John R. Rice Quotes of the Week

You ask, "Is Jesus coming again?" Yes. "Do you know when?" Nobody knows when. ". . .for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man cometh." The Lord is coming suddenly, unexpectedly, with no signs. There are no preliminary ways to know when He will come, but in a moment He is coming with the sound of a trumpet. The dead in Christ shall rise and we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 25]

God Himself moved the men when they wrote the Scriptures. Inspiration. What do you mean then? Not just supervision, not just some correction of mistakes, but the words come from God. The Scriptures were breathed out from God. The men who wrote held the pen, but God held the man who held the pen. Literally, then, this is the Word of God and not the word of men. The words are the words of God, not simply the words of men. - John R. Rice [Sweet Family Ties in Heaven and Hell, pg. 30]

You cannot hold on to the Christ of the Bible unless you hold on to the Bible itself. Anybody who is ashamed of the Word of Jesus Christ is ashamed of Christ. They stand or fall together. The Bible is the Word of Christ, and the words are the words of Christ, "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. - John R. Rice [Sweet Family Ties in Heaven and Hell, pg. 28]

Incidentally, as you know, in the Greek the term for "breath" or "wind," and the word for "spirit," are the same. So the Holy Spirit of God came upon men and God breathed out through His Spirit the Word of God. Notice, not that God supervised men; not that God touched men, but that God moved men to say what He breathed out Himself. The Bible is breathed out from God. It is a product of God, and so the Word of God. - John R. Rice [Sweet Family Ties in Heaven and Hell, pg. 29]

Notice this wonderful truth. Paul said to these people, "Ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for His Son from heaven." To these people of Thessalonica Paul said, "I wasn't there for very long, but while there I taught you to look for Jesus, for He is coming." Christians in Bible times were taught to expect Christ to return at any moment. - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 25]

Note this. Paul the apostle expected to be alive when Jesus comes, for he said, "The dead in Christ shall rise first: Then WE which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 25]

Nobody knows when Jesus is coming. Don't listen to those who say, "I know by some signs that we are in the last days and that Jesus is coming soon."

A foolish man said the other day, "In 1984 [this was published in 1980] Jesus has to set up His kingdom." That is not found in the Bible. People have silly ways of reading in something as if it were spiritual truth, something they figured out.

- John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 25]

“WITH HIM” SPEAKS OF A PLACE

1 TH. 4:13-18

 

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

The Holy Spirit of God led Paul to write in 1 Th. 4 a word of comfort to some Christians who were concerned about believers (Christians) who had died. They were not sure of the status of those people in light of the return of Jesus Christ for His own in what is commonly called, the Rapture.

I have preached on this passage dozens of times over the years. I have read this passage scores of times but as I was asking the Lord for a message for this special occasion the Lord gave me an emphasis that I do not believe I have ever preached. Listen, if you will, to verse 14 again. Pay special attention to the last two words of the verse, they speak volumes. “with Him.”

 

I. “WITH HIM” SPEAKS OF A PLACE – THE PLACE OF HIS PRESENCE

 

Mark it down in bold print, capitalize all the letters and underline it in red because that’s where the Christian dead are today – in the presence of Jesus, “with Him.”

Jesus said, “I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3).

Paul said we are willing “to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8).

 

II. “WITH HIM” SPEAKS OF A PLACE – THE PLACE OF HIS PEOPLE [v.13-17]

 

III. “WITH HIM” SPEAKS OF A PLACE – THE PLACE OF HIS PEACE

 

-v. 13 the Peace of Knowing “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” [Jn. 8:32]

-v. 15, 18 the peace of the Word of God “”that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope [Rm. 15:4]

 

IV. “WITH HIM” SPEAKS OF A PLACE – THE PLACE OF HIS PARDON [v. 14, 16, 17, Job 19:25-27]

 

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

 

V. “WITH HIM” SPEAKS OF A PLACE – THE PLACE OF HIS PURPOSE [v. 17]

 

“As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. “[Ps. 17:15]

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.

