Romans 147: Romans 5 - The Spiritual Progression Stage Called DeathWelcome To BARAH MINISTRIES a Christian Church Rory Clark Pastor-Teacher
Good Morning!
Welcome to Barah Ministries…a worldwide Christian Church based in Mesa, AZ…my name is Pastor Rory Clark.
Welcome to our monthly celebration of the Lord’s Supper, a time when we, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, look back to the Cross and remember the ultimate service that the Lord accomplished for us. When you look back at the Cross, what do you see?
<SLIDE: JESUS CHRIST ON THE CROSS>
I see a future and a hope. Jeremiah, Chapter 29, Verse 11…
JER 29:11 ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’
And as it says in Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 4…
ROM 5:4 …hope (the absolute confidence that God will do what He promises) does not disappoint, because the unconditional love of God has been poured out within our hearts through God the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
I know that no matter what your circumstance is today, the Lord has an answer for it…He will be giving you the answer to your questions and the solution to your problems, right soon!
When you woke up this morning, the one thing you could count on is that this day would introduce you to a death. Why? Because we live in the kingdom of death, not just the kingdom of darkness, and we know that Satan’s plans for us today do not include life. There is no life in him. There is only death in him. He is constantly inviting us to his dead lifestyle. He is constantly instilling in us a fear about life. God the Father sent His Son to conquer death. Romans, Chapter 8, Verses 36 and 37…
ROM 8:36 Just as it is written, “For Your sake we believers in Christ are being put to death all day long; we were considered (by the kingdom of death) as sheep to be slaughtered.”
ROM 8:37 But in all these things (the many forms of death) we believers in (union with) Christ overwhelmingly conquer (are more than conquerors) through (our union with) Christ who loved us unconditionally.
God the Father speaks out concerning His loving Son…in Matthew, Chapter 12, Verses 18 to 21…
MAT 12:18 “Behold, My Servant (the Lord Jesus Christ) whom I (God the Father) have chosen; My Beloved (Son) in whom My soul is well-pleased; I will put My (God the Holy) Spirit upon Him, and He shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.”
MAT 12:19 “He will not quarrel, nor cry out (as he is tortured); nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets (he’ll be ignored).”
MAT 12:20 “A battered reed He will not break off, and a smoldering wick He will not put out, until He leads justice to victory.”
The Lord will save the “battered reed” that believes in Him, and He will honor the free will of the “smoldering wick” that rejects His salvation offer…
MAT 12:21 “And in the Lord Jesus Christ’s name the Gentiles (unbelievers) will (have) hope.”
Welcome to a place where we can learn to see deaths as a part of God’s plan for us, and where we can hear the messages of the life that always follows, death in His plan for us. The Lord Jesus Christ is the lamb without spot or blemish that has taken away the sins of the world…the lamb who came to give us life and to give it abundantly. All praise and thanksgiving we direct to Him today as we celebrate what His Cross and His resurrection mean to us, collectively and personally.
MUSIC AND REFLECTION Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Enjoy the Singing of His Praises
LAMB OF GOD
As God prepares our memories for reflection, let’s hear June Murphy worship our Lord in song. The opening song is LAMB OF GOD.
OPENING PRAYER
Let us pray...
We’re grateful Heavenly Father for the privilege of studying the absolute truth...the Word of God…
Inspire gratitude in our hearts every time we look back to the Cross…give us frequent reminders of how special we are to You…remind us through our look at the Cross today to always keep You and Your Son first and foremost in our hearts and minds, with a spirit of gratitude, thanks to the prompting of God the Holy Spirit who indwells us, along with Your indwelling us Father and the indwelling of our Lord, Jesus Christ…
We ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit...in Christ’s name... Amen.
THE LORD’S SUPPER CELEBRATION The Spiritual Progression Stage Called Death
What is the spiritual progression that Jesus offered us through His Cross?
THE LORD’S OFFER OF SPIRITUAL PROGRESSION
Design
Death
Destiny
Dearth
Divine
We began a look at the five stages of spiritual progression in our last Lord’s Supper Celebration. If, as you look back to the Cross, you’re really thinking about all the things that Jesus Christ and His Cross have done for us, you’ll see this spiritual progression and the five different stages in the Lord’s offer to His creatures…DESIGN, DEATH, DESTINY, DEARTH, and the DIVINE…and within each of these stages, you will see a death followed by life. In this Lord’s Supper Celebration, we’ll look at the Lord’s provision of DEATH as part of our spiritual progression.
