Pastor Mike : THE FINAL COUNTDOWN : A Ministry of CHRIST-LIVES.ORG

My name is Dr. Mike Letterman and I am an evangelist. I preach into 166 countries and a listening audience of 1.6-1.7M every Sunday morning. But that’s not me. That’s God. Pastor Mike is just not that good. I’m not the one people come to hear. They come to hear the Holy Spirit and that is what I am proud to be part of.Now my daddy had a sayin’ about a lot of things and one of these was about titles. Daddy had a sayin’ about a lot of things, like looking down a fence row and only seeing one fence post (unless you liked taking them out and doing them over). He used to have some sayin’s about not fallin through the outhouse seat. Other than my relationship with God he had two dreams for me. He wanted me to have dinner with the President of the United States and never forget what that black dirt felt like as it squashed between your toes from a freshly ploughed field. I’ve done both and I never forgot.One of Daddy’s sayin’s was about titles. He used to say titles on a man was like trying’ to put socks on a pig. Just doesn’t fit. So I’m just Mike or Pastor Mike, which I think is one of the most revered titles a man can strive for. As to the socks on a pig, there is truth to that as my cousin and I had to find out after we heard it. The pig won and mama skinned me alive for crawling in that hog pen full of mud and other less savory material with my good clothes on. Dad’s other sayin’ was that you just can’t put a grown man’s head on a boy’s shoulders. Daddy was right about a lot of things. Mama’s sayin’ was spare the rod and spoil the child. I’m just plain Mike. I just finished 28 lessons from the book of Ephesians and I’d like to cover a few things with you today. Intro: To understand the book of Ephesians, you must understand the concept of the church as the body of Christ. The revelation that the redeemed are the Lord’s body in this world is the essential key for understanding this great book. Ephesians 1:3-6King James Version3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:4 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:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. As you know, God utilizes many metaphors to describe His people. He calls us a bride, a family, a household, a kingdom, a flock, a vine and branches, and a building. In Ephesians, Paul introduces the idea that the church is also a body. This descriptive term most completely describes what the church is all about. The word body brings to mind images of unity, diversity and mutual dependence. In our human body, every muscle, every bone, every nerve and every fiber is essential to a proper functioning of this body. The same is true in the body of Christ.

Ex. 3:1-12 GOD’S ANSWERS FOR MAN’S EXCUSES3 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.2 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.4 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.7 And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. Intro: Imagine for just a moment that you are God. You are the Creator of the Universe and you possess all power within yourself. All right, your people are being held as slaves and the time has come to deliver them. Who would you choose to do this great work? Perhaps you would send a great military leader? What about sending a skilled politician? Maybe you would send some great orator; a man who could give heart-stirring speeches that would grip the hearts of men. If you had the population of the world at your disposal, would you have sent Moses? Probably not! After all, he was 80 years old. He was a fugitive from justice, wanted for murder in Egypt, the very place you wanted to send him! Yes, he was well educated, but that was over 40 years ago. Yes, he had been well connected in the political circles of the day, but that too had been a long time ago. Yet, when it came time for God to send a deliverer to Israel, this is exactly the person He chose for the job. To us humans, it doesn’t make much sense, but to God it was all part of a great plan.

Psalm 127:1, Genesis 2:18-25A FIRM FAMILY FOUNDATIONIntro: There may be some people listening to these sermons and you wonder if there is anything here for you. You may think that since your children are grown and gone that these messages do not touch your life. If you are single or living alone, you may believe that sermons about the home and family have nothing to say to you. No matter where you are in life you still have family. The things we are going to discuss today will apply to everyone here, whether you have children or not, or whether you are married or not. We are going to our time today in Genesis 2 and talk about building A Firm Family Foundation. We are going to talk about what our families need to be strong in the Lord.

Genesis 6:1-13THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL FATHERIntro: If you were to make a list of great Bible fathers, you might include men like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. You might include Solomon, who wrote many of the Proverbs for his sons. You might include Joseph, the husband of Mary, who raised Jesus as his own Son and provided him with a godly home. There would surely be many others who would make the list of the great dads of the Bible. However, most of us would not include the man who is the object of the text before us today: a man by the name of Noah.6 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.3 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.7 And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. When they think of Noah, people always remember his work on the ark. They see that as his greatest achievement. Many would question his successfulness as a dad because of some of the failures that occurred later in his life. People remember when Noah got drunk, Gen. 9:20-21. They also remember the business with his grandson Canaan and Canaan’s father Ham, Gen. 9:22-27. But, think about this, Noah’s great success as a father was in the fact that he saw every member of his family saved. What greater accomplishment in life could there possibly be?

