Introduction

Background of book

1. Title – Revelation (or the Apocalypse): The supernatural unveiling of what is about to take place.  The book of Revelation belongs to a class of literature referred to as apocalyptic.  Many consider Revelation to be the NT counterpart to the OT apocalyptic book of Daniel. 
2. Date – Between AD 64 (persecution under Nero, and AD 70 the fall of Jerusalem).
3. Author – John the Apostle, the beloved disciple of Jesus.  He is banished to the island of Patmos “on account of the of the word of the Lord.”  
4. Purpose – It was written as a testimony of God’s plan in Christ for his world, and to disclose by a series of a series of visions the fulfilment of his salvific purposes, through his judgment, both in history and in eternity.
   1. The background is one of conflict between the demands of a totalitarian secular power (Rome) and allegiance to the Christian faith (Jesus).
   2. The author writes to encourage to be steadfast in faith and endure hardships of persecution.
   3. John encouraged the believers to direct their faith and hope towards the worship of Jesus Christ and not of Caesar even if it leads to martyrdom.
5. Audience – It is commonly held that this letter was written to congregations in Asia Minor, and the church in general because the church was facing persecution and oppression.
6. Difficulty in interpreting – Revelation is full of symbolism, visions, and strange occurrences (i.e. multi-headed beasts emerging from the sea, stinging locusts, false prophets, and angels).   

• Thus, it is not surprising that Revelation can be interpreted in differing ways.  
  
• However, we would not be hard pressed to assume that the recipients of the letter understood the central message without much difficulty. 
  
  Four Views
  1. Preterist – Viewing the Apocalypse from the standpoint of its first-century historical setting.  The church, threatened by the growing demands of emperor worship (Rome) is entering into a period which its faith will be severely tested.  Persecution is going to increase and those who share in and endure these trials and persecutions will share in the victory of God over the evils of this world that control to the totalitarian (Rome) state.    
  2. Historist – This is the view where Revelation is interpreted as a forecast of the course of history leading up to the time of the writing.  It associates symbolism with events and with historical persons and events from Daniel to the writing of the Book of Revelation to the second coming of Jesus Christ.  
  3. Futurist – This is the view where Revelation has a major emphasis on the final victory of God over the forces of evil.  This view regards everything from Revelation 4:1 on as belonging to a period of time yet future.  It is a forecast of what will happen in the last days.
  4. Idealist – This view is also known as timeless symbolic.  Proponents of idealist view believe that Revelation is not specific to events at but is an expression of basic principles on how God acts throughout history.  Thus, the Apocalypse is a poem setting for the ageless struggle between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness.
     
     Each view has its strengths and weaknesses.  The reality is that each approach has some important contribution to fully understanding Revelation and no single view is sufficient in itself.
     
     “It is vitally important to see with the preterist that the book must be interpreted in light of the immediate historical crisis in which the first-century church found itself… With the historist it is important to notice that the philosophy of history revealed in the Apocalypse has found specific fulfillment in all major crises of human history of human history up to the present day.  With the futurist we must agree that the central message of the book is eschatological, and to whatever extent the End has been anticipated in the course of history, it. Yet remains as the one great climactic point towards which all history moves…With the idealist one must agree that the events of history give expression to basic underlying principles.  God is at word behind the scenes to bring to pass his sovereign intention for man.” (Mounce p. 44)

 
Prologue - Revelation 1:1 – 3
Vs. 1: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” – The Greek word for Revelation is “apocalypse” that means unveiling, more specifically unveiling of something that was once hidden.  This means that this is a revelation mediated to John by Jesus as the Father revealed it to Him, rather than a revelation about Jesus himself. 
 
“the things that must soon take place.” – History is not a random sequence of unrelated events, but a divinely orchestrated of events that must come to pass.  Now, many have a issue with the word, “shortly” or “soon to take place”.  According to theologian Robert Mounce, “One solution is to understand ‘shortly’ in the sense of suddenly, or without delay once the appointed time comes.” (Mounce p. 65). However, some also believe that John is speaking of the persecution of the church that did, in fact, take place shortly.  And some hold to taking the word in a straightforward sense.  This means that in the prophetic view of the word, the end is always impending or imminent.
 
Vs 3: “Blessed is the one who reads aloud…” A blessing is pronounced on those who read this letter.  Not only to those who read it, but those who read it aloud.  Reading scripture aloud publicly was a Jewish practice.  At first, someone from the congregation was chosen to read and this person probably had proficiency in the art of reading.  The ability to read well was not something that was a common trait.  Actually, the position of Scripture reader became an official office in the early church. 
 
“the words of this prophecy…” We also see John sees this work as prophetic literature that on par with the OT prophetic books thus possessing an authority which with required the obedient response of all believers.
 
“Blessed are those who hear and keep what is written in it…” Not only are those blessed who read it, but also to those who both hear (by faith) and keep (obedience) to all that is written in the letter.
 
Conclusion
As we enter this study, it is important to know and understand that the blessing continues to us today.  We are blessed in reading the words of Revelation.  We are also blessed when we take seriously and heed the words of Jesus.  My hope and prayer for us during this time together is that we would not only gain a better understanding and knowledge of Revelation, but that we would also gain a better understanding of Jesus and His Kingdom that would forever change and transform us into the people that God has called us to be. 

 
INTRODUCTION
Do you believe that anyone is so far gone that he cannot receive saved?  Thankfully, the answer is an emphatic NO!  We serve a merciful and forgiving God whose grace extends a long way.  I once asked a group of people how they felt when they heard conversion stories about bad individuals who had done some heinous things?  I asked, “how does it make you feel when you hear about murderers, criminals, and even abusive people coming to faith in Jesus Christ?”  Everyone responded in a positive manner.  However, we know this is not always the case.  Sometimes people can respond in judgment, bitterness, anger, self-righteousness, and fear.  I believe it is true that regardless of what any of us have done in the past God’s grace, love, mercy and forgiveness is available to all who encounter Christ and respond to his call to become a follower of Jesus.  
 
We are continuing our new series titled “We Believe” as we have been talking about the 8 core beliefs of our church as outlined in our statement of faith.  I began the series as we talked about the scripture or Bible and its inerrancy, it is God breathed, and trustworthy.  Then we looked at the Trinity and we noted the multiple passages to show that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are in fact one.  Following that I talked about salvation where we looked at the reality of sin entering the world and humanity needing salvation.   This salvation is found in Jesus Christ.  Three weeks ago I talked about humanity and how we are all created in the image of God, thus we have value and purpose.  Two weeks ago, Harry talked about Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.  Last week, John talked about the Lord’s return.
 
Today, I will talk about one of the most beautiful doctrines of Christianity… grace.  In preparation for this message I was praying about what passages to use to support this beautiful doctrine and I concluded that it would be best to show you what grace looks like from the Bible instead of giving you a bunch of scripture passages.  We will spend some time in Acts 9:1 – 9 where we will witness God’s act of grace in the conversion account of the Apostle Paul.
 
TOO FAR GONE
Some of us here today may have been considered at one time “too far gone” to be saved.  You may have been too far deep into your sins and maybe even some people could not believe that you would ever find you way out.  I know there was a time in my life when this seemed true.  I was considered “too far gone” by people who, ironically, came to be one of my best friends.  I also became a follower of Jesus as the direct result of the diligent prayers and genuine concern for my salvation from another who is still to this day a great friend.  Both eventually became friends, mentors, and role models.  Thom and Drew are/were unique individuals.  I am thankful God brought them into my life because they cared enough to invest in me as both a heathen and eventually a young believer.  They were both able to see past who I was and would pray for me to become the person I am today.
 
Today I want to share a moment about Drew and his influence on my life.  He currently lives in Washington State and he is the artist who draws the pictures for my Friday Devotion Days.  Early in my life Drew and I were great friends.  We used to hang out all the time.  There was a point in both of our lives where we went in opposite directions socially (he became a Christian and I wanted nothing to do with Christianity) but we remained friends.  He watched out for me during my rebellious years.  I look back and I remember that I did many stupid (and irresponsible) things as a college student.  I was living a life of rebellion.  I lived a reckless and sin infested life.  To say I was a rough individual would be an understatement.  I lived in complete abandonment of rules and regulations.  Fortunately, and thankfully Drew was there to watch out for me.  He cared about me, he was concerned for my safety and most of all he wanted me to come to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.  In an unusual sort of way Drew had a servant attitude to me as he would accompany me to parties and bars to make sure I stayed out of trouble.  He would often share Jesus with me, and I would just pass him off as a Jesus freak.  My other friend Thom, would often say to Drew, “Why do you waste your time on Jeff?  He is never going to change.”  Thankfully, Drew did not believe this nor did he give up on me.  Eventually, even Thom came around and realized I was worth the investment.  As a result of their Christian witness to me, their faithful prayers and the grace of God I am who I am today… A child of God.
 
I am thankful for the prayers and the time and life Drew and Thom invested in me, but I am most thankful for the grace of God.  I am thankful for Ephesians 2:8, “For you are save by grace through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is God’s gift -” It is not just a gift… it is THE gift from God.
 
 Nobody in this room today who is a born-again follower of Jesus can say, “I am a Christian because of who I am or something I did.”  Not even one of us is so good, pure, moral, and holy that you deserve God’s grace and yet, not even one of us too far gone, sinful or lost to receive God’s grace. We all should rejoice and be thankful for the God’s extending grace.
 
SAUL TO PAUL (Sinner to Saint)
(Read Acts 9:1 - 9)
“Now Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul said.
“I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting,” he replied. “But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. He was unable to see for three days and did not eat or drink.”
 
A few weeks ago, I introduced you to the Latin phrase Sola gratia… This means “Grace alone”.  Grace is a beautiful word.  But more so, God’s grace is a beautiful theological truth.  
 
Grace – “God’s unmerited kindness shown to undeserving humanity.”  Without grace we are all lost.
 
The Apostle Paul understands, appreciates, and loves the grace of God.  This was not always the case though.  He may not have understood grace until he has his encounter with Jesus Christ on the Damascus Road.  Paul loved grace.  He spoke about it often in his writing.  He brought the message of grace through faith in Jesus to the Gentiles through his preaching and writing.  However, Paul was not always a grace loving, Jesus preaching, messenger of hope that we know him to be today.
 
