Monday, February 16, 2015

Basic Christian Doctrine Catechism

Unless otherwise noted, the verses will be in the English Standard Version (ESV). I encourage families to review five consecutive older questions each day and review the most recently learned five everyday. You don't want them to lose all the truths but put them into their longterm memory. This will mean reviewing the same five everyday (five newest) for a week and five different older questions each day. 
Doctrine of Creation (Cosmology) 

1. Who made you? God
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.





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Doctrine of the Bible (Bibliology)

6. Where do you learn how to glorify God? In the Bible alone.  
Psalm 119:9-11 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you;let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart,that I might not sin against you.

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7. What does the Bible teach us? The Bible teaches us about God, His commands, and His grace.



8. Who wrote the Bible? Holy men were taught by the Holy Spirit.


9. Is the Bible relevant to you today? Yes! The Bible is the enduring Word from God that speaks today.


Doctrine of God (Theology Proper)

10. What is God? God is spirit and He doesn't have a body like men.



 15. Can you see God? No, but He always see me.

Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.



18. Does God need us? No, God doesn't need us or anything, but we can glorify Him. 


Acts 17:24–25 (NIV84): 24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 


19. Does God change? No, God is unchanging in His perfections, plans, and promises yet pervasively involved with creation.


James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.


20. Is God just like us? No, God is holy. He is distinct and devoted to Himself, yet he draws near to us.


Isaiah 6:1–3 (ESV):  In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: 

  “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; 

  the whole earth is full of his glory!” 


21. Does God have a birthday? No, God doesn't have a birthday. He has no beginning and no end.


Psalm 102:25–27  25 Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, 

and the heavens are the work of your hands. 26  They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,  27  but you are the same, and your years have no end.


22. Is God merely nice? No, God's anger intensely hates all sin. 

John 3:36  Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. 


23. Is God only angry? No, God is happy about Himself and all that reflects His character. 


1 Timothy 6:15–16 “...the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.


24. What is God’s love? God’s love means that God eternally gives of Himself to others.


1 John 4:16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 



Doctrine of Man and Sin (Anthropology and Hamartiology)

25. Who were our first parents? Adam and Eve.
Genesis 2:7 "then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
26. Of what were our first parents made? God made Adam from the ground and Eve from the side of Adam. 
Genesis 2:22 "And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man."
27. In what condition did God make Adam and Eve? He made them holy and happy. 
Genesis 1:31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. 
 28. What relationship did Adam have with God? A relationship of sonship. 
Luke 3:38 "son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God." (to the tune Frere Jacques)
29. What did God command Adam to do? To obey Him perfectly.
30. What did God promise Adam? Life, if he obeyed.

 31. What did God threaten Adam? Death, if he disobeyed. 
Genesis 3:23–24 (ESV): therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. 

32. Did Adam obey God? No, he sinned against God. 
Gen 3:6 (NASB) 6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.  (Jesu. Joy of Man's Desiring, Bach)
33.. What is sin? Sin is any lack of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God.
34. What is meant by lack of conformity? Not being or doing what God requires.
35. What is meant by transgression? Doing what God forbids.
38. What happened to our first parents when they had sinned? Instead of being holy and happy, they became sinful and sad.


40. What effect had the sin of Adam on all mankind? All mankind are born sinful and sad.
Ephesians 2:4-54 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

41. What is that sinful nature we inherited from Adam called? Original sin.  Psalm 51:5. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 

Doctrine of Christ (Christology)

42. Did God leave all mankind to perish sinful and sad? No, God purposed to save His people by sending a Redeemer. 

1 Timothy 1:15 (ESV): The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 

43. Who is the Redeemer of God's elect? The only Redeemer of God's elect is the Lord Jesus Christ. 
45. How did Jesus Christ redeem His people? He kept the whole law for His people and suffered on behalf of the sins of His people

46.  How could the eternal Son of God obey and suffer for His people? The Son of God became man in order to obey and suffer for us.
Hebrews 2:14-15 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the qsame things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

47. How did the Son of God become a man? He was born of the Virgin Mary.
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48. Did the Lord Jesus Christ ever sin as other men do? No, He was holy, blameless and pure.
Hebrew 4:15  (NASB) 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
49. What offices has Christ? Christ has the offices of prophet, priest and king.

50. How is Christ a prophet? He teaches us the will of God.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
*John 1:1 is the same as ESV. Although the passage is taken from the Douay–Rheims, which is a translation of the Latin Vulgate. 

51. How is Christ a priest? He died for us and pleads for us. 

52. How is Christ a king? He rules over us and defends us.
Hebrews 10:12-14 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

53. Why do you need Christ as a prophet? Because I am ignorant.

54. Why do you need Christ as a priest? Because I am guilty.
1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;

55. Why do you need Christ as a king? Because I am weak and helpless.
56.. What kind of a life did Christ live on earth? A life of poverty and suffering.

