Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to take a look at some scripture from Ephesians chapter 4 but before we do that…

The word tender means soft or delicate in substance. It’s not hard and tough like an overcooked steak.

When I eat a steak or enjoy a hamburger I like it really soft and tender. It needs to be cooked all the way through completely but it needs to be tender and soft for me to really enjoy it. God wants our hearts to soften up. Soft hearted people are a pleasure to be around because they are forgiving and filled with grace.

Their hearts are easily affected with feelings of love, pity, or sorrow and easily moved to sympathy or compassion; being affectionate or loving.” A soft-hearted person is contrite and penitent. If they make a mistake they feel Godly sorrow for the wrongs that they’ve committed.

Let’s take a look at our study passage for today.

Eph 4:31-32 … be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Today we’re going to look at a few of the qualities of a tender heart which include pity, compassion, and forgiveness

The antonym for being tenderhearted is hard-hearted. These people are filled up with an unloving, unforgiving merciless heart.

Hebrews 3:8 – Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

Kindness is possessing a good or benevolent nature or disposition, as a person: the opposite being cruel. God is kind to all and extends His grace to sinners.

Titus 3:3-4 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

⁴ But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

God wants us to take the kindness that He has shown unto us and to give it to others.

2 Pet 1:7. And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

Our God is a tenderhearted God. He wants us to be filled with the same qualities that He has. As Jesus forgives us when we confess, we are to forgive others who confess.

Colossians 3:12-13 – Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Somebody who is soft-hearted shows sympathy and concern for other people. They feel sadness for the suffering or unhappiness of others

1 Peter 3:8-9 – Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

God wants us to love and care for each other with pure hearts.

Romans 12:10 – Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

When our hearts are tender, they are very soft and filled with pity for others. The Lord Jesus is full of pity towards us in this world.

James 5:11 – Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

Someone who possesses a tender heart desires to forgive when people confess and repent.

Matthew 6:12 – And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

If someone confesses and reconciles, it is the tender heart that forgives and forgets, ceasing to hold any grudge or bitterness. God wants us to forgive as He forgives us.

Matthew 6:14-15 – For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Mark 11:25 – And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

If some has wronged you, you tell them. If they apologize, then forgive them.

Luke 17:3-4. Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

⁴ And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Love covers a multitude of sins. People can be very bitter and unforgiving when someone apologizes. God warns not to do this. He is the God of mercy who completely forgets our sins. That is a tender heart. When you say I repent and apologize to others, even if the other party does not forgive you, you have done what’s required of you.

Luke 6:37 – Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

Remember that they wanted to stone and condemn an adulterous woman to death. Jesus extended mercy to her and said go and sin no more.(John 8:3)

God does good to everyone. The sun rises upon all of us each day.

Romans 12:20-21 – Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Somebody who is tender-hearted will be filled with sincere charity.

1 Corinthians 13:4 – Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

We want to show love and kindness to others and follow the one who first showed us His love.

Ephesians 5:1 – Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

Confession must happen towards God and others that we have wronged because without confession it precludes forgiveness.

1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The tenderhearted forgives when confession is made. Look at this example.

Gen 50:17-18 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.

¹⁸ And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.

God is very gracious and forgiving with us and we should desire to extend that same Grace to others.

Psalms 112:4-5 – Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

Someone who is kind behaves in a gentle, caring, and helpful way towards other people. It’s better to be poor have nothing as long as you are kind.

Proverbs 19:22 – The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better than a liar.

A tender-hearted man is forgiving, merciful and pitiful towards others.

Matthew 18:21-35 – Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

In this passage is an example of confession and forgiveness. Later on when somebody apologized and confessed his faults the same person wouldn’t forgive. He had been shown a tender heart but yet he himself was not tender-hearted towards others. Be forewarned that God will retaliate against that kind of mercilessness.

Our God is a God of tender mercy. He grants us remission for our sins which is a pardon for offences that we have committed without any penalty.

Luke 1:77-78 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

Even when we were yet sinners Christ died on the cross for our sins. We want to show that same love to others so that they will believe the truth and come to mercy of Christ. Our God extends kindness to all!

Luke 6:35 – But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

A tender heart is ready to forgive others who confess their sin.

Luke 11:4 – And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive everyone that is indebted to us.

The tender heart cares about others because the scriptures teach that God careth for us.

Romans 12:10 – Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

A tender heart is filled with pity for others. Pity is having a sympathetic and forgiving attitude towards someone.

James 5:11 – Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

The Lord Jesus Christ wants to see these qualities in us because that is the way he is. If it wasn’t for God’s mercy none of us would be here right now.

Lam 3:22-23 It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Be tender-hearted and forgiving with each other. Be merciful as God the Father is merciful to each of us each and every day

2 Cor 1:3 “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;”

Praise God for his forgiveness.

That’s where I’m going to stop for right now but Lord willing we’ll talk to you some more tomorrow….till then, by by everybody

“Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.” Romans 14:13

A stumblingblock is “an impediment to belief or understanding.” It is to put something in front of another that causes them to make a mistake or to sin. 

Imagine a runner in a marathon. As they run down the street, there are people lining the side of the street. If someone stuck their leg out just as the runner went by, and fell, that would be a stumblingblock. It is whatever causes someone to fall or make a mistake.

