1998 Sermons

One Way: Jesus 10/25/98

John 14:6
Page 1578 Come Alive Bible

JESUS CHRIST left us a legacy of love and truth. In love He spoke truth. What He said is always best for us to know, but it isn’t always what we want to know.

Jesus Christ was God incarnate. That is, God in flesh and blood. He was the God man walking and talking. When He spoke it was the voice of God speaking. His words rang with the realism of eternity. Being love embodied His disclosure became love revealed.

On the eve of His crucifixion He had one last time to share insights. This was more than a mere pep talk. He is sharing how we can live in contact with Him and eventually share His dwelling place, Heaven. It is fitting that a persons few remaining words should be important ones. He wasted no time comforting His followers.

After hearing Christ speak of going away to His Father’s house of many mansions and assuring them they would soon join Him, Thomas asked a question: “Lord, we do not know where you are going, and how can we know the way?” (Vs. 5).

Christ did not defer from sharing one of the most important realities of all. It is a truth for which His followers are often criticized. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father but by Me.”

“I” is emphatic meaning, “I and no other always am the only way.”

Our pluralistic society prefers to hear there are many different paths but all lead to the same destination. Confidently we are told we are working to go to the same place.

If what Jesus said is true, and it is, and you wanted to mislead people into not getting to the Father what lie would you perpetuate? The deceiver has created numerous counterfeits and in this way he leads many on dead end paths.

If we believe what Jesus said was true we cannot remain mute. If you had friends in a building on fire and you knew a way out and they didn’t what would be the most loving thing you could do?

Would it be to say there are many doors take your pick? Would it not be to say there is only one way out and I want you to follow me to safety? If you knew there to be only one way wouldn’t it be loving to tell your friends there is only one way?

We are told it is bigoted and narrow minded to insist Jesus is the only way to the Father. In many areas of life there are defined and limited exact standards.

There are 16 ounces and only 16 ounces, no more and no less, in a pound.

There are 12 inches and only 12 inches, no more and no less in a foot and precisely three feet in a yard.

There are exactly 440 vibrations per second in A above middle-C on the piano.

Water consists of only two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen —- no more and no less.

At sea level water boils at precisely 212 degrees.

Colleges and universities have entrance requirements that must be met. They are spelled out and adhered to. If you want to enter you must comply with their requirements.

Nations have standards for naturalization. If you want to be a citizen you must meet these demands.

We accept all of these standards and requirements and comply. Why then do some consider Christ to be narrow and bigoted when He tells us the truth regarding there being one way to heaven?

We should not marvel there is only one way. We should rejoice there is a way.

If we have a potentially fatal disease and a competent doctor says there is one and only medical treatment that will work and without it death is certain, we would rejoice that our doctor is so wise and hasten to submit to the treatment.

If we were faced with legal action that could be disastrous and our attorney were to say there is only one course of action, but it is safe and certain we would marvel at the insight of our advocate and submit to his counsel.

Suppose a student were to apply for admission to a great academic institution such as Georgia Tech declaring, “I want to study logarithms.” The counselor would say, “Great, but first you must take basic math.” The student might protest taking math and insisting on taking logarithms. The counselor would insist. The student might assert that is mean and unfair. It is a bigoted rule that says I can’t study logarithms until I take math. The counselor would insist, “There is no other way. It is impossible for you to come to an understanding of logarithms unless you take the only way people have come to understand logarithms —- namely, the way is math.” There is only one way, math. Not psychology, physical education, or philosophy. Math only. The same is true of Christ.

Why then when Christ says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me” do we suddenly become critical and resistant?

If you believe Christ, you believe that. We believe that it should alter our behavior and stimulate our loving desire to tell others. Many churches have been cowered into not offending some persons by insisting there is only one way. I would like to tell people what they would like to hear, but that is not my task. My calling is to tell people what they need to hear. If I believe it and don’t tell people I am more heartless than a so called friend who would not warn a friend of fire and show the way to the exit.

Jesus said, “The words I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me…” (John 14: 10, 11).

Jesus was not exhibiting a proud narrow arrogance, He was making the only statement possible in light of what He knew and Who He was. He was God in flesh and blood. Get your Christology right and everything else comes easy. Get your Christology wrong and nothing is right.

As His minister I cannot alter, amend, or expand those parameters. If I am to be true to Him I must advocate His position. I can do none else and be loyal to Him.

Jesus is the only authorized revelation of God to humanity as well as the only authorized representative of humanity to God.

To us that is startling but to the ancient Jew hearing it for the first time it was revolutionary. The statement contained three of the basic concepts of Judaism.

Isaiah warned of false “ways,” “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying ‘This is the way, walk in it’” (Isaiah 30: 21).

