Brother Gary Sunday Morning 3/15/15

Brother Gary Sunday Morning 3/15/15

The Gospel of the Kingdom: the good news of the kingdom.

Mar 1:14  Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

Mar 1:15  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Mar 1:16  Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

Mar 1:17  And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

Mar 1:18  And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.

Mar 1:19  And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.

Mar 1:20  And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

Mar 1:21  And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

Mar 1:22  And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

The first emphasis is that He instructed them that the time is at hand.  Among the most dangerous positions that an individual can take is, “I am going to put off getting saved,” for whatever reason.

The kingdom of God is at hand is the second emphasis.  It is beautiful that God ordained that Jesus would set up His kingdom.  It is referred to as the kingdom of God, of heaven, of Christ, and after Jesus died and arose, then it is referred to as the church. 

It is not out here in a future time or a millennial reign.  It is a present reality.

Rom 14:17  For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

People think many times of a kingdom as literal food and so on.  That is not how God’s kingdom is.  It is a kingdom of righteousness, of peace, and of joy.  It is right living. 

It is important to know how important right living is.  It is right thinking.  Everyone here that has reached an age of certain maturity, it important that we think right.  “As a man thinks so is he.”  We need to learn how to discipline our mind and cultivate thoughts that will make us a good pastor in my case and good sheep in your case. 

Cultivate how to behave ourselves and how to act right.  There are climates and atmospheres that are sweet and everyone is happy to see each other and where they love each other.  Life will not always be a pleasant atmosphere.  There will be times when you feel like you are walking into a situation where people have a resistance toward you being there or believing the bible and the doctrine of the bible.  There are people that have resistance towards modesty or a standard against what we talk about. 

Sometimes you walk into a crowd where they love to discuss everyone’s faults but their own.  Sometimes you feel like a lone ranger in that you are alone in not wanting to discuss someone else’s faults.  We will find ourselves walking into situations, we need to know what kingdom we are of and how to position ourselves so that we act, talk, and think right.

The kingdom of God is peace.  Peace is being set at one again.  Isn’t that wonderful?  In a world where we feel that we are spread way too thin, that draws on our heart to follow what is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, we can have peace. 

The things of the world have a strong appeal to children from a small age to eternity.  God moved upon Paul to write:

Rom 14:17  For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Rom 14:18  For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

There is no age limit that would not be worked on to find something in the world attractive.  For some it is just one more day.  We would not find fault with them.  These dear ones would like to buy just a little time.  We understand wanting a little more time with the grandchildren to teach them.  “I need a little more time, there are a few things that need to be taken care of.” 

There are things that we need to help us to come to that place where we can say, “I did my best and everything is as in order as I can make it.” 

He that is in righteousness, is acceptable with God.  We need to treat one another right.  Peace is so wonderful.  It is wonderful to live and serve God in peace; not working to turn one against another.  It doesn’t matter how many children that you have, it is important that the children love each other and learn to love and live in peace. 

We have peace in our fellowship.  We may not always agree on what color the church should be painted, or when the church should be mowed.  God help us to live in peace.  The kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy.

The kingdom is God’s.  Jesus prayed, “Let thy kingdom come.”  The kingdom comes when we get saved.  We need to have it revitalized every day.  “Today help me to live righteous.”  That is what the kingdom is.  “Today, help me to let your kingdom come, reign, and increase.” 

There are 100 things that would daily come at you to take away your peace.  The thief comes to steal your peace, He loves to come with an accusation or an attitude to steal your peace away.  We must serve God in peace.  Our exhortations one to another are to work for peace.  There will be differences of opinion but we must have peace in our home.

The snow melting has uncovered a lot of work.  There are a lot of things that would destroy our peace.  I need to pray before I go to the post office that I will walk out with the same peace that I walked in with.

He that serves God in righteousness, in peace and in joy is acceptable.

The kingdom is God’s.  We must seek Him that that joy will come into our soul.  The joy of the Lord is your strength.  With joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation!  They shall come to Zion and there will be everlasting joy on their heads.

Emphasis #3:

Mar 1:14  Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

Mar 1:15  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

It is vital that we understand where the line is drawn with sin and repentance.

