Jesus Is Always There for You

As the battle continues against the coronavirus, remember that Jesus is in control. He always has been and always will be in complete control. As Jesus said according to Hebrews 13:5b, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Verse 8 reminds us of yet another great truth: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." He never changes. He will protect and keep you through all things. Trust Him!

To continue ministering the Word of God to you throughout the month of April, I plan to preach to an empty church, record the message as always, then post it to my podcast. So going forward, there will be a new message posted to my podcast every Sunday afternoon. Beginning this Sunday, Palm Sunday, you can go online to my blog, click on the "Sermons" tab at the top of the page, and be taken to my podcast, where you can listen to that new message or any previous message you may have missed. You can also go straight to my podcast at pastorlaott.buzzsprout.com.

I would like to point out just a few things from the above mentioned verses in Hebrews 13. First of all, the words in verse 5b, "I will never leave you nor forsake you," point out that God is completely reliable. He never fails. He will always be there for you, watching over you, keeping you from all harm, doing battle for you against the satanic forces of evil: "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12).

No matter what happens, in all circumstances of life, God's people are secure in Christ Jesus, because He is with them. Faith in Jesus makes you secure. Not money, not possessions, not position—only complete faith and trust in Jesus.

The writer of Hebrews expands on this truth by quoting from Psalm 118:6, "So we may boldly say: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (Heb. 13:6). The psalmist points out first that the Lord is our helper, you can count on Him. Second, the psalmist renounces fear. With the Lord Jesus at our side, there is no reason for fear. Third, there is the rhetorical queston, "What can man do to me?" Literally, this should read, "What will man do to me?" He is not thinking in theory of what might happen, but in reality of what will happen. When you trust in Jesus, nothing that man tries to do to you will succeed. Nothing.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (v. 8) isn't so much a reference to His preexistance or the Incarnation, but stands for the past as a whole. This statement brings past, present, and future together in an impressive declaration of Christ's unchanging nature. Past, present, or future makes no difference to the Savior. You need not fear that Jesus will somehow be different now or will be different in the future than He has been in the past.

"Forever" (v. 8) is literally "into the ages," or "to eternity." No matter what lies ahead, throughout all ages, Christ is always the same. He will never change. He will take care of you. Trust Him. Amen.

What Do You Love More than Jesus?

In John 21, as Jesus appears a "third time" to His disciples (v. 14), He confronts Peter directly concerning his love for Jesus: "So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?'" (v.15). This is the third question brought up by Jesus in this meeting, and it was designed specifically for Peter.

Note the context: "Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, 'Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.' Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken. Jesus said to them, 'Come and eat breakfast.' Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, 'Who are You?'—knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish" (vs. 9-13).

This is a "man breakfast." Aside from a few words of instruction, they said nothing. Yet without words, Jesus spoke volumes. When Jesus gave them the bread and the fish, Peter caught the vision—they all did! Their focus is all wrong. They are being "Someday Saints," when they should be living as "Borrowed-Time Believers."

Here we have the third implied question: What do you love more than Jesus? In verse 15, the question Jesus asked Peter was, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" Who or what are the "these"? If "these" are the other six disciples standing there, Peter would sound a little arrogant to say he loved Jesus more than them.

I think it may well be that "these" (v. 15) refers to the fish. As Jesus asked Peter this question, those fish were flopping around in the background. When Jesus said to bring some of the fish to add to the frying pan (v. 10), Peter first took time to count them—one hundred and fifty-three (v. 11a). Peter had fish on the mind. So what Jesus wanted to know was whether Peter loved Him more than those fish.

Are you comfortable as a "Someday Saint"? Are you satisfied just fishing for fish? Are you satisfied with where you are? Or are you ready to step out in faith and become a "Borrowed-Time Believer"? Jesus would challenge us to have that passion and sense of urgency in our faith. He would challenge us to get out of our comfort zone and go fishing for men.

In his video, In My Seat: A Pilot’s Story from September 10th-11th, Steve Scheibner said, "Somebody died for me twice. One sat in my seat, the other hung on a cross in my place." The other pilot saved him for the moment on September 11, 2001. The Lord Jesus saved him for all eternity.

Jesus died in your place as well. He paid the price to buy your pardon. You too are on borrowed time. It is time to quit living as a "Someday Saint" and to start living as a "Borrowed-Time Believer." Amen.

What Are You Fishing For?

Be in prayer for this nation and the entire world as we seek to curtail the spread of the coronavirus. We here at Bethel Baptist Church in Stanzel have canceled all services and activities for the remainder of March in keeping with the declaration of Iowa's governor. When we will resume regular services depends on when it is deemed safe to do so.

