Posts Tagged ‘ Worthy ’
Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to you. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom, and you are exalted as head over all.
1 Chronicles 29:11, CSB
We are called to rest, and we follow the example of our Creator. Do we truly believe He is worthy of all honor and glory? Let us glorify Him by obeying Him and even resting, finding ultimate rest for our souls through Christ.
He remembers his covenant forever,
Psalm 105:8, CSB
the promise he ordained
for a thousand generations
God is worthy of praise, for He has established His covenants, starting with Adam through Noah to Abraham, Moses, and David, that He will redeem the earth. Praise God that He has fulfilled that covenant in Christ.
He is the Lord our God;
Psalm 105:7, CSB
his judgments govern the whole earth.
God is worthy of all praise, for He is our wise Creator and sovereign King of all things. Trust in the Lord of all Creation, praising His name.
Seek the Lord and his strength;
Psalm 105:4, CSB
seek his face always.
God has done so much deserving of our praise, but we only know it and find those blessings when we seek Him with all of our being.
“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
Revelation 4:11, NASB1995
God created us for Himself, and Christ redeemed us from our rejection of Him and His ways through the cross. Let us draw others to worship our worthy Creator and Savior.
I preached again!
I was honored to once again be with the brethren in Paulden Christian Fellowship.
As usual, these are my rough notes, so not necessarily everything I said while preaching.
Growing up: Shy kid, but antagonized religious people due to family’s history (hurt), until it clicked. Challenged teachings. Challenging things to hear got to me.
As a Christian: Frequently challenged with tough questions. Had to learn some grace and to develop a squishy-tough skin. (Huggable and patient while shrugging off attacks.)
In Acts 5, we see the early church in a similar situation:
Apostles trying to deal with new people with a need to show grace.
They also keep getting arrested, as seen here. Sometimes freed, as Pastor Paul talked about last week and will be seen again.
Last time, they were freed to go back and preach, which brings us back to being arrested again, picking up in verse 28.
[Read vv. 28-32]
We know we should obey God rather than man, but it can be hard.
“… you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us!”
Yes! We are all guilty of Jesus’ death!
[Read Romans 3:22-25, 6:23; Colossians 2:13-14]
It is our sins that put Jesus on the cross, but it’s also the cross that forgives us, if we have faith in this truth.
Other truths hurt, too, especially when God’s Word intersects with our lives. This is why we need the “squishy-tough skin.”
Our society today says:
“Live your truth.” (John 14:6)
“Love is love.” Or “Just let people do what they want! They’re not hurting anyone.” (1 John 4:16)
“Don’t judge!” (Matthew 7:1-6)
“That’s just your interpretation.” (2 Peter 1:20-21)
When we disagree with people, basing it on God’s Word, they will feel attacked and hurt.
We see it with the priests here, who are angry enough to kill.
[Read vv. 33]
When we share God’s truth, it offends our natural senses. “Why can’t I do whatever I want?!”
We’ve each felt it. We may disagree with the Bible, but I guarantee all of our disagreements come from misunderstanding or selfish pride.
The alternative is our next point:
[Read vv. 33-39a – “found opposing God!”]
The Apostles said hurtful things, and many will feel hurt by the truth, but we can learn from Gamaliel.
“Hey, if this isn’t of God, it will blow over.”
Yes, we still defend biblical truth, but who would claim to know as much as Jesus’ Apostles?
Remember, too, that the Apostle Paul had been a student of Gamaliel, but how well did he listen? [Acts 87:58-8:3]
Even as a Pharisee, he followed the leadership of the Sadducees in this area.
But look at Paul’s letters later: he defended truth, called out false teachers, and treated straying believers with grace.
Even in grace, people will react strongly and (sometimes trying to be reasonable) negatively. (Remember, the religious leaders think they’re defending good beliefs!)
[Read vv. 39-42]
The leadership felt like they were letting the Apostles off easy with “merely” a beating.
Think of what’s happening in our society today:
If you’ve ever said anything bad (by current standards), you should be cancelled.
If you disagree with the current standards, you’re a [insert religious/sexual identity]-phobe.
If you think there really is an absolute truth, you’re stupid and wrong.
And they think they’re being kind to everyone else, and even to Christians by trying to help them get over their stuffy old ways.
Yet, our society will vilify and mock us, and we’re even seeing increased reports of attacks on churches, Christians, and ministries and Christian-owned businesses. (Nov. 15, 2023, a pastor was shot in the head while street preaching just 100 miles south of here in Glendale.)
But how can we stay joyful in our faithfulness?
Jesus told us in the Beatitudes that we who are merciful and peacemakers are blessed, and in Matthew 5:10-12 that when we are persecuted, reviled, and mocked that we should rejoice!
Why?
Look at their words: they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name. They were considered worthy of the same treatment as our God.
Not for being a jerk.
Not for putting people in their place.
Not for strict adherence to a set of rules (though many will claim that’s all it is.)
They rejoiced knowing they are counted faithful like our Lord.
And we do that when we join them in going house to house teaching and preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. (Remember they met in houses and at the Temple.)
Stay faithful, with grace, patience, and squishy-tough skin.
What does it look like for us?
We keep calm when situations aren’t going the way we would like, remembering everyone is trying to get through this life. [And God is in control!]
We teach others God’s truth, even when it hurts, but with gentleness and respect.
[Read 1 Peter 3:13-17]
We’re in an election year: Stick to biblical truth, but don’t get angry with those who disagree!
We expect that people will disagree with us, but we show grace.
And if someone reviles, mocks, or attacks us:
-We develop that squishy-tough skin. Yes, being vulnerable, but we let their attacks slide off of us.
-We remember that this is how they treated our Lord.
-We rejoice that Christ’s faithfulness has moved through us.
[#1: Truth hurts, but we are faithful to God’s truth.]
[#2: Don’t try to hurt, but be honest and reasonable.]
[#3: Expect to hurt, but stay faithful and joyful.]
Our worthiness is found in Christ alone, and His faithfulness. We are counted worthy when we are found in Him and His truth.
It’s easy to feel like we’re right and deserve better, but the only things Christ promised us are that we will have troubles in this world (John 16:33) and that He is always with us (Matthew 28:20), especially in our troubles.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Philippians 4:8, ESV
God is good, and He made us to enjoy His goodness.
Find His goodness in every moment, every circumstance, every thing, and every person. Intentionally and for His glory, knowing the ultimate good was His saving work on the cross for our redemption.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 100:5, NIV
Jesus showed He is our good and loving God, being faithful to the point of death on a cross and then raising Himself from the dead, granting us forgiveness and hope, showing He is worthy of worship.
Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust. Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering. All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.
Isaiah 40:15-17, ESV
At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.
Our sins have stacked up to heaven, deeper and more vile than we could know.
We think that our sin is basically nothing, but we are so good and important.
Our sin is greater than we think, having separated us from the God of the universe.
Even our scientists can see and admit that on our little planet in this vast universe we are insignificant, our planet comparable to an electron in an atom.
Compared to God, we are even smaller, still thinking we can do anything that can appease His wrath for our sin.
Our planet barely registers as dust on the scales of God’s justice.
We are like nothing.
We therefore prepare ourselves by admitting we don’t understand as much as we think we do, turning to our Creator and Savior who makes us worthy.
May we seek the Lord who has no reason to consider us, yet He still loves us and saves us.
Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
1 Peter 4:16, ESV
If we truly are persecuted for our faith and the Gospel, we are counted as worthy to suffer as our Lord.
Remember, they are persecuting Jesus. We are merely His ambassadors.
a simple man of God 