As Christians, we need to make sure that we don’t do anything that would cause someone else to sin. Some people have had problems with alcohol, whether in the past or present. and they don’t want to be around it because they don’t want to fall back into sin. Now, alcohol in itself is not a sinful thing, but it is the misuse and overindulgence of alcohol that causes drunkeness and sin. A church member may like to have a drink now and then, but we do not want to do it around someone who has problem with it. We do not want cause someone else to fall into sin.

“But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by any means this liberty of your’s become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.” 1 Corinthians 8:8-13

Some people are vegetarians, who do not like to eat meat or animal products. If eating meat around them is going to cause them to be upset or feel like they are sinning, we should bend to their weak conscience and not do it around them. God created everything and all the animals are there for us to eat. Everything that God made is good. But if someone has a problem with something you eat, do not eat (or drink) it around them.

“For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.” Romans 14:20-21

We especially don’t want to offend children who believe in Christ. Children at a young age have impressionable minds, which means that their minds or beliefs are easily influenced or affected. I have read about many young children who have been abused by someone who claimed to be a Christian, and because of that person, they do not want to have anything to do with anything associated with Christ. Because of that person’s actions, they caused a child to forsake the Christian faith. The bible teaches that it were better that that person were drowned in the sea, than that they make little ones to sin.

“But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matthew 18:6

Do not be the cause of someone’s sin or disbelief. When you have love towards your neighbor, you will put them before yourself. As you go about your day, live in a manner that will not cause someone to stumble in their faith. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

In Christ,

Andrew

Good morning and welcome in today. Today we are going to look at some scripture from 1st Cor. 3, but before we do that…

Have you ever made a fool of yourself? A fool is somebody who really doesn’t have any wisdom or understanding.

Out in the world today people amass all kinds of knowledge and information in their minds. They are reading or studying and trying to understand things in the world, but no matter what information they may study or learn it’s all comes up short in comparison to the knowledge of scripture.

Our precious God feels that the wisdom of this world is foolishness. Do you know why that is? Because at judgment day, all the wisdom that you learned while here upon the Earth is not going to amount to anything in the eyes of God.

It’s not going to matter if you can recite all the presidents forwards and backwards. It’s not going to matter if you know the square root of pie. These are things that have to do with this Earth and they are temporal.

Someday nothing will remain of this Earth because the Bible teaches that it’s going to be gone and it will be dissolved. There will be a new Heaven and a new Earth and it’s not going to be here. Jesus himself taught that I go prepare a place for you.

The thing that matters most is that you learn and understand the teachings of scripture because that is the wisdom that leads to eternal life. That is the wisdom that God wants us to be filled with and to seek after.

1 Cor 3:18-20 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

²⁰ And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

Everyday people attend schools, colleges and higher education. They seek after wisdom and understanding in regards to the things of this world. But no matter how much knowledge you can gain here, it is nothing compared to the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

How many of you out there were educated in things at a school somewhere but you never had any interest in certain classes. It was a really big waste of time wasn’t it.

While certain Educators try to pigeonhole you into society somewhere, the truth is what we all need is the teachings of Jesus Christ more than anything else. It’s the thing that’s most lacking in the world today, and as Jesus taught the laborers are few.

You men out there come follow me it’s time to preach Christ!

Remember Jesus could have picked highly educated scribes and pharisees to be his disciples but do you know who he picked? He picked some fishermen!

Acts 4:13 “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.”

To many people Jesus appeared as a carpenter. The truth is he’s God’s only begotten son.

Jesus called men to apostleship but never required a diploma. He called them to preach but never required a four-year degree. He didn’t choose people who were puffed up with so much knowledge that they were filled up with pride. He chose men who were willing to listen and to learn God’s wisdom, and the Lord Jesus poured all of his knowledge into them. They were simple common everyday men.

In order to learn God’s wisdom we have to turn away from all the false things that we’ve learned in the world. We truly have to become fools and understand that the things that we have learned are wrong.

We have to turn away from all the philosophy and the false teachings that we have been educated in. We have to empty out our hearts from all this false knowledge and throw it all in the trash bin. We need to unlearn the things that we’ve been taught wrong and then relearn the way of Christ. We need to become born again. It’s like becoming a child all over again except this time our minds are being lead by the truth in Christ.

God desires to give us wisdom and he’s not going to scold us if we come looking for it. He always helped the disciples grow in their faith and was constantly educating them day by day.

James 1:5 – If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Proverbs 3:13-18 – Happy [is] the man [that] findeth wisdom, and the man [that] getteth understanding.

Proverbs 10:23 – …a man of understanding hath wisdom.

A prudent person is acting with or showing care and thought for the future. The future we are speaking of today is eternity in heaven!

Proverbs 18:15 – The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

The church is similar to any other school or college out there in the world today, but the only difference is, is that the church is giving instruction from the word of God.

The only way we will ever truly become wise is to listen to what God has to say to us from His Word.

Proverbs 19:20 – Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.

True wisdom only comes from Christ, because it is eternal. We want to allow His teachings to fill our hearts and minds day by day. A great way of doing this is singing songs that are written about our Christian faith.

Colossians 3:16 – Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

God wants to give us His wisdom and assures us that anyone who comes against this wisdom, if it is based in scripture, will not be able to contradict it or oppose it.

Luke 21:15 – For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

The apostles wanted the church to continue to grow in the knowledge of God so that they would become wise.

