What is Salvation?

I Timothy 1:15-17

¹⁵ Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. ¹⁶ But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. ¹⁷ Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Wikipedia says  salvation is the belief that, as part of divine providence, God saves people from some or all of the following:

1. from biological death, by providing for them an and eternal life or long-lasting afterlife
2. from spiritual death, by providing divine law, illumination and judgement
3. from divine punishment, particularly from Hell, by granting them acceptance into Heaven
4. from having sinful character and conduct, through a process of positive moral change

Wikipedia further says salvation may also be called “deliverance” or “redemption” from sin and its effects.

Salvation, said the Reformers, is by faith i.e human’s total trust only without;

1. Our being obliged to work for it; for it is by grace (God’s free favor) only,
2. Our having to earn or deserve it first; for it is by Christ the God-man only,
3. There being need or room for any other mediatoral agent, whether priest, saint, or virgin; for it is by Scripture only,
4. Regard to such unbiblical and unfounded extras as the doctrines of purgatory and of pilgrimages, the relic-cult and papal indulgences as devices for shortening one’s stay there; for salvation is due to God only,
5. Any credit for his acceptance of us being taken to ourselves.

The Reformers made these points against unreformed Rome, but they were well aware that in making them they were fighting over again ;

1. Paul’s battle in Romans and Galatians against works,
2. Paul’s battle in Colossians against unauthentic traditions, and
3. The battle fought in Hebrews against trust in any priesthood or mediation other than that of Christ.

The pure gospel is

1. Contrary to natural human thinking,
2. Upsetting to natural human pride, and
3. An object of hostility to Satan

About

Founded in 2004, Victory Fellowship  is an elder led, congregationally governed evangelical church committed to the ministry of God’s word in all aspects of church life.

Of the roughly nine main families of the Protestant denominations or groups in the world (i.e  Anabaptist, Anglican, Baptist, Independents, Lutheran, Methodist, Pentecostal, Quaker, and Reformed), the Southern Methodists are the people Victory Fellowship agree most with.

The Southern Methodist Church was established after 1939  for the sake of souls upon the following summary of beliefs:

• Christ Centered and Gospel-preaching Ministry
• Historic Doctrines of Christianity as they are expressed in the Apostle’s Creed.
• Fellowship with other Christians who believe in Repentance, regeneration and a New Life in Christ Jesus
• Membership in a church that believes that (a) the Bible is the Inspired Word of God, (b) that human is sinful and lost without Christ, (c) that Christ is the Son of God and man’s only Savior, and (d)  that Christians should be loyal to God, to family (home), to Country out of scriptural loving compassion.
• Return to original Methodism and Bible Oriented Message of Holiness shared by John Wesley.

Committed to these beliefs, the Southern Methodist Church is a body of believers with a desire to live and preach from the word of God that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the World.  Second, it is a church with a desire to live out the scriptural model where the congregation under the Lordship of Jesus Christ is the locus of authority.

In Scripture, we find three distinct groups of people who exercise some form of leadership in the church: The congregation, consisting of all church members; Elders, those men “called” and “elected” to spiritual oversight in the church; and Deacons and deaconesses, who serve the congregation in hands-on, practical ways.

Both Jesus and Paul appealed to the congregation as the adjudicating body on matters of discipline. From their teachings in the word of God, we learn that the locus of authority in the body of Christ should be with the local church. That is to say the congregation acting together in unison represents the final authority on all matters of church life.  Accordingly, the congregation votes on its leadership, admits and dismisses members, and stands accountable to God for its public teaching and preaching.

The Southern Methodist Church polity (church government) based on SCRIPTURE, has no “Bishops.”  Being Elder-led, we emphasizes the scriptural leadership of elders with the General Conference President, being first among equals.   All elders meet the stated qualifications for this office as laid out in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. They meet regularly to pray and provide spiritual oversight on matters concerning the church. Some of our elders are employed by the church, some are bi-vocational and most of them work in secular jobs.

