The Biblical Path of Life

Tag: Preaching

  • A Life Example

    “Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?”

    Jonah 3:9

    Do you remember what we can learn from the book of Jonah? After Jonah went to the people of Nineveh, the people understood that God expected repentance. In addition, they also had a hope that God would turn from his fierce anger and spare their lives. Remember the kings command: “8. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. 9 .Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?” (Jonah 3:8-9). In the book of Jonah, we learned that the people in Nineveh turned from sin to God. We then read what God did. He turned from His fierce anger against sin when he saw true repentance throughout the city of Nineveh.

    How in the world did the king of Nineveh know that God would turn from his fierce anger and forgive them? Consider the recent events of Jonah’s life.

    God told Jonah to go preach to the enemy of God’s people, Nineveh. They were not God’s people, they were dead people (spiritually). Remember what Ephesians teaches us. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). Quickened means “to make alive; give life.” All apart from the saving knowledge of Christ are “dead in trespasses and sins.” The Assyrian people of Ninevah were a wicked and evil people: “dead in trespasses and sins.” God told Jonah to go preach to them. Apparently Jonah did not agree with what God wanted him to do, for he went the opposite direction. When the storm came, Jonah recognized it was the hand of God for Jonah’s disobedience (see Jonah 1:12). When the men threw Jonah overboard, the great fish that God had prepared, swallowed Jonah. That great fish was appointed by God, for God wanted Jonah to learn a lesson that he needed to know. Jonah was not in charge – God was. We can read that while Jonah was in the belly of that great fish, he prayed. Jonah was there until his thinking aligned with God’s way. Even though Jonah may have hated the people of Nineveh, Jonah recognized that obedience to God was most important. Jonah promised to do that which he vowed to the Lord. “And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land” (Jonah 2:10). God then told Jonah, the second time, to go to Nineveh and preach. Jonah went and said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4b). If you think about it, Jonah went, but this was the message that Jonah wanted to give. However, God had provided the people of Nineveh a better message than the words that Jonah spoke. The people of Nineveh witnessed Jonah’s life experience of being in the belly of the great fish. Jonah had disobeyed God, running from Him, and then experienced what could only be seen as death for three days at the bottom of the sea. Now, Jonah was alive where God wanted him, walking among them and warning them that Nineveh would be overthrown. This life witness must have spoken louder than Jonah’s words, for his words were few. However, God’s call came through Jonah’s words. One must hear God’s Word in order to be made alive. “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21). Jonah had to go give the people a message from God. We can recognize that in spite of the few words, the new life after rebellion, death and then repentance, spoke loudly to the people. “So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them” (Jonah 3:5). God spared Nineveh.

    Jonah had ended up in the belly of that great fish because he rejected God’s Word. Jonah had to change his thinking to align with God and His Word, turning his heart back to Him. This is called repentance. It was only then that he could do what God wanted him to do.

    There are many Christians who do exactly what Jonah did when God told him to deliver a message to Nineveh. They make excuses, and oftentimes go the opposite direction God sends them. If you are a Christian and have someone that God has instructed you to tell about Jesus, go tell them. God requires His Word to be proclaimed in order for the lost to hear and believe in Him. Christians need to get their thinking aligned with what God teaches us to do according to His Word. Do not wait for God to make a life example out of your failure to obey God and His Word. The call of repentance, turning one’s heart and life to Jesus, is the only hope. Remember also that Jonah’s life spoke louder than his word.

    Remembering what Jesus did for us, it should be easy to follow Him. It should be natural for Christians to do what He says and live for Him. Christians are not to live for ourselves, but consider it a joy that God is able to use us for His glory. Remember: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). God never changes. Today, God still saves people who will call upon Him. But He sends Christians to deliver the message of Salvation.

    Have you chosen to obey God’s Word, following Him instead of choosing to rebel against Him?

  • Christians who Endure Troubles and Sufferings

    “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.”
    Acts 8:4

    Stephen preached Jesus from the Old Testament to the religious leaders, but instead of receiving the truths he taught, they rejected those Words and killed him. He was the first person who was killed because he believed in, and preached, Jesus. It was at the time of his death that we were also introduced to one of the religious men present at Stephen’s death – a young man named Saul.

    “And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles” (Acts 8:1). Recognize that this incident was the catalyst for a great persecution against the church. After learning of Stephen’s death, people became afraid. Because of this fear, many of the people scattered abroad. Did you notice to whom the persecution was initially directed? The church. And they scattered abroad. The people of the church who scattered were new Believers. They had just believed upon Jesus a short time before, and they were just beginning to learn and grow in this new life. These new Believers were encouraged to continue, “stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). When Stephen was killed, many fled Jerusalem. What did the Apostles do? They stayed in Jerusalem. It would be later that the persecution would come directly to them. They stayed in Jerusalem, available, where the people could find them.

    Some people remained in Jerusalem, mourning the death of Stephen. Because “Saul was consenting unto his death,” read his response to this new “church” that was being formulated. “As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison” (Acts 8:3). We read that Saul “made havock” of the church. Made havock means “destruction; to ravage, waste; to disgrace as by insult; treat with indignity; injure or destroy.” Saul entered into houses and took men and women to prison – all because they belonged to the church.

