Romans 15: The Lord Wants Us to Have an Attitude of ALOHA Which Glorifies God

Class Outline:

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Kindness is worth its weight in gold.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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!

 

I’m not sure that many of you make it to the end of the lessons…but at the end there is a request to 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.I hope you will.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Lord Wants Us to Have an Attitude of ALOHA Which Glorifies God

 

LESSON INTRODUCTION

 

If you’ve ever been to Hawaii, you know you take on new vocabulary words upon arrival, one of which is Aloha.  When we haoles hear the word Aloha (that’s pronounced HOW-LEE…a term that refers to a United States citizen from the mainland), we think it means HELLO.

 

Actually, ALOHA is the Hawaiian word for love, affection, peace, compassion, and mercy. Even though it is commonly used as a greeting, it hasdeeper cultural and spiritual significance to native Hawaiians.  ALOHA describes a force that holds together our existence.

 

In that way, ALOHA is a reflection of the Lord Jesus Christ, because He is the force that holds the entire universe together.  In today’s lesson, we learn that Romans, Chapters 14 and 15 are teaching believers in Christ about ALOHA…the unconditional love and acceptance for our brothers and sisters that holds our unity together.

 

OPENING SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let’s hear some music!

 

The vicious attacks on the President of the United States that abound both on social media and on the lips of those scorned by the results of the recent election are a testimony to disunity.  But disunity was never God’s intention for His creatures.Disunity is from the source of the ruler of this world, the enemy of God…Satan,who is embodies disunity.  Another word for disunity is enmity, a state of absolute hostility toward someone or something.

 

Ephesians, Chapter 2, Verses 14 to 16 makes God’s intentions for us clear…

 

EPHESIANS 2:14

For the Lord Jesus Christ is our peace…who made both groups (Jews and Gentiles) into one group (in unity) and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall…

 

EPHESIANS 2:15

…by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in union with Himself He might make the two groups (Jews and Gentiles) into one new man (the new creation)…thus establishing peace…

 

EPHESIANS 2:16

…so He might reconcile them both in one body to God the Father through the Cross…by means of the Cross having put to death the enmity.

 

God’s intention for us is unity.  Let’s listen to Mike Donehey sing about it in his UNITY HYMN.

 

MUSIC

OPENING SONG

Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises

 

 

UNITY HYMN

Mike Donehey

 

OPENING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

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

 

Father, all who get to know You…Your Son…God the Holy Spirit…and Your Word know for certain that all You want from us is that we listen to You…You want us to obey Your instructions for how to be savedby believing in Your Son, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…when we become believers in Christ, You want us to follow the instruction of God the Holy Spirit who is leading us into all the truth…when we encounter difficulties in life, the tribulation You give us for our edification, You want us to trust that You will deliver us from the trials…

 

Father, Your requests of us are so simpleand You give us Your divine power to do all these things…so help us surrender to You…keep on showing us the wisdom of benefitting from Your instruction…teach us, either the hard way or the easy way, to obey You…and help us to pass along this wisdom to those we love and to those who don’t love us…make us a perfect reflection of You and Your will…

 

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

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Lord Wants Us to Have an Attitude of ALOHA Which Glorifies God

 

LESSON PART ONE

 

We transition into the final two chapters of the apostle Paul’s letter to the believers in Christ at first-century Rome.  We pick up our study in the first passage of Romans, Chapter 15.

 

As you probably know, the original languages of Scripture had no chapter breaks.

 

A man by the name of Stephen Langton, who was a lecturer at the University of Paris and who later became the Archbishop of Canterbury, is credited with creating the chapter divisions used in most modern Bibles.  He introduced chapter breaks in the twelfth century.

 

In the sixteenth century, Robert Estienne (also known as Stephanus), a French printer, added verse divisions to his Greek New Testament.

 

As we begin our study of the first passage of Romans 15, you need to know that the first seven verses of Chapter 15 are really the completion of Romans, Chapter 14.  Let’s listen to the passage…Romans, Chapter 15, Verses 1 to 13…first in the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD TRANSLATION…

 

ROMANS 15:1

Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.

 

ROMANS 15:2

Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good…for his edification.

 

ROMANS 15:3

For even Christ did not please Himself…but as it is written, “THE REPROACHES OF THOSE WHO REPROACHED YOU (God the Father) FELL ON ME.”

