April 28, 2024
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. (Philippians 3:20-21 NKJV)
Praise the Lord Saints and Happy Sunday to All!
Introduction
This Sermon serves as a companion piece to the last two Sermons: “Jesus Christ Said It and He Will Do it!” and “Prepared for the Promise of Jesus Christ!” (See Sermons dated respectively, Apr.17 and 21, 2024.)
Jesus Christ has promised all who choose to believe (trust, depend, and rely) in Him, that He will come again and receive us to Himself. That where He is we maybe also.
The Lord shall bring us into the beautiful city of heaven, the city of love and lights, where mansions have been prepared for us. (John 14:1-3) Mansions, very large dwelling places, especially crafted by the Master Architect and Builder Jesus Christ.
Praise God, in this life, we don’t have to sorrow and worry about the experience of physical death as others do. Because the moment we take our last gasp of air in these old bodies, we are passed from death to life. (John 5:24)
The Apostle Paul wrote: We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. (II Cor. 5:8)
Moreover, as our lead Scripture states, we “eagerly” await for Jesus’ Second Coming, who will transform our mortal bodies into the likeness of His glorious body upon His return. All because we have believed the report of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Scripture tells us that whosoever shall call on the name of Jesus shall be saved. (Romans 10:13) This is wonderful/marvelous indeed!
It’s by the grace of God we are saved through faith in the finished works of Jesus Christ. Not by human works less any person should boast. (Eph.2:8-9) Our eternal salvation is the “gift” of God. This gift cannot be stolen or lost except we choose to blaspheme the Holy Ghost. For the gifts and callings of God are without repentance. (Rom. 11:29) But, praise God, as we will find out in the weeks to come the gift of salvation can be remunerated. Amen to the glory of God! Thus, every born again believer in Jesus Christ is “rapture ready” and our citizenship in heaven is secure.
But what next? How should we live here on earth as we await the coming of the Lord? Should we continue to live in sin and iniquity and take for granted the grace of God? God forbid, exclaimed the Apostle Paul. (Rom. 6:2-3) We are on our way to heaven, but we must strive to see to it that our way of living is pleasing to God.
In short, regarding our readiness for citizenship in heaven I say to you: Yes, we are in. But are we pleasing Him? For when the Church of Jesus Christ is raptured, every one of us must give an account to God in Christ Jesus for how we lived the Christian life on earth. The Apostle Paul wrote at II Cor. 5:10:
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
This Verse offers an excellent opportunity to examine ourselves as to whether our lives are “pleasing” in the sight of God. Meaning are our works/actions approved of God, do they bring pleasure to God, and render good service to God. Surely, every born-again Christian when they hear their name called, and stand before Jesus Christ on Judgement Day desires to receive a good report from the Lord. Am I right about it?
We all want to hear the Lord say, having reviewed our works and tried them in the fire, “Well done, thy good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of the lord.” (Rom.14:10, I Cor. 3:11-15, & Matt. 25:23) What a glorious moment that will be to be honored by the Lord Himself!
On the other hand, it will be woeful and displeasing to God, if our works are judged to be bad. They will be tried and burned up in the fire, and we will not reap from the eternal favors and rewards reserved for us in heaven. I cannot speak for you, but my ardent zeal is not just to make heaven my home: I want my life to be pleasing in God’s sight and a sweet smelling savor in His nostrils.
Jesus Christ delivered me from Satan’s control and the kingdom of darkness and brought me into His marvelous light of the Kingdom of God. (Col. 1:13) For this, I am eternally grateful, and desire with all my heart to do His Will, and that which is pleasing in His sight. How about you?
Given that our works on earth will be judged either good or bad, the operative question is: What work(s) should we be doing before the Lord returns to ensure that our lives are pleasing to God? We want to be able to stand before the Lord with our heads held high as good and faithful servants of Christ, ready to receive heavenly rewards (the crowns of Christ and an inheritance) reserved for us.
