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Opening Song: 111, It Took a Miracle Title: Dead or Alive?
Scripture: Philippians 4:6, Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.
A wife was making eggs for breakfast. Suddenly, her husband burst into the kitchen! ‘Careful,’ he said, ‘CAREFUL! Put in some more butter! Oh my! You’re cooking too many at once. TOO many! Turn them! Turn them NOW! We need more butter. WHERE are we going to get MORE butter? They’re going to stick! I said be CAREFUL! You NEVER listen to me when you’re cooking! Never! Turn them! Hurry up! Are you CRAZY? Have you lost your mind? Don’t forget to season. You know you always forget to season!’
The wife stared at him. “What in the world is wrong with you? You think I don’t know how to fry a couple eggs?” Her husband calmly replied, “I just wanted to show you what it feels like when I’m driving.”
I’m thankful God is in the driver seat, and I can trust He will get me to heaven. For He has made salvation possible for whoever accepts it! Simon the magician wanted to buy spiritual power he saw in the apostles; Peter replied, “May your money perish with you for thinking God's GIFT can be bought,” Acts 8:20. Can I buy my way into heaven? How much does it cost? If I give all my money, do you think God will take me to heaven? Money doesn’t buy heaven and no one, not Pope or Conference President can set price for heaven. World says money buys happiness-if only you have enough of it and spend on right things. We know better, but with power of advertising and peer pressure, we forget what we know. We forget salvation is a gift.
Luke 16:22, And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried. Jesus’ story shows not what the Rich Man had, but what his money can’t buy, most basic thing: life. Rich banker and homeless man both die. No matter all the money we have, you and I can’t buy our next breath!
Psalm 49:6-8, “Even those who trust in their wealth and boast in abundance of their riches: NO man can by any means redeem his brother or give to God a ransom for him. Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can EVER pay enough!” Jesus said, “What can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” Mark 8:37. Money can buy cars, politicians, prostitutes but not love, mansions, social status, furniture, lifestyle of the famous. Money can buy food for hungry, shelter for homeless, help for wildlife, protect abused pets, provide for orphans. But it can’t buy salvation! Thank God salvation is FREE or only Rockefellers would enter heaven.
SONG: WOULDN’T TAKE NOTHING FOR MY JOURNEY NOW
Criminals don't commit murder, promise to be good, then avoid punishment. They should PAY for what they did. All sinned against God's law. When we consider work a barter payment we try to buy our way to heaven by doing penance, good works. There is bible salvation versus FALSE salvation. We find it in two sons. One worked his way into God’s good graces. Farmer Cain worshiped God by bringing fruit of his hands. Abel worshiped God with animal blood, symbol of JESUS dying for us. If righteousness comes by law, if you could be saved by being good, or give fruit to God to get right with Him, then Calvary was a MISTAKE. “Christ is become of NONE effect to you, whoever of you are justified by works of the law,” Galatians 5:4.
Religion is what man does for God; salvation is what God does for man. One is spelled do, the other is spelled done! Jesus is not just a good way to heaven. Jesus is not even the best way to heaven. Jesus is the ONLY way to heaven. If HE isn’t the ONLY way, then there is no way! That sounds narrow to some people, but Jesus said, "I am THE way, THE truth, and THE life; and no man comes to the Father but by Me," John 14:6. Any effort to try by our own good deeds is saying death of Jesus is meaningless! Salvation is ONLY by Jesus’ sacrifice and nothing we do can add to that. If I give my life for Calcutta’s poor, will that earn me heaven? If I die at the stake for truth, will that be ENOUGH works? Thank God I can’t earn salvation; I’d never make it! CAN YOU?
At Pentecost, Peter calls people to repent. What did Peter mean? He told them who rejected Jesus to change their minds and accept Christ. Acts 2:36, "So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made THIS Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!" Repentance is changing our mind about Jesus. It is NOT a work we do to earn salvation. No one can repent, come to Jesus, unless God draws us, John 6:44. All repentance is God drawing us, opening our eyes, changing our hearts. Puritans taught you can’t come to Jesus just as you are; you must be mortified or repent enough! Do I have to sit in ashes, pull out my hair, cut myself? Who has EVER repented enough? After Jesus comes into our heart, HE changes it to hate sin. ONLY Jesus in my heart.