We need to pray with the Psalmist, “Teach me your way, O Lord” (Psalm 27: 11).

What does it mean Christ is the way?

If you were to ask directions to a difficult destination a person might go to great length giving directions only to confuse you. If the person offered to walk with you and guide you there the person would then become the way. Then the person becomes the way.

Jesus said, “I am the truth.” Jesus has not just told us the truth He embodies it. The character of the person who teaches Latin, astrophysics, or zoology does not affect the subject. The character of the person who teaches character is important. The person who declares what He espouses is the truth needs to embody the truth.

“I am the life,” was Christ’s third claim. What every person is truly seeking for is life with meaning. Jesus makes life worth living because He is the Life.

Proud parents named their newborn son Adoniram Judson. This brilliant child at age 12 was teaching the adult men’s Sunday School class the book of the Revelation from the Greek text. His genius was obvious.

As he grew his faith began to waver through reading the wrong books. He became such a persuasive advocate of atheism that not even his father tried to share with him.

He went to Brown University in Providence, R.I. There he roomed with another brilliant young man named Jeremy Ames. Soon he had converted Jeremy to atheism. Ames became a vocal advocate of atheism and gave Judson credit for helping him develop his arguments against the Christian faith.

Years lapsed and Judson, an aspiring actor, went to New York to fulfill his dreams. Enjoying success he returned to Boston for a visit. On his way the weather turned bad and he sought shelter for the night. The inn keeper told him he didn’t have a room available. Judson pleaded to be allowed to sleep in the parlor offering to pay full room cost.

The inn keeper relinquished and conceded there was a vacant room but it was next to a very sick man who had high fever and created a lot of noise swearing and screaming. The room was offered with an understanding of the conditions. During the early part of the night the man raved and shouted profanities. A few hours after midnight he got quiet and Judson slept.

The next morning Judson asked if the quiet meant the man was better. The inn keeper told him the man had died. Judson asked how he could deal with having a man die in his inn.

The inn keeper replied it was such a pity for the young man was a brilliant graduate of Brown University named Jeremy Ames.

The shock was so great for Judson that he said all the way back to Boston two words kept ringing in his mind: “death and hell.” Over and over he heard them.

Soon thereafter Judson committed his life to Christ and set sail for India to spread the good news. After a short time in India he went to Burma. Soon thereafter his wife and children died. He remarried and his second wife died also. For seven years he labored in Burma before he had his first convert. Soon thereafter many others came to know Christ.

Unknown to Judson there existed in Burmese folklore a tale that someday a man would come with a book containing the truth. The Burmese people believed Judson to be that man, the Bible to be that book, and the truth contained therein spread rapidly.

Are you misleading or failing to lead someone to the truth? May those words “death and hell” awaken us as they did Judson.

One of my favorite courses in college was entomology, the study of insects. Of the large assortment collected and classified there was one found to be most intriguing, the Procession Caterpillar. Their name comes from their habits. If one gets in line behind another it will stay and follow. If another joins them a procession is begun.

An experiment was conducted involving them using a large flower pot. One was set in motion crawling around the perimeter of the pot. In rapid succession others were put in the procession until the rim formed a ring all following in procession behind the one in front.

Fresh pine needles are a favorite food of the little creatures. A supply was put in the middle of the pot but no one left the ring to eat. They continued to go around and around in procession until they all starved to death.

We are such followers that we tend to follow the procession of beliefs of those like us. Many are spiritually going around-and-around in procession unwilling to break with the mass and live spiritually.

A list of the religions of the world will include Christianity. In reality Christianity isn’t a religion it is a relationship.

Every religion is based on a system of works whereby a person seeks to earn, merit, or deserve the favor of God. Christianity acknowledges there is no way to do so. Instead God offers us His favor and forgiveness based on THE work of Jesus Christ.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8, 9).

One enters into a relationship with Jesus Christ by faith.

Jesus Christ said: “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him” (John 14:21).

Judas (Not Iscariot), Labbaeus (Matthew), Thaddeus (Mark), Judas, Son of James (Luke)

“Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, ‘Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?'” (John 14:22).

This follower of Christ was called TRINOMINUS, by Jerome, one of the early church fathers. The word means “the man with three names.”

The name Judas is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Judah. Jude is the Latin form of the name Judah.

Judas was an honorable name that went back to the founder of the tribe of Judah.

About 164 BC when Israel was occupied and the great tyranny that was manifest in that country was persecuting the people severely, the dominant ruler that possessed the land was named by himself Antichus Epiphanes which means the “great and mighty God.” He rededicated the house of God to the goddess Olympus Zeus. He profaned the house in so many ways and one way in which he did was he brought pigs into the house of God and had them sacrificed on the altar. To the Jewish people that was the most blasphemous degrading thing that could happen.