I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision —Acts 26:19

Apostle Paul said  it is better to preach the right gospel with the wrong motives (Phil 1:15-18) than to preach the wrong gospel with the right motives (Rom 10:2; Gal 1:8-9). He said, if you preach the right gospel with the wrong motives I will celebrate, but if you preach the wrong gospel with the right motive a curse is upon you.

Galatians 1:6ff

⁶ I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— ⁷ which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! ⁹As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!  ¹⁰ Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Paul Called by God

¹¹ I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. ¹²I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.   ¹³ For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. ¹⁴ I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. ¹⁵ But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. ¹⁷ I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.   ¹⁸ Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas^[b] and stayed with him fifteen days.

Pressing on toward the goal….

Philippians. 3:4b-14

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵ circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

⁷ But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in^[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. ¹⁰ I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

¹² Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Build your hopes on things Eternal

It use to be that people changed places to stay in career. Today, more and more people will change careers in order to stay in a place for the long haul — connected to family, friends, and local culture. The ” Dream” use to be to “move out” and “move up” the institutional ladder; today, the “Dream” seems to be to put down deeper roots for the sake of family, friends and one’s community, fully surrendered to the will of God for the long-haul. Now that constant change of career and furthering studies has become a long-haul pursuit, young adults meeting one another no longer ask, “What do you do?” They ask, “Where do you live?”

FACTS

• Today there are more than  6.2 million “chronically” unemployed Americans, those who have been out of work more than six months. This represent some 45 percent of the nation’s jobless who have more than 700 fans on Social Sites and LOL more than really laughing out loud.
• More than 49.9 million Americans are without health insurance today.  This includes more than 5.9 million young adults, age 25 to 34, who after graduating  have had no other choice than to return home and live with their folk (parents / grandparents)

With towers of economic, military or political falling, our present circumstances offer a bleak picture. To be sure, but our situation is only hopeless insofar as we continue to trust in the human structures and schemes of godless people. Our future is secure if our hope is in the stronger tower that is the name of the LORD.

HEAR THE WORD

 

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. (Isaiah 43:9).

Our hope must to be transformed by the transforming grace of Christ and subsequently, be agents of trans-formative change here, there, and everywhere that is changing at blinding speed and many towers falling.

Dr. Peterson notes that the Trade Towers that went down September 11, 2001 were finished on April 4, 1973, stood on 16 acres of land, rose more than 1360 feet above the New York City skyline, each housing 110 stories sitting atop pilings that were driven 70 feet deep into the bedrock of Manhattan.

The excavation alone dumped enough dirt and rock into the Hudson River to add 23.5 acres of land to lower Manhattan, creating a whole new neighborhood called Battery Park City. Two hundred thousand tons of steel formed a framework that could withstand the most violent earthquakes and hurricanes. Girding the massive steel frame was 425,000 cubic yards of concrete, enough to build a 5-foot wide sidewalk from New York City to Washington DC. During this herculean project, three shifts of 3,500 workers labored around the clock in a race to finish ahead of schedule.

Their finished project had 600,000 feet of glass windows, 239 elevators, 70 escalators, and a single sky lobby elevator capable of carrying 55 people and 10,000 pounds. There were express elevators that travelled at speeds of 27 feet per second. All of this hi-tech wizardry serviced 430 different businesses with 50,000 workers. The Trade Center towers were the tallest buildings in the world.

When Abraham left Southern Iraq, he left behind a Chaldean civilization that specialized in building high towers and chose the name of the LORD to be HIS tower. He traveled among the Syrian and Canaanite peoples lifting the name of the LORD in a land of high towers like the citadel city of Jericho. He saw the grandiose pyramids and towering cities on the Nile and lifted the name of the LORD as the strong tower. He had heard of the massive walls of Babylon to the north, but LIFTED the name of the LORD as the strong TOWER.

Abraham who had watched the towers of Sodom and Gomorrah fall under the hailstorm of blazing hot oil and molten salt that was unleashed by a violent earthquake and rained down a holocaust of God’s judgment, reducing those Canaanite towers to ash knew something about misplaced trust. Therefore, he looked forward by faith to “a heavenly city whose builder and architect is GOD.”