 Isaiah 53:1-6 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

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 57. What kind of death did Christ die? The painful and shameful death on the cross.
58. Did Christ remain in the grave after His crucifixion? No. He rose from the dead on third day.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 "Christ died for our sins...4 he was buried...he was raised on the third day..."

59. Where is Christ now? In heaven, at the right hand of God the Father.

60. Will Christ come to this earth again? Yes, He will come to deliver His people and judge the world at the last day. 

62. What is effectual calling? Effectual calling is the work of God in brining sinners to Christ.
John 6:37 (NIV 1984) 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.

63. Why is effectual calling necessary for man’s redemption? Because without effectual calling man is spiritually dead, being unwilling and unable to believe in Christ. 


Ephesians 2:1–3 (ESV): And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.


64. Where do sinners hear of Christ? In the Gospel which freely offers Christ to all.
John 3:16 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
65. What blessings do sinners who are effectually called receive in this life? The blessings of justification, adoption and sanctification.
1 Cor 1:30 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
66. What is Justification? Justification is God's forgiving sinners and declaring them to be righteous.
2 Cor 5:21 (NIV 1984) 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
67. What is adoption? Adoption is God's receiving sinners into His family as His own dear children.
1 John 3:1 (NIV 1984) How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!  
68. What is sanctification? Sanctification is God's making sinners holy in heart and conduct.
2 Corinthians 3:18 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Doctrine of Last Things (Eschatology) 

69. What happens to the righteous after death? Their body goes to the dust and their spirit goes to the Lord.
2 Cor 5:8 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
70. What happens to the wicked at death? They suffer punishment while they are kept by God for the day of judgment.
Luke 16:22b-23a The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment,

71. Will the righteous dead be raised to life again? Yes, all the righteous dead shall be raised when Christ comes again.

1 John 3:2-32 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears[a] we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.


72. What happens to the wicked in the day of judgment? They shall be cast into the lake of fire.


73. What is the lake of fire? A place of dreadful and endless punishment.
Revelation 20:10 (NIV 1984) "And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever."
74. What will become of the righteous in the day of judgment? They shall enter the Father's kingdom in the new heaven and new earth.
John 14:1-2 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

75. What is the new heaven and new earth? The place where God will dwell forever with His people.
Doctrine of the Law 

76. What is the duty which God requires of man? Obedience to His revealed will.
Micah 6:8 8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
77. What is God's revealed will? God's revealed will is His law, which is holy, just and good.
Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
78. Where is a summary of God's law? The ten commandments.
Deut 4:13 And he declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, that is, the Ten Commandments, and he wrote them on two tablets of stone.
79. What is the sum of the ten commandments? To love God with all my heart and my neighbour as myself.
Mark 12:30-31 (NIV 1984) Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
80. What is it to love your neighbor? To seek the good of all the people around you.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "4Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

81. What is the first commandment? The first commandment is, "You shall have no other gods before me."
Exod 20:1-3 (KJV) And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

82.. What does the first commandment teach us? To worship God alone.
Matt 4:10 (NKJV) "Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”
83. What is the second commandment? The second commandment is, "You shall not make for yourself an idol"
Exod 20:4-6 KJV 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
84. What does the second commandment teach us? To worship God properly and to avoid idolatry.
Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
85. What is the third commandment? The third commandment is,  "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain."
Exodus 20:7  KJV "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
86.  What does the third commandment teach us? To reverence God's name, word and works.
Psalm 130:3-4 "3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared."

87. What is the fourth commandment? Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy.
Exodus 20:8-11 KJV "8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 but the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."
88.  What does the Sabbath teach us? It teaches us to cease from works righteousness and to rest in Christ for salvation.
Hebrews 4:9-10 "9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his."
89. Is the Sabbath command to rest binding upon New Covenant believers? No, diets and days were fulfilled in Christ.
Colossians 2:16-17 16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.
90.  Should Christians divide over different understandings of the fourth commandment? No, some are weaker in knowledge and others stronger, but all are family.
Romans 14:5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.

91. Is there not a time for New Covenant Christians to gather? Yes, believers are commanded to gather for edification and evangelism for God's exaltation. 


92. What is the fifth commandment? The fifth commandment is, "Honour your father and your mother."
Exod 20:12 (AKJV) Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

93. What does the fifth commandment teach us? To respect and obey our parents and elders.
Ephesians 6:1  Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

94. What is the sixth commandment? A. The sixth commandment is, "You shall not murder."
Exodus 20:13 (AKJV) Thou shalt not kill.

95.  What does the sixth commandment teach us? To protect life from the womb to the tomb.
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96. What is the seventh commandment? The seventh commandment is, "You shall not commit adultery."
Exodus 20:14 14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

97. What does the seventh commandment teach us? To be pure in heart, speech and conduct.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 
    

98. What is the eighth commandment? The eighth commandment is "You shall not steal."
Exodus 20:15 "Thou shalt not steal."

99. What does the eight commandment teach us? To be honest and work hard.
Ephesians 4:28 (NASB) 28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.

