Confessing, Admitting, Acknowledging! (Nehemiah 1:7)

We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses.

THE STUDY:

          We know that Nehemiah is a servant of a King. The language he uses in this verse gives a sense of a slave to their master. We have acted very corruptly, gives the implication in today’s terminology “they had lost their minds.” We have said it about individuals who have done something unlike themselves, “They have gone nuts!”

          Nehemiah was speaking to God here as to a master he has offended by disregarding his commands. The concept of disobedience goes right to the heart of the matter. God’s commands are not whimsical; he knows what is best for his people and for all society. Nehemiah recognized the seriousness of disobeying God’s ethical demands. Many ethical dilemmas of our day are not easily solved; however, we often make them more difficult by not accepting as relevant ethical commands that are clear in Scripture. In this case “the commands, decrees and laws” refer to the Pentateuch.^[1]

          Look at what Nehemiah says, we have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules. This is the reasoning for the state the people are in. Nehemiah knew that by confessing, admitting, or acknowledging the acts of their disobedience toward God starts the process of rebuilding.

                  

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding of the process of reconciling with God. 1) Turn back toward Him, 2) Confess, admit, and and/or acknowledge your sins. It’s that simple!

APPLICATION:

            Max Lucado says, “Confession does for the soul what preparing the

land does for the field. Before the farmer sows the seed he works the acreage, removing the rocks and pulling the stumps. He knows that seed grows better if the land is prepared. Confession is the act of inviting God to walk the acreage of our hearts. ‘There is a rock of greed over here Father, I can’t budge it. And that tree of guilt near the fence? Its roots are long and deep. And may I show you some dry soil, too crusty for seed?’ God’s seed grows better if the soil of the heart is cleared.

Today would be a great time for us to stop and ask ourselves, “Have I confessed, specifically, all my sins?” That rock of greed, that tree of lies? The bible tells us that, “If you confess your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive you of your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness”? (1 John 1:9) I don’t know about you but that sounds wonderful: confession, admission, acknowledging the sins in our lives. Remember, God’s seed grows better if the soil of the heart is cleared.

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Breneman, M. (1993). Vol. 10: Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (electronic ed.). The New American Commentary (172). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

We Know! (Part 1) (I John 5:18)

We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

THE STUDY:

          In the last part of this epistle, John shares three things the readers should have learned. Over the next few days we will be looking at these three things. All three are presented with the beginning statement, We know! This phrase is a favorite of John’s being that it is found in over 17 verses.

          The first thing John’s readers have learned is regarding SIN! The practice of sin is broken by the abiding results of the new birth not by some later experience. John allows for no “sinning religion” here.

Freedom from sin is an ongoing and relational matter. Christians do not habitually sin. They do not live in sin. But living without ongoing sin is not automatic. It requires meaningful moral decisions. Not sinning is a divine and human joint enterprise.

In regard to the phrase, but he who was born of God protects him, this can be somewhat confusing. We need to look at the grammar in this phrase. The grammar seems to indicate that the one born of God—that is, the Christian—is also the one who keeps safe. But what does that mean?

Some manuscripts attempt to solve this enigma by reading himself rather than him. This would call for the translation keeps himself safe. Neither variant reading is fully satisfying.

Regardless, John’s meaning seems clear enough: Christians are protected, whether by God/Christ or by themselves.^[1]

My personal opinion is looking at the fact that as a follower of Christ (a chosen will) it is through this decision we protect ourselves.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the idea that as John concludes this epistle he is recapping the important points he wanted to make. The first one is concerning sin. We can live a life that is free from sin and its snares. We do this through a personal, ongoing, relationship with the one whom defeated sin: Jesus Christ.

CONCLUSION:

          I have come to a personal conclusion that WE KNOW when we are sinning. I believe it’s in our very DNA to the fact that when we go against God’s will, nature, or character our body, mind, and soul detects it. I recall hearing a doctor say, “So long as a diseased appendix hurts there is hope for a safe removal. The danger period is when it stops hurting. It may mean the appendix has burst, spreading poison throughout the entire body.” So be glad that when you sin, your conscience still hurts and leads you toward repentance.

          If, today, you know that something is not rights between you and God, ask Him to forgive you and get that under the blood so you can continue on in this wonderful walk toward eternity with our heavenly father.

         

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (172). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

We Can Resist! (I John 5:17)

All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.

THE STUDY:

This verse equates unrighteousness (wrongdoing) and sin. Extending the analogy, if all unrighteousness is sin, then righteousness would manifest itself as an absence of sin. Although only briefly mentioned here, John’s assumption is clear. We can, if we submit to the will of God, stop the practice of sinning. Thus, praying for that to happen in the lives of others is right and expected—he should pray for the brother (v 16). Sin may still intrude, but it need not control the Christian. Even if sin and the child of God occasionally meet, they cannot live together in harmony.^[1]

           One of the articles of faith that the Nazarene Church has in regard to sin states: We believe that sin is of two kinds: original sin or depravity, and actual or personal sin. We further believe that original sin continues to exist with the new life of the regenerate, until the heart is fully cleansed by the baptism with the Holy Spirit. We believe that actual or personal sin is a voluntary violation of a known law of God by a morally responsible person.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away with the understanding that living a Spirit filled life empowers us to turn from sin and live a life that is SIN FREE! Not that we will never be tempted again but when we are, through the power of Christ that dwells inside us, we can turn from it. We can resist!

CONCLUSION:

          Sin is something that not only affects the sinner but those around them as well. This is why John was saying we should pray for our brother in verse 16. Often someone who has chosen to live a sinful life says, “It is my life! I can do with it as I wish!” However, such an attitude will not stand up under examination. No one sins in isolation, for it affects everyone the person touches.

