Romans 12: What Does it Look Like When Christians Present Their Bodies to God?

Class Outline:

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Time to refresh your faith framework.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re in the resident congregation, turn off your electronic devices and put them away.  Let this be a place where you aren’t distracted by the world.

 

Welcome To

BARAH MINISTRIES

 

Rory Clark

Pastor-Teacher

 

Good Morning!

 

Welcome to Barah Ministries, an intimate, local Christian Church with a worldwide impact.  My name is Pastor Rory Clark.  Thanks for listening to this Bible lesson!

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

What Does it Look Like When Christians Present Their Bodies to God?

 

LESSON INTRODUCTION

 

If you can remember that far back and had the experience, how you behavedon a particular occasion or situationmattered to your parents.  Theyconstantly gave you instructions on how to conduct yourselves.  My Mom said, “Children should be seen and not heard!”

 

As we continue our study of Romans, Chapter 12, the Lord directs the apostle Paul to teach us how to conduct ourselves.  In today's lesson, we'll learn how unconditional love expresses itself in conduct.

 

OPENING SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let’s hear some music!  The Lord knows how to conduct Himself.  If Christianity were described in a word, it would be LOVE.  The Beatles were right!  All we need is LOVE.  The Lord loved us unimaginably, and we thank Him for it as we listen to Brandon Lake and Phil Wickham sing LOVE OF GOD.  Reflect on the words.

 

 

 

MUSIC

OPENING SONG

Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises

 

LOVE OF GOD

Brandon Lake and Phil Wickham

 

OPENING PRAYER

 

Let us pray...

 

We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…

 

…thank you, Father, for loving us enough to give us direction in how to BE…let Your words sink deeply into our souls as God the Holy Spirit communicates this lesson to us…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

What Does it Look Like When Christians Present Their Bodies to God?

 

LESSON PART ONE

 

You use computers, right?  Did you know your computer has an operating system?  It’s a program that manages a computer’s resources and processes to ensure your applications and software work together without interfering with each other.

 

Operating systems make it easy for you to compute.  Operating systems include Microsoft Windows, Apple MacOS, Apple iOS, and Google Android.  There's also a "throwback" operating system called Linux.  An operating system tells your computer how to conduct itself.

 

God cares how we conduct ourselves.  In Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verse 1 Paul says from his jail cell in Rome…

 

EPHESIANS 4:1

Therefore I (Paul)…the prisoner of the Lord…implore you to walk in a manner

worthy of the calling with which you have been called…

 

In other words, conduct yourselves as Christians with a lifestyle in which the

Lord would be proud.

 

In Romans, Chapters 12 to 16, the Lord communicates the standards for Christian conduct, commands to follow, and offers us instruction.  Let’s look at what the Lord has told us so far in Romans, Chapter 12.

 

In Verse 1,the Lord tells us to present our bodies for Christian service in an acceptable way.  How are you doing with this?

 

In Verse 2, the Lord tells us to have the right mentality…a transformed by God mentality, not a conformed-by-Satan mentality.  As you know Satan, the enemy of God, is constantly luring us away from divine standards.  How well are you doing resistinghim?

 

In Verse 3, the Lord tells us to operate in humility, not thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought to think.  For example, the Lord tells us not to be judgmental.  When we criticize the speck in our brother's eye, we forget about the log in our own.  Our first check must be to see if we are hitting the standard we expect of others.  When the answer is NO, we have to be quiet.  How are you doing with this?

 

In Verses 4 to 8, the Lord tells us to work well together.  We are members of the body of Christ, and each of us has a spiritual gift to offer to others.  The other body parts are dependent on us.  One of the great things about spiritual gifts is they are supernatural and powered by God, who always gives us the resources we need to make the gift effective.  How are you doing with this?

 

Let's look at today's passage to see what other standards and commands the Lord has for our conduct.  Romans, Chapter 12, Verses 9 to 16…

 

ROMANS 12:9

Let unconditional love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil...cling to what is good.

 

ROMANS 12:10

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love...give preference to one another in

honor...

 

ROMANS 12:11

...not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord...

 

ROMANS 12:12

...rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer...

 

ROMANS 12:13

...contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

 

ROMANS 12:14

Bless those who persecute you...bless them and do not curse them.