 

ROMANS 15:4

For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

 

ROMANS 15:5

Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus…

 

ROMANS 15:6

…so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

ROMANS 15:7

Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.

 

 

ROMANS 15:8

For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers…

 

ROMANS 15:9

…and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy…as it is written, “THEREFORE I WILL GIVE PRAISE TO YOU AMONG THE GENTILES, AND I WILL SING TO YOUR NAME.”

 

ROMANS 15:10

Again he says, “REJOICE, O GENTILES, WITH HIS PEOPLE.”

 

ROMANS 15:11

And again, “PRAISE THE LORD ALL YOU GENTILES, AND LET ALL THE PEOPLES PRAISE HIM.”

 

ROMANS 15:12

Again Isaiah says, “THERE SHALL COME THE ROOT OF JESSE, AND HE WHO ARISES TO RULE OVER THE GENTILES, IN HIM SHALL THE GENTILES HOPE.”

 

ROMANS 15:13

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

Now let’s hear the NEW LIVING TRANSLATION of the passage…Romans, Chapter 15, Verses 1 to 13…

 

ROMANS 15:1

We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things. We must not just please ourselves.

 

ROMANS 15:2

We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.

 

ROMANS 15:3

For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God and Father, have fallen on Me.”

 

ROMANS 15:4

Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.

 

ROMANS 15:5

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.

 

ROMANS 15:6

Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

ROMANS 15:7

Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.

 

ROMANS 15:8

Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises He made to their ancestors.

 

ROMANS 15:9

He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for His mercies to them. That is what the psalmist meant when he wrote: “For this, I will praise You among the Gentiles…I will sing praises to Your name.”

 

ROMANS 15:10

And in another place it is written, “Rejoice with His people, you Gentiles.”

 

ROMANS 15:11

And yet again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles.  Praise Him, all you people of the earth.”

 

ROMANS 15:12

And in another place Isaiah said, “The heir to David’s throne will come, and He

will rule over the Gentiles.  They will place their hope on Him.”

 

ROMANS 15:13

I (Paul) pray that God the Father, the source of hope, will fill you completely with

joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident

hope through the power of God the Holy Spirit.

 

Let’s study the passage verse-by-verse beginning at Romans, Chapter 15, Verse 1…

 

ROMANS 15:1

Now we who are the strong in faith have a love debt to God…to keep on bearing with the weaknesses of those without strength (the weak in faith) … and we (who are the strong in faith) are not to keep on seeking just to please ourselves.

 

We remember from the first passage of Romans 14 that the only debt we can’t pay off and be done with it is the debt of unconditional love toward our God, toward our ourselves, and toward others.  By the way…the most neglected of those is unconditional love toward ourselves.  All of us have to learn to give ourselves a break.

 

Let’s think about it for a second…who are the “weak” in faith in our lives?  And when the people who are the “weak” in faith in our lives are irritating, can you follow God’s instructions to keep on loving them unconditionally?

 

 

Unconditional love happens when the weak in faith irritate you but you don’t want to see them hurt, so you accept them for who they are and who they are not.   The theme of the passage…Romans, Chapter 14 through Romans, Chapter 15, Verse 7 is to welcome each other…to accept one another.

 

If you don’t love UNconditionally then you love conditionally.  The problem for those at the wrong end of your conditional love is they are always wondering, “What do I have to do to get out of this conditional love jail?”  They learn, after a short time, there is nothing they can do to get out of conditional love jail if the “warden” won’t give them the key.

 

People who love conditionally are not listening to God the Holy Spirit.  They’re listening to the flesh.  Those who do not love unconditionally are selfish.  The trouble with their selfishness is that it doesn’t serve them.  It doesn’t give them the payment they want.  It puts them in a prison of self-righteousness.

 

Those who love unconditionally do so because God the Holy Spirit gives them the power to love unconditionally.

 

When we are in conditional relationships, we can’t believe the depth of depravity a relationship like that represents.  In fact, we are in a constant state of disbelief.  We can’t believe anyone could be so blind, especially someone with whom we choose to be in relationship.

 

Unfortunately, there are things you know about them that they don’t know about themselves.   You see their blind spots, and it’s more than frustrating to not be able to help them see their blind spots for themselves.

 

But when you think about it, we are not in intimate relationships (like marriage) for rewards.  We’re in intimate relationships for lessons…the lessons the Lord provides in the classroom of relationships.