He then sent his soldiers out into the countryside to have the same thing done in the various villages. They went to one village just a short distance from Jerusalem in which there was an old retired priest of the temple living there. The soldier in charge of the battery of individuals assigned to enforce the law called this old priest out of the ranks and said you are to be the first to sacrifice the pig here in your village then you will be first to eat of its flesh. The old man stood there stony faced in defiance. Finally someone from the crowd stepped out knowing the age of the old retired priest and said, I will take his place. The old retired priest first attacked him then attacked the soldiers and his four sons got involved in the battle. One of those four sons was named Judas. They called him Judas Macabee which meant Judas the hammer. They were few in number with no reserves and no military strength and training. But in the weeks and months that followed their insurrection delivered the people from the bondage imposed upon them.

Unfortunately this admirable name was defamed by Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus. Therefore, when this Judas is mentioned the gospel writer hastens to add, “Not Iscariot.”

To distinguish him from Judas Iscariot let’s refer to him as Jude.

Another of his names, Labbaeus, in Arabic means courageous, brave, or hearty. Thaddeus in Arabic means lively, vivacious. Names in the Biblical era were intended to reveal something of the personality or character of an individual. If so this Judas was a dynamic individual.

After having followed Christ as an apostle for three years, Jude, along with the other eleven, met with Christ for the last time in the upper room. The event is called the “Last Supper.” In reality it is the lasting supper.

There Jesus said to His beloved followers, “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14: 1 – 3).

Then Jesus said, “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18).

There must have been comfort in the words that followed: “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also” (John 14:19).

Then came this intriguing question: “Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, ‘Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?'” (John 14:22).

Jesus response forms a stable platform for life: “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him'” (John 14:23).

Jesus did not deal directly with the “how.” Some things are too complex to have a simple answer. How does a computer chip work? There is no simple answer. I saw a cartoon of a child going through a grocery check-out line with his mother. There are chess sets on the counter as a special item for the day. As they are checking out the child asks, “How do you play that game?” There is no simple answer. Neither was there a simple answer to Jude’s question. There was however a wise response. Distilled, it is: Because you love Me, you will keep my word. Because you keep My word, I will reveal Myself to you.

This is an appeal to be steadfast. “Stead” means a place or position. A homestead is a home place. “Fast” means to be fixed unmovably in a place.

In a time of military conflict soldiers from North Carolina were called “Tar heels.” It was said they were so steadfast that it was as though they had tar on their heels and could not be moved. Jesus response to Thaddaeus’ question is an appeal to steadfastness.

There are three conditions for Christ fulfilling His promise in John 14: 21, “I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

1) We must have His “commandments” (Vs. 21a). By God’s grace Christ’s commandments are preserved in his Word.

2) We are to “keep them.” Obedience is the issue.

3) We are to love Him. Only when we love Him do we desire to know His commandments enough to search them out. Only when we love Him will we do what we know He has commanded us.

Commandants such as: a] love your enemies, b] love one another, c] be His witnesses unto the end of the earth.

There is a song with these words: “To know, know, know Him is to love, love, love Him.”

There is a book in our New Testament that bears his name, “Jude.” He may or may not have been the Jude who penned the book, but it speaks of steadfastness such as that for which an appeal is here made. In it he repetitiously appeals for steadfastness. He pleads:

Do not drift away from the truth as a result of personal indifference.

Do not be deceived into following false teachers. There are two types of false teachers:
1) Those who teach false doctrine.

2) Those who teach enough sound doctrine to maintain a good front, but who are themselves false. That is, hypocrites.

Do not be misdirected away from the basic gospel.

Do maintain the faith, “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 3, 17, 20, 21).

One way to maintain the faith is to keep “praying in the Holy Spirit.”

After the appeal for us to “keep yourselves in the love of God,” Jude focuses on the resource for doing so: “Now to Him that is able to keep you from falling … the only wise God …” (Jude 24, 25).

Judas, not Iscariot, remained faithful. Legend says he later ministered in Armenia and Persia where he was martyred. He was faithful unto death.

What Happens to Persons Who Never Hear the Name Jesus Christ? 11/1/98

John 3:16-21
Page 1554 Come Alive Bible

JESUS CHRIST is living proof that God loves you AND the whole world. Jesus, Himself said, “God so loved the WORLD He gave His only begotten Son…”

Why did God do that? Two quick answers are deserved.

One, God is love (I John 4:8). The very nature of love is to give. He being the personification of love fulfilled His nature and gave.

Second, He had to give because there was no other way to have a restored relationship with us. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ” (Romans 6:23).

The expression “wages of sin” refers to the big pay off made by sin. In today’s carnal world market the wages of sin can be quite high but there are no benefits and retirement is pure hell.