 

ROMANS 12:15

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

 

ROMANS 12:16

Be of the same mind toward one another…do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.

 

The Lord keeps on giving us standards for Christian conduct, commands to follow, and instructions in operation.  Let’s look at these twenty commands to see what the Lord wants us to learn about conducting ourselves.

 

Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 9…

 

ROMANS 12:9

Let unconditional love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil...cling to what is good.

 

LET UNCONDITIONAL LOVE BE WITHOUT HYPOCRISY

 

Unconditional love is sincere, not hypocritical.  What is a hypocrite?

 

HYPOCRITE (HUPOCRITES in Greek)

Someone who talks from behind a mask…a phony

 

It’s someone who talks like they are champagne when they are beer!  The apostle

John illuminates…First John, Chapter 3, Verse 18…

 

FIRST JOHN 3:18

Little children (believers in Christ)…let us not love with word or with tongue…but let’s love in deed and in truth.

 

The Lord thinks actions speak louder than words.  Don’t be a phony.  Don’t talk the love game when it’s not real.  Christians are amazingly adept at being phonies.

 

ABHOR WHAT IS EVIL

 

Great Christians are haters!  We hate evil and sin as instructed in Psalm 97, Verse 10…

 

PSALM 97:10a

Hate evil, you who love the Lord…

 

What does this mean for today’s Christian?  You can take down your rainbow flags.  Believers who support this movement are rejecting God and His Word, submitting their minds to pop culture nonsense like transgender…gay marriages… and diversity-equity-inclusion (one more thing to tell blacks how inferior they are so they must be coddled.)

 

Here's the Lord’s attitude about diversity, equity, and inclusion…Galatians, Chapter 3, Verse 28.  In the plan of God…

 

GALATIANS 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Greek (there’s no racial distinction)…there is neither slave nor free man (there’sno social distinction)…there is neither male nor female (there’sno gender distinction) …for you are all one who are in union with Christ Jesus.

 

The race thing…the social classes thing…the “glass ceiling” thing…are not part of God’s plan.  Excellent Christian conduct rejects these ideas.

 

With God all of us are equal.  His creation screams diversity.  "Whosoever" can be saved shouts inclusion.  When your standards are these, there's little need to say it.

 

By the way, believers in Christ love the sinner unconditionally but HATE sin.

CLEAVE TO WHAT IS GOOD

 

To cleave means to hold fast to someone or something (as in sexual intercourse)…to be joined tosomeone or something.  The Lord wants us to cling to things that are good for us.  Philippians, Chapter 4, Verse 8…

 

PHILIPPIANS 4:8a

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true…whatsoever things are honorable… whatsoever things are right…whatsoever things are pure…whatsoever things are lovely…

 

PHILIPPIANS 4:8b

…whatsoever things are of good repute…if there is any excellence, and there is…and if there is anything worthy of praise…and many things are…let your minds dwell on these things.

 

Said a shorter way…the motto of my alma mater…Northwestern University…

 

QUAECUMQUE SUNT VERA

Whatsoever things are true, let you mind dwell on these things.

 

Cleave to what is good.  Why?  First John, Chapter 2, Verse 20…

 

FIRST JOHN 2:20a

…you believers in Christ have an anointing from the Holy One…

 

The Lord has given us much and He expects much.  How are you doing with these standards…loving sincerely…rejecting the evil of Satan’s kingdom…gravitating to good things?

 

Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 10…

 

ROMANS 12:10

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love...give preference to one another in honor...

 

BE DEVOTED TO ONE ANOTHER IN BROTHERLY LOVE

 

How Christians treat each other matters to God.  He wants “Philos-Delphos” in

Greek…Philadelphia…brotherly love (in addition to unconditional love).

 

Brotherly love is devotion to each other…extreme affection for each other, both within this ministry and outside of it.  The apostle reminds us in First John, Chapter 3, Verse 14…

 

FIRST JOHN 3:14

We believers in Christ know that we have passed out of spiritual death into spiritual life, because we love the brethren unconditionally. He who does not love unconditionally(that’s the unbeliever) abides in spiritual death.

 

Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verse 32 reminds us…

 

EPHESIANS 4:32

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God the Father…in Christ…also has forgiven you.

 

When you remember all God has done for you…loving you unconditionally, forgiving you totally, and offering you grace when you make mistakes, how can you not pass it on?  Why are we such pin cushions, looking to react to every slight?