Abraham: Following In The Footsteps Of FaithSermon #1Genesis 11:27-12:3 27 Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.29 And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.30 But Sarai was barren; she had no child.31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.12 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.Series Intro: few men, outside of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself have has such an impact on the history of the world as did the man introduced to us in this passage of scripture. This man is revered by over one-half the world's population. In our day, Abraham is held in high esteem by Jews, Muslims and Christians. In ancient times the Jews considered Abraham to be almost worthy of their worship. In the Bible, Abraham is presented to us as a great example of a man who lived his life by faith, Heb. 11:8-19. James 2:23 records the fact that Abraham was called the "Friend of God." This man's life was a special life and a great portion of the first book of the Bible is devoted to it. Tonight, we are going to begin a study of the life of this man named Abraham. Now, some may ask, "Why take the time to study a man who lived 4,100 years ago?" My answer to you is that, first, the Bible takes the time to speak about him, so we should take the time to study him. The second is that the life of Abraham teaches us much about the matter of walking with God by faith. That, after all, is the goal of the Lord for all His children. God is calling every one of His children to live a life of faith. This man teaches us how.

Genesis 4:16-26King James Version16 And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.18 And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.21 And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord. Intro: Before Jesus went to the cross to die for our sins; He painted a clear picture of what the world would look like as the end of time approached, Matthew 24-25. He laid out a clear blueprint for the end of the age and told us that we could know that the end was near when certain characteristics began to be seen in the world, Matthew 24:1-8. While these verses have a primary interpretation to events that will take place in the Tribulation Period; we will see these things beginning to take place, even before Jesus comes for His people in the Rapture. We may wonder what the passage we have read this evening has to do with the matter of end time prophecy. The answer lies in what Jesus said in Matt. 24:37-39 and Luke 17:26-27. Jesus made a crystal clear comparison between the days we have just read about and how things will be just before He returns. Today, I want to examine the biblical record of the days of Noah. If we will take the time to look seriously at the way the world was then and the way it is now, we will see come clear parallels between our world and theirs. By observing the characteristics that prevailed in Noah’s day, we can determine whether or not the days of Noah are here again. If they are, then we need to be ready, for our “redemption draweth nigh”, Luke 21:28.

Genesis 2:18-25King James Version18 And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.19 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. Intro: We have all heard the expression "a marriage made in Heaven." But, does such an animal exist? Is there such a thing as a perfect marriage? Probably not! However, there was, at one time, a marriage that was made in paradise. In the text we have just read, we are given the details of the very first wedding. When this took place, there was no sin in the world and everything was perfect. The marriage rate was 100% and the divorce rate was 0%. Then the fall came and sin entered the world. With sin came all the problems and wretchedness of the curse. With these problems, came trouble at home. One would spend a long time seeking the perfect marriage. Oh, there are many who claim that they "never speak a harsh word." Either they are screaming too loud for the words to be coherent, or they are just plain liars! The truth is, in many cases, marriage resembles a battlefield more than it does a union of 2 lovers.Consider these facts. In this century, the divorce rate has risen over 700%. In 1960, there were 393,000 divorces. Now, there are over 1.2 million per year, and the rate is rising! Now, there is one divorce for every 1.8 marriages. Over one million children in America will be involved in a divorce case. Of course, there are some sociologists who say that we can expect to see a decline in the divorce rate in the near future. Is this because people are developing better social skills and are learning how to communicate and work through their problems more productively? No! They just aren't getting married. They are living together instead. Either way, it is a far cry from what the Lord intended!Tonight, I want us to look into these verses and think for a while about A Marriage Made In Paradise. In this passage, God reveals His intentions concerning marriage and His goals for the married couple. The principles taught here will go a long way in helping to divorce proof our marriages. Let's take a few minutes this evening to look into this text and see for ourselves what makes a marriage made in paradise.

In our age, there are many misunderstandings surrounding the Christian life. A trip to the local Bible bookstore bears this out. The shelves are lined with books that claim to be able to teach us how to make the Christian life easier for the believer and the church more acceptable to the world. The truth of the matter is that there is nothing easy or acceptable about the Christian life. It is not always easy to live for Jesus. The Gospel of Jesus Christ will never be acceptable to the world. We are not out for a day in the park! We are not on a playground; we are on a battleground! 1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. We are engaged in warfare with a spiritual enemy who is far more powerful than we are, Eph. 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” In our own strength, we cannot defeat our enemies! The good new is this: our enemies are nowhere near as powerful as our God. 1 John 4:4b, “…because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” Thus, even in the midst of our battles, there is always hope for victory. Rom. 8:31, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” Rom. 8:37, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” In fact, the Bible tells us that we are the recipients of victory through the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 15:57, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” While we are engaged in the battle with evil, there is the expectation that we can and will walk in victory in our lives. For me, this is what the book of Joshua represents.

