The better Adam. Romans 5

Today read: Romans 5 focusing on verse 12-18; Colossians 1 and 2

Today is the day I have been both looking forward to and dreading. This topic is so big yet so glorious and it reveals every single insecurity I have about being completely unfit to write on it. Jesus Christ came to take away the sins of the world. This is an easy statement to write; easy to read incredibly hard to understand. Our study began as a foundation for this pivotal point. We must understand Genesis 1-3 to help with Roman's 5. Adam must be a historical figure for Christ and His work to make absolute sense. How can I say that? Well we read because of one man's sin death entered; and it is now through one man's death sin is covered.

I am adding a photo chart today showing Adam and Christ. Study it for a minute then jump back in.

This comparison chart is simply put: beautiful. It shows the first Adam and the Last. The difference of one man verses the Son of Man. Adam was made in the image of God; Jesus Christ is the image of the invincible God, the firstborn of all creation. Full man yet fully God. 

As we read Romans 5 many would object; it is not fair that one man's sin would condemn us all. But to understand the imputation of our sins on Christ we must recognize the imputation of Adam's sin on man. R.C.Sproul in his book, The Gospel of God, says that we must be careful not to take away our merit of salvation by refuting the fact that through one man sin entered; because now through Christ all sin is covered. Adam was our representative as mankind, and he sinned. Christ comes and serves yet again as the perfect representative of man, taking on the sin of man and bearing it on the cross. There is a message that I am adding at the bottom- please listen. It is by R.C. Sproul and it explains this a million times better than I can.

Why did I bring us here before Passion week? What was the point of understanding the first and last Adam? Because we need to know who Jesus Christ is. We need to understand that He IS the Son of God. That He is God. That we cannot, on our own merit, earn our salavation. We will never be good enough. We can never do enough works. We can never arrive at the place of perfection. Salvation is a free gift of God! He sent His Son while we were yet sinners; died a death on the Cross; was the perfect propitiation. Jesus Christ. He came that He might die. 

In closing, I recommended Colossians  1 and 2 to be tied into this because of some of the deep, deep truths of a life in Christ. My prayer for this group is constantly Colossians 1:9-14. And my hope for this group is that finding yourself in Christ, that we are able to be rooted and grounded in Him. Colossians 2:6-7 is the exact hope and prayer I have.

Later in the chapter Paul writes, and you who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

He nailed it to the cross via Jesus the Messiah. Jesus died to take away our sins. The Son of God; crucified. We are at one of the most unique points of a Lenten study our generation has maybe seen. Global pandemic and fear race through the world; and we have had most things stripped away. But the one thing that can never be taken, is Christ. Use this time- this time you will never get back; to really pause and allow yourself to meditate on the work of the Cross. On the fact that the Son of God died to take away your sins. That while you were yet a sinner Jesus died for you! This is remarkable. He came, He died, and He rose again. Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World! May you fall ever more in love with Jesus today.

Sermon: Death in Adam, Life in Christ

Worship: Lamb of God

Christ our Hope in Life and Death

The Lord is my Salvation

I am the door, I am the good shepherd John 10

John 10

I am nervous to even start writing again about this chapter. Such big things are being expressed and direct teachings from Christ. I approach this study daily with fear and trepidation with the responsibility of discussing scripture well. We are teaching out kids this week about exegesis. And it is the practice of going to scripture with the understanding that you are not to input your thoughts and values on what you think it means; but to take from scripture what God meant it to mean. It is so easy especially in the new testament to diverge here. Many of the verses coming up and leading into Resurrection Sunday are grossly mishandled and misinterpreted. The Bible is God's living and breathing Word! This is incredible- yet also terrifying to me. I have in my hands God's Word. I am responsible for how I handle, learn and use this.

Jesus has 7 I am statements in John. 3 and 4 are mentioned in this passage. Jesus is shifting from the metaphor discussing teachers in verses 1-5 to now talking more directly about himself. This fits in well with where we are going Wednesday and Thursday which will be jumping a bit into Romans 5 before circling back for an introduction to Palm Sunday. Jesus first discusses the poor religious teachers verse good shepherds. We now see him say in verse 7 " I AM THE DOOR of the sheep." If anyone enters by me he will be saved. Jesus Christ is the only way. We see him say in John 14 I AM the way, the truth and the life. Here he is saying I am the door. There is but one way to eternal salvation and it is through Jesus Christ. He is and always will be the only means to heaven. He is the access point to the Father because He is the only one worthy to stand before the Father on our behalf. And that he did. He did it to the point of dying for our sins. He did it while we were yet sinners. He did it while we were lost in our transgressions; while we were sheep that had gone astray. He came and died and rose again; that we might have life and life more abundantly. There is but one way- JESUS.