1Jn 1:8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

When we were born, we all received a seed of sin.  We know when we come to an age of accountability and know what is right and what is wrong and we choose to sin, then we become sinners.

1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we confess our sins to God…  This congregation has the conviction that we don’t want to know a sinner’s sin.  We are only men and women.  They don’t need to confess to man their sin.  When we confess to God our sin, we bow and say, “God I am so lost.  I want to be good, but there is something in me that led me astray.”  We bow and repent, not blaming anyone, “I am the one that sinned.  All the circumstances don’t matter.  I am so sorry.”

Repent means to tell to God and to turn away from sin.  Isn’t it wonderful to turn away from sin?  To say, “I don’t want to ever go back there!”  The marks that sin left I may never forget, but God forgets when we confess our sins.  He is faithful and just to forgive our sin.

I am very thankful that God supersedes all the technical things in the world.  Sin steals enthusiasm, joy, hope, and love out of lives.  Jesus came to make all things anew.  If we confess, He is faithful and just to forgive us from all our sins and to cleanse us. 

If there could be a roll fall down out of heaven this morning of the millions that sought God for forgiveness!  When we are forgiven of our committed sin we say, “God I want to be more like you.  I want everything in my mind and heart to be right.  Everything in my relationships, everything in my tongue to be kind, and no condescension in looking down on others.

When we get saved, He forgives us and cleanses us from any unrighteousness.

In Acts 26, we read that Saul was there when they were stoning Stephen and didn’t try to stop them.  He was a very religious and wicked man.  Toward noon, of one day, he heard a voice and a light from heaven shone around him.  It was really bright at noon day. 

He heard a voice call him by name.  Isn’t it wonderful how personal God, His Son, and the Holy Spirit are?  He has never said, “Hey you.” To me.  It is always “Gary.” 

He spoke, “Saul, Saul.”  It is a voice that comes with conviction and love.  He said to Saul, “Why are you doing what you are doing?” 

Act 26:13  At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.

Act 26:14  And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

Act 26:15  And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

Act 26:16  But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

Act 26:17  Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

Act 26:18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

This is what repentance and forgiveness does:  it opens our eyes and gives us a burden to see other individuals experience light from heaven. 

The song we sang this morning says, “I know not how the Spirit moves convicting men of sin.”  It is a mystery but we understand it because we were there.  It removes the thoughts, “I need this that is tangible.”  And leaves the thought, “I need forgiveness, and bible salvation.”

It turns us from darkness to light.  Bible salvation turns us from darkness.  I am so happy to be a part of something that has God in it.  In him there is no darkness at all.  It turns them from darkness to light from the power of Satan to the power of God.

It is a terrible thing for individuals to be governed by the power of darkness.  Some in this audience had exchanges with individuals that were not nice.  They may have regretted not being nice, but they are governed by the powers of darkness. 

Jesus turns men and women from the power of darkness and of Satan unto God.  In Him is light.  In Him is life.  In him is the power of eternity. 

The bible teaches us to believe the gospel.  When we believe the Gospel, we recognize that Jesus came when it was a very dark in the beginning of his ministry.  When He found me I was in darkness.  When He found Saul, he was in darkness.  When that light from heaven shines into our hearts, our minds, and our lives we realize, “I don’t have to stay in darkness.”

Col 1:13  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

People smoke cigarettes and would like to quit because it is ruining their health, some of those that are bound by drugs and the darkness of drugs realize, “This will take me here, and then there, and then there.”  That is how sin is. 

Precious children, don’t only hear me, but hear me.  When you are tempted to tell a lie, remember that is just the beginning of becoming a liar.  All liars have their part in the lake which burns with fire.  When you are tempted to be dishonest, I remember going to the principal of Plains High School 1965 and confessing that I had cheated.  If you start cheating in grade school and don’t repent and get saved then you become a cheater.  If you have cheated then confess, repent and don’t cheat anymore.

He has delivered us from the power of darkness.  The very thought, I don’t smoke, drink, do drugs… anymore.  If you confess and repent, it will make you feel so good that you want to live right.  We are delivered from the power of darkness.