Romans 10: Why Did the Jews Reject Their Messiah?Rebellion blinds the heart.
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!
OPENING AGENDA
You may be wondering some things about Barah Ministries, like…
Who is the God we worship? What is our source of truth? Who is our enemy?
We’re always happy to begin each lesson by answering these questions.
I WILL NOT.
These are the words of rebellion…the words of disobedience…the words that indicate a rising up against authority…the words of rejection of a ruler.
I WILL NOT.
Powerful words. These are the words of those who prefer to act contrary to the will of God…the words of all who refuse to obey the Lord’s command in 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.”
I WILL NOT.
These words are the admission ticket to an eternity in the Lake of Fire. We come to Bible study to learn the words of obedience. I WILL.
Who is the God We Worshipat Barah Ministries?
We worship a Triune Godhead. There is One God who reveals Himself to mankind as three beings who are separate…distinct…co-equal…co-infinite… co-eternal Persons…God the Father…God the Son…and God the Holy Spirit.
GOD THE FATHER is the author of the Triune Godhead’s plan for all creatures. He has a perfect way to deal with the rebellion of His creatures…Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 19…
ROMANS 12:19 Never take your own revenge…beloved…but leave room for the wrath of God the Father…for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.”
God the Father is completely justified in taking revenge against rebellion because He gave those who rebel a way out…Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 8…
ROMANS 5:8 God the Father demonstrates His unconditional love toward all mankind (including those who rebel)…in that while we were yet sinners (while we were unrighteous, ungodly, unbelievers)…the Lord Jesus Christ died as a substitute for us.
God the Father will not allow the rejection of His Son to go unavenged.
GOD THE SON (the Lord) volunteered to execute God the Father’s plan…taking on human form as Jesus…the Christ (the Jewish Messiah). JESUS CHRIST IS GOD. The Lord knows the pain of rebellion…Isaiah, Chapter 1, Verse 2…
ISAIAH 1:2 Hear me, you heavens! Listen, earth! For the Lord has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up…but they have rebelled against me.”
It’s devastating to be rejected by children into whom you pour your love, your passion, and your guidance.
There is ONE AND ONLY ONE WAY to heaven. If you invest your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ…asking Him to save you…He will save you. When you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ you instantly have the resurrection life…eternal life…in His Name. Rejection of a relationship with the Lord is an eternal mistake.
We worship GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT. He is our Mentor and Teacher. He is a guide who is the rudder of a Christian’s life. He is fully God, equal in every way to God the Father and God the Son.He is a Person. He is not a “ghost” as some like to call Him.
God the Holy Spirit has one choice for those who reject His convicting ministry to unbelievers…to those who refuse a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ… Second Peter, Chapter 2, Verse 4…
SECOND PETER 2:4 For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned (the sin of rebellion…and He didn’t)…but cast them into hell and committed them to the pits of darkness…reserved for judgment…
Hebrews, Chapter 2, Verse 3…
HEBREWS 2:3 …how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?
There is no escape from the wrath of God the Father for those who refuse to be convinced by God the Holy Spirit of the eternal significance of a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
In God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit…believers in Christ have a power team that is always on their side…a team specializing in the impossible…a team you can call on for help in times of trouble.
What is Our Source of Truthat Barah Ministries?
The Bible is the Word of God, and as such it is our source of absolute truth. As Christians, we develop a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with the Godhead…we get to know God as a Person…through studying the Word of God.
The Word of God is clear about the reward for obedience and the consequence of rebellion against the Lord Jesus Christ…Isaiah, Chapter 1, Verses 19 and 20…
ISAIAH 1:19 “If you consent (to a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ expressing faith in Him)…and if you obey (His command concerning how to be saved)…you will eat the best of the land…”
ISAIAH 1:20 “…but if you refuse and rebel (against a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ)… you will be devoured by the sword.” Truly, the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
What is your source of truth? Your source of truth for eternal matters is not an insignificant thing because it has eternal consequences.
The Bible is a supernatural work…breathed into human writers by God. It does not come from man, and it provides the only source of absolute truthabout eternal things.
Since the Bible is the Lord’s exact thinking, and since God is right all the time, the Bible is right all the time. It contains no errors or contradictions. You can trust the Bible as your source of truth.
At Barah Ministries, we teach the Bible from God’s perspective…not from man’s perspective…because we refuse to teach as doctrinal truth the very fallible precepts of men.
