The World

We have a blessed hope when we turn from the things of this world and turn to Jesus. 

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." - 1 John 2:15-17 

"Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." - Titus 2:13-14 

We begin our journey by hearing and obeying the gospel. God robed Himself in flesh and gave His life on a tree to redeem us from sin. He was buried, and on third day, He rose again. (1Cor.15:1-4, Rom.10:14-16) 

We obey the gospel by becoming dead to sin by repentance, buried with Jesus by water baptism by immersion in the name of Jesus for the remission of our sins, and resurrected to new life by the baptism of the Holy Ghost, speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance. (Rom.6:1-13, Col.2:11-12, Acts 2:4, Acts 10:44-48, Acts 19:1-6) 

Peter preached the gospel on the Day of Pentecost. When asked, “What shall we do?” Peter replied with how to obey the gospel. 

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38  

We turn from the world and are transformed by the name, blood, and Spirit of Jesus when we obey the gospel. 

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." - Romans 12:1  

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." - Romans 12:2 

"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith." - 1 John 5:4

God’s Soulmate

"I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine..." - Song of Songs 6:3

Jesus called us and we gave our heart to Him when we turned from the world to love Him with ALL of our heart, soul, and might. We made a covenant with Him when we were water baptized, taking His name “Jesus” upon us. He then gave us the gift of His Holy Ghost, filling us with His Spirit. (Acts 2:38) We are called, chosen, and faithful. (Revelation 17:14)

"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love...to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." - Ephesians 1:4, 6 

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." - Ephesians 5:25-27 

"So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones." - Ephesians 5:28-30 

"For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." - Ephesians 5:31-32

A New Creation in Christ

 

 

 

 

 

It was by God’s word that He made creation. “And God said…” and it was so.

While God’s word leads to creation, our word, by our tongue, can lead to destruction.

"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. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: but the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil [restless evil], full of deadly poison." - James 3:6-8 

When we turn our life to Jesus, the Creator of the Universe, and allow Him to take control of our tongue, we can become a new creation.

"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2:4 

When we repent of our sins, we are baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins, and we are filled with His Holy Ghost, instead of being headed for destruction, we become a new creation in Christ.

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature [creation]: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." - 2 Corinthians 5:17

When we allow God to control our lives, allowing Him to fill us with His Spirit, allowing Him to take control of our tongue, an unruly evil, Jesus creates us in Christ with a new godly walk with new godly talk. 

"Let no corrupt communication [defiling - foul or abusive language] proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying [good, helpful words], that it may minister grace [be an encouragement] unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 

“Let all bitterness, and wrath [rage], and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking [speech injurious to another's good name], be put away from you, with all malice [ill-will, desire to injure]: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake [through Christ] hath forgiven you." - Ephesians 4:29-32 

A new life, a new creation, allowing our tongue to be controlled by the Spirit, the word of God.

 

 

 

Come, see - Go and tell!

 

They had stood at the cross, watching the Lord suffer the painful death of crucifixion, after the merciless half-death of Roman scourging, the cruel mocking and torment. 

Joseph of Arimathea, a rich man and a disciple of Jesus, pleaded Pilate for the body of Jesus, laying it in his own new tomb which he had hewn out in a rock.  

Nicodemus, the ruler of the Jews that had come to Jesus at night, hearing from the Lord how he might enter the kingdom of God by being born of water and of the Spirit, brought myrrh and aloes for His burial.  

Pilate consented to the chief priests and Pharisees for the tomb to be made sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.  

On Sunday, the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went early in the morning to see the tomb. There was a great earthquake, for the angel of the Lord had come, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it.  

"And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  

“And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.  

“And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word." - Matthew 28:5-8  

This is the message that we are to tell the world - Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and on the third day rose again. This is the gospel message. Peter preached the gospel. 

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  

“For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39  

Jesus spoke to His disciples, 

"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." - Mark 16:15  

Go and tell!

The night before Jesus was crucified, Jesus’ disciples followed him to the garden of Gethsemane, which means, “an oil press”. There Jesus prayed with intensity, committing His flesh to be the sacrifice that would satisfy the death requirement for our sins. 

Just as Jesus crucified His flesh, we also are to crucify our flesh by repentance. We are to purge out sin by recognizing we have sinned, regretting the sin, and committing to never do it again. Our sins are then buried with Him by baptism. (Romans 6:4, Acts 2:38, Colossians 2:11-12) 

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." - Romans 6:6 

"And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." - Galatians 5:24 

From there, after accepting the cup of suffering, Jesus was betrayed and taken by the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders to the high priest’s house where he was mocked and smitten. (Luke 22:54, 63-65) 

Then they led him to Pilate, who sent Jesus to Herod. After mocking him, he sent him back to Pilate. (Luke 23:11) 

“I will therefore chastise him, and release him.” - Luke 23:16 

The Romans had no legal limit as to how many lashes they could administer. Only the Jews were limited by God’s commandment to 40 stripes. (Deuteronomy 25:3) 

Pilate turned Jesus over to receive the whipping that was called the “half way death”. The Roman whipping shredded the back in which there was so much blood loss, that the victim was left half way dead.  

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” - Isaiah 53:5 

It was not usually done that a person would suffer both the whipping of the half way death as well as crucifixion. Pilate, intending to release Jesus, had Him scourged, thinking this would surely satisfy the Jews.  

“But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.” - Luke 23:21  

Because Jesus would become cursed for us, it was necessary that he also be crucified, hanging on a tree. (The cross was fashioned from a tree). 

“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:” - Galatians 3:13 (Deuteronomy 21:23) 

 "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." - 1 Peter 2:24  

“And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.” - Luke 23:33   

“Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.” - John 19:29  

The Passover supper was eaten with bitter herbs along with the lamb to remind them of their bitter bondage in Egypt. (Exodus 12:8) 

Jesus ended our bitter bondage to sin and death when He died on the cross. 

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” - Hebrews 2:14-15  

“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” - John 19:30  

The bondage to sin and death is finished. When we repent of our sin, are baptized in Jesus name for the remission of sins and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, we are set free from sin and the fear of death.  

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39

Good Friday

There are some that call the day Jesus died on the cross as “Good Friday”.  How could this day be good?  This was Peter’s thought.

"From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

“Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men." - Matthew 16:21-23

Why would Jesus call Peter “Satan”?  Because Peter was being used by the devil to try and stop Jesus from accomplishing His mission to die for the sins of the world.  

"Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." - Hebrews 2:14-15

It is because of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, that we are able to enter the kingdom of God and obtain eternal life.

"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:" - Romans 6:3-5

Peter made this clear, for Jesus gave him the keys to the kingdom. (Matthew 16:19)

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38

The good news is not only that Jesus died for our sins, but that He rose again 

"He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay." - Matthew 28:6 

When we repent of our sins, are baptized in Jesus name for the remission of our sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (just like the early church did, speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives us utterance - Acts 2:4), we have the same power over death and the grave by His Spirit dwelling in us

"I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." - Revelation 1:18  

"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." - Romans 8:11

 

And this is Good News! 

The Complete Experience of the Gospel as in the Day of Pentecost

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." - Acts 2:38

[1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 6:1-7, Colossians 2:11-12]