“WITH HIM”

1 TH. 4:13-18                                                 

 

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. “WITH HIM” IS THE POWER OF SALVATION [Acts 4:12, Rm. 1:16]

 

- Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

- For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

 

1. “With Him” there is Security [Jn. 6:37-40, 1 Pet. 1:5]

 

- All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, , but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

-Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

 

2. “With Him” there is Serenity [Jn. 14:1, 27-29; Phil. 4:7]

 

- Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

- Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me , ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.

- And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 

3. “With Him” there is Satisfaction [Ps. 17:15]

 

As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.

II. “WITH HIM” IS THE PROCESS OF SYNCHRONICITY [2 Cor. 5:17, 21]

 

-Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

-For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

 

1. “With Him” we have a Relationship with God the Father [Jn. 1:12]

 

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

 

2. “With Him” we have the Indwelling Spirit of God [1 Cor. 6:11, 19-20]

 

-And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

-What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

 

3. “With Him” we have the Mind of Christ [Phil. 2:5, 3:14-15, 4:6-7]

 

- Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

- I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

- Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 

III. “WITHOUT HIM” IS THE PATH OF SIN & SORROW

 

1. “Without Him” there is No Relationship [Eph. 2:11-13]

 

- Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

 

2. “Without Him” there is No Hope [Eph. 2:13, 19]

 

-But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

- Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

 

3. “Without Him” there is No Peace [Is. 48:22, Eph. 2:14-18]

 

-There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.

- For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby : And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

THREE FACTORS OF FLESHLY WISDOM

JAMES 3:13-17

 

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. FLESHLY “WISDOM” IS LIMITED

 

1. Fleshly Wisdom Cannot Please God [Rm. 8:8]

 

2. Fleshly Wisdom Cannot Reach People with the Gospel/Bible [1 Cor. 1:17-31, 2 Cor. 1: 12]

 

3. Fleshly Wisdom Cannot Inherit the Kingdom of God [Jn. 1:12-13, 1 Cor. 15:50]

 

II. FLESHLY “WISDOM” IS LAMBASTED

 

1.  The Flesh is Weak [Mt. 26:42]

 

2. The Flesh Has No Profit [John 6:60-71]

 

3.  The Flesh “Puffs Up” [Col. 2:18-23]

 

III. FLESHLY “WISDOM” IS LUSTFUL

 

1. It is Contrary to the Spirit of God [Gal. 5:16-18]

 

2. It is Contrary to the Kingdom of God [Gal. 6:19-21]

 

3. It is Contrary to the Law of Christ [Gal. 6:22-6:10]

JOHN R. RICE QUOTES OF THE WEEK

I had a letter from a young man: "Brother Rice, I am called to preach, and I have to get away and preach! I want to go to college. I have one problem, however. I owe $4,000. Now what shall I do? Shall I go on to college and just hope that some way in the future those debts will be cared for? What do you think?"

I said, "God doesn't want crooks preaching the Gospel. If you can't pay those debts honestly, then God won't help you hold a revival or build a church." - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 22]

Day by day defraud nobody. Christians ought to pay their honest debts and have a good rapport with everybody. So he warns others not to defraud. [1 Th. 4:6] - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 23]

Love Christians if they are not of your denomination? Yes. Love Christians if they haven't been baptized? Yes. Love Christians who may embrace some false doctrine? Every Christian is weak, and sinful, and nobody is perfect. We have to love people as we find them, then we can help them in doctrine and in life. We should indeed remember that Christians ought to love one another. - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 23]

When Jesus comes in the air to receive His saints in the first phase of His second coming, at the rapture, we Christians who are alive will be changed and the Christian dead will be raised and we will all meet the Lord in the air. - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 24]

What is the first thing we are to expect? Jesus to come and call us up to meet Him in the air. We do not know when that will be. " . .for ye know neither the day not the hour wherein the Son of man cometh."