100. What is the ninth commandment? The ninth commandment is, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour."
Exodus 20:16  (AKJV) 16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

101. What does the ninth commandment teach us? You must tell the truth because God is a God of truth.
Numbers 23:19 19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

104. Can you or any man keep these ten commandments perfectly? No mere man ever did or can keep the ten commandments.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 (NIV 1984) There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.

105. Of what use are the ten commandments to us? They teach us our duty and show us our need for a Savior.
Romans 3:20 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

106. What should be the primary motivation of a Christian to obey God’s law? God’s grace in the gospel should be the chief motivation of the believer to obey. 


107. What does every sin deserve? The lake of fire.
111. How many ordinances are there? Two
Matthew 28:19 (NIV 1984) 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

113. Who appointed these ordinance? The Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 28:19 (NIV 1984) 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (NKJV) 23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.”

114. Why did Christ appoint these ordinances? To distinguish His disciples from the world and to comfort and strengthen them.
Matthew 28:19 (NIV 1984) 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (NKJV) 23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.”

115. What is the mode of Baptism? Dipping in water.
John 3:23 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized

116. What does baptism represent? Union with Jesus in His death and resurrection
Romans 6:3-4 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him by baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

117. In whose name are we baptized? In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 28:19 (NIV 1984) 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

119. To what does baptism bind you? Counting the cost to be a true follower of Christ.
Acts 2:38 (NIV 1984) 38 ...“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

120. What is the Lord's Supper? The eating of the bread and the drinking of the cup in remembrance of the sufferings and death of Christ.

121. What does the bread represent? The body of Christ, broken for our sins.
1 Corinthians 10:16-17 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.

122. What does the cup represent? The blood of Christ, shed for our salvation.
1 Corinthians 10:16-17 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
123. Who should partake of the Lord's Supper? Only those who repent of their sins, believe in Christ for salvation.
1 Corinthians 11:28-29 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
Doctrine of Prayer
124. What is prayer? Prayer is talking to God
Philippians 4:6 (NIV84) 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 125 Who gives us access to God in prayer? Christ alone gives us access to the Father in prayer. 

1 Timothy 2:5 (NIV84) 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,


Alternative song

128. How many petitions are there in the Disciples Prayer? Six.
Matthew 6:9-13 (NKJV) 9 ...Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.
129. What is the first petition? Hallowed be Your name.

Matthew 6:9b "Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

130. What do we pray for in the first petition? That God's name may be honored by us and all men.
Psalm 67:1–2, 7 (NKJV) 1 God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us, Selah 2 That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations... 7 God shall bless us, And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.


131. What is the second petition? Your kingdom come.
Matt 6:10a Your kingdom come.

132. What do we pray for in the second petition? That the gospel may be preached to all and believed and obeyed by us and all.
2 Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you,

133. What is the third petition? Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Matt 6:10b Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.


135. What is the fourth petition? Give us this day our daily bread.
Matthew 6:11 "Give us this day our daily bread."

137. What is the fifth petition? And forgive us our debts as also we have forgiven our debtors. Matt 6:12

138. What do we pray for in the fifth petition? That God would pardon our sins for Christ's sake, and enable us to forgive those who have harmed us.

1 John 1:9 (NIV84) 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

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Ephesians 4:32 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

139. What is the sixth petition? Mt 6:13 "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

140. What do we pray for in the sixth petition? That God would keep us from sin.
Psalm 119:36–37 36 Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! 37 Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways. 


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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Letter to Roe v. Wade Deciding Supreme Court Justice

This letter was written by Roger Nicole, a theology professor at Gordon-Conwell Seminary upon the retiring of Justice Harry A. Blackmun. Blackmun's vote decided Roe v. Wade.

April 13, 1994

Mr. Justice Harry A. Blackmun
United States Supreme Court
Washington, D.C.

Your Honor:

The Orlando Sentinel reports that in the prospect of your impending retirement from the U.S. Supreme Court you are wondering what you will be remembered for...



To my mind nothing else that you ever have done can approximate the impact of your support of the majority opinion of the Court in the case of Roe vs. Wade.


This has opened the door to millions of abortions...

for the sake of expediency or selfish motives. It has encouraged millions of women and thousands of physicians to participate in this murderous course.

In 4 B.C. Herod the Great ordered the killing of perhaps a few dozens of babies, but his name remains famous for this "massacre of the innocents" (Matthew 2:16).

In the Civil War of 1861-65, one of the bloodiest on record in terms of the size of the armies involved, there were perhaps close to 500,000 casualties. But Roe vs. Wade has made already 30 million victims since 1973, and this number grows every day.

In World War II, the USA suffered somewhat more than 400,000 deaths due to the conflict: this is only 1/75th of the number of the abortion hecatomb.

In the Viet Nam hostilities there were some 60,000 fatalities. You would need 500 Viet Nam walls, enough to encircle the whole of D.C., to record those put to death by abortion.

The infamous holocaust engineered by the Nazis brought death to some 6,000,000 Jews and other innocent people. The name of Hitler is inextricably associated with this monstrous atrocity. Yet Auschwitz, Dachau, Buchenwald, Treblinka and others together exterminated only one-fifth of those whose life was snuffed out before birth by Roe vs. Wade.

The Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor cased the death of 2,300 Americans, and President Roosevelt, who surely cannot be accused of being politically right wing, stigmatized this occasion by calling it "a day of infamy." Now two "decades of infamy" have cost our nation a loss as great as 13,000 "Pearl Harbors."

Rest assured, therefore, your Honor, that this legacy of yours will ever be remembered and that your name will be associated with it. And unless you repent, when you appear before the Supreme Court of God you may well hear the verdict, "Your brothers; [and sisters'] blood cries out to me from the ground" (Genesis 4:10).

Sincerely,

Roger Nicole, Ph.D. (Harvard)

P.S. If your parents had practiced what you believe, you might have been aborted, and the United States might have been spared this abomination. If my parents had practiced it, you would not receive this letter.
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Monday, December 21, 2009

Implications of the Incarnation

Let us seek to apply Philippians 2:3-11 to our lives this week. It reads

Philippians 2:3-11 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Yesterday we saw three implications of the incarnation:

1. Pursue Humble Service

Christ existed in the very form of God, but did not clinch with a tight fist the equality that He had with God, but instead emptied Himself (made Himself of no reputation) and took the form of a slave.

If Jesus took the is God and yet took the role of a slave, do you think you deserve better?
We ought to humble serve one another in the body of Christ: whether physical needs or spiritual needs (ministerying the word to one another).

2. Pursue Purposeful Sacrifice

The second implication of the incarnon is to purue purposeful sacrifice. Verse 8 says that Jesus humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross. Christ intentionally sacrificed for others. The death of Christ is an example to us, but not a mere example because it actually accomplished something by bearing the weight of our sin and guilt.

So we too ought to intentionally and purposefully sacrifice for others.

3. Pursue Proper Glory

Christ sought to be obedient to the Father and ultimately all that was done was for the glory of the Father (v.11). So we too ought not to pursue vain or empty glory v.3, but proper glory. We ought to pursue the glory of God and ultimately God will vindicate Christ and His exaltation and glory will be our exaltation and glory.

Let us fix firmly the glorious incarnation of our Lord to our hearts this week.
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Monday, December 7, 2009

Questioning the Authority of Jesus

Mark 11:27-33 27 They came again to Jerusalem. And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to Him, 28 and began saying to Him, “By what authority are You doing these things, or who gave You this authority to do these things?” 29 And Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question, and you answer Me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 “Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer Me.” 31 They began reasoning among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 32 “But shall we say, ‘From men’?”—they were afraid of the people, for everyone considered John to have been a real prophet. 33 Answering Jesus, they said, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Three obvious criteria to submit to the authority of Jesus:
1. Jesus is the Authority
• Jesus demonstrates Himself to be the authority all throughout this passage. He controlled the conversation.
• He winsomely stifled the opposition with His question.
• Mark has been demonstrated the authority of Jesus all throughout the gospel through His word and works. The religious leaders should have seen this.
JESUS AUTHORITY OVER DEMONS—Mark 1:27 27 They were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”

JESUS’ AUTHORITY TO FORGIVE SINS—Mark 2:10 10 “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic,

JESUS’ AUTHORITY OVER SABBATH LAW—Mark 2:28 28 “So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

JESUS AUTHORITY DELEGATED TO TWELVE—Mark 3:14-15 14 And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach, 15 and to have authority to cast out the demons.

JESUS AUTHORITY TO BIND THE STRONG MAN AKA SATAN—Mark 3:27 27 “But no one can enter the strong man’s house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house.

JESUS’ AUTHORITY OVER CREATION—Mark 4:41 41 They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”
• FEEDING OF 5,000 AND 4,000.

JESUS’ AUTHORITY OVER DEATH—Mark 5:41 41 Taking the child by the hand, He said to her, “Talitha kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”).

• WHAT IS ASSUMED IN THEIR QUESTION? The assumption is that they are the authority. They were the religious leaders of Israel. If they wanted to change the setup of the buying and selling in the temple, then they were the ones to do it. If someone was truly the Messiah, then they had to approve of it. Do you realize that we are all born into this world as our own authority. We do what we want, when we want, and how we want it, until we see the beauty of Jesus as One who is worthy to submit our lives to. He is the Kind King who is worthy of our submission. He then becomes the authority of our lives and there is then a radical shift in our thinking and out living.
But even if we have self-consciously submitted to Jesus, then we must admit that sometimes we begin to live outside of the authority of Christ.
• Is Christ the authority in our marriages?
• Is Christ the authority in the way you raise your children?
• Single folks, is Christ the authority in who we choose to date?
• Who is your authority when it comes to what you wear? Sure, the NT does not give us a dress code like Muslim tradition does, but certainly there are principals.
• Who is the authority when it comes

2. Jesus Sees Through Rejection of His Authority
You see, the religious leaders tried to publicly ride the fence for a long time, but Jesus knew their real motives. Jesus knew that they rejected His authority. Jesus throughout this gospel would try to shove them off the fence:

Mark 2:5-7 5 And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 But some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Mark 3:1-6 1 He entered again into a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered. 2 They were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3 He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” 4 And He said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent. 5 After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

Mark 11:18 18 The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.