Likewise, the “free gift of God” means the free gift given us by God. It is without cost to us but it costs Christ dearly.

Both “death” and the “gift” are earned.

Death is earned by the sinner. The gift is earned for the sinner.

The person who in faith trusts Christ receives the most for the least. Such a person receives everlasting life for nothing.

“Everlasting life” means fellowship with God through Jesus Christ through all eternity.

On one recent Sunday I was asked by three unrelated persons about what happens to the person who never hears the name of Jesus Christ. That is a legitimate question. Often as in these cases the question is posed hoping for a simple one sentence answer. There is an answer but it is neither one sentence or simple.

We have so much and know so much; but how about others in far away places like Zaire, Sri Lanka, and Guyana? What happens to those who never know the name of Jesus: the Hottentot, Inue, and Lapplander? What about those of previous generations who never heard the gospel?

There has always been and there is more evangelism than the world recognizes and reports. For example, after Christ’s resurrection, a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit happened at the celebration of a feast called Pentecost. Acts 2: 5-11 lists the languages of 18 different languages spoken there. Years before Alexander the Great laid siege to Jerusalem. The priest came out of the city to greet him with the Book of Daniel and convinced him Daniel wrote of him. Thereafter he carried a large contingency of Jews with him in his world conquest. They were scattered over most of the known world. They learned the languages of their adopted countries but returned to the land of their ancestors to celebrate Pentecost. Many of these were saved when they heard of the resurrection of Christ. Extra-Biblical sources tell of a great wave of evangelism that swept the world in the first century as these people carried the gospel back to their adopted lands.

A letter from Pleny the Elder to Emperor Trajan referred to the large number of believers throughout the area.

Peter and Thaddaeus worked in Persia where King Agbar became a zealous follower of Christ and many people in his realm were converted.

Pontius of Alexandria went to India in 190 AD where he found many Christians resulting from the work of Matthew in that region.

In the 6th Century the Nestorians went to China as evangelists. For years there were more believers than non-believers in China. This continued to be true until the emergence of the Khans.

Globally our Lord has been at work throughout the ages. He is presently.

Traditional mission fields are experiencing marvelous growth. These are countries where there are between 15,000 and 100,000 converts a year with 75 to 200 new churches being started a year. Some of these are in Korea, the Philippines, India, Mexico, and Brazil.

Some traditional mission fields in which there is great revival going on are Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Uganda.

There are people groups being reached as never before in non-traditional mission areas. In Cambodia large numbers are being saved and churches started.

In one people group in India amid great persecution 400 new churches were started last year.

In China similar growth is being experienced among certain people groups.

In North Africa there is a house church in every town and village.

In Kazakhstan there is a bright movement of God in spite of efforts to stifle and disrupt the work.

In the Middle East, in Iran particularly, there is a great movement of the spirit currently.

This is a sampling of what the Lord is doing all over the world which He loves.

Today as in those days more people are saved than the world cares to report. Still the question lingers; how about those who have never heard the gospel. Those who live in areas where we have not exported the gospel. In the next few moments a Biblical answer will be offered. Five points are needed to answer the question. Note them please.

I. THE DOCTRINE OF DIVINE ESSENCE.
This point of beginning is the highest level possible. It is the character of God. One characteristic of God is absolute righteousness. That means God cannot sin. He never has an improper motive. Our human righteousness conduct is relative; that is, sometimes we act righteously and sometimes we don’t. God is consistently absolute righteous. That means He has never been nor can He ever be unfair or unjust to anyone. He is incapable of being unfair. All people of all ages are in the hands of a just and righteous loving God.

Install it on the hard drive of your mental mainframe and store it in permanent memory: God can not be unfair, and God can not be wrong.

God wanted to get so intimately involved in opening the door to heaven that He manifested Himself on earth in the person of Jesus Christ. He is defined and described as “our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). Get the message. He is identified as “our great God and Savior.” This answers the question as to who Jesus Christ was.

Romans 9:5 defines Jesus as “Christ…who is over all, the eternally blessed God.”

II. THE DOCTRINE OF UNLIMITED ATONEMENT
Atonement is not a word in the working vocabulary of most moderns. The word means reconciliation or to make peace between two parties. It refers to a sacrificial offering to remove the effect of sin. In the New Testament it refers to reconciliation between God and humanity achieved by the sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The purpose of Christ coming to earth was “to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

“When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son” (Rom. 5:10).

The way in which the way of salvation was made possible is clearly spelled out. The body of believers is depicted as “the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). This raises the question: when did God shed His own blood? Jesus Christ, God in flesh and blood, did it on Calvary.

It can be understood by way of illustration. Formerly native Americans thought a drought was caused by the gods being angry. They went through ritualistic dances to make the gods happy in hopes they would be rewarded with rain.