 

GIVE PREFERENCE TO ONE ANOTHER IN HONOR

 

This is simple…we are to love others as much as we love ourselves…them first then you.  When we interact with others, we seek solutions that are a win for both.  We don’t like winning at the expense of others.

 

How are you doing with these?  Do youreflect brotherly love in every interaction?  Do you honor others, especially those you do not know?

 

Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 11…

 

ROMANS 12:11

...and not lagging in diligence, be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord...

 

NOT LAGGING IN DILIGENCE

 

The Lord wants us to treat our spiritual life with spiritual fervor, a burning passion.

Are you passionate about the Lord?  The Lord doesn’t want us to be lazy about spiritual matters.  He’s saying, “Don’t be a sloth.  Don’t be lulled to sleep in Satan’s kingdom.”

 

FERVENT IN SPIRIT

 

Let’s learn from one of the first-century believers, Apollos, who established the

church at Ephesus and who was the Pastor of the churches in Corinth…Acts, Chapter 18, Verse 25…

 

ACTS 18:25

This man (Apollos) had been instructed in the way of the Lord…and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John…

 

Apollos was on fire for the Lord.  Are you?

 

SERVING THE LORD

 

Once again, we are told to present our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice.  When we do we say, “At your service, Lord!”  How are you doing with these?  Are you rejecting spiritual laziness, and embracing spiritual passion when you serve the Lord?

 

Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 12…

 

ROMANS 12:12

...rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer...

 

REJOICING IN HOPE

 

In the plan of God, HOPEis absolute confidence.  As believers in Christ, we are absolutely confident the Lord will come again, especially to come back for us!We are absolutely confident the Lord loves us, forgives us, and gives us grace.

 

PERSEVERING IN TRIBULATION

 

As Christians, we thrive on tribulation.  James, Chapter 1, Verses 2 to 4…

 

JAMES 1:2

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials…

 

JAMES 1:3

…knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

 

JAMES 1:4

And let endurance have its perfect result so you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

 

As believers in Christ, the Lord wants us to be patient as we endure tribulation, knowing He will see us through it.

 

DEVOTED TO PRAYER

 

How’s your prayer life?  Acts, Chapter 2, Verse 42…

 

ACTS 2:42

They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.

 

Acts, Chapter 6, Verse 4…

 

ACTS 6:4

“But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

 

Acts, Chapter 12, Verse 5…

 

ACTS 12:5

So Peter was kept in prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.

 

Colossians, Chapter 4, Verse 2…

 

COLOSSIANS 4:2

Keep on devoting yourselves to prayer…keep on being vigilant in prayer…with an attitude of thanksgiving…

 

Devotion to prayer means setting aside time to pray.  It meansmaking it a habit to

pray.  In prayer, we give THANKS to God, we PETITION, asking for things we

need (not just material things)…we INTERCEDE for others bringing divine power to their human problems…and we pray for our ENEMIES, requesting divine favor to be bestowed on them.  How’s your prayer life?

 

When we return from the break, we’ll take the offering and we’ll continue to learn the standards, the commands, and the instruction the Lord intends for us in this passage.

 

FIVE-MINUTE BREAK

COUNT IT ALL JOY

June Murphy

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

What Does it Look Like When Christians Present Their Bodies to God?

 

OFFERING INTRODUCTION

 

We have an anonymous matching grant offer from a donor to help us get the financial year off to a great start.  They will match our contribution up to ,000.

This is the last week to contribute to the matching fund.

 

MATCHING GRANT OPPORTUNITY

 

So far we've raised nearly 00.  We have an extension until January 31 to raise the rest of the money.  Please help if you can.  You can contribute through the website, or the APP, or by check.  Your contribution is appreciated.

 

In Philippians, Chapter 4, Verse 17, the apostle Paul says…

 

PHILIPPIANS 4:17

Not that I seek the gift (for myself…even though I appreciate it) … but I seek for the profit which increases to your account (from God when you give).

 

Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with one of his always inspiring offering messages.

 

THE OFFERING

Deacon Denny Goodall

OFFERING VERSE

 

JAMES 1:17

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down fromGod the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

 

OFFERING SONG

THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU

Instrumental Version

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

What Does it Look Like When Christians Present Their Bodies to God?