Before Paul’s Christ encounter, he was one of those individuals that many believed was “too far gone” to be saved.  Before he became the Apostle Paul he was known as Saul.  He was an aspiring Pharisee who was quickly making a name for himself.  We are introduced to him in Acts 7.  He was the young man (pharisee) who was looking on with approval and holding the cloaks of the elders and scribes they stoned the Apostle Stephen.  Early in his career Saul launched a campaign against this Christian movement. He ravaged homes, threatened, murdered, and arrested men and women and had them put in prison.  This was all done with the approval of Israel’s religious leadership of his time.  This tyrant caused a great dispersion to occur among believers (which we now know was part of God’s plan) who fled for their lives and relocated to various Jewish and Gentile cities.  Pastor and author Charles Swindoll writes, “He hated the name of Jesus, so much so, he became a self avowed, violent aggressor, persecuting and killing Christians in allegiance to the God of heaven.”[i]
 
Saul was born a Jew in the city of Tarsus.  In his youth he went to Jerusalem to study under the teachings of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), who was perhaps one of the most notable of first century sages.  Saul was totally committed to the Law as interpreted and understood by the Rabbis, and he became a member of the sect of Pharisees with high aspirations.  To Saul, followers of Jesus were heretics and they were an abomination to the God he served.  In response to this he joined in the persecution of the Christian church.  He would stop at nothing to accomplish the goal of destroying Christianity.  [ii]
 
Paul’s Christ Encounter
Verses 2 & 3: Saul approaches the high priest and asked for letters to the synagogue at Damascus to seek out and arrest anyone who was a follower of Jesus.  He set out for his 150-mile journey (It would take him about a week).  On the road to Damascus Saul comes face to face with the risen Jesus Christ and has a Christ encounter that changes his life radically.  He would literally become a new person with a new outlook and purpose.  
 
Verses 3 & 4: “Suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.  And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’  He responded, ‘Who are you Lord?’  And he said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.’”  At this very moment Jesus in his grace reached down and called the man who was persecuting his people to become one of the people he was persecuting.  Isn’t grace amazing?  In God’s never-ending grace he stops a murderer (Saul) dead (pardon the pun) in his tracks and calls him to become that which the murderer despises.  Jesus tells him specifically to stop what he is doing and do what he is told to do.  He was now going to become a messenger of Jesus Christ to both Jews and Gentiles about the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
 
This all happens with men who were traveling with Saul and they stood there speechless because they could hear what was going on but not see anything happening.  This encounter was a time where God pours his grace on Saul and he is converted to Christ.  His life will never ever be the same again.
 
Conclusion/Application
In this short passage we witness an event that has reshaped the face of Christianity.  A murderous tyrant comes face to face with the savior and has a salvation experience that completely rocked his world.  Paul understood on this day that all he had devoted his life to destroying was in fact a movement of God.  Up to this point Paul was completely dependent upon himself and his works for his righteousness.  Yet he eventually realizes that all his law keeping, and rule following was all for naught.  Paul says this in Philippians 3:4 – 11…  “although I have reasons for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless.
But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ[a]—the righteousness from God based on faith. My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.”
 
He acknowledges that his conversion and transformed life is all a result of God’s grace.  He says if anyone could boast in the flesh of his works it would be him.  However, he counted it all as loss in relation to the grace of God.  He knows and acknowledges that it is only by God’s grace that he will receive eternal life.  If Paul wrote nothing else other than these verses it would be enough to know that he understood the beauty of God’s grace.
 
GRACE!  It is the gift from God, it is not something we deserve, He has given it to us regardless of who we are and what we have done.  Our salvation does not depend on how good we are, how popular we are or how little we sin in life.  It depends solely on the work of Jesus Christ on the cross and our response to His offer of the gift. 
 
God has an abundance of grace and love for you.  This was displayed through the cross of Jesus Christ.  Even when all of you were entrenched in your sinful ways and in complete disregard for Jesus it did not take away the fact that He still gave His life for you.  God’s love for you is never ending.   Jesus did not die on the cross based upon what our response would be to Him, He did it so humanity could receive redemption, life, and eternal joy. 
 
You and I have been saved by grace.  We did not deserve to be saved; we deserve hell.  God’s unmerited favor shown to you and I, He provided a way.  It is THE gift from God.    
Regardless of our past we all need to realize that our salvation is not based upon what we do (works) but based upon what Christ did for us (His grace).  When we were called by God it was because He first loved us, not vice versa.  Our response to Him is based upon our conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit, this leads to the realization that we are indeed sinful, decrepit, and in need of a savior. God calls all of us to receive His gift of grace.
No body in the room is so far gone that God cannot extend his grace to him.  God’s grace has the power to transform.  His grace turns sinners into saints.  This is great news for all of us.
 
[i] Swindoll, Charles (2002). Paul: The Man of Grace and Grit, p.4. Nashville, TN Word Publishing.
[ii] Richards, Larry: Every Man in the Bible.  Nashville: T. Nelson, 1999, S. 177

Introduction
We are continuing our new series titled “We Believe” as we have been talking about the 8 core beliefs of our church as outlined in our statement of faith.  Two weeks ago, week I began the series and talked about the scripture or Bible and how it is inerrant, inspired, and trustworthy.  We concluded that God’s Word is a peek at who God is as He is revealed in scripture and it is the final authority to the Christian faith and life.  Last week I talked about the Trinity.  I was not able to comprehensively describe the Trinity, but we did look at multiple passages to prove that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are in fact one.  They have the same essence, but different distinctions (roles).
 
This week I am going to talk about our third core belief which is, “We believe the only way a person can have a true, forgiven relationship with God is through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.”  To simplify this statement, we will be talking specifically about the core doctrine of salvation.
 
Luther: By grace alone.  By faith alone.
In the sixteenth century the reformation broke out with an intensity that could not be stopped, and eventually Protestantism was born and shattered the papal leadership of western Christianity.  In 1520 a papal bull was drafted and circulated throughout Germany searching for a remote figure to excommunicate.  The document states, “Arise O Lord and judge they cause. A wild boar has invaded Thy vineyard.”  This referenced wild boar was named Martin Luther.  Luther is one of the most important individuals in protestant church history.  It is through his study, prayer, and teaching that he has proven that the salvation of the believer is an act of grace by God through faith in God.  You may have heard the phrases, “Sola Fide” and “Sola Gratia”… By faith alone and by grace alone.  These were the foundations that Luther stood upon as opposed the teaching of indulgences as was promoted and endorsed by the Catholic.  These two phrases are two of five sola responses for the reformation and these two are extremely important doctrines in Protestantism today.  Why?  Because they teach contrary to the heresy of indulgences (paying the church to be absolved of past sins to get to heaven) and showing that salvation can only be attained by grace alone through faith alone.  Luther saw that man is saved by his faith in the merit of Christ’s sacrifice and not man’s merits.  The cross alone is the only way to remove humanities sin and set them free from the grasps of the devil.  This was in sharp contrast to the Catholic Churches doctrine of salvation by faith and good works.  The implications from teaching sola fide and sole gratia were massive. Because, if salvation comes through faith in Christ alone, then the intercession of priests is unnecessary.  Faith formed and nurtured by Scripture, and preached by people, makes that monks, the mass, and prayers to the saints pointless.  Thus, the power and influence of the Catholic church crumbles under the doctrines of sola fide and sole gratia.
 
I give this as background for the message today.  In talking about salvation some people still don’t have fully grasp this doctrine and the important roles faith and grace play in it.  Many people have migrated from the Catholic church to Protestantism and still fall into the bondage of works related redemption.  My goal and purpose for this message is to show the biblical truths of salvation by grace through faith by looking at Ephesians 2:1 – 10.
  
THE LIVING DEAD
Ephesians 2: 1 – 10: “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.”
                        
Vs1:    We are all born into sin.  Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  We are all sinners and the wage or the penalty we must pay is death, according to Romans 6:23. Since the wage of sin is death, and we are all born into sin, then the natural conclusion is that we are doomed from the get-go.  The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:1, “and you were dead in your trespasses and sin.” Before you or I ever came to a saving faith in Jesus Christ we walked in spiritual deadness.  We were enslaved to sin, oblivious to our wicked ways, and we were literally dead people walking… Zombies of sorts.  We had a shell of existence, but we were not alive.
 
Vs 2 - 3:  We were subject to the ways of the world and we walked according to them.  We were in bondage to sin; the world system and we followed the ways of the Prince of the Powers of the air…Satan.  Think about that for a moment… (Reflect back on your life before you became a follower of Jesus). When I think back on my life, I see how I lived only for myself and walked according to my selfish ways.  I had no cares about the ways of God nor his people.  I had no moral boundaries; I had no sense of right or wrong; I only did what I felt was right in my own eyes and did only what brought me pleasure.  I was dead in my sins.  
 
Here, we are reminded in Ephesians 2 that we ALL at one point in our lives lived according to the ways of sin, death, and destruction.  Maybe some of you are still living according to the flesh (which is not living at all) today. If so, I aim to address this a little bit later.  
 
Vs 4 - 7:  If our story ended here it would be a sad and hopeless story indeed.  There would be no “and he/she lived happily ever after”.  This would be a purposeless story to tell.  If there is no hope, then there is no purpose.  However, in verses 4 & 5 we encounter one of many big “Buts” that are found in the Bible.  “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead trespasses.  You are saved by grace.”  These are key verses; here is where everything changes for those of us who believe. 
 
God is merciful; and mercy is one of his attributes.  We are told in 2:4 that God is rich in mercy (he has an abundance of mercy: not getting what you deserve) and because of his love (through Jesus Christ) for us He has made us alive.  The dead have now become the living.  God brought us to life with Christ or ‘he caused us to live again together with Christ’[1]  We are made alive because of and through Jesus.  
 
Vs 6:  However, we aren’t just given life (which is more than we deserve) “He also raised us up with him AND seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus.”  As if being raised to life wasn’t enough, God has lifted us up and seated us with Christ.  We are not just alive we are FULLY ALIVE!  When we are fully alive in Christ our lives are affected positively in all ways.  It changes our relationship with God, it affects who we are (our purpose), how we live (in obedience), our marriages, how we love our families, and how we treat our friends and enemies (earthly relationships).  We go from death to life.   
 
Did God have to do this?  Is He required to give us life?  No!  He gives us life only because of grace and because of his love for us.  He gave us life through Jesus.  This is a display of His abundance of mercy.
 
Think even more about this; when you were dead in your sinfulness and living without Christ that this did not change the fact that God in his abundant mercy still gave His life for us.  God’s love is never ending, Jesus didn’t die on the cross based upon who you are, or what your response to Him would be, He gave his life so humanity could have the opportunity to be made fully alive in Christ Jesus.  
            
Vs. 8 - 10: “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.”
Paul reminds us why God does all of this.  It is true He is rich in mercy, however the reason why we even have the opportunity to receive life is simply a matter of grace or God’s unmerited favor shown to undeserving humanity.  Grace is getting what you don’t deserve, it is a gift.  We are saved by grace.  We don’t deserve to be saved; we deserve hell.  We deserve death.  We do not deserve anything good.  By God’s unmerited favor shown to those who believe do not receive what they deserve, hell and death and instead receive that which is good, eternal life.  God provided a way.  It is THE gift from God.    
 
Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.”
We receive life by grace through faith.  We do well when we realize that our salvation is not based upon what we do (works).  If you think you are getting on God’s “nice list” by attending church, giving an offering and enduring through a painfully boring sermon then you are gravely mistaken.  You might want to pack up and leave now, because what you will hear next will surely offend.  We have received life based upon what Christ did for us (His grace) not based on ANYTHING you do or did.  
 
