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 |
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Paul's Gospel is all about Growing up as a Christian!
I Corinthians 14:20 -
Brethren, be not children in understanding; howbeit in malice be ye children,
but in understanding be men.
I Corinthians 13:11 - When
I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as
a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Ephesians 4:14 -
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried
about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness,
whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Understanding more and more
Ephesians 1:18 -
the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what
is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance
in the saints,
II Timothy 2:7 -
Consider what I say; and the Lord will give thee understanding in all things.
Philippians 4:7 -
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your
hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. And
for us today, we have the King James Bible to keep us from being deceived
by the spirit of antichrist, false teachers, etc.
Yet, we certainly have come upon difficult
times today!
Those that don't believe this are either deceitful
liars or so proud they don't want to admit it / or 'grace abusers.
Paul is certainly about more than just fun and frolic with grace!
Ecclesiastes 1:18 - For
in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth
sorrow.
II Corinthians 2:4
- For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with
many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love
which I have more abundantly unto you.
II Corinthians 12:15 - And
I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly
I love you, the less I be loved.
We still have some difficult times ahead as... and that peace that Paul talks about is not all there yet, is it?
Is it really just I Corinthians 15:1-8 as almost all of our favorite and famous preachers and pastors say?
Is Paul wrong here?
Do we ignore Paul like so many do?
Do we throw his epistles out of the Bible?
Do we need to go to formal Bible school to
learn how to spiritualize Paul?
Are we no longer following Jesus if we follow
Paul?
Do we no longer follow Paul if we try to follow
Jesus?
Jesus Christ will judge us by Paul's gospel!
Romans 2:16 - In
the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according
to my gospel.
Paul has seen Christ face to face!
ACts 9:1-22; 20:24; 26:15-28; Galatians 1:11,12;
I Corinthians 15:8; II Corinthians 12:1-10, Ephesians 3:1-7
A fitting conclusion to Romans is actually
our beginning today!
Romans 16:25-27 Now
to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the
preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery,
which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest,
and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of
the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.
These times can no longer be ignored!
In the world
Not only in the world as the 'transition to the Trib' seems to be taking
place - we still don't need to have any 'Tribulation Reaction' today...
.
In Christianity
..but even just our witness of Paul's gospel among people who 'talk
of Jesus' in their Christianity... even our friends as well as close family!
It wasn't easy for Paul, either.
II Corinthians 1:8:
For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came
to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch
that we despaired even of life:
II Corinthians 7:5:
For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were
troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
Galatians 5:10:
I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise
minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he
be.
II Thessalonians 1:7:
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be
revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
II Thessalonians 2:2:
That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit,
nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at
hand. (not the second coming,
by the way!)
II Timothy 2:9: Wherein
I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God
is not bound.
I don't see us in bonds, though, unless we put ourselves into them!
We don't need to be concerned about our future!
versus Jesus' gospel to the Jews... and the gospel of the antichrist to the modern Christian! |
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed;
we are perplexed, but not in despair;
Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down,
but not destroyed;
II Corinthians 4:8-9 Let us now allow Paul to show us how to have a good perplexion in these troubling days!
answer: Wednesday!