The prophet Samuel wrote, “God is my rock. In him will I trust. He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower and my refuge, my savior who saves me from violence.” (2 Samuel 22:3) Solomon wrote in Proverbs 18:10, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run into it and are safe.” David wrote; “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalm 20:7).

Jesus is the strong tower. If we run to him as our Lord and Savior, we will find the only true refuge for the long haul in a world of increasing uncertainty and impending global disaster.

Wisdom of Ages

Some points from a message shared by the servant of God Rev. James Tonui (78) with the body of believers, September 25, 2011

1. Orib ngalek ab Jehova koik toloita en banda tugul. Keep the word of God. Let it be your foundation in your life’s journey.
   
2. Momoche Jehova chito ne KWOLOT – God is Upright and does not approve of anyone whose ways are bend. Keep your conduct and manner of speech straight.
3. Mwochin Imanit lagoguk agot ingongwan– Tell your children the truth, no matter what, even when it is painful. There will be years of rebellion, but when the truth is told, a soul is saved.
4. Ingocheng’ chi tugul Jehova. Sorunet ko bo chichok–  Let each person seek God. Salvation is personal and only the Holy Spirit can accomplish the work of new birth in a soul.
5. Oamden osuro sobonwek. Mat oamde Dini anan ocheng chepkondok – Let your single purpose be to win souls. Don’t preach denomination or go after money. All these other things, won’t fill any heart with the power of the Holy Spirit.
6. Bo iman Jehova en kotogul  ak tononiontin ortinwekyik koigeny ak koigeny – God is to be trusted and his ways are straight forever and ever.
7. Ngot ogasit Jehova, onyuro keswek che miach en lagokwok ak lagok ab lagokwok – If you obey God, you will see blessings for your children and their children’s children.

I wouldn’t take nothing for my journey now

1.

I started out traveling for the Lord many years ago,
I’ve had a {few) heartaches, {some} troubles and woes.
Oh, when I would stumble, then I would humble down.
I’d say, “Thank the Lord, I wouldn’t take nothing for my journey now.”

CHORUS:

I wouldn’t take nothing for my journey now,
I’ve got to make it to Heaven somehow.
Though the devil tempts and tries to turn me around.
He’s offered everything that’s got a name
All the wealth I want and worldly fame,
But if I could, still I wouldn’t take nothing for my journey now.

2.

There’s nothing in this world that can ever take the place of God’s Love,
Silver and gold could never buy His love from above.
When my soul needs healing and I begin feeling His power,
I can say, “Thank the Lord, I wouldn’t take nothing for my journey now.

CHORUS:

“Be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth”

“And so when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8 but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” (Acts 1:6-8)

This event follows  resurrection. Here Jesus spents time with His disciples for about 40 days preparing them for their assignment once He had ascended. He led them out to Mount Olive where He would return back to the Father. However, just prior to His ascension, the disciples wanted to  know,“Lord,will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (v.6).

You will notice that Jesus did not answer their question. Jesus’ response indicate that their question was not the most important question. The better question they should have asked is this,“what should we do until you do come a gain and establish Your kingdom?” To that question Jesus provides a definitive answer in the Acts version of the Great Commission found in verse 8, “Be my witnesses.”

In essence Jesus was saying to His followers,,“do not get distracted over issues that are secondary and non-essential. Stay focused on the main thing. Make sure your priorities line up with the Father’s. Be my witnesses and advance the gospel until I return.”

Is VFSMC Pentecostal?

A well known author and preacher Fred Craddock told a personal story on this subject. He shares that a few years ago, when he was on the west coast speaking at a seminary, just before the first lecture, one of the students stood up and said, “Before you speak, I need to know if you are Pentecostal.”

The room grew silent. Craddock said he looked around for the Dean of the seminary! He was no where to be found. The student continued with his quiz right in front of everybody. Craddock was taken aback, and so he said, “Do you mean do I belong to the Pentecostal Church?” He said, “No, I mean are you Pentecostal?”

Craddock said, “Are you asking me if I am charismatic?” the student said, “I am asking you if you are Pentecostal.” Craddock said, “Do you want to know if I speak in tongues?” He said, “I want to know if you are Pentecostal.” Craddock said, “I don’t know what your question is.” The student said, “Obviously, you are not Pentecostal.”