When we are called by God it was because He first loved us, not vice versa.  Our response to Him is based upon our conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit that leads us to the realization that we are indeed sinful, decrepit, and in need of a savior. God calls us to receive His gift of grace, Jesus Christ, but unfortunately not all do respond to Him in the way He so desires.
 
Salvation is a gift from God by grace (unmerited favor) through faith (an uncompromised belief that Jesus is Lord of all and completely trusting in Him in all ways).   If salvation was based upon our works, there would be room to boast, thus taking away the glory of God and His gift of grace, and in turn it would make us prideful and arrogant.  If we could be saved by our works, then the cross of Christ would have been for no reason. 
 
Now we are told in verse 10 that works are important.  In fact, we are told that we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.  Good works are important, as a believer (I have established this over the years); for the Bible tells us that our good works are the fruit or evidence of our relationship with Christ.  God has called us to good works, and we must do good works.  But we need a constant reminder that our works will not save us or make us righteous before God.  Salvation is only through faith in Christ by grace that we can be in right with Him. 
 
CONCLUSION
So, as I conclude this message, I have one question to ask, “Are you fully alive in Christ or are you still dead in your trespasses?”   God’s grace, love and mercy for you is so great that He has offered you life instead of death.  Through Jesus Christ you can now have a new life.  He has a life offered where you can be fully alive, thriving and in need of nothing because the Spirit of God dwells in you.  The old ways; the sinful, dark ungodly ways are gone, and you no longer have to live in the murky dark waters of the world.  You can now live in the fresh waters of Jesus Christ; victorious over sin, darkness and evil and thriving in the Kingdom of God and sharing the Good News that Jesus has come and His Kingdom has come.  
 
Life will try and beat you down but take comfort and security in the knowing that nothing that comes your way can defeat you or hold you down in this life or in the life to come, because Jesus has defeated death and sin.   
 


[1] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (262). New York: United Bible Societies.

Introduction 
We are continuing in our new series titled “We Believe” as we are looking at the 8 core beliefs of our church as outlined in our statement of faith.  Last week I talked about the scripture or Bible and it is inerrant, inspired, and trustworthy.  We concluded that God’s Word is a peek at who God is as He is revealed in scripture and it is the final authority to the Christian faith and life.    

This week I will talk about our second core belief which is, “We believe there is one God, and He has chosen to reveal Himself as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.”  We know this core belief to be the doctrine of the Trinity.  Now, I am going to be completely transparent in telling you that first, this doctrine is an extremely complex doctrine.  Second, I am going to attempt to explain something that is very difficult and nearly impossible to explain simple way.  My overall goal is to help you understand the Biblical doctrine of the Trinity that will help enhance your worship of God and help you live God honoring lives.  I am not going to spend our time giving you cute and memorable ways to define, describe or understand the doctrine because one cannot do this in an effectively.  I understand that people have tried using several analogies from nature, science or human experience to attempt to explain the doctrine and this may be helpful on an elementary level.  For believers who seek to know God intimately these analogies are inadequate.  I am guilty of using them in the past, so I am not scolding.  However, to say that the Trinity is like a three-leaf clover, fails because each leaf is only part of the clover, and any one leaf cannot be said to be the whole clover.  We will soon see that in the trinity each of the persons are not just a separate part of God, each person is fully God.   The same applies with the analogies of water, steam, ice, and an egg.   
 
So, are there any analogies we can use to teach the Trinity?  This is an interesting question because the Bible uses numerous analogies to teach about God, Jesus, and the Spirit (God is like a rock, Jesus is the good shepherd, the Spirit is like a wind) and yet there are no analogies to properly teach this doctrine of the trinity other than Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and this is not helpful to many.  
 
I am going to be honest by saying the personal application for this message may not be crystal clear or come in a nice and neatly wrapped package; in reality it may look more like a UPS package that was crushed under a heavy item in the back of the truck.  However, my hope is that when I conclude this message you will have a better understanding of the Trinity and that we have seen some of the passages that will help us better understand the doctrine. 
 
So, in talking about the trinity I am face with a great difficulty in adequately describing this doctrine.  To say that this doctrine is incomprehensible, is to say nothing more than must be admitted of any other great truth, whether of revelation or of science.  However, in its complexities we should not shy away from teaching it, as it is a foundational doctrine to Christianity and the Church.  So let’s jump in the deep end.  
 
The Trinity 
The first complexity is in the word itself… It is not in the Bible, you can look for it until kingdom come and you will not find it, however, the doctrine of the trinity is evident throughout the Bible.  The word trinity means “tri-unity” or three-in-oneness”.  It is used to summarize the teaching of Scripture that God is three persons yet still one God.  The numerous basic elements of the doctrine are stated, or assumed, over and over, from start to finish in the Bible.  This simply means the doctrine of the trinity is found in the scriptures not by name, but in what it teaches and proves.  There are collections of individual passages that make up and support the doctrine of the trinity, some of which we will look at in a little bit. 
 
The second complexity is that the Bible as a whole teaches that there is one God in three persons. There is no argument that Christianity is a monotheistic religion, yet the trinity implies plurality.  

We saw in my previous sermon series “The Ten Commandments” that there is only One God and there are no other gods beside Him.  Deuteronomy 6:4 – 5 says, “Listen, Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one, Love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”

However, the Bible also teaches that our God is one God in three distinct persons… The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  

1. The Father – The deity of God, the Father is evident throughout the Bible that many just assume this because of the multiple texts that prove this.  However, as one proof text found Ephesians 4:6 says, “(there is) one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.”
   1. Attributes of God the Father:  He is divine, the creator, self-existing, all knowing, omnipresent, eternal, sovereign, faithful, loving, holy etc.   
2. The Son – Jesus is identified with God and both the Old and New Testament affirm His divine attributes.  John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Verse 14 continues, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  We observed his glory, the one and only son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” And verse 18 concludes, “No one has ever seen God.  The one and only Son, who is himself God and is at the Father’s side.”
   1. ​Attribute of Jesus the Son: He is eternal (no beginning and no end) and preexistent (He lived before his incarnation), He is one with the Father, all things were created through Him and for Him.  He was human, born of a virgin.  He is also divine thus He is completely God and completely man.  He was sinless, and the perfect spotless lamb offered up for our sins.   
   2. He and God are one, Titus 2:13, “We wait for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.​​
3. The Holy Spirit – The Holy Spirit is a person, even a divine person. He is God.  In 2 Corinthians 13:13 the Apostle Paul writes in his benediction, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”  This shows the Spirit’s deity.  Here we see Jesus is the source of grace, the Father is the source of love, and the Spirit is the source of fellowship.  All three give divine blessings. 
   1. Attributes of the Holy Spirit: He is eternal (in the beginning the Spirit hovered over the waters), He is divine, He creates (Job 33:4), He inspires Scripture, and He is present at the Baptism of Jesus with God the Father. 
   2. Acts 5:3-4, “Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the proceeds of the land? Wasn’t it yours while you possessed it? And after it was sold, wasn’t it at your disposal? Why is it that you planned this thing in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God.”   It is here that Peter equates the Spirit to God.

So, we can conclude that God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all divine, inseparable, equal, and they share the same essence (according to J.I. Packer this is the “stuff” of deity, if we may dare to call it that).  Thus, we see that the doctrine of the Trinity is present in the Bible, but it is not mentioned by name. 
 
Now, we must be careful to not confuse the Trinity in the biblical truth that they all three share the same essence (“stuff of deity”), yet they are distinct (recognizably different in nature) in their roles played.   The one God (“he”) is also, and equally, “they,” and “they” are always together (inseparable) and always cooperating, with the Father initiating, the Son complying, and the Spirit executing the will of both, which is his will also.  The New Testament distinguishes between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and the Scriptures teach us not to confuse the three.  They are distinct in that we do not put the Father or the Spirit on the cross, it was Jesus who hung on the cross.  Also, it was the Spirit that Jesus breathed into the disciples, not God or himself.  This is a great mystery because they are distinct and equal and yet we cannot truly wrap our brains around this reality.

According to the Scripture, the Father created the world, the Son created the world, and the Spirit created the world. It also teaches that the Father preserves all things; the Son upholds all things; and the Spirit is the source of all life. These facts are expressed by saying that the persons of the Trinity concur in all acts ad extra. Nevertheless, there are some acts which are predominantly referred to the Father, others to the Son, and others to the Spirit. The Father creates, elects, and calls; the Son redeems; and the Spirit sanctifies. 
 
A Short History Lesson:  The Trinity and Church History
 The Trinity is a biblical truth that the Apostles held to, but never called it the Trinity.  They believed the Father, Son, and Spirit were one as the Bible had taught and Jesus affirmed.  It was at the council of Nicea the doctrine of the Trinity was adopted as stated in the Nicene Creed (drafted in 325 A.D and amended in 381 A.D.).  Ancient church father Tertullian was the first person to use the word trinity (taken from the Latin word “Trinitas” which means the number three) substance, and person to explain that God was one in essence and not in person.   The purpose of this council was to address that over the centuries various heresies began popping up in the church regarding the trinity such as…

1. Modalism denied the distinctions of the three and held that one God did not exist simultaneously as three persons, rather, God revealed himself successively in three modes – first, as Father, then as Son, and finally as Spirit.  A modalist would believe that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are just different names of God.  (Oneness Pentecostals and Unitarians hold to this). 
2. Arianism taught that Jesus was a great teacher, but he was not divine.  He was in fact created by God (this is what the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe). 
3. Tritheism taught that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were divine, but were three separate Gods (This is what Mormons believe… The Mormons actually the Nicene Creed was a pagan inspired document and that Jesus his disciples would have rejected, what they call, “this unholy union). 

Biblical references that point to the Trinity 
Genesis 1:26: “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth.” The plural words “us” and “our” show that at the creation of humanity there was more than one person present.  We conclude that us and they refer to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  
 
Matt. 28:19: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”  The word “name” is singular, yet the names “the 
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” are plural, suggesting their three-in-oneness 
 
John 14:26: “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.”   
​
Conclusion 
Today I have merely scratched the surface in talking about the doctrine of the Trinity.  I make no claims to have exhausted this topic at all.  As I stated earlier, my goal is to help you better understand the biblical concepts behind the doctrine.  The trinity is a mystery beyond our comprehension, and it is extremely difficult to teach is simply and it is impossible to FULLY understand it.  However, having made that statement, I am in no way saying that since it is impossible to fully understand that we should give up and not continue to study the doctrine and dig deep into the Bible to try and gain a better understanding of it.  
 
My hope and prayer for you today is that as we have looked at the biblical doctrine of the Trinity and if anything, you can come to the conclusion that our God is abundantly unique and diverse.  There is no one like Him.  There are no other gods besides Him, and yet those religions who claim to worship a God or gods cannot and do not make any claims that would remotely look like the Trinity.  This is what makes Him unique.  In His uniqueness he is abundantly diverse.  God the Father sent His Son Jesus Christ to the world to show humanity the way to the Kingdom of God and to have eternal life through His death, resurrection and ascension.  Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to His disciples and the Holy Spirit was poured out on His people at Pentecost.  Thus, through the Spirit, God’s people have the ability to live their lives for His glory and honor, have victory in life, know and attain wisdom, and serve one another in love and compassion.  This is a wonderfully unique and loving God and in knowing this fact about Him should cause us to worship Him all the more because He is one God and there is none like him. 