• The religious leader had been trying to publicly ride the fence for a long time. Jesus refused to allow to ride the fence. Jesus could see through them and He knew the malice and wickedness which they were plotting against Him in their hearts. Do you realize how easy judgment day will be for the Lord?
Jesus sees right into their hearts. Jesus knows they reject Him and they reject the bapism of John. You can try to ride the fence of Christianity, but Jesus knows where you stand.
Matthew 12:30 30 “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

Jesus is the Kind King, but He must be submitted to. Failure to submit to Jesus in this life will have eternal consequences. All who do not bow the knee to King Jesus will burn.
Bonar says, “It is not the importance of the thing, but the majesty of the Lawgiver, that is to be the standard of obedience...Some, indeed, might reckon such minute and arbitrary rules as these as trifling. But the principle involved in obedience or disobedience was none other than the same principle which was tried in Eden at the foot of the forbidden tree. It is really this: Is the Lord to be obeyed in all things whatsoever He commands? Is He a holy Lawgiver? Are His creatures bound to give implicit assent to His will?” Andrew Bonar, referring to the laws found in Leviticus, quoted J. Bridges, The Pursuit of Holiness, p. 23.
3. Jesus Sees Through Fear of Man
29 And Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question, and you answer Me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 30 “Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men? Answer Me.” 31 They began reasoning among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 32 “But shall we say, ‘From men’?”—they were afraid of the people, for everyone considered John to have been a real prophet.

• “they were afraid of the people”—Oh, how powerful the fear of man is. It is so powerful that it restrains other sins. The fear of man was so powerful in their hearts that they were unwilling to openly reject John the Baptist.
Mark 11:18 18 The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.

Mark 12:12 12 And they were seeking to seize Him, and yet they feared the people, for they understood that He spoke the parable against them. And so they left Him and went away.

• Mk 14—when they finally go to arrest Jesus, it is not in the temple that they arrest Him, but in the middle of the night while Jesus was in the Garden of Gesthemane.
In Matthew 6 Jesus says they blew the trumpet when they gave money to the poor. They would stand and pray in the synagogue and on the street corners. They loved to let everyone know that they were fasting. Jesus saw right through their hearts and used the fear of man as a noose to hang around their necks. Jesus knew that they would not reject the ministry of John the Baptist because the people regarded John as a prophet, but they couldn’t endorse John because to endorse John would be to endorse Jesus.

John 12:42-43 42 Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.

Proverbs 29:25 25 The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted.

Beware of people-pleasing. Jesus sees right through it. People-pleasing is a cruel master. You can never please everyone.

Last night, after rigorous evening of obstacle courses and sliding down 20 blowup slides at Tommy and Gianna’s birthday. An obstacle course so rigorous that my brother broke his nose on it. We came home and I flipped on the TV and watched some America’s Most Wanted. They had a sad but beautiful story of children who were growing up in a horribly abusive home. The children were beaten regularly. They were held under water almost to the point of drowning. Then one tragic day an older sister was told to watch her infant younger 2 year old sister who would stop crying. The older sister shoved the two year old and it led to her death.
The death of this little girl led to an investigation of this family. The police uncovered all the atrocities that were taking place in this home. The 6 children were delivered from the home and adopted by appeared to be Christian families. You couldn’t help but think that the death of this child led to the deliverance of her brothers and sisters. I thought what a beautiful picture of Christ. His death led to our salvation.
He is a Kind King and worthy for us to submit to His authority.
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Monday, November 30, 2009

Commanding Fruitful Religion

Yesterday we saw 3 fruits that Christ commands from His disciples that were absent in Israel's (as illustrated in the fruitless fig tree and the fruitless worship in the temple):

1. The Fruit of Faith

Mark 11:22-25 22 And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God. 23 “Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.



“And Jesus answered saying to them”—this is a major tip off that Jesus is not beginning a new subject, but what he is saying is in response to Peter’s comment concerning the fig tree which was related to the fruitless religion in Israel as evidence by swapmeet taking place in the temple.



“Have faith in God”—present active imperative; it is a command; it is not a suggestion; present tense suggests be continually having faith in God.



Trust—I think it would be better translated as trust or dependence;

Everyone has faith because everyone is trusting or believing in or depending upon something.
J. Gresham Machen says “Faith is only as strong as the object.”



According to Jesus, what must be the object of our faith or trust? v.22 “in God.” This will help us to understand everything that follows.



23 “Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.




“whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ . . . will be granted”—What this does not mean—it does not mean that you have the decreetive power of God.

