Tag: New Testament

We Have Done Wrong and Ask Forgiveness

Scripture: Romans 2: 6, 8, 12-13

God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”(6) But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. (8) All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.(12)  For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.(13)

Scripture Commentary:

If we stand before God today, He will ask us what we have done? Did we obey His ways or did we go our own way? If and when we didn’t know God, we still knew right from wrong. This is the Holy Spirit in each of us.

People are condemned not for what they don’t know but for what they do with what they know. Take a child for example. When s/he is about to do something wrong, s/he will look to see if anyone is looking. This is the Holy Spirit.

Those who know God’s written word and His law will be judged by them. Those who have never seen a Bible still know right from wrong. They will be judged because they didn’t keep even those standards that their own conscience dictated.

Admit to yourself and to God that you fit the human pattern and have fallen short. That’s the first step to forgiveness.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Romans Chapter 2

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Romans:

Jesus Set Us Free with His Sacrifice on the Cross

There Is No Death in Jesus Christ

Do I do the same things I pass judgment on?

Scripture: Romans 2: 1-3, 6

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? (1-3) God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” (6)

Scripture Commentary:

How can you justifiably judge someone else? Whenever you find yourself feeling justifiably angry about someone’s sin, look in the mirror and say, “Do I do the same things?”

We have all sinned.

If we are being truthful, we still sin. Oftentimes the things we notice in others are the things that have taken root in us.

God has halted His judgment on us to give us time to repent. If God is giving us time, why can’t we give one another time?

Be a true light in the world for Our Lord Jesus Christ. Help others. In doing so we must live the life of being a true Christian.

When others look at us, what do they see?

Do they see the God in us or the Satan in us? If it is the God in us, they will see the wonderful gift of salvation.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Romans Chapter 2

Read Other Commentary on the Book of Romans:

Let Christ Set You Free

Jesus Delivered Us and Teaches Us Love

Are You Spiritually Blind?

Scripture: John 9: 39-41

Then Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment [to separate those who believe in Me from those who reject Me—to declare judgment on those who choose to be separated from God], so that the sightless would see, and those who see would become blind.” 40 Some Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind [to spiritual things], you would have no sin [and would not be blamed for your unbelief]; but since you claim to have [spiritual] sight, [you have no excuse so] your sin and guilt remain.

Scripture Commentary: Am I blind?

This is a question we can ask ourselves. Blind to what? Are you blind to injustice to your fellow man? Do you turn from the truth?

Are you a follower of Our Lord, Jesus Christ? If so, do you try to live a Christian lifestyle and spread the Gospel?

The person in the Scripture did not know Jesus had given him his sight. But once he knew, he worshiped Him and told people what Christ had done.

Do you tell people what Christ has done for you?

The man was cursed and evicted from the synagogue but that didn’t stop him from telling everyone about Christ. Physical sight is nothing without spiritual sight. When you turn to Jesus, you begin to see and understand.

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

John Chapter 9

Matthew Chapter 7

Read Other Commentary on John Chapter 9:

Jesus Heals the Blind

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:

4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You certainly will not die! 5 For 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.” 6 And 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?

You Can Inherit the Kingdom of God

Scripture: Matthew 25: 34-36

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Scripture Commentary:

Through parables, Jesus teaches us, in a language that we can understand, how we can inherit the kingdom of God that has been prepared for us.

Jesus tells us how to live, how to treat people and ourselves. If someone is in need, how can we go about life not helping them? How can we not feel their pain?

People aren’t always in need of money, food, or a place to stay.

They may need someone to talk to, or someone to just listen to them. God placed His Holy Spirit in us but if we don’t call on Him for direction, the door won’t open.

Lord, my God, help me to be the servant to feed the people you place in my life. Help me to listen to them. Help me to clothe the naked with your love and forgiveness. I want to spread your Gospel; I want to be a better helper.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Matthew Chapter 25

Read Other Commentary on Matthew Chapter 25:

They That Were Ready Went In With Him

The Wise Take Time to Prepare

Will You Be Prepared When Christ Returns?

Can You Hear the Voice of Jesus?

Scripture: John 5: 27-29

and to judge the sins of all mankind because he is the Son of Man. 28 Don’t be so surprised! Indeed the time is coming when all the dead in their graves shall hear the voice of God’s Son, 29 and shall rise again—those who have done good, to eternal life; and those who have continued in evil, to judgment.

Scripture Commentary:

Will you hear the voice of God’s Son, Jesus? Can you hear His voice now? Are you doing what He is telling you to do, or are you doing what you think you should do?

If we don’t hear Jesus now, how will we hear Him in the grave? In saying that the dead will hear His voice, Jesus is talking about the spiritually dead who hear, understand, and accept Him.

Those who accept Jesus’s word will have eternal life.

God is the source and creator of life for there is no life apart from God, either here or hereafter. Our life is a gift from God. Because Jesus is eternally existent with God, the Creator, He, too, is “the life.” It is through Him that we live eternally.

Jesus is talking to you now. Are you listening? Do you hear Him?

Read the Entire Chapter:

John Chapter 5

Read Other Commentary on John Chapter 5

Wilt Thou Be Made Whole?

You Can Depend on Jesus to Make You Whole

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?

Claim Jesus As Lord

Scripture: 1 John 1: 8-10

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

Scripture Commentary: Claim God as your Father.

If you claim to have never sinned in your life, then you must think you’re Jesus Christ.

Why would God send His Son for us? Because we are born in sin from Adam. We go through this life as imperfect souls. But God, through His love for us, sent His Son to pay for our wrongs.

Jesus was the ultimate sacrificial lamb

When Jesus died on the cross for us, His death and resurrection stopped the Old Testament way that believers symbolically transferred their sins to an animal that was then sacrificed. The animal died in their place to pay for their sin and to allow them to continue living in God’s favor.

Commit your life to Christ today!

God forgave them because of their faith in Him and because they obeyed His commandments concerning the sacrifice. When we commit our lives to Christ and thus identify ourselves with Him, His death becomes ours.

He has paid the penalty for our sins, and His blood has purified us.

Read the Entire Chapter:

1 John Chapter 1

Read Other Commentary from the First Book of John:

Love Comes From God Because God Is Love

God Is Light, in Him Is No Darkness