Introduction
We cannot completely fathom God.  There is so much that we do not and cannot understand or know about Him; yet he is can be known.  When I personally think about God and who He is, I am overwhelmed with a sense of awe and wonder.  I am reminded that He cannot be fully understood by humans, he is way above our finite comprehension.  God is eternal, He has no beginning or end and our small minds cannot grasp this.  His love is never ending, and this can overwhelm us, because why would a perfect God love imperfect sinners like you and me?  His grace is unfathomable and yet we are completely dependent upon it; because we are saved by grace.  Everything about God is perfect…His love, power, and holiness etc.   How do I know this?  Because just like the children’s song says, “The Bible tells me so.”  
 
The Bible is essential to all believers.  It is wonderfully complex in theological truths, and as the introductory video shows it is simple enough for a child to have a basic understanding.  
 
Everything we do know and need to know about God is revealed in the Holy Scriptures.  The Bible is synonymous to God’s Word and as Christians we embrace the Word of God as truth.  Not only is the Word truth, but it is also a glimpse of who God is, in it we see his attributes, his nature and his works and, we will see in a moment, is profitable to the believer in many ways.  One way specifically is that it points us in the direction as to how we are to live as followers of Jesus Christ.  Knowing, learning and reading the Bible is essential to knowing God and Jesus and knowing God and Jesus is essential to life.
 
For the next eight weeks we will be in a series titled “We Believe”.  Each week I will talk about one of the core beliefs of our church as outlined in our statement of faith.  The first core belief is that “We believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are the inerrant, inspired, and infallible Word of God.  God’s Word is the final authority for faith and life.”  As the pastor of this church my single goal, passion and desire is to teach the Bible in a way that every believer may be equipped, edified and trained in the ways of the Word of God.  The Word of God is alive and active and (as we will see) it is profitable for believers to live the life that God intends for us to live.
 
A Little History Lesson
Some. common questions asked are how did we get the Bible that we have today and is it trustworthy?  These are not questions that can be easily answered in a concise manner.  There are processes as to how we got the Bible translations we have today (and there are literally hundreds of translations) and on top of that thousands of scholars throughout the centuries who have worked tirelessly and prayerfully over the translation and canonization of the Scripture.  I don’t have enough time to answer these questions satisfactorily in the time allotted, so I will be talking on this topic with the foundation that many people over the centuries have faithfully worked to translate the Bible, thus we can conclude that the Bible is a Divinely inspired book. The Scriptures have God’s fingerprint or marks all over them and have many divine qualities that include…
 

1. Beauty and excellence – We can read the scripture and find the beauty of God’s creation, redemption, and love for his people.  We see Christ in them.  We can hear the voice of the Lord speaking through scriptures.  
2. Power and authority – The Bible does not only pass along useful information, biblical facts and powerful stories.  It is does more something to the reader.  It has power to convict, change, encourage, and give life.
3. Unity and harmony – The Bible tells one unified story.  It is not 66 individual stories; it is one story told by multiple authors over a long period of time, from different locations and the stories they tell are a unified story of God’s love and redemption.   

Nuts and Bolts
The Bible we have today comprises many components and a few include…
Jewish Bible (Canon) – The Hebrew Bible is often referred as the TaNaKh.  These are the Jewish Scriptures that early Christians embraced as their own body of holy writings and they were/are considered authoritative.  The phrase “Old Testament” refers to the portion of the Christian Bible that includes the Jewish Scriptures that the early Christians accepted as their own sacred books.[1]  The Jewish Scriptures consist of three parts.   The first letter of each part make up the name TaNaKh.

1. Torah – Pentateuch or Five books of Moses
2. Nevi’im – The major Prophets
3. Kethuvim – The writings… (Israel’s past, prayers, wisdom literature, and apocalyptic writings.)

Septuagint - Is a term generally used to refer to any or all of the Greek translations of the Hebrew Bible, as well as several other Jewish religious books written in Greek.  It was read in the early church and often quoted by the New Testament writers.  The Septuagint often is represented as Roman numerals: “LXX”. 
 
New Testament Canon
Definition of canon – Greek word meaning “reed”… This is a measuring stick. The basic meaning and understanding of the definition refer to any rule or standard of which things could be compared or measured.  Thus, the canon represents those texts that are of central importance to a given group, in our case, the Christian religion.  In Christianity we refer to these sacred writings inspired by God and are authoritative.  
 
Divinely Inspired
(Read 2 Timothy 3:14 – 17)
The Apostle Paul is writing to his protégé Timothy.  He is writing from prison in Rome to encourage him during the times of trials and tribulation in the church.  He writes
 
Vs. 14: “Continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed.  You know those who have taught you.”  Paul has instructed and mentored the young Pastor Timothy.  We also find that Timothy’s mother and grandmother (Lois & Eunice) were integral in raising Timothy as a believer in Jesus Christ.
 
The sacred writings Paul mentions makes one wise to salvation are the scripture as a whole (N.T. and O.T.) reveals Jesus and teaches us about him.  
All Scripture is inspired by God – Some translations read, “All scripture is breathed by God.” This is a vivid illustration.  All the Sacred writings that Paul just mentioned are inspired and ordained by God’s authority over all other secular writings.  The Bible, the Word of God, was given by the Spirit of God to men throughout history and it is without error (infallible).  It is trustworthy, dependable and divine.  
 
John Calvin writes, “This (authority of Scripture) is a principle which distinguishes our religion (Christianity) from all others, that we know that God (has) spoken to us, and are fully convinced that the prophets did not speak at their own suggestion, but that, being organs of the Holy Spirit, they only uttered what they have been commissioned from heaven to declare.  Whoever then wishes to profit in the Scriptures, let him first of all, lay down this as a settled point, that the Law and the Prophets are not a doctrine delivered according to the will and pleasure of men, but dictated by the Holy Spirit.”  What Calvin is saying is as believer’s we need to establish and be good with the fact and truth that Scripture is God’s Word and not mans.  It is divine and commissioned by God.
 
The Apostle Peter confirms this in 2 Peter 1:21, “because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
  
1 Corinthians 2:13 – “W also speak these things, not in words not taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.”
The Bible is God’s Word… This truth is essential to our Christian faith
 
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (ESV) This weapon is not only used as a means of defense but also is used to strike back.  The Word of God is powerful; when Jesus was tempted in the desert, he used to Word of God to fend off the devil and it was sufficient.  It is living, it is active, and it is transformational.  Everything about the Word of God points to Jesus and Jesus is the fulfillment of the Word of God (I John 1:1).  If you are a believer you must cling to the Word of God; you must know it and love it, for in it is power, salvation and truth.
 
The Word of God is…
It is LIVING –meaning that it gives and contains life. God’s Word still speaks to the hearts of individuals today. 
It is ACTIVE and has power. As I stated already, the Word of God has the power to transform and change individuals for the glory of God. 
It is PIERCING which means it has the power to convict and correct.
 
Because the recipients of Timothy’s letter embraced the Word of God, they also experienced the same trials, tribulations and persecutions that the Church of Jesus Christ was facing all over the world. The same people who had it out for Jesus had it out for his Church. These same men had Jesus killed. These same men had prophets killed. These same men inevitably opposed all. humanity by hindering Paul, his companions and the churches, from sharing the Gospel on a grand scale. Because of this some were not able to receive salvation… But God will and does always have the last Word.
 
Scripture is Profitable for…

1. Teaching – Giving insight to the nature of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  A teaching that is sound because it comes from God.
2. Reproof – Reprimand (exposing one’s sin).  
3. Correcting – Restoration from sin to an upright state.
4. Training in righteousness – Discipleship, discipline (equipping the believer to be competent and able to do good works.)
5. So the man of God may be complete – Perfect… brought to a suitable state of moral Christian action.
6. Equipped for every good work – I like what John Piper writes, “Everything good that God expects us to do, the Scriptures equip us to do.”  

 
The Commission (Applicable to us today)
 

1. Preach the word – Proclaim and herald the divine truth - What am I called to preach?  I am called to preach the Word.  I am to preach the full word of God both the Old and New Testament because salvation in revealed in these Testaments.
2. Be ready in season and out – Be continually prepared to give an account for all God has said and done.  The Christian (not just pastors) must continually be on duty in regards for giving account for our faith.  It is important for us to know what we believe and why we believe it.  We are to preach the word when it is convenient or inconvenient.

A time is coming (has come) when people will not receive or “endure” sound doctrine.  In fact, they will not just dislike truth, they will despise and hate it.  The truth will offend.  In response people will seek to hear words that make them feel good or validate the sinful lives they are living.  My friends we are living in this time.  It is safe to say that many people in the church today do not want to hear about sin, conviction or holiness.  They want to find preachers that will endorse speak fluently and dismiss or diminish their sinful ways.  They will seek teachings that do not promote the Gospel, God’s Kingdom, and his glory.  They will not seek to be changed or transformed for holiness sake.   Paul exhorts Timothy because people will turn against him, ridicule, criticize and persecute him since He preaches the truth (Humanity is sinful and in need of a savior and that savior is Jesus).  He will be persecuted because people will want to hear the teachings of teachers that are not true to the Word of God.  So, Timothy needs to remain faithful and continue to preach and not let anyone deter him. 

Thus, we as believers must hold on to the Word of God and proclaim the truths found in it.  For the Word of God is alive, it is active, and it is sharper than any double-edged sword and judges our thoughts and intentions of our heart.  We cannot hide from God or from His Word, for we stand naked and exposed before God as to who we are in heart, mind, body, and Spirit and we all will give account for what we have done for the sake and Kingdom of God.  This can be a wonderfully refreshing truth for us, or it can be a terrifying reality.  The great thing about all of this is you have the ability to embrace the Word of God and cling to Jesus or you have the freedom to reject the truths of His Word and continue in the ways of the flesh.  My prayer, hope, and desire for you today is that you would embrace Jesus for there is power in His name and in His Word. 
 


[1] Raquel, S. T. (2016). Canon, Old Testament. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, … W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

 Introduction
We are continually being told by media, society, and culture to never be satisfied or content with what we have. In 1965 the Rolling Stones wrote a song about this us and they tried, and they tried, and they tried, and they tried and they “(Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”. The entertainment industry has a saying “Leave your audience wanting more.” This is why so many TV shows, books, and movies end in cliff hangers… they want you coming back for more.  We are constantly bombarded with ads for products that are “New and Improved”, “Bigger and Better” or “version 2.0” because companies are continually “improving” their product and thus leaving consumers never fully satisfied. We are not only never satisfied, but I believe we are being told a lie that true satisfaction and contentment can be found in possessions, people, or power.  Yet, some, like King Solomon, realize that true satisfaction can never be found in those things, and we know that we can find satisfaction and fulfillment, it is just a matter of perspective.
 
