Our son Dylan graduated from high school last June, and one of his final projects was to dissect an animal for biology class. This is something that none of us were exactly looking forward to. But finally the time came, and we couldn’t put it off any longer. Since we’re a homeschool family, we ordered the dissection kit, and the postal carrier delivered a box with a vacuum sealed cricket, worm, and frog inside. That box sat in our house for several months, just waiting for us, mocking us, reminding us every day that dissection day was coming. Finally, on Dylan’s last week of high school, we could put it off no longer.

Natalie graciously went through the process with Dylan, figured out all the instructions, and helped Dylan dissect the worm and the frog. When I came home for lunch that afternoon, Natalie was happy to report that by God’s grace, the dissection went really well overall, and that Dylan could show me what he learned.

So, Dylan took his little scalpel and pick, and showed me different parts of the frog. There was the liver. And down there the digestive system. Dylan pointed out how the eyeballs kind of go inside the body and help the frog to swallow its food. Dylan also showed me the heart, and even the different valves. It was not only a relief to have this project finished, but it was another amazing reminder of God’s intricate design in creation.

When you look at something and begin peel back its layers, you get to see it in a different light. It helps to go beneath the surface. In Colossians 1:24-29, Paul essentially “peels back the layers” of his heart to help us see what makes him tick. As it turns out, what drives and motivates him above all else as an apostle is to see people conformed into the image and likeness of Jesus.

Paul says in Colossians 1:28, “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” That statement has become a kind of theme verse for my ministry over the years. I preached this passage several months ago at Calvary Church, and together we learned:

• Why we can rejoice in times of suffering
• What’s the difference between teaching and preaching?
• Simple ways we can serve the Lord
• The role of admonishing in our spiritual growth 

You can listen to the message or watch using the links below:

Sermon audio:

Youtube link:

Thanks for listening! For a complete list of sermons and Bible studies, please visit the Sermon Page on my blog.

Other links:
Calvary Church Youtube channel
Calvary Church sermon podcast
Calvary Church website
Feed My Sheep podcast

I loved reading the Hardy Boys as a kid. You were always in for an adventure as Frank and Joe Hardy strung together clues to solve the latest crime in Bayport. There was usually a muddy footprint, sinister shadow, or hidden staircase along the way to help solve the case.

When the Bible uses the word “mystery,” it’s not using the word in that way, like a spooky story or a crime to be solved. Rather, it’s talking about something previously hidden. A mystery is a truth concealed that has now been revealed.

Take 1 Corinthians 15:51–52 for example. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye…

Paul was sharing a truth previously hidden. He was saying that not all people will experience death. Some will be instantly transformed from a mortal body into an immortal one. They will be raptured and glorified “in the twinkling of an eye.”

In the Book of Colossians, Paul shares another mystery.

The mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:26-27).

In chapter two, he adds, “being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ” (Colossians 2:2).

What was the mystery? The coming of Messiah was not a mystery. That’s something that had already been prophesied for thousands of years. What was a mystery, however, was that the Messiah would unite Jew and Gentile into one new people and body, so that Gentiles could enjoy all the privileges and rights of being children of God.

Norman Geisler writes, “The mystery was not that Gentiles would be saved but how they could be “fellow-heirs” (Eph. 3:6, KJV), on the same level with Jews, with no middle wall of partition between them (Eph. 2:12–14). In the Old Testament Gentiles who believed and became a part of Judaism were still considered lower than Jews. This special union in which there “is neither Jew nor Greek” (i.e., Gentile, Gal. 3:28) was nonexistent before Christ died and the Spirit descended to baptize all believers into this new body.” (Bible Knowledge Commentary)

Last Sunday, I preached on Colossians 1:24-29. I shared more about this mystery and how this particular passage has been a favorite of mine over the years, shaping my philosophy of pastoral ministry. You can listen or watch below.

Audio – visit the Sermon Page on our Calvary Church website

Video – visit our church’s Youtube channel or simply use the embedded file below. Thanks for watching!

Last night I preached on the second request of the Lord’s Prayer, “Your kingdom come” (Matt. 6:10). The fact we are to pray this indicates the kingdom is not here yet — at least the full expression of it.

Now clearly, Christ rules in our hearts. And Jesus is head of his church. These give us a glimpse into his kingdom, a kind of “preview of coming attractions,” But we still await the full manifestation of his kingdom glory.

Last night, we looked at some of the highlights of this coming kingdom, and why we should pray. You can watch the full service by visiting our church Facebook page, or read my sermon notes below. To find sermon outlines and notes to other messages I’ve preached, please visit my sermon home page.