In the meantime, my Sunday morning messages have been recorded and posted to my podcast at pastorlaott.buzzsprout.com, which can be reached by clicking on the "Sermons" tab above. There you can listen to any of my past messages here at Stanzel. You can catch any message you may have missed and you can get up to date on the current series I am preaching through in Genesis. The podcast will resume when our morning worship services resume.

I will try to be more diligent in posting new "Bible Insights" here on my blog. And now to today's Bible Insight:

You may recall from last week that Jesus, after His resurrection, appeared a third time to His disciples. He was on the shore at the Sea of Tiberias (John 21:1). Jesus picks up the conversation: "Have you any food?" (v. 5a). "No," they replied (v. 5b). "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some," said Jesus (v. 6a). So they did, and they did. It made no sense, but they cast the net as instructed and they hauled in a great catch (v. 6b).

Now they realized, "It is the Lord!" (v. 7a). So Peter, of course, dove in and swam to shore (v. 7b), while the others brought the boat (v. 8). Now catch the scene. Look at the moment. Jesus is already cooking fish and offered no explanation (v. 9). No one dared ask either, "knowing that it was the Lord" (v. 12b).

A second question is implied here: What are you fishing for? What is it you are trying to catch? Are you trying to catch fish or men? The "Someday Saint" is just fine where he is. He is fishing for fish, just as he always does. And the disciples were being "Someday Saints."

The "Borrowed-Time Believer" has that sense of urgency and passion, so he would be out fishing for men. He would not be in the boat, fishing for fish. He would be out in the world taking the gospel of Christ to all who will listen. He would be living on the edge for Jesus.

How about you? Where would you be if you were in their sandals? Would you be in the boat, comfortable where you are, fishing for fish? Or would you be out in the world, out of your comfort zone, fishing for men? Think about it. Amen.

What Are You Doing Here?

A few years back, Barb and I attended the Small Town Pastor's Conference in Morton, Illinois, where we met and sat under the teaching of a bi-vocational pastor by the name of Steve Scheibner. He was retired military, and his second profession was that of pilot for American Airlines. He tells his story in an award winning video by his son entitled: In My Seat: A Pilot’s Story from September 10th-11th.

The video tells how he was the pilot assigned a certain flight on September 11, 2001, but was, by protocal, bumped by a more senior pilot, so he remained home that fateful day. Of course, he soon learned how that very plane flew into one of the World Trade Center towers, killing the pilot and all aboard, along with thousands more. It was a flight he was supposed to be on that day, but he was spared as another took his place.

 Steve Scheibner began traveling all around the world telling his story, inspiring many to take a step of faith, move out of their comfort zone, and begin living their Christian lives as what he calls "Borrowed-Time Believers." Everywhere he went he was asked this question—Why did God spare your life? Steve rephrased that question in the video—Why does God take one servant and spare another?

A couple of very good questions? God spared my life in 1979, when on the boundary waters of northern Minnesota, I was struck by lightning. My answer has always been that God wasn't finished with me yet. He wasn't finished shaping my life into His image and He had a ministry for me to fulfill.

Steve gave a different answer as to why God spared his life—an answer that is as intriguing as it is challenging. He turned to John 21. There Jesus appeared a "third time" to His disciples "after He was raised from the dead" (v. 14). In those verses, Jesus asked three questions that we must answer. We will consider the first question today, picking up the other two questions over the nest couple of weeks.

Seven of Jesus' disciples were together (John 21:2), and Peter said, "I am going fishing" (v. 3a). So everyone chimed in, "We are going with you also" (v. 3b). So what did they do? "They went out and immediately got into the boat" (v. 3c). And guess what? "That night they caught nothing" (v. 3d).

Why was the fishing so poor that night? Let me suggest one reason—they were out of God's will. Note that it was on this occasion that "Jesus showed Himself again" to His disciples (v. 1). Look at verse 4: "But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus." Why didn't they recognize Him? They had already seen Him twice before (v. 14). Perhaps it was because they were out of God's will, living as "Someday Saints" (Steve's term).

What is a "Someday Saint"? It is a believer who each day says, "Someday I will get around to it"... "Someday I will live as I should and do what God wants me to do"... "Someday." This is the believer who is saved, but comfortable. They are used to the status quo and they are comfortable where they are. They talk about someday doing great things for Jesus, but not yet. That is for "someday."

Jesus wants us to quit living as "Someday Saints." What He wants is for us to start living as "Borrowed-Time Believers." A "Borrowed-Time Believer" is one who realizes that he is living on borrowed time. He is a believer who lives with a sense of urgency and passion. He is the one who God uses. He is the one who gets things done for Jesus.

