Old Testament Archives - Page 4 of 22

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:

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

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

Sermon, Part Five (Final): The Final Destination

Revelation 9: 20-21

And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood; which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk; Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their thefts.

No one suddenly falls into immorality; it happens a little bit at a time.

These people were so hardhearted that even plagues did not drive them to God. People don’t usually fall into immortality and evil suddenly. They slip into it a little at a time, and when they realize what has happened, they are irrevocably mired in their wicked ways.

People who allow sin to take root in their life will find themselves in a predicament. Temptation entertained today becomes sin tomorrow. From there, it turns into a habit, leading to death and separation from God forever. To think you could never become this evil is the first step toward a hard heart. Go to God and confess your sin. Ask for His forgiveness.

Psalm 23:6

Surely Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

When you hear your name called and you take your last breath, what will be your final destination? Will you be the rich man in hell or will you take the same path as Lazarus, the beggar, and be in God’s House? You have a choice and a chance.

2 Corinthians 5:1

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house mot made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

The doors of the church are never closed.

Jude 1:24-25

²⁴Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, ²⁵To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

Revelation Chapter 9

Psalm Chapter 23

2 Corinthians Chapter 5

Jude Chapter 1

Read the Other Parts of the Sermon, The Final Destination

Do You Know the Way to Heaven? (Part One)

Love Each Other As God Loves You (Part Two)

Don’t Be Ruled By Your Lusts (Part Three)

Disobedience Is the Devil’s Playground (Part Four)

Don’t Be Ruled By Your Lusts

Sermon, Part Three: The Final Destination (The Other Destination)

John 8:44

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and a bode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.

Deuteronomy: 32:17

They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.

If you are moving to the alternate destination (to heaven), you are ruled by your lusts. This destination is the party of flashing lights and loud, provocative music. The women are made up, the men are dressed to impress. The person at the entrance is none other than Satan himself, selling you whatever you want to hear.

In the other destination life is a party … for now.

He tells you to look out for yourself, nothing and no one else matters. Do it your way; no one cares about what you say or do. He says that life is a party. “Worship me and I will give you anything your heart desires. The price for my party is your soul.”

He is selling his tickets to anyone who is ready to live his lifestyle. Qualifications are, me, myself and I. Disrespectful, corruptible, slanderous, issuing damaging gossip about people, being useless, miserable, and contemptible are some of the characteristics of a place in Satan’s hell-hold.

Don’t be mislead.

If Satan was to be truthful (but he cannot be truthful), he would want to be back in the Kingdom of God, the Father. Satan will mislead you into thinking he has everything you want. But there is a difference in want and need.

God gives you your needs; Satan gives you your wants, like one-night stands. In the morning you say, “What have I done? Why am I here?”

Satan started recruiting in the beginning of the Bible in Genesis 3:1. He tempted Eve and succeeded, and ever since then he has been busy. His mission is to fill his house with as many of us as possible. To be tempted by Satan is not a sin, to give into him is the sin.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

John Chapter 8

Deuteronomy Chapter 32

Genesis Chapter 3

Read Parts One and Two of the Sermon, The Final Destination

Part One: Do You Know the Way to Heaven?

Part Two: Love Each Other As God Loves You

Return next week for Part 4 of the Sermon, The Final Destination

Jesus Christ, The Prince of Peace

Part Two: The Prophecy of Jesus Christ

Isaiah 9: 6

⁶For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 53: 5

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

In this prophecy of Isaiah, God pulled aside the curtain of time to let the people of Isaiah’s day look ahead to see The Prince of Peace. They saw ahead to the suffering of the future Messiah and the resulting forgiveness made available to all mankind.

Today we can see all that Christ did and if we still reject Him, our sin is greater than that of the Israelites who could not see what we have seen and know.

Have you given your life to Jesus, The Prince of Peace?

Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Are you in the fold or are you like a wandering sheep?

Jesus is the sinless lamb who offered Himself for our sins to make us acceptable to God, His Father. What Christ did on the cross opened the way so we can enter heaven. It is not by our works or deeds. We are justified because we claim Jesus Christ the righteous servant.

When you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, your sin is stripped away and you are clothed in His goodness. If you have not accepted Jesus Christ, you are lost and belong to Satan. All you have to do is accept Christ. He will forgive and forget your sins.

God loves each of us so much.

He will hold no memory of our wrong when we accept His Son. And if God is willing to forgive us, we must forgive anyone who has harmed us. We cannot seek God’s forgiveness if we can’t forgive.

In closing, in time of great darkness, God promised to send a light who would shine on everyone living in darkness and the shadow of death. Jesus is that light. He is Wonderful, Counselor, the Prince of Peace and Mighty God.

