Pastor A

I have been out of town the last few days at a Leadership Conference. We had a marvelous time of spiritual renewal and fellowship with other members of Tucson Baptist Temple who are serving in leadership positions. God is so good to still work in the hearts and lives of those within our congregation. I cannot wait to see all that He is going to do in the coming weeks and months in our church.

Well, back to the topic of discussion from the past few days. Although each of the Gospel writers had a different emphasis, they did have a common theme. Even if you read only one of the four Gospels, you would have enough information as to how to receive forgiveness of your sins and be saved. Think about Matthew 20:28, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Mark quoted Jesus, “I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance… He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 2:17; 16:16). The key verse of Luke is found in 19:10, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Of course in John you will come across all kinds of tremendous salvation verses with the greatest verse found in 3:16. So there is no doubt about it: each of the Gospel writers stressed the fact of forgiveness of sins that is available through Christ.

Get into the Word of God today… don’t try; DO today!

You might think that since the four men we have recently described (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) were writing about the same thing that their records would be identical. But that is not the case. Each author wrote from a different viewpoint and for a different purpose. It is just as if four people were to photograph one person from different perspectives.

To illustrate my point… we took a wonderful team from our church to help Marvin and Jewel Wright in Uganda. There were at least 12 people who had cameras. I would collect all of the pictures every couple of days so that I could put all of them together for the team. It is always fascinating to see what people choose to focus on when they take their pictures. We were all on the exact same trip; however, each person who took pictures chose to focus on different perspectives. Some had all “face shots” while others captured animals and bugs. Others loved taking pictures of the children while others focused on the work that was being done. It is much the same way when we read the Gospels.

Matthew wrote primarily to Jews to show them that Jesus was the Messiah and the rightful heir to David’s throne. Mark wrote to show Jesus as God’s obedient Son. Luke wrote to Gentiles to show them Jesus was human as well as divine. And John’s Gospel, the last of the four written, pictures Jesus as God’s only begotten Son, sent into the world to die for sinners.

Maybe this perspective will give you a fresh insight as you sit down to read these books.

Don’t try today; DO today!

Today we begin with “Dr.” Luke. The writer of the third Gospel also set down the history of the early church as recorded in the book of Acts. Unlike the other Gospel writers, Luke was a physician and a Gentile. That means, of course, that he was not one of the twelve disciples, for they were all Jews.

Again, the question probably comes to your mind, where did Luke get his information in order to write his book? Well, like Mark, Luke was also a companion of the Apostle Paul. In writing Acts, he often used the pronoun “we” to describe what he and Paul did together. No doubt Luke talked with men who were eyewitnesses to the life of the Lord.

The fourth writer of the Gospels is considered the “beloved” disciple. The writer of this last Gospel record was one of the twelve disciples and perhaps the youngest. Along with Peter and James, he was the closest of the Lord’s companions. Jesus apparently had a special affection for John who, although at first he was what we would call a “hot head,” because of his quick temper, turned out to exemplify the patient love he so often wrote about, especially in his letters: I, II, and III John.

Here, then, are the four men whom God chose to be the biographers of His Son. Were it not for their written records, we would have no reliable, first-hand accounts of the life of Christ.

Tomorrow we will examine how God used four vastly different men to help us see Christ!

Don’t try today; DO today!

If you could have the choice of living at any selected point in history, when would it be? If you are a man, perhaps you would prefer to live in the time of Alexander the Great and watch as he conquers the world. Or maybe you would select the years when Michelangelo amazed Italy with his artistic genius. Or to be alive when the new world was explored by such men as Columbus and Cortez.

If you are a lady, you might select the time when Esther was queen over the land from India to Ethiopia. Or maybe you would desire to be around in the court of Henry VIII and watch his six wives come and go. Or maybe you would select the time frame to witness a woman scientist like Madame Currie make her great discoveries.

