UP, UP, AND AWAY

ACTS 1:2, 9-11

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

Many false doctrines abound concerning Christ’s return. Several cults say Jesus has already returned albeit secretly. Some say we are in the 1000-year reign of Christ right now! David Koresh claimed to be the 2nd coming of Christ. He died. Sun Myung Moon allowed his followers to say he was the second coming of Christ. He died in 2012But what saith the Scripture?

 

I. THE PERSON [Acts 1:11]

1. The Jesus of the Passion [1:1-3a, 17:2-3]

And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

2. The Jesus of the Proofs [1:3, Lk. 24:30-45]

3. The Jesus of the Power [1:4-8, Mt. 28:18]

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

 

II. THE POWER [Acts 1:11]

1. He’s Coming to Change the Saved [1 John 3:2]

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

2. He’s Coming to Conquer Satan & co. [1 John 3:8, Rev. 19-20]

-He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

3. He’s Coming to Control Earth & Its Kingdoms [Rev. 19:13-15]

And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

 

III. THE PLAN [Acts 1:9-13]

1. He’s Coming Personally [Rev. 1:7]

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

2. He’s Coming Visibly [Rev. 1:7]

3. He’s Coming Locally [Zech. 14:4, Acts 1:11-12]

-And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE SAY IT DOES NOT MAKE IT SO!

PSALM 3

A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.

1 LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.
2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.
3 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
4 I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.
5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.
7 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
8 Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

The old song says "Nobody knows the troubles I've seen..." David certainly had trouble. Granted many of them were self-inflicted through wrong decisions, wrong actions, wrong handling of situations... BUT--- how many of us can say we have never done the same? Show of hands? I thought not.

It got so bad for David even his own son was seeking to dethrone him and kill him. When his son rebelled many joined in on the rebellion. How many folks are just waiting for something bad to happen to us so they can jump on the bandwagon? People were even saying God had deserted David [v. 2] and David knew they were saying that!

JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE SAY SOMETHING DOESN'T MAKE IT SO! When I was at Flagler College back in the 1970s we read a book in history class written in the 1930s that said the Scopes trial of 1925 and its aftermath had killed Bible-believing Christianity. The professor asked the class if that statement was true? Most of them agreed that it was (after all it was written in a book). How he knew I'm not sure but the professor, a Bible-believing Christian himself, knowing he had a young Fundamentalist in the room said, "Mr. Jackson, do you agree with the author's assessment?"

"No sir!"

"Why not?"

"Sir, the largest church in Tennessee [where the Scopes trial took place] is the Highland Park Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tn. with over 10,000 members. The largest church in Florida...Indiana...Virginia...Alaska... The Churches that thrive the most, large or small, are the ones that still teach and preach the Bible!" [Thank God for John R. Rice and The Sword of the Lord where I had gleaned that information over those formative years]

"That would be correct. History is sometimes seen best from a distance class."

We all learned something that day. I learned my professor knew me better than I thought. The class learned that historians are NOT always right, nor are they the unbiased lot they would have us believe and the professor learned he could call on that skinny [at the time] kid and get a somewhat intelligible response.

David continued to trust God no matter what the people said. [v. 4] Brother Lester Roloff used to sing, "...There's something mighty sweet about the Lord, It really doesn't matter, what the people say, there's something mighty sweet."

David continued to pray. He knew the Lord heard him and so do you know what he did? He slept soundly! [v. 5] Worry is such a time waster and sleep stealer. Someone has said, "I absolutely refuse to worry!" As long as the reason for that statement is trusting God I concur. Take your burden to the Lord and LEAVE it there. Don't take it back with you.

Who cares who or how many oppose you [v. 6] when God is taking up your cause [v. 7-8]? Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

FULL OF TROUBLE

 

FULL OF TROUBLE

JOB 14:1-2

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. FROM SELF

1. Sometimes because of our Selfishness [Pr. 11:23-26]

The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath. There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.

2. Sometimes because of our Seeking [Pr. 11:27-31, Mt. 6:33]

- He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him. He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch. He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.

- But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

3. Sometimes Self-inflicted [Pr. 23:29-35, Gal. 6:7-8]

- Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions ? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup , when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

- Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

 

II. FROM SATAN [includes his servants] 1 Pet. 4:12

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1. His Design – Sin [1 Pet. 5:8, 1 Th. 3:5, Eden, the wilderness]

-Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

-For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.

2. His Desire – Sift [Lk. 22:31-32]

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

3. His Destruction – Sure [Mt. 25:41, Rev. 20:10]

- Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

- And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

III. FROM THE SAVIOUR

1. For Refinement [Job 23:10-12, Rm. 8:28-29]

But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

- And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

2. For Rebuke [Neh. 9:27]

Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.

