Category: New Testament

Warning About Antichrists

Scripture: 1 John 2: 18-21

Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come. 19 These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.

20 But you are not like that, for the Holy One has given you his Spirit,[e] and all of you know the truth. 21 So I am writing to you not because you don’t know the truth but because you know the difference between truth and lies.

Scripture Commentary:

John is talking about the last days: the time between Christ’s first and second coming. The first-century readers of first John lived in the last days and so do we. The antichrists of John’s day are also here today. They are the false teachers who pretend to be Christians and lure weak members away from Christ.

We do not need to fear these evil people. The Holy Spirit shows us their errors so we won’t be deceived. Remember, these false teachers are not total strangers to the church. They once had been in the church but they did not really belong to it. These people may go to church for social and business contacts or because it’s a long standing habit. But they have never stopped to ask themselves why they do it.

What is your main reason for being a Christian?

Unless it is a Christ-centered reason, you may not really belong.

Become personally acquainted with Jesus Christ. Ask Him to come into your life. Be truthful with Him.

He loved you before you knew Him. He has always loved you.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

1 John Chapter 2

Read Other Commentary from 1 John:

Take My Yoke Upon You

Don’t Get Tangled Up In Sin Again

Scripture: 2 Peter 2: 20-21

And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. 

Scripture Commentary: As Christians we know Christ.

We study His words and try to live a life that is as close to His as we can. But we are human and easily get tangled up in our weakness. But we know Our Lord!

We know we can call on Christ in our need and not give in to our weakness.

When we gave ourselves to Christ to be His servants, we placed ourselves in His hands. We are to live a life as close to His as possible so others can see the Christ in us.

In these verses, Peter speaks of people who have learned about Christ but reject the truth and return to their old ways. These people are worse off than before because they rejected the only way out of sin. They rejected the way to salvation and are now truly lost in sin.

If we refuse to follow God, we will follow our own desires and become enslaved to what our bodies want. However, if we submit our lives to Christ, He will free us from slavery to sin.

Serve Christ and free yourself from all sin!

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

2 Peter Chapter 2

Read Other Commentary from 2 Peter:

One Day Is as a Thousand Years

Be Willing to Accept Jesus Into Your Heart

Jesus’s Blood Confirms the Covenant

Sermon: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Part Two: The blood of the covenant is the blood of Jesus.

Matthew 26: 28 says, “for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant[d] between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.”

When The Bible speaks of the blood of Jesus, it refers to His death. No salvation would be accomplished merely by Jesus bleeding. His bleeding and death is what makes His blood shedding crucial.

What is the relationship between the shedding of Jesus’s blood and the resurrection?

The Bible says He was raised not just after the blood shedding, but by it. This means that what Jesus’s death accomplished was so full and so perfect that the resurrection was the reward and vindication of Jesus’s achievement in death.

The wrath of God was satisfied with the suffering and death of Christ. The holy curse against sin was fully absorbed. The obedience of Christ was completed to the fullest measure. The price of forgiveness was totally paid. The righteousness of God was completely vindicated.

All that was left to accomplish was the public declaration of God’s endorsement. He did this by raising Jesus from the dead. 1 Corinthians 15: 17 says, “And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins.” This means that the resurrection of Christ proves that the death of Jesus is an all-sufficient price.

If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then His death would have been a failure. If God did not vindicate His sin-bearing achievement, then we are still in our sins. But Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father. The success of His suffering and death was vindicated.

Romans 6:4 says, “For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.”

If we put our trust in Christ, we are not still in our sins.

By the blood of the eternal covenant the Great Shepherd has been raised and lives forever. That is what Christ came to do. He took the weapon of death our of Satan’s hand.

Christ took our sins on Himself.

He suffered for you and I and for all the human race. Satan has no hold on us! Only the death of the Son of God and the resurrection could destroy the one who had the power of death. When Christ died for our sins, He took from the devil his one lethal weapon: unforgiven sin.

Jesus has set us free! We are not slaves to death any longer. The devil may kill our body, but he can no longer kill our soul. It is safe in Christ.

Do you believe Christ died for your sins? Do you believe Christ rose from the grave?

Then stand and give Him the praise! Give Him your love and your life! He deserves the honor, praise and glory.

Thank you, God!