Of course if you had been alive during any of those times, you wouldn’t be around now. So perhaps you are content to be a contemporary of this exciting but troubled world. However, if you had to make a choice of living in the past, no doubt, after giving it careful thought, you would select the most important time in the history of the world – the years when Jesus, the Son of God, lived, ministered and died.

Multitudes of people had the great privilege of hearing Jesus in person and seeing the great miracles He performed. But only a very small number knew Him well. Although God ordained we should live in the time and place that we do, He wanted you to have a firm basis on which to know about Jesus and to accept Him as Saviour and Lord.

But how could that best be done? By having someone write down the major events of Jesus’ life so that you could read about and study them. God did that very thing by selecting four men to set down what we call today the four Gospels. In a sense, these men acted as our eyes and ears to the greatest events the world has ever witnessed.

As a child you probably learned their names by heart (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). But how much do we really know about them? Can you give any specific facts concerning each authe

The Holy Spirit Glorifies Christ. Numerous Christian groups have made the awful mistake of emphasizing the ministry of the Holy Spirit to the exclusion of the Lord Jesus Christ. This violates what the Bible says about the relationship between the Holy Spirit and Jesus. John 16:13-14, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.“

We see in this passage that the Holy Spirit does not “speak of himself” but rather glorifies Jesus Christ. When the Holy Spirit is emphasized and uplifted more than Jesus, something is wrong. To be filled with the Spirit is to be filled with Christ.

The 15th chapter of John describes this condition as “abiding.” It has two aspects: the believer abides in Christ, and Christ abides in the believer. The Bible compares this relationship to a vine and its branches. The two are united for the purpose of bearing fruit. This union comes from the Holy Spirit living in the heart of the believer. And the power comes from the vine, not the branches. The branches bear the fruit; they do not produce the fruit.

The “abiding” relationship not only results in spiritual fruitfulness, it also creates joy in the life of the Christian. Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.“   

The Holy Spirit has a multi-faceted ministry in your life as a Christian. In fact, His work in you began before you became a Christian. Consider:

The Holy Spirit Convicts. Have you ever wondered what makes you aware of your sin? Your conscience? Maybe so. Often it can, but not always. The Bible says that the conscience can be seared to the point that it will not say “yes” or “no” to moral questions; in fact, it will not say anything? I Timothy 4:2, “Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;” What then reveals rightness or wrongness? The Scriptures clearly explain that the Holy Spirit convicts of “sin, righteousness and judgment.” He is the One Who speaks in the secret places of your heart and shows you your need of confession. Review yesterday’s passage found in John 16.

The Holy Spirit Indwells. At the very instant of spiritual birth, when an individual by faith receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, that person is indwelled by the Holy Spirit. He takes up permanent residence in the believer. Romans 8:9-11, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Romans 8:15-16, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:“

Galatians 4:6, “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” Ephesians 1:13-14, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.“

He does not come into one’s life on a temporary basis; there is no “probationary period.”

Many Christians do not know who the Holy Spirit is, nor what he does. Some imagine Him to be some sort of “it” floating about the universe, mysteriously influencing the affairs of men. Others think of Him as an important spiritual being, but not as God.

Who is the Holy Spirit? And why do so many know so little about Him? The answer is simple: the nature and personality of the Holy Spirit are revealed in God’s Word. Those who do not know Him just have not studied the Bible.

The Bible declares that the Holy Spirit is one of the three Persons of the Trinity; equal with God the Father and God the Son, Jesus Christ. He has all the attributes of God because He is God. He is a Person, not an “it” and knowing Him and His work is essential to spiritual maturity.

Consider the following verses regarding the identity of the Holy Spirit and tomorrow we will find out some of the specific responsibilities of the Holy Spirit.

John 14:16-17, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.“

John 14:23, “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.“

John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.“

John 16:7-15, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.  8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.“

Philip was not quick to understand spiritual things or attempt to live by faith. In fact, he was probably the “slowest” mentally and spiritually of all the disciples. At the feeding of the five thousand, when Jesus asked him where they could get enough bread to feed the people, Philip did not respond in faith. He did not say, “Why, You can provide bread for them, Lord. We saw You turn water into wine. This should not be too hard for You.”