How many of you have ever spent a long time saving up for something you really thought you needed (car, home, gadget, etc.) and when you finally get the item you find that it isn’t as great as you were hoping and you are even a bit disappointed with your purchase? This has happened to me multiple times and it just serves as a reminder… True fulfillment and satisfaction is not found in stuff. In fact, the opposite seems to be truer. The more stuff you have the less fulfilled and satisfied you are.
 
For the past nine weeks we have looked at the nine commandments respectively and how each one applies to us.  We have now arrived at the final commandment found in Exodus 20:17, “Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”  Many have shortened this command to simply say, “Do not covet.”  The Bible has some strong words against the sin of coveting, in fact the word is often found smack dab in the middle of a list of egregious sins like envy, murder, strife, and so on.   
 
So, what does it mean to covet?  What does coveting look like today?  What part do discontentment and contentment have in coveting?  These are some questions I aim to answer today as we conclude our series in the ten commandments.
 
Coveting
What does it mean to covet?  I think it is appropriate to start with defining what coveting is not.  It is not the prohibition of desires, pleasure and wanting of good things, because God has given to each of us desires, longing and blessing.  We are creatures of desire.  The tenth commandment does not mean we should be unfeeling creatures without hopes, dreams or ambitions.  The Bible actually often commends desire when they are in their proper place.   Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.”  Isaiah. 26:8 says, “Yes, Lord, we wait for You in the path of Your judgments. Our desire is for Your name and renown.”  However, desire that is sinful and disordered (selfish) can lead to sinful covetousness and our desires ultimately need be redirected so that they draw us nearer to God, helps us truly love our neighbors, and fully glorify God.  But we must have proper perspective with our desires.  We are human and many of the things we desire are fleeting worldly pleasures, and God does not shame us for having these desires.  Instead he says, “I can give to you something far greater and more fulfilling than the trivial fleeting desires you are so determined to possess.”
 
J.I. Packer writes, “Coveting is the root of all social evil; desires that burst the bounds beget actions to match.”  A simple definition of coveting is when we want for ourselves something(s) that belongs to someone else.  It is longing for and desiring for someone else’s stuff to be your stuff.  Some Biblical examples include David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11), and Ahab with Naboth’s vineyard (Turn to 1 Kings 21:1 – 8, 11 - 14).   Coveting is desiring something or someone that is not yours to have. James 4:2 – 3 says, “You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and wage war. You do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.”
 
Author Kevin DeYoung writes in his book THE TEN COMMANDMENTS: WHAT THEY MEAN, WHY THEY MATTER, AND WHY WE SHOULD OBEY THEM, “Just as adultery of the heart is lust, and murder of the heart is hatred, so theft is the heart of covetousness.”  Coveting, like the previously mentioned, is a matter of the heart.   It is not only a matter of wanting what is not yours, it goes deeper to the point of being angry or resentful of someone because they have what you want.   It’s an attitude of I am angry because you are happy, and I would be happier if I were in your shoes.  
 
Coveting is usually at the root of breaking the previous nine commandments. When we covet we make the objects of desire gods and idols.  We will profane the Lords name to get what we want.  We will not rest until we acquire what we think we need.  We will dishonor parents,  our  neighbors’ husband or wife, and others in pursuit of attaining our sinful desires.  We will murder, steal, and lie to take what is not ours.   Ultimately coveting leads us to failing to fully love God  and loving our neighbor as ourselves.
 
What Does Coveting Look Like Today?
Let’s take a closer look at this commandment so we can get a mental picture of what coveting looks like today.
 
The words: “Do not covet your neighbor’s house…”  
The heart: “I do not like my home, I wish we lived in the Jones’s home because it is bigger, fancier, and they have a pool.”
 
The words: “…Do not covet your neighbor’s wife…”
The heart: “I would be so much happier if my spouse was more like so and so’s spouse.  My neighbor doesn’t deserve such a good spouse.  If he/she were my spouse, I would treat them the way they deserve to be treated.”
 
The words: “…his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
The heart: “It’s not fair.  I look at Facebook every day and see my friends going on luxurious vacations to Hawaii and cruises to the Bahamas etc.  I wish we could do that whenever we wanted.”
 
Now, I should note that there is nothing wrong with noticing what other people have, but most of us rarely stop at just noticing, and we rarely, if ever, give thanks to God for blessing others.  Unfortunately, we take note of what others have and stop being thankful for all that God has blessed us with.  We grow discontent with what we have.   
 
The Seed of Coveting: Discontentment
The seed of covetousness is discontent.  When we are discontent, we are dissatisfied with what we do have, and we desire to gain what does not belong to us.  The world promotes discontentment from an early age… 
 
The world says, “If you want to be happy, you need more.  You need bigger, and better.”  In fact this movie is geared towards younger kids and this scene explains exactly what they world tells us.  Now, I don’t want to say this is a bad movie because it does not necessarily pain the girl in a positive light and ultimately, she understands contentment to a degree.
 
The heart of discontentment is unbelief.  We do not believe that God is big enough to help us or good enough to care.  We look at what God has given to us and we refuse to accept that what he has given us, where he has placed us, or what he has kept from us is actually a blessing and a gift  and he knows exactly what we do and don’t need.  
 
The Cure for Coveting: Contentment
 If the seed of coveting is discontentment, then the cure for coveting is contentment.  “Do not covet” is a call to contentment.   Contentment means that you are completely happy, satisfied and fulfilled with all that you have.  Now this can apply to us materialistically but more importantly it should apply to us spiritually.
 
Concerning materialism, the Apostle Pau writes in Philippians 4: 11 – 12, “I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I find myself. 12 I know how to make do with little, and I know how to make do with a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.”  Paul has learned to find satisfaction in whatever he has.  He is blessed when he has little and he is blessed when he has much… but most of all he is content because Jesus gives him strength to do what he needs to do with what he has or does not have.  Many take this verse out of context to mean that you can accomplish whatever you want because Jesus will give you the strength, but in reality this verse is about contentment and being satisfied in Christ and with what he has given you.  
 
Paul also writes in 1 Timothy 6:6 – 10, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. 8 If we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 9 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”  He is saying that we need to be content with whatever we have, not with how much we have, how expensive it is, or how we get it.  True godly contentment means you are and know you are blessed with whatever you have, and God is the root of your satisfaction.
 
The writer of Hebrews 13:5 says, “Keep your life free from the love of money. Be satisfied (content) with what you have, for he himself has said, I will never leave you or abandon you.” The author encourages you to be content (or satisfied) with everything you that we have (whether a little or a lot) because in the end what really matters most is that we have Jesus and he will not let you down or abandon you.  And this verse brings up a question that needs to be asked of all believers rich or poor, wanting or well off, healthy or sick, in marriage or singleness, in work, home, or school… IS JESUS ENOUGH for you?  If all was stripped from you (and I pray this does not happen) but if… would Jesus be enough for you to be content and satisfied?  Are you willing to be content in your discontentment?  Your flesh may want more, but the Spirit says, “I am enough.”
 
As I wrap up this series, I encourage every one of you who has been on this ten-week journey to take some and check your heart, because these commandments are truly matters of the heart.  Ask yourself… “Is Jesus all I need? Or do I NEED more?”  Jesus is the embodyment and fulfillment of the law and only he can save.   I have said countless times that keeping the ten commandments will not save us and it certainly doesn’t account for our righteousness.  However, the true purpose of the ten commandments are to reveal our sin nature and rebellion:  we do not like being told what we can and cannot do,  but in reality the law, or 10 Commandments, if anything, should bring us to our knees and point us to our great need for Jesus.  They show us that we cannot reach perfection and we cannot keep His commands perfectly. They reveal that we are sinful people. We can either view the 10 Commandments as rules constraining and restricting to keep us under God’s thumb or we can view them as ways for free people in body, heart, and mind, to live in obedience to the God who has truly rescued, delivered and set us free through Jesus Christ.
 
 
 
 
 

Introduction
 
During this pandemic I have been watching way too much television.  One of the shows we have been watching as a family is the game show To Tell the Truth.  This is a celebrity television game show based on the original show of the same name that ran from 1956 to 1978.  The premise of the show is a panel of three celebrities meet three people who all claim to be the same person with the same incredible talent, job or achievement. One tells the truth while the other two try to deceive the celebrities.  The panel of celebrities have a chance to question each participant before taking turns deciding who they think is telling the truth.  In a nutshell it is a game about deception and deciphering the truth from lies. 
 
I mention this because we are continuing our study on the Ten Commandments and we are nearing the finish line as I talk about commandment 9 “Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Or as many have come to know this commandment as “Do not lie.”  As we begin to delve into this commandment and passage I think it is important for us to know and understand that this commandment means more than just not lying.  Bearing false witness goes deeper than lying, it is actually a judicial term because in ancient biblical times witnesses were important in the courtroom process.  They did not have body cams, smart phones or other recording devices to verify ones claims.  In court the defendant had to depend solely on witnesses and their creditability and corroborating evidence.  A witness needed to be trustworthy and honest.  So really this commandment deals more with loving your neighbor as yourself and integrity other than just being a person who tells the truth.
 
It is safe to say that telling the truth and telling lies are completely opposite of one another and the Bible has much to say about them both.  We see from start to finish there is a battle between truth and deception and who/what are behind each one respectively.  We know in the end truth wins, but that does not mean the battle will be easily won.  My goal for today is to look at some passages pertaining to these contradictory terms and conclude how this commandment applies to us and how we can live honorable lives before God by rejecting deceit and embracing the truth.  However, before we can fully understand this command, I believe it is important for us to begin with looking at truth.
 
The Truth
“What is Truth?”  This was the question Pilate asked Jesus in response to his claim, “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify of the truth” (John 18:37, 38).  Interestingly the Apostle John does not write Jesus’ response to Pilate.   Did he say anything?  Did he give a dissertation on truth and John failed to write it down?  Was what Jesus said kept from John?  Was it not important?  For some reason John does tell us.  He does say that after Pilate’s encounter with Jesus that he declared Jesus innocent.
 
We often, and most correctly equate the truth to a word that means honesty, purity and integrity.  But I would suggest the truth is more than a word, it is a person, the second person in the Trinity… Jesus Christ.  We are told in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word and with Word was with God, and the Word was God.”  Then in John 17 :17 Jesus says, “Sanctify them by your truth; your word is truth.” 
 
In Ephesians 6:14 we are told, “Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist.”  The belt or girt in Roman armor (which is probably the style of armor Paul is using for the example) was a vital piece of the armor.  It was usually a 6-8” leather belt that every piece of armor was attached to and was used to tie loose flowing garments. Without the belt nothing would be secured, and the armor would eventually fall off or hinder the soldier.  It was a foundational piece of the armor.  The truth is foundational to the believer because Jesus says in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the father except through me.”  Thus, we rightly conclude that Jesus is the belt, He is the truth that holds everything together.  Spiritual victory is hinged on the truth of Jesus and the Gospel... The truth.  We are in a vigorous battle for truth and God wants us to tie up our garments and connect our armor to the belt of truth of the Gospel and to allow this truth to be the foundation of all we that are in Jesus.
 