The best thing you can do for yourself EVERY DAY is to spend time reading, studying, and reflecting on God’s Word. Schedule time to study and let God’s Word set the direction for your day. The Bible changes your mind!
Who is Our Enemyat Barah Ministries?
GOD HAS AN ENEMY…Satan…whom God made ‘the ruler of this world’ for a finite period. He is the enemy of believers in Christ as well. Satan is the original rebel…Ezekiel, Chapter 28, Verses 12 to 15… EZEKIEL 28:12 “Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “You (Satan) had the seal of perfection…you were full of wisdom, and you were perfect in beauty.”
EZEKIEL 28:13 “You were in Eden, the garden of God…every precious stone was your covering: the ruby, the topaz, and the diamond…the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper…the lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald…and the gold…the workmanship of your settings and sockets was in you. On the day that you were created they were prepared by God.”
EZEKIEL 28:14 “You were the anointed cherub who covers (God the Son’s bodyguard)…and I (the Lord) placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God (in the third heaven)…you walked amid the stones of fire (in the throne room of heaven).”
EZEKIEL 28:15 “You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until unrighteousness was found in you.”
Isaiah, Chapter 14, Verses 12 to 14 says…
ISAIAH 14:12 “How you have fallen from heaven…O star of the morning (Satan)…O son of the dawn!You have been cut down to the earth…you who have weakened the nations!”
ISAIAH 14:13 “But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to (the third) heaven…I will raise my throne above the stars of God (in the second heaven…the abode of angels)…and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north (the first heaven…the atmosphere above the earth).’”
ISAIAH 14:14 “‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds (taking over the function of God)…I will make myself like the MostHigh.’”
Satan wants nothing to do with the Lord. He sponsors all rebellion and all disobedience against the Lord. Don’t be foolish. Don’t follow him. He is the enemy. But the biggest enemy of believers in Christ is IGNORANCE OF THE ENEMY. Don’t be ignorant.
TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON Why Did the Jews Reject Their Messiah?
LESSON INTRODUCTION
After hundreds of years of Biblical revelation concerning how to recognize the Jewish Messiah…after a series of promises…after blessings that stagger the imagination…the Jews rejected their Messiah. John, Chapter 1, Verse 11 says…
JOHN 1:11 The Lord Jesus Christ (the Jewish Messiah) came to His own people…the Jews…and those who were His own did not receive Him.”
They rejected Him. Do they have a good excuse? In today’s lesson, we’ll find out.
OPENING SONG INTRODUCTION
Let’s hear some music!In Luke, Chapter 22, Verse 42 the Lord says…
LUKE 22:42 “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me (the crucifixion on a Cross and being at the wrong end of God the Father’s wrath)…yet not My will…but Your will be done.”
There is no more powerful will in the universe than the Lord’s will. Here’s June Murphy to sing her beautiful song I WILL.
MUSIC OPENING SONG Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises
I WILL June Murphy
OPENING PRAYER
Let us pray...
We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…
Father, thank you for making the gospel message clear to all of Your creatures, even Your creatures at the remotest ends of the earth…thank you for sending Your Son, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for sin so that we wouldn’t have to…thank you for the convicting ministry of God the Holy Spirt who makes the issues of salvation clear…that we are sinners who need a Savior…that the admission ticket to heaven is Your righteousness…and that all of us have a decision to make because all of us will face Your judgment…
…help us to consider salvation as seriously as we consider waking up every morning…show us the people in our lives who need to be saved…use us as instruments of Your will to get these people the gospel message…and make us sensitive during the upcoming holiday season, helping us notice people who have thoughts of despair and despondency…let Your message illuminate in their hearts the things to be grateful for….and encourage their hearts with news of the birth of Your Son…and its significance both to them and to the whole human race…
…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.
TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON Why Did the Jews Reject Their Messiah?
LESSON PART ONE
The more we study Paul’s letter to believers in Christ in first-century Rome, the clearer is the mission the Lord gave Paul with this epistle. It’s the Lord’s will that all of His creatures be saved. It is NOT the Lord’s will that any of His creatures go to the Lake of Fire. Romans, Chapters 1 to 8 detail the Lord’s intricate plan for the salvation of His creatures.
In Romans, Chapters 9 to 11, the question arises, “What about Israel and the Jews?” Did God turn His back on Israel and the Jews because they rejected their Messiah? Perhaps He should have, but He didn’t. Israel and the Jews are a testament to God’s faithfulness. Israel and the Jews also are an example of the foolishness of creature rebellion because of their rejection of the Jewish Messiah.