God, on the first day of creation said, “Let there be light” and there was light.
Also, Jesus is not telling us to do rediculous things.
Also, Jesus is not advocating the positive confession the Word-Faith teachers:
Do you know anyone in the history of God’s people who has ever moved a mountain?
The Word-Faith teacher can ramble on about a verse like this, but when push comes to shove, there are a whole lot of mountains on God’s green earth and I haven’t seen any of them move any of them.
But what does Jesus mean?

“this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea’”—this mountain moving must be speaking of a seemingly insurmountable task.

But the question is, “Is Jesus calling us to believe in something that He hasn’t promised?” I don’t think so. I believe Jesus is assuming that belief or faith includes a promise from God or the character of God.

If the object of our faith is not God or His promises, then what is the object of your trust or faith? Yourself, your own words, or possibly as Kenneth Copeland says, “You must have Faith in Faith.” But who is the object of faith according to v.22? “HAVE FAITH IN GOD!!!”



Ryle says, “Do we desire to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ? Do we wish to make progress in our religion, and become strong Christians, and not mere babes in spiritual things? Then let us pray daily for more faith, and watch our faith with most jealous watchfulness. Here is the corner-stone of our religion. A flaw or weakness here will affect the whole condition of our inner man. According to our faith will be the degree of our peace, our hope, our joy, our decision in Christ's service, our boldness in confession, our strength in work, our patience in trial, our resignation in trouble, our sensible comfort in prayer. All, all will hinge on the proportion of our faith. Happy are they who know how to rest their whole weight continually on a covenant God, and to walk by faith, not by sight.”



2. The Fruit Faith-Filled Prayer


24 “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.


Objection—see, this just means that if we believe it and ask for it and believe enough, then we’ll have it. This cannot be true. How do I know that?

Mark 14:35-36 35 And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by. 36 And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.”

Mark 14:39 39 Again He went away and prayed, saying the same words.



How did John who was there when Jesus said this, pass along Jesus’ teaching:



1 John 5:14-15 14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.



How does this look?



When praying for unbelieving friend or family—Lord you have said in your word
Ezekiel 18:32 32 “For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.”



You invite sinners to come to you “If any man thirsts let him come unto me and drink.”

You are glorified in the salvation of the lost. So God I beg you to save my parents. God I beg you to save my sister. God I beg you to save my friend.

When praying for Sexual Purity
1 Thessalonians 4:3 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;



God You say that it is your will that I be sexually pure in my actions and in my thought life. So God I beg you with a believing heart to enable me to grow in this area. God help me to detest sexual immorality and may thoughts that invade my mind be driven out like an enemy who crosses the border.
3. The Fruit of Forgiveness

25 “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.


“if you have anything against anyone”—someone has sinned against you and you are still holding it over them. There is bitterness in your heart towards them.

“forgive”—btw, this is the passage that won’t allow me to believe that forgiveness cannot take place if there is no confession and repentance.

Matthew 6:12-15 12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’ 14 “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 “But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.


Spurgeon said, “If you don’t forgive then when you pray the Lord’s prayer, you are writing your own death sentence.”

We must forgive others. Israel religion consisted of paying back and "eye for an eye and a tooth fo a tooth," which was never intended for personal revenge.

May God help us to grow in these areas of fruitfulness.
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Monday, November 23, 2009

Cleaning House on Fruitless Religion

Three reasons why you should beware of fruitless Religion:
1. Jesus is a Fruit Inspector
11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple; and after looking around at everything, He left for Bethany with the twelve, since it was already late.

• Jesus comes into Jerusalem and He is doing a kind of reconnaissance. Jesus is scoping out the situation to seek what kind worship of the Father is taking place.
12 On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He became hungry. 13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if perhaps He would find anything on it; and when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

• “in leaf”—this means that it was the time of year around the Passover when the fig tree would have leaves, but not only budding figs (paggim), not the full blown figs (te’enim). Hence, “for it was not the season for figs.” There were only leaves, but no budding figs. This was evidence that there wasn’t going to be any figs. It didn’t matter how long you waited the fig tree wasn’t going to produce figs.
14 He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening.

• Was this just about the fig tree? Surely not!
Jesus in the same vein as the prophets of old was using this as an object lesson. God gives Ezekiel all kinds of object lessons to use and teaching tools for the people.

Ezekiel 4:1-3 1 “Now you son of man, get yourself a brick, place it before you and inscribe a city on it, Jerusalem. 2 “Then lay siege against it, build a siege wall, raise up a ramp, pitch camps and place battering rams against it all around. 3 “Then get yourself an iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between you and the city, and set your face toward it so that it is under siege, and besiege it. This is a sign to the house of Israel.