“Your Kingdom Come”
(Matt. 6:10)
Wednesday, October 20, 2021

Introduction

• Let’s open up to Matthew 6 tonight
• Tonight I want to draw your attention back to the passage we call “The Lord’s Prayer.” In our last time together a couple months ago, we looked at the opening, verse 9. Matthew 6:9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. We learned that our approach to God in prayer should be one of both intimacy and worship. Intimacy, because you have been adopted into his family, and call him “Abba, Father.” He is near and is deeply interested in your life. Nevertheless, you pray with awe and reverence, because this Father is infinitely perfect, and his throne is in heaven.
• Well, there are six basic requests in the Lord’s prayer, and tonight we move on to the second one, “let your kingdom come.”
• The fact that we are to pray for this kingdom indicates that the kingdom is not here yet, at least the full expression of the kingdom. Christ rules in our hearts. Jesus is head of the church. These give us glimpses into his kingdom, a kind of “preview of coming attractions,” But we still await the full manifestation of his kingdom glory.
• The “Kingdom of heaven” or the divine rule of Messiah is a major theme in the Gospel of Matthew. The book begins with a family tree in Mt. 1:1-20 giving us the royal family line of the king, from Abraham, to David, all the way to Jesus of Nazareth. Ch. 2 describes wise men traveling from other nations to pay homage to this heavenly king. Ch. 3:1-2 John the Baptist preaches in the wilderness, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Jesus preaches the same message in 4:17). 4:23 “he went throughout all Galilee teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease.” Mt. 5:2-12 the citizens of the kingdom “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
• What will this kingdom be like? Matthew starts with the assumption that his readers already have a good amount of information about this kingdom. So to answer that question, we need to dig back into our Old Testaments. Please turn to Isaiah 11.

Features of the Kingdom

• Let’s look together at three key features of the kingdom.
• The Messiah will be present! This is by far the most important one. See Isaiah 11:1-9. God’s judgment on Israel will be severe, like chopping down a tree. But there will be a righteous remnant. The Messiah will spring up from the nation like a tender shoot.
• Suppose you take a drive down to Newport Beach. You walk out to the pier, and as far as the eye can see, all the way to the horizon, there is nothing but water. Look at the Pacific Ocean on a globe, and almost your entire view is blue water. The Pacific Ocean is 60 million square miles of water. This one ocean basin is larger than the landmass of all seven continents combined! Isaiah 11 says “the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” Right now, we see Jesus with the eyes of faith. 1 Peter 1:8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory. But one day, we will see with our eyes, and touch with our hands, and be with him for all eternity!
• The world will be at peace. Isaiah 2:4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. Weapons will be melted down and reshaped into farm tools. There will be peace and prosperity in the land. Oh how we need peace today! Jesus said the last days will be full of wars and rumors of wars (Mt. 24:6). Watching the news can be depressing. Nations plot against nations. Politicians play constant tug of war. But our hearts long for peace. I think one of the reasons we enjoy Christmas is because we get a sample of peace. We get this brief moment to catch our breath, see our family, gather round the fire, share gifts with one another, maybe sip a cup of hot cocoa, and enjoy a moment of … peace. Jer. 31:25 “I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish. Do you want peace? Jesus is the prince of peace, and his kingdom will be characterized by peace.
• Review: Messiah will be present, the world will be at peace, and a third detail is revealed in the Book of Revelation…
• Satan will be bound. Revelation 20:3 “Revelation 20:2–3 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. (v. 7 says he will be released for a short time, will stage one final revolt, and then will be cast into lake of fire forever.).
• Ever since he first fell out of heaven like lightning (cf. Lk. 10:18), Satan has been working overtime to oppose God and his people. But in the coming kingdom, he will be bound and gagged, hauled off to high security prison where he will spend 1,000 years in solitary confinement. Imagine! No devil! No thief! No accuser! The prince of the power of the air will be silenced. Only Jesus the prince of peace will reign.

Praying for the Kingdom

• Now, what does Jesus say to do here in Matthew 6 concerning this kingdom? He says to pray for it. “Your kingdom come.”
• Three requests in vv. 9-10, all in a kind of poetic parallel. It reads like this in the Greek: Our Father in heaven, Let it be holy, your name. Let it come, your kingdom. Let it be done, your will.
• Every believer should yearn for the return of Jesus, and pray for his kingdom to be established.
• We should pray for Isaiah 11 to become a reality.
• We should long for the return of the king, and to hear the words of Matthew 25:34, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
• Praying this prayer has several implications…
• When I pray, “Your kingdom come,” I am setting my mind on things above, not on the things of this earth (Col. 3:2)
• When I pray, “Your kingdom come,” I am acknowledging this present world is not my home. I am telling my heart to be content, but also letting it grow homesick for heaven.
• When I pray, “Your kingdom come,” I am recognizing that all kingdoms on this earth will severely disappoint, and that I was made for something more. When things get too comfortable, it’s easy to grow complacent and think this is the kingdom. But it’s not hard to pray when this world leaves so much to be desired.
• When I pray, “Your kingdom come,” I remember that I am not the point. Jesus is the point.
• When I pray, “Your kingdom come,” I’m much more likely to give up earthly possessions to lay up treasure in heaven.
• When I pray, “Your kingdom come,” I will feel burdened to tell others about Christ, so that they may experience his kingdom blessings also.
• When I pray, “Your kingdom come,” I challenge myself to live consistent with that kingdom, and to be ready for the king’s return at any moment.

