Sermon Archives - The Gospel Mailman

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:

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)

Disobedience Is the Devil’s Playground

Sermon Part Four: The Other Destination for the Children of Disobedience

Ephesians 2: 1-2

And you [He made alive when you] were [spiritually] dead and separated from Him because of your transgressions and sins, ²in which you once walked. You were following the ways of this world [influenced by this present age], in accordance with the prince of the power of the air (Satan), the spirit who is now at work in the disobedient [the unbelieving, who fight against the purposes of God].

You are fresh meat to Satan.

To be in Satan’s family you have to be living in disobedience to God. Satan will not correct you if you are wrong. If anything, he will encourage you to be worse. Satan tempted Jesus. (Read Matthew 4: 1-10.) So you are not off limits to him. If anything, you are fresh meat.

Satan is in his last days so he is intensifying his recruiting. You’ve heard the saying, “misery loves company.” No one wants to be alone and Satan is a lonely creature.

Jesus can do anything but you have to believe and have faith.

Satan’s followers are the ones who possessed the two men in the tombs who Jesus met in Gadarenes. The demons cried out to Jesus, “What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” These demons are fallen angels who joined Satan in his rebellion against God. They are evil spirits under Satan’s control. But we see here, when they are confronted by Jesus, they lose their power. Jesus doesn’t destroy them, but He will remove them, but only if you have faith in Christ. Jesus can do anything but you have to believe and have faith.

James 2:19

Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well; the devils also believe, and tremble.

True faith involves your total commitment to God. The people of Gadarenes asked Jesus to leave. They were more upset because they lost a herd of pigs and feared His supernatural power than they feared the healing of the men in the tombs.

Even the demons know their ultimate fate.

The demons asked Jesus if He came to torment them before the appointed time. They showed that they knew their ultimate fate. The people of Gadarenes are like people today. They are more concerned about property than people.

Each of us is unique. No two are the same. How foolish of us to value possessions, investments and even animals above human life. True faith is nothing if we are contaminated with earthly values.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

Ephesians Chapter 6

Matthew Chapter 4

James Chapter 2

Read the Other Parts of the Sermon, Your 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)

Return later this week for the conclusion of the sermon, The Final Destination.

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

Love Each Other As God Loves You

Sermon, Part Two: Love is Key to the Final Destination

John 15: 12

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

Think of someone in particular who needs love. Give all the love you can, and then try to give more. How do we get to the final destination? Love each other, help each other, accept Jesus, and repent.

God doesn’t make it hard or even complicated.

All you need is faith, trust and the willingness to believe. In John 14:6, Jesus saith to Thomas, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Knowing Peter, Paul or Mary will not get you into heaven. Knowing, accepting Jesus, and repenting will get you into the Kingdom of God.

Well, you may say I have done good by my fellow man; I have put money in church; I have given to those in need. This is all good, but it will not give you the keys to eternal life in God’s Kingdom.

By uniting our lives with Jesus, we are unified with God, the Father. Some people may say that this way is too narrow. The way to God through Jesus is wide enough for the whole world, if the world chooses to accept Jesus.

God loves us so much.

God loves us so much he sent his Only Begotten Son to give us salvation and deliverance from sin. Christ is the way, the truth and the life.

Do not be like the Pharisees who loved money. They took exception to Jesus’s teaching. Christ teaches that you cannot serve two masters: money and God. The love of anything that you place before God will only last a short time. People think that material things will give them praise, but it will not. They consider their wealth to be a sign of God’s approval. God detests selfish wealth because it causes us to abandon the true spiritual gifts that God has given to us.

Wealth won’t get you into heaven – Jesus is the only way.

Remember the rich man in Luke 16:19, who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury while at the gate laid a beggar named Lazarus. The beggar was covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. The dogs came and licked the poor man’s sores. Remember that he died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side.

The rich man died and was sent to hell. We do not know the rich man’s name but the poor man’s name is Lazarus. The rich man begged for mercy, but got none. While he was living, he did not repent. Now, he is dead and he cannot undo what he did while he was alive. He had no faith in God.

What is faith?

Faith is total dependence on God and a willingness to do his will. Faith is not something we put on to show others.

In this parable in Luke Chapter 16, Jesus tells us how people ended up in different places. If your life’s map is taking you to hell and you know it, and if you are here and have heard, then you still have time to make a U-turn and start on the road to God’s Kingdom.

God gives you a choice.

He doesn’t force anything on you. He is a merciful God, full of love and forgiveness. And He gives us grace, mercy, clemency, and his protection freely.

Now you have heard about the road to God’s Kingdom. You have been given the directions: repentance, love, and forgiveness. Live a Christ-like life. That does not mean to live a perfect life because none of us can be perfect.

By studying the Word, we will walk better than we have been doing. With God’s help, we will learn how to be better and do better. Faith in God will direct you to be the person that God made you to be.

Return later this week for Part Three of the sermon, The Final Destination. In Part Three we will focus on the other destination.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

John Chapters 15

John Chapter 14

Luke Chapter 16

Read Part One of the Sermon, Your 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?