ROM-142-151018 - length: 71:46 - taught on Oct, 18 2015
Class Outline:
Welcome To
BARAH MINISTRIES
a Christian Church
Rory Clark
Pastor-Teacher
Good Morning!
Welcome to Barah Ministries…a worldwide Christian Church based in Mesa, AZ…my name is Pastor Rory Clark.
In Matthew, Chapter 18, Verses 23 to 27 is a parable analogous to our position as creatures at physical birth…
“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.”
The Lord Jesus Christ is the king…we are the slaves…
“When the king had begun to settle the accounts, one of the slaves who owed the king ten thousand talents was brought to him.”
Ten thousand talents are millions of dollars…a debt the slave would never be able to repay…at physical birth we have a sin debt that we can’t repay…
“But since the slave did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and for repayment to be made.”
The king wanted to recover as much of his investment as possible…the Lord invests in us by giving us life, and He wants it to pay off.
“So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before the king, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’”
So much like us…when we are in a helpless situation we strive to repay a
debt we cannot pay…we want to do the work…if the slave lived three lifetimes he would never be able to repay the debt…the slave, finally realizing his helplessness in the situation and begged for mercy.
“And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released the slave and his family and forgave the debt (knowing the slave could never repay the debt).”
So it is with each of us. At physical birth, all creatures are “in union with Adam” … we carry his sin, we are on the wrong side of a barrier, we are spiritually dead, we are helplessly and hopelessly separated from God, and there is no way we could ever do anything to pay Adam’s sin debt. But the Lord Jesus Christ went to a Cross, and shed His blood to save us…First Peter, Chapter 2, Verse 24…
…and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself bore our sins in His own body on the Cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
The Lord exchanged our sins for His righteousness…the admission ticket to heaven…and He offers this free gift to all those who are willing to put their trust in Him and His work for salvation.
Once the Lord Jesus Christ, the Sovereign God of the Universe, has given His believers a “so great” salvation, how does the Lord Jesus Christ, want His believers to live their lives? Titus, Chapter 2, Verses 11 to 14…
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men…
…instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and instead to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age…
…looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great
God and Savior, the Lord Christ Jesus…
…who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
The Lord wants us to live a holy life with the help of God the Holy Spirit, zealous to do the good deeds that God the Father has prepared in advance for us to walk in. As we facing life’s dichotomies…a dichotomy being…
DICHOTOMY
Two completely opposed and totally contradictory viewpoints being offered for your consideration at the point of every decision.
…believers in Christ who choose the holy life are the ones who choose the pure route…First John, Chapter 3, Verses 1 to 3…
See how great an unconditional love God the Father has bestowed on us believers in Christ, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
Beloved (divinely loved ones), now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when the Lord appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.
And everyone who has this hope fixed on the Lord purifies himself, just as He is pure.
Living the holy life means purifying yourself, and purifying yourself means making the obedient choice at the point of decision. Welcome to a place where you can learn both what it takes to be saved and what it takes to live a holy life.
MUSIC AND REFLECTION
Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ
Enjoy the Singing of His Praises
INDESCRIBABLE
Chris Tomlin
The opening song is INDESCRIBABLE by Chris Tomlin.
OPENING PRAYER
Let us pray...
We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…
Thank you for encouraging us to live a holy life…we yearn for it…we strive for it…but we find it so difficult…our decisions and our attempts at self-control always seem to come to nothing…we are weak and unsteady spiritually…torn between the desires of the flesh and the holy life…
Thank you for giving us God the Holy Spirit to help with our weakness… thank you for His intercession for us with groanings too deep for words...
Help us to give up all of our own efforts and instead to depend totally on You…help us to hear and to heed the guidance of Your Holy Spirit…direct us continually to the path of righteousness and holiness, especially when we stray…mold us according to Your will…help us to obey…
We ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit in Christ’s name... Amen.
TODAY’S STUDY
What is God’s Attitude Toward the Sand People?
There are people still alive and breathing on this earth, many of them in your periphery, many of them your very own family members, that choose to build their house on the sand…they can easily be called the “sand people” … Matthew, Chapter 7, Verses 26 and 27…
“Everyone who hears these words of Mine (the gospel message concerning the possibilities of salvation) and does not act on them (by believing in Christ so they can be saved), will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.”
“The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”
The Lord Jesus Christ sends a warning to those who are “in the flesh” … to unbelievers…to the “sand people.” And if this warning is taken out of context, it is easy to assume that the Lord has a negative attitude toward unbelievers…He doesn’t…He loves them UNconditionally…in fact, the Lord was accused of hanging out with the wrong people by the scribes and the Pharisees during His time on earth…Mark, Chapter 2, Verses 14 to 17…
As the Lord Jesus Christ passed by, He saw Levi (a tax collector…also known as Matthew) the son of Alphaeus sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And Levi got up and followed Jesus.