Have you ever experienced the heartbreak of a shattered dream? Everything was set! You were sure things were going to turn out a certain way, and then the bottom fell out from under everything. Maybe it was a child that did not turn out the way you envisioned. Maybe it was a financial setback that broke your heart. Maybe it was a marriage that did not go as you had dreamed it would. Life, it often seems, is a series of shattered dreams. When our dreams are shattered it often leaves us devastated, confused and upset. Sometimes we might be tempted to think that God has forgotten about us and about our dreams. We might even wonder if God has forgotten about the things He promised us in His Word.

Matt. 12:22-33 HAVE YOU COMMITTED THE UNPARDONABLE SIN?22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. Intro: I cannot imagine anything more horrible than having to spend eternity in Hell apart from God. Yet, Jesus says that there is a particular sin, that if it is committed, it will doom the guilty party to Hell for eternity. This is a sin for which there is absolutely no forgiveness. That is a pretty sobering thought! This sin has come to be known as the Unpardonable Sin. When something is deemed unpardonable, it simply means that there is no forgiveness possible.Is Jesus really saying that it is possible to commit a sin so hideous, so horrible, so awful, and so repulsive to God that He, the very God of Grace, cannot and will not forgive it? Yes He is! In fact, there may be some in this very room who are in danger of committing this sin today! If that danger were a possibility, wouldn’t you want to be warned before hand? Of course you would! Only a fool would want go on in sin and go so far that he became hopelessly, irrevocably and eternally lost.This morning, I want to talk to you about the unpardonable sin. Hopefully, we can come to understand it better. Today, we will consider this question: "Have you committed the Unpardonable Sin?"

Intro: As we have moved through the final verses of the book of Ephesians, we have been dealing with the issue of spiritual warfare. I think most believers really don’t believe that we are engaged in battle with an unseen, yet very powerful enemy. It doesn’t change the fact that we are. Satan, the enemy of God, is also the enemy of the people of God. His desire for us is to defeat us, destroy us, and devour us. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (1 Peter 5:8 KJV) Using what the Bible calls “wiles” (Ephesians 6:11), which speaks of “deceit and diabolical schemes”, he seeks to trick us.• James 1:14 reminds us, “every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”• The words “drawn away” are taken from the world of hunting and fishing, where the hunter and the fisherman use various means to lure they prey from a place of safety.• The word “enticed” means, “to catch by a bait.”• Satan is like a master hunter, or a master fisherman, he sets his traps, and baits his hooks. He lies in wait to capture and destroy the unsuspecting Christian.• If we are not “sober” and “vigilant” as the Bible tells us to be, we will be assaulted, or worse. We do not have to become victims of Satan’s traps and devices. God has equipped us with everything we need to stand against the devil and attacks. If we use the means God has given us, we will not become casualties in this spiritual war in which we are engaged. That is the promise of God, Ephesians 6:13.

Today, we will consider the final piece of “the whole armor of God.” Allow me to spend a moment reminding us of the other pieces of the armor and what they represent.

Once again we turn our attention to the pieces that make up “the whole armor of God.” Lets read from Gods word! Ephesians 6:13-18King James Version13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; Verses 10-13 teach us that the saints of God are engaged in a great spiritual conflict against a powerful, relentless enemy. Our enemy is identified in verse 11 as “the devil.” This “devil” comes against the people of God with various “wiles,” v. 11. He does everything in his power to destroy our faith and to draw attention away from the God of glory.

Ephesians 6:16SPIRIT-FILLED WARFARE PART 2c THE BUCKLER OF FAITHIntro: We are continuing to examine the various pieces that constitute “the whole armor of God.” I am taking my time and preaching on each piece of the armor because there is coming a day in each of our lives when we will need to know what “the whole armor of God” is, and we will need to know how to use it in our lives. The truth is, we need to know about and use the armor every day. We don’t always think about it, but it is vitally important in our spiritual lives. According to Verses 10-13 the saints of God are engaged in a great cosmic battle against a powerful, relentless enemy. Our enemy is “the devil,” v 11. He attacks us by using his “wiles,” v. 11. He employs “tricks, schemes, and methods” to undermine our faith, and to attack the glory of God. God desires that we be able to “stand” against the attacks of the enemy, vvs. 11, 13, 14. To “stand” means “to hold a critical position during a time of enemy attack.” Biblical standing is the image of “a soldier refusing to yield even one inch of ground to an attacking foe.” It is the image of a soldier on the defensive, protecting the ground that has already been taken from the enemy. God has blessed His people by giving us some very precious things.• We have truth.• We have His church.• We have His Word.• We have His grace.• We have His salvation.• We have His blessing.• We have so much more too. The problem is, our enemy, the devil, does not want us to have the things we have been given by the Lord. He will do everything in His power to strip all those things away from us. What he can’t take away from us, he will so everything in his power to nullify. If he can’t take it, he wants to strip it of its power in our lives. If we would keep what we have in the Lord, we are going to have to “stand” and hold the precious ground we have been given.