Pleasing God is simple and straight forward. But before I go into detail about the work(s) we are to be busy doing. There are two high-level points I want us to keep at the forefront of our thinking.
The first is, as born-again Christians, we must always strive to “please” God in all of our conversations (Thinking, talking, behavior, and performance); in everything we do. God has commanded us to be holy in all manner of our conversation. (I Pet.1:15-16 & Ps.19:4)
You can never go wrong having the disposition of always seeking to live a life pleasing to God; for it will yield super-miraculous good things in this life, and in the life that is to come. For example, check out from the Old Testament Enoch’s life, as recorded at Hebrews 11:4-6:
By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken [he] had this testimony, that he pleased God.
Also see Proverbs 16:7, it reads:
When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
The second high level point is this, and never forget it. God’s mercy and grace is for everyone to receive. In fact, would you repeat this after me:
“GOD’S MERCY AND GRACE IS FOR EVERYONE TO RECEIVE.”
No matter what a person has done wrong in life, God’s mercy and grace is without limits and seeks to bring all persons to repentance. Exodus 34:6 tells us that God bears long and is slow to anger. Longsuffering is proof of God’s goodness, faithfulness, and His desire to grant us salvation. Romans 2:4 also describes God as forbearing and longsuffering. Lastly, II Peter 3:9 states that God is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
So, as you walk-out this Christian journey keep these two thoughts close and at hand: (1) Strive to please God in all you do, and (2) Know that God’s mercy and grace is for everybody!
Now, here is the fundamental work(s) we do to please God. We must live by faith. That is, by faith in Jesus Christ and His finished works on the cross, which provide infallible proof that He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. (By our faith in Jesus Christ we profess and lay hold on every promise in the Word of God.) Hebrews 11:6 states that without faith it is impossible to please God. Thus, God has the expectation that we live by faith. For the Scripture declares that the just shall live by faith. (Rom.1:17)
When Jesus comes to rapture His Church He is expecting to find us living by faith. (Luke 18:8) Jesus expects in “all things” to find us exercising our faith in Him as the Christ, Son of the Living God. Because Jesus Christ is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the Almighty God; we are to be found keeping His Commandments. Jesus said if you love me, keep (learn, study, comprehend, adhere to, and abide) my commandments. (John 14:15)
The Apostle John wrote at I John 3:22-23:
and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.
In essence, John says our faith works, (prayers and confessions of the promises of God) because we keep (learn, study, adhere to, abide in) the Commandments of Jesus Christ, and do what is pleasing in the sight of God. The Great Commandments of God, as noted by Jesus Christ is that we (1) Love God wholly and our neighbor as ourselves. (Matt. 22:37-40) and (2) Love one another as Jesus Christ has loved us. (John 13:34).
In other words, as we walk in love and release our faith in the name of Jesus Christ, whatever we ask for we receive from God. Prayer made this way is always effectual (powerful) because faith works by love. (Gal. 5:5-6)
When we love God and people as Jesus loved us, the “works” that are manifested from it are pleasing to God.
These are the works that are tried and purified by fire and stand pleasing before God at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Its love in action, under the direction of the Holy Ghost, is what God is looking for, desiring from us, and that brings satisfaction to Him. The Bible says, “For we are God’s own handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph. 2:10) These good works are accomplished through loving God and one another while placing our faith in the name of Jesus Christ. (Rom.13:10 & Matt. 22:39-40, & I Cor. 13:8)
God is looking for us to love everybody, including our enemies as Jesus loved us. On the cross, Jesus bore all of the world’s sins for all eternity in His own body, while only seeing the world as sinless and faultless. (Luke 23:34 & Rom. 5:8) Though wretched and deserving of judgment and hell’s fires, Jesus saw all mankind as only good, holy, suited for God’s purpose, and worthy of God’s mercy, grace, and kindness.
This is how God expects every born-again Christian to treat every person on the planet; no matter their sin and wrong doing. God is love, and all persons who claim to know God must love others as He loves without consideration of merit or favoritism. We must forgive, forget, and love as Jesus Christ loved us.