The Biblical reference to the principle of atonement refers to what Christ did to satisfy the righteous demands of God the Father. After sin entered the world God saw all persons as the sinners they were. In love He devised a plan to solve this sin problem. Let’s call it “Operation Grace.” The plan called for God the Son to come into the world and remove the sin barrier that existed between God and mankind. This barrier could not be removed by any human effort. The purpose of the virgin birth was to provide the sinless Son of God to die on the cross to do what no mere mortal man could do. That is, remove the sin barrier.

Get this! On Calvary He bore EVERY sin of EVERY person who has ever lived.

This made forgiveness available to the “whosoever” of John 3:16. Don’t leave me at this point. That does not mean every person is saved. It means any person can be saved. The individual must personally appropriate this forgiveness by faith.

The fact Christ died for all sin of all persons means God wants to save all persons. Observe these texts:

II Cor. 5: 14, 15 “…one died for all…”

I Tim. 4:10 speaks of Christ “who gave Himself for all.”

I Tim. 4:10 also speaks of Christ “who is the Savior of all men.”

Again I say this does not mean all persons are saved. It means salvation is open to all. Each person must personally receive it by faith.

Hebrews 2:9 says, “…He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.”

I John 2:2, “He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”

John 1:29, “Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.”

In love God extended Himself on the cross on behalf of every person. God in love has exhausted His every effort to make salvation available to every person.

III. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD OR GOD’S WILL.
Through the prophet Ezekial God spoke: “‘Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?’ … says the Lord God, ‘and not that he should turn from his ways and live.’” (Ezekial 18:23). The clear answer is that God desires all to turn and be saved.

II Peter 3:9 states God’s will clearly. He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Thus, God has stated He wants everyone saved. For any person not to go to heaven they have to violate God will which is for them to be there. To accomplish this from His vantage point Christ died for all.

Again the will of God is noted in I Timothy 2:4. Therein He is described as the God “who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of truth.” That is His will. What is yours.

IV. THE HUMAN MIND.
The determining issue is what do people think.

In the life of every person there is a time when they become God-conscious. That is, the Holy Spirit convicts them there is a loving God. No matter when or where a person lives, there is a point in their life when they are convinced by the Holy Spirit of their being a loving God.

Acts 2: 17 God said, “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.”

I Cor. 7:17, “God hath called everyone …”

John 7:17, “If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know…”

At a point in the life of every person they are made God-conscious by the Holy Spirit. That is, they become aware there is a loving God.

Romans 1 tells us of the reaction of many at the point of God-consciousness.

This brings us to the fifth point.

V. THE HUMAN HEART
At the point of God-consciousness every person responds in one of two ways:
a. I want to know more about this God, or
b. I don’t want to know more about this God.

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man; and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things” (Romans 1: 20 – 23).

It is at the point of God-consciousness that most people reject. At the point of God- consciousness they respond negatively and in their heart say: “I don’t want to know more about this God. I want to make my own god of wood, stone, or metal.”

This shouts this fact:
THE HEATHEN IS NOT A HEATHEN BECAUSE HE IS IN SPIRITUAL DARKNESS, BUT HE IS IN SPIRITUAL DARKNESS BECAUSE HE IS A HEATHEN.

IT IS NOT THE SPIRITUAL DARKNESS THAT CAUSES THE HEATHEN-NESS; IT IS THE HEATHEN-NESS THAT CAUSES THE SPIRITUAL DARKNESS.

However, there are those who send up positive signals at the point of God-consciousness indicating they do want to know more about this loving God. Then God takes it upon Himself to get the gospel to them through His obedient people.

No matter WHO, WHEN, or WHERE any person wants to know the gospel message, God gets it to that person through a human instrument.

God can tell who has said “no” and who has said “yes” at the point of God-consciousness. We can’t. We must assume all have said, “Yes, I want to know more.” Therefore, we must evangelistically reach out to them. That means we are to export the gospel. Have you said “Yes” to Jesus?

For any person to be saved, they must “accept Jesus Christ.” What does this involve? It involves:
1. An attachment which is: a) intellectual, b) emotional (God never intended for you to be a plaything of your emotions), c) willful.

It is as though three little people are sitting on a bench under the dome of your cranium. One is named Mr. Intellect, one Mr. Emotions, and the third Mr. Will. Each is to give a testimony.

Mr. Intellect stands to say, “I believe the Bible to be the sole authority for faith and practice. I believe Jesus Christ the only begotten son of God was born of a virgin to be the Savior who died for the sins of the world.

This intellectual ascent is wonderful but at this point the person isn’t saved.