This truth is well illustrated in the case of Achan (Josh 7). His sin affected not only himself but his family and nation. The same is true of each of us. We would all do well to heed the words of Tennyson in his Ulysses. “I am a part of all I have met.” And others are a part of you—for good or bad.

My encouragement today would be to allow the Holy Spirit to reign in your life so that you can be empowered to turn from the evil one and all his temptations to sin. Do it, not only for your sake, but for the sake of others. You can RESIST!

         

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (170). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

If We Don’t Pray Who Will? (I John 5:16)

If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that.

THE STUDY:

          This verse can be difficult to understand. Lack of understanding can cause people to interpret incorrectly and therefor miss the real meaning of the verse or passage. We don’t want to do that with this verse.

          John earlier stated his purpose for writing as that his readers might never sin (2:1). Here, however, he acknowledges the possibility that believers may sin. A brother may commit a sin and need correction. The present participle sinning may suggest falling into a sinful pattern, not just committing an isolated sin.

John affirms that Christians are obliged to pray for each other—he should pray. Asking God on behalf of another is especially warranted when a fellow Christian struggles or makes overtly sinful choices. God’s children are family, entrusted with the gospel, and responsible for each other.^[1]

There is a lot more to this verse and we will leave that up to the scholars to debate. But for now I feel we need to concentrate on the aspect of brothers praying for others who sin.

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding that we should never quit praying. Praying for our brother, who is thought of as family, is a responsibility each of us have. If we don’t pray, who will!

CONCLUSION:

          Dr. John F. Walvoord, in the chapel of Dallas Theological Seminary, one day told of a mother who prayed for her son for 60 years to be saved. One week before her death, the mother received a long-distance call from her son saying that he was saved.

          Today, there might be someone the Lord has laid on your heart to pray for. Maybe He has given that person to you many years ago. Whatever the case may be, PRAY! Don’t stop praying! You never know when that pray might be answered.

         

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (168). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

I John 3:11-12 (Part 4)

View Video Blog, Right Click Link: I John 3:11-12 (Part 4)

For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.

THE STUDY:

This morning we are going to answer the question found in this passage, why did he murder him? John reminds his readers that because Cain “was from the evil one” love had so disappeared from his heart that he could murder his own blood brother. Casting his lot with the evil one took Cain much further into depravity than he could have imagined. John’s only explanation for Cain’s action was “because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous”^[1]

The reason for this murder was Cain’s jealous resentment of his brother’s superior righteousness (Gen. 4:2-7). In saying this, John touched a sensitive nerve, since hatred toward another Christian is often prompted by a feeling of guilt about one’s own life as compared with that person’s. It is well to remember that such reactions are satanic, as John bluntly affirmed here.^[2]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away this morning with the understanding of two things: 1. When we are being persecuted or being treated unkindly by a person it may lie within that person themselves. What we bring about in that person is the sense of guilt due to their own lack of righteousness. James 1:2-3 says, Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 2. Sin will take us farther down the road of immorality than we ever thought we would go.

CONCLUSION:

           Because of the natural law of seedtime and harvest, the farmer knows when and what to plant to achieve the desired result. He knows that you harvest wheat if you sow wheat, that you do not sow weeds and reap wheat.

           God’s moral and spiritual laws work in the same way. You cannot sow sin and reap righteousness, or indulgence and reap health, or strife and reap peace. You cannot sow “the works of the flesh” and reap “the fruit of the Spirit.”

           But there is a further truth in this law. You reap what you sow in quality, but you reap more than you sow in quantity.

          Let today be a day that is filled with the deeds of the Father and not that of the evil one!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (121–122). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.

^[2] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (1 Jn 3:11–12). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

I John 3:6

No Video Blog for this Lesson!

No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.

THE STUDY:

Two perfect tense verbs appear. The first, “has not seen him,” strongly affirms that the person continuing to live habitually in sin has never truly seen Christ initially and certainly does not have Christ in view now. The second, “has not known him,” stresses that such a one has never authentically “known” Christ and obviously does not know Christ now. True vision and knowledge have abiding results. These verbs provide a direct contrast to the opening lines of the letter.

Abiding in Jesus means sin is excluded. Conversely, ongoing sinning means that Christ is not known. John’s views here are consistent with the dualism expressed throughout. This verse does not declare occasions of sin to be impossible. Rather it asserts that a sinful life does not characterize the child of God. As one is constantly abiding, one is simultaneously kept from the practice of sin. The image of sinlessness is a lofty call to holy and consistent living in obedience before God.^[1]

WHAT WE CAN WALK AWAY WITH ….

• We walk away with this morning knowing sin is habitual. We don’t fall into sin like a hole in the ground. We don’t get hit by sin like a baseball coming at us in a battering cage. Sin is a willful transgression against a known law of God. Sin is when we put our hand to God and say, “My way God not yours.”

• Sin is habitual! This habit can be broken through Christ; the one who defeated sin and death. Living a life, in Christ, moves us to become habitual in Christ. This Christian life moves us to a higher level of living. Not a life that doesn’t sin but a life that does not have to sin.  

CONCLUSION:

          A preacher was speaking from the text, “The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.” Suddenly he was interrupted by an atheist who asked, “How can blood cleanse sin?” For a moment the preacher was silent; then he countered, “How can water quench thirst?” “I do not know,” replied the infidel, “but I know that it does.” “Neither do I know how the blood of Jesus cleanses sin,” answered the preacher, “but I know that it does.”

          Let me encourage you today with the understanding that Jesus frees us from sin. The power that dwells inside us is sufficient for this life of Holiness. With Christ, WE CAN DO IT!

Blessings my friends

Pastor Rod

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^[1] Williamson, R. (2010). 1, 2, & 3 John: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary (115–116). Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press.