As we continue to study “the whole armor of God,” we continually need to be reminded why this is such an important topic. Verses 10-13 introduce the subject of spiritual warfare. We are told that the saints of God are engaged in a great cosmic battle against a powerful, relentless enemy. Our enemy is called “the devil,” v 11. Our enemy is said to employ “wiles,” v. 11. This word refers to “the tricks, schemes, and methods” the devil uses to undermine the faith of the saints, and to attack the glory of God. God’s command to His people is that they “stand” against the attacks of the enemy, vvs. 11, 13, 14. The word “stand” is a military term. It means “to hold a critical position during a time of enemy attack.” It is the image of “a soldier refusing to yield even one inch of ground to an attacking foe.” It is not the image of someone on the offensive, but rather, it is the picture of a soldier on the defensive, protecting the ground that has already been won.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:Can you read the last one Annie?18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching there unto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

The verses before us speak about spiritual warfare. They remind us that we are in the fight of our lives. Against a relentless, powerful enemy. We are engaged in battle with a spiritual being who is intent on our destruction. We are fighting against an enemy who hates our God, and who hates us too. He wants to devour our families, destroy our testimonies, devastate our church, and discredit our God. But, this enemy of whom I speak is not all-powerful. The God we serve is, 1 John 4:4. While Satan is intent on our defeat, the Lord is interested in giving us the victory. The Bible tells us very clearly that, in the end, God will have the last word, and Satan will be forever defeated and banished to the Lake of fire, Rev. 20:10-15. In the meantime, God has provided us with everything we need to “stand” for Him against everything the enemy can throw at us. Today, we will begin to consider the resources the Lord has given to us to help us “stand” for Him, and to enjoy victory in the spiritual battles of life.

In our modern, relatively peaceful world it is easy to forget that we are a people at war. In verse 12, we are reminded that we have a very powerful and insistent enemy. Our enemy, Satan, is doing everything in his power to defeat, dismantle, and destroy the kingdom of God. We must fight him in God’s power, wearing God’s armor. Unfortunately, many believers do not see the need for the armor of God.Ephesians 6:10-18King James Version10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; We rejoice when we experience small victories here and there. When we make it through the month with enough money, we count that a spiritual victory. When there is no conflict in our lives, we think that is a victory as well. While those things are important in our day to day lives, they are really victories without battles. They are conflicts without enemies. They are moments enjoyed by people who are really not fighting a war. People who think such moments in life represent spiritual victory are not interested in armor, because they don’t recognize this truth: if they are saved, they are at war! There’s far more to spiritual warfare than being able to pay your bills on time.

Ephesians 6:1-4SPIRIT-FILLED HOMESIntro: The Holy Spirit wants to control every area of your life. That is the clear teaching of Ephesians 5:18. When are “filled with the Spirit”, He will be in total control of our lives. When He is in control of our lives, we will live lives that please the Lord; we will worship in a manner that glorifies the Lord; and every relationship in our lives will honor Him as well. Ephesians 6:1-4King James Version6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. When the Spirit is in control of our lives, He will cause us to place others ahead of self, Eph. 5:21. This will change every relationship in which we are involved. Paul has already written to us about The Spirit-Filled Marriage, Eph. 5:22-32. Now he writes about Spirit-Filled Homes. Here, we will learn a little more about the relationship between children and their parents. This is important teaching that every family needs to hear.

Ephesians 5:22-33King James Version22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,27 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.28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.31 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.32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. Intro: One of the most neglected aspects of our walk with the Lord is the necessity for every child of God to be filled with the Spirit. We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit in verse 18. Being filled with the Spirit is the only way we ever hope to be Christlike in our daily walk. When we are filled with the Spirit, we will display the fruit of the Spirit in our daily walk, Gal. 5:22-23. The characteristics that set Jesus Christ apart from the rest of the world will be fleshed out in our lives. Characteristics like “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance,” will mark us, and they will transform every relationship in our lives. In verse 19-20 teach us that being filled with the Spirit will affect our worship. When we are Spirit-filled, we will see God as He is, and we will give HIm the worship and praise He is due. Being Spirit-filled will transform our relationship with God. Verse 21 teaches us that being filled with the Spirit will transform our way of thinking, so that we do not place ourselves ahead of others, but so that that we walk in humility and mutual submission. Thus, the Holy Spirit, when He controls a life, will not only revolutionize our walk with God, He will also revolutionize every relationship in our lives.