I believe most elders of the church and all Christians who believe, teach and live the word of God would agree that we are pentecostal whether defined as Pentecostal, Methodist, Baptist or non-denominational when through the power of the Holy Spirit:

1. We Are  Of One Accord
2. We Are  Join Together Constantly in Prayer
3. We Are in a state of Repentance

From the word of God, we read that if  the church (be it Anabaptist, Anglican, Baptist, Independent, Lutheran, Methodist, Pentecostal, Quaker or Reformed) is alive in the world it is Pentecostal because;

it is the power of the Holy Spirit that keeps the church alive.

I will conclude all with that excellent Collect of our Church:

 “O God, who in all ages hast taught the hearts of thy faithful people, by sending to them the light of thy Holy Spirit; grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort, through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.”

Declare His Marvelous works among all the peoples

1 Chronicles 16:23-31

 ²³ Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. ²⁴ Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.  ²⁵ For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. ²⁶ For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. ²⁷ Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place.

²⁸ Ascribe to the LORD, all you families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. ²⁹ Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.  ⁰ Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.  ³¹ Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!”

Keep his commandments and his statutes

Deuteronomy 8

Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the LORD promised on oath to your ancestors. ² Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. ³ He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. ⁴ Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. ⁵Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.

 ⁶ Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him. ⁷ For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; ⁸ a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; ⁹ a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.

 ¹⁰ When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. ¹¹ Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. ¹² Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, ¹³ and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, ¹⁴ then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. ¹⁵ He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. ¹⁶ He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. ¹⁷ You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” ¹⁸ But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

 ¹⁹ If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. ²⁰ Like the nations the LORD destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the LORD your God.

..for a witness unto all nations…

Psalm 96:13

• Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

Isaiah 34:1

• Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it.

Matthew 24:14

• And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Revelation 3:10

• Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Deuteronomy 7:9

• Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;

Zephaniah 3:17

• The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

John 3:16

• For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Make His name known among the nations….

1 Chronicles 16:8

Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.

1 Chronicles 16:34

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

1 Chronicles 16:35

Cry out, “Save us, O God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, that we may glory in your praise.”

1 Chronicles 29:13

Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.

Daniel 2:23

I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.

Jonah 2:9

But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD.

Take this Gospel to all people

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mathew 28: 19-20)

Let the nations seek God in Prayer

When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. ² The priests could not enter the temple of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled it. ³ When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying,    “He is good;  his love endures forever.”

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. ¹⁵ Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. ¹⁶ I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

(2 Chron. 7: 1- 3, 12, 14-16)

What will be said of your prayers through this life when on that  day you stand before KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS whose glorious majesty indescribable?

Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD. 5 And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. (2 Chronicles 7:4-5).

J. Hudson Taylor said;

“The prayer power has never been tried to its full capacity… if we want to see might wonders of divine power and grace wrought in the place of weakness, failure and disappointment, let us answer God’s standing challenge,  “Call unto me,  and I will answer thee, and show thee great and might things which thou knowest not.”

“It is possible to move men, through God, by prayer alone.”

Let the nations sing unto the Lord a new song

PSALM 96

¹ Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. ² Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. ³ Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. ⁴ For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. ⁵ For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. ⁶ Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

⁷ Ascribe to the LORD, all you families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. ⁸ Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. ⁹ Worship the LORD in the splendor of his^[a] holiness; tremble before him, all the earth. ¹⁰ Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.” The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity. ¹¹ Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. ¹² Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. ¹³ Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.

Romans 10

¹ Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. ² For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. ³ Since they did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. ⁴ Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

⁵ Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.”^[a]6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”^[b] (that is, to bring Christ down) ⁷ “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’”^[c] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”^[d] that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: ⁹ If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. ¹¹ As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”^[e]12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³ for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”^[f]

¹⁴ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? ¹⁵ And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

ISAIAH 52: 7 – 10

⁷ How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion,  “Your God reigns!” ⁸ Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the LORD returns to Zion,  they will see it with their own eyes.

⁹Burst into songs of joy together,  you ruins of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted his people,  he has redeemed Jerusalem. ¹⁰ The LORD will lay bare his holy arm  in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see  the salvation of our God.