What’s behind Israel and the Jews’ rejection of their Savior?
I WILL NOT.
Willful rebellion. But isn't it funny how we human beings can't grasp that anyone would do such a thing?
I asked a friend recently, “Do you think every creature who has ever come to earth has been clear on how much God loves them?” She said, “No.” Then I asked, “Do you think creatures understand God’s perfect provision for their salvation?” Again, she said, “No.”I was not asking these questions of a spiritual novice. The correct answer is yes.
We want to believe the reason people aren’t saved is because they don’t have enough information about how to be saved. We want to believe the reason people aren’t saved is because they don’t really understand salvation. The Lord says those two things are not the case. The Lord says the reason people aren’t saved, even though they have all the information they need about the gospel message and even though they understand the gospel message fully is I WILL NOT…the willful rejection of the Lord’s salvation offer.
Israel and the Jews are the examples Paul uses to illustrate the point. Let’s look at today’s passage, the closing passage in Romans Chapter 10…Verses 16 to 21…inthe NEW LIVING TRANSLATION…
ROMANS 10:16 But not everyone welcomes the good news of the gospel message…for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?”
ROMANS 10:17 So faith comes from hearing…that is, from hearing the good news of the gospel message about the Christ (the Jewish Messiah).
ROMANS 10:18 But I (Paul) ask, “Have the people of Israel actually heard the gospel message?” Yes! They have heard the gospel message because, “The message has gone throughout the earth…and the words of the gospel message have gone out to all the world.”
ROMANS 10:19 But I (Paul) ask, “Did the people of Israel really understand the gospel message?” Yes! They did understand the gospel message…for even in the time of Moses, God said to Israel, “I will arouse your jealousy through people who are not even a nation. I will provoke your anger through the foolish Gentiles.”
ROMANS 10:20 And later Isaiah spoke boldly for God, saying, “I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me.”
ROMANS 10:21 But regarding Israel, God said, “All day long I opened my arms to them, but they were disobedient and rebellious.”
The final verse of this passage contains chilling words from a faithful God. “All day long I opened my arms to Israel (My chosen nation) and to the Jews (My chosen people)…but they were disobedient and rebellious.”
I WILL NOT.
Israel and the Jews are examples of the unbelieving heart. God held out His hand and they rejected it.
Who’s to blame for Israel’s rejection of their Messiah?
Was God at fault? The apostle Paul has already told us. May it never be! Absolutely NOT!
Did they not hear the gospel message? Of course…they did!
Did they not understand the gospel message?Of course…they did!
Then who is at fault for the Israeli and the Jewish rejection of their Messiah?
All those with unbelieving hearts that chose I WILL NOT over I WILL.
In Romans, Chapter 10…the apostle Paul has been shooting down the excuses for unbelief. Is self-righteousness a good enough approach to be saved? It isn’t. You can’t follow the Mosaic Law and be saved.
Is it too difficult to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? No! It’s easy!
EASY BUTTON
It’s just a prayer away. It’s a simple change of mind about having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s a simple expression of faith in Christ.
Israel and the Jews heard the gospel message…they understand the gospel message and they rejected it. The rejected their God and they rejected the message.
“I didn’t hear” and “I didn’t know” are excuses that are not going to fly at the Great White Throne Judgment. Those who close their eyes in this life without accepting the salvation offer of the gospel message will meet the Lord Jesus Christ in the LAST PLACE they want to meet Him according to Revelation, Chapter 20, Verses 7 to 15…
REVELATION 20:7 When the thousand years are completed (the Millennial Reign of Christ on the earth)…Satan will be released from his prison (in the Abyss)…
REVELATION 20:8 …and Satan will come out to deceive the nations (again)…the nations which are in the four corners of the earth…with his Gog and Magog revolution…to gather the nations together for the war (of rebellion)…and the number of them is like the sand of the seashore.
REVELATION 20:9 And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city (Jerusalem)…and fire came down from heaven and devoured them.
REVELATION 20:10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the Lake of Fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also…and they all will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
REVELATION 20:11 Then I (John) saw a Great White Throne and I saw the Lord Jesus Christ who sat upon the throne…from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them to live.
REVELATION 20:12 And I (John) saw the dead…the great and the small…standing before the throne… and books were opened…and another book was opened, which is the book of life…and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.