2 Peter 3:18 – But grow in grace, and [in] the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him [be] glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Ephesians 5:15 – See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,

Matt 10:16 .. be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

Philippians 1:9 – And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and [in] all judgment;

Let’s take a look for a moment at an example of a woman who was seeking after wisdom.

Luke 10:38-42

³⁸ Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

³⁹ And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.

⁴⁰ But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

⁴¹ And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

⁴² But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

If we’re going to gain God’s wisdom we need to have a seeking heart and strongly wish for and want it.

1 Peter 2:2 – As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

Instructions are detailed information telling how something should be done, operated, or assembled.

We have an instruction manual provided by us it’s the teachings of Jesus Christ in the scriptures. These instructions are more important than whatever you could ever learn in the world, and is more profitable to you.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 – All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Everyday people study out in the world , but the things that we should be focused on more than anything else, is to study scripture and to grow in wisdom and knowledge from God’s word.

2 Timothy 2:15 – Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Some people read the scriptures but some of the scriptures they don’t understand because they have only been a Christian for a year or two.

They are still a novice in biblical truth.

In order to grow in our faith we have to listen to those who have been involved with the faith as Paul was or Peter for many years. Remember Paul corrected Peter because he loved him in the truth. There’s no substitute for truth.

Gal 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

¹² For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

¹³ And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

¹⁴ But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

Paul wasn’t doing something mean to Peter, he was helping him out to understand the truth.

In order to gain the wisdom of God we must accept the fact that we are not wise. Before you learn anything in life you have to first accept that fact. Earthly knowledge and wisdom can puff a person up with pride. It makes us feel wise and knowledgeable but it’s a false wisdom because it doesn’t go anywhere in the end.

The Apostle Paul was very high up in Judaism and was filled with knowledge but he turned away from all of that to be filled with the knowledge of Christ. All of his earthly accomplishments he compared to dung.

Romans 1:21-22 – Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

More than anything else in this world you want to seek God’s truth and knowledge found in the Holy scriptures. At judgment day it’s not going to matter how much knowledge that you obtained in this world. It’s foolishness because come Judgment day all that information is not going to matter. What will matter is if you knew God and we’re filled with his wisdom.

1 Corinthians 1:19-20 – For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

There is certain knowledge that is beneficial to us while we are here upon the Earth. Simple knowledge that helps you get on a day by day basis. But the quest to attain wisdom and knowledge and years and years and years of schooling in philosophy and the world’s teachings are vain.

Remember God’s wisdom is a wisdom that is eternal. All the wisdom of this world is going to come to nothing.

1 Corinthians 2:6 – Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

It’s hard to say that you’re a fool isn’t it! It’s hard to admit that we’re going the wrong way. And the worst of it is who’s going to listen to a fisherman? Who’s going to listen to somebody who lives out in the wilderness and eats locusts? What do you really expect to see… someone clothed in fine linen?

I want you to make sure you hear me and hear me well, that God’s knowledge is found in areas that you would never expect it to be. Judge not by appearance but judge righteous judgment.

Knowledge is more than a plaque on the wall. It is more then a room that is filled up with all kinds of books. The true knowledge is about knowing the teachings of Jesus Christ, because I guarantee you in the end that is the only knowledge that’s going to matter to you and your salvation. Make the teachings of Christ a priority in your life and watch what he does with you.

That’s where we are going to stop for today but Lord willing we’ll talk some more tomorrow till then bye-bye everybody.♥️

The word “charity” in Greek is “agape” which means “love that is affection or benevolence; dear love.” Charity is the deep, caring, loving feeling that someone has towards another. 

For example, when a baby is born, the parents are filled with deep love and affection for their little child. Without their parents to take care of them and protect them, a baby would die. Their parents’ charity and love towards their baby provides for their every need. Just as parents, we need to be filled with charity in everything that we do. 

“And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” Colossians 3:14

“Let all your things be done with charity.” 1 Corinthians 16:14

Basically, charity is brotherly love. And as Jesus taught, their is no greater commandment than to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. Charity will cause someone to do the best that they can do for another. Charity will help another when they see someone cold, and it will give them a blanket. It will see someone hungry and will give them food. It will put another before yourself.

“Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:” 1 Timothy 1:5

When someone is filled with charity, it will be forgiving when someone apologizes and repents for something that they have committed offense for. Charity will not bring up past sins and mistakes, but instead it will cover them up and not remember or talk about them anymore.

“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8

But no matter how many good things someone does, if they don’t do it with love, there is no point. A person can give a million dollars to an institution, but unless they have charity, it will not profit them. 

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,” 1 Corinthians 13:1-4

When someone has charity, they will not exalt themselves over another person, and be filled up with pride. Charity will seek the better of another person. A charity-filled person will realize that we are all sinners in need of grace and forgiveness from the Lord and they will desire to show that love to others.

In whatever you do, do it with love. Put the needs of someone else before your own. Just as Jesus loved us, we need to do the same to others. We need to be filled with charity.

“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12

That is love. That is charity.

In Christ,

Andrew

Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to take a look at some scripture from the book of First John.

1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Let’s start with confessing.

If someone confesses to doing something wrong, they admit that they did it. They admit a fault

This confession is made to God, and God also commands that you confess to others whom you have wronged and hurt.

Let’s take a look at a few examples of confession.