Ephesians 4:25-5:2King James Version25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:27 Neither give place to the devil.28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.5 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. Intro: Let me describe for you a typical scene of family conversation. The father and his favorite son are having a private meeting. The other family members are not included. They are talking about some things that they are intending to do and some plans they are making between one another. The mother is eavesdropping on the conversation. What she hears is not satisfactory to her at all. So she gathers in her favorite son, the other one, and tells him what's going on between dad and the other boy. They devise a plot so that they can override what the father and that son are doing. In the course of the affair, the mother’s favorite son deceives the father’s favorite son and steals his inheritance. The one son finds that his inheritance has been stolen. He is filled with anger and outrage about the matter; and he has made the threat that just as soon as the old man dies, he's going to kill his brother. The mother realizes they have a serious situation on their hands and so she sends her boy away. She says, “When this thing calms down a little bit, I'll send for you.” The truth of the matter is that she never saw that boy again. Am I describing a family conversation that may have taken place in Lenoir? The truth of the matter is I am not. Actually I am describing to you a scene which took place 3,000 years ago, and it is recorded for us in the Bible. The family is the family of Isaac and Rebekah and their twin sons, Esau and Jacob. But it is an illustration of a typical family conversation. I want to talk to you about how to improve communications within your family. Communication is the sharing or exchanging of information, along with the emotions which accompany the information shared between individuals or groups of individuals. When you communicate you not only share what you think about a matter, but you also share how you feel about that matter.

John 20:1-18 JESUS: THE RESURRECTED REDEEMERIntro: Today, we celebrate the greatest day in the history of the world. Today we celebrate the great truth that Jesus Christ, who was crucified on a Roman cross and died, arose from the dead just three days later! This one truth is what sets Christianity apart from every other system of belief in the world! All other religious leaders have died. Buddha died! Mohammed died! Confucius died! Every founder of every religion that has ever existed has died. However, only One has risen again from the dead! If we were to strip Christianity of the doctrine of the bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, then our faith would be no more than just another religious system condemning the souls of men to an eternity in Hell! If Jesus did not arise from the dead and is not alive today, then everything He did was in vain, His death was a waste of a life, and all of His teachings are simply the ravings of a madman! If Jesus Christ is not alive, then you have no salvation, there is no hope for the world, and we are all headed to Hell!Now, that having been said, I want to say that HE LIVES! I praise the Lord for this 20th chapter of John's Gospel, for in its verses we are given a portrait of Jesus: The Resurrected Redeemer! We can see in these verses that Jesus is very much alive and well this morning! As we celebrate the truth that Jesus lives this morning, I would like us to take a few minutes to look into these verses and catch a fresh glimpse of the resurrection and what it means to each of us today. Thank God, because we serve a resurrected Redeemer, we have hope in this life, beyond this life, and on into eternity. Let's look together today at Jesus: The Resurrected Redeemer.

Ephesians 4:17-24A NEW WALK FOR A NEW LIFE Ephesians 4:17-24King James Version17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.20 But ye have not so learned Christ;21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Intro: In the first phrase of verse 17, there is a word that beckons to focus our attention backward. It is the word “therefore.” Anytime you see “therefore” in the Bible, you should stop and see what it is “there for.” This word calls our minds back to what Paul has been teaching us about our high calling in Christ Jesus. Because we have been given all the benefits mentioned in verses 1-16, we are not to be like the lost, pagan Gentiles who live around us. What benefits is Paul talking about?• Our calling to “salvation by grace” through faith, vv. 1-3.• Our unity in the body of Christ, vv. 3-6.• Our unique gifting by the Holy Spirit to serve the Lord and His church for His glory, vv. 7-10.• Our being built up through the ministries of gifted individuals in the church, vv. 11-16. Because we have been given all these advantages, and made the partaker of such gifts from God, we are to walk in a manner that is different from the world around us. In the verses that are before us today, we are called to A New Walk For A New LIfe. Paul issues some very specific challenges for all those who are saved. These challenges teach us how we are to walk, and how we are to be different from those who have not been saved. Let’s take some time to talk about these challenges as we think about A New Walk For A New LIfe.