So what is repentance? The answer, it’s a miracle Jesus does in our heart. When I left hospital 3 months after a stroke, experts said my left arm would not return. My left hand was a cold, lifeless, swollen claw and my arm hung out of its joint. Think about the man with the withered hand who stretched it out to Jesus. Was healing before or after he stretched? It could not be after or he couldn’t stretch it. Can it be before or Jesus didn’t heal him?! As he began by faith to move the arm, by a miracle he was enabled to do so. That’s how faith works.
We urge those “DEAD in trespasses and sin” to accept Jesus and gift of faith comes at the same time with their response, giving desire and power to accept Jesus. Nobody can say they can’t accept Jesus because they lack power, for God supplies it. He says, “Draw near to God, and He draws near to you.” He pulls us with loving kindness and HE gives us power to come. Repentance is not a merit or work but gift from God. Faith in Jesus’ sacrifice is the only way to have sins forgiven. We LOVE God’s law, but law NEVER forgives sin or saves us.
SONG: FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
Bible speaks of two types of works. One is from God and acceptable to God; other work is not acceptable to God. Good works are fruit of the Spirit and come from Jesus who dwells in our heart through His Spirit. A lady was picking through frozen turkeys at the grocery store, but couldn't find one big enough for her family dinner. She asked the stock boy, "Do these turkeys get ANY bigger?" The stock boy answered, "No ma'am, they're dead."
Dead works are deadly because they keep people from Jesus. Before Saul became Paul, he killed Christians for GOD! Oh, I don’t kill anyone! I used to believe I had to be perfect in my sphere. That means I have to judge people in my sphere to see if I’m perfect! I don’t deal drugs; I don’t drive drunk; hooray I am perfect! You see how I might as well have killed them? 2 Corinthians 10:12,
We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise! Bible Commentary: There is no limit to a man's high opinion of our self, so long as we measure by our self and our fellowmen.
Many are told the gospel is what THEY do. Live, Eat, Give, Die right. Only faith in Jesus matters; everything that does not come from faith is sin, Romans 14:23. Apart from Jesus, my works are DEAD. If God spanked His children until they never disobeyed Him again, wouldn’t He be a god of abuse? My human conditioning like Apostle Paul is to be Pharisee of all Pharisees. I’m convicted if Jesus had come before I knew grace, He’d have to say, “You never knew Me!” The god I used to serve refused me until I was perfectly sinless and that is a god of spiritual, mental and emotional abuse! One day George and I were watching Grace channel. We turned to each other and said, “Can it really be true? Can God’s grace really be like that?” Can you bear to lose your children no matter HOW selfish they are? So WHAT was God to do? Tell me. What did God do with this terrible dilemma? He said, “I die so you may live; I take your punishment. I NEVER force you to have a relationship with Me! I’ll give you up if that’s what YOU want.”
February, 2013, a blood clot so tiny doctors couldn’t find it on a cat scan paralyzed me. Who is Isabelle when she cannot do, do, do? If we think our sacrifices save us, those dead works need forgiveness, Hebrews 6:1. Dead works look like good works on the outside but come from us, so are dead in God's eyes. Can I plug this lamp into my heart? Will it work? As much as dead works.
A new missionary in Venezuela for the first time, struggled with the language and didn't understand. At a local church, so as not to make a fool of himself, he would copy the man sitting next to him on the pew. As they sang, the man swayed, so he did too. When man stood to pray, he did too. People clapped, so he looked to see if man was clapping. He was, so missionary did too. Preacher said some words and he saw man next to him stand up. So he stood. Suddenly hush fell over entire church. A few people gasped. He looked around; nobody else was standing, so he sat down. After church, preacher was shaking hands. He said to the missionary in English, "I take it you don't speak Spanish." The missionary replied, "No, it's THAT obvious?"
