Immanuel Baptist Church

Our Valentine Dinner is Friday and we are looking forward to an enjoyable evening. See you then. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Please remember to be involved in all Immanuel has planned for us.

Martha

To God’s Pilgrims at Immanuel,

I spent part of Monday night watching one of God’s children slip closer to eternity. A clinical diagnosis would point to several ailments she has had lately along with her old age. The real cause of her death, however, is sin.

Death, that great enemy, that old intruder on life, that fruit of the fall, creates a reality which will be experienced by every living thing. For Christians, death gives us tragic hope. Death is the consequence of sin but it is also the point when believers are finally and fully rid of sinful flesh. It says something about how pervasive sin is in our lives that it takes death to completely free us from it. Our sin has been conquered by the blood of Christ but we still haul its corpse around and only death will cut the corpse from us.

This is part of why for the saints it is not death to die. That old enemy gives us hope of a life free from sin. Death is the curse of the fall but death is also promise for believers. Which would have been the greater curse: for God to impose death on sinful humans, which means we have the possibility of being free from sin once and for all, or for God to have continued giving humans immortality, which means we would never be completely free from sin? Death is a tragic hope, a blessed curse. It is a terrible thing and 1 Corinthians 15:26 calls it the last enemy. But it is a defeated enemy. How wonderful that God so often uses the most terrible things to bring about the most glorious ends. I am reminded of Joseph’s words in Genesis 50:20: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good…” Death is an evil caused by sin, but God uses it for our good.

Remember we will not have a meeting on the 10th of this month. The Valentine Dinner is taking the place of our regular meeting. Hope many of you are planning to be a part of this church-wide event.

The meal will consist of a nice cordon bleu chicken dinner and the program will be interesting involving many of our talented members.

Please remember to be involved in all Immanuel has planned for us.

Martha

2 Peter 2:1

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This sermon was preached by Rev. Chris Roberts during the evening service on February 08, 2009. We are approaching the end of our Apologetics series. In this message Pastor Chris talks about Mormons and Jehovah’s Witness.

Ephesians 1:11-14

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This sermon was preached by Rev. Chris Roberts during the morning service on February 08, 2009. The world’s economy may crumble in the dust, but the promises of God’s economy will never end.

Today we look at Ephesians 1:11-14. This section concludes Paul’s expression of praise in verses 3-14. I had not planned to include verses 11 and 12 but we need them to help get the context for 13 and 14. We will only touch on them briefly.

Ephesians 1:11-14

Today’s passage focuses on the work of the Holy Spirit in our salvation and continues a theme we have seen of all things being done in Christ.

When you read a book of the Bible, pay careful attention to any repeating words or phrases or themes that repeat through a book. These repetitions will help you catch what the author is wanting to emphasize.

In Ephesians Paul repeats phrases like in Christ, in him, in whom… This is not an accident, Paul wants to be sure we know that everything from God to man comes through Christ. You cannot receive any of God’s redemptive blessings unless you are in Christ. We have previously discussed that every good gift of God comes because of what Christ did on the cross. Paul wants to make sure we see that Christ is the channel of all God’s blessings to us.

Let me take a few minutes and show you all of the passages in Ephesians that highlight this. If you make notes in your Bible you might want to mark these spots. Underline the words and in the column put a t showing this is a theme idea, one of Paul’s themes in Ephesians.

Eph 1:1, Paul is writing to saints who are faithful in Christ Jesus.
Eph 1:3, Paul is praising God for the blessings he has given us in Christ.
Eph 1:4, The Father has chosen his people in him, that is, in Christ.
Eph 1:5, The Father predestines some to adoption through Jesus Christ
Eph 1:7, Paul says in him we have redemption.
Eph 1:9, The purposes of God have been set forth in Christ.
Eph 1:10, All things in heaven and on earth will be united in him.
Eph 1:11, An inheritance is obtained in him.
Eph 1:12, Paul and others had hope in Christ.
Eph 1:13, Two references of in him here, both pointing to the same result: in him you receive the seal of the Holy Spirit.
Eph 1:20, Paul says the power of God was at work in Christ at the resurrection.
Eph 2:6, The Father has resurrected us in Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:7, God is showing the riches of his kindness in Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:10, We were created in Christ Jesus for good works.
Eph 2:13, in Christ the gentiles have been brought near to God.
Eph 2:22, in him you are being made a dwelling place for God.
Eph 3:6, Gentiles partake of the promise made to Jews, a promise made in Christ Jesus.
Eph 3:11, The eternal purpose of God is realized in Christ Jesus.
Eph 3:12, in whom – that is, in Christ – we have access to God through our faith in him, in Christ.
Eph 3:21, To God be the glory in Christ Jesus.
Eph 4:21, Paul tells us that the truth is in Jesus, and believers should be taught in him.
Eph 4:32, God in Christ forgave you.