Num 12:11 And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned.

Luke 15:18. I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

¹⁹ And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

²⁰ And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

Here’s another example.

2 Sam 24:10 And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

Acknowledge implies making a statement reluctantly, often about something previously denied: to acknowledge a fault and to admit

Ps 32:5 I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

Scripture commands to confess to each other. Most sin involves others that you have wronged.

James 5:16 – Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Confessing your sin and reconciling with others was so important to God that if someone didn’t confess your sin and apologize you were commanded by scripture to keep separate from them. The reason why is because if they were truly filled with Christian charity they would care about other people they have wronged.

Matt 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

¹⁶ But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

¹⁷ And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

¹⁸ Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

The devil doesn’t want to apologize. That’s one of his numerous snares. How hard is it to say I repent? How hard is it to say I apologize?

If someone rebukes, then you are responsible to God to apologize to them.

James 4:8. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

⁹ Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

The definition of humble is someone who knows they are not perfect. Having or showing a consciousness of one’s defects or shortcomings.

Matthew 23:12 – And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

The higher one elevates themselves, the further the fall is going to be. I’m always reminded of this when my son and I go cut trees. The higher and the bigger the tree, the harder it hits the ground!

Just think of an impenitent devil who’s going to fall into Hellfire someday for all eternity. (Remember the Lord Jesus call Peter the devil but Peter repented of his sins)

All of us are sinners, but remember all of us can get forgiven and repent if we really desire that.

Confession and reconciliation was so important to the Lord Jesus Christ that he didn’t even want a gift from you at a church somewhere until you had confessed and reconciled with people you ever wronged.

Matthew 5 23-24

²³ Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

²⁴ Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

For some people it’s easier to bring a gift to the church then have to reconcile and confess sins to others.

Hosea 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice

God shows this world Mercy when he died on his cross and expects that people who profess Christianity show that same mercy and forgiveness to others. Gifts and sacrifices are unimportant in comparison to mercy and forgiveness.

Luke 6:36 – Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Matthew 5:7 – Blessed [are] the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Matthew 9:13 – But go ye and learn what [that] meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

James 2 :12-13. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

¹³ For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

Reconciliation is commanded by Christ. If you truly love Jesus Christ you will keep his commands.

If you cannot apologize to others who are upset with you, you really don’t care about the person that you have hurt. That is not Christianity. It’s not charity.

Colossians 3:12-13  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also [do] ye.

Think about the Apostle Paul who was completely going against the Christian faith at one time and was trying to stop churches. Then he realized the error of His way, and recognized that Jesus is truly The Messiah. Then He went out and preached Christ all over the world! Because Jesus forgave Paul, imagine what He can do with us when we confess and admit the truth of our own faults!

Luke 17: 3-4

³ Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

⁴ And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Rebuke in this passage means to disprove of what someone is doing to you. If somebody sins against you or hurts you, you need to tell them,…hey, that hurts.

It’s pretty simple to understand that you should apologize when you hurt other people. There’s a lot of people who won’t because of pride.

Matt 18 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

²² Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Look at how forgiving God is in this last Passage. If Jesus wants us to forgive others 490 times,…He will!

He is that forgiving with us. The thing is that we need to understand is what we have done is wrong, and strive to do what is right.

You can’t really know you’re doing something wrong to someone else unless there’s a rebuke. And when someone says I repent Christ commands that you forgive them otherwise he will not forgive you. It doesn’t matter if you’ve had Holy Communion or not.

Matt 6:14-15 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

¹⁵ But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

That’s pretty scary if your profess to be a Christian because God will treat you the same way he’s going to treat the unbelievers if you cannot forgive.

Without forgiveness we abide in the state of sin with God and ultimately will not inherit eternal life without repentance.

Remember that if you tell somebody I repent and you apologize to them but they don’t forgive you, you have done your part. God forgives you, even when others won’t.

How can somebody who professes Christianity be so unmerciful and so unforgiving with others when Christ took the nails for their sins at the cross? I guess I’ve never really understood that.

Today I offer unto you the free gift of God’s forgiveness. I’m just a sinner but I want to see people get forgiven with God. I feel called by God to reconcile people to Christ. We’ve all come short of the glory of God but God doesn’t want anybody to perish. I don’t want anybody to perish.

What I would like to see happen is people to take a look inside their own hearts today and examine their own lives. To come to grips with the mistakes we’ve made and confess them, admit them, and be freed from them. That my friends is true Liberty.

I will pray for you, and I ask that you would pray for me that we can all acknowledge our mistakes, that we can all get forgiven, and that we can all be reconcilled together through the shed blood of Christ.

Rebuke when wronged, confess and apologize to others, forgive and forget from your hearts, and reconcile. These four points are the Christian standard that whoever professes faith in Jesus must live by and abide by in order to inherit eternal life someday. Pray that we all can do this and follow the doctrine that Jesus gave his life for preaching.

That’s where I’m to stop for right now but Lord willing we’ll talk to you some more tomorrow till then bye-bye everybody♥️

Good morning and welcome in everyone.  Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.

A tattler is someone who tattles and notifies authorities of illicit behavior. They have been commonly known as a tattletale.

A tattler is a person who provides information to an authority about another’s wrongdoing.

Synonyms for tattler are a betrayer, an informant, a narc, a snitch or a whistleblower.