REVELATION 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it…and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them…and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.
REVELATION 20:14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death, the Lake of Fire.
REVELATION 20:15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the Book of Life, and all of their names were not found there, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire.
Ouch.
There will be many at the Great White Throne Judgment…many from Israel…many who are Jewish. Think about that for a moment. The gospel message is 100% Jewish. The Bible was written by Jewish people. The only Gentile writer of the Bible is Luke. Yet 99% of the people in heaven will be Gentiles. And a very large percentage of people who will be in the Lake of Fire will be God’s chosen people…the Jews…from God’s chosen nation…Israel. It’s sobering.
When we return from the break we’ll take the offering, and then we’ll study the passage verse-by-verse.
FIVE-MINUTE BREAK NOBODY Casting Crowns
TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON Why Did the Jews Reject Their Messiah?
OFFERING INTRODUCTION
In Philippians, Chapter 4, Verses 15 to 17, here's what the apostle Paul says about giving…
PHILIPPIANS 4:15 As you know…Philippian believers…at the first preaching of the gospel (duringmy first missionary journey)…after I (Paul) left Macedonia…no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone…
PHILIPPIANS 4:16 …for even in Thessalonica (in my second missionary journey)…you sent a gift more than once for my needs.
PHILIPPIANS 4:17 Not that I seek the gift (for myself…even though I appreciate it)…but I seekthe profit that increases to your account (from God when you give).
One of the great pleasures of life is GIVING…especially to this ministry…so that anyone who wants to learn about the Lord Jesus Christ can do so free of charge. In addition, it’s a privilege to see how God blesses you for your giving.
Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with one of his always inspiring offering messages.
THE OFFERING Deacon Denny Goodall
OFFERING VERSE
ROMANS 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil…but overcome evil with good. OFFERING SONG ALL GOOD GIFTS Telly Leung
TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON Why Did the Jews Reject Their Messiah?
LESSON PART TWO
Let’s study today’s passage verse-by-verse starting at Romans, Chapter 10, Verse 16…
ROMANS 10:16 But not everyone welcomes the good news of the gospel message…for Isaiah the prophet said (in Isaiah 53:1), “Lord, who has believed our message?”
The gospel message is a command from God. Unbelievers are in a state of disobedience, and THEY KNOW they are disobeying. Don’t be deceived. Who says this? God says this! Unbelief is willful suppression of the truth. Romans, Chapter 1, Verse 18…
ROMANS 1:18 For the wrath of God the Father is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and against all unrighteousness of unbelievers who suppress the truth of the gospel in unrighteousness…
I WILL NOT.
Preparing for this lesson, I reflected on parental discipline…which is mandatory in raising obedient children. My approach to parental discipline was this:
1 Make the standards clear
2 Be convinced that the standards are completely understood
3 When standards are violated, there is corporal punishment…commonly known as spankings.
4 Ask the violator what standards were violated to ensure clarity as to why corporal punishment is just
5 Dispense corporal punishment
6 Reassure the person that it was the deed and not the doer that was the problem
7 Reassure the person that our relationship is still intact
Our God follows the exact same process in the matter of the salvation of creatures. The standards are clear…He ensures they are heard…He ensures they are understood…everyone has a choice…when the choice is acceptance of the standard there is a reward…when the choice is rejection of the standard there is a consequence…no matter what happens, the Lord continues to love His creatures unconditionally.
Romans, Chapter 10, Verse 17…
ROMANS 10:17 So faith comes from hearing…that is, from hearing the good news of the gospel message about the Christ (the Jewish Messiah).
Everyone hears the gospel message…everyone understands the gospel message, but not everyone obeys God’s gospel command. Some hear clearly…understand clearly…and they say, “I don’t want to do it.” Willful rebellion.
One of the things we need to acknowledge is that weak people are a lot more willful than strong people. Romans, Chapter 10, Verse 18…
ROMANS 10:18 But I (Paul) ask, “Have the people of Israel actually heard the gospel message?” Yes! They have heard the gospel message because, “The message has gone throughout the earth…and the words of the gospel message have gone out to all the world.”
Does everyone hear the gospel message? Yes…rejection of the Jewish Messiah and rejection of the gospel message wasn’t for a lack of information. Who says so? God! Psalm 19, Verse 1…
PSALM 19:1 The heavens are telling of the glory of God and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
Psalm 19, Verse 4…
PSALM 19:4 Their line has gone out through all the earth…and their utterances have gone out to the end of the world.