 

When spouse rejects spouse, we learn to handle rejection.  We learn the consequence of our choice of this spouse.  We are placed in front of a mirror to see our mistake.

 

When kids reject parents, we learn that making sacrifices for our kids does not ensure gratitude or maturity.  We learn to do what we want for our kids and we live with the consequences.  We learn to live our lives as unto the Lord.  We learn that expecting the weak to truly have maturity, wisdom, and discernment is a pipe dream, because all of those things come from having our asses kicked by life.

 

So what is the point of Romans, Chapter 14 through Romans, Chapter 15, Verse 7?  The only answer in some relationships is unconditional love.  So we learn to go to the balcony of our lives…to look at our lives objectively from the balcony…to start with “the man in the mirror” as Michael Jackson would sing…and to watch our relationship unfold.

 

It takes a long time for people who love conditionally to admit they are wrong.  Romans, Chapter 15, Verses 1 and 2…

 

ROMANS 15:1

Now we who are the strong in faith have a love debt to God…to keep on bearing

with the weaknesses of those without strength (the weak in faith) … and we who are the strong in faithare not to keep on seeking just to please ourselves.

 

ROMANS 15:2

Instead, it is imperative that each of us please his neighbor for the neighbor’s own good…to do what is necessary for his edification.

 

What is God asking of us?  To be loving…to be pleasing…to be edifying.Galatians, Chapter 6, Verses 1 to 3 provide a sterling example of what the Lord is saying to us…

 

GALATIANS 6:1

Brethren, when anyone is caught in any trespass…you who are spiritual (the strong in faith)…restoresuch a one in a spirit of gentleness…each one looking to himself…so that you too will not be tempted to sin.

 

GALATIANS 6:2

Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.

 

GALATIANS 6:3

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

 

What is the Lord telling us to do?  He wants us to be kind.  When you’re thinking of being critical of others, just remember that you’re “not all that!”  This is not instruction to “tolerate” others.  Does the Lord tolerate us?  Of course not.  He loves us UNconditionally.  He loves who we are and He loves who we are not.

 

A detailed study of Scripture reveals that the Lord never once mentioned the failures of His apostles…and their failures were many.  For example, the Lord told the apostle Peter, “You’re going to betray me…you’ll deny that you know me three times after vowing never to betray me…and when you recover from your self-pity…go evangelize to three thousand people (all of whom will become believers in Christ).”

 

The Lord uses our brokenness for His purposes.

 

The Lord asks us to bear each other’s burdens…to slam the cares of others on our backs…to be persons who, like the Lord, can be depended on.

 

What is our attitude toward our children?  “They’re not doing it the way I would do it.  They’re not doing it the way I wish they would do it.”

 

Kids have to learn.  Learning, wisdom, discernment, and maturity take time…for you and for others.  Just as others bear your burdens, so are you to bear the burdens of others.  Romans, Chapter 15, Verse 3…

 

ROMANS 15:3

For even Christ did not seek to please Himself…but as it is written (by King David in Psalm 69:9), “The reproaches of those who reproached You, God the Father, fell on Me.”

 

Jesus Christ was not selfish.  He came to serve others.  He wants you to serve as well.  Serving means editing self-pleasing from your life.

 

 

We live in Satan’s kingdom.  The enemy of God has created a world that is sinful, selfish, and God hating.  Yet the Lord did not seek to please Himself in that world.  His mission was to serve.  Romans, Chapter 15, Verse 4…

 

ROMANS 15:4

For whatever was written in Scripture in earlier times was written to teach us…giving us endurance and encouragement through the Scriptures…so that we might keep on having hope.

 

There are four valuable lessons in this verse…

 

THE LESSONS OF ROMANS 15:4

 

LEARNING

Knowledge from the heart

 

PATIENCE (Endurance)

Waiting for the Lord to work on our behalf

 

THE LESSONS OF ROMANS 15:4

 

COMFORT (Encouragement)

A peace which surpasses knowledge

 

HOPE

In spite of all the circumstances around you saying you should have no hope

 

 

You have a choice.  You can do the work in your spiritual life, or you can wait for God to do the work.

 

 

In Romans, Chapter 15, Verse 5 Paul prays that the theme of this passage may land on you…

 

ROMANS 15:5

Now may the God who gives endurance (patience) and encouragement (comfort) grant you to be of the same mind with one another (to think exactly the same way…to operate in harmony) because of your union with Christ Jesus…

 

The Lord wants us to be like minded…He wants us to be part of the perfect team.