Mr. Emotion speaks with great depth of feelings. Emotion is evident in his every word as he shares how deeply he feels about Jesus Christ. Poignantly with passion he tells of his sensitive regard for Jesus. He speaks in terms of chill bumps, thrills, a tingling spine, and tears of joy.

Now Mr. Emotion and Mr. Intellect have joined in testifying of their regard for Jesus, but the person still isn’t saved. The devil believes and trembles. He has intellectual knowledge with which he agrees about Jesus as the Son of God and is emotional about it, but he isn’t saved.

Next, Mr. Will stands to testify saying, “I ‘Will,’ will that my will be thy will. Not my will but thy will be done. Knowing the will of the Father to be to trust Jesus Christ as Savior I join with Mr. Intellect and Mr. Emotion in declaring my will is for Christ to forgive and give me new life.”

When the three join as one then the person is saved.

2. This attachment is: All-inclusive. We don’t accept his Saviorhood today and wait until tomorrow to decide on His Lordship. Our life orbits around Him.

3. This attachment is: All-exclusive.

Nathanael Bartholomew

“Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote; Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’ And Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, ‘Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!’ Nathanael said to Him, ‘How do You know me?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.’ Nathanael answered and said to Him, ‘Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ (John 1:45 – 49).

Jesus Christ called Philip to follow Him as an apostle. Immediately Philip went looking for his friend Nathanael from Bethsaida. Nathanael who was also known as Bartholomew was rude, crude, and uncivil. Such was not uncommon for people from this rural area. They were a rather primitive society.

Nathanael Bartholomew is believed to be the name of one person. Bartholomew is not a first name. It is a family name that identifies a person by his father. “Bar” means “son of.” It is used like “Van” is used by the Dutch, “Von” by Germans, “Mc” or “Mac” by Irish or Scottish folks.

Scholars agree Bartholomew means “son of Talmai.” II Samuel 3:3 mentions a Talmai who was King of Geshure. This being correct means Nathanael Bartholomew was the only apostle of noble birth.

When Philip told Nathanael he had found the one prophesied of by Moses, Nathanael blurted out his prejudice. He questioned, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” That was a more legitimate question than we might suppose.

The historian Josephus listed over 750 cities, towns, and villages in Galilee. Nazareth was so small and insignificant it wasn’t even listed. As a village, Nazareth was not only remote, but it was of little or ill repute, and Nathanael was not interested in such a place or anyone living, or coming from there. Recent excavations of the town reveal that in the time of Christ the residents were cave-dwellers. Christ was born in a cave, grew up in a cave, spent many nights in caves, and was buried in a cave.

Jesus responded to Nathanael’s barb by referring to Nathanael as a person “in whom there is no guile,” that is, no deceit or insidious cunning. He was the personification of sincerity and honesty. Nathanael was clear as day and never lowered himself to deceitful contrivances. He was man anyone could trust and therefore earned the warm greeting by Jesus.

That prompted Nathanael to ask, “How do you know me?”

Jesus said He not only knew Nathanael but He saw him when he was under the fig tree. Fig trees in the Bible land were an oasis. The limbs grew large and spread out forming a leafy canopy with a shaded place under the limbs next to the trunk. A person could crawl up under one and not be seen. Jesus was saying “When you thought no one could see you I saw you.”

Jesus revealed even greater knowledge of Nathanael. Jesus even read Nathanael’s thoughts regarding Jacob’s ladder and said, “I am that ladder.”

From this we learn of Jesus’ omnipresence and omniscience; He is all present and all knowing. He see us at all times and He knows our thoughts. That is wonderful. That means He is constantly aware of our needs.

Nathanael could have seen in this the fulfillment of Psalm 139:1, 2: “O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.”

Nathanael has some characteristics of a loner, an introvert. The cast of characters around Christ was diverse. The extravertive Peter and the introvertive Nathanael reveal there is room for distinctively different people in the kingdom.

Jesus described Nathanael as a man in whom there is no guile, that is, hypocrisy or deceit. Those were some of his virtues, but he did have a prejudice against Nazareth. A person may have many virtues and lack one.

Philip said, “Come and see.” In other words if you want to condemn a whole village because of your encounter with one man come and meet another and see if you don’t have a different opinion. “The proof is in the pudding.”

Augustine of Hippo, in his “Confessions,” written between 397 and 400 AD tells of his experience “under a certain fig tree.” He describes how there God called him to repentance and service. He wrote: “I cast myself down I know not how giving full vent to my tears.” He tells that as he confessed his “uncleanliness” he heard a voice “as of a boy or girl” chanting: “Take up, and read.”

He tells of taking up the New Testament and reading a passage about putting away ones vices and following Christ. Then he wrote: “light, as it were, of serenity infused into my heart, all the darkness of doubt passed away.”

Do you have your own fig tree? Do you have a quiet place where God can get your attention?