We are talking about the Lord Himself, the literal, physical body of Jesus that rose from the dead, the body the disciples put their hands on, and heard talk, the body which are before them-that same Jesus is literally coming back. - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 24]

What will happen [when Jesus comes back]? First, there will be a resurrection of the Christian dead. For He is going to bring back to get their bodies the spirits of those who are with Him in Heaven, and those alive shall be changed in a moment and caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. Oh, the sweet second coming! - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 24]

Before I was hardly six, my mother went to be with the Lord. She went rejoicing. I stood by that open grave, along with my father who had his arms around two little boys and two little girls. A good woman held an umbrella over us when it began to rain. We looked down on that casket and said good-bye to our mother. Oh, but when Jesus comes, they will come with Jesus and their bodies will be raised up and we will meet the Lord in the air. - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 25]

THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON

Revelation 16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

 

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. THE SCARE OF THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON

 

1. No Faith [Luke 18:1-8]

 

2. No Filter [Rev. 14:6-20]

 

3. No Flesh [Mk. 13:19-27]

 

II. THE SCOPE OF THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON

 

1. The Armies of Heaven [Rev. 19:11-16]

 

2. The Armies of Earth [Rev. 19:17-21]

 

3. The Armies of “Hell” [Rev. 18:1-8, 20:1-3]

 

III. THE SCORE OF THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON

 

1. The Living “Saved” Enter the Millennium [Mt. 25:31-40]

 

2. The Lost Souls Enter Hell [Mt. 25:41-46]

 

3. The Lord & Saviour Reigns [Mt. 25:31, Rev. 2:27, 12:5, 19:15, 20:1-6]

 

LONG LIVE THE KING!                    That’s my king!

THERE IS ONE

James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

 

 Pastor Rick Jackson

 

 I. SIN IS THE ONE REASON WE NEED SALVATION

 

 1. One Sinner Was Enough to Infect All People [Rm. 5:12-14]

Wherefore , as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

 

2. One Sin Enough to Condemn All Sinners [James 2:10-11]

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

 

3. One Span of Life to Make the Right Choice [Heb. 9:27-28, 4:2]

-And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

-For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

 

 II. GOD’S WAY IS THE ONE WAY OF SALVATION

 

 1. Only One Price Could Be Paid [Rm. 6:23, 5:6-8]

- For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

-For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

- For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

 

2. Only One Person Could Pay the Price [1 Timothy 2:5]

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus]

 

3. Only One Plan Could Perfect the People [Rm. 1:16, Heb. 10:14, 2 Cor. 5:21]

- For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

-For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

-For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

 

 III. THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS THE ONE WALK OF SALVATION

 

1. An Acceptance of His Lordship – A Believing Faith [Lk. 6:44-46, Acts 9:6]

-For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

- And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

 

2. An Acceptance of His Leadership – A Bible Faith [Mark 11:22, Lk. 6:47-49]

- And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

- Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

 

3. An Acceptance of Your Ambassadorship – A Bold Faith [2 Cor. 5:17-20]

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

 

Be the One! Be the one who follows God, be the one who believes God, be the one who prays, be the one who gives, be the one who witnesses, be the one that and say, with Paul, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

JOHN R. RICE QUOTES OF THE WEEK

    Well, Paul, you seem to like these people at Thessalonica.

"Oh, yes, they are my joy and crown."

Why?

"Well, when Christ comes, I want to have this whole crowd there. I am going to see them at the rapture - changed in a moment and caught up to be with the Lord. They are my joy and crown. They are our hope, our joy, our crown of rejoicing in the presence of the Lord Jesus at His second coming."

All who win souls are going to have something to rejoice about when Jesus comes! - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 15]

We should be careful that Jesus will find our hearts unblameable in holiness when He comes.