Romans, Chapter 15, Verse 6…

 

ROMANS 15:6

…so that with one accord believers in union with Christ may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

When people see you being abused and hanging in there, acting like Teflon, not letting the abuse and the persecution stick, they know this is supernatural power from God because they would never consider doing what you are doing.  So with one mouth we glorify God.

 

Being of one accord doesn’t mean we agree on everything.  It means we aren’t disagreeable.  We simply say, “I have a different opinion.”

 

How does this passage inform Barah Ministries?  We have learned that much of what we were taught in religion is a lie.  So now we have an obligation to help others see the lie of religion.  We have an obligation to act on what we see.

 

What we have said is, “Let’s not plant seeds and let’s hope there is a crop.”  That’s not how agriculture works.  It is not how spirituality works.  It is not how churches grow.

 

Instead, we spread the Word concerning our God.  We answer these questions for others…Who is Jesus Christ?  How can we be saved?  Once we are saved, what can we do to please Him?

 

Romans, Chapter 15, Verse 7 sums up Romans, Chapter 14 and the first six verses of Chapter 15…

 

ROMANS 15:7

Therefore, keep on accepting one another…and keep on receiving one another…just as Christ also keeps on accepting us in unconditional love…to the glory of God the Father.

 

ACCEPT EACH OTHER because God accepts you.  In John, Chapter 6, Verses 37 and 38 the Lord said…

 

JOHN 6:37

“All that God the Father gives Me (the Lord Jesus Christ) will come to Me…and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out (into the Lake of Fire).”

 

JOHN 6:38

“For I (the Lord Jesus Christ)have come down from heaven not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.”

 

The will of God the Father is that all of His creatures are saved.  John, Chapter 3, Verse 17…

 

JOHN 3:17

For God the Father did not send God the Son into the world to judge the world…but that the world might be saved through Him.

 

So as believers in Christ, we welcome sinners into the kingdom with the gospel

message…and when they become believers in Christ, we accept them as they learn…we honor where they are in their spiritual journey…and we love them to maturity.

 

When we return from the break we’ll take the offering and then we’ll see what there is to learn in Romans, Chapter 15, Verses 9 to 13.

 

FIVE-MINUTE BREAK

NOBODY

Casting Crowns

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Lord Wants Us to Have an Attitude of ALOHA Which Glorifies God

 

OFFERING INTRODUCTION

 

When we give the gospel message to unbelievers, they give back to us by listening attentively.  It’s one of the most gratifying experiences in life when an unbeliever really wants to hear the gospel message.  The gift of listening is the gift of intimacy.  Luke, Chapter 8, Verse 8 exhorts…

 

LUKE 8:8

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear what God the Holy Spirit is saying to the churches.”

 

When you give to Barah Ministries, you make it possible for us to give the gospel message to people all over the world through the Internet.  People are listening!

 

Thank you for supporting this ministry with your generosity.  Your unselfish giving is a reflection of our God, and it gives people around the world a chance to respond positively to an eternal life-giving gospel message…the salvation offerof the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

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

 

THE OFFERING

Deacon Denny Goodall

 

OFFERING VERSE

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 10:24

Let no one seek his own advantage…instead, let us seek the advantage of our neighbor.

 

OFFERING SONG

THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU

Instrumental Version

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

The Lord Wants Us to Have an Attitude of ALOHA Which Glorifies God

 

LESSON PART TWO

 

Let’s examine the final verses of this first passage…Romans, Chapter 15, Verses 8 to 13…to see how the Lord does what He is asking us to do.  Romans, Chapter 15, Verse 8…

 

ROMANS 15:8

For I (Paul) say that Jesus Christ has become a servant (the Greek word diakonos) to the circumcision (The Jews…Jesus is The Jewish Messiah) … to proclaim the truth of God the Father and to confirm the accuracy of the promises given to the Jewish fathers…Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob…

 

Jesus was a minister to the “circumcision” … the Jews.  He came to say, “The promises I made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are true.”  In Matthew, Chapter 15, Verse 24…the Lord reveals His ministry…

 

MATTHEW 15:24

Jesus said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

 

He came to reveal God the Father…He came to give His life as a ransom for the many…He came as the propitiation for the sins of the whole world…He is the only perfectly satisfactory sacrifice for sin in the eyes of God the Father…He came as a minister…first and foremost for the Jews to fulfill the prophecy concerning the Jewish Messiah.