Steve Scheibner was on borrowed time—God had spared his life. Likewise, you might say I am on borrowed time—God spared my life as well. The disciples were also on borrowed time, as God spared their lives. Peter denied the Lord three times because he feared he would be arrested and crucified along with Him. All of them could have died with Jesus right then and there, but they didn't. God had spared them as well.

If you think about it, you are also on borrowed time. You deserve death because of your sin. You deserve to spend eternity in hellfire, separated from God, but you won't. Not if you have trusted in Jesus by faith. Jesus died in your place, sparing your life. So we are all living on borrowed time.

In verse 4, a question is implied: What are you doing here? Is this really where you ought to be? Think about it. Where are Jesus' disciples? Out in a boat fishing. Where should they be? Out in the world spreading the Good News about the Lord Jesus. They are "Someday Saints," comfortable where they are, when they should be "Borrowed-Time Believers," passionate about their faith, with a sense of urgency.

How about you? Are you a "Someday Saint" or a "Borrowed-Time Believer"? Go and tell others about Jesus. Amen.

A Transformed Life

We conclude our journey along the "Romans Road" gospel presentation with Romans 12:1-2 for a very specific reason: These verses present the Christian life as it should be lived—a life transformed by the Lord Jesus Christ. Throughout the first eleven chapters of Romans, Paul put forth a theological argument as to how sinful man can be put into a right relationship with God. In the remaining chapters, Paul asks the question, "What now?" In light of the knowledge of Christ gained in the first eleven chapters, how should we then live? How does all of this affect our daily lives? For those of us who have repented of our sins and received Christ as our Lord and Savior by faith, what should our lives look like? How do we continue to live by that faith? The answer: By giving yourself wholly unto God or by being fully devoted to Him. But how do we do that?

Romans 12:1 reads: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship" (NIV). "Therefore" (v. 1a) establishes a connection with the entire first eleven chapters of Romans. Those eleven chapters clearly presented "God's mercy" (v. 1a) to us. That mercy has to do with our salvation. "Therefore," because the Lord has saved us, our lives must change.

"Urge" (v. 1a) is from parakaleo which has the basic meaning of calling alongside in order to help or give aid. It later came to mean exhorting, admonishing, or encouraging. The force of the word lies somewhere between commanding and beseeching. It possesses something of the element of authority that is more forcefully expressed by "command," and has in it something of the element of appeal that is best expressed by "beseech." Hence the KJV rendering: "I beseech you therefore, brethren" (v. 1a).

The word "present" (v. 1b) is actually what is called a final infinitive, meaning the final purpose. According to Colossians 1:21-22 the final purpose of our reconciliation through the death of Christ is "to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight" (v. 22b). "Blameless" (v. 22b) or "without blemish" (NIV) is a technical sacrificial term used of animals that were without flaw and therefore worthy of being offered to God (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol. 11, [Zondervan Publishing House: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1978], 187). The reference then is not to our personal conduct but to our position in Christ. Through faith in Christ you stand holy and blameless before God and you will be holy and blameless when He takes you home to glory—it is final.

In Romans 12:1, the final purpose of our reconciliation (or salvation) is to "present" (v. 1b) yourself in total devotion to God. Because you are holy and blameless in His sight, you are worthy to "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God" (v. 1b). The former animal sacrifices of Israel were dead sacrifices that had no lasting value. The new sacrifice is a "living sacrifice" (v. 1b), your body or your entire self. You have been set apart to be "holy" (v. 1b), a reference to being set apart for a special purpose. You have been set apart for God—consecrated to Him for His service. Let the righteousness of Christ dwell in you. Give yourself completely unto the Lord each day, letting Him work through you. That is what is "pleasing to God" (v. 1b, NIV).

"This is your spiritual act of worship" (v. 1b, NIV). God isn't interested in the ceremonial acts, like animal sacrifices. He is interested in a living and perpetual sacrifice—the giving of yourself to worship Him, walk with Him daily, and serve Him in whatever way He leads. This sacrifice of yourself to God is never to be neglected or recalled. It is a day to day, moment to moment sacrifice. Obedient lives is our only "reasonable" (v. 1b) response to God.

Romans 12:2 further explains, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Not only your body, but your mind must be given over to God. Only when your mind and body are completely given over to God are you fully devoted to Him, but it all begins with the mind. In the mind, we make choices as to whether we will let our new nature manifest itself outwardly in holiness, or if we will instead let our old nature manifest itself outwardly in acts of ungodliness or sin. Which is it? It all comes down to who controls your mind.