 

LESSON PART TWO

 

Continuing in Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 13, the standards for operating in love…

 

ROMANS 12:13

...contributing to the needs of the saints…practicing hospitality.

 

CONTRIBUTING TO THE NEEDS OF THE SAINTS

 

The Lord wants us to offer relief to others.  What do the believers in Christ around you need from you?  Through your supernatural spiritual gift, the Lord suppliesyou with EVERYTHING you need to help others, and He directs you as to how to use resources He provides.  First Timothy, Chapter 6, Verses 17 to 19…

 

FIRST TIMOTHY 6:17

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but to fix their hope on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.

 

FIRST TIMOTHY 6:18

Instruct the rich to do good…to be rich in good works, to be generous, and to be ready to share…

 

FIRST TIMOTHY 6:19

…storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that

they may take hold of a life that is real.

 

The Lord wants us to trust Him, not wealth.  The Lord wants us to enjoy the wealth He gives us and to employ the wealth He gives us for the benefit of others.

 

PRACTICING HOSPITALITY

 

Practicing is the word dioko in Greek.  It means to press on….to be in hot pursuit…and the Lord wants us to be in hot pursuit of hospitality.  What is hospitality?  It’s “stranger” loving.  Do you love strangers or are you xenophobic

(afraid of strangers)?  The Lord wants you to extend hospitality to strangers.  Paul describes dioko as persecution…Philippians, Chapter 3, Verse 6…

 

PHILIPPIANS 3:6

…as to zeal, I was a persecutor (dioko) of the church (when I was an unbeliever)…

 

After becoming a believer in Christ, he used the same practice to introduce the Gentiles to the gospel message…Philippians, Chapter 3, Verses 12 and 14…

 

PHILIPPIANS 3:12

Not that I (Paul) have already obtained spiritual maturity or become perfect, but I press on (dioko) so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus…

 

Philippians, Chapter 3, Verse 14…

 

PHILIPPIANS 3:14

I press on (dioko) toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God the Father, in union with Christ Jesus.

 

Hebrews, Chapter 13, Verse 2…

 

HEBREWS 13:2

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels (messengers from God) without knowing it.

 

The Lord wants us to be hospitable to each other, but more to strangers.  He sends us strangers to send us messages.  How are you doing with this?

Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 14…

 

ROMANS 12:14

Bless those who persecute you...bless them and do not curse them.

 

BLESS THOSE WHO PERSECUTE YOU

 

To bless means…

 

BLESS

To invoke divine favor on behalf of someone

 

Luke, Chapter 6, Verse 26…

 

LUKE 6:26

“Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.”

 

LUKE 6:27

“But I (the Lord Jesus Christ) say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you…”

 

Bless their hearts!  The Lord wants Christians to pray for those who despitefully use us, because that’s what He did.

 

BLESS THEM AND DO NOT CURSE THEM

 

Blessing others has to come from within to be sincere, it is not just an external thing (eyewash).  The Lord doesn’t want us to be hypocrites.  Luke, Chapter 23, Verse 34…

 

LUKE 23:34

But (as He hung from the Cross) Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”

 

Not sure how He expressed that sentiment for the people who crucified Him, but He did.  How are you with your enemies?

 

If others speak ill of you bless them, too.

Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 15…

 

ROMANS 12:15

Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

 

REJOICE WITH THOSE WHO REJOICE

 

It’s pretty easy to rejoice with the rejoicing ones.  It’s fun.

 

WEEP WITH THOSE WHO WEEP

 

Weeping with the weeping ones is hard.  The Lord found a way…John, Chapter 11, Verses 32 to 35…

 

JOHN 11:32

Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother (Lazarus) would not have died.”

 

JOHN 11:33

When Jesus saw her weeping, and when He saw the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled…

 

JOHN 11:34

…and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”

 

JOHN 11:35

And Jesus wept.

 

In Jewish custom, weeping with those who weep is called “sitting shiva.”Mourners gather in the home of the deceasedfor seven days to talk about the person who has died and to comfort each other.

 

When someone you love dies, or when someone you care for suffers the loss of a loved one, “Sorry for your loss” and “May they rest in peace” doesn’t cut it.  The Lord wants us to feel what they feel.  In addition, we keep on pray for our friends as they grieve.  Those who are self-centereddon’t weep with those who weep.