So, we see the truth is the Word, the truth is God and the truth is Jesus and all are one in the same.  Thus, we conclude that Jesus and all He does (his life, death, and resurrection) represents truth.  So why is telling the truth so important?  Because the truth is the very nature of God/Jesus and in order to reflect the true character and nature of God we must speak truth and make every effort to be truthful in our speech and actions.
 
Lies & Deception
So, if the nature of God/Jesus is truth then in contrast the nature of Satan/Devil is lying.  Jesus says in John 8:44, “You are of your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.”
 
Deception and lying is Satan’s nature as Jesus says when he lies, he speaks from his own nature.  Satan is liar and a deceiver… this is his job and it is what he does.  He is a liar to the extent that Jesus call him the “father of lies.”  What does this mean for you and me?  It means that when you willfully and knowingly lie and deceive you also take on the nature of the devil.  When you twist the truth, deceive, lie (even the “little white ones”) you are doing the work of the devil.  I know this sounds harsh and maybe even condemning (or convicting) but the is what the Word of God says, and the Word of God does not lie.   
 
The Face of False Witnesses?
If the truth looks like Jesus and lies and deception looks like Satan, then what does bearing false witness look like to us today?  As I stated earlier in the message that commandment nine is not just about lying.  It certainly includes lying, but it does go much deeper.  I mentioned that this commandment deals more with the great commandment of loving your neighbor as yourself than it does to just being someone who does not lie.
 
Four Faces of Bearing False Witness – These are four ways or areas where we break commandment 9

1. Lies & Deception - This is the act of misrepresenting (or lying) in order to deceive or trick.  Satan deceived Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden by flat out lying to Eve.  When Eave told the devil that God told them to eat of any tree except from the tree of life lest they die… Satan blatantly lies to her by saying, “You will not die!”
   When we intentionally withhold information from someone in order to deceive, get something from them, or cause them to rebel then we are breaking the 9th commandment.  When we tell someone a lie just so we don’t get in trouble, we are breaking the ninth commandment and showing our true hearts.  In fact, the nature of our unredeemed hearts are deceitful and wicked (Jeremiah 17:9).
   
   
2. Divisiveness – This is the act of causing division, manipulation and tearing apart.  Unfortunately, this is very common in the church.  There are people who are bent on causing disunity, creating factions, and dividing the Body of Christ.  All we need is to read social media, watch the news, or talk to disgruntled current and former church members or attenders to see that the spirit of divisiveness is alive and well in the Church today.  And this ought not be.  We are warned in Romans 16:17 – 18 “watch out for those who cause dissensions and pitfalls contrary to the doctrine you have learned. Avoid them; for such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattering words they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.”
    Jude 1:16 -19 speaks of people who have the heart of division, “These people are discontented grumblers, walking according to their desires; their mouths utter arrogant words, flattering people for their own advantage. But you, dear friends, remember the words foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; they told you, "In the end time there will be scoffers walking according to their own ungodly desires." These people create divisions and are merely natural, not having the Spirit.
   
   
3. Gossip – This is the fine are of those who “pass along” a report or rumor (generally in the form of a prayer request) that cannot be validated.  But I believe it goes even further than that, it can also be when we pass along a true report unnecessarily (often to stir up division or trouble).   Some may think, it’s not gossip if it is telling the truth, but we need to ask ourselves: Is this passing on of information helpful and necessary, is it going to build up the body of Christ or is it going to hurt others?  James 1:26 says, “If anyone thinks he is religious, without controlling his tongue but deceiving his heart, his religion is useless.”  Talking about people behind their backs (truth or lies) is gossip and we must refrain from it.
   
   
4. Slander – Slander goes one step further that gossip.  This is not just talking about someone, yet it is someone who deliberately passes along information about another that is false in order to with the intent to discredit or damage a person’s reputation or make themselves look better.  Now, sometimes we mistakenly pass along information that is incorrect, and we need to be careful in the words we use when talking about others, but too often we are quick to pass along unsubstantiated information intentionally to hurt and tear someone down.  This is slander.    
   
   

What Does God say About Bearing False Witness and Truth?
The Bible has much to say about dishonesty, deceit, and lying lips and much about faithfulness, honesty, and integrity.  Proverbs 12:22 says, “Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but faithful people are his delight.” God hates when we lie but delights in us when we speak truth.
 
Proverbs 6:16 – 19 say, “The Lord hates six things; in fact, seven are detestable to him: arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet eager to run to evil, a lying witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up trouble among brothers.”  Twice in these verses we are told that God hates lying.  This is not redundancy for the sake of redundancy, it is there for a reason and I think we need to take note of this and see how this affects the way we talk to and treat others.
 
Honesty Is Such a Lonely Word
In the end, when all is said and done our words matter.  We must be careful with how we talk to and about others. The damage we can do to a person’s reputation can be irreparable if we are careless, hateful and deceiving with our words.  Sadly, I have found that it is much easier to convince someone to believe something negative about a person than it is to convince someone to believe something positive about them.  I have also notice that when people embrace a lie, deception or falsehood about someone, it is hard to change, and in some cases impossible, their minds and convince them otherwise.
 
What is our takeaway for today?  They are simple… If you are a Christian then use your words for God’s glory and edification of others.  We should not embrace deception, division, gossip, or slander in our words or actions.  As Christians we should speak well of and to one another.  We must purpose in our hearts to be kind to each other by speaking the truth to and about one another. 
 
Finally, our words must be truthful and trustworthy at all times… Why?  Because we have a message of truth to proclaim and we need to be trustworthy if we want people to receive and hear the truth of Jesus Christ.  Because why should people trust us as we speak about eternal things if we cannot be trustworthy in speaking about earthly things.  This is a hard reality.  We must always speak truth and embrace truth because Jesus is truth and we all need to cling to him and the trustworthy promises of His Word.

Introduction
In 2008 our family went on a trip to the city of Boston.  When we arrived in the city, we parked in the Boston Common Garage.  We had a nice day together as a family and spending some time with friends that we hadn’t seen in a long time. 
 
When we returned to the garage, we were putting our items back into our van and we noticed the van was a mess.  So, we did what every good parent would do, and we blamed our kids for being a bunch of pigs.  Upon further inspection I noticed that my laptop computer bag was unzipped, and I always zipped it.  When I looked inside it, I noticed that my computer and iPod were gone.  We began looking around the van, because we had all of our luggage in it, to see what else was missing.  Fortunately, nothing of real value was taken. 
 
When I finally grasped the reality that we had been robbed I experienced a flood of emotions… fear, violation, and anger.  I was fearful that maybe the thieves were still around and wanted to confront us for more.  I felt violated because someone broke into our car and went through our personal items. I felt anger because how and why would someone have the audacity to break into a family vehicle, go through their possessions and take what does not belong to them.  Needless to say, the cops were called, nothing was ever found, and the amount stolen was too little to file an insurance claim… But now we have a story to tell… The day we were robbed in Boston. 
 
I tell this story because it is fitting for today’s message as we are continuing our series on the Ten Commandments.  For the past seven weeks I have been talking about the Ten Commandments and how each one applies to our lives.  Today I will be talking about commandment eight, “Do not steal”, thus the reason for the story.  Now before I get into this topic, I don’t want some of you tuning me out because you believe you don’t have a problem with stealing because you live a life of honesty and integrity.  First, I want to commend you for determining in your heart to live this way and second, I want to warn and remind you as I have week after week that obedience to the commandments is not just outward obedience, it is also a spiritual and heart matter.  We must be careful to protect ourselves from the subtle traps of greed, hoarding possessions and stinginess which are certainly spiritual and heart matters. 
 
Tim Keller writes in his book COUNTERFEIT GODS, “Greed hides itself so deeply, no one should be confident that it is not a problem for them.”  One of the reasons why you may feel as though you are immune to the idolatry of greed and possessions is because you may not have a lot of money thus you don’t have a lot of possessions.  Let me be clear you do not need to be rich or even have a lot of possessions in order for greed and materialism to become an idol.”
 
Stealin’
“Do Not Steal”. Like the past two sermons I believe this commandment fits in the “no duh” category.  Anyone who considers themselves a believer or a non-believer would generally agree that stealing is wrong.  People who have dedicated their lives to taking from others are not viewed positively in our society, or any society for that matter.  Jesus says in John 10:10, “A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” He is saying that a thief is someone who is committed to taking something that does not belong to them (taking possessions and life), but Jesus is committed to giving that which does not belong to us (life) and he gives it in abundance. 
 
Nobody likes a thief, because of their lack of regard for life, possessions and God.  But I think about the heart of stealing and then I begin to look at my life and I am challenged because there are ways that we do practice thievery in our lives, if we are not careful.   When I think of the root of  stealing, thievery, and robbery I look to the heart to see the ways that we practice thievery against God and others.
 
There are four ways we can break the eighth commandment on a regular basis maybe not even realize we are.
1.Steal from God (Malachi 3:8)
2.Steal from others (work, time, and materially… Iron Maiden album from Todd)
3.Greed (doing whatever it takes to get and keep what you have)
4.Not being generous with what God has given us (1 John 3:7)
 
Stealing from God
How do we steal from a sovereign God, who owns everything and needs nothing?  Go to Malachi 3:8, 9 “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing me!”  “How do we rob you?” you ask.  “By not making the payments of the tenth and the contributions.   You are suffering under a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing me.”  Now the context of this verse is how Israel was withholding their tithes against God and not giving to Him what He commanded.  Yet, I believe the verse is applicable to us today.  You see, when we withhold anything from God we are stealing from him.  Romans 12:1 says, “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.”  Everything we have belongs to God and this includes our bodies, and our very lives. 
When we withhold our tithes, time, talents and our very being from God we are robbing from Him.  When we use all that God has given us for selfish gain, we are not worshiping God or giving Him honor and glory.
 
Stealing from others
I told you the story about how we were robbed in Boston, I was also reminded of something I did as a teenager.  I remember borrowing a record from one of my best friends.  He put his name on the right corner of the record so that it wouldn’t get lost.  I had this “great idea” that if I simply scribbled through his name the record would be mine.  He confronted me on getting the record back and I told him that the record was mine.  He argued and said it was his because his name was on it.  I said, “I don’t see your name on it. So, it must be mine.”  He didn’t buy that excuse an took his record back.   
That act could have ended our friendship, but thankfully it didn’t.  We are still friends today. I was not a Christian at the time, but I knew better and this was a selfish act on my part.  I was not honoring my friend or respecting his possessions.     
 