From inside our born-again hearts, we must strip away the sins of all persons, and only see others as God sees them: holy, good, and useful unto God’s purpose. We must see all people as being worthy of God’s mercy and grace, and extend to them acts of kindness, offer them prayer in the name of Jesus Christ and the Word of God, which is able to bring salvation and healing and deliverance to their bodies. Yes, again, these are the kinds of “works” that please God, and cause us to reap great rewards on earth, and in heaven on Judgment Day before the Lord.
Give Hatred No Place in Your Walk with the Lord
In preparing this Sermon, I especially thought about how we are commanded by Jesus Christ to love as He loved us. I thought about His Ministry recorded in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) and how sorely Jesus was hated by the Jews, the very people He came to save. (John 1:10) The Jews hated Jesus and sought to kill Him, and yet, He loved them so much that He laid down His life for them, as well as for the Gentiles. I thought about John Chapter 15, where Jesus warned the disciples that the people of the world would hate them, because the world first hated Him. Here is the discourse of Jesus. Let’s read it very closely from John 15:10-21.
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.
In Verse 19, Jesus Christ said that because He has chosen us out of the world, the world will hate us. In the world today we see hatred everywhere in society. It seems as though people in the world hate everything that is godly and good. Sin runs rampant in society, daily headlines and overflowing prisons bear dramatic witness to that fact. With child abuse, pornography, rioting in our streets and college campuses, serial killers, gangs, anarchy, ruthless dictators, and wars among many nations; the world is overflowing with violence, hatred, and corruption.
When we read or hear about the myriad of troubles and tragedies in the world, and perhaps even personally experiencing them, we begin to understand the necessity of God’s judgment. In many cases we ourselves have been the targets and victims of hatred and violence perpetrated by those close to us such as family members, friends, coworkers, and even fellow church members. We may even at times find ourselves wishing for vengeance by various means upon those who have committed atrocities against others and ourselves.
We may find at times even saying to ourselves that these wicked people are beyond hope of redemption. Get them God, curse them God!
But this is not God’s way! In the midst of such thoughts, Jesus Christ lets us know in John 15:10; that we abide in His love and the Father’s love, and we are to continue to love one another. God is saying that although we have enemies that hate us and do all manner of cruel and evil things to us, we are to forgive, forget, love, and take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the worst of the offenders in the world and in our personal orbits.
God wants us to remember that pleasing Him in all our actions is what matters and His mercy and grace is for everyone. God is expecting us to do a good work that brings the unrighteous to Him to receive salvation, and as such, prepares us to receive our inheritance of heavenly rewards. It pleases God for us to lay down our lives, self-wills, angry and puffed-up ambitions in sacrifice to Him, so that the lost might be saved. Moreover, the love of God dwells in us, and is especially suited for the hatred that lives within people who are acting as Satan’s puppets. I like to say it this way:
“It takes real hatred against you for the love of God to get real exercise out of you!”
The love of God is engineered to overcome hatred and bitterness, and persecution and deceits, and for those who despitefully use us. See the guarantee of blessing when we love those who hate us, according to Jesus’ promise at Matt 5:10-13:
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven:
Further, see how Jesus commands us to do good works unto our enemies 5:38-48.
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.
And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
God’s ambition towards us is that in heaven, we be known as “the children of the highest,” and that we be as perfect as He is perfect by loving our enemies in the midst of their hatred towards us. As such, can you see why it’s so vitally important that God’s mercy and grace always be extended through you to those who seem to least deserve it? That we always show love towards our enemies rather than hatred? That we purpose to conquer hate with love? Why, because we are the children of God, we must act like our Heavenly Father toward everyone! Our work is to labor with God to unite all people in God in Christ Jesus so that we all might receive salvation and walk peaceably in the earth in the love of God.
When we love this way our lives are pleasing to God, and we walk in the power and might of God to ask and receive every promise in God’s Word, and receive rewards in heaven for our faithful service unto God.