Isaiah 62

 ¹ For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace,  And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, And her salvation as a lamp that burns. ²The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, And all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, Which the mouth of the LORD will name. ³ You shall also be a crown of glory In the hand of the LORD, And a royal diadem In the hand of your God.

⁴ You shall no longer be termed Forsaken, Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate; But you shall be called Hephzibah,^[a] and your land Beulah;^[b] For the LORD delights in you, And your land shall be married. ⁵ For as a young man marries a virgin,  So shall your sons marry you; And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So shall your God rejoice over you.

⁶ I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night.  You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent, ⁷ And give Him no rest till He establishes  And till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth. ⁸ The LORD has sworn by His right hand  And by the arm of His strength:  “ Surely I will no longer give your grain  As food for your enemies;  And the sons of the foreigner shall not drink your new wine, For which you have labored.  ⁹ But those who have gathered it shall eat it,  And praise the LORD;  Those who have brought it together shall drink it in My holy courts.”

¹⁰ Go through, Go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people;  Build up,  Build up the highway!  Take out the stones, Lift up a banner for the peoples! ¹¹ Indeed the LORD has proclaimed To the end of the world: “ Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘ Surely your salvation is coming; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him.’” ¹² And they shall call them The Holy People, The Redeemed of the LORD; And you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.

Pray, Give and Go so that nations will glorify God

Everyone needs compassion and everyone needs forgiveness.  Because all people, have hearts, souls, and need love,  a command has been given thus;

Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.

What an enormous responsibility? It has been noted by many missionaries that the Church is always just one generation away from extinction. What are we to say to this?  If our Master who gave this command to go to every soul in every generation returned today, I cannot imagine what explanation those who claim to know him as LORD and Savior should have to give for not taking the gospel to not only the next generation but also to every lost soul in the former generation.

God is calling many of us to give the rest of our lives and possessions for the sake of the gospel so that many people might hear the good news and exalt the Lamb, the Lord Jesus, who redeemed us to God by His blood. We must commit to this work knowing that the work of evangelism ought not be so that the Church continues to exist for another generation, but rather so that nations will glorify Jesus as LORD and Savior. Rev. 7: 9 says;

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying,“Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne,and to the Lamb!” (NKJV).

The call and vision of God to see that every tribe and tongue and people and nation  worship the exalted Lamb will be fulfilled as we offer our lives, possessions and will to God. The need of the nations to hear the gospel is too great. The realities of the lostness of the people of every tribe, tongue and nation is too overwhelming.  Surely the command of God to go into all the world for the sake of souls must be obeyed at all cost. Because this is God’s work, there will always be a church in every generation and among all peoples that are yellow, black. The command must be obeyed with confidence that God by his gracious and merciful hand will meet every need and bring healing to every situation.

Evangelizing the Nations

According to George Barna;

With its 195 million unchurched people, America has become the new mission field. America has more unchurched people than the entire populations of all but 11 of the world’s 194 nations.

According to Lost in America, by Tom Clegg and Warren Bird, 2001:

The unchurched population in the United States is so extensive that, were it a nation, it would be the fifth-largest on the planet. . . . Researchers and analysts describe North America as the world’s third-largest mission field.

From Scripture and the guidance of the Holy Spirit we learn that in North America today;

Ambition is just as real for anyone with business pursuit as it was for Lot as he pitched his tent toward Sodom.
Bitterness can be found in the life of an unwed mother just as it was found in the heart of Hagar by the spring on the way to Shur.
Fear is real whether it be found in the heart of a senior citizen or an immigrant as it was in the mind of Elijah as he fled from the wrath of Jezebel.

Hatred can blight the soul of one with privilege  just as it did the heart of a Jew as he looked at the Samaritan of the first century.
Jealousy impedes growth in the life of a minister now in the same way that it darkened the the minds of the twelve as they argued over who was to be first in the kingdom.
Loneliness is just as real to young widow or one with a broken-heart as it was to Ruth in the fields of Boaz.