    There is something very important that Christians today can learn from this event. Who is the enemy of a Christian? “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). The devil (Satan) is the enemy. We can read from this verse that he attacks and wants to destroy Christians. Our adversary, the devil, will attack all Christians. And he uses people to do his job. Remember that in the early establishment of the church, the first persecution was directed at one (Stephen) who was vocal, teaching Jesus aloud to the religious leaders. Stephen was physically silenced. Next, the persecution was against the church. This was all new. They had just experienced the most wonderful event in their lives. They had believed in Jesus, who had died for their sin paying their debt. They had experienced what we can now read in the following verse: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). I am sure that they had not expected this great persecution! We can read of a warning that was later written to the leaders of the church: “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock” (Acts 20:29).

    It is easy to see an event, like the death of Stephen, as tragic. And it was! He was a great man of God who did much good for the church in his short ministry. In addition, the persecution of the church was a terrible event, for people were imprisoned because they believed in Jesus. However, in hindsight, we can see much good that came from the martyrdom of Stephen and the persecution of the early church. The church that was in Jerusalem began to scatter abroad – throughout Judea and Samaria. Do you remember what Jesus wanted the Believers to do? “… And ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8b). Thus far, the church was growing in Jerusalem. Once this started, the people began to scatter. “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). As they scattered abroad, they began to spread the Gospel message everywhere, all because of the persecution that came after the tragic death of Stephen. Where did they go? The persecuted church “… all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria …” (Acts 8:1b). Now that persecution had begun, God’s Word was spreading specifically into the areas into which God had told His people to spread the Gospel message.

    Read some encouraging Words that Christians need to understand if, or when, we face persecution: “10. Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11. It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: 12. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us” (2 Timothy 2:9-12). Did you notice why Christians are to understand why we must endure troubles and sufferings? So that people could “obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus.”

    Do you live a Christian life enduring, so others may obtain the salvation, which is in Christ Jesus?

  • The Preaching of the Cross

    “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”
    1 Corinthians 1:18

    Many times in the Old Testament, we read of the promise of Jesus. No one knew His name, yet God’s people were to be looking for Him the same. At times, God revealed specific things He wanted the people to understand. “Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high” (Isaiah 52:13). “Behold, my servant” is speaking of Jesus. God said Jesus would “deal prudently” meaning Jesus would succeed in completing what God expected Him to do. Continuing through that verse, see that it says that Jesus will be “exalted and extolled” which means “to raise, or lift up; to carry off; take away; it is the idea of one who is a substitution bearing the guilt or punishment of sin.” So just from that one verse we understand that God told Isaiah that He would send Jesus who would complete the task of being lifted up as the one who would take away the guilt and punishment of sin by becoming the substitute – the one who took sinful man’s place. This is what God had promised Adam and Eve in the garden (see Genesis 3:15).

    They were to be aware of the suffering death that this One would have to endure. Remember that when Jesus came, He was scourged and delivered to be crucified (see Matthew 27:26, 29-30). Why did this happen? “So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider” (Isaiah 52:15). Understand that this verse tells us that Jesus’ death would enable Him to “sprinkle” many nations. “Sprinkle many nations” means “to cleanse from sin; the Servant of the Lord came to make an atonement for the sins of even the Gentiles.” In the Old Testament, the people understood the high priest had to sprinkle the blood of the ram upon the altar to cover their sins for another year (see Exodus 29:20). God sent His Son to take away the sin (not cover), and allowed the entire world to “see” and then to “consider.” “See” means “to gain understanding”; and “consider” means “to observe; to pay attention to; to gain insight or understanding.” Each person has to see and decide (believe) for himself.

    Immediately after Jesus death, burial, and resurrection, there were still many who did not understand what had happened, and many did not believe Jesus had even risen from the dead. There were two in particular who were on the road to Emmaus, not far from Jerusalem. On the evening of Jesus’ resurrection, they were walking and discussing all they had heard. Jesus joined them, walking and talking with them, yet they did not recognize Him (see Luke 24:15-16). When He asked what things they were discussing, they explained, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20. And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done” (Luke 24:19b-21). They were trying to “consider” but did not yet understand. After walking with them, listening to them as they continue their discussion, Jesus responded: “25. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:25-27). They needed to believe, by faith. “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5).   

    It is almost amazing to those today, who are Believers, to understand how they could not have recognized Jesus. However, many times in the Old Testament people should have understood and recognized what God was doing, yet they most of the time, they did not. All throughout the Old Testament, the people were taught of God, but they had a hard time understanding that He had been speaking of Jesus, who was to come. They lacked faith.

    “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). See the following to help understand what this verse means: 

    • preaching means to speak intelligently about the word of the cross 
    • cross means the whole passion of Christ and the merit of His sufferings and death 
    • them that perish means exposed to eternal death 
    • foolishness means foolishness or absurdity
    • saved means those who have obtained salvation through Christ and are kept by Him 
    • power means a person in whom the power of God is manifested  

    The “power of God” was revealed when Jesus came and finished what God had for Him to do. Jesus came to pay the penalty for sin, taking it away from any who would only believe.

    Have you believed the preaching of the cross, becoming a Christian?

    How to be Saved