www.scatteredchristians.org
Another Sermon for the Starving Bible Believing Christians All Over the World Wide Web
2006 - Touchet Baptist Church, Touchet, Washington - Pastor Mike Paulson - 2006
Expounding the way of God more perfectly - Acts 18:26 - with the Scriptures Rightly Divided - II Timothy 2:15

Are You "Right" but Not "Real?"
How To Love the Brethren
Part V
Even More on How to Love Our Fellow Brethren/Brethrenettes?
Answer: We look at them like God looks at them!

Do ye look on things after the outward appearance?
If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again,
that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.
II Corinthians 10:7


Why Did Christ Do What He Did to Make Us What He Did?
(see parts I - IV for what He made us)
The True "Hour of Power"
It seems that more and more folks just take for 'granted' what Jesus did 'for them.'

They have not only forgotten and/or not been taught and/or not have read Romans 11:11,14,20,25,30,31, but they have forgotten and/or not read and/or not had preached to them what the Lord went through KNOWING about his hour that was getting closer and closer!

Since the foundation of the world!
In fact, He had known all along - since the foundation of the world - about this real Hour of Power, as I will call it.

Ephesians 1:4 - According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Hebrews 4:3 - For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Hebrews 9:26 - For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
I Peter 1:20 - Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

What happened in that hour?
Isaiah 53:3-12
II Corinthians 5:21 - For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Galatians 3:13 - Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Mark 14:50 - And they all forsook him, and fled.
Mark 14:52-52 - A certain young man... forsook him and fled, as well.
Mark 15:34 - And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Why is this important today?


Because we all have 'our hour' coming, whatever it is.
We can truly turn to Him (already be there with Him anyway... right? - in the Book) Each of us will have some hard hours - but whatever that big HOUR will be... ...we can trust that Jesus Christ's words can be encouraging to us -
as truth AND as our ensample!

Let's Look at that Hour that Should Guide Us Today!


The world has an hour to watch for!
Matthew 24:36 - But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
Matthew 24:42 - Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Matthew 24:44 - Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
Matthew 25:13 - Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

But the Lord had His own hour to watch for - and then it arrived!
His time in the garden was when "the hour" was at hand!
Matthew 26:45 - Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

How did He handle it?
Mark 14:35,36 - And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.  And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
John 12:27 - Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

He knew about it all along!
John 2:4 - Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
John 7:30 - Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
John 8:20 - These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.
John 12:23 - And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
John 13:1 - Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.


As they were to do, so can we trust to follow Him in His hour!
John 16:20-22 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.  A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
John 16:32-33 - Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Did He do it for us?
Well, it would seem so...
Romans 5:8 - But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
II Corinthians 5:21 - For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Galatians 1:4 - Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
Galatians 2:20 -  am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Galatians 3:13 - Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Ephesians 5:2 - And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Ephesians 5:28 - So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
I Thessalonians 5:10 - Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
I Timothy 2:6 - Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Titus 2:14 - Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

But His biggest reason?
Give God the Glory!
John 12:27,28a - Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.  Father, glorify thy name
John 17:1-7
(just read the whole chapter - the gospels salvation is clear in verses 21,23!


Let's us purpose our 'hour' to be sure to give God the glory!  That was what Jesus Christ wanted...
...and that is what Paul wanted!
Philippians 4:20 - Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
I Timothy 1:17 - Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Galatians 1:5 - To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

And that is what Paul tells us to do!
II Corinthians 1:20 - For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
II Corinthians 4:6 - For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
II Corinthians 4:15 - For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
I Corinthians 10:31 - Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Do you see ...?
We have here another reason to love the brethren - for God to get the glory!
Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
Romans 15:7
(once again, we see that being a Christian is NOT about us, but about Him!)


PS:
Note that when we come to our 'Hour," as we are in your King James Bible to help ourselves through that 'hour,' not everyone will understand our decision as it should be based on a rightly divided Bible!!
John 12:29 - The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
'bad luck'
'God is gittin ya!'
'mistake on your part'
'didn't eat right'
'shouldn't have worked there'
'told ya so...'
'you should'a listened to your dad / mom / grandpa / father-in-law...
'see, the Bible IS wrong - how could God allow that?'

That's ok - We don't need to depend on others to make our decisions!  The Lord knows!
Let Him Get the Glory!
Stay in that Book!