Monday, April 20, 2009

Departed (Matt 16:1-27)

“A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah. And he left them, and departed” (vs4).

The Lord Jesus leaves those who will not receive the doctrine of the resurrection. We will either trust Christ to be who He says, the Savior of sinners whom God has exalted on high, or we will be damned. If we need to see anything other than Christ victorious and God rewarding Him, then we will not see it. And, this is the WAY of faith.

I don’t trust Christ for any reason other than He’s trustworthy; it has NOTHING to do with me.

The doctrine of Christ is INDEPENDENT of our merit, for He is the merit of sinners who look to Him, because there is nothing in us.

1. It takes spiritual eyes to see the things of God – “O hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky; but can you not discern the signs of the times (Matt 16:3)?” naturally, we know times and seasons, but we cannot see the Son of God, unless His Father reveals Him to us. It is written, “But whom say you that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto you, but my Father which is in heaven (vs15-17).”

And, the Lord builds the church upon the REVELATION of who Christ is, alive from death, successful in atoning sins, bringing in the new covenant, and being the obedience that we trust in – “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous (Rom 5:19).”
2. The only way to live is following Christ – “For whosoever will save his life will lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it” (Matt 16:25). Beware of false doctrines that deny the Son of God. He is the reason God saves, and by faith in Him, the church is built. The gates of hell prevail not against the knowledge of God’s successful Son who saved us by His blood, earned every grace, and is the REASON God loves us.

Christ’s life is to be lived; we are to walk in the knowledge of forgiveness and the peace thereof. We are to believe our good standing and relationship with God through Christ, loving people. Christ endured the cross, and now we follow Him by faith, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts for God’s glory and man’s good (Titus 2:12). Believe on the Savior and save others by Him; that is the life to live.
3. We shall be rewarded eventually – “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works” (Matt 16:27). In the world, you shall have trouble. But, be encouraged because it is well paid in return. Scripture says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints”, and His love shall be revealed in the greatness of what we have. we cannot now see the glory given to us; we can’t perceive perfection, joy, and peace unstopped. We know death, pain, and grief, but the time comes when we will experience sin and its slime no longer. We shall praise God while sinners are damned. We shall be saved at last, and the reward is GREAT enough to endure the torments of this present life, trusting Christ who saves sinners by what He did, rising from death victorious over every sin of His people and REVEALING to us the glory that He is due.

Faith in Christ is safe for you.

Heshimu Colar, Pastor

Heshimu Colar, Pastor
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