The Story of Jonah Illustrates God’s Endless Mercy and Grace for All People
This week coming, I encourage each of you to read the story of Jonah who God sent to preach repentance to the people of the city of Nineveh in Assyria. The Book of Jonah is only four short chapters and a great read. Jonah’s story should be remembered for much more than Jonah being swallowed up by an enormous fish, dying and going to hell, and then being resurrected from the dead after being in the belly of a great fish for three-days and nights. (Jonah Chapters 1 and 2.)
Rather, the story is a perfect picture of God’s great love, mercy, and grace extended toward the powerful nation of Assyria that had committed great sins against God and horrific acts against the Jews and other nations. Several of the atrocities of the Assyrians are noted in the Book of Nahum, Chapters 1 and 4. A detestable nation, the Assyrians, practiced such wickedness as idolatry, rape, sorcery, murder, harlotry, witchcraft, and the seduction of nations.
But the prophet Jonah was given the task by God to go and preach repentance to the great and evil empire Assyria, the capital of which was Nineveh, Israel’s most dreaded and hated enemy. The Assyrians flaunted their power before God and the world, and as I mentioned, through numerous acts of heartless cruelty. By all human logic and reasoning no nation and people deserved God’s favor less than the people of Nineveh. Jonah knew this. But also Jonah knew God and what manner a person God is.
When Jonah received Word from God to go to Nineveh and call the people to repentance, He knew that God would forgive and bless Nineveh if they turned from their sins, worshiped Him, and be spared God’s judgment. But Jonah sorely hated the Assyrians himself and wanted God to take vengeance against them, and not give them mercy. So he ran in the opposite direction.
It was not until Jonah himself after being thrown overboard by ship companions during a fretful storm at sea, that he called on the Lord to save him, from death and hell, while his body was in the belly of the great fish. Jonah agreed to go to Nineveh as God commanded and the great fish spat Jonah out of its mouth on to dry land.
Eventually Jonah obeyed God and preached in the streets of Nineveh and the people repented and were delivered from judgment. Even though Jonah was a reluctant and half-hearted preacher, the people still repented of their ways. Afterwards, with Jonah’s heart still holding hatred towards the people of Nineveh, he bulked and complained to God saying, “I knew you were gracious and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. I knew how easily you could cancel your plans for destroying these people.” (4:2)
In the end, God confronted Jonah about his “Self-centered” values and lack of compassion, saying, “But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?” (Jonah 4:11) But Jonah never changed his heart toward the people of Nineveh.
This is sad, given Jonah cried out for God’s mercy and grace to save him from hell and death, and God heard and saved him. Jonah’s disobedience in running away from God’s commandment to go and preach to Nineveh was just as sinful as the atrocities of the people of Nineveh. James 4:17 says, therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
In closing, as you read the Book of Jonah this week, see the full picture of God’s love and compassion, and realize that no one is beyond redemption! The Gospel is for all; whomever will repent and believe. Use Jonah’s story as a lesson, and ask if there is anyone in your life or in society at large, that you are unwilling to forgive, forget their wrong, love and show acts of kindness? Remember the big picture: (1) Your ambition in life is to please God in all your doings and (2) God’s mercy and grace is for everyone. When considering the wrong doing of others, always remember how merciful and gracious God has been to you.
Ephesians 5:1-2 admonishes us:
Be Ye therefore followers (imitators) of God as dear children: And walk in love as Christ has loved us, and given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.
To be like Jesus, we must speedily grant mercy and grace to even the worse of evil actors among us. We must speedily forgive, forget, and love others as Christ loved us; rather than returning hatred and animosity to those who do evil against us. Learn from Jonah’s story and instead of being a reluctant servant of the Lord determine to obey God and do whatever He commands. For only what we do for Christ in love and obedience will last and yield great rewards in heaven when we stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. For to be found pleasing in God’s sight is our sole quest in life! Amen.
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