Verse 2 makes it clear that the dedicated life is also a transformed life. Verse 1 has called for a decisive commitment to be devoted to God. Verse 2 deals with the maintenance of that commitment—how we are to live (Ibid, Vol. 10, 128).  According to Psalm 118:27, we need to "bind the sacrifice with cords… unto the horns of the altar" (KJV).

Paul commands us, "And do not be conformed to this world" (Romans 12:2a). "Be conformed" (v. 2a) refers to an outward expression that does not reflect what is within. It is used of masquerading, or putting on an act, specifically by following a prescribed pattern or scheme. It also carries the idea of being transitory, impermanent, and unstable. The negative, "not" (v. 2a) makes the verb prohibitive. The verb itself is passive and imperative, the passive indicating that to conform is something we allow to be done to us, the imperative making it a command, rather than a suggestion (MacArthur's New Testament Commentary: Romans 9-16, [Moody Publishers: Chicago, 1994], 149).

The command is that we are "not" to allow ourselves to "be conformed to this world" (v. 2a). We are not to masquerade as a worldly person, for any reason. Do not pattern yourself or allow yourself to be patterned after the ways of this world. Do not become victims of this world. Stop allowing people around you, who are not believers, to fashion you after their image—an image which is anything but the image of Christ.

Paul continues: "But be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (v. 2b). "Be transformed" (v. 2b) is from the Greek verb metamorphoo and refers to a change in outward appearance. It is the term from which we get the English metamorphosis. Matthew used the word in describing Jesus' transfiguration: "He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light" (Matt. 17:2). Christ's inner divine nature and glory were, for a brief time and to a limited degree, manifested outwardly. Our inner redeemed nature is also to be manifested outwardly, as completely as possible, in our daily lives. Your new inner self must show through in how you live.

The only other appearance of this word in the New Testament is in 2 Corinthians 3:18, where Paul said, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." Here we are being changed into the likeness of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit within us. This gives good commentary on Romans 12:2. There, "Be transformed" (v. 2b) is a passive imperative—in this case a positive command. We are commanded to allow ourselves to be changed outwardly into the image of Jesus Christ.

This transformation is "by the renewing of your mind" (v. 2b). The outward transformation is affected by an inner change in the mind. The Spirit transforms our minds through God's Word. In Psalm 119:11, David said, "Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You." God's Word is the instrument the Holy Spirit uses to renew our minds. God's Word is the instrument the Holy Spirit uses to transform our living. "Present" yourself to God daily (v. 1), get into the Scriptures daily, and watch your life begin to be "transformed" into the very image of Christ (v. 2).

Paul concludes verse 2, "that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Our lives can "prove what the will of God is" (v. 2b, NASB) only by doing those things He approves of—things that are "good and acceptable and perfect" (v. 2c). "Acceptable" (v. 2c) comes from the Old Testament sacrificial language and refers to the kind of holy living God approves, a "living sacrifice" (v. 1b) without spot or blemish. "Perfect" (v. 2c) refers to being complete, or being everything you should be. You are to desire what God desires and to seek to do only what He wants you to do. A transformed mind produces a transformed will, eager to do what God wants you to do, no matter what the cost. This involves the strong desire to know God better and to follow His purpose for our lives.

God wants to change you completely. He wants to take the person you once were and remake you into the beautiful person He designed you to be. To have your old life transformed into the image of Christ, involves a complete change of heart—an entire alteration of your state of mind. This change involves the whole person. It begins on the inside and works its way outward until all can see it. Only when you begin to live outwardly by the same faith by which you were saved, will you be transformed into the person God intended you to be. Amen.

Confess and Believe

The next stop along the "Romans Road" gospel presentarion is Romans 10:9-10, which says, "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Concerning faith, Paul says, "But what does it say? 'The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart' (that is, the word of faith which we preach)" (v. 8). Referring to Deuteronomy 30:14, he tells us that salvation is near. It is "in your mouth and in your heart" (v. 8a). The "word of faith" (v. 8b) is all around you. It is readily available. All you have to do is believe on the Lord Jesus with all your heart. It is that simple.

What is the way of salvation? "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (vs. 9-10). Salvation and righteousness are appropriated by confession and faith.

Paul speaks first of confession, which is "with your mouth" (v. 9a), then of belief or faith, which is "in your heart" (v. 9b). In verse 10, however, he mentions them in reverse order, which is actually the chronological order of redemption. First, "with the heart one believes" resulting in "righteousness" (v. 10a); and second, "with the mouth confession is made" resulting in "salvation" (v. 10b).