Luke 13:6-9 6 And He began telling this parable: “A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. 7 “And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’ 8 “And he answered and said to him, ‘Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; 9 and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.’ ”

• This was an indictment against the fruitless religion of Israel:
Now for 3 ½ years they saw the miracles of Christ, they heard the teachings of Christ, they had the OT Scriptures that pointed to Christ, but were not willing to follow Christ to His death.
• The fig tree had the outward appearance of fruit but upon closer inspection, there was no genuine fruit. There was an outward acknowledgement by some that He was Messiah, “Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed is the coming Kingdom of our father David,” but Jesus upon closer inspection is able to see the fruitlessness.
App—the outward veneer of religiosity was unable to fool Jesus. Therefore, you must examine your own fruit
What fruits?
• Fruits of repentance and trusting in Jesus
• Fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. (Gal 5)
• Fruits of worshipful love for God and love for others to come to know God.
Ryle says, “Let us take care that we each . . . learn the lesson that this fig tree conveys. Let us always remember, that baptism, and church-membership, and reception of the Lord's Supper, and a diligent use of the outward forms of Christianity, are not sufficient to save our souls. They are leaves, nothing but leaves, and without fruit will add to our condemnation. Like the fig leaves of which Adam and Eve made themselves garments, they will not hide the nakedness of our souls from the eye of an all-seeing God, or give us boldness when we stand before Him at the last day. No! we must bear fruit, or be lost forever. There must be fruit in our hearts and fruit in our lives, the fruit of repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, and true holiness in our conversation. Without such fruits as these a profession of Christianity will only sink us lower into hell.”
What is frightening about Jesus’ indictment of fruitlessness is that it concerns the professing people of God. He is not talking about those outside the body of Christ.
2. Jesus is Angry Against Fruitless Religion v.15-19
15 Then they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; 16 and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple.

• Remember that this is Passover week. At a Passover week about 35 years later, Joseph says there were 255,600 lambs sacrificed. This doesn’t even include the birds that would’ve sacrificed by the lower-income families. 2,000,000 Jews estimated to here for the Passover.
What kind of fruit did Jesus see here:
a. Outward Preparation for Worship but Inward worship of money
• There was temple tax that would have been charged to each person.
• The priest would tell you that your animals aren’t fit for sacrifice and you must purchase the pre-approved animals in the court of the Gentiles.
• You must only use the currency of Tyre because there was no pagan symbols on it. Therefore, go and exchange your currency with of course a 10-12% fee.
b. Outward veneer of Worship but Irreverence Towards God
16 and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple.
• Evidently people were using the court of the Gentiles as a kind of shortcut to other parts of the city. Jesus puts a halt to this as well. Can you imagine the fear that Jesus must have struck. There would have been 1000’s of people. The court of the Gentiles was 500yds long and 325 yds wide with 150 by 100 yd court within it.
• Once Jesus gets everyone’s attention:
c. Indifference toward Lost Outsiders
17 And He began to teach and say to them, “Is it not written, ‘MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS’? But you have made it a ROBBERS’ DEN.”

Jesus being the narrow-minded fundamentalist that He was quoted Scriptures:
Isaiah 56:7 7 Even those I will bring to My holy mountain And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”

• The court of the Gentiles was a kind of “outreach” section of the temple. It was specifically designed for those outside of Israel to be able to come and inquire about and perhaps seek in prayer the true and living God of Israel. But these Jews had no concern for the unbelieving Jews. They were content for them to go to hell. They were content for them perish.
“den of robbers”—this is a safe haven for robbers; Jeremiah said this during a time when the people had put trust in the temple as a symbol of God’s favor:
Jeremiah 7:4-7 4 “Do not trust in deceptive words, saying, ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’ 5 “For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor, 6 if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, nor walk after other gods to your own ruin, 7 then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever. . . 11 “Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” declares the LORD.

• Certainly this is bad fruit.
App—Just as Jesus was angry with fruitless religion 2,000 years ago, He is angry with fruitless religion today. Jesus demonstrates His Righteous Anger against their Insatiable love of money, Irreverent Attitude, and Indifference toward the Lost. They heard the teaching of Jesus for 3 years. They saw the miracles of Jesus for 3 years. They had the Scriptures that pointed to Jesus, yet they were still entrenched in their fake religion. How about you? What kind of fruit are you bearing?
Also, what kind of zeal for righteousness do you have?
3. Jesus Curses Fruitless Religion
19 When evening came, they would go out of the city. 20 As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 21 Being reminded, Peter said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.”

• “the fig tree You cursed is withered”—Wow! What an indictment!
• They were mindlessly offering their sacrifices while the TRUE SACRIFICE was before them and they rejected Him. They put all their hope in the temple as a symbol of their favor from God and yet rejected the TRUE TEMPLE of God that was standing before them.
Mark 4:5-6 5 “Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil. 6 “And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

Hx—within 40 years of the temple would be destroyed, the sacrificial system would abolished, and Israel would be wiped off the face of the map.

John 15:6 6 “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.

Matthew 3:8-10 8 “Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; 9 and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. 10 “The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Matthew 7:21-23 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

HOW DID THEY RESPOND TO JESUS:
18 The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.
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Monday, November 16, 2009

Behold the Humble Servant

In Mark 11:1-10, we see Jesus coming into Jesus on a colt. This is often called the triumphal entry.
In this passage we saw three proofs that Jesus is King so that you would make Him your King:
1. His Kingly Omniscience

1 As they approached Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples, He sent two of His disciples, 2 and said to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here. 3 “If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ you say, ‘The Lord has need of it’; and immediately he will send it back here.” 4 They went away and found a colt tied at the door, outside in the street; and they untied it. 5 Some of the bystanders were saying to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 They spoke to them just as Jesus had told them, and they gave them permission. 7 They brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it; and He sat on it.