Lust can destroy happiness for a college student or a marriage at a weekend-party in the same way it did for David as he looked upon Bathsheba.
Sickness is a stark reality for the cancer victim recovering or undergoing chemotherapy just as it was for Naaman on the muddy banks of Jordan.
Futility can overcome whether one be in a ghetto without hope or dwelling in apartment or suburb without purpose.

Is anyone hearing a call that comes ringing o’er the restless wave?  Is anyone hearing the Spirit of God saying, “Who will go for us?” Keith Green said;

This generation of Christians is responsible for this generation of souls on the earth!

TIME IS FULFILLED

In Acts chapter 18, St. Paul has just come to the city of Corinth. Here, he bumps into a couple in a tent-making business guild working their craft. In the spirit of Christian hospitality, they invite the stranger to come and live in their home. The Apostle will live with them for a year. Listen to the word;

 ¹ After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. ² There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, ³ and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. ⁴Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.

⁵ When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. ⁶ But when they opposed Paul and became abusive, he shook out his clothes in protest and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

⁷ Then Paul left the synagogue and went next door to the house of Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. ⁸ Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.

⁹ One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. ¹⁰ For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.” ¹¹ So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.

¹² While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment. ¹³ “This man,” they charged, “is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.”

¹⁴ Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, “If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. ¹⁵ But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.” ¹⁶ So he drove them off. ¹⁷ Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.

Priscilla, Aquila and Apollos

¹⁸ Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. ¹⁹ They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. ²⁰ When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. ²¹ But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. ²²When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.

²³ After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples. ²⁴ Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. ²⁵ He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. ²⁶ He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

²⁷ When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. ²⁸ For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.

THE CALL GETS SPECIFIC

In this passage, Paul comes to grasp with a desperate call to leave the safe harbor of Synagogue and face the forceful winds of the high seas.  Notice in this passage that when Paul arrives in Corinth, he goes immediately to the synagogue. He is welcomed because he is a former student of the venerable rabbi Gamaliel—considered to be the third greatest rabbinical scholar in Jewish history.

At first Paul wanted to convert the religious who in this dialog are all ears, until he begins to teach that Jesus is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament Messianic prophecies, and the Suffering Servant of Isaiah who has died for their sins.  As soon as he says that,  St. Paul is shoved out the door and told never to come back. He then makes a momentous life-changing statement; “Your blood be on your own heads! I am clear of my responsibility. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” (Acts 18:6)

THE WALL OF SEPARATION COMES TUMBLING DOWN!

St. Paul says, “From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” This is where historians and theologians feel is the beginning of the process leading to the climax of the seventh year journey. As soon as Paul says this, everything changes and the Jews assume the responsibility of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentile world.

Up to now the Jesus movement is primarily a sect of Judaism though there has been some talk about missions to unreached peoples. Up to now, Jewish apostles have taken the gospel to Jewish synagogues. Almost all followers of Jesus are Jews and the entire council in Jerusalem is but one ethnic community. But that’s not what Jesus intended. He had said that they were to take the gospel to all the nations of the world to fulfill God’s covenant promise to Abraham some 2,000 years earlier that Abraham’s family would be a blessing to the nations of the world. His Great Son would bring the Gentile nations of the world into Abraham’s family.

St. John saw the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham in Revelation 7:9—

I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne…

When Paul left that Jewish synagogue in Corinth with a burning zeal to reach the Gentiles, the great covenant that God made with Abraham was ready to take off. The Old Testament promises made to the Jews were now available to the Gentiles. The old Jewish rabbi, Paul was going to dedicate his life to making it happen. Do we dare have the same vision for our generation?

Who do you know that serves as a link between your people group and other nations and ethnicity? It’s not by accident that a Jewish man (Aquila) who had taken a Gentile wife (Priscilla) would be the one who would help a Jewish apostle reach the Gentile world. No wonder St. Paul can say ten years later in verse four, “Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.”