Conclusion

• Once again, I want to leave you tonight with three Application Questions:
• Have you repented of my sin and trusted in Christ so you may one day inherit his eternal kingdom? Matthew 5 tells us. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
• Are your prayers self-centered, or are they pre-occupied with God, his glory, and his kingdom?
• Is there anything in your life right now you would be ashamed to be found doing at the moment Jesus returns?
• In Matthew 4 we have the story of the temptation of Christ. Vv. 8–10 The devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”
• Satan was offering Jesus a shortcut. A shortcut that would allow him to inherit and instantly rule all the kingdoms of the earth. It had only one “small string” attached. Bow down and worship Satan. “Confess me as lord, and the world can be yours,” Satan says. The irony is that all these kingdoms already belonged to Christ. He was only allowing Satan to rule them for a season. And Jesus was unwilling to take this shortcut because it would bypass the cross and it would elevate Satan to a position of God. That was something Jesus could not do. Instead, he was willing to suffer and die on our behalf, obeying the father, and fulfilling the mission that he was sent to accomplish. And now that he has ascended into heaven, he promises to return and establish his righteous kingdom.
• To our great Father, and to Jesus Christ, the king of kings and lord of lords, we pray tonight, “Thy kingdom come.” Amen.

At the start of a wedding, the family are usually seated and the bridal party make their way down the aisle. Then the music changes, the wedding march begins, and all rise. In that moment, everyone’s eyes turn to the bride. If you’re like me, you might steal a glance at the groom to catch that big smile on his face. But one thing’s for certain — no one’s looking at the best man. His presence is circumstantial. He may help with some setup before the wedding, and give a toast at the reception, but he’s not the focus of the wedding.

In John 3, John the Baptist likens himself to the friend of the bridegroom, or “best man.” He was never meant to be the center of attention, but rather the forerunner of the Messiah. And when his job was finished, he gladly stepped off the scene.

Last night, I preached this passage from John 3:25-30 at our Sunday night service. You can watch the full service or read my sermon notes below. I hope you’ll be encouraged as I was to keep Christ front and center of all you do:

Sunday Evening 8-8-21 from Immanuel Baptist on Vimeo.

Here are full sermon notes. To find manuscripts to other messages I’ve preached, please visit my sermon home page.

“He Must Increase, I Must Decrease”
(John 3:25-30)
Sunday, August 8, 2021

Introduction

• Before I begin tonight, I want to thank all of you who have helped our family make this transition to Highland. Pastor Chris was talking this morning about spiritual gifts this morning, and we have been recipients of that. You have worked hard to make my wife and my children feel welcome. Many of you have been praying for us. Some helped us find a home and have sharing names of doctors that you recommend. Others have had us over for a meal, or sent us a gas card to help with the commute. We are deeply thankful for all you’ve done to ease this major transition in our lives.
• John chapter 3 is best known for verse 16, probably the most famous verse in all the Bible – “for God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son.” But there’s another verse that has guided my ministry over the years that I want to share with you tonight, and it’s further down in the chapter.
• Read 3:22-30 [After the Passover]
• What a godly, humble response! This passage contains several lessons, and as we follow the story, we can break it down into three scenes…The Jealous Followers, The Gentle Rebuke, and the Joyful Friend. Let’s look first at the jealous followers…

The Jealous Followers (25-26)