Ephesians 4:1PAUL’S CHALLENGE TO THE CHURCHEphesians 4:1King James Version4 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, Intro: The fourth chapter of Ephesians introduces a change of direction for the book. The word “therefore” in verse 1, signals this change. Paul is saying, “because of what I have said, this is what I want you to do.”To me, the first there chapters of this book are among the most thrilling and most profound in the Bible. Over the course of just 66 chapters, Paul lays out a wonderful catalogue of divine truth. I do not want to re-preach the verses we have a already studied, but I do want to refresh your minds briefly about the glorious truths we have already studied.In the first three chapters of this book, Paul’s focus has been on doctrine. He has been telling us about the doctrinal truths we believe. He has also been teaching us about our positional standing in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 3:7-13PAUL THE PREACHEREphesians 3:7-13King James Version7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. Intro: So far, Ephesians 3 has given us some insight into the man we know as Paul. In verse 1, Paul tells us that he is “the prisoner of Jesus Christ.” Paul was imprisoned by the Roman beaded on charges made by the Jews. Yet, Paul did not see himself as the prisoner of either Rome or of Judaism; Paul understood that he was where he was by the will of God. Paul was the prisoner of Christ. He was in prison by the will of God, for the glory of God, for the good of the church, the body of Christ.

Ephesians 3:7-13PAUL THE PREACHEREphesians 3:7-13King James Version7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. Intro: So far, Ephesians 3 has given us some insight into the man we know as Paul. In verse 1, Paul tells us that he is “the prisoner of Jesus Christ.” Paul was imprisoned by the Roman beaded on charges made by the Jews. Yet, Paul did not see himself as the prisoner of either Rome or of Judaism; Paul understood that he was where he was by the will of God. Paul was the prisoner of Christ. He was in prison by the will of God, for the glory of God, for the good of the church, the body of Christ.

PAUL THE PIONEER PREACHER3 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Intro: In our last study, we considered the content of verse 1. In that short, but powerful verse Paul reminded his readers that he was the “prisoner of Jesus Christ.” Paul might have been under house arrest in Rome, under Jewish charges, as he waited to appear before Caesar, but he wanted everyone to know that Jesus Christ was his real warden.

Ephesians 3:1 3 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) PAUL THE PRISONERIntro: Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church is a blessing. For it is in this letter that we learn about who we are and all that we have as a result of God’s grace. We have discovered the truth that grace is the reason we are saved in the first place. We have learned about how lost we really were before the Lord came to us and delivered us from the bondage and deadness of our sins. We have learned that, in Jesus, we are brought near to God. We have learned that through Jesus, we are in His kingdom. We are members of his family. We are stones in the living temple of God. For me, the journey to this place in this book has been a joy, a challenge and a blessing As Paul opens this chapter, he begins with the intention of praying for the Ephesian church. He makes the opening statement we have here in verse 1, then for the next thirteen verses Paul delays his prayer as he continues to talk about the divine mystery of the body of Christ. He doesn’t begin his prayer until verse 14. We will look at the teaching in these verses over the next few weeks.

THE MAGNIFICENT TEMPLE OF GODIntro: Paul’s emphasis in chapter 2 has been on the grace of God in salvation. He describes our lost condition in verses 1-3. He talks about God’s amazing salvation in verses 4-10. Then, Paul reminds us that we were Gentiles. As such, we were separated from the provisions and promises of God, v. 12. Not only that, but we were separated from the Jews, who were God’s chosen people. They had the Law of God and they held the keys to pleasing God. The Gentiles had nothing but condemnation and hopelessness. In our natural condition we were lost and headed to Hell, but so were the Jews. They might have had the Law of God, but they did not know the God behind the Law. Both the Jew and the Gentile were lost. In Jesus, Paul tells us that we have been reconciled to one another and to God. Jesus broke down the walls that separated the Jew and the Gentile, and He broke down the walls that separated lost sinners from God, v. 13-18. When Jesus died on the cross, He opened the door of salvation to all who would believe, whether they are Jew or Gentile.

Intro: Our world is a world differences. There are political differences that result in war, division, and strive, both in America and around the world. There are social differences in areas like homosexuality, abortion, and different ways of living. These differences cause division. There are differences in the home. Sometimes there is fighting between spouses, between children, between parents and children, and between extended members of the family. These differences translate into divisions. Sadly, there are also differences in the church. Differences in styles of worship, doctrinal beliefs, types of music, dress codes, and countless other differences, cause divisions in the church. In this chapter, Paul is attempting to teach us that in Christ, all our differences are put to death. While the world may fight their wars, society may argue over their different agendas, and homes may be divided, the church is a place where unity and peace should prevail. In Jesus Christ, there is a oneness that that brings all believers together on common ground of faith in Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:10THE WORKMANSHIP OF GRACE Ephesians 2:10King James Version10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Intro: I think you would agree with me when I say that grace is a mystery. As we have studied these first two chapters of Ephesians, the mystery of grace has only deepened for me. As I reflect about what we have learned about grace from this book thus far, I stand amazed at God’s great work of grace for His people. Consider a few reminders of what we have discovered about God’s grace.· Grace chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world – Eph. 1:4· Grace has given us all spiritual blessings through Jesus – Eph. 1:3· Grace has determined that we will be like Jesus, and with Jesus, one day – Eph. 1:5; 11-12· Grace has made us accepted in Jesus – Eph. 1:6· Grace proved the blood of Christ that washed us from our sins – Eph. 1:7· Grace reached out to us when we were dead in our sins and headed to Hell – Eph. 2:1-4· Grace loved us – Eph. 2:4· Grace gave us life – Eph. 2:5· Grace has secured our future – Eph. 2:6-7· Grace has secured our salvation – Eph. 2:8-9 Everything we possess as believers is ours through and by the grace of God. We earned nothing we have received. We deserved nothing we have received. We purchased nothing we have received. Everything we have in Jesus Christ has been given to us by the free grace of Almighty God.