But first a few announcements…
ANNOUNCEMENTS
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! The Next Lord’s Supper Celebration December 14, 2014
Is it really almost December?
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! No Face-to Face Teaching November 16 NEXT WEEK!
The lesson provided on November 16 will be “read only” as we will not have time to record it.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! No Face-to Face Teaching December 7 and December 28
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Denny Goodall November 6
NEW VIDEO AND AUDIO
Marc Pomeroy
Thanks to the contributions of the congregation…thanks to Larry and Pat, Brian, Mike, Marc, and Denny. Live audio and live video now available. Broadcast quality sound and picture. Two cameras.
VETERAN’S DAY November 11
THE OFFERING Deacon Denny Goodall
Let’s take the offering. This is the time when you get to make a sacrifice on behalf of all the people around the world that can’t afford to pay to study the Word of God. Your generous contributions make it possible for them to learn about the Lord Jesus Christ free of charge via the internet or via face-to-face.
Let’s remember to give with the motivation suggested in Scripture
2CO 9:7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful (grace oriented) giver.
Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall.
THE OFFERING Deacon Denny Goodall
Barah Ministries Financial Policy
Even though we are sanctioned by God to charge for the many things we provide so you can worship God, we choose not to exercise our right. Therefore no price appears on any material from Barah Ministries so that anyone who desires biblical teaching may have it free of charge.
Barah Ministries Financial Policy
Even though the materials we provide are free of charge, they are not free of cost. We appreciate it when the Word of God motivates you to give financial support so as to provide biblical teaching, both for yourself and for others. Please be generous in your support of God’s work through this ministry.
OFFERING VERSE
GAL 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
OFFERING SONG In Your Presence
THE LORD’S SUPPER CELEBRATION The Spiritual Progression Stage Called Death
When you look back to the Cross, what do you see? I see death. It’s hard for us to look at the deaths we experience as spiritual progression. But God the Father allows these deaths to conform us to the image of His Son, just as He allowed His Son to be crushed on our behalf at the Cross. Isaiah, Chapter 53, Verse 10…
ISA 53:10 But the Lord (God the Father) was pleased to crush the Lord Jesus Christ, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the Lord (God the Father) will prosper in His hand.
To quote a line from Jesus in the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar, “to conquer death you only have to die.” And die the Lord did, only to rise from the dead three days later. We celebrate His death and His resurrection today.
In our last Lord’s Supper celebration we celebrated the spiritual progression of DESIGN. Design always demands a designer, and God the Father has designed a perfect and personal plan for His imperfect creatures. DESIGN means that a billion years ago, God the Father crafted a plan for your life.
DESIGN God has a plan for your life
ACT 2:23 …this Man, Jesus Christ, was delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God the Father, and you nailed Him to a Cross by the hands of godless men (unbelievers) and put Him to death.
In God’s DESIGN, death is always followed by life. The Lord’s death on the Cross was immediately followed by His resurrection…the life. So it was with the Jews of the Exodus generation. The death of slavery was followed by a move to the promised land. Turn in your bibles to Exodus, Chapter 14, Verse 5…after we enjoy the elements, we’ll assess how our God turned DEATH into life for the Jews, and we’ll see how he does the same thing for us every day as part of our spiritual progression.
THE LORD’S SUPPER CELEBRATION Enjoying the Elements
Following God’s request, we keep on celebrating CHRIST and His Cross on a regular basis…we eat to remember who He is…His PERSON…we drink to remember His WORK, the voluntary sacrifice He made at the Cross on our behalf…and remember at this time to be grateful for what God has done for us. First Corinthians, Chapter 11, Verses 23 and 24 say…
1CO 11:23-24 For I, Paul received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus Christ on the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is, and keeps on being My body, which is broken for you; keep on doing this celebration for the purpose of remembering Me.”
When we eat the bread during the Lord’s Supper celebration, we remember THE PERSON of the Lord Jesus Christ.