 

Wrapping up in Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 16…

 

ROMANS 12:16

Be of the same mind toward one another…do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.

 

BE OF THE SAME MIND TOWARD ONE ANOTHER

 

Working as a team is an amazing experience.  Conversely, division is really hurtful.  This command from the Lord is all about attitude.  In Philippians, Chapter 2, Verse 2, Paul says to the Philippians…

 

PHILIPPIANS 2:2

…make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same unconditional love toward one another…be united in spirit…be intent on one purpose.

 

Philippians, Chapter 2, Verses 5 to 8…

 

PHILIPPIANS 2:5

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also the attitude in Christ Jesus…

 

PHILIPPIANS 2:6

…who, although He existed in the exact same essence as God the Father (because He is God), did not regard equality with God the Father as a thing to be seized and held…

 

PHILIPPIANS 2:7

…instead, He emptied Himself (depriving Himself of His rights as Deity), taking the form of a bond-servant (in subjection to God the Father), and being made in the likeness of men.

 

PHILIPPIANS 2:8

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a Cross.

 

The Lord modeled the attitude He wants from us.

 

 

DO NOT BE HAUGHTY IN MIND

 

It’s easy for Christians to get sucked into elitist conduct.  The Corinthian believers are an example.  We need to remember that we aren’t all we think we are…Galatians, Chapter 6, Verse 3 sits right in front of me on my desk…

 

GALATIANS 6:3

For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

 

ASSOCIATE WITH THE LOWLY

 

There is contempt among us toward the wealthy…toward those we think are “above” us.  Yet the wealthy had the same chance as each of us.  They simply use their time and resources differently.

 

There is also contempt among us toward those we consider to be beneath us.

The gospel message gets all of us clear.  No matter what you have experienced here on earth, whether wealth or poverty, we are all the same in the eyes of God.

 

The Lord tells us to treat those who choose to be less than they can be as if they are royalty.  How are you doing with these?

 

Let’s close with the NEW LIVING TRANSLATION of this passage, Romans, Chapter 12, Verses 9 to 16…

 

ROMANS 12:9

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.

 

ROMANS 12:10

Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

 

ROMANS 12:11

Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.

 

ROMANS 12:12

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.

 

 

ROMANS 12:13

When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

 

ROMANS 12:14

Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them…pray that God will bless them.

 

ROMANS 12:15

Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.

 

ROMANS 12:16

Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

 

How are you doing with all these things.  Reflect on these commands regularly.  It will help you as God the Holy Spirit transforms you into the person God wants you to be.

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

The Good News of Jesus Christ’s Salvation Offer to the Human Race

 

The closing moments of this lesson could be the ten most important minutes of your life.  You’ll be introduced to the good news concerning how you can spend all eternity in heaven when you close your eyes in this life.  We want you to know that…

 

GOD WANTS YOU!

He Wants You to Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life

 

…and what He wants for you is that you make the most important decision of your life.

 

The Bible says God is clear-minded…First Corinthians, Chapter 14, Verse 33…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 14:33

…God is not a God of confusion…

 

It's true!  God is so clear-minded He works in ones.  There is one category of unbelieving angels, the fallen angels; and there is one category of believing angels, the elect angels.  Here’s what the Lord has to say about the fallen angels in Jude, Chapter 1, Verse 6…

 

JUDE 1:6

And the fallen angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day…

 

Here's what the Lord says about the elect angels.  Matthew, Chapter 24, Verse 31…

 

MATTHEW 24:31

And the Lord will send forth His elect angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together the Lord’s elect believers from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

 

The Lord categorizes His human creatures the same way, as elect and fallen.  The Lord wants you to be one of the elect.

 

The bad news is you were born fallen.  You were born physically alive but spiritually dead as a fallen, ungodly, unrighteous unbeliever.  You were born a sinner in God’s eyes, in desperate need of a Savior.

 

It’s not your fault you were broin this way, but it is your circumstance.

 

In First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verse 22, the Bible says…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:22a

For all in union with Adam at physical birth (and that is every human being who comes to earth) are set to die the second death in the Lake of Fire…

 

The good news is that the Lord knew you could not work your way out of this circumstance, so He decided to work everything out for you.  GOD WANTS YOU!  It’s a great thing to know, because no one gets out of this life alive.  What’s going to happen to you when you close your eyes in this life?  Will you go to heaven or will you go to hell?  Will you remain fallen or will you choose to be elect?

