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Tribulations, the Door to the Kingdom

Scripture Reading: Acts 14.8-18

A pattern exists where actions repeat themselves over and over. See if you can see a pattern emerging from the three events below.

Dateline – 1st Journey; Antioch of Pisidia: Paul and Barnabas preach the gospel in the Jewish synagogue and to Gentiles. "And the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region. But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their…  ( Click for more )

Jesus - Man of Sorrows  (2 of 5)

This installment as well as all others in this series is written to help us focus on the person of Christ and the characteristics that He possessed.  This is done so that we can consciously allow God to transform our lives by stamping the image of His dear Son deep on our heart.  If we do not know the traits of the Christ, it is impossible to follow in His footsteps, hence the need for this series.

Concerning the Christ, Isaiah wrote almost eight centuries before His birth, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows,…  ( Click for more )

Jesus - Uncompromising (2/5)

The requirements for discipleship seemed always to be a topic of discussion during Jesus' earthly ministry. Perhaps this was because there were so many reasons why some wanted to be with Him. However, as many would-be followers discovered, the walk with Him was a most demanding adventure – and it was one with no compromises. To illustrate these facts, consider the following lines summarized from John the 6th chapter.

Jesus was teaching, as He frequently did, near the Sea of Galilee. Great multitude came to hear Him, but more…  ( Click for more )

In some arenas, one who is willing to compromise is a hero. However, when it comes to spiritual truth, compromise is deadly to the compromiser as well as those who follow him/her. Jesus, though conciliatory in many ways, had no give and take when it came to spiritual truth. He stood against all forms of error without regards to who might stand with Him or against Him when He took such a stance. Consider some instances when compromise would have been a lesser man's way to resolve an issue but in which Jesus refused to compromise.

The Pharisees in Matthew 12.38 asked Jesus for…  ( Click for more )

Jesus, Example of Patience (5/5)

So Jesus was patient; what is that to me? Is there some response that God desires of me because of the patience displayed by His Son?

Hear Hebrews 12.1-3: "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right…  ( Click for more )

Jesus, Example of Patience (4/5)

"From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, 'Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!' But He turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.'" (Matthew 16.21-23).

Consider carefully the response to Peter's expression…  ( Click for more )

Jesus, Example of Patience (3/5)

"Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, 'He is out of His mind.' And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, 'He has Beelzebub,' and, 'By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.'" (Mark 3.20-22).

The accusation by the scribes from Jerusalem – He has Beelzebub - was to be expected! After all, they seemed to hound Him during virtually all His ministry. However, note who the other…  ( Click for more )

Jesus, Example of Patience (2/5)

Jesus rarely used the word "patient" or "patience" as recorded in the gospel records. Neither is Jesus explicitly spoken of by the other inspired New Testament writers as being a person who exhibited exemplary patience. However, by noticing the life of Jesus and His demeanor while upon the earth, a serious student of the scriptures will soon conclude that He was patient to the ultimate degree.

To begin to understand the patience of Christ, we look to the end of His earthly life. Note some of the taunts which He heard at Calvary:…  ( Click for more )

Jesus, Example of Patience (1/5)

"But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love." (2 Peter 1.5-7). This list of what has frequently been styled as the "Christian Graces" reflects attributes that were certainly prominent in the life of Jesus. This particular miniseries will focus on the trait of perseverance (or patience as it is more commonly translated).

One common…  ( Click for more )

Jesus Lover of Truth (5/5)

Since Jesus is the lover of truth, what does He expect of me regarding truth? If I am to be molded in the image of Christ, what does that mean as far as my relationship and responsibility toward truth?

First, I am sure that Jesus expects me to love the truth. In as much as those who do not receive the love of the truth are subject to believe a lie and be damned (2 Thessalonians 2.10), it should be apparent that we ought to love truth. The passionless Christian does not love truth and it is doubtful that such a one is a Christian at…  ( Click for more )

Jesus Lover of Truth (4/5)

Jesus' love for truth, or perhaps more accurately His love for humanity that could be saved by truth, prompted Him to promise His apostles that they would be guided into all truth. (John 16.13). After His departure, Jesus fulfilled His promise by sending the Holy Spirit to reveal the truths of the gospel to His holy apostles and prophets. The remainder of this installment will examine some of what these inspired men said about truth as it related to their message.

The apostle Paul stood condemned by his own countrymen because he openly…  ( Click for more )

Jesus Lover of Truth (3/5)

Saving truth is objective. Man's thought processes are incremental due to the way we learn. In order to understand algebra a basis must be formed in fundamental mathematics. In order to understand Solid Geometry, a basis must be formed in Plane Geometry. In order to understand the parts of speech in the English language, a basis must be formed in fundamental grammar.

Truth, like each of the named disciplines, consists of a body of knowledge but it cannot be absorbed instantaneously; it has to be learned incrementally. Jesus loved…  ( Click for more )

Jesus Loved Truth (2/5)

Truth, like water, comes in more than one form. Water does not cease being water when it becomes ice nor does it cease being water when it becomes steam. Ice and steam are still water. Truth translated into action is still truth even though it is non-verbal in form. This installment has to do with Jesus' reaction to those who failed miserably in translating truth into action. His love for truth caused Him to forcefully and forthrightly oppose some whose lives were walking contradictions of truth!