Greed:   Do you own your stuff or does your stuff own you?
Matthew 19:16 – 30 - The Rich Young Ruler:  A young rich man came to Jesus and asked him what “good thing” he must do to inherit eternal life?  This meeting with Jesus was doomed from the very beginning.  Why?  Because the young ruler was asking what work or good act does HE have to do in order to gain eternal life?  He was looking for a good moral act to be his savior and not Jesus.  Then when Jesus tells the man the one work he does have to do he tells him to go and sell all his possessions and give to the poor and follow him; he went away sad because he had a lot of possessions that he wasn’t willing to part with.  Jesus then talks about the difficulty of a rich person entering the kingdom of heaven because often a person of wealth seeks significance and security in his possessions and not in Jesus.
 
The question we need to ask ourselves right now is, “Do we look to our possessions for our significance and security or can we find significance and security COMPLETELY in Christ and the work he has accomplished for us?”  Does your stuff define who you are?  Are you so consumed with what you own, where you live, and what others think of you that you dedicate your whole life gathering, and protecting for yourself all you have acquired? 
 
Matthew 6:19 – 21- Treasures of heaven:  In this account Jesus informs his listeners to not lay up his or her treasures in earthly possessions that will decay, go out of style or consume your time protecting because others want to steal it.  In this Jesus tells us point blank about the fleeting of our earthly possessions.  What we have will decay, it will go out of style and it may be lost or stolen.  He basically said, “When you die you can’t take what you have with you.”  Jesus’ warning is so contrary to the western mindset.  We live in a society today where there is no such thing as contentment.  The world is constantly throwing discontentment at us so we will always want more.  You should never be satisfied with what you have and you should always want more.
 
Hoarding & Generosity
Luke 12:13 - 21 – The Rich Fool:  In this parable Jesus talks about a young rich man who spent his whole life gathering, protecting and hoarding his possessions.  The comedian George Carlin would say, “He had so much stuff that he tore down the buildings that he kept his stuff in and built bigger and better buildings so he could put more stuff in them and spend his whole life resting and partying with his stuff.” The problem was the young man spent his whole life gathering, saving, and hoarding thus wasting his life because he died at a young age.  Luke 12:15 hits the nail on the head, “And he said to them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’”  In other words, don’t waste your life hoarding, acquiring and protecting because your life does not depend on your stuff.  Jesus calls us to generous living and not hoarding.  We should be willing for the honor of God to live lives helping and blessing rather than acquiring and gathering.  1 John 3:17, 18, “If anyone has this world’s goods and sees a fellow believer in need but withholds compassion from him – how does God’s love reside in him?  Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and truth.”  When we live generous lives we are loving in action and truth.
 
Proper perspective on possessions and generosity
Obviously, we live in a society of greed and materialism.   So, what is the true follower of Jesus’ proper perspective on possessions, greed and stuff?  I don’t think the Bible alludes to having things as necessarily being bad.  It does make clear that if the stuff we own begins to own us then we have a problem.  Jesus says in John 6:26 – 29 to not to waste our time, energy and resources working to acquire or invest in material things of this world.  Instead we are called to invest in the spiritual things or the important things in life.  Use your time, energy, resources and even possessions for the Kingdom of God.
 
Acts 2:42 – 47 In the ancient Church there was a practice among believers.  They would meet together, pray together, worship together and live in community together.  We also see that in this early church the believer’s felt compelled (maybe by the prodding of the Holy Spirit) to sell or share all their possessions so no need would go unmet in the body of Christ.  Those who had a lot shared their “stuff” with those who didn’t.  I believe they understood the value of community.  If there was a need, the people banded together to meet it.  It was as simple as that.  What was the result?  The Lord added to their numbers daily. 
 
Throughout the New Testament the body of Christ gets together to meet the needs of those in need.  The Church should spend more time being generous our act of worship and less time gathering, protecting and hoarding. Does God want us to sell everything and give to those in need?  Maybe.  Another question we should ask is are you willing to part with your possessions if that is what he is prodding you to do? 
 
So how does this all apply to us?  In closing Timothy Keller introduces the concept of deep idols (below the surface idols that is sin in our hearts that affects our basic motivation so much so that they become idols) in our lives.  I believe materialism, possessions and greed are deep idols.  He writes in his book Counterfeit Gods about the effects of deep idols.  Our hearts are a reflection of who we are and the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only hope that we have of ever having a changed and generous heart for the glory of God.

What is marriage?  Is marriage only about love, attraction, and living a fairy tale life that is dreamy and magnificent?  Certainly, love, attraction, and happiness have a part to play in the marriage union and I think most Christians strive and pray for a happy marriage; one that will last a lifetime.  But is happiness, attraction, and fulfillment the glue that holds marriages together?  Is the key to a successful marriage found in finding the “right person who “gets you or completes you” and will make you happy forever and ever?  I would suggest it is more than this. 
 
We are continuing our series on the 10 commandments.  Today, I am going to talk about the commandment that should technically be very simple to keep but because it is based on a covenant with another person made before God it is one that broken far too often both in the Christian and non-Christian spheres.  
 
Commandment 7
“Do not commit Adultery”
 
The word adultery, for some, is a seemingly harsh word and the more common, “softer” phrase people like to use for adultery is “having an affair”.  You know, like an event or an occurrence that just happens. According to the website verywellmind.com, “typically, an affair is considered a betrayal of trust. It has the ability to cause significant distress in relationships and there are many reasons why people cheat on their partners (they include lack of communication, financial stress, low compatibility, emotional or physical disconnect, or lack of respect).”  Notice sin is not one of the reasons.  The article continues, “What's important to remember is that your definition of an affair is what matters most. Every person and every relationship is unique, and some couples may differ in the way they view this subject.”
So, what this website says is, adultery is subject to interpretation.  I would venture to say that modern thought would agree with this statement.  It is easier and less judgmental to say affairs are what you think they are instead of what God says adultery is.  But this isn’t how God has established the covenant of marriage and the commandment to not commit adultery.  
 
The word adultery comes from the Hebrew word that means “have sexual intercourse with anyone other than a spouse, as a married or betrothed person.”  Simply put it is an act unfaithfulness towards your husband or wife.  The marriage union is a public covenant made between two people before witnesses and God.  Now, this isn’t what we think of when we attend a marriage ceremony.  I know that doesn’t sound romantic, however covenant keeping is not about romance, it’s not about an expensive and elaborate wedding, it is about faithfulness to your spouse and to God.  
 
Marriage
In the many years I have been in ministry I have counseled countless men and women before they took their marriage vows and entered into wedded bliss.  Some of the couples that I have counseled and married are still flourishing and others came to an abrupt end mere weeks after the wedding ceremony.
 
One question I ask in counseling is… “Why do you want to get married?”  Usually (not always) the answer is, “We want to get married because we love each other and want to be happy and spend the rest of our lives together.”  Who doesn’t right?  
 
Timothy Keller writes very early in his book THE MEANING OF MARRIAGE, “While marriage is many things, it is anything but sentimental.  Marriage is glorious but hard.  It is a burning joy and strength, and yet it is blood sweat and tears, humbling defeats and exhausting victories.  No marriage I know more than a few weeks old could be described as a fairy tale come true… At times, your marriage seems to be an unsolvable puzzle, a maze in which you feel lost.”   Keller does not suggest that love has no part to play in marriage because it does; he is saying that true marriage is not rooted in romanticism or keeping that “feeling” of love burning bright because there are times when romance and young love is not present.  Quite honestly we face difficulties in marriage.  This is why ultimately the sacrament or institution of marriage is rooted in Jesus (which always results in true love).
 
Adultery: An Affair of the Heart
Marriage is making a covenant.  Marriage is about promising to be faithful to your spouse and making a covenant to honor, respect, and love her until the day you die.  It’s also about keeping a covenant before God regardless of the difficulties you may face as a couple.  God instituted marriage and he blesses it.  The marriage union between man and woman is a beautiful thing, it is a gift from God, and it is a great example of how God remains faithful to His bride (the Church) regardless of her faithfulness.
 
Adultery is the opposite of marriage; it is breaking the covenant or promise between a man and woman thus dishonoring your vow or promise to your spouse AND to God.  Adultery is the ultimate act of betrayal to your spouse and brings dishonor to God.
 
Now, we see in modern society that “having an affair” or committing adultery has become more acceptable in society.  It has become the norm in many cases.  I would venture to say that anyone watching this knows someone who either has committed adultery, was the one committing adultery, or had adultery committed against them.  So, we know that in almost every circumstance the act of adultery always ends in someone getting hurt emotionally, experience heartbreak, and/or one or more people being betrayed.  Adultery always affects someone negatively and this is why commandment seven is important. 
 
If you recall, Jesus was approached by a religious leader and asked what the greatest commandment was.  Jesus responds, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.  All the Law and Prophets depend on these two commands.”  When we are unfaithful to our spouse, we break the two commands that Jesus says are the most important and that all things depend on them.  When adultery is committed, we not only sin against our spouse, but we also sin against God.  Covenant breaking is disobedience, and disobedience leads to rebellion.  
 
Now, most of you can say , “I have been faithful to my wife/husband, so this commandment doesn’t really apply to me.”  And my response is to remind you what the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:12, “So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall.   No temptation has come upon except what is common to humanity.”  What am I saying?   Be on guard to preotect your marriage.  Always pray for your marriage, for your spouse and yourself to be and remain faithful to your promises and vows.  
 
My second response is to be mindful because adultery is not always a physical act.  Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:27 - 28, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”  Just like murder, adultery begins with and is an issue of the heart. This, my friends hits a bit closer to home for many.  So we must be mindful to pray for protection of over hearts and I would encourage you to pray the prayer that Job prayed in Job 31:1, “I have made a covenant with my eyes.  How then could I look at a young woman (or man)?”
 
When Adultery Hits Home?
So how does this message speak to us today?  It is important for us to recognize and understand that Jesus tells us that if your heart is not right with God, then you are guilty of commandment breaking and that commandment breaking is not just a physical act of betrayal and dishonor to God, it is a spiritual act of rebellion.
 
I would like to conclude with some practical points for when adultery hits home.  When it does there are so many emotions that one can experience.  Now, I do not want to diminish the emotions of hurt, betrayal, sadness etc.  Those are common and natural responses and one would not be human if they did not experience those emotions.  However, there are some responses we can choose to show if adultery has impacted you, your marriage or your relationships.

1. Repentance/Restoration:
   1. In the adulterous sin of David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11 & Psalm 51)
      1. David comes to the realization that his repentance and new life does not come through ritualistic practices. Most people in this time believed that if they sinned, they would just have to go through the rituals of cleansing and then they would feel alright with God. This is the ritual of religion…trying to do something for God (following the rule book) and yet not really doing anything to change or guard yourself from it happening again. David acknowledges what God truly desires of him.
         1. A Humble spirit – To know and understand the magnitude of sin and change his sinful ways.
         2. A Remorseful heart – True repentance. Repentance is not just being sorry for what you did. My Bible college professor explained repentance as “being sorry enough to change.” It simply means to change one’s mind, stop the sinful actions and do the opposite of the sinful actions you were doing. 
            