"Well yes," said the preacher, "I announced the Acosta family had a newborn baby boy and would the proud father please stand up."
We don’t do anything because so-and-so does it. What we do without personal conviction is dead work. Just because a great person teaches something, it doesn’t mean it’s right for us. We don’t blindly follow anything. God doesn’t want money or service that’s not cheerfully given. What we do without joy in the Lord is dead work! He asks us like Peter if we LOVE Him, or serving is worthless. If we serve but criticize those we serve, then our service is dead. Works without faith and love are dead!
If we do it to relieve our guilt, it’s dead works. IF there were no punishment for lust or lies, would we indulge? Then it’s dead work. To forgive others BECAUSE we want God to forgive us is from selfish fear of judgment. If we do good even to our spouse all to EARN heaven then it’s self-centred acts; dead! If we control our tongue but still boil inside, that is teaching of yoga not Jesus. Revelation 22;12 "Behold I come quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work." Those who get crowns in heaven are quick to cast them at Jesus’ feet. Good works come from Jesus; He deserves ALL the credit! Because MY works are only dead. It took a stroke for this Pharisee to learn that.
SONG: GIVE HIM THE GLORY
When Jesus went to a funeral, it did not stay a funeral. When Jesus touched the dead, He made them alive. Seniors arrived at the golf course. "These fairways are getting longer and longer," said one. "Hills are getting steeper as years go by," another complained. "Sand traps seem bigger," said third senior. The oldest 87 years old piped up, "My friends, just be thankful we're still on THIS side of the grass!"
Ephesians 2:5, When we were dead in our transgressions, He made us alive together with Christ- by grace you ARE saved. Does any translation say you are NOT saved? Yet how many Christians fear they are not saved? How many worry if they’ll make it? How many have no assurance? Why when God says by grace you are saved? Bible Commentary: Saved is past participle, not being saved but having been saved.
We add nothing to Jesus’ sacrifice! It's INSULT to God to think His Son's sacrifice isn't enough! Chuck Swindoll writes, “With Jesus’ LAST breath on the cross, He declared debt canceled, finished! Nothing else required. Not good deeds, donations, penance, confession, baptism, nothing. We were hopelessly in debt! He paid our debt in FULL.”
The Artist has last word about meaning of his painting, not the art critic. Judge decides if sentence is satisfied, not the convicted criminal. Merchant says if a debt is paid, not the debtor. Jesus says you are saved, not the priest, or prophet, or pastor, not Isabelle says! Religion adds works to Jesus’ finished work. Ephesians 2:9-10, Not BY works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus TO good works, which GOD prepared for us to do. Not saved BY but TO good works. We are not saved BY good works, we’re recreated in Christ TO good works.
So salvation is not result of good works. Good works are result of salvation! Fruit of the Spirit, love in our lives, comes from Jesus. Not us. None will brag in heaven, “I got here because I kept 10 commandments. I gave to church. I helped sick kids. I kept ordinances. I got baptized. I did MY best.” Oh no.
Thank God He never meant for us to go through life WORRYING if we make it to heaven; that would be cruel of Him! 1John 5:13, I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so you may KNOW you have eternal life. You may KNOW you HAVE eternal life. Philippians 4: 6, “Don't worry about anything,” so we don’t worry if we are saved, we trust and KNOW we are saved and thank God for salvation. People say it's impossible to know. Jesus told the thief he was saved! A THIEF? Oh, can salvation depend on MY life? Salvation depends on what Jesus ALREADY paid! He died on the cross to pay our salvation. He offers salvation as a gift we accept today. The thief is not the exception! We are all as the thief; OUR sins murdered Jesus!
Are we still FREE to walk away from Jesus? Yes, but principalities, evil forces, nothing can separate us from His love, only WE can choose to walk away and divorce Him. So when we ACCEPT Jesus as Lord and Savior, by grace you are saved. Thank You, Lord Jesus! It’s the greatest reason to be thankful!
SONG: YOUR GRACE IS ENOUGH FOR ME