3. For Reusing [2 Cor. 1:3-7]

-Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

PRACTICE THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST

Joshua 1:6-9

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. IN THE HOUR OF UNCERTAINTY [Is. 41:10]

1. Look to the Lord’s Record [v. 1-4]

2. Look to the Lord’s Reality [v. 5-9]

3. Look to the Lord’s Reminder [v. 10-29]

 

II. IN THE HOUR OF DISSATISFACTION [Hebrews 13:5]

1. Let Your Light Shine [v. 1-4]

2. Let Your Lifestyle Showcase Your Faith [v. 5-14]

3. Let Your Lips Give the Sacrifice of Praise [v.15, 18]

 

III. IN THE HOUR OF INADEQUACY [Mt. 28:20]

1. The Commission Overrides Feelings [v. 18-19]

2. The Command should be Obeyed Faithfully [v. 20]

3. The Comfort (of His presence) Operates by Faith [v. 20]

HE GAVE HIMSELF

GALATIANS 1:1-5

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. “FOR OUR SINS” [v. 4]

1. The Great Deed [v. 4, Jn. 15:13]

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

2. The Great Deliverer [v. 4, 1 Pt. 3:18]

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

3. The Great Debt [v. 4, Heb. 2:9, 1 Jn. 2:2]

-But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

- And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

 

II. “THAT HE MIGHT DELIVER US FROM THIS PRESENT EVIL WORLD” [v. 4]

1. From the Fate of this World [v. 4, 1 Cor. 11:32, 2 Th. 1:7-9]

-But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

-And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.

2. From the “father” of this World [v. 4, Jn. 8:44, Mt. 25:41, 2 Cor. 4:4-6]

-Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

-the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness , hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

3. From the Fashion of this World [v. 4, 1 Cor. 7:31, Rm. 12:2]

-the fashion of this world passeth away.

-be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind

 

III. “ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD AND OUR FATHER”

1. It is Not God’s Will that Any should Perish but many Will [v. 4, Mt. 18:14, 2 Pt. 3:9, Acts 17:30]

- Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

-The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

-And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

2. It Was God’s Will that Christ Die in Our Place [v. 4, Is. 53:4-6]

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

3. It was God’s Will that Christ Be Satisfied with the Fruit of His Labors [v. 4, Is. 53:10-12]

Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

THREE TRUTHS FROM ONE TRUTH

Hosea 11:9

Pastor Rick Jackson

I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.

 

1. THERE IS ONLY 1 GOD

Dt. 4:35 Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him

Dt. 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

Is. 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

Is. 44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

Mk. 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

 

2. THIS 1 GOD IS IN 3 PERSONS

The word "one" in these verses speaks of a compound unity (more than one in the one). Sometimes people come to the Scriptures with preconceived ideas, and they try to bend the Scriptures (or "wrest" them as Peter says) to fit their ideas. We should always be open to the Scriptures and let them mold our thoughts and ideas. People sometimes get upset with the preacher for not following their little narrow view when the truth is right there in the Scriptures. Some Bible examples of the number one being a compound unity at times:

Gn. 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Gn. 11:6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

Jn. 17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

Gal. 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

 

3. GOD IS ESSENTIALLY ONE AND ALSO IS THREE

God often uses plural pronouns or designations about Himself. We do as well – “One nation under God”

Gn. 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Is. 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?

Jn. 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.

Jn. 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

God is infinite and we are finite. He is not limited as we are.

He has given us the physical example of water (vapor, liquid, solid) to help illustrate the truth of 3 in 1 and 1 in 3 (Father, Son & Holy Spirit).

GREAT THEMES IN JOHN’S EPISTLES

1, 2, & 3 JOHN

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

There are many great themes in John’s epistles, but we are going to center on three this service.

 

I. 1 JOHN PRESENTS THE MANIFESTATION OF CHRIST’S PURPOSE

1. Christ Manifested God’s Love Through Salvation [1:2, 4:9]

2. Christ Manifested Salvation by Removing Sin [1 John 3:5]

3. Christ Manifested His Purpose by Defeating Satan [1 John 3:8]

 

II. 2 JOHN PRESENTS THE GREAT THEME OF CHRIST’S DEITY

1. Christ became Fully Man [v.  7]

2. Christ is Fully God [v. 9, Jn. 1:1-3, 14]

-In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

-And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

3. Christ’s Deity Is NOT an Optional Doctrine [v. 9-11]

III. 3 JOHN PRESENTS THE GREAT THEME OF CHRIST’S TRUTH

1. Truth Produces Joy [v. 2-4, 1 Jn. 1:4]

2. Truth Should be Supported [v. 5-8]

3. Truth Produces Good Reports [v. 12, Heb. 11:1-2, Rm. 10:17]

- Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.

- So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.