And it happened that Jesus was reclining at the table in Levi’s house, and many tax collectors and sinners (unbelievers, prostitutes) were dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and the sinners were following Jesus.
When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that He was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they said to His disciples, “Why is He eating and drinking with tax collectors and sinners?”
And hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous (believers in Christ to salvation), but (I came to invite) sinners (unbelievers to salvation).”
Who are the “sand people” in your life? What’s your attitude toward them? What are you doing to reach them? More on the Lord’s attitude toward the “sand people” after a few announcements…
BARAH MINISTRIES ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRAYERS!
Helen Bixby
Tracy Bixby’s Mom
Heart Attack
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
TODAY!
Visit the Vets
October 18, 2015
1:45PM MST
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
NEXT WEEK!
Next Deacon’s Meeting
October 24, 2015
7:30AM MST
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
Pastor Rory and Lila Clark
One Year!
October 18, 2015
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!
Larry and Pat Collins
53 years!
October 21, 2015
TODAY’S STUDY
What is God’s Attitude Toward the Sand People?
We continue our study of Romans, Chapter 8…we have progressed into a comparison of those who are “in the flesh” and those who are “in the Spirit.” And as believers in Christ, we must not forget that this letter to the Romans is a foundational study in biblical Christianity. As such, we must not forget the most important thing in biblical Christianity…salvation. It was a subject that was always on the Lord’s mind…He was always interested in saving the lost. Luke, Chapter 19, Verse 10…
“For the Son of Man (the Lord Jesus Christ) has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
The “sand people” … unbelievers are the ones who are lost. God knows that we are but dust…that our will is not strong enough to overcome the flesh… Romans, Chapter 7, Verse 24…
Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?
God left His believers with a dependency at the moment of salvation, the same dependency we had when we needed to be saved…when we were “sand people” … a dependency on Him to do the work for us...only He can deliver us from the torture of the flesh that He left in us at the moment of salvation…Romans, Chapter 7, Verse 25…
Thanks be to God the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord (for the deliverance from the body of death)! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other hand, with my flesh, I am serving the law of sin.
From the moment of salvation, God the Father sees only the Lord Jesus Christ’s righteousness in us, and the Father is perfectly satisfied with the Lord’s perfect sacrifice on our behalf…Romans, Chapter 8, Verse 1…
Therefore there is now NO CONDEMNATION for those who are IN UNION WITH CHRIST JESUS.
The Lord gives His believers a resurrection life and He gives us God the Holy Spirit to lead us through it…Romans, Chapter 8, Verse 2…
For THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF “THE RESURRECTION LIFE” in union with Christ Jesus has set you free from THE LAW OF SIN AND OF DEATH.
Knowing everything His creatures could not do, God is willing to do for us…Romans, Chapter 8, Verses 3 and 4…
FOR WHAT THE MOSAIC LAW COULD NOT DO, (as) weak (and) as (powerless as) it was through the flesh, GOD THE FATHER DID: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh…and as an offering for sin, GOD THE FATHER CONDEMNED SIN IN THE FLESH…
Why?
…so that the requirement of the Mosaic Law (righteousness) might be fulfilled in us believers in Christ, who DO NOT WALK ACCORDING TO THE FLESH but who WALK ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT.
God the Father took our sin problem out of the way, and is now guiding us by the agency of God the Holy Spirit, into the righteous life.
Next the categories of creatures are addressed…the “sand people” and the “rock people” …Romans, Chapter 8, Verse 5…
For unbelievers, who are walking ACCORDING TO THE FLESH, occupy their beings (their minds) with the things of the flesh…but believers in Christ, who are walking ACCORDING TO THE (power of the) SPIRIT, occupy their beings (and their minds) with the things of the (Person of the) Spirit.
For the MIND OF THE FLESH is set on the second death, but the MIND OF THE SPIRIT is set on the resurrection life and peace…
…because the MIND OF THE FLESH is hostile toward God (that is, completely consumed with enmity); for the MIND OF THE FLESH does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so…
Let’s take a music break and then remember what it was like when we were “sand people.”
MUSIC BREAK
ROCK OF AGES
Chris Rice
TODAY’S STUDY
What is God’s Attitude Toward the Sand People?
This week, I talked to my sister for the first time since 1988…over twenty-seven years ago. For the last three decades, I didn’t know if she was alive or dead. If the truth be known, I didn’t really care. It’s pretty easy to write people out of the script of your life.
It was a strange experience as you might imagine. Funny how a relationship with the Lord and the study of His Word can melt away all the hurts, all the resentments, all the frustrations, and all the “wish it would have beens” of relationships. And in the quiet moments this week, when I reflected on my relationship with my sister, my deepest concern was “sand” or “rock.” I wondered if my sister is saved or not.
There’s really no reason why I have to be concerned with her life, nor with the life of her son, my nephew, who was my 19th birthday present. “I got mine.” That could easily be my attitude. But it isn’t. I am concerned. “I don’t care” isn’t true. In the quiet moments of reflection, I want them to be saved. I want them to live in heaven with God forever.