A look at Salvation as God meants it to be!

Ephesians 2:4-7BUT GOD! Ephesians 2:4-7King James Version4 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;)6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. Intro: Ephesians 2:1-3 describes the deplorable condition of those who are unsaved. These verses remind us that the sinner “is dead in trespasses and sins”. Satan and the world system keep them in a constant state of deception. They are depraved in their appetites and their actions, and in that state, they have no appetite for the things of God. Their only goal is to satisfy their lusts and gratify their flesh. In that dead, deceived, and depraved condition, they are separated from God, and they are doomed to face God in judgment some day. The lost sinner is in a terrible situation today. My friend, if you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are in trouble! You need to be saved by His grace, and you need to be saved today!

Ephesians 2:1-3I SEE DEAD PEOPLEPart 2Lets read from Gods Word! 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. Ephesians 2:1-3 describes humanity's fallen state, emphasizing that people were once spiritually dead in their sins, following worldly ways and the devil, gratifying fleshly desires, and inherently deserving God's wrath, a condition shared by both Gentiles and Jews, highlighting a universal need for God's grace found in the verses that follow.

Ephesians 2:1-3I SEE DEAD PEOPLE The Sixth Sense is a 1999 American psychological thriller film[2] written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It stars Bruce Willis as a child psychologist whose patient (Haley Joel Osment) claims he can see and talk to the dead.Released by Buena Vista Pictures through its Hollywood Pictures label on August 6, 1999, The Sixth Sense was well received by critics and was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay f Intro: Some years ago a movie entitled “The Sixth Sense” was released. In that film, a little boy appears to be suffering from some sort of mental disorder. It turns out that his problems result from the fact that he sees ghosts. The problem with the ghosts this little boy sees is that the ghosts do not know they are ghosts. They do not know they are dead. Among the dead people the little boy encounters is a child psychologist who attempts to help the little boy with his problems. The psychologist also does not realize that he dead. The climactic moment of the film comes when the boy looks at the psychologist and says, “I see dead people!” Movies and books that follow that theme are on the increase. There is a morbid fascination with death, dying, and the dead. This is especially true in the realm of zombie literature. Zombies are dead people who have somehow returned to life. These zombies have an insatiable desire for human flesh. There has been a dramatic increase in books and films related to ghosts and zombies. Our world is fascinated by the dead.

Ephesians 1:15-23THAT YOU MIGHT KNOWEphesians 1:15-23King James Version15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Intro: Up to this point in the book of Ephesians, Paul has been praising the Lord. In one long sentence that begins in verse 3 and ends in verse 14, Paul ascends the heights of the glory and majesty of God. In this great song of praise, Paul describes in great detail the amazing riches we possess in Jesus. He also tells us all that God has done for us to bring us to Christ and to guarantee our eternal salvation.

Ephesians 1:11-14GOD IS TO BE PRAISEDFOR HIS SHARING WORKIntro: For several Sunday mornings we have been moving through Paul’s astounding song of praise to God. Let me take just a moment to recap the truths Paul has been sharing with us.Ephesians 1:11-14King James Version11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. In verses 3-6, Paul praises God for His sovereign work in our lives. He reminds us in verse 3 that God is good! God’s goodness translates into His blessings upon our lives. He demonstrates His blessings upon us by showering us with His blessings. Among those blessings is God’s work in salvation. He made us a part of His redemptive plan. This results in us being adopted into God’s family as sons and daughters; in having our lives changed by His power; and in our being accepted by God. That is a valid reason for praising the Lord. In verses 7-10, Paul praises God for His saving work. He reminds us that God sent His Son the Lord Jesus Christ in to the world to redeem us from our sins. Through His precious blood we are redeemed by grace and forgiven of all our sins. God, in His great grace, opened our eyes to our lost condition; He made us aware of what Christ did for us when He died for us on the cross, and then He saved us by His amazing grace. To top it off, God did everything I just mentioned, and more, just because it brought Him pleasure. That is another valid reason for praising the Lord. In the text before us today, Paul tells us that God Is To Be Praised For His Sharing Work.