First Corinthians, Chapter 11, Verses 25 and 26 say…
1CO 11:25-26 In the same way the Lord Jesus Christ took the cup after supper, representing His death on the Cross, saying, “This cup is a new testament forged with My blood; keep on doing this celebration, as often as you drink it, for the purpose of remembering Me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”
When we drink the cup, we remember THE WORK of the Lord Jesus Christ.
As you enjoy the elements, the bread and the cup, enjoy the memory of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as well. Give thanks to the Lord, now and always, as you listen to the Lord’s Supper song...Give Thanks.
LORD’S SUPPER SONG Give Thanks
Take a five-minute break.
BREAK Somewhere over the Rainbow
THE LORD’S SUPPER CELEBRATION The Spiritual Progression Called Death
Look at Exodus, Chapter 14, beginning at Verse 5…
<Read Exodus, Chapter 14, Verses 5 to 31>
As we have studied tribulation, or trials, or suffering, or adversity or affliction, or whatever else we wish to call it, we always seem to think that it is something to be avoided. Our life is going well when the fantasy we have in our head is running. The fantasy is that one day there is going to be life here on earth that has no tribulation, that has no trials, that has no suffering, that has no adversity…only prosperity and good times.
Quite often we look at work as this terrible thing we must endure, and we believers in Christ, like everyone else, are living for the weekend…that time when we can relax. Relaxing, of course, means sitting in front of the television doing nothing. Is that really our idea of prosperity? Doing nothing? Or does prosperity involve intoxicating ourselves with the substance of choice as our escape from reality? Hardly.
When we think of life this way, I think we miss a very important spiritual progression. We miss the fact that God has a plan for our lives, a personal plan for each of us, and that one of the most important parts of that life is DEATH. I think we are completely missing God’s lessons in the personal deaths we encounter.
Where do DEATHS come from? They come from the kingdom of death, also known as the kingdom of darkness. They come from us. Many times we use our will against ourselves and we become our own worst enemies. If God were running the world without the interference of Satan and the kingdom of death, there would be no misery.
Tribulations, trials, suffering, adversity, and affliction are all things that God allows, but they are not things that God sponsors for us. God’s lessons in these things encourage us not to seek the enticements of Satan’s kingdom, all of which lead to DEATH. God allows these deaths to teach us what Satan offers. Then the Lord contrasts what Satan offers with what He offers…life.
In short, God always steps in during our affliction to provide the contrast…He moves us from death to life.
When we are born in Adam, God steps in and offers us a life in Christ.
When life is bitter, God offers us sweet.
When we have lack, God meets the needs.
When we hunger, God provides the food.
When we thirst, God provides refreshment.
When an enemy persecutes us, God delivers us from the hands of the enemy. Look at what happened to the Jews of the Exodus generation.
When we have tribulation, God uses it to teach perseverance.
When we persevere through a trial, God uses it to shape our character.
When we have character through many trials, God gives us hope.
When we hope, God does not disappoint.
When there is winter, God gives us the summer.
The kingdom of death only has difficulties for you, designed to cause bitterness and dissatisfaction and heart hunger. The Lord Jesus Christ has sweetness and satisfaction, and fills our emptiness. Ephesians, Chapter 5, Verse 18…
EPH 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit…
God uses the experiences of death to give us an appreciation for life.
For the Jews of the Exodus generation…the death of four hundred years of slavery was followed by the life of salvation as they crossed the Red Sea, and they were finally free forever from their oppressors, the Egyptians. Tribulations, trials, suffering, adversity, and affliction…these DEATHS… are all things that God allows, but they are not things that God sponsors for us. God uses them to illuminate the kingdom of death’s offer, and to counter it with life.
The crucifixion and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ set the pattern for God’s design, and it is our pleasure to enjoy it as we remember it.
The Promises of the Lord Jesus Christ
When God makes a promise… it’s a guarantee!
EXO 14:13 “Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today…”
ISA 40:29 He gives strength to the weary, to him who lacks might He increases power.
1PE 5:6-7 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God the Father, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
CLOSING SONG Redeemer
CLOSING PRAYER Let us pray...
THANKS INTERCESSION PETITION
And we pray that You continue to shape the messages from this pulpit that are an accurate reflection of Your unconditional love, Your person, Your thinking, Your work, and Your essence...we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit, in Christ’s name, Amen.
Thanks for coming! Thanks for watching! Thanks for listening!
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