V11 I AM the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. Jesus identifies himself as both the way i n and the caretaker. He is the Shepherd. He is the lead of the church. The church is His and He is ours. He goes on to discuss the hireling and it is thought to be something of the "hired leader" who is there in good times but when tragedy strikes or hardship comes he flees- because he is hired to care for the sheep- he is not maybe fully invested (discussing in point the evil leadership in Israel at the time). But Christ as the Shepherd knows his sheep by name, and they know him. And he lays down His life for them. 

v14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for my sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold, I must bring them also, that they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock and one shepherd. I audibly sigh even reading this. It is so big. I pray that I can get a grasp of it and get it from my head to my heart. I love the words I know my own and my own know me, just as my Father knows Me and I know the Father. We, through Christ, are invited into this intimate relationship with God. We are not strangers or aliens. We are invited into the fold. No longer will the chasm created by the sin of Adam; separate from the love of the Father. Through Jesus Christ, and then being kept by Jesus Christ we are invited to know the Father as He already knows us. He knew us before we were born. We intricately knit us together in our mothers wombs. Before we were even a thought he numbers and orders are days. This God, who created all; sustains all; through His son invites us to call him Abba. Father. Is this not mind blowing? And He did it through the atoning work of Jesus Christ. He did it through the blood of the Lamb. Jesus.  

Jesus continues- there are others not of this fold... that is me and you sister! He is referring to gentiles! He is talking about us- that he came that ALL might be redeemed. One flock- One shepherd. It is incredible to think all over the world, in thousands of tribes tongues and languages we have brothers and sisters IN Christ! Who lift up His name! Who share the same Heavenly Father and that one day we will all worship Him together. But in the mean time we all have one Good Shepherd- Jesus Christ the Lord! This is gloriously good news! 

In the times we are facing we must come to realize we are not alone. We cannot buy into the isolation or the sorrow that I see running rampant. We are not alone! We have Jesus- and Jesus is enough! I hear Paul's words echo from Philippians, " I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Christ who strengths me." He is our strength, our portion, our Redeemer. He is our good shepherd; and He satisfies our needs.

Jesus says, I AM the Door, I AM the Good Shepherd... to the woman at the well, I AM he.  Do you believe this? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life? He came and died and rose again! Jesus is Lord. 

Worship today:

O Lord, My Rock and My Redeemer

Jesus, there is no one like you

Christ is mine forevermore

For they know His voice. John 10

Read: John 9 and 10.

John 10 builds directly off of John 9- but for time's sake I am jumping to two key passages here and then John 12. But I want to make sure we are able to read all of John straight through before Easter.

Again- there is so much we could talk about. Again and again I come back to the verse that concludes John: Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. (John 21:25) I feel this way about processing and discussing all that the Lord has said and done. It is why it will take us our lifetime to study scripture and even in that- never satisfy our longings to know Him more till we meet Him in eternity. So, As I jump in the study; please know my desire is that this ignites a passion to study our Lord a study that will take a lifetime.

Today: John 10:1-6 This passage is continuing off of chapter 9. It is vital that we do not cherry pick scripture and put our own presuppositions into its reading. This passage and the one after are incredibly abused within the church due to poor exposition and exploitation. We can know our Savior best when we listen to His words.

To set this up, there are many sheep stories and parallels spoken of in the old and new testament. Sheep and shepherding were very common place and an easy to understand metaphor. But for us, we will typically look even at this with Western eyes. Near Eastern shepherds operate much differently than our western exposure. If you think of a shepherd you might think more of a cattle drive, they push from behind, its loud, the western shepherd will often have sheep dogs coming in from the sides and running along. Eastern shepherd lead from the front. The sheep follow him. They know their shepherds voice.  As we draw into this metaphor keep this understanding in mind.

10:1-2 Jesus is speaking about the Pharisees. False teachers who come to hard and damage the church. The picture is that the sheep are in the pen- in the evening they would be kept somewhere safe and have one entrance. The thief or bad teachers would come in from at the sides, and they would not use the door- because neither the doorkeeper nor the sheep would recognize them. So they come in through a separate measure. Their objection is not to lead the sheep but to steal them. 

v3 The doorkeeper was a hired under-shepherd who knew the shepherd and would watch the flock. He was in charge of keeping them safe. A beautiful though of a pastor and a flock. A glimmer of what we hear echoed on the beach between Peter and Jesus, "Do you love me Peter," Feed my sheep. The under-shepherd is charged with knowing both the Shepherd and the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. John MacArthur points out that " This shepherd goes even further by calling each sheep bu its own special name. Jesus point is that He comes to the fold of Israel and calls out His own sheep individually to come into His own messianic fold. The assumption is that there are already in some way His sheep, even before He calls them by name." 