The word "hypocrite" or its plural form…  ( Click for more )

Jesus Lover of Truth (1/5)

To say that Jesus loved truth demands a quick follow-on. It is like saying Jesus was a man! He was a man, but that is not all He was. Jesus loved truth, but that is not all of that story. We will examine Jesus and His relationship to truth in this miniseries.

Regarding Jesus and truth, John wrote, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1.14). This statement by John says something about the purpose of his gospel account…  ( Click for more )

Jesus Was Humble (5/5)

From the time we are children we long to be self-sufficient. Getting that first after-school job spells self-sufficiency. Getting our driver's license spells the same thing. Going off to school and moving into an apartment means we are finally our own boss. As time goes on and we mature as individuals, we learn to move further and further away from our parents and we ask for less and less from them. Our goal, our eventual goal, is to get to the point that we don't have to ask anybody for anything – then we are self sufficient! Our…  ( Click for more )

Jesus Was Humble (4/5)

Peter boasted, "You shall never wash my feet!" (John 13.8a). However, Jesus did wash Peter's feet a few minutes later – another about-face by the tempestuous apostle! What was it that changed Peter's mind? Hear Jesus' response to Peter's boast: "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." (John 13.8b). The threat of being cutoff from Messiah was enough to cause Peter to exclaim, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!" (John 13.9).

"Jesus… rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded…  ( Click for more )

Jesus Was Humble (3 of 5)

In the military, an "about-face" is a command to make a 180 degree clockwise turn resulting in a precise reversal of direction; in other arenas (moral, spiritual, philosophical, political, etc.) an "about-face" is simply to reverse one's position on one or more important matters. Peter was a man familiar with about-faces. He had been a participant –even a ring-leader- of some in the spiritual arena. We will consider a couple of these as we think about Jesus and humility.

First, consider some of Peter's own inspired statements as…  ( Click for more )

Jesus Was Humble (2/5)

Concerning His own mission here upon this earth, Jesus said, "…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20.28). His entire purpose here had to do with service to others – after all, what was there in this material universe to attract the Christ to it. He had made this entire universe with the breath of His mouth and He could have made ten thousand more should His desire have been such. When He came to serve, He came to do what He could not have done in any other…  ( Click for more )

Jesus was Humble (1 of 5)

An image of Christ without the hands and feet of humility is simply incomplete and incorrect. If there is one essential trait in the image of Christ – one that simply cannot be overlooked – that trait is humility. The scriptures present Christ as the epitome of humility; it is that trait which makes Him so attractive to those who know Him and serve Him from the heart. No passage introduces that concept better than one from Philippians 2 and it is to it we turn as we begin this look at humility as an indispensable part of the image…  ( Click for more )

Jesus Was Compassionate (4/4)

To be Christ-like is to be Christian. To be Christ-like is to posses the attributes of Christ. To be Christ-like is also to be one of God's own. Paul challenged others "…imitate me even as I also imitate Christ." (1 Corinthians 11.1). Christians will be compassionate just as Christ was compassionate – in areas of benevolence as well as spiritual matters. Christians will demonstrate that compassion in the spiritual arena is one of our highest priorities.

Peter wrote, "Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion…  ( Click for more )

Christ Was Compassionate (3 of 4)

The church of Christ of the first century was directly guided by the apostles of Christ. As such, the churches we read about in the New Testament, though imperfect, were given perfect direction. These churches, in as much as they submitted themselves to the word of Christ delivered through the apostles and prophets of the New Testament, were compassionate just as Jesus was compassionate.

Not long after the Gentiles had embraced the gospel, the church at Antioch learned of a great famine that was to bring suffering to many, many…  ( Click for more )

Jesus Was Compassionate (2/4)

The compassion exhibited by Christ on behalf of those who were hurting physically was far from the only arena in which He demonstrated that marvelous trait. In fact, the compassion showed in the physical arena pales in comparison to the compassion which He demonstrated in the spiritual affairs of man. Consider the compassion of Christ for the spiritually hurting.

"And He said to them [the apostles], 'Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.' For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time…  ( Click for more )

Jesus Was Compassionate (1/4)

Like all persons, Jesus is the composite of all His features; the whole is the sum of the individual parts. To get a glimpse of Christ, I am forced to look at His individual traits. So, if I intend to have the image of Christ stamped into my heart, I must have a valid view of His character. Subsequent messages will address many of the important character traits of Jesus. From these individual glimpses into the heart of the Savior, we will gain an overall view of the Image of Christ.

One simply cannot read the New Testament scriptures without…  ( Click for more )

The Desire for the Image of Christ

The last line of a popular old hymn reads, "Stamp thine own image deep on my heart." The request in the song is for the image of Christ to be indelibly impressed on the heart of the worshiper. Of course the image of Christ referred to in the song is not a physical image, but rather a spiritual one. The image of Christ is an image which cannot be found in a painting, or sculpture; rather is it found in a book. The book which contains the image of Christ is the Holy Bible. The request to stamp the image of Christ on one's heart…  ( Click for more )