Let's examine who we leave out of the Nativity Scene. It may surprise you!

We are still standing at the front door of the book of Ephesians. We have been listening as Paul magnifies the glory of God. Beginning in verse 3 all the way through verse 14, Paul is engaged in worship. He begins to praise God for everything He has done to save us and bless us in Jesus. In this long anthem of praise that ascends the heights of God’s grace and glory, Paul praises all three members of the Trinity for Their part in salvation. In verses 3-6, Paul praise God the Father for His sovereign. In verses 7-10, he praises God the Son for His saving work. Then, in verses 11-14, Paul praises God the Spirit for His sharing work. Thus far in our study of this chapter, we have listened as Paul tells us that God Is To Be Praised For His Sovereign Work. In these verses before us today, Paul tells us that God Is To Be Praised For His Saving Work

We have been in these four glorious verses for the past month or so. As we discovered when we began this study, Paul is praising the Lord in these verses. In fact his anthem of praise runs all the way through verse 14. In these first four verses Paul praises God the Father for His sovereign work in salvation. Paul tells us in verse 3 that God Is To Be Praised For His Charity. God is so good to His people! Since He is a good God, He has good thoughts toward those He loves. His good thoughts toward the redeemed manifest themselves in good gifts to His people.

We are working our way through the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians. This precious book reveals to us the riches of God’s grace in Jesus Christ. This book speaks of the great spiritual wealth we possess in Him. In Ephesians, Paul tells us how spiritually wealthy we are in Jesus, Then he tells us how to spend our spiritual wealth for the glory of God.

: To understand the book of Ephesians, you must understand the concept of the church as the body of Christ. The revelation that the redeemed are the Lord’s body in this world is the essential key for understanding this great book. Ephesians 1:3-6King James Version3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:4 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:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. As you know, God utilizes many metaphors to describe His people. He calls us a bride, a family, a household, a kingdom, a flock, a vine and branches, and a building. In Ephesians, Paul introduces the idea that the church is also a body.

Ephesians 1:1-2King James Version1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 1 addresses this book to “the saints which are at Ephesus”. This letter was written to this church, but not to them alone. Many scholars believe that this was a circular letter. That is, it was copied many times and sent to all the churches in Asia Minor. Many ancient copies of this letter do not contain the word Ephesus. In many of them, there is a blank where the name would go. This would explain why there are no personal or geographic references in the letter. It is a letter, not just to one local congregation, but to, as verse 1 says, “the faithful in Christ Jesus”. This book was written to us too!

A TRUSTING MOMENT5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.

John 21:1-19 21 After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.8 And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.9 As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

Luke 23:32-43King James Version32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.33 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.34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,37 And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, This Is The King Of The Jews.39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

John 3:1-15King James Version3 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. Intro: Over the last several weeks, we have looked at several of the personal encounters that Jesus had while He was here, walking upon the earth. We have watched Him as He interacted with sick people, dead people and lost people. We have watched our marvelous Lord do that which most people would have considered impossible. We have seen Him heal the sick, raise the dead and reach out to the lost. In this passage, one of the best known in the New Testament, Jesus has a personal encounter with a man named Nicodemus.

Mark 5:22-34A TOUCHING MOMENT Intro: Mark chapter 5 is brimming with impossible cases. It has been called the Bible home for incurables. There are three cases given in this chapter which are absolutely, humanly speaking, hopeless and impossible. There was the Demonic Man, there was this Diseased Woman, and then there was the Dead Girl. All three of these cases were considered impossible in the Lord's day and they still are in our own day as well.Mark 5:22-34King James Version22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,23 And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?32 And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

8 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Intro: We are continuing to look at the personal encounters the Lord Jesus had while He walked here on the earth. Most of the personal encounters Jesus had while He was on this earth ended gloriously. Most often, the people who met Jesus were healed, saved and eternally changed. However, not every meeting ended so gloriously! In our text today, we are presented with a man who had a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ that ended tragically. I would like for us to look into this encounter today, because I fear that there are many people attending our churches and especially our Baptist churches who are in the same condition as this young man. They want to be saved and they may even feel that they are saved, but they have no understanding of what genuine, biblical salvation is all about. Well, in this passage, the Lord Jesus tells us in no uncertain terms just what it takes to be saved. I do not know where you stand with the Lord today, but I do know that if you are not saved, you need to be and you will hear how you can be today. If, for some reason, you have been mislead about your salvation, then you will hear how you can come to know Jesus today. All I ask is that you let the Lord speak to your heart, and if He calls you to come to Him, then I want you to come. Let’s look together at another moment with the Master and consider A Tragic Moment.