The symbol of Nathanael Bartholomew is a shield on which there are three knives. They represent his method of death. Tradition says he was flayed alive. That is, he was skinned alive.

Nathanael was quickly convinced once he met Jesus. He replied: “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

Nathanael is the prototype of all those sensitive souls who have since followed Christ. Those who desire fellowship and follow Him.

Profile of a Non-PC Wife/Mother 5/10/98

Proverbs 31:10-12
Page 975 Come Alive Bible

Jesus Christ who in eternity leaned on the breast of His Father without any mother in time leaned on the breast of His mother without any father.

His earthly parental tie was obviously closer with His mother than Joseph, His guardian father. The likelihood is that Mary was widowed while Jesus was still very young. Mary was still with Him even at the cross. The relationship between these two is a pattern for parental relations with their child. Mary mirrors admirable motherhood.

Once a year many families pause on a day called “Mother’s Day” to try to atone for a year of neglect. Yet, even that is commendable. It got its modern start May 10, 1908, at the funeral of the mother of Anna M. Jarvis. Anna love her mom and at her memorial service suggested an annual day honoring mothers. Her mother’s favorite flower was the carnation. At the memorial service she gave everyone a white carnation. The concept gained popularity until Mother’s Day was observed in a number of large cities. On May 9, 1914, by act of Congress, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. He declared the day as a time for “public expressions of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.”

By then it had become customary to wear white carnations to honor departed mothers and red to honor the living. This custom is still observed by many.

The concept has expanded to include giving mom a gift. It is a grand idea. Most are deserving. Every young female who eventually becomes a mother should aspire to merit such.

Most of us men would concede selecting that gift is a challenge. The selection process is stressful for most men. Many a man has felt extreme frigid temperatures for a long time because of a poor decision in gift selection. Veterans of these wars suggest:

-Don’t buy anything that plugs in. Anything that plugs in is seen as utilitarian. It is in the same category with a washboard in a previous era.

-Don’t buy clothing that involves sizes. The chances are one in seven thousand that you will get her size right, and your wife will be offended 6,999 times. You will hear, “Do I look like a size 16?” Too small a size doesn’t get it either: “I haven’t worn a size 8 since I was 18.”

-Avoid useful gifts. The silver polish guaranteed to save hundreds of hours is not going to win any brownie points.

-Don’t buy anything that involves weight loss or self-improvement. She will interpret a six month gift certificate to a diet center as suggesting she is overweight.

-Don’t buy jewelry. The jewelry your wife wants, you can’t afford. The jewelry you can afford she won’t wear.

-Don’t spend too much. “How do you think we can afford that?” she will inquire. Don’t spend too little. She won’t say anything but she will think, “Is that all I am worth?”

No one deserves a special day more than a good mom. A cartoon showed a psychologist talking with a patient/mom. “Let’s see,” he is saying, “You spend 50% of your time and energy on your job, 50% on your husband, and 50% on your children. I think I know why you are tired all the time.”

Preaching on the occasion of Mother’s Day was once a given easy for ministers. Not so today.

Politically correct (PC) feminist have worked to erode the virtue and honor of the role. This has prompted Rita Carver to write: “In today’s world one wonders if mother is not headed for extinction… Some of our feminist sisters have declared that as non-working mothers we are only maids doing the job any eight year-old could accomplish.”

The avant-garde mood of feminists is attempting to dismantle the traditional concept of what a woman should do and who she should be.

It was reported on Dr. James Dobson’s radio program that many books have been taken from public libraries that depict the traditional role of fathers and mothers. These have been replaced by volumes depicting current PC parents.

Fortunately the failure of these recast roles is now being realized. Many young women are realizing the importance and joy of living on less and living for more than material goods. One lovely young mother, a former “Miss Cobb County,” said to me recently, I didn’t realize of what I was being robbed with my first two children. Now that I am a full time mom I know what a blessing it is to be a parent giving my child deserved attention.”

Some moms have to work and that must be respected. However, if a mom can possibly devote herself to mothering the family should adjust to accommodate her.

Let’s go back to the wisdom of Proverbs and redefine the Biblical ideal for a wife and mother. Though few may fit the ideal, none will unless the Biblical role is defined and understood.

I. SHE IS A DEVOTED WIFE (VSS. 11, 12, 23)
There are three reciprocal roles a wife and husband should play related to each other.

Build one another’s confidence.

Seek another’s welfare. A husband should study his wife. Get to know her temperament, mood, and disposition. Learn what pleases or displeases her. Seek her happiness.

Be as sensitive to her needs as I heard of an infant being. A young mother placed her infant in his high chair and sat down to feed him. She was physically fatigued and emotionally drained. She was even a bit fearful for the family had run out of money. As she sat down she reflexively put her head on the child’s feeding table and began to cry. The child took the pacifier out of his mouth and tried to put it in his mother’s mouth.