The heavens…the sun…the Moon…the stars…speak all languages…and communicate clearly that design demands a designer.
Well, perhaps the Jews didn't understand…Romans, Chapter 10, Verses 19 and 20…
ROMANS 10:19 But I (Paul) ask, “Did the people of Israel really understand the gospel message?” Yes! They did understand the gospel message…for even in the time of Moses, God said to Israel, “I will arouse your jealousy through people who are not even a nation. I will provoke your anger through the foolish Gentiles.”
ROMANS 10:20 And later Isaiah spoke boldly for God, saying, “I was found by people who were not looking for me. I showed myself to those who were not asking for me.”
Did the Jews Understand the gospel message? Did they know how to recognize the Jewish Messiah? They understood. Think about it. The Jews are the most privileged people to come from the hands of God. They had 1400 years of Biblical revelation that pointed to the signs to look for in their Savior.
They are a people of privilege. Remember the eight gifts given to the Jewish people directly by God despite their unfaithfulness?
GOD’S GIFTS TO THE JEWS
Gift 1 DIVINE NATIONAL ADOPTION AS SONS
Gift 2 THE SHEKINAH GLORY
Gift 3 THE COVENANTS
Gift 4 CUSTODIANSHIP OF THE MOSAIC LAW
GOD’S GIFTS TO THE JEWS
Gift 5 THE TEMPLE WORSHIP SERVICES
Gift 6 THE SALVATION PROMISE
Gift 7 THE FATHERS
Gift 8 THE JEWISH MESSIAH HIMSELF
And yet the gifts availed them not. They willfully rejected their Messiah, and it broke His heart. Romans, Chapter 10, Verse 21…
ROMANS 10:21 But regarding Israel and the Jews, God said, “All day long I opened my arms to them, but they were disobedient and rebellious.”
The Gentiles did not have the same benefits the Jews had. So what is the truth about the unbelieving heart? Willful disobedience. Willful rebellion.
The gospel message is not hard to understand.
There is a heaven
There is a hell
Jesus died on a Cross so no one would have to go to hell
All that is required is repentance…a change of mind about having a relationship with Christ
Simply ask the Lord for heaven and He gifts it to you.
When the Jews claim, “I didn’t hear…I don’t understand” … then what?
God says, “People a lot dumber and a lot less privileged than you heard and understood. No excuses. This is the indictment of Israel and the Jews. You heard. You understood. You rejected.
But if you’re breathing…there is still a chance.
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.
Even if you don’t believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you still matter to God. He created you…you’re one of His creatures…and He wants the highest and best for you. 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 bad news is that everyone is born in a state of unrighteousness, including you. You were born physically alive and spiritually dead as an ungodly, unrighteous unbeliever. You were born on Satan’s team. In God’s eyes, you were born a sinner and you need a Savior.
It’s not your fault, 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…
To God’s enemy, Satan…the ruler of this world…you don’t matter at all. First Peter, Chapter 5, Verse 8 says…
FIRST PETER 5:8 Be of sober spirit…be on the alert! Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
YOU are the “someone” on Satan’s list.
Satan despises you so much he doesn't want you to be saved. He doesn't want you to be with God in heaven when you close your eyes in this life. Instead, he wants you to be with him in the Lake of Fire, and he wants you so badly that he sends false teachers with false teachings to deceive you. In Matthew, Chapter 7, Verse 15…the Lord Himself warns about this…
MATTHEW 7:15 “Beware of the false teachers…who come to you in sheep’s clothing…but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
When an animal is ravenous it has an insatiable desire to tear you apart. So it is with false teachers who pretend to be for you, yet truly they want you to be twice the sons of hell that they are.
This gospel message offers GOOD NEWS to rescue you from the kingdom of death and darkness you were born into, inviting you to be born again to the spiritual life available in God’s kingdom of light. You can choose to be on God’s team. John, Chapter 3, Verses 16 and 17 highlight Jesus’ mission concerning you…
JOHN 3:16 “For God the Father loved the world unconditionally…and He loved the world so much…that He gave His uniquely born Son (the God-man…the Lord Jesus Christ…to be crucified on a Cross) … so that WHOSOEVER believes in Him shall not perish, but haseternal life.”