It’s really none of my business, just like it’s not your business, which family members or which friends are saved. Saving people is God’s job. You’ve got your if you’re a believer in Christ. And many times it is easier not to put yourself out there for others. In fact, when is the last time you put yourself out there to tell someone about a relationship with God?
We must remember, in a way that we never forget, that someone didn’t have that attitude toward us when we were “sand people.” Somebody put it out there to give us the gospel message.
It’s so easy to share the gospel message with people. And it is so easy for them to act on it. Ephesians, Chapter 1, Verses 13 and 14 says this…
In the Lord Jesus Christ, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the
gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in union
with Him with the Holy Spirit of promise…
…who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
From “sand” to “rock” … easy-peasy!
For a human being, the task is remarkably simple…
WHAT MAN HAS TO DO TO BE SAVED
Listen to the gospel message
Be convinced that it is accurate
Believe in Christ, placing your confidence in Him for salvation
And what is the gospel message? The easiest expression of the gospel message is John, Chapter 3, Verse 36…you’ve heard this verse many times…but can you recite it from memory? Here’s the Lord’s version of the gospel…
“He who believes in the Son has eternal life (the resurrection life); but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see (the resurrection) life, but the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”
In another passage, a more technical discussion of the gospel…First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4…
For I (Paul) delivered to you (Corinthian believers) as of first importance what I also received from God, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures…
…and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…
What did God do to save us?
WHAT GOD DID TO SAVE ALL MANKIND
Christ died for our sins
He was buried
He was resurrected from the dead
It is written in Scripture…we have a written guarantee that this is true. We have it from God’s own perspective. It’s interesting how often the Lord said when He was teaching…
THE LORD’S WORD
You have heard it said (from man)…
Now I say to you (as God)…
…as in Matthew Chapter 5, Verses 43 and 44…
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’”
“But I (the Lord Jesus Christ) say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”
The Lord is telling us that there is a big difference between our perspective and His…a reminder of the two perspectives through which we can look at life. <JESUS THE REDEEMER>
Well two other perspectives … “sand” and “rock” … Matthew, Chapter 7, Verse 26…
“Everyone who hears these words of Mine (the gospel message concerning the possibilities of salvation) and does not act on them (by believing in Christ so they can be saved), will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.”
Matthew, Chapter 7, Verse 24…
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
An important part of living the holy life is actually being alive enough to care about other people…the people around you. Maybe these are people that you treat like things, rather than like people.
When we hear information like this…Romans, Chapter 8, Verse 6…
For the MIND OF THE FLESH is set on the second death, but the MIND OF THE SPIRIT is set on the resurrection life and peace…
…if we treat this as information, then we’re ready tom move on. I got the data…come on…let’s get to the next piece of data. But here’s the truth. There are “sand people” in your life that are very important to you. Maybe you meet with them regularly…maybe you see them and talk to them all the time…but maybe you have them “in a box” … you’ve already decided that their fate is sealed and that there is nothing you can do to help them. It’s God’s job to save them. Well don’t forget Ephesians, Chapter 2, Verse 10…
For we believers in Christ are God the Father’s workmanship, created in
union with Christ Jesus for good works, which works God the Father
prepared beforehand for us so that we would walk in them.
Maybe the works that have been prepared for you include inviting the people close to you to be “rock people.” Maybe when we hear “those who are in the flesh” … may be we’ll realize that some of “those” are people we really love. Let’s not wait until they’re dead to want to share the gospel with them.
When the Lord Jesus Christ
Promises Salvation, It’s a Guarantee!
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”
“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given to mankind by which we must be saved (except the name of the Lord Jesus Christ).”
“For the Son of Man (the Lord Jesus Christ) has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
CLOSING SONG
HIS STRENGTH IS PERFECT
June Murphy
CLOSING PRAYER
Let us pray...
THANKS- INTERCESSION- PETITION
And we pray that You protect our steps as we go out into the world, Father…and that you keep us on the narrow way, completely dependent on You and Your Guiding, Mentoring Spirit…we ask this in Christ’s name, Amen.
Thanks for coming!
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for listening!
www.barahministries.com
| April 2024 | ||||||
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
| 31 | 1 Mon | 2 Tue | 3 Wed | 4 Thu | 5 Fri | 6 Sat |
| 7 Sun | 8 Mon | 9 Tue | 10 Wed | 11 Thu | 12 Fri | 13 Sat |
| 14 Sun | 15 Mon | 16 Tue | 17 Wed | 18 Thu | 19 Fri | 20 Sat |
| 21 Sun | 22 Mon | 23 Tue | 24 Wed | 25 Thu | 26 Fri | 27 Sat |
| 28 Sun | 29 Mon | 30 Tue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
 |
1220 S. Alma School Rd. Suite 201 Mesa, AZ 85210 |
 |
(480) 237-9903 |
 |
info@barahministries.com |