Paul thinks it significant that we know what it means to be in Christ. The old Puritan Octavius Winslow wrote a book on Romans 8 called No Condemnation in Christ Jesus. He deals somewhat extensively with what it means to be in Christ. Here is part of what he says:



Approach the cross, and what do you behold? Is it that you see a guilty one, suffering – a criminal worthy of death? Nay; you see the sinless Son of God bearing the sin, and, by consequence, the condemnation of his people. And in that wondrous spectacle, you see brought to the bar of Infinite Justice – tried, sentenced, and condemned, in the person of their surety – all those who are in Christ Jesus. In Christ they were chosen – to Christ they were betrothed – with Christ they were united – by Christ they are saved, – and, sitting with Christ on his throne, they shall reign with him for ever and ever.

In our economy everything is given a monetary value. With money you receive goods and services. Obtain currency and you can wield some measure of power and influence. In God’s economy everything comes from being in Christ. Nothing can be obtained by your work, by your money, by your service. The only currency recognized by the Father is the Son. Are you in him?

In our passage, verses 11-12 focus on Jewish believers, verse 13 on gentile believers, and verse 14 on all believers. The we in verse 12 contrasts with the you in verse 13 to show Paul is pointing out the divide between Jews and gentiles, a divide bridged in Christ.

Paul mentions in verse 11 an inheritance the Jews have in Christ. This inheritance is the receipt of a promise made long ago to the Jews through their father Abraham. Only Christ was able to fulfill this promise. We sometimes forget that though God promised the Israelites the land of Israel, the land was not his greatest promise to them. Note these passages:

The promise of a personal God: Exodus 6:7, I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

The promise of a prince to lead them from among them, expectation of the Messiah. Jeremiah 30:21-22, Their prince shall be one of themselves; their ruler shall come out from their midst; I will make him draw near, and he shall approach me, for who would dare of himself to approach me? declares the Lord. And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

In Christ, Jews looking for the Messiah have found what they were waiting for and Messiah is Immanuel – God with us! In verse 12 Paul says we who were the first to hope in Christ. Jews had hope in Jesus even before he came because they believed God’s promise that Messiah would come. Not all Jews truly had faith in God, but those who did were the first to hope in Christ, knowing God would fulfill his promise of a Messiah. Have you ever wondered how salvation works for the followers of God who lived before Christ came? They did not know Jesus, how could they be saved by him? But they knew God’s promises of redemption and they trusted that God would redeem his people. They were the first to hope in Christ.

Jews were also the first to respond to Jesus when he came. This was by design and by geography. By geography, Jesus was born in Israel. Jews were the first to see Christ, the first to hear the gospel. By design, Jesus told his disciples when he first sent them out that they were to spread the gospel to Jews only: Matthew 10:5-6 These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Only after his death and resurrection are disciples told, in Acts 1:8, to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth.

After focusing on the Jews Paul moves on to include the gentiles. Verse 13, in Christ something that happened for the Jews also happens for the gentiles.

The Greek here is pretty complicated, so in these verses various translations read a little different. The NIV has: And you also were chosen in Christ… The ESV is better, simply translating the Greek as In him you also… But the ESV is weak around the middle of the verse where it says you believed in him… The NKJV, or the KJV, translation is better, but for this verse I’ll offer my own translation: In whom you also, you who heard the word of truth – the gospel of your salvation – in whom also you who believed, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit…

Two things happen in people that leads to the result at the end of this verse. These two things would happen for all, whether Jew or gentile, but Paul focuses here on gentiles, showing how these things bring gentiles into the same fellowship with God experienced by faithful Jews.

First, believers have heard the word of truth. Paul further describes the word of truth as the gospel of your salvation. The gospel is true, and the gospel saves. The greatest truth anyone can speak is the gospel. This gospel, this good news, is more than just the truth that in Christ you are saved from your sins. It includes the truth that you are promised God himself, that God is the greatest gift of your salvation. It includes the truth that God is majestic and mighty and holy and just and all glorious. It includes the truth that this all majestic God loves you. It includes the truth that we are not worms crawling in the dust but we who are in Christ are the people of God, children of the Father, commissioned to serve him even as angels do – in fact, doing things even angels cannot do, proclaim the gospel of God.

Second, believers have believed the word of truth. It is not enough to hear the gospel with ears and do nothing about it. Believe it, respond to it. Obey God. Follow Christ. Be in Christ.

Those who have heard and responded to the gospel have had something happen to them. Paul says that they are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. A seal is a stamp that shows ownership and protection. If someone’s seal is on something it shows it belongs to him. If you travel to other nations, you carry your passport with you. That passport says you, in a sense, belong to the United States. It also says if another nation decides to mess with you, they just might feel the wrath of the U. S. military. God’s seal of the Holy Spirit on believers carries far more weight and authority.