This message of hope was fulfilled in the birth of Christ and the establishment of His eternal kingdom. He came to deliver all people from their slavery to sin. Take comfort in this certainty: although the Lord may not always take us out of our troubles, He will lead us safely through them.

Think of the prayers He has answered and praise Him! Keep your thoughts and trust in God. Ask His forgiveness. He will forgive and forget.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

Isaiah Chapter 9

Isaiah Chapter 53

Read Part One of the Sermon, The Prophecy of Jesus Christ.

His Name Shall Be Called Wonderful!

Sermon: The Prophecy of Jesus Christ

Isaiah 9: 6

Isaiah 53: 5

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

Isaiah made the prophecy about Jesus Christ about 681 years before He was born. As we celebrate Christmas, let us reflect on this day we have set aside as His birthday.

Are you really celebrating His birth or are you celebrating yourself?

What has Christmas become to you?

For some it’s a day off. For many, it’s a day to receive or give gifts. But this is the day God sent us His Only Begotten Son to pay for our sins.

His son was not the all impressive, commanding figure of a man making a strong impression. No! He was a humble, suffering servant – a sinless lamb to be led to slaughter.

Such a prophecy is astounding. Why would God send His Son to be beaten, spit upon and nailed to the cross for us? He allowed it out of Love, LOve, LOVe, LOVE!

Who would believe God would save us this way?

We think the only way to get anything done is to fight and go to war. That is Satan’s way, not God’s. God’s ways are not our ways. The Messiah’s strength is shown by humility, suffering, mercy and love.

Despite Isaiah’s prophecy of Jesus’s coming, the people still rejected Him. Why do people despise someone who is kind, forgiving, and shows love?

Please return next week for the conclusion of the sermon, The Prophecy of Jesus Christ.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

Isaiah Chapter 9

Isaiah Chapter 53

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Isaiah:

Do Not Be Separated From God

God Knows You In Your Entirety

How Will You Live Your Life?

Sermon – Part Two: How Will You Live Your Life? (What Punctuation Mark Describes Your Life?)

God has given us time between our birth and death. How will you live your life? What will your ‘black box’ record about you?

Have you ever done something wrong and wondered why you could not look in the mirror and lie to yourself? Satan tried to make Eve think that sin was good, pleasant and desirable. God’s Word, The Holy Bible, tells us what is good and what is evil.

As God called to Adam, “Where art thou,” He is also calling to you. Where are you?

Genesis 3:11

“And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?”

God tells us what to do and what not to do. As with Eve, people think sin is good, pleasant and desirable, and think that the knowledge of good and evil is harmless. People usually choose wrong things because they have become convinced that those things are good. It feels good so it must be good. Our sins don’t always appear ugly to us. And it’s the ‘pleasant’ sins that are the hardest to avoid.

Romans 1: 22

Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools

We can’t always prevent temptation. God does not tempt us; the devil does. But there is always an escape. Recognize and confess your sin to God. He will forgive you.

John 1: 29

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

What statement will be in your black box when that day, hour, minute and second comes?

John 12: 26

If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

Jesus has accepted you? Have you accepted Him?

John 6: 47

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

Life is short. Accept Jesus. That is eternal.

Read the Entire Chapter to the Scriptures Referenced:

Genesis Chapter 3

Romans Chapter 1

John Chapter 1, Chapter 12, and Chapter 6

Read Part One of the Sermon, What Punctuation Mark Describes Your Life?

What Punctuation Mark Describes Your Life?

Sermon – Part One: What Punctuation Mark Describes Your Life?

There is a gap between our first and last breath. In between those breaths is a punctuation mark. These punctuation marks in our lives can be a comma, exclamation point, question mark, apostrophe, colon, semicolon, and definitely the almighty period.

None of us is a mistake. God doesn’t make mistakes.

In Genesis 3: 4-6, it says:

⁴But the serpent said to the woman, “You certainly will not die! ⁵For God knows that on the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened [that is, you will have greater awareness], and you will be like God, knowing [the difference between] good and evil.” ⁶And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was delightful to look at, and a tree to be desired in order to make one wise and insightful, she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband ^[c]with her, and he ate.

This is the first recorded decision that man and woman made.

In an airplane, there is a black box. With humans, the black box is our soul, our spirit that God placed in us.

John 3: 6

That which is born of the flesh is flesh [the physical is merely physical], and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

We all have punctuation marks in our lives.

Are you a COMMA, a mark indicating a separation from life, not doing what God placed you here to do?

Or are you an EXCLAMATION POINT? Do you express excitement about what God is doing in your life?

Perhaps you are a QUESTION MARK. You have doubts, uncertainties, and difficulties that have shaken your confidence.

Or, maybe you’re an APOSTROPHE. Have you turned away from life, taking the path of not being present? In doing so, you show your omission from God and the life He has given you.