No, all Philip could say to the Son of God is found in John 6:5-7, “When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? 6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.” When the searching Greeks came to him at the feast, wanting to find Jesus, Philip did not even have the spiritual boldness to deal with them himself. He had to take them to Andrew, who helped him introduce them to Christ.

John 12:20-22, “And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: 21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. 22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.“

But, Philip never gave up. Every day he stayed close to the Master, getting to know Him more perfectly, obeying His teaching as it became plain to him. And before too long, it all fell in place for him. Philip found the will of God… not because he was full of faith, abundantly talented or spiritually brilliant. Because Philip’s heart was right and because he daily obeyed and learned more from the Master, Philip found God’s will for his life.

You may not be the outstanding Christian in your church. You may never be recognized for your talents or abilities. You may even share with Philip the reputation of being “slow”, and “underachiever.” But when it comes to knowing and doing the will of God, you have the same opportunity and capability as anyone. God’s will does not belong to a favored few; it belongs to all who from the heart of trust and obey the Master completely.  

John, the impetuous young disciple whom Jesus called “the soon angry one,” outlived all his contemporaries. He was the only one of the Twelve not to die a violent martyr’s death. But he did live a martyr’s life. He was beaten, persecuted, and finally exiled to the Island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea.

And yet, what was the overriding theme of John’s life? What filled his heart and mind? The love of God! Not anger or bitterness or resentment; just love. Over 50 times in I, II, and III John, letters he wrote, he talks about love; the love God has for us and the love we share with our brothers and sisters in Christ. He shared the love we are to carry to a world full of hatred and strife. In submitting yourself to the Master, you are filled with the very God of love Himself.

When you allow Jesus Christ to totally control your heart, your thoughts, your actions and reactions, then you, like John, will walk in love. Ephesians 5:2, “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.“

Jesus was an advocate of self-love. Consider His words in Matthew 22:39, “…thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself…” Jesus taught that a natural, respectful love for yourself is normal; and it is essential in our relationships with others. Without a proper love for yourself, you are sure to have a rough time loving anyone else.

When we think of loving our friends, we are reminded that Jesus said that the identifying mark of the Christian is love for fellow believers. A famous Jewish historian wrote that it was said of the first-century Christians, “Behold, how they love one another.” Today, some historians might be prompted to write, “Behold, how they stab one another in the back.” How tragic it is that unbelievers often to a better job of showing concern than Christians do. We need to continually remind ourselves that our Lord commanded us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

What about our enemies. Should we love our enemies? Yes, Jesus said we are to do this too. Perhaps you wonder: can I do it? The answer is yes and no. Yes, we can do it; but no, not on our own. Romans 5:5 says that the Holy Spirit supplies the love we need. “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.“

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said that it is normal to love those who love you and hate those who hate you. But He then pointed out that when you love those who hate you, you demonstrate spiritual maturity. And God’s Word reveals that when we love this way, we are loving with agape love.

The demonstration of genuine love in a Christian’s life draws attention to Christ. This truth is illustrated by a thrilling experience of Peter and John. They were going into the Temple on one Sabbath day when they met a crippled man. Peter spoke to the man and commanded him in the name of Jesus to stand and walk. Miraculously, the cripple’s legs were healed. He not only stood, but began leaping with joy. Peter used the opportunity to preach to the people gathered around. The City Council of Jerusalem got very uptight about this and called Peter “on the carpet” so to speak. They asked him to testify and he gave them just what they asked for. How did they respond? Acts 4:13 says,

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.“

Peter and John were not geniuses. In fact, in the eyes of the world, they were just two dumb fishermen. But they showed a real love in their lives and in so doing, they magnified the Lord Jesus Christ.

God wants the same wonderful thing to happen in your life.