            

David longed for that which you and I have today. He was awaiting a Savior, one who would take away the sins of the world and establish a new covenant with his people. He longed for the intercessor (Jesus) to come and stand in His place so that his relationship would be made right with God.  Through the working and the power of the Holy Spirit a marriage affected and impacted by adultery can be fully restored. 

1. Divorce
   1. Unfaithfulness:  Jesus says in Matthew 5:32, “But I tell you, everyone who divorces his wife, except in a case of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”  This verse implies that divorce is acceptable when unfaithfulness (sexual immorality) is involved.  
   2. Whenever I hear a marriage ends in divorce my heart breaks for those involved.  Unfortunately, today divorce is very common among Christians and non-Christians alike.  I am not going to get into a discussion on divorce right now, but we do see that sometimes marriages do end and when adultery is involved it is allowed.
2. Bitterness:  Again, whether a marriage ends in divorce or is restored the root of bitterness can be ever present.  Hebrews 12:14 – 15 says, “Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it no one will see the Lord. Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many.”
   1. Bitterness:  According to Adrian Rogers in his article, “Love Worth Finding: The Root of Bitterness”
      
      1. The seed of bitterness is a hurt that is planted in someone. It may be intentional or unintentional.
         
      2. The root of bitterness is underground; it is easy to hide and camouflage. Seldom do you find anyone who will admit that they are a bitter person. They will either deny it or disguise it. A bitter person is hypersensitive, ungrateful, insincere, holds grudges, and has mood swings. The Fruit of Bitterness will affect you physically, emotionally, and spiritually because the fruit of bitterness is an acid that destroys its container.[1
         
      3. The soil of bitterness is a heart that harbors hostility and does not deal with hurt by the grace of God. When someone becomes bitter, the bitterness takes root in the heart and grows deeper.
         
3. Forgiveness:  A marriage may end in divorce or it may be restored, but either way adultery can impact the relationship greatly.  However, I do believe that when trust is betrayed and hurt has been had, forgiveness still needs to be shown because God has shown us forgiveness for the iniquities that we committed against Him thus we are called to forgive those who sin against us. (Matthew 6:12)

 
I think it is fitting to end with the story of the adulterous woman brought before Jesus in John 8:7 – 11.  The civil law at the time declared that this woman should be stoned to death for being caught in the act of adultery.  Jesus tells the crowd, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.”  We see that eventually the crowds left, and the adulterous woman faces Jesus who says, “Woman, where are they?  Has no one condemned you?”  
“No one, Lord,” she answered.
“Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”  
This is a beautiful act of forgiveness.  However, some think Jesus let her off easy or didn’t take the sin seriously, but Jesus tells the woman to go and sin no more.  Jesus has called this woman to a changed life; a life of repentance and for a transformed heart and this is what Jesus wants from us all.
 
 
 
 
 

1. [1] https:// www.oneplace.com/ministries/love-worth-finding/read/articles/root-of-bitterness-8599.html

 

INTRODUCTION
The late evangelist D. L. Moody had a sharp temper which he learned to
control—sometimes. One evening Moody was conducting two evangelistic services
back-to-back. After the first one, as Mr. Moody was standing near the door,
welcoming the new crowd, a man approached him and delivered a highly
offensive insult of some sort. Moody never later repeated it, but it must have
been something that pushed his button for in a sudden fit of anger, Moody
shoved the man and sent him tumbling down a short flight of steps.
The man was not badly harmed, but Moody’s friends wondered how he could
now possibly preach the second service. “When I saw Mr. Moody give way to his
temper,” said an observer, “I said to myself, ‘The meeting is killed.’ The large
number who have seen the whole thing will hardly be in a condition to be
influenced by anything more Mr. Moody can say tonight.”
But Moody called the meeting to order, stood, and with trembling voice spoke
these words: Friends, before beginning tonight I want to confess that I yielded
just now to my temper, out in the hall, and have done wrong. Just as I was
coming in here tonight, I lost my temper with a man, and I want to confess my
wrong before you all, and if that man is present here whom I thrust away from me
in anger, I want to ask his forgiveness and God’s. Let us pray.
 
Exodus 20:13
“Do not murder.”
 
We are continuing our series on the Ten Commandments and today we are going to focus on Commandment 6.  This commandment is pretty straight forward and is one commandment that even unbelievers will agree with.  I would venture to say that we ALL know that murder is wrong. Sometimes people get into arguments over what this sixth commandment actually means.  At the surface it says what it says… “Do not murder.”  But one of the most common questions asked is, what is the difference between killing and murdering?  I will talk about this in a few moments.  However, my purpose today is not to spend time trying to justify the differences between murdering and killing, but mostly to spend time looking at how this commandment is intended help us love our neighbors and live God-honoring lives.
 
Murder
The sixth commandment is easy to remember, in fact it is just three simply words… “DO. NOT. MURDER.”  Seems like a straight forward commandment doesn’t it?  However, when we begin reading the Bible it only takes four chapters before this commandment (which wasn’t technically a commandment yet) to be broken.    
 
Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel.  Both brothers were hard workers… Cain was a worker of the ground and Abel was a shepherd.  We are told that both brothers brought offerings to the Lord.  The sacrificial system had not been established yet so we are uncertain as to why they gave offerings. Cain is mentioned first as bringing an offering of fruit from the ground and Abel brings an offering of his flock (animal sacrifice).  We are not told why specifically but Abel’s sacrifice had regard (favor) with God and Cain’s offering God had no regard (unacceptable).  
 
Genesis 4:5 says, “Cain was FURIOUS and he looked despondent.”  Cain was angry with God!  He was furious and could be translated as Cain “burned with anger.”  He harbored bitterness towards God and his brother in his heart. 
 
The Lord asked Cain why he was so angry… not because he didn’t know but he was giving Can the opportunity to openly confess to God his sin that was lurking in his heart.  God was challenging Cain to step back and look at his heart and make the necessary changes to do right.  God basically says Cain has a choice to make…  “If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted?”  God mercifully challenges Cain by telling him he does not need to be angry. 
 
God says, “Sin is crouching at the door” – This imagery is vivid, and it is of an animal waiting to pounce its prey.  God was saying if Cain continues to harbor anger in his heart this sin will overtake him and ultimately dominate him.  “Its desire is for you…”  The word “desire” is the same word used in God’s curse on the woman when he says, “your desire will be for your husband, yet he will rule over you.”  This desire will all consuming and it will have control and power over Cain if he does not subdue it.  God gives Cain the opportunity and the ability to take control of his sin.    
 
Apparently, Cain does not heed God’s warning or challenge.  Genesis chapter 4: 8 says, “And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.”  We are not told how the crime was committed and I don’t think it really matters, but we are told the end result was Abel is murdered by his brother.
 
Now, as we read this account, I think it is safe to say that what Cain did was wrong.  Cain murdered his brother in cold blood.  The sixth commandment, which would not be established until centuries later, prohibits the taking of innocent human life.  And I have established that most people would agree with the sixth commandment because it is right to respect innocent human life. 
 
The sixth commandment tells us that we should all value the sanctity of life from conception until death.  All life is precious to God and we have no right to murderously take an innocent life no matter how young or old.  We are created in God’s image, we are his image bearers so this gives us the call and duty to be protectors and preservers of life here on earth.  
 
So, what is all the hub bub bub?  Do not murder… what more do I need to say?  Why not skip over this one and move to commandment seven?
 
The Heart of the Murder
Well, let’s go back to Genesis 4 and the story of Cain and Abel for a moment.  Why was God displeased with Cain’s offering?  Some believe, and I agree with them, that God’s response to their offerings was not so much in response to what was given, but how it was given.  The issue was his heart.  The text suggests that Abel gave an offering out of worship and Cain gave out of duty.  According to 1 John 3:12 Cain’s deeds were evil and this is apparent (and actually written) because Cain became angry with God because God didn’t accept his offering and he acted on his anger as well.  God knew he was angry as it was apparent with his facial expression (“Why do you look despondent?”).  
 
Cain’s heart was not right.  His heart was filled with anger, bitterness, and jealousy.  We know this because he acted on the desires of his heart.  his heart was blackened with murderous thoughts, jealousy, fury and eventually acted on them thus murdering his brother.
 
This is where things begin to get interesting and the reason why we can’t casually read over commandment 6 and move on.  Why is that?  Because murder is not just a physical act is it also an issue of the heart and I believe we need to get to the heart of the murder.  
 
Jesus says in Matthew 5:21 – 22, “You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder,[a] and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. 22 But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults[c] his brother or sister, will be subject to the court, Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire.”
 
Did you hear that?  Jesus has just taken one of the most agreed upon commandments and takes it to the next level.  He says that not only is murder wrong, but so is anger against your brother or sister. 
 
In fact, John the Apostle takes it even a step further when he writes in I John 3:15, “Everyone who hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.”  Simple translating… If you hate someone, then you have murdered them.
 
Our hearts are deceitful and wicked and Jesus tells us, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.”  Did you catch that?  Out of the heart comes MURDER.  
 
This means that not only is it wrong to take the life of another innocent person, but it is wrong to harbor hatred, anger, and bitterness in our hearts toward then.  All life is precious and how we treat, and value people matters. 
 
Conclusion
I love this quote from J.I. Packer, “The commandment rests on the principle that human life is holy, first because it is God’s gift and second because man bears God’ image.  Human life is thus the most precious and sacred thing in the world, and to end it, is God’s prerogative alone.  We honor God by respecting his image in each other, which means consistently preserving life and furthering each other’s welfare in all possible ways.”
 
So, what is our takeaway in response to commandment 6?

1. We were created in God's image thus ALL life is sacred: your life, a baby’s life, an elderly person’s life EVERY LIFE matters.  It is God who determines or allows a life to end. God is a life giver, and Satan desires to devalue and destroy life.  It is not up to you, me or any other person to take the life of any innocent person.
   
   
2. Murder is a heart matter: We’ve established that murder is not just a physical act, it is also a spiritual act.  Cain burned with anger in his heart.  David’s murderous heart led to a murderous actions that put Uriah the Hittite (Bathsheba’s husband) six feet under.   The pharisee’s burned with anger towards Jesus and they plotted in their hearts to murder him and eventually their murderous hearts got what they desired.  So, it is true murder begins in the heart.
   
   
3. Love is the answer: 
   What on earth does that mean?  Jesus tells us, “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may bechildren of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”  

The absolute opposite of murder is love.  When we show Christ-like love to those who love us, hate us or are indifferent to us we are fulfilling the Great commandment of Jesus Christ and thus bringing honor to God’s name.
 
Loving the loveable is easy for the most part.  But loving the unlovable can be difficult and we can ONLY do this by the grace of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit.

As we close today, I encourage you to check your heart.  Are you harboring anger, bitterness, rage, jealousy, hostility, or the list goes on in your heart?  Take some time and allow God to soften your heart and allow Jesus to transform your heart.  It is in Jesus that we are able to lay sin-filled hearts upon him.  If your heart is not right with God today, I want to beg you to allow Jesus to work on you and transform your heart into a heart that beats with love, compassion, and in tune with Him.