A tattletale is someone who tells secrets about what someone else has done. Listen to the women spoken of in the following verse today.

1 Tim 5:13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.”

This is about adult women who are tattling on others. What they are doing is acting like a child who tattles on someone else in school.

Today we are specifically talking about a woman who reports things to the authorities. That is the definition of a tattler and it is a sin in the scriptures.

Someone who is a tattler is given to idle talk and doesn’t have anything else to do but to tell tales and reveal secrets about other people. They maliciously gossip and reveal secrets so as to hurt somebody else and their reputation, or embarrass them.

Leviticus 19:16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.

Proverbs 11:13 A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.

When you do something with a malicious intent you understand it’s going to hurt the other person because you are filled with hate and spite towards them. If you didn’t have those feelings you would have kept the private matter secret, but instead you revealed it to others who were unaware of it.

A secret is something that is kept or is meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.

A tattler is a foolish talker.

Eph 5:4. “Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.”

Tattling on someone to an authority is foolish talk and it’s a sin against God and others.

God has a purpose for each of us. When somebody is Idle they are not walking according to that purpose.

The Lord Jesus told a parable of being idle and sitting around and doing nothing.

Matt 20:6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?”

The women in our study verse today we’re traveling from house to house and learning to be idle. The one thing that wasn’t idle was their tongues as they gossip about the secrets and private family matters of others.

When someone is idle and lazy it results in sin.

Gal 4:18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.

The women in this scripture are too busy about tattling to authorities and others, that they don’t have anything better to do.

When you tattle on other people it makes you feel bigger than them like you’re a better person. Remember that Judas tattled on Jesus and told the authorities the secret location where he could be found.

One of Noah’s sons tattled on him to his family while the rest of his son’s covered up his sin and kept it a secret.

Being a tattletale is a sin.

As I said for many years imagine if you went out to John the Baptist at the Jordan River and confessed all your sins unto him that you have done wrong in your life, then he turned around and went into Jerusalem and told everybody what you had done. John would have never done that, yet that’s exactly what a woman does as a tattler in our scripture today.

Love covers a multitude of sins if you truly care about other people. What do you think a preacher does? He is giving people the grace of God and forgiving them of their sins and covering it up through our precious Lord Jesus Christ.

Women who are tattlers are more concerned about other people’s problems than taking a look in the mirror at the innumerable problems that they have. Really when you point the finger at somebody else and say they’re so terrible, you don’t have to look at your own life and how terrible of a person you are. Isn’t that just the way of the world to say you’re a sinner and you’re so terrible, but not me!

That’s what the proud pharisee did.

There are numerous gossip columns out in the world today whose purpose is to dig up dirt on somebody else. Their only desire is to expose the secret private matters of people who are popular out in society.

If the tables were turned around how would they want to be treated in the same situation? I guarantee you they wouldn’t like it.

Matt 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

I’ve always told my family that you have to look at another person as if it was you. Just like you were standing in front of a mirror. How would you treat yourself in the same situation? That is the law and the prophets. It’s the simplicity of the gospel because if you can do that you’re fulfilling what the Bible teaches.

Without love there is no forgiveness. Without love there is no mercy. Love covers a multitude of sins.

Women are supposed to be discreet which means being able to keep a secret. Some of them actually believe that they’re letting their light shine by exposing secrets. They are in error. What they are is a gossip and at tattler, and they are sinning against Christ.

Many times I think that a Tattler enjoys exposing secret things to other people because they have so many secrets inside their own hearts that they’re afraid to look at them.

Instead of admitting their own sins, what they do is they exalt themselves over other people and tattle on them. I’m just guessing but I really think it comes down to an insecurity issue. If they come to grips and admit their own sins then all their tattling was in vain because they’re just the same as everybody else.

That’s what the scriptures teach about being puffed up. When you’re puffed-up you’re filled with pride and think that you are better than everybody else

1 Cor 13:4 “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,”

1 Cor 4:6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.” When you are puffed up you disapprove of others because you are very proud of yourself and think that you are more important then others.

Being puffed up is a very self oriented thing. The ministers and the preachers in the church would rebuke and correct others not because they are puffed up but because they cared about people going to heaven and their salvation. That is a completely different issue than what we’re talking about here today.

The people we are speaking about are self important. In their own minds they gossip and tattle on other people because they feel that they are better than them, while the truth is they are a sinful wretch just like everybody else.

Tattlers are more concerned about examining the life of others and reporting it. Christianity is about examining your own life and your own heart.

2 Cor 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

A tattler is lifting themselves over another person. They are putting themselves in a better light by trying to show other people that they are righteous and everybody else is a wicked sinner.

Matt 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”

The tattler who thinks that they are so much better than others will be brought down low. Just look at the story of a religious leader who tattled in the presence of God.

Luke 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

¹⁰ Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

¹¹ The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

¹² I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

¹³ And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

A tattler elevates themselves over other people. It’s not done to help others or to keep private things private. The reason why they do it is to elevate themselves in the eyes of the authorities and the public.

In the church we’re supposed to keep things private. That is for the betterment of the church. God has no more remembrance of our sins when we confess them to him sincerely. The church is held together by God’s grace and forgiveness.

Many times people who reject the Christian faith and leave the church will tattle on everybodys elses sins. The reason why they do this is they don’t understand God’s forgiveness, and they themselves are not forgiven by God.