 

God doesn’t want you to go to hell!  Second Peter, Chapter 3, Verse 9 says…

SECOND PETER 3:9

The Lord is not slow about His promise of salvation, as some accuse Him of...instead He is patient toward unbelievers…not wishing for any to perish (in the Lake of Fire) but for all to come to repentance (a voluntary change of mind about having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ).

 

The Lord has a plan to make you one of the elect, so He can welcome you to heaven!  So, how can you get to heaven?  RIGHT WHERE YOU SIT, RIGHT NOW, you can tell God the Father that you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that is the moment of eternal life for you.  Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…

 

ACTS 16:31

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved by God, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

Acts, Chapter 4, Verse 12 says…

 

ACTS 4:12

“…there is salvation in no one else…for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved (except the name of the Lord Jesus Christ).”

 

The ONE WAY…the ONLY WAY to get to heaven is through believing in the Lord Jesus Christ…John, Chapter 14, Verse 6…

 

JOHN 14:6

Jesus said to the doubting apostle, Thomas, “I am the way (to salvation)… and I am the truth (through the Word of God)…and I am the resurrection life…and no one comes to God the Father (in heaven) but through believing in Me.”

 

Who is this God who saves you?  The apostle Paul describes the Lord Jesus Christ in First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3

For I (Paul) delivered to you as of primary importance the gospel message I also received from God…that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins according to the Old Testament Scriptures…

 

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:4

…and that He was buried…and that He was raised from the dead on the third day…according to the Old Testament Scriptures…

 

Believing in Jesus Christ is your acknowledgment that you can’t do a thing

to be elect on your own.  You confirm that being fallen WILL NOT get you to heaven.  It's wiser to let God make you one of His elect, because once God does something, He never changes His mind!  John, Chapter 10, Verses 28 and 29 say…

 

JOHN 10:28

“…I (the Lord Jesus Christ) give eternal life to believers in Christ, and they will never perish…and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

 

JOHN 10:29

“My Father, who gives believers in Christ to Me, is greater than all…and no one is able to snatch elect believers in Christ out of God the Father’s hand either.|

 

Reject a relationship with Christ?  Matthew, Chapter 13, Verses 40 to 42…

 

MATTHEW 13:40

So just as weeds are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age.

 

MATTHEW 13:41

The Son of Man (Jesus Christ) will send forth His elect angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks (unbelievers)…and those who commit lawlessness (unbelievers)…

 

MATTHEW 13:42

…and the elect angels will throw (the fallen) unbelievers into the furnace of fire (The Lake ofFire)…and in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

Yes…there is a hell…and if you end up there it will be your choice.  So make the most important choice of your life!  Do what is suggested in John, Chapter 3, Verse 36…

 

JOHN 3:36

“He who believes in the Son has the resurrection life right at that moment…but he

who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”

 

Make the best decision for you!  Be an elect one, not a fallen one.

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

The Good News of Jesus Christ’s Salvation Offer to the Human Race

 

CLOSING SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let’s close with music!  Who do we trust to direct our conduct?  Lauren Daigle says I will TRUST IN YOU Lord.  So will we.  Reflect on these words.

 

MUSIC

CLOSING SONG

Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises

 

TRUST IN YOU

Lauren Daigle

 

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

Almighty God and Father…

 

..thank you for standards instead of rules…thank you for commands that are easy to follow…thanks most for giving us the enabling power of God the Holy Spirit so we don’t have to do these things in our own power when we have access to supernatural power…the same power that resurrected Your Son from the dead…teach us how to use it…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.

 

THE ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Please make it a habit to listen to the announcements.  They are posted separately.  Keep current on the things going on and coming up in Barah Ministries.

 

DISCUSSING THE LESSON AND PRAYER CIRCLE

 

Join us Live or on Zoom Immediately Following the Lesson

 

GOT BIBLICAL QUESTIONS?

 

Ask the Pastor

pastor@barahministries.com

 

WANT US TO PRAY FOR SOMEONE?

 

Send your request to pastor@barahministries.com

 

 

KEEP ON STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD DAILY!

 

Thanks for coming!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for listening!

 

www.barahministries.com