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

Matthew Chapter 26

1 Corinthians Chapter 15

Romans Chapter 6

Read Part One of the Sermon, The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Mighty God, My Everlasting Father

Sermon: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

First we have the birth of Christ as foretold in Isaiah 9: 6 “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor,[d] Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.“

Then we heard about His death. Romans 5: 10 says, “For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.” 

And now we have the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 13: 20 says , “Now may the God of peace—who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep,  and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—”

Before Jesus, only the rabbi had access to the Father.

Before Jesus came to save us from sin, we would have had to go to a rabbi, priest or holy man to intercede for us to God. But God sent His Only Begotten Son to not only pay for our sins but also to give us direct access to God, the Father.

God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us.

This was a painful death. Jesus was beaten with whips, stripped of His clothes, and spit upon. Thorns were driven in His head as a crown. Then He had to carry His cross (the instrument) that was to be His death seat. When He got to the place of His execution, they hammered large nails into His hands and feet to hold Him into place on the cross.

Would you have sent your child to a death such as this, or to any kind of death? I know your answer is no! But God sent His Son to us, knowing that He had to die for us. God loves us that much!

Jesus died on the cross, and His body was taken down and placed in a tomb. The people and His followers leave, likely saying to themselves, “That’s it! Jesus is dead!”

This is the new beginning. This is why He came.

Christ’s death did not merely precede His resurrection. It was the price that obtained it. That’s why the Bible says in Hebrews 13:20, “Now may the God of peace—who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep,  and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—”

The blood of the covenant is the blood of Jesus.

As He said in Matthew 26: 28, “for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant[d] between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.”

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

Isaiah Chapter 9

Romans Chapter 5

Hebrews Chapter 13

Matthew Chapter 26

Read the sermon, The Prophecy of Jesus Christ, from The Gospel Mailman:

His Name Shall Be Called Wonderful

Jesus Christ, The Prince of Peace

Do You Know the Way to Heaven?

Love Each Other As God Loves You

We invite you to return later this week for the conclusion of the sermon, The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

The Devil Came to Tempt Jesus

Scripture: Matthew 4: 3

The devil came to Jesus to tempt him. The devil said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these rocks to become bread.”

Scripture Commentary: The devil often comes to tempt us when are are vulnerable.

He exerts pressure when we are under physical and emotional stress. Also, he likes to tempt us through our strengths where we are most susceptible to pride.

Like Jesus, we must not give into the devil’s temptations. Jesus was able to resist all the devil’s temptations because He not only knew Scripture, but also He obeyed it.

God’s Word is a sword to use in spiritual combat.

Knowing Bible verses is an important step in resisting the devil’s attacks. Satan is real, not symbolic. He is constantly fighting against those who follow and obey God.

Satan’s temptations are real.

He is always trying to get us to live his way or our own way rather than God’s way. If Jesus had given in, His mission of salvation would have been lost. Because He was tempted, He knows firsthand what we experience. He is willing and able to help us in our struggles.

Remembering this will help us turn away from the devil’s temptations. Our convictions are only strong if they hold up under pressure. If God is your strength, you can hold up under anything. When you are tempted, turn to Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Matthew Chapter 4

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Matthew:

They That Were Ready Went In With Him

Judas Let Himself Be Used by Satan

Jesus Is the Christ, Born of God

Scripture: 1 John 5: 1-5

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Scripture Commentary:

When we become Christians, we become part of God’s family. We all have this in common: we believe Jesus is the Christ, born of God. God determines who the other family members are, not us. We are simply called to accept and love them.

How well do you treat your family members?

Families may have moments of discord but remember, Jesus never promised that obeying Him would be easy. But the hard work and self discipline of serving Christ is no burden to those who love Him.

It’s easy to say we love God when that love doesn’t cost us anything more than weekly attendance at religious services. But the real test of our love for God is how we treat the people right in front of us.

God’s love is the source of all human love, and it spreads like fire.

In loving His children, God kindles a flame in our hearts. In turn, we love others and through us, they are warmed by God’s love.

Christ’s love is immeasurable.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

1 John Chapter 5

Read Other Commentary from 1 John:

Don’t Walk in Darkness, Live in God’s Light

Claim Jesus As Lord

Why Does God Discipline Us?