JOHN 3:17 For God the Father did not send God the Son (the Lord) into the world to judge the world…but the Father sent the Son into the world that the world might be saved through Him.
God wants you to respond positively to the good news of this gospel message so He can save you!
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 (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 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…
If a gospel message makes it sound like you have to work to get to heaven, it’s a false gospel message from a false teacher. Romans, Chapter 11, Verse 6 says you don’t have to work to be saved…
ROMANS 11:6 …if salvation is by grace (a free gift from God) … and of course it is…it is no longer on the basis of your works…otherwise, grace (as a free gift) is no longer grace (it is not free).
Romans, Chapter 4, Verse 4 says you CAN'T work for salvation…
ROMANS 4:4 Now to the one who works for salvation, his wage for his workis not credited to his accountas a favor from the grace of God…but his wage is creditedas what is due for the work.
Your hardest work is not perfect enough to earn you a spot in heaven. So relax! You can get to heaven when you close your eyes in this life free of charge and free of work. Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31 says…
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.”
John, Chapter 3, Verse 36 warns you and invites you…
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.”
If you choose, you can spend eternity with God's enemy, Satan, in the Lake of Fire…OR…you can have the free gift of eternal life right this minute! RIGHT WHERE YOU SIT, RIGHT NOW God can save you if you let Him. You can tell God the Father that you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and that is the moment of eternal life for you.
Romans, Chapter 10, Verses 9 and 10 exhort you…
ROMANS 10:9 …if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord (that He is God)…and if you believe in your heart that God the Father raised Him from the dead… you will be saved…
ROMANS 10:10 …for with the heart a person believes…resulting in the imputation of absolute righteousness by God (your admission ticket to heaven)…and with the mouth a person confesses (admitting faith in Christ alone)resulting in salvation.
There is a consequence for rejecting a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ…in Matthew, Chapter 8, Verse 12the Lord says…
MATTHEW 8:12 “…the sons of (Satan’s) kingdom (unbelievers) will be cast out into the outer darkness…in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Many parents are false teachers leading their children to an eternity in the Lake of Fire. Do you want to know if you’re a good parent? Just ask yourself a simple question…are you influencing your children to have a relationship with the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Sovereign God of the Universe?
He is the ONLY WAY to get to heaven according to 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 gospel message…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.”
There’s no time to waste! God wants you. If you want to go to heaven when you close your eyes in this life, simply believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved! Take His word for it concerning salvation, and the resurrection life is yours free of charge!
THE GOSPEL MESSAGE The Good News of Jesus Christ’s Salvation Offer to the Human Race
CLOSING SONG INTRODUCTION
Let’s close with music! It’s amazing to have a relationship with a God we can count on. Second Timothy, Chapter 2, Verse 13 says…
SECOND TIMOTHY 2:13 If we are faithless, and we are, He remains faithful…for He cannot deny Himself.
We have faith in a God who is always faithful. He never turns His back on us, even when we turn from Him. Should we praise such a God? The group Vertical Worship sings YES I WILL.
MUSIC CLOSING SONG Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises
YES I WILL Vertical Worship
DOXOLOGY
PROVERBS 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.In all your ways acknowledge Jesus, and He will direct your paths straight.
DEUTERONOMY 31:8 “For the Lord is the one who goes ahead of you…He will be with you…He will not fail you or forsake you…so do not fear or be dismayed.”
ISAIAH 30:18 The Lord longs to be gracious to you…He waits on high to have compassionon you…for the Lord is a God of justice…blessed are those who wait for Him.
FIRST PETER 5:6-7 Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may promote you at the proper time…slamming all your cares on His back, because He cares for you.
God considers your problems to be His responsibility.
CLOSING PRAYER Let us pray...
Almighty God and Father…
…as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, we know there are many things to be grateful for…our lives…our health…our wealth…our families…our most intimate relationships…our jobs…and the time and the resources with which You gift us…
…most of all we’re grateful to know You and Your Word…that You give our lives meaning…that You provide us with tribulation to shape us…and that You always provide a way of escape from the burdens we carry…
…fill our hearts with gladness during this holiday season…open our spiritual eyes to the truths You want us to see…and help us to remember to care for those around us…to help them carry their burdens…and to remind them of Your unconditional love…Your forgiveness…and Your grace…
…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.
THE ANNOUNCEMENTS
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DISCUSSING THE LESSON AND PRAYER CIRCLE
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KEEP ON STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD DAILY!
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