Enhance one another’s reputation.

Never, repeat, never criticize one another in public. Demeaning one another is a game no one wins.

II. SHE IS A DILIGENT PARTNER (VSS. 13-17, 18B, 19, 22, 24)
As a woman with God’s view point, she is a willing worker, a wise planner, and a thrifty shopper.

She keeps herself fit spiritually and physically.

Husbands remember she is your partner, not your servant.

Hear a modern version of the fairy tale of the frog and the beautiful princess.

Once upon a time a lovely, independent, self-assured princess found a frog in a pond.

The frog said to the princess, “I was once a handsome prince until an evil witch put a spell on me. One kiss from you, and I will turn back into a prince, and then we can marry, move into the castle with mom, and you can prepare my meals, clean my clothes, bear my children and forever feel happy doing so.”

That night —- the princess had frog legs for dinner.

The moral of the story: men don’t take your wife for granted. Especially if you are a frog.

Both husband and wife have responsibilities toward each other. Husbands reevaluate your responsibility toward your wife and recommit to fulfilling them.

Again I appeal, study your wife.

Know her in order to look out for her welfare.

Keep the channels of communication open and clear.

Make sound and timely decisions.

Determine your wife’s gifts and capabilities and encourage them.

Assume responsibility for your own actions.

III. SHE IS A DUTIFUL SERVANT (VS. 20)
Her unselfishness motivates her to be concerned about her own family as well as others. She has a vision and heart for ministry not only to her own family but others.

IV. SHE IS A DEPENDABLE MOTHER (VSS. 15, 21, 27)
Some children appear to think being a mother is a cushy job. It involves standing on Mt. Sinai waving a spatula shouting, “Thou shalt not!”

The importance of the role was indicated in a three frame cartoon. One frame showed a depiction of the nation’s Capitol, the next the White House. The third showed a mother in a rocking chair reading to her child. The caption read: “Choose the real seat of power in America.”

In speaking of mothers I know not everyone has had an ideal mother. Resentment often last into adulthood as a consequence of a mother having failed in her role. Perhaps you had such a mother. You want to have loving thoughts regarding her, but what happened doesn’t result in such warm encouraging thoughts. It is OK not to like some of the things you mom did. However, you need to be mature enough to dislike the things she did and separate them in your thinking from what she was. Love her even though you don’t like what she did.

In our “Me-ism” society a “I want it all now” complex has developed. As a result some young women rush into motherhood before marriage. Don’t! The mother depicted in the Proverb is self-disciplined and willing to practice delayed-gratification.

I know when that statement is made in a congregation as large as this there are some who didn’t. The Bible never condones such and the Christian community must never sanction such. However, once it has happened the young person needs the Lord, His church, and His people as never before. The church must be supporting and encouraging once the mistake has occurred. The young couple may well be suffering from a repressed moral-failure complex and not know what it is. They need to deal with their own emotions and be accepting of the fact they are accepted though their conduct is unacceptable.

Those of you busy in rearing children I want to share with you one of the biggest blessings of parenthood. I referred to delayed-gratification. Keep this in mind all through your challenging years of child rearing. One of these days your door will open. In will walk a young adult. Your best friend, your child. Anticipate and work for that delayed- gratification.

She is organized and energetic (Vs. 15).

She is an equipper (Vs. 21).

Throughout this Proverb reference is made to clothing and providing for her family. This is often done at a personal sacrifice. One young adult told recently of her excitement when she was in the eighth grade. Her class was having a much talked about party. All the girls talked excitedly about what they were going to wear. This little girl knew her widowed mother was rearing her and her brother on a limited income and a new dress wasn’t possible. Naturally she was a bit disappointed. She soon cheered up when her mom, a wonderful seamstress, agreed to make her a new dress for the party. It was so lovely. What made it special was that it was just like one her mom had that they both admired.

That young woman said of her mother, “It was some time before I realized my mom never wore her dress again – she had made mine out of hers.”

Diligent and devoted moms are miraculous providers.

She is self-disciplined and unselfish (Vs. 27).

Playwright Victor Hugo captures the essence of motherhood in one of his plays in which a ship’s captain gives a starving mother and her two children a slice of bread. She tears it in two and gives a half to each child.

A deck hand standing by asks the captain, “Is it because she is not hungry?”

The captain replies, “No, it is because she is a mother.”

Her very lifestyle is a testimony to her children (Vs. 28). Many wonder about what their child might be tomorrow. A mother never forgets that her child is someone today.

V. SHE IS A DOCTRINALLY ORIENTED WOMAN (Vs. 26)
She is a woman full of wisdom.