God’s way versus our way
1.
Today’s lesson is based on the few verses just read in
Deut. 12.
2. God made a special promise to
His people; He said He would “cut off the nations” before them.
3.
God would allow the nation of
4.
As
5.
God’s people might “follow” the ways of the heathens
and become “ensnared” in their way of life.
6.
The end of verse 30 says
GOD
DID WANTED TO BLESS HIS PEOPLE, BUT HE ALSO WANTED THEM TO REALIZE THEY WERE
NOT FREE TO “PICK AND CHOOSE” WHAT IT WANTED TO DO IN THE AREA OF
RELIGION. GOD SAID THAT IF THIS NATION
WANTED TO HAVE HIS HELP AND PROTECTION, IT NEEDED TO FOLLOW HEAVEN’S PLAN.
a)
This point is still true today. If we “pick and choose” our spiritual
beliefs, we will not please God.
b)
God went to a lot of trouble to communicate His will to
the Hebrews and this is also true for us.
c)
God has recorded all this information in a document we
refer to as the New Testament.
d)
Today I want us to think of the New Testament as a
unit; 27 books are really one unified book.
2)
Based on the principle in Deut. 12 I want to list every
New Testament books and give a purpose for it.
3)
Our start point, if we are going to look at all the New
Testament books, is the book of Matthew.
a)
Matthew’s gospel is unusual because it begins with a
genealogy.
b)
Lots of times people skip all the names in Mt. 1…what
possible use could we have for the names?
c)
These names introduce us to the fact that we are
dealing with a King. This is a royal
lineage.
d) The 27 New Testament books,
as we have them arranged, remind us there is a king and He has a law.
e)
This king has a kingdom and if we want to be part of
it, we must be obedient subjects.
4)
When we think about kings, we find that they vary in
their power and authority.
5)
Some rulers come into power and they do not rule over a
very large territory.
6)
Others come into power and may only reign for a brief
period of time.
7)
The book of Mark is next is and is quite brief compared
to the other Gospels.
8)
The book of Mark was written to Romans.
9)
Romans were a tough bunch of people; they enjoyed
things like the gladiatorial games.
10) The
Romans were people of action and they liked action.
11) It
is not surprising to find that Mark emphasizes the supernatural aspect of
Jesus.
12) Jesus is presented as a man
of achievements. Jesus conquers nature,
disease, and He casts out demons.
13) The
king of Matthew is a conquering and magnificent king in the book of Mark.
14) The
Lord’s conquering power is a second reminder that we need to “hear” Him.
15) After
Matthew and Mark we come to Luke, the “beloved physician.”
a)
Luke provides us with a fairly comprehensive view of
the Lord.
b)
We find in his gospel things like the story of the
“Good Samaritan.”
c)
Jesus said a “certain Samaritan” but we usually refer
to this fellow as the “Good” Samaritan.
d)
Luke’s gospel reminds us that the king is not only
powerful, He is compassionate.
e)
The Lord is a good king. This indicates that the law He has given to
us is a good law.
f)
God’s law is for our benefit, not our detriment.
16) After
Luke we come to John.
17) In
John’s explanation of Jesus’ life he wastes no time in declaring who Jesus is.
18) In
the beginning was the word; the word was with God and the word was God – Jn.
1:1.
19) Jesus
is not only a king (Matthew), He is deity.
He was God in the flesh.
20) This
means that what we find associated with the Lord is important.
21) If
we find that law was given by Jesus or His designated representatives, we need
to follow it.
22) This is the very same
principle that we heard from Deut. 12 – we cannot pick and choose what we
believe.
1)
After the four accounts of Jesus’ life we come to the
book of Acts.
a)
By this time Jesus has come to the earth, lived, died,
and been raised from the dead.
b)
The king created a kingdom (church) and people were
becoming members of it..
c)
People were learning about the laws of the kingdom and
following those laws.
d)
This is why Acts 2:42 says people “continued
steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine.”
e)
First century people were taught that Christ left
behind some laws and these must be obeyed.
f)
In the book of Acts we see how the king’s kingdom grew
and expanded.
2)
After the book of Acts we find letters that are often
called “epistles.
3)
The apostle Paul authored several of these documents.
4)
After Acts we come to a book named Romans. Romans is a book that tells us about faith.
5)
The “righteous shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:17).
6)
This verse also refers to “faith unto faith.” This expression puzzled me for a long time.
7)
One day I finally understood the point.
8)
Everything about the kingdom Christ has created is
related to faith—every single thing.
a)
We cannot physically see the Lord or our eternal home,
so we live by faith.
b)
Prayer is a matter of faith. Belief is the foundation for the Christian
faith.
c)
Every single aspect of Christianity is joined with
faith.
d)
Sadly, some have tried to add a word to God’s way –
they believe in “faith only” or “faith alone.”
e) “Only” or “alone” is an
addition by people; God says we are saved by faith and this includes obedience.
9)
Moving past the book of Romans we find the book of
first Corinthians.
10) This
book is a very useful book because it shows what members of Christ’s kingdom
can experience.
11) The
First Corinthian letter is a document that describes a congregation that had
some big problems.
12) Christians
would not wait for one another when they partook of the Lord’s Supper.
13) Women
were doing things that denied their gender; there were cliques; sexual sin was
in this church.
14) Christians
were suing one another. Some had
fellowship with idols. Others were
complainers.
15) This
letter reminds us that no congregation is going to be perfect.
16) Second
Corinthians reminds us about the importance of listening to God’s law.
17) Paul was an apostle, but
some of the Corinthians did not want to listen to or accept him and what he
taught.
18) Today
there are cases where people still do not want to follow divine instruction.