When you involve earthly authorities outside the church or you start to gossip about other people that is sin. Especially when you go out and tell a bunch of unbelievers about what’s going on in a church somewhere.

When people in the church partake of Holy Communion and then like Judas go out there and tell the authorities in this world about what’s going on in the church you sin against Christ.

There’s a difference between temporal authorities and spiritual authorities. Temporal authorities are concerned about the things of this world. Spiritual authorities which are the apostles and ministers and Prophets of God are concerned about eternal life and your passage to that Eternal home in the heavens. The women we are talking about today have basically turned away from what they know and believe from the teachings of scriptures. If they have damnation who cares who they take with them?

1 Tim 5:12 “Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.”

Remember if it’s really charity it will cover up sin. Each of us make mistakes along the way, maybe some more than others. When we confess our sins they are kept private and secret and then covered up. That’s what Jesus does for us. He doesn’t expose our sin he blots them out by his blood.

The Apostle Paul wanted the church to stay together and that there would be no divisions among them.

Before we go today I want to make sure you understand that the Bible warns about fault finders.

A Tattler digs up dirt and tells other people about it, primarily an authority figure

A fault finder is a person who finds fault or complains, or objects, in a petty way.

Petty is making things, events, or actions normal people would dismiss as trivial or insignificant into excuses to be upset, uncooperative, childish, or stubborn.

Its a person who overreacts or is purposefully childish and has an immature over reaction in retaliation of an undesired outcome.

Have you ever had a child at home where you told them that they need to finish their homework before they go out and play and they stomp their feet and slam doors of their bedroom that’s called being petty. There are women who do the same thing in society today and they’re grown adults. All of this it exposes immaturity.

Remember Jesus was surrounded by fault finders who were very very petty. Even Pilot understood that Jesus was delivered to be crucified out of envy. Pilot understood that Jesus hadn’t done anything worthy of death. They tried to find fault with him for healing on the Sabbath day. They tried to find fault with him for extending God’s forgiveness to sinners. They were so petty that when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead they wanted Lazarus to be put to death again. Fault Finders are sinning against God.

In Matt 7 Jesus warns….

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

² For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

³ And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

⁴ Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

⁵ Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

A fault finder is a perfect example of a hypocrite.

The reason why I say that is because they think that they are better than everybody else while the truth is they are a sinner who is worthy of death just like everybody else.

In the church were supposed to help people to overcome their faults not to lift yourself over them with pride and think that you’re better than them. So again why would somebody tattle to an authority about someone else? To be bigger than them.

A fault is defined as an unattractive or unsatisfactory feature, especially in a piece of work or in a person’s character.

A fault is the quality of being inadequate or falling short of perfection. Well, get used to it. Everybody has got their own faults and imperfections. A tattler is not in control of their tongue

James 3

³ Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

⁴ Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

⁵ Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

The tongue can be used to preach the gospel and lead people to obedience to the Christian faith. Or it can be used to destroy the lives of others around you.

Our faults are covered up through the forgiveness of each other and most of all by the Lord Jesus Christ. The fault-finder digs up faults and exposes it to an others.

Just so you know how serious a sin this was considered centuries ago,. medieval women were punished for such behavior. You can read for yourself sometime about the scold’s bridle that was used as such a punishment for women who did these kinds of things. Just Google it.

Obviously people don’t do this today. Jesus teaches us to love our enemies but you can understand how people back then hated this sin.

When the sin is committed against us today we suffer it. Remember the Lord Jesus will repay, He will avenge those to whom this evil has been perpetrated upon.

Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Like any other sin keep away from tattling because it will not only wreck your life but the people that you are talking evil about.

Let’s think about these things for right now.  We can be found on your web browser by searching tlkjbc, or by going to hipcast, buzzsprout or amazon, or by going to our blog at tlkjbc.com, or I suppose, you can find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods.  Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️

tlkjbc.com

The word “obey” means “to comply with the command, direction, or request of a person or law; submit to the authority of.” 

When you are driving your car on the highway, and you come up to a stop sign, should you keep going and blow right through the sign? Or should you slow down and come to a stop? Obviously you should stop. When you do this, you are obeying the traffic laws.

Another example of the word obey is as simple as the family dog. When properly trained, your dog will do many tricks and commands. You may tell it to sit, and when it sits, you reward it for their obedience. 

The same goes for children. Children are commanded to obey their parents. A parent may ask a child to do some chores around the house. They could choose to be disobedient and not heed the command, but they will not be rewarded for not listening. Obedience to a parent will make that parent happy with their son or daughter. Often, many parents will reward obedience with candy or toys or other special privileges. The Lord will also be pleased with an obedient child.

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” Ephesians 6:1

“Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.” Colossians 3:20

I’m sure almost all of you have been in a supermarket or retail store and witnessed a child screaming at the top of their lungs, upset about something. Maybe they wanted a bag of candy, but because of their disobedience earlier in the day, their parents tell them that they can’t have it. Disobedience caused them to lose out on a reward.

Everyone has an authority that they need to answer to.  

“But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” 1 Corinthians 11:3

The word “head” used in this verse means “director; leader; one in charge.” So, men are commanded to be in obedience to Jesus, women are commanded to be in obedience to the man, and Jesus is in obedience to God the Father. 

“Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.” Colossians 3:18

The word “submit” means “to yield oneself to the authority or will of another; to obey.” A wife should submit herself to the will and authority of her husband. Sadly, it is a rare thing in this world that this verse is heeded and obeyed. Instead of submitting to their husbands, many women instead feel that they are in charge of the family, and that men should obey them and do what they want. But this is completely contrary to what the Apostle Paul taught. 

Men are supposed to be subject, or yield to the authority of Christ. Men need to follow in Christ’s footsteps and teach others about the gospel. Men are commanded to rule over their house, and instruct their family in the teachings of our Lord.

“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.” Romans 13:1-5

Just as a private in the military is subject to a lieutenant, and a lieutenant is subject to a general, the order of authority in Christianity is 1. God the Father, 2. Jesus the Son, 3. men, and 4. women. We all have our authority as we live here: make sure that in whatever you do, you are being obedient.

In Christ,

Andrew

Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to look at some scripture from Matthew chapter 7. Beginning at verse 13 it says…

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Did you know that a strait is a narrow passage of water connecting two seas or two other large areas of water.

For example if you take a look on a map sometime, the Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and it separates the Iberian Peninsula in Europe from Morocco.

If you find spain you’ll be getting pretty close! It’s a fairly narrow passageway, only about eight miles wide.

One of the narrowest straits in the world is the strait of Istanbul. This one is located in Turkey. At its narrowest it is only 2,300 feet wide. That’s a pretty narrow path isn’t it.

The Lord Jesus teaches us today that the path to Heaven is very narrow. It is so narrow that they’re going to be few that actually find it.

I think about going out in the woods on the four-wheelers to find a good Blackberry patch. It eventually turns into a walking path and during the summer starts to grow over and it’s very very difficult to find that path. It’s easy to get lost and turned around.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

There are numerous religions that are out there in the world today who profess to believe in God.

One of the estimations I’ve read is that there are around 4,200 active religions in the world today.

That’s a lot of people isn’t it, who are actively trying to find their way to heaven. But as the Lord teaches us today in this lesson, He is the only way unto eternal life.

There’s only one access point that is available to God the father and that is through His Son Jesus Christ.

1 Cor 15:1

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

² By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

³ For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

⁴ And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

⁵ And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

⁶ After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

⁷ After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

⁸ And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

God sent his only begotten son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins. He was lifted up onto a cross in Jerusalem where he died and was buried but then was risen from the grave. Death had no power over him because he is God and He is eternal life. That is the Gospel of Truth my friends.

John 3:16-17

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Jesus was sent to this world to die as a sacrifice for our sins. It’s only through faith in God’s only begotten Son that we can have forgiveness with God. Our sins, which are many, can be blotted out through the blood of Jesus Christ that he shed at the cross for each of us.

God doesn’t want anybody to perish but he wants everyone to repent and believe the truth that is found in his Son Jesus.

Eph 2:1

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

² Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

³ Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

⁵ Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Remember the Apostle Paul taught that he was the chief of Sinners. We’ve all come short of the glory of God. What God wants us to do is repent and get forgiven and reconcile.

Eph 2:4

⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

⁵ Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

God wants to save us by his grace and forgiveness that is available through only one person, Jesus Christ.

And of all the numerous religions out there in the world today, it’s a big wide road of religion and the only way to get to God is through the Son, through Christ.

God loves us and cares for us very very much but we have to come to Jesus to get forgiven.

It’s a narrow road It’s a very narrow pathway to get home to Heaven.

I have always had an interest in space and in the sun and the moon and astronomy.

One time many years ago I had the opportunity to go to the Kennedy Space Center down at Cape Canaveral Florida. This is where they would launch their satellites and was a chief spot for launching the space shuttle. The one thing I always remember and could never get over were the size of the doors of the building where they worked on the rockets and the space shuttles. They were so wide that I immediately think of this verse.

If you have ever read anything about the the Apollo missions,…when they attempted to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere they had to come in at the perfect angle, it was a very, very, very narrow Corridor. If they came in to steep they would burn up in the atmosphere. If they came in too shallow they would bounce off the Earth’s atmosphere right back into space.

What’s the lesson here, each of us start on the wide Road in this life attempting to get to the heavens, but in order to get home, the road becomes very very narrow.

Many people want to try to enter into eternal life but there’s only one way, only one corridor to get there safely. As the Apostle Peter told the Lord Jesus, you have the words of eternal life to whom should we go?

One time I went to a professional baseball game and it was a playoff game. By the time we got there the line was extremely long and went halfway around the dome. Finally as we worked our way up to the front entrance everybody was filing into the Dome through a single door. I guarantee you nobody else was getting into that playoff game without going through that narrow passageway!

Matt 7:13

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Jesus speaks about a wide gate . A wide gate is a gate that allows for a lot of people to enter simultaneously. When something is wide that means that it measures a large distance from one side or edge to the other.

The first thing that enters my mind when I think about a really wide gate is a farmer’s field. They have two big metal swinging Gates that they open up to the field and all the cattle come through and just a few moments of time.

That’s a lot different than the narrowness of a cattle chute. A cattle Chute, if you don’t know already, is a narrow corridor that’s built for cattle and sheep and pigs and other animals to travel through when they’re being herded from one location to another.

Just like cattle moving to an eternal destination, we need to go through that narrow chute.

Wide is the gate that leadeth to destruction.