If you are a COLON, are you part of a group that set good examples in life or are you a series of things that have no meaning? Are you quoting the good or the bad?

Or, are you the SEMI-COLON – that mark of punctuation denoting a degree of separation greater than that marked by the comma but less than that marked by the period?

No matter who you are, the end – completion – is marked by a PERIOD. This is our death.

What punctuation mark will come before the PERIOD in your life?

Read the Full Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

Genesis Chapter 3

John Chapter 3

Read Other Sermons by The Gospel Mailman:

The One That Is Lost

Jesus Came to Save the Lost (Part One)

Be Willing to Accept Jesus Into Your Heart (Part Two)

God Can Hear Your Cry and Save You (Part Three)

Return Thursday for the conclusion of the sermon, What Punctuation Mark Describes Your Life?

Create In Me A Clean Heart

Part Three: I Want to Have A Clean Heart for God (Is the Punishment Fair?)

Psalm 51: 10-12

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.

Turn to God. Renounce a life of sin and rebellion. Let God create a clean heart within you. He will give you direction, love and the power to change.

It is not God who must live up to our ideas of fairness. Instead, we must live up to His. Don’t spend time looking for loopholes in God’s law because there are none. God is perfect, we are not.

God will judge us for what we are, for our own sin, not someone else’s. Each of us is accountable for our own actions.

2 Timothy 4: 8

Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

Psalms Chapter 51

2 Timothy Chapter 4

Read Parts One and Two of the Sermon, Is the Punishment Fair?

Part One: That Isn’t Fair! In Reality God is Fair.

Part Two: Grace Is God’s Gift

You Can’t Earn Grace

Part Two: Grace Is God’s Gift (Is the Punishment Fair?)

Acts 15: 11

But we believe that we are saved through the [precious, undeserved] grace of the Lord Jesus [which makes us free of the guilt of sin and grants us eternal life], in just the same way as they are.”

Now, don’t think grace is something you can earn. This is God’s gift, His divine love and protection bestowed freely upon mankind.

Now to flip this over, if you think that because your mother, father, wife, husband, son or daughter is living a Godly life and (because they are part of your family) that their blessing will fall on you, you’re wrong. Remember, we are all accountable for ourselves!

Ezekiel 18: 13

… and charges interest and takes [a percentage of] increase on what he has loaned; will he then live? He will not live! He has done all these disgusting things, he shall surely be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.

In Ezekiel 18: 13, the question is answered. “Will he then live? He will not live!” This is not only a physical death, but a spiritual death of your soul.

God is a God of love, but He is also a God of perfect justice. His perfect love causes Him to be merciful to those who recognize their sin and turn back to Him. But He cannot wink or turn His head at those who willingly sin.

God takes no joy in anyone’s death. He prefers that we turn to Him and have eternal life. Do not rejoice in the misfortune of unbelievers. Do all you can to bring them into God’s house.

Now if you are living on the edge and you think you’ve found a loophole in God’s law, you are wrong. God’s law and ways are only one way. His way is love for one another.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

Acts Chapter 15

Ezekiel Chapter 18

Read Part One of the Sermon, Is the Punishment Fair?

Is the Punishment Fair?

Part One: That Isn’t Fair! In Reality, God Is Fair.

Ezekiel 18: 19-20

“Yet do you say, ‘Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father’s sin?’ When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has kept all My statutes and has done them, he shall certainly live. ²⁰The person who sins [is the one that] will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the sin of the father, nor will the father bear the punishment for the sin of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be on himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on himself.

We will say “This isn’t fair, why am I being punished?” Some people feel that are bearing someone else’s punishment. This can be true when we follow their ways.

If we are living in sin because we were raised in it, we don’t have to continue when we learn that it’s wrong. Once we put The Bible in our hands and read the Word or listen to a preacher of God’s Word, we begin to know the truth.

Now the people of Judah believed they were being punished for the sins of their ancestors, not their own sin. Now if you do, think, or are living wrong, and you know that you are, who can you blame? No one but yourself!

If you think that someone in your family has been living in sin and you are bearing the punishment for it, you are wrong. God judges each and every person individually!

Psalm 7: 8

The Lord judges the peoples; Judge me, O Lord, and grant me justice according to my righteousness and according to the integrity within me.

God searches our minds and hearts. Nothing is hidden from God. This can be either terrifying or comforting. It can be terrifying because you can’t hide or lie to God when you stand before Him. Likewise, it can be comforting if you know that His grace and mercy is freely given.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

Ezekiel Chapter 18

Psalm Chapter 7

Read Other Sermons From The Gospel Mailman:

The Great Shepherd Restores the Soul

Part One: Jesus Is Our Great Shepherd

Part Two: God Is With Me; I Will Fear No Evil

Part Three: Jesus Prepared Your Place At the Table