Holiness is not a bad word. "Holiness" and "sanctification" mean the same thing in the Bible--being set apart for God. It does not necessarily mean sinlessness. None of us are without sin. - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 19]

When one gets saved he is set apart for Heaven. He is set apart for God. And so you may call a saved person a saint. The letters are addressed "to the saints at Corinth," saved people who are set apart for Heaven. - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 19]

What is wrong with the modernist is not his intelligence, but his sin. Education never made a modernist and a Christ-rejecter. There are no facts in science or history which make the Bible unacceptable to an educated man. There is only a wickedness in the heart that turns people away from Christ and the Bible. Jesus very properly said in Luke 24:25, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken." - John R. Rice

There is another sense in which one may grow in sanctification. In the high priestly prayer in John 17 Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (vs. 17). Christians are to be set apart and changed and are more and more dedicated to Jesus as they read and love the Bible, and live by it. Daily use of the Bible tends to get one's mind more and more from the world, and to Jesus Christ. - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 20]

"This is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour." [1 Th. 4:3-4]

Sanctification means a Christian ought to be separated to the Lord, out and out. Paul said, "I am praying for that for you people, praying for you to live a sanctified life" (in the sense of being separated unto God). He warned them, "Watch your bodies, because even Christians have sex temptations." That means being careful about your contact with the other sex, being careful in the way you walk, in the pictures you see, in the books you read. Keep your body holy. Keep your vessel unto honor. - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 21-22]

"This is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour." [1 Th. 4:3-4]

Is the body a vessel? Yes. It is the home of the Holy Spirit. Every Christian has the Holy Spirit abiding in him. And He must be offended when you stink up the body with tobacco. The Spirit of God inside is grieved at that. And to take away part of your senses so as to dull your wits by drinking and slow your reactions and make it so you may land in jail or do something dishonest, or be led in some crime--that would grieve the Holy Spirit. So keep that body, the home of the Holy Spirit, as a holy vessel. When Paul says "sanctification" he means being set apart for God. - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 22]

THREE MISTAKES OF EARTHLY WISDOM

JAMES 3:13-17

 

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. THINKING CHARACTER IS NOT IMPORTANT [ESTHER 3:1-5] 

 

“It’s nice to be important. It’s more important to be nice.”

 

1. As Shown by Ignorance of Biblical Truth [v. 1-3]

 

2. As Shown by Arrogance towards Bible Followers [v. 4]

 

3. As Shown by Intolerance towards Biblical Values [v. 5]

 

II. THINKING JEWS ARE NOT IMPORTANT [ESTHER 3:6-9]

 

1.  A Disregard for God’s Promises [v. 6, Gn. 12:1-3, Gal. 3:6-8ff.]

 

- Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed

- Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

2. A Disregard for God’s Prophets [v. 7, Rm. 3:1-3, 9]

 

-What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. For what if some did not believe ? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?

-What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

 

3.  A Disregard for God’s People [v. 8-9, Rm. 9:3-5]

 

For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

 

III. THINKING THEY ARE IN CHARGE [ESTHER]

 

1. Displayed by His Gloating [3:6, 5:9-12]

 

2. Demonstrated by His Gallows [5:13-14]

 

3. Destroyed by His Guilt [6:11-14, 7:6-10]

 

Character is important, God’s people are important, recognizing God is Sovereign is important.

 

PSALM 96

THE TRIBULATION

MATTHEW 24:29-30

 

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. THREE AND ONE-HALF YEARS OF DECEPTION

 

1. A Revelation after a Mass Disappearance [2 Th. 2:1-3]

 

2. A Covenant of Peace [Dan. 9:27]

 

3. Wonder and Worship [Rev. 13:1-4]

 

II. THREE AND ONE-HALF MINUTES OF TERROR

 

1. The Abomination of Desolation [Mt. 24:15]

 

2. The Breaking of the Covenant [Dan. 9:27]

 

3. The Declaration of Blasphemy [2 Th. 2:4]

 

III. THREE AND ONE-HALF YEARS OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION

 

1. Never Like This [Mt. 24:15-21]

 

2. Never Would Survive [Mt. 24:22]

 

3. Never Accept Substitutes [Mt. 24:23-31, Rev. 19:11-16]

THEY WERE ALL THE SAME

 

                                                                                      Pastor Rick Jackson

 

Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Romans 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

 

21 years ago, almost 3000 people died in the attacks of 9-11-01. That number is over 3000 if you add in the related deaths due to the aftermath of those horrific events. Millions were affected by these deaths.