At the Judgment there will be many many people trying to get into the kingdom of heaven, but there is only one access point to God and eternal life it’s Jesus.

Imagine when God closed the Ark on Noah and the flood came how many people must have been screaming to be able to get in the ark. It was too late the door had been shut. Nobody really thinks about that do they. That’s what’s going to happen at judgement day.

Come out and be separate saith the Lord.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Our Lord is teaching us that unless you come to Him, you’re not going to be able to get to God.

Jesus is God manifested in flesh. He’s fully God who came to this sinful Earth. He was born in sinful flesh and the reason why He did this is so that He could die like a man. He died on the cross innocent and blameless. He was buried in a tomb but because death was powerless over Him (because He’s God) He rose from the grave.

Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God that was slain for the sins of the world. In Judaism they would offer a sacrificial lamb at the Passover. When Moses was delivering the Israelites out of Egypt they put blood of a lamb on their doors to save them from death. This is the meaning of Passover,… death passed over them.

Christians have the true Passover Lamb through Holy Communion. As the Jews partook of an Earthly Passover Lamb, we partake of God’s lamb Jesus Christ whereby we are saved from Death so that we can enter into eternal life someday.

John 10:9 says I am the door by me if any man enter in he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture

Once again the Lord Jesus teaches us that broad is the way that leadeth to destruction.

Something that is broad has ample distance from side to side. It’s very very wide. Jesus teaches that broad is the way that leadeth to destruction.

The word broad actually means that it has ample distance from side to side or it is very very wide. A “way” means a method style or a manner of doing something!

Somebody can have a real broad interpretation of the scriptures rather than the narrow way of Christ.

The Bible says what it means and means what it says, but in the end it all comes down to love for God. It comes down to walking in perfect charity towards the one who sent his Son to die for us. The Commandments he’s given us are not Grievous.

If we truly love the Lord Jesus Christ from our hearts we’re going to have a desire to keep his Commandments. That is proof and evidence that shows us how much we love him for what he did for us at the cross.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

So again he teaches us that broad is the way that leadeth to destruction.

When I look at this word destruction, it’s defined as the action or the process of causing so much damage to something that no longer exist or cannot even be repaired.

That is what’s going to eventually happen to people when they try to enter into eternal life without Christ as their savior.

2 Thess 1:8-9 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

If people are not going to love God and their neighbor what’s left? I’ve always told my family that hell is a place that’s reserved for people who choose not to love God and His Son.

So the Christian faith is about coming to Jesus Christ and believing on God’s only begotten Son.

It’s about receiving grace and mercy and forgiveness through the blood of Christ and then living a life in obedience and faithfulness to the one who died on the cross for our sins.

As we talked about the other day, we’re submitting to Him and the things that he taught. That shows that we love him. Remember, love God first and then take that same love and show that love to your neighbor.

We are supposed to love one another in truth . That’s why it’s teaches in the scriptures that every man speak truth with his neighbor. Jesus is the way and the truth and the life.

When I think about people on the wide road to destruction I think of a huge six-lane interstate highway somewhere in a big city that’s being diverted. As you drive by you can see that it’s being torn up with wrecking balls and cranes. It’s utterly being destroyed.

God truly does not want that to happen to us. God desires everybody to repent. He wants everybody to believe In His only begotten son who gave his life for the redemption of sinners.

In order to get to heaven we need to take the narrow road and narrow path of following Jesus Christ. Before I close today I just wanted to tell you a personal story that reminds me of this verse.

Many years ago I took my pickup with my beloved wife and son out to South Dakota. We wanted to camp for a couple of weeks. What happened is a river filled up near our campsite south of deadwood that we couldn’t cross over. We couldn’t get out onto the main Highway, so we had to take an alternate route out towards a town named Galena. The road that we took was very narrow. When we got close to that small little town the road became so narrow it was almost impassible.

I crawled down the edge of the side of that mountain on a road that was so narrow that I don’t think there was six inches clearance left on the road. I crawled along for what seemed to be an hour. There was no other way to Galena but through this narrow road. Eventually we went over a little culvert and back out on the main highway.

Jesus is the one road back home. It’s a very narrow road, but it’s the only path back home to heaven.

Are you ready to take that path back home? Are you ready to take the narrow road to Galena?

That’s where I’m going to stop for today, but Lord willing we’ll talk to some more tomorrow. Till then bye-bye everybody.

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Colossians 3:23

The word heartily means to do something with “vigor” or “enthusiastically.” If you see someone in need of something, treat that person as though they were Jesus Himself. And don’t grumble or shuffle your feet. Be quick to help others, and do it with eagerness. Does someone need help opening a door because their hands are full? Help them, and do it as though you were helping the Lord. When we do this, the bible tells that Jesus will reward us.

Matthew25:32-46, “And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 

Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 

When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 

Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 

Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 

Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 

And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” 

In this passage, the righteous were rewarded because when they saw someone in need, they were there to help. But to those who saw someone in need, but did nothing, those people were punished. They did not have mercy or compassion towards others. They didn’t show love. 

There is no limit to the good deeds that we can do for others. Everyday is another opportunity to help others and tell others about the love that Christ has towards us. If someone has a need, treat that person as though you were helping Jesus. When you do this, the Lord will reward you. Help others heartily, just as you would to the Lord!

In Christ.

Andrew