Hour of Truth – 6/29/2014

Click here to listen to the service or Download as MP3 (right click & save as):

Speakers:

• Paul Muller
• Phillip Walthall
• James Eutsler

Scriptures used:

• Matthew 19:16-26
• John 5:43-44
• Matthew 18:21-22

Subject:

• Do not judge whether or not a person is worthy to hear the gospel.  The Gospel is for all to hear to make their own choice.  Holding back the word of God from a person for any reason is selfish and prideful.  Jesus freely gives it to anyone regardless of who they are so we ought to do the same.  It would be a tragic thing for a person to not hear the truth and not have the opportunity to be saved because of what you thought about them.  It has nothing to do with YOU it has to do with what God wants, which is for man to be reconciled back to Him.  You may be surprised at who will receive the Gospel.
• In Matthew 19 verse 16, we read of a man who approaches Jesus and calls Him “good master” and asks Him a question about how he may have eternal life.  The first thing that Jesus responds to, before answering his question, is his remark of calling Him “good master”.  Jesus’ reply to him was “there is none good but one, that is God.”  Ouch!  This statement is pretty offensive to many people because we, in our pride, think that we are good.  You hear it a lot from people referring to themselves or speaking of another person as “good people”.  Jesus didn’t accept being called good, why do we?  Are you or anyone else you know better than Jesus?  It is a way of lifting ourselves up above Jesus and not even realizing that we are doing it.  We can DO a good thing but doing a good thing does not make us a good person.  We are wicked by nature.  That is why Jesus died on the cross for us because we are not good nor can we be in the natural flesh.  We are sinners by birth into this flesh.
• In verse 21 Jesus says something very interesting.  He tells this young man “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me”.  If thou wilt be perfect?  What?  Jesus is saying that it is possible to be perfect?  We can learn to be perfect in love and in faith even though our flesh can never be.  How many times have you heard this statement?  Well “nobody’s perfect” usually comes right after a mistake or a bad decision and that statement is the justification that is used to excuse ourselves.  Well…OK, look, nobody is perfect in the flesh, but there is no excuse why we cannot learn to be perfect when it comes to believing God and loving one another in soul and spirit.
• In Matthew 18:21 Peter asked Jesus how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?  Seven times?  Jesus told him not seven times but seventy times seven.  If you do the math that would be 490.  But Jesus wasn’t talking about putting a limit on the number of times you forgive your brother.  He was making the point that you forgive your bother as many times as needed.  How many times has God forgiven you for your sins?  A few hundred?  A few thousand?  Do you even know the answer?  Show your brother or sister the same love that God has shown you.  It also gives you a chance to practice loving and forgiving until you get it perfectly.
• The word of God is NOT a “buffet style” of belief where you can pick and choose what you accept.  Take what you want, leave behind what you don’t want, if you’re not sure what it is you might take some to try it and if you find you don’t like it you can spit it out and never go back to it.  This is a very common problem with those who consider themselves Christians.  Pick through the word and only focus on the things that sound good to them and throw away what doesn’t make sense or sound good to them.  You either need to believe all of it or don’t bother.
• When a person turns to the Lord and you are the one who is dealing with them, you must remember that in the beginning people can be pretty rough around the edges.  It takes time to get the rough and sharp edges smoothed out.  Have patience with them.  It is like a rough, raw stone being put in a tumbler.  It has to be tumbled and rubbed against the other stones for a while before you’re going to get the nice shiny gem you want to see.  Part of what that is, is the correction you will get from others.  That correction is the friction that is necessary to smooth out the edges that is not going to feel good or be comfortable but is needed if you’re going to get polished.  The one receiving correction will get