The entire first few verses had been lost on me for a long time. I can easily and readily admit to my error of so many times going to scripture and trying to read it through my modern western lenses. Not taking the time to understand original audience and what was going on. Or to pick up the bible and through inconsistent reading and flipping land on scripture, read it and misinterpret it because I had no understanding of context. This is a terrible practice. John Piper talks about being so careful to not go to the Word with a preconceived idea; but the need to let the Word teach and speak. We don't do that, often times we go to the Word seeking something for ourselves- not seeking the Savior and letting Him guide us. 

Verse 4-6 exemplify how the flock should follow the leader. It is a common New testament leadership to lead by example. Paul says to follow him as he follows Christ. We see over and over to let our walk be worthy of the Gospel. Why is that? Because discipleship is through leading by example, not from behind. A heart that loves those that are being taught and that you demonstrate through your obedience to Christ in word and deed. Jesus told the woman at the well the Father is seeking those who will worship in spirit and in truth.

v6- they did not understand what Jesus was saying.

There were many in the crowd that heard the words of Jesus yet did not understand. So it is today. Many can sit in church and hear the words of the preacher and not understand. Or go to scripture and read with little avail. This is a heart issue- not a mind one. These are those that hearing the Word refuse to listen; or put it through their own worldview filter and wash it out as rubbish, or fairy tales, or foolishness. 

Today is a good day to evaluate your heart. We are told to examine our hearts- the Psalmist cries out search me O God! Where are you today? Do you follow false teaching because you do not know the Shepherd? DO you go to scripture and try to fit it into your own philosophies and trim off the edges where it doesn't match? If you lead women or teach children- are you teaching well? Are you leading by example so that if they follow you, you are in fact leading them to the Savior? Have you responded to the Shepherd? Do you know his voice?

Tomorrow we move into verse 7-18. Jesus declares I AM the door of the sheep. He declares that He is the only way to the Father.

 May we know His voice.<3

Worship today:

Yet not I

shepherd

I Am.

Read John 8

We are focusing today on Christ eternal. I have found the exchanges in John 8 rather intriguing and shocking the more and slower I go through them. From the adulteress not condemned; to the religious experts not recognizing the Messiah standing in front of them; to the truth of Christ proclaiming constantly He came to glorify the Father- His testimony is from the Father and He seeks to glorify Him in all that He does.

I have said it before but I will say it again- we could spend the rest of our study in the one chapter- but I would like to finish it out for the weekend.

Jesus identifies Satan as the father of lies- he says he was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in truth, because there is no truth in him. (v44) Satan came to kill- we saw that in the garden. Adam and Eve were told not to eat lest they would die- and Satan set out to ensure it would happen. The father of lies had death of God's creation in mind when he struck up conversation with Eve.

Yet here stands Christ, the one who came to conquer death telling those in the temple- the one you have waited for is here! And they knew him not. They accuse him of having a demon! The demons recognize Christ and call him by name- the religious recognize him not- and call him a demon!  Jesus says" I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and your dishonor me. Yet I o not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it, and He is the judge. Truly, Truly I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death." The Jews freak out at this point. Saying this is proof he is demonic! Jesus is saying- if you take of me- my Father's Word-  you will have eternal life; yet they respond opposite the Samaritan woman, in fact rather than putting down their books to run and tell others they have encountered the Messiah- they pick up stones to KILL him. 

"Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, all the prophets died. Who do you say that you are.... listen carefully, "Your father Abraham would have rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad." You are not 50 years old! How can you have seen Abraham and Jesus says," Before  Abraham was, I am."

Boom. There is no retort for this statement. He declares He is the eternal. This is amazing. And yet the Jews respond in rage. The pick up stones to kill him.

This passage is so profound and moving. And I think we see it played out time and time again. People fall into religion. They follow persons who follow Jesus rather than Jesus. To the point that when they come face to face with Christ they do not recognize Him. Paul sees this in the early church; in 1 Corinthians 3:4 He says for when one says I follow Paul, and another I follow Apollos...are we not just mere human beings( paraphrased). But he sees this right from the start- people lose sight of Christ and follow an easier example. It is far easier to follow a sinner following Christ- that to allow Christ to be our standard.