When you place your faith in Christ, or "believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead" (v. 9b), He imputes His righteousness to you (v. 10a). At that moment you are declared righteous (justified) and you are made righteous (regenerated). When you confess Him as Lord and accept the provision Christ made for your forgiveness (v. 9a), you are saved (v. 10b).

Note that there are two truths here that must be believed in order to be saved. First, that Jesus is Lord (v. 9a); and second, that God raised Jesus from the dead (v. 9b). These truths are paramount. These truths must be believed with all your heart. Paul is speaking of a deep, personal, abiding conviction, without reservation. Do you so believe? If so, God will change your life dramatically and make you like Christ.

Paul is speaking not only of Jesus as Savior, but of Jesus as Lord. That means, when you come to Jesus for salvation, you come to Him as Lord. Scripture does not separate the two. Lord is from the Greek word kurios, which signifies sovereign power and authority. In the book of Acts, Jesus is twice referred to as Savior but ninety-two times as Lord. In the entire New Testament, He is referred to some ten times as Savior and some seven hundred times as Lord. When the two titles are mentioned together, Lord always precedes Savior. Even if, as some contend, Lord were simply a synonym for God, the very term God by definition includes the idea of sovereign authority, that is, of lordship (John MacArthur, The Gospel According to Jesus, Grand Rapids, Zondervan, 1988).

"Confess" (v. 9a) means to speak the same thing, or to be in agreement with someone. You are to "confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus" (v. 9a), or that Jesus is Lord. It is essential. You must also "believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead" (v. 9b). The two go hand in hand. When you understand this, then "you will be saved" (v. 9c). When you believe this, the Lord Jesus changes your life. Not only does He save you, He makes you into His own image. Amen.

No Condemnation

So many churches seem to believe in a weak God—strong enough to save you, but not strong enough to keep you. I am not able to save myself, God has to do it; yet God is not able to keep me saved, I have to do it. Nothing could be further from the truth of God's Word.

Take a look at Romans 8:1, the next stop on the "Romans Road" gospel presentation: "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."

"Therefore" (v. 1a) marks a result, a consequence, or a conclusion. Paul has spent the first seven chapters in Romans primarily focused on justification by faith alone, which was made possible solely by the power of God's grace. Now there is a major change of focus. Here in Romans 8:1, Paul begins to look at the results of that justification in our lives. What does it all mean?

"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus" (v. 1a). That is what it all means! The Greek word for "condemnation" appears only in the book of Romans, here and in Romans 5:16, 18. Although it relates to the sentencing for a crime, its primary focus is not so much on the verdict as on the penalty that the verdict demands (MacArthur's New Testament Commentary: Romans 1-8, [Moody Publishers: Chicago, Illinois, 1991], 399). As Paul has already declared, the penalty or "condemnation" for sin is death: "For the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23a).

But the good news Paul is declaring here in Romans 8:1 is the same as the last part of Romans 6:23, which goes on to say, "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." The good news for Christians is that there will be "no condemnation"—no sentencing and no punishment for sins ever committed, past, present, or future. Your sins are all forgiven in what Christ did for you on the cross. The penalty has been paid!

The Greek word "no" (Rom. 8:1a), is an emphatic negative adverb of time and carries the idea of complete cessation (Ibid). For the believer it is over. Never will anyone who is in Christ suffer any condemnation at all. Not now—not in the future. That is eternal security.

It does not mean that there is nothing worthy of condemnation. It means what it says: "There is… no condemnation" (v. 1a). All of us deserve to be condemned for our sin. All of us fall short. But praise be to God that Jesus paid the penalty for us and through our faith in Him the condemnation we deserve has been removed.

Who is secure? "Those who are in Christ Jesus" (v. 1a). Those who come to Jesus by faith. When you trust Jesus for your salvation and receive Him by faith, your sins are forgiven, you are declared righteous, and you are never again subject to condemnation. Your conflict with sin continues until you go to be with the Lord, yet there still is no condemnation for you because the penalty was paid in Christ and applied by grace. This truth that you, being in Christ, will never face the eternal death penalty is the foundation of all of Romans chapter 8.

The last part of verse 1 in the KJV and NKJV, "who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit," is not found in most of your translations because it is not found in most of the oldest and best manuscripts of Scripture. This statement was probably inserted here by a copyist. The exact same statement is found in the context in verse 4 and so the addition here does not change the meaning (Ibid, 402).

To "walk" (v. 1b) means to regulate the inward and outward life—how you live (Ibid, 410). It follows from the nature of your union in Christ that your whole life, your very character, will be transformed. Your old nature, your "flesh," will no longer control you. Rather, the Holy Spirit, who now resides within you, will control you and transform you into the very image of Christ. Amen.