I harp a lot about the importance of the Gospel, to heed it, to keep it pure. The church has not always done that. Ditto for our hearts. The Old Testament lesson for today (2 Kings 23:1-3) talks about cleaning the church (temple). They found the sacred Scripture (it got lost?). We need to clean our hearts too (repent). Remember, the temple of the Holy Spirit is in your heart--not brick and mortar.
The assigned Epistle lesson (Romans 3:19-28), "But now a righteousness from God...". Not from us. "For we maintain that a person is justified (just as if I'd never sinned) by faith apart from observing the law." (my emphasis)
False doctrine leads to false practice. At various times in the past, the gospel of salvation: by grace, thru faith in Jesus Christ was hardly known and seldom preached upon. Thru these times of spiritual famine there has always been believers, faithful followers of Jesus--even in the darkest times. The faithful were grieved and prayed for cleansing.
The Gospel sometimes gets obscured--by trusting in something we do. The price of forgiveness is too high for us. It required Christ's blood. There is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood. Jesus's perfect blood.
Dark times come about when church leaders stray from the Divine Source of saving truth--the Holy Bible. It points to the true foundation of your salvation: Jesus Christ, crucified and risen for you, to earn forgiveness for you.
Psalm 46 talks about the certainty of salvation. Yes, its another good deathbed Psalm.
Psalm 46 A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
1. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3. though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
4. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
6. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8. Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations He has brought on the earth.
9. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear, He burns the shields with fire.
10. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
11. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
V1-3. We live in a world under the curse of our sin. We search for sinful solutions that are close, but they don't last. What we really need is a genuine, lasting cure for our fears and hurts, a cure that overcomes the darkness all around and within us. That is what you have, in your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
V10. It is good that God is "exalted among the nations". But it is absolutely necessary for you: that God is exalted in your soul. The Holy Spirit accomplishes this; You trust in the works of Jesus. God's greatest gift to you is Jesus. He stepped into human history, and made things right again between you and the Heavenly Father. Jesus obeyed the Father's will perfectly, in your place. He also endured the punishment of hell, which you and I deserved. Jesus then rose from the dead for you and me, and for all sinners. Jesus paid your redemption price. The Holy Spirit nourishes your faith by the Gospel in the Word.
The enemy has tricked us into becoming too busy--so preoccupied with a steady stream of information. We hardly have a moment to ourselves--to ponder God's love for us.
When we do take the time to tune into the Gospel message, then we find comfort, encouragement, strength from the eternal truth that overcomes all troubles.
V11. This is the true meaning of life that the ungodly world cannot comprehend. God "is with us" in the form of Jesus Christ. He is fully human and understands our human troubles. Because of Christ's works, the Father sees you as a saint (Holy one).
Revelation 7: "They (the saints, you) have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
May you feel comfort in that robe which covers your sins. A mighty fortress is our God.
excerpts sermon 10/25/20
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Originally Posted by grandbassslayer