 

What about the Gentiles?  What was the Lord’s ministry to the “uncircumcision?”

 

If it weren’t for the Jews who evangelized the whole world in the first-century there may be no Gentiles.  Of course, we know this is a partial truth because God always knew He would give the Gentiles a fair shot at being saved.  He used the Jews to facilitate it.  That’s the irony of the Jewish rejection of their Messiah.  Their rejection benefited those they hated…the goy…the Gentiles.

 

What was the Lord’s ministry to the Gentiles?  It was a ministry of mercy.  Romans, Chapter 15, Verse 9…

 

ROMANS 15:9

…and Jesus Christ also has become a servant to the Gentiles…so that they may glorify God the Father for His MERCY toward them…as it stands written by King David, “Therefore I will give praise to You among the Gentiles, and I will sing to Your name O Lord…(Psalm 18:49).”

 

Romans, Chapter 15, Verses 10 to 12…

 

ROMANS 15:10

Again Moses says, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people (The Jewish Race and Israel).”

 

ROMANS 15:11

And again a psalmist says, “Praise the Lord all you Gentiles…and let all the peoples throughout the world praise Him.”

 

ROMANS 15:12

Again Isaiah says, “There shall come the root of Jesse (the Messiah…the Lord Jesus Christ) … and He who arises to rule over the Gentiles…in Him shall the Gentiles hope.”

 

So Christ’s ministry was to the Jews because the Jews are under God’s promises.

But Christ had a ministry to the Gentiles as well, who are under God’s mercy.  He entrusted this ministry to the apostle Paul.  Romans, Chapter 15, Verse 13…

 

ROMANS 15:13

Now may the God of hope fill you believers in Christ with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of God the Holy Spirit.

 

We have a God of hope…Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 2…

 

ROMANS 5:2

…and through our union with Christ also we believers in Christ have obtained our direct access to a Person of privileged rank, God the Father, who placed us into this sphere of grace, a sphere in which we presently stand…and through our union with Christ also we keep on exulting in the future hope of the glory of God.

 

We have a God of peace…Second Thessalonians, Chapter 3, Verse 16…

 

SECOND THESSALONIANS 3:16

Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!

 

Christ made peace possible for all of us by the blood of His Cross!

 

We have a God of joy.  Here’s the equation…

 

THE EQUATION FOR AN AMAZING SPIRITUAL LIFE

 

God’s Peace + God’s Joy = Abundant Hope

(when we trust in God for everything)

 

What shall we say face-to-face with all these things?

 

As far as the Lord is concerned, how you welcome people, how you love people, how you accept people matters.  He wants us to treat people in a way that is good for them.  He wants us to, “Do unto others as they want to be done unto.”

 

Loving people unconditionally glorifies God.  So the Lord inspires us to serve each other as the Lord Jesus Christ served us.

 

The aim of this message is to strengthen our hope as we understand the significance of how God treats us.  So should we treat each other.  John, Chapter 13, Verses 34 and 35…

 

JOHN 13:34

A new command I (the Lord Jesus Christ) give to you believers in Christ…that you

love one another unconditionally…even as I have loved you…unconditionally… and that you also love one another unconditionally.

 

JOHN 13:35

“By this unconditional love all men will know that you are My disciples…if you have unconditional love for one another.”

 

In the Lord we have a great high priest…in the Spirit we have a great mentor and teacher…in the Father we have a great planner, provider, and protector.  Let’s learn to pass on these gifts to others.

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

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

 

The next ten minutes 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 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.

 

If you want to travel to a country where you are not a citizen, you require a passport.  By using this official documentissued by the government of your country, certifyingyour identity and your citizenship, you are entitled to travel under its protection to countries where you are not a citizen.

 

All of us are born citizens of the world.

 

Unfortunately, this citizenship was given to us by the federal head of the human race, Adam, as a result of his sin.  Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 12…

 

ROMANS 5:12

…through one man…Adam…sin entered into the world…and spiritual death

entered the world through his sin…so spiritual death spread to all men…because all men were considered by God to have sinned when Adam sinned.