I ask- where are you today? Do you know who you are following? Do you follow a teacher rather than the Teacher? Are you more inline with someones theology than Christ's theology?  Do you know song lyrics better than scripture- and hold them more true than what the written word says? If Christ were to stand before you- would you recognize him- or have you allowed yourself to make a more self satisfying version of the Savior, to the point that Jesus would be enraging to your core? Would you respond like a Pharisee saying who do you think you are? Or would you be a Samaritan who after hearing His testimony believed and run to tell others?

Jesus says, I am. God told Moses- I AM. They are one in the same. Get in the Word. Do not allow Christians to set the standard for your life and beliefs- we are all alike- sinners saved by grace; trying our best to serve our Savior. Serve Jesus. Look to Jesus. Jesus is enough <3

Worship for the weekend:
Hallowed be your name
God only Wise
Christ our Hope in life and death
His mercy is more

The truth will set you free

read: John 8

John 8 is a rather long chapter. We could spend the next 2 months in this alone breaking it down; so in many ways I feel I am doing a great disservice to the chapter by rushing it. However, for the sake of the study I am wanting to draw two key points out of it today.

We are in the midst of a conflict it is the Pharisees verse Jesus in a question and answer format. They are looking to trick Jesus that they might stone him. These were highly respected religious Jewish men; who would have known the books of the Torah inside and out and lived to the letter of that law with zeal and a self boasting pride.

V. 31 Jesus is teaching that if you abide in  His word, you are truly His disciples; and if you know the truth, the truth will set you free. This leads to confusion for the audience. They say we have never been enslaved. and Jesus responds, "truly truly I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin...if the Son sets you free you are free indeed. We are all born sinners. We are born into a curse that we ourselves cannot overcome. But there is one who came to do just that. Jesus says in John 16:33 "But take heart! I have overcome the world!" Jesus Christ came that we might be redeemed. The problem for the Pharisees is that they saw no need for redemption because they were doing it for themselves through their works. They were following all the religious rules- how dare someone call them a sinner. Is that not where many of us can fall even today? We try to come to the cross with proof we don't need it. A checklist of the things WE do. "I am basically a good person," that should not be punishable by death. God will weigh my good and my bad. That is not how it works. There is none righteous, no not one. We need the atoning blood of the Messiah to close the chasm between us and the Holy One. We cannot do it ourselves, and we never will be able to. No list of works, or virtues, not in dress or empty prayer. We need Jesus. He is the one who came to take away the sins of the world; by placing them on Himself and bearing the wrath of His Father. Only Christ will ever understand the full penalty of our sins; because only the Son understood in full measure the wrath of God- simply because He is God.

v37 "I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father." They are born into religious families yet have no understanding of God. They serve their father who Jesus will identify later as the Father of Lies- and call them children of Satan- rather than what they hold as their heritage. So stuck in religion they are blinded to the fact that the Anointed One was standing in front of them. The Seed who had been promised was an arm distance away- and they were so blinded by pride and arrogance they could not see Jesus.

I wonder how often this can happen to those who grow up in Christian households. You can get so easily swept into a pattern of behaviors and rituals and traditions that you end up serving a building rather than the Architect. And dare someone question your salvation- you have a list of things to point to. The problem is- we find ourselves pointing to ourselves- our own saviors- our own mini-gods. So lost is what has become habitual we either no longer or maybe never even have looked to Christ. If you have lost your love of the Savior- or do not have a love of Christ, pause even this day. Examine who you serve. Is it a denomination, a building, a blog? Or is it the Messiah- the Promised One, who came to take away death and give us life!! Jesus came to set us free!

*Please do not get me wrong. Those who know me well know I am passionate about a healthy local church, solid preaching and a healthy church body. But Christ must be the reason behind that passion. It must be all about HIM.

Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2

We cannot imitate what we do not know. Spend time with the Savior through His word. Be saturated in the Gospel. I am attaching a sermon today by Derek Thomas. I think it goes well with the need to know through the Word.

A book in his hand

Worship Songs of the day:
Not in me
Yet not I

I am the light of the world

Read John 8

I love the richness of this passage as we dive into Jesus ministry on earth. Starting in verse 12 Jesus spoke to them saying, " I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." We see time and time again as Christ being the light. Thinking on John 1  we read that in Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:9-10 reads the true light, which enlightens everyone was coming into the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to His own, and his own people did not receive him.

John 8 shows us the truth of this passage. the Pharisees start to question Jesus by accusations, " you are bearing witness about yourself! Your testimony is not true." Jesus responds that He not only is bearing witness but in accordance with law of the time where there is a need of 2, His father bears witness of Him also.  "Where is your father?" and Jesus answered, You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me you would know my Father also."