• Jesus Divine Omniscience is able to make arrangements for this.
• We observe the same Divine Omniscience put on display in Mark:
Mark 2:5-9

Ill—3 pronouncements that He is headed to Jerusalem to die and rise from the dead: Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34.

App—Jesus sees all that you do. Jesus can see who your King is. Jesus knows what it is that Masters you. You cannot serve “2 Kings ‘lords’ ‘kurios’ you will hate the one and love the other or be devoted to one and despise the other.”
If Jesus is Your King you can trust Him because He is omniscient.
He said He would died on the cross and rise from the dead and His complete his mission.
Because He is omniscient, you can continue to follow Him, knowing that He will fulfill every promise He has ever made.
Yet, He comes not even with His own donkey, but a borrowed donkey.
Ryle says, “How did He enter Jerusalem when He came to it on this remarkable occasion? Did He come in a royal chariot, with horses, soldiers, and a retinue around Him, like the kings of this world? We are told nothing of the kind. We read that He borrowed the colt of a donkey for the occasion, and sat upon the garments of His disciples for lack of a saddle. This was in perfect keeping with all the tenor of His ministry. He never had any of the riches of this world. When He crossed the sea of Galilee, it was in a borrowed boat. When He rode into the holy city, it was on a borrowed beast. When He was buried, it was in a borrowed tomb.”

• Herein, we see a beautiful combination Kingly omniscience and yet humility.

2.His Kingly Fulfillment

Mark 11:6 6 They spoke to them just as Jesus had told them, and they gave them permission. 7 They brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it; and He sat on it. 8 And many spread their coats in the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields.

• But there is more significance to the colt. It was prophesied many years prior that the future Kingly Messiah would ride a colt:

Genesis 49:10-11 10 “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. 11 “He ties his foal to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine; He washes his garments in wine, And his robes in the blood of grapes.

Zechariah 9:9-10 9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem; And the bow of war will be cut off. And He will speak peace to the nations; And His dominion will be from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth.

• The crowd also chants a Messianic psalm in the Old Testament:

9 Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting: “Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David; Hosanna in the highest!”

• Where is this found in the OT:

Psalm 118:25-26 25 O LORD, do save, we beseech You; O LORD, we beseech You, do send prosperity! 26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD; We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.

• The crowd had just witnessed Bartimaeus cry out “Son of David, have mercy on me.” And Jesus healed this poor blind man.

Yet even in this fulfillment the ‘stone’ would be rejected.
Psalm 118:22 22 The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone.

Spurgeon says, “It is a kingdom, in the first place, in which the disciples are the courtiers. Our blessed Lord had no prince in waiting, no usher of the black rod, no gentlemen-at-arms who supplied the place of those grand officers? Why a few poor humble fishermen, who were his disciples. Learn, then, that if in Christ's kingdom you would be a peer you must be a disciple; to sit at his feet is the honor which he will give you. Hearing his words obeying his commands, receiving of his grace—this is true dignity, this is true magnificence. The poorest man that loves Christ, or the humblest woman who is willing to accept him as her teaches, becomes at once one of the nobility that wait upon Christ Jesus.”

•Have you bowed your life to this humble King?

3.His Kingly Welcome

Mark 11:7 7 They brought the colt to Jesus and put their coats on it; and He sat on it.

•They made Jesus a saddle before He sat on it. Why? Because a King should have a saddle.
•A King should also have a red carpet to walk upon

8 And many spread their coats in the road, and others spread leafy branches which they had cut from the fields.

•A King also needs some theme music

9 Those who went in front and those who followed were shouting: “Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David; Hosanna in the highest!”
•They were shouting from Psalm 118, but a specific portion of Psalm 118:
•This crowd already saw Jesus heal Bartimaeus and possible watched Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead.
Yet even in this welcome, there is humility.
•There is no royal red carpet that is laid out for this coming King, but tattered clothes and leaves.
•There was no saddle ornate w/ jewels, but rather they threw their clothes on it.
•There was no garrison or nobility surrounding him, but fisherman, tax collectors, a former terrorist.
It is seriously doubful that the crowd understood all the implications of what it meant for Jesus to be King. They were looking for a political freedom fighter and not a King who would serve them and lay down his life as a ransom for many. When this would become obvious in ch 15 the crowd would not be chanting “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David” but rather “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

Many a person in this World wants Jesus to fix their problems in life. The Jews wanted Jesus to fix their problem of political oppression, but few are willing to admit their real problem of sin and embrace Jesus serving them and giving His life as a ransom on their behalf. Then you become a subject of His Kingdom. What about you? Do you follow Jesus because you think He is your Servant boy to fix your problems in life, or is Jesus to the King who laid down his life for you and now owns you?
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