• John the Baptist is one of the more, shall we say, “colorful,” characters in the Bible. Matt. 3:4 says that he would wear a “garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt…and his food was locusts and wild honey.” He looked like an Old Testament prophet living in a time warp. Those who met him were unlikely to ever forget. His message was one of repentance, urging people to turn from their sins, for the kingdom of heaven was about to arrive. In John 1, he is described as the “man sent from God…[who] came as a witness, to bear witness about the light” (1:6-8). And that is precisely what John did. As the days passed, John’s ministry soared in popularity.
• The first In-n-Out recently opened in Colorado Springs. Was the talk of the town. People waited in line for hours to get their first double-double and Animal fries in the “Springs”. From what I heard, the line would wind through the drive through, down through the parking lot, down a local street, and onto a major road that was coned off. We were there back in May and drove by the restaurant. They said, “That’s a pretty good line.” I thought, “That’s a good line? I’d hate to see a bad one!” Similar crowds gathered in John’s day, except they were coming to listen to a preacher, John the Baptizer. And then many of them would respond by being baptized, like we witnessed Ridita do here tonight. John’s ministry was a booming success.
• But then, things began to change. Some of the crowd who listened to John have already left. Even some of his disciples or followers have left him, and John’s remaining disciples are in a panic. What starts as a dispute over Jewish purification laws quickly turns into an alarming conversation about declining attendance.
• V. 26, “look, [Jesus] is baptizing, and all are going to him!” There is a tone of panic and rebuke in their voices. Essentially, they say, “Um, Teacher, we don’t know if you’ve noticed, but your poll numbers have dropped. You’re losing ground. Jesus is up. John is down.”
• Imagine that you start a new ministry. Maybe it’s a food pantry, or a sports outreach. Then someone else right down the street starts the same kind of ministry. But their ministry outpaces yours, and many of your people end up going over there. That’s how it must have felt. Absolutely demoralizing!
• >>But John is about to show them they had it all wrong. Numerical growth is not the sole indicator of success. It may be an indicator, but it is not always the most reliable one. Otherwise, John’s ministry was a failure. And we know that’s not the case. And so John offers a Gentle Rebuke…

The Gentle Rebuke (27-28)

• Read vv. 27-28
• John says you shouldn’t be surprised that I’m being eclipsed by Jesus. That was the goal all along. Haven’t you been listening? I said this beforehand. I was never meant to be the center of attention. I was only the stage manager who was meant to shine the light on Jesus.
• John understood that everything he had, including his role as a prophet and forerunner to the Messiah, came from God himself. Even Jesus’ role as Messiah — that had been ordained by God too. Everything we have is a gift.
• “Not one thing” is ours unless it has been given from heaven. The Greek is strong with several negatives stacked on top of each other. We are not able to receive, not even one thing, unless, perhaps, we receive it as a gift.
• James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights…
• The early Christians of Corinth had a pride problem. Paul says to them, For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? (1 Corinthians 4:7)
• Have you ever thought about that? Every single thing that you accomplish in life happens because God allows it. He determines it. Are you a straight-A student? God gave you that mind. Are you a strong athlete? God gave you that body. Are you a great communicator? God is the one who “made man’s mouth” (Ex. 4:11). Do you have a thriving ministry? Give God the glory, because it all came from him, and belongs to him.
• John gives a gentle, but timely rebuke. His words are full of humility, and provide a great lesson. To put it simply, “It’s all about Jesus.” The whole purpose for which you were created is to glorify God through his Son Jesus Christ.
• Several years back I was praying for our community, and for revival. Glorify your name, O Lord! Grow your church! Then the thought occurred to me. What if God chose to do this through another church, and not ours? What if revival broke out in the church down the street? Would I still rejoice? Was I more concerned with Jesus’ glory, or my own reputation? I needed that heart check to make sure my true motive was Jesus’ glory, and not mine.
• >>To illustrate his point, John provides an example. And this leads us to point #3, the “Joyful Friend.”

The Joyful Friend (29-30)

• Read vv. 29-30
• Usually, at the start of a wedding ceremony, the family are seated, then the bridal party make their way down the aisle. Then the music changes, the Wedding march begins, and all rise. Where is everyone looking? Everyone’s eyes turn to the bride. If you’re like me, you might steal a glance at the groom to catch that big smile on his face. But one thing’s for certain. No one is looking at the best man! His presence is completely circumstantial. Oh, the best man might help with some of the behind the scenes work, or give the toast at the reception, but he’s not the focus of the wedding.
• In our story here, John sees Jesus as the Bridegroom, and God’s people as the Bride. John, on the other hand, is simply the friend of the bridegroom, or the best man. In ancient Israel, the friend of the bride actually had a pretty important role. He would find and bring the bride to her husband. But his joy was in bringing joy to the bridegroom.
• Likewise, our joy is found in making much of Christ.
• Colossians 1:16–19 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
• Thomas Watson: “A humble man is willing to have his name and gifts eclipsed, so that God’s glory may be increased.” Amen!
• We should love to sing about Jesus, tell the story of Jesus, and pray in Jesus name. Even our church name, “Immanuel Baptist Church” is a reminder that Immanuel, God with us, takes center stage. We want every person who sets foot in this place to hear the message of Christ and to sense the love of Christ.

Conclusion

• “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Leon Morris says, “It is one of the greatest utterances that ever fell from human lips.” May it be the prayer of every one of us tonight.
• One of the ways Christ has designed for the church to make much of Christ is through the Lord’s Supper, and so we are going to take it together at this time. It is a way that God’s people can regularly proclaim his death and prepare for his return.