Last week, Queen Elizabeth II peacefully passed away at the age of 96 with her two oldest children at her bedside. It is safe to say that millions of people were also affected by this one older woman’s passing.

Commoners and a queen. Famous, infamous and anonymous. Heroes, legends and laypeople. Some known by name, others by their plight, and still others by their sin. And yet, in some very real ways, they were all the same.

 

I. THEY WERE ALL SINNERS

 

1. They Were All Sinners by Birth [Psalm 58:3,  Romans 5:12]

-The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.

-Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

 

2. They Were All Sinners by Nature [Psalm 51:5, Jam. 1:13-15]

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Let no man say when he is tempted , I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

 

3. They Were All Sinners by Choice [Ps. 14:2-3, Ecclesiastes 7:20, Romans 3:23]

-The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

-For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

-For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

II. THEY ALL DIED - except for a select few- all must die [Ecclesiastes]

 

1. Wisdom Can’t Stop Death [Eccl. 2:14-16] The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all. Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.

 

2. Works Can’t Stop Death [Eccl. 2:17-20] Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit. Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.

 

3. Personal Abilities Can’t Stop Death [Eccl. 9:11-12] I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

 

III. THEY ALL COULD HAVE SALVATION

 

1. Salvation is Needed by All [Rm. 6:23]

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

2. Salvation is Available for All [Rom. 5:6, 8]

-For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

-But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

 

3. Salvation is Acceptable for All [Rm. 10:9-13]

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

JOHN R. RICE QUOTES OF THE WEEK

 Now he said, "Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ." [1:1] Grace and peace. Remember the order of these words. It always is first grace, then peace. And that is the way it must be. The only way we can have peace is to have grace from God and to have His loving mercy smile upon us. - John R. Rice {Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 3]

Man's preaching is sorry business if it be man only and not God.

How often through these years I prayed for the breath of God to be upon me as I preached. . . . our preaching must be in the power of the Holy Ghost. - John R. Rice {Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 4]

You can't serve God acceptably and do the work of God acceptably without the power of God. - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 4]

Oh, for preaching that touches people, that convicts people, that makes people conscious of their need. The word isn't enough. When I preach I often say that I can only reach ears; the Spirit of God must reach the heart.

Paul says, "I remember when I was there in Thessalonica, I preached the word, and not only the word, but in power and in the Holy Ghost." - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 5]

In Bible times they taught Christians to expect Jesus to come in their lifetime. And these people in Thessalonica were waiting "for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come."

Here is an interesting thing. In this little book [1st Thessalonians] of five chapters, every chapter ends on the second coming." - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 8]

Paul, it seems you would have been scared to preach so plain, since that got you in trouble at Philippi. But Paul said, "When God shook that old jail down and the jailer came weeping and asking how to be saved and we got him and his family saved, I was ready to begin another meeting, have another fight, and get in jail again, if need be." - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 9-10]

Christians ought to live like Christians. - John R. Rice [Comments on 1st Thessalonians, pg. 14]

HOW THE DEVIL FIGHTS

ACTS 16:16-18                

 

Pastor Rick Jackson                                                             

 

I. THE DEVIL FIGHTS DIRTY

 

1. He is the Master of Manipulation [v. 16a]

 

2. He is the Master of Exploitation [v. 16b]

 

3. He is the Master of Infiltration [v. 17]

 

II. THE DEVIL FIGHTS DELIBERATELY

 

1. The Active Christians were Hounded [v. 17-18]

 

2. The Active Christians were Harassed [v. 19-22a]

 

3. The Active Christians were Harmed [v. 22b-24]

 