Verse 14 shows that this seal is not just for gentiles but is for all believers. There is a difference between Jew and gentile but the difference is bridged in Christ and salvation works the same for both Jew and gentile.

We earlier said that God’s economy is based on Christ. But what assures us that his economy will not fail? Our economy is so fragile and can come crashing down in a moment. What gives us any hope that God’s economy will not fail?

Paul describes the Holy Spirit as the guarantee of our inheritance. In banking terms we might say the Holy Spirit is a deposit, a down payment, collateral. The Holy Spirit is given to assure us that we will receive what God has promised. The Holy Spirit assures us of the unfailing economy of God, of unending grace, of assurance that we will receive every promise God has made to us. Also, the Holy Spirit does more than just offer assurances, he is at work in us to guarantee God’s will is accomplished in our lives.

The ESV is a little awkward at verse 14. It says the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance – that is fine, but then they continue until we acquire possession of it. The Greek literally reads the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, and most translations have something like this.

Who is the purchased possession? We are. Believers. When telling believers to live holy and pure lives in 1 Cor 6:20, Paul reminds them: For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. The price is Christ’s blood. You have been purchased by his blood, you are his purchased possession.

As for redemption, there are two ways we can understand the redemption we receive as believers. First, redemption we receive when we are set free from our sins, when we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ and made holy, made free from all condemnation. You are redeemed when you are saved. Second, redemption when we are fully and finally removed from these bodies of sin, dragging around the flesh of death. That is not to say the physical body is evil, but in our current state we continue to exist with a sinful nature, what Paul describes as the flesh. We await the day when God will redeem us fully, taking away even our sinful nature and making us pure and holy for all eternity.

The promise we have is that God will redeem us, make us fully holy, bring us to be with him. Until that day, until God redeems his purchased possession, we wait with hope. We do not wait alone, God has given us his Holy Spirit – he has sealed us with the Spirit, even, and the Spirit is what gives us assurance that what God promises, God will do.

This is the unfailing economy of God: that which was purchased with the blood of Christ is sealed and secured by the Holy Spirit and will reach the final and great day of redemption. Have hope! God’s promises never fail.

At the end of verse 14 we see the phrase to the praise of his glory. The same phrase ended verse 12 and something similar is found in verse 6. All of this emphasizes that God seeks his own glory.

God is not in the business of elevating humanity. God does not exist to glorify you. God glorifies himself! I had almost said God seeks to glorify himself but humans are the ones who seek to do things. You seek to have that girl go on a date with you. You seek to make a lot of money. You seek to lead more souls to the Lord. But God doesn’t seek, God does. God glorifies himself. This is what we are here for, this is our purpose – to glorify God. Are you fulfilling your purpose, doing what you were created to do? A life not lived for God’s glory is a failed life. You are not on this earth to live in a nice house in a good neighborhood. Those are not bad things but those should not be the goal of our life. Elevate Christ! That is your goal.

Rick Warren wrote the popular book A Purpose Driven Life. What is the purpose that guides your life? Could you identify it in a sentence? Physicists are seeking a theory of everything, one set of formulas that can define all the inner workings of the universe. What is your theory of everything for creation? Why does anything exist? What is the purpose for your being here, for a rock being here, for galaxies billions of miles away being here?

All creation exists to glorify God. This is your purpose. This is the Christian theory of everything. Seek God. Be in Christ. Glorify God by enjoying him and proclaiming him throughout the nations. Show the world the marvelous splendor of your majestic king. Honor him with your lives. Cling to him for salvation. Proclaim him as the only hope for the world. Come to Christ.

How are you doing with your Bible reading plan? Don’t be discouraged if you have some catching up to do, and don’t give up! Keep reading.

Today’s reading in Exodus reminds us of God’s power and authority over all creation. God’s word to the Israelites through Moses in Exodus 14:13 is for you and I as well: And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today.” God was not weak when he freed the Israelites from bondage. In fact, Moses said in Exodus 13:3: “for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place.”

Throughout the Exodus account it seemed like God just couldn’t convince Pharaoh to let the people go. It took ten plagues to change Pharaoh’s mind! Why, if God had any sort of power, it should have happened after the first! If God had any sort of power he would immediately take away all of my own troubles. Right? Sometimes God prolongs distress for his own ends. Don’t miss what he says: Exodus 11:9 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” And one of the most astonishing verses in the Bible: Exodus 14:4: “And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.”

God is in control even over your adversity. Rest assured! This trouble you face is not meaningless. He is working it out for his glory and your good. Fear not. Stand firm! See the salvation of your Lord!

Chris

Ephesians 1:7-10

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This sermon was preached by Rev. Chris Roberts during the morning service on February 01, 2009. In this sermon we consider what the blood of Christ has accomplished for us.