 

Just so you don’t blame Adam for your plight, you commit personal sins as well according to Romans, Chapter 3, Verse 23…

 

ROMANS 3:23

…all creatures have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

 

If you die a citizen of the world your eternal future will not be pleasant. Lucky for you, the God who created you does not want you to be a citizen of the world.  If you are when you close your eyes in this life, your destiny is an eternity in the Lake of Fire.  Second Peter, Chapter 3, Verse 9 makes God’s will for you clear…

 

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 wishing for all unbelievers to come to repentance (a voluntary change of mind about having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ).

 

Through His work on the Cross, the Lord Jesus Christ made it possible for you to renounce your citizenship in the world, instead becoming a citizen of heaven.  It’s the equivalent of becoming a naturalized citizen of a new country, much like people who are not born American can become naturalized citizens of the United States.

 

God’s plan for all His creatures is to save you from an eternity in the Lake of Fire by offering you a new possibility…salvation…citizenship in heaven when you close your eyes in this life.  You can be saved right now!  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.”

 

Why?

 

Because expressing your faith in Jesus Christ’s Person and His work at the Cross on your behalf changes your citizenship.  John, Chapter 14, Verse 6…

 

JOHN 14:6

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

 

You can’t do a thing to change your citizenship from the world to heaven on your own.  God has to do it for you.  The apostle Paul describes this God, the Lord Jesus Christ, in First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3

For I (the apostle Paul) delivered to you as of primary importance the gospel message I also received from God…that it was Jesus Christ who died for your 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…

 

If you don’t have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ…right now…right where you sit…right this moment…you have a choice.  You can remain a spiritually dead citizen of the world, or you can choose to be a spiritually alive citizen of heaven.  First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verse 22…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:22

For all those in union with Adam (the citizens of the world) are spiritually dead…for all those in union with Christ are made spiritually alive by God.

 

What’s your choice?  In John, Chapter 3, Verse 36, God offers the ONLY two choices…

 

JOHN 3:36

“He who believes in the Son has the resurrection life right at that moment (they are made citizens of heaven by God) …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) remains on him (they remain citizens of the world for all eternity).”

 

Believers in Christ have made their choice according to Philippians, Chapter 3, Verse 20…

 

PHILIPPIANS 3:20

(As believers in Christ)…our citizenship is in heaven…from which heaven we eagerly wait for the return of the Savior…the Lord Jesus Christ…

 

God’s enemy, Satan, is the ruler of this world.  He welcomes you to remain a citizen of the world because he’d be pleased to have you live with him in the Lake of Fire for all eternity.  If you choose to remain a citizen of the world by rejecting the relationship offer of the Lord Jesus Christ, Matthew, Chapter 8, Verse 12 explains your eternal destiny…

 

MATTHEW 8:12

“…the sons of Satan’skingdom (unbelievers…the citizens of the world) will be cast out into the outer darkness…in that place (the Lake of Fire) there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

 

That is not God’s will for you.  If you end up in the Lake of Fire for all eternity it will be your choice, and God will honor it.

 

Do yourself a favor…BELIEVE in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Take His word for what it takes to be saved.  It’s the easiest, smartest decision you will ever make.  Place your faith in the Person and work of Jesus Christ on your behalf and He will be more than happy to welcome you as a citizen of His kingdom, heaven.  Jesus is much better than a passport.  You can reside in His kingdom forever and ever with one simple choice.

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

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

 

CLOSING SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let’s close with music!

 

What does the Lord want for His believers?  He wants us to take advantage of union with Him…He wants us to join hands…to have one voice…and to use that voice to sing His praises to the whole worldso all can benefit from what He has to offer.

 

If this could be summed up in a word, the Lord wants us TOGETHER.  Let’s hear

a song that expresses this sentiment perfectly…TOGETHER…sung by Chris Tomlin and Russell Dickson.

 

MUSIC

CLOSING SONG

Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises

 

TOGETHER

Chris Tomlin and Russell Dickson

 

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

Almighty God and Father…

 

…thank you for placing us believers in Christ into union with Your Son…we are IN CHRIST…thank you for placing us believers in Christ into union with God the Holy Spirit…we are IN THE SPIRIT and no longer in the flesh…and thank you for our union with You, and for the perfect plan You have created both for all mankind and for each of us personally…

 

Father, Peter put it well…“Towhom else shall we go, Lord? You have words of eternal life.”  Let us value these words and let us pass them along to everyone we meet, one person at a time…

 

…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

 

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KEEP ON STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD DAILY!

 

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