new life.

New life comes through faith in God. This whole scene is a wonderful illustration of faith in God. Tabitha’s faith in God was evident to all in her… “good works and acts of charity”. The disciples’ faith in God compelled them to send for Peter, whose faith in God led him to pray and respond to God’s instruction to command Tabitha to… “arise”. The faith of each of these young disciples came together in this amazing event and the result was new life for Tabitha and far beyond, new life in the surrounding community as… “many believed in the Lord” and received new life in Christ… “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12). Our best witnessing efforts often come as our faith is tested and revealed to unbelievers who are watching us. The Lord offers new life to the lost through us as our faith in God is perfected in difficult circumstances.

New life comes through the faith of the servant of God. Peter’s faith in God compelled him to change his plans and travel to Joppa. It was becoming natural for him to pray and even more comfortable for him to command a dead girl to rise. He had seen Jesus raise the dead. Perhaps he remembered Jesus’ promise… “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12). As we serve Christ every day, we can anticipate great things as the Lord works through our faith as His servants.

New life comes through faith in the servant leader of God. There is one more revelation here. The disciples in Joppa respected the leadership of Peter enough to call him to share in their mourning over Tabitha. They obeyed his command to leave the room where she laid. The Spirit exhorts us to trust God and submit to the spiritual leaders He places in our lives… “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you” (Hebrews 13:17). When we trust God and have faith in the servant leaders who care for us, God produces life for us and others through this holy relationship.

As we grow up into Christ, we can be an instrument of His life producing power as we grow in…

The Faith that Produces New Life. 

The Essentials of Effective Evangelism

Now as Peter went here and there among them all, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, who was paralyzed. And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord (Acts 9:32-35).

The Spirit turns our attention from Saul to Peter, who was relentless in spending time with people… “Peter went here and there among them all”. He had the heart of an evangelist and he wanted to tell everyone the good news about Jesus Christ. But he did not simply walk up to people and start preaching to them. He did not stand on the street corner and preach to passersby. Peter had learned to rely on the Holy Spirit and the Spirit led him to encounters with very needy people. The Spirit empowered Peter to touch them, to meet their deepest need, and to produce a visible change in their lives. Watching the Holy Spirit lead and empower Peter, we discover an important Biblical truth. We learn that serving others opens doors to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and we discover the essentials of effective evangelism.

Eager witnesses are led by the Holy Spirit. Humble disciples know we have no words of our own that can change the heart of a person toward God. We often encounter overwhelming needs in the lives of those we want to lead to Christ. But like Peter, we have experienced the power of the Holy Spirit’s transformational work in our own lives, so we learn how essential it is to depend on Him to empower our witnessing efforts… “Repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:47-49). As we submit to and follow the Holy Spirit’s leading, like Peter, we see His power at work in the lives of the lost, preparing them to receive the gospel from our lips… “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover” (Mark 16:17-18). Jesus promised that we will see His power at work as we are led by the Holy Spirit to share the gospel with the lost.

Earnest witnesses invoke the name of Jesus Christ. Humble disciples know we do not have powerful, persuasive speech or arguments that can change the mind of a person about God. We often encounter questions we cannot answer from skeptics and doubters. But like Peter, we have a personal testimony that is centered on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ who has changed our lives… “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (1 Corinthians 1:17). Whatever need we encounter in a lost person’s life, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, we know how essential Christ crucified is because His atoning death is a declaration of His love and power to meet their deepest need… “We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:23-24). Paul reminds us that we will see the power of God at work when we invoke the name of Jesus Christ, our crucified Savior as we witness to the lost.

Engaged witnesses anticipate the testimony of transformed lives. Humble disciples know the results of our evangelizing efforts are the work of God. We expect and anticipate the evidence of His transforming power in the testimony of changed lives as we tell others about Jesus… “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). Just as… “all the residents of Lydda and Sharon” witnessed the changed life of the formerly bedridden Aeneas, it is essential that we share the witness of our new born-again life because we anticipate the testimony of transformed lives among the hurting, needy, and lost around us who are touched by our vivid testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

As we grow up into Christ, we will become more effective witnesses as we practice…

The Essentials of Effective Evangelism.