19) The
Second Corinthians letter reminds us that we need to listen to and heed gospel
teaching.
20) If
we do not do that, we are probably going to be influenced by something that is
false (untrue).
21) This
is what we see in the book of Galatians.
22) There were false teachers
who were trying to turn Christians back to the Old Testament system of Judaism.
23) The
Old Testament system had been a burdensome way to live.
24) It
had been like yolk (crushing weight) that people could not bear.
25) People
can grow tired of what is right and seek something that is wrong.
26) Going
back to this way was incorrect and Paul said it would “sever” people from
Christ (Gal. 5:4).
27) King
Jesus has a much better way and this new and better way is explored in the book
of Ephesians.
28) Eph.
1:3 says “all spiritual blessings” are in Christ.
29) There
were some blessings the Old Testament system did not offer.
30) If
we become a Christian and follow the ways of God, we receive every spiritual
blessing.
31) We
are part of a glorious spiritual body that actually joins us to Christ (Eph.
5).
32) If
we live by the laws of the king we have fellowship with deity.
33) If
we live in the right way we will have the “joy” described in the book of
Philippians.
34) What
follows the book of Ephesians describes the peace and glories of salvation.
35) We
live in a time when people are focused on a lot of bad and very gloomy news.
36) The
king says He has some very good news – His way offers peace and a wonderful
hope.
37) One
might think that most would be very interested in this offer.
38) Human
nature is such that some always seem to think they can find something better.
39) The
Israelites faced this temptation when they inherited Canaan.
40) God
said they would encounter some religious beliefs that might look more
attractive.
41) Such
is also true concerning Christianity; other religious faiths may have some
appeal to Christians.
a)
The book of Colossians deals with people who had some
ideas contrary to Christianity.
b)
These people had a religious system with rules that
said “do not taste and touch” certain objects.
c)
Paul had to tell Christians that these rules were wrong
and this was the wrong way to serve God.
d)
Christ is the king and we need to listen to His rules
and only His rules.
e)
People often have their own ideas about religion, but
we must listen to the King and Him alone.
42) People
may do this for a time but then they become complacent.
43) Some
things may be forgotten or people just get out of the habit of doing some
things.
44) This
is what we find in the next Bible book – First Thessalonians.
45) In this book we have a lot
of instructions; there are many simple truths that remind us about what to do.
46) Christians were told to
continue in what is right and find comfort in thinking about Jesus’ future
return.
47) The
Thessalonians needed to get back to some of the basics of Christian living.
48) These
readers did this, but after a little time passed they became lazy.
a) They were willing to do the
basic things associated with Christianity, but they did not want to work.
b)
They thought Jesus would be coming soon so they would
sit around and wait for him.
c)
The King used the Second Thessalonian letter to warn us
about this problem as well.
d)
Jesus will return, but we cannot know the time, so we
need to be faithful throughout our lives.
e)
This book also covers Christians who become children of
God but become unruly.
49) As
we proceed through the New Testament we find a logical progression.
50) All
the things we need to live as a member of God’s kingdom are located in the New
Testament.
51) There
is even information about “officials” in the church.
52) First
Timothy, the next book, has a lot to say to and about preachers.
53) It
also contains information about elders, deacons, widows, etc.
54) God’s
book tells leaders how to lead, preachers how to preach, and how to organize
the church.
55) Then
in Second Timothy we find some additional material plus this important
statement in 3:16-17.
56) God’s
word “makes us complete.”
57) The
27 book of the New Testament form a spiritual unit to give us all the
information we need.
58) The
king has not left us without a law. If
we follow His law we will be fine.
59) If
we do not follow God’s specific way, we will not be obedient subjects and He will
not save us.
60) The
book of Titus tells us about some people who were not doing too well with God’s
laws.
61) This
book emphasizes good works and doing things in the way God has described.
62) After
Titus we have Philemon, a book we might call a “personal letter.”
63) This
letter reminds us that some problems in the kingdom are congregational like we
see in 1 Cor.
64) Other
matters are private – we should expect to find both in the place where we
worship.
65) One
problem that we may face in living the Christian life is personal hardship or
persecution.
66) This
point is found in the next book – Hebrews.
67) These
Christians were being persecuted so severely they were tempted to leave
Christianity.
68) The
writer said this was the wrong thing to do; they had started a race and were to
continue it.
69) Christianity
is the best way to live, even if it is not easy.
70) James
takes the point a step further – we must have faith, and our faith must “work”
(be active).
71) This
is often difficult during hard times.
72) Whether
times are easy or hard, we need to have an active faith and be a strong
Christian.
73) To
make this happen, people often need some encouragement.
74) We
find this encouragement in the book of first Peter.
75) Peter
encouraged some brethren who were facing tough times.
76) Some
are going to mock this encouragement and the Christian life; this is discussed
in 2 Peter.
77) God’s
book tells us that what others say to us and do to us does not matter in the
end.
78) If
we walk in the light, we have fellowship with God and have forgiveness of sins
(First John).
79) We
will also have brotherly love (Second John) and stay away from false teachers
(3 John).
80) If
this is not the way in which we choose to live, we will suffer punishment from
the King (Jude).
81) If
we do comply with God’s laws we will be victorious (the book of Revelation).
82) The
Bible is a directive from the King of Kings on how to live.
83) We
can choose to live by all that we find in the New Testament and receive eternal
life.
84) Or,
we can try to tinker with it and one day face the King’s wrath.
85) God
has given one book to help us know Him, love Him, and serve Him.
86) Are
we using it? Have we been taught the
King’s laws about membership in the Kingdom?
87) Have
we obeyed those laws?