Scripture: Revelation 3: 19-22

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Scripture Commentary: What is God’s purpose in discipline?

God would discipline this lukewarm church unless it turned from its indifference toward Him. God’s purpose in discipline is not to punish but to bring people back to Him. Are you lukewarm in your devotion to God?

God uses only loving discipline.

God may discipline you to help you out of your uncaring attitude. However, He uses only loving discipline. You can avoid this by drawing near to Him again through confession, service, worship, and studying His Word.

Christ will knock at your door.

Will you be so busy enjoying worldly pleasures that you won’t notice that He is trying to enter? The pleasures of this world – money, security, material possessions – can be dangerous. Temporary satisfaction makes us indifferent to God’s offer of lasting satisfaction.

If you find yourself feeling indifferent to church, to God, or to the Bible, you have begun to shut God out of your life. Leave the door of your heart constantly open to God. Then you won’t need to worry about hearing His knock.

Knock, knock!

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Revelation Chapter 3

Other Commentary from the Book of Revelation:

Let Your Name Be in the Lamb’s Book of Life

And I Heard A Voice From Heaven

God’s Light Cannot Be Hidden

Scripture: Matthew 5: 13-14

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.

Scripture Commentary: Christians are the salt of the earth.

You have prepared a meal but forgot to season it with salt. It’s tasteless. This is what your life is like without God in it. Jesus says you are the light of the world that cannot be hidden. If you do not acknowledge God and don’t share Him with others, you are hiding that light and leading a tasteless life.

If we, as Christians, make no effort to affect the world around us, we are of no value. We are to be a bright light, not something hidden in a dark place. We are God’s children. So let His light shine for others to see and be drawn to Him.

Live the Christ-like life that God has given you.

Be the nourishment that God intended you to be. Study the Word so you can help others. God has given you a large portion of seasoning and light, so go into the world and spread it around. God did not give it to you for you to put it under a rock.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Matthew Chapter 5

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Matthew:

Jesus, Remember Me

Jesus Spoke Plainly About His Purpose

Don’t Fool Yourself by Refusing to Accept the Truth

Scripture: 1 John 1: 8-10

If we say that we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him,[a] he can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. And it is perfectly proper for God to do this for us because Christ died to wash away our sins.* 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are lying and calling God a liar, for he says we have sinned.

Scripture Commentary: Mirror, mirror on the wall, am I a sinner after all?

We all go through life telling ourselves that we are living a godly life. But honestly, we are only fooling ourselves by refusing to accept the truth.

Don’t lie to yourself. Because you are made in the image of God, lying to yourself is to lie to God. But you may reason and say you weren’t that bad or you didn’t lust after anyone so you didn’t sin.

Confession brings you closer to Jesus.

If you confess your sins, it will free you from your burden and bring you closer to Jesus Christ. True confession is a commitment not to continue in sin.

Each of us is to pray for strength to defeat temptation the next time it enters our lives because we are weak and we need His strength to pull us through.

Jesus did not die for His sins.

Jesus had no sin. He died for your sins and for mine. When you commit your life to Christ and identify yourself with Him, His death becomes yours.

Now look in the mirror and say, “Lord, I am a sinner. Forgive me!”

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

1 John Chapter 1

Read Other Commentary from 1 John:

Know God’s Word So No Man Can Deceive You

Love Is of God; Let Us Love One Another

Unbelievers Follow Their Own Ungodly Desires

Jude 1: 17-24

But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.[f]

24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Scripture Commentary:

Effective witnessing saves people from their own ungodly desires and God’s judgement. We witness to some through our compassion and kindness. To others we witness as if we were snatching them from the eternal fire.

Witnessing is serious business. It is a matter of life and death.

To hate even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh means that we are to hate the sin. But we must witness to and love the sinner. We shouldn’t take witnessing lightly. It is a matter of life and death.

When reaching out to others, we must be sure that our own footing is safe and secure. If not, the non-Christian can turn you. Influence them for Christ.

To be sinless and perfect will be the ultimate condition of the believer when he or she finally sees Christ face to face. Coming into Christ’s presence will be more wonderful than we could ever imagine!

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Jude Chapter 1

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Jude

Idols Can’t See, Nor Hear, Nor Walk; Worship the Living God

Have Mercy on Those Who Doubt