Do we dare to have a vision as big as Priscilla and Aquila, that we could reach a whole world beyond our little Corinth knowing fully well that faithfulness to God’s Word never makes a person popular? As we do so, we must remember this is not an easy job. It is a desperate call to leave the safe harbor and face the forceful winds of the high seas where Satan is at work.  Christ calls us to get out of the safe harbor and go to places we’ve never seen. The good news is that Jesus has promised to go with us. Jesus has promise to leave the harbor with us and together we will face the full fury of open seas so that the nations and all people may sing God’s praises and glory his name.

“Contending For the Faith of Jesus”

In the Gospel of Jude, Jude writes to warn the church about “apostates” or say spiritual terrorists, who stealthily crept inside the church.

“Apostates” is a theological word that means “to fall away.” “Apostates” are those persons who received the truth then at some point in life rejected the truth, ridicule the truth, and then attempt to replace the truth.

Jude gives seven charges to believers:

1. Earnestly contend for the faith. v. 3
2. Remember the teaching and warning of the apostles. v. 17
3. Build yourselves up in the most holy faith. v. 20
4. Pray in the Holy Spirit. v. 20
5.  Keep yourselves in the love of God. v. 21
6. Look for the mercy of the Lord to bring you to eternal life. v. 21
7.  Show mercy to Christians who are doubting, snatch unbelievers from the fire, and cautiously show mercy to the corrupt. vs. 22-23

Jude’s first challenge comes early in this 25 verse letter in verse 3. This begins the bodyof the letter. What does he tell us?

• The faith must be defended.

Jude was eager to write about our common (koines) salvation. He actually desired to write a different kind of letter, one that expounded on our salvation. However, necessity was laid upon him by the Holy Spirit, and instead he writes an apologetic, a defense for the faith, exhorting (parakalon), encouraging, urging them “to contend for the once delivered to the saints faith.”

The word contend is epagonizesthai, from which we get our word “agonize.” The word appears in both a military and an athletic context. It means to fight or struggle with intense effort. Jude calls on us to strive after and fight for the faith. No doubt the faith Jude had in mind is the gospel of Jesus Christ, and all that derives from His person and work.

Jude understood the faith to be both theological and moral. He understood and understood clearly the rebellious nature of the human heart and the moral havoc that reigns from a rejection of the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Jude says the faith must be defended. This is not a time for cowards or the weak hearted. This is not a time for the timid or thin-skinned. This is not a time for retreat, compromise or surrender.

The word of God is living and active

The Bible reveals God and God ’s intent for us and our world. By it we discover our identity and mission as individuals and as a church. By it we are brought to new life in Jesus Christ, life in God ’s kingdom.

By reading the Bible both individually and in corporate worship, we understand and allow it to bear fruit in our lives. Our passion for Scripture must rises out of our conviction that the Bible ’s message comes from God and enables  life  at  peace  with  God  and with  our  neighbors.

At the very heart of our commitment to Scripture is the conviction that Jesus was and is eternally the living Word of God (John 1:1-18),, the supreme revelation of God. The living Word, Jesus Christ, and the written word  of Scripture belong together.

The Bible is God ’s word because it communicates to us the living Word, Jesus Christ. In Christ we understand who God is and in Christ we discover our own true identity. Scripture reveals God at work to create a people for himself, to forgive them, free them  from evil, and to establish his Kingdom among them (11 Peter 2:9-10).

The Holy Spirit of God by whom the living Word became incarnate also inspired the Bible and still illumines and transforms readers of the Old and New Testaments. “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” (Hebrews 4:12).. The Spirit works through these Scriptures to bring about new life in Christ.

The Bible is central to our  faith and practice. The Holy Scripture, the Old and New Testament, is the Word of God and the only perfect rule for  faith, doctrine, and conduct.  The sixty-six books of the Protestant canon, are together embraced and understood to provide an overarching account of God ’s revealing and redemptive work begun in creation, continued in Israel, and culminating in Jesus Christ.

May we find “our hearts burning within us ” as we grow in our desire to allow the Scriptures to be  “opened to us ” (LL 32, 44-445). May  we  truly be  like  the Bereans who “received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day ”  (Acts 17:111). May our love for God ’s word will be matched by profound discipline to be a people who are saved by grace, formed in Christ, guided by the Spirit and propelled into mission by God’s holy word.