This is profound. It precedes Hebrews and Colossians. HE IS the radiance of the glory of God- the exact imprint of His nature. HE IS the image of the invisible God. Read these key passages. Jesus says, If you see me you have seen the Father. The next few days as we finish chapter 8 and then press deeper into John we ill see time and time again this countless testimony. Jesus is the Son of God. But Jesus is God in the flesh also.

HE IS and tomorrow we will read Jesus profess I AM.

Today as it feels like darkness is creeping in; as you struggle with isolation, fear, anxiety of the unknown, besetting sins that feel like an old friend rather than a destroyer in times of worry- cling to the truth of Jesus Christ. Immerse your self in his eternal radiant Light. 2 Corinthians 4:6 says For God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. WOAH. This is amazing. This is good news. And this is the begotten Son, who came to die that we might live. If you are a believer you are equipped with the most glorious and everlasting of hope; even in the face of perilous times. If you are not a believer, you have opportunity where you can come to know this living Savior Jesus Christ, who died for your sins that you may have eternal life. Do not delay. Our only hope is in the truth of the everlasting. He was He is and He is to come. Do not lose heart dear friend!We have the light of the world, and He is coming back again.

An amazing encouraging video: sight and sound Esther
Worship for today:Oh Church Arise
                              Blessed Assurance

And they believed.

Read John 4:1-42

Good morning. It is Monday and we are living in times that we have not seen. I live in a state that everything is closed right now; with the exception of essential businesses. Its freezing, rainy and gloomy. I think maybe how the world feels at the moment; frozen, gloomy and wishing for rays of light.

I was so touched this morning through reading God's Word. It is ever living and active. It was written then and purposed for now; and for my children's children. I thought this morning how we are studying leading up to Easter Sunday- and how that never changes. It is the rising of the Son that we get to look towards and celebrate year after year and truly Sunday after Sunday. Through the earthquakes and famines, wars and plagues since and those that will come- one thing remains constant... and that is the love of Christ. Our pastor preached on Psalm 46 yesterday. A beautiful reminder that A mighty Fortress is our God. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way (PS 46:1-2a) In situations of distress and uncertainty it helps to keep our eyes fixed on the everlasting, unchanging, mighty God, the Lord of Hosts.

Where we left of in John last week was at the well in Samaria. The woman had just put down her water jar and ran to tell the others that she believes the Messiah was in their town. The promised one, sitting at a well in Samaria. The disciples at this point had come back with food and encourage Jesus to eat. He responds with the statement I have food that you do not know about. Confused the disciples question one another to which point Jesus said to them, " My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work." The will of the Father was enough to feed the Son. To accomplish the task of what he was sent to do, satisfied him. Do we find ourselves satisfied in the will of the Father? Is Jesus enough? I know I ask that question a lot but it is because I have to ask myself that question a lot. If everything else was stripped away; would Jesus be enough? It helps level my true love and belief in the one I call Abba.

Jesus teaches the disciples, look you say it will be 4 months till harvest, I tell you to look up and see the fields are white for harvest! These people who they found not fit- Jesus sees as heirs of the kingdom of God; their hearts are ready for the Savior and we will see that confirmed in verses 40-42.  One sows and another reaps. For 100's of years the word of God has been available in our language, preached from our pulpits to an American country that at times seems fallow and at times seems as clay. It is not our job to cause growth, that is the Holy Spirits- be we are to labor in love. Are you scattering seed? Are you sharing the gospel when the opportunity presents itself?

39 Many Samaritans believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me all I ever did."  ...they came and asked him to stay two more days. And many more believed because of His word.  They said to the woman it is not longer because of what you said that we believe, for we heard for ourselves, and we know indeed this is the Savior of the World.

This is my favorite part of this whole passage and bears a closer look. We have been in a time where people confuse personal testimony with evangelism. They are not the same. Testimonies are a wonderful thing, to share, celebrate and encourage one another in what the Lord has done for us. But saving faith comes through hearing the Word of God and believing Christ as the Savior of the World. Jesus Word, our living breathing hope comes from the word of God taught. The Gospel message has nothing to do with us and everything to do with Jesus. I like this passage because it reminds me how people will spend so much time telling "their story," yet fail to know how to study and deliver the main point of the story which should be the Gospel. It can become a what Jesus did for me and what he can do for you story- rather than a cup of the living water that will make one never thirst again. Our testimonies bear witness of the goodness of God but faith comes through hearing the Word of God.

Romans 10:9-17 has quickly become a favorite passage of mine. Read through it and then finish this out with me today. Sweet sister may it be said of you- how beautiful are the feet of you who bring good news! HE is our Peace!

Worship for today:
A mighty fortress
Yet not I
Lord from sorrows deep I call