III. THE DEVIL FIGHTS DEFEATEDLY

 

1. He Cannot take a Surrendered Christian’s Joy [v. 25]

 

2. He Cannot take a Sanctified Christian’s Job [v. 26-32]

 

3. He Cannot take a Satisfied Christian’s Joy [v. 33-40]

Missionary Raymond Shull tells the true story of how Christians in Cambodia, like the rest of us, must face the onslaught of Satan. “One such Cambodian Christian is a young man named Tho. He, his wife and his son have accepted Christ as Savior. Tho preaches every week in our mid-week service and in our village ministry that is in his hometown. He has been a Christian for seven years and takes a firm stand in his faith.”

 

“A couple of years ago his mother-in-law was stricken with cancer. The doctors gave no hope of survival. Having nowhere else to turn, she called for the village witch doctor to come and evaluate the cause of her cancer. It was her belief that someone in her family had sinned and offended the demonic forces of hell. The witch doctor under the power of Satan would be able to tell her who had sinned and who was the guilty family member that was causing her cancer. Tho’s mother-in-law set a date for all of her children, their spouses, and their children to come to her house and meet with the witch doctor. Tho and his wife would also be forced to come. The belief here [in Cambodia] is that one’s parents are gods and must be respected as such. On that day all the family members were set in a circle and the witch doctor sat in the middle. Each family member was questioned individually and under the power of Satan, each of their sins were brought to light- a very embarrassing moment for all of them.

 

“The witch doctor turned to face Tho and his wife. Their eyes met for what seemed like an eternity. The other family members waited to hear about the sins of Tho and his wife. After a few moments of silence, the witch doctor turned from them and went to the next family member and made known all their sins. The witch doctor could not speak against a child of God; he was strangely silent.

 

“After the ceremony the other family members questioned the witch doctor about the sins of Tho and his wife. The witch doctor replied that he could not see the sins of Tho or his wife and was not permitted to speak against them. The power of Satan met the promises of Scripture, and the truth of Scripture defeated the terror of sin. …Ps. 103:12, Heb. 9:26b… 8:12.”

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

…but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST

ROMANS 14:10

 

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. IT IS PERSONAL [ROMANS 14]

 

1. Focus on Christ [v. 1-9]

 

2. Focus on Self [v. 10]

 

3. Focus on Pleasing Him [v. 11-13]

 

II. IT IS PERFECTION [1 CORINTHIANS 3, 4]

 

1. The Foundation Must Be Right [3:7-11]

 

2. The Motivation Must Be Right [3:12-23]

 

3. The Information Must Be Right [4:1-5]

III. IT IS PERFORMANCE ORIENTATED [2 CORINTHIANS 5]

 

1. This is a Judgment is Only for Believers [v. 1-8]

 

2. This is a Judgment for Accepting Works [v. 9-10a]

 

3. This is a Judgment of Approving Workers [v. 10b-11, Psalm 111:10]

 

The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do [his commandments:] his praise endureth for ever.

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge: [but] fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD [is] to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy [is] understanding.

Proverbs 15:16 Better [is] little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.

THE GOAL -

 

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

 

Philippians 3:14, Mark 10:35-45   

 

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. “YOU BETTER RECOGNIZE”

 

1. The Person of Jesus Christ [v. 35-37]

 

2. The Place of Jesus Christ [v. 37]

 

3. The Purpose of Jesus Christ [v. 45]

 

II. “YOU BETTER REALIZE”

 

1.  This is an Admirable Goal [v. 39]

 

2. This is an Attainable Goal [v. 40]

 

3.  This is an Alienating Goal [v. 41]

 

III. “YOU BETTER REORGANIZE”

 

1. Can You Pay the Price? [v. 38-39]

 

“The world has yet to see what God can do with and for and through and in and by the man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him.”

 

2. Will You Humble Your Heart? [v. 42-44, 1 Peter 5:5]

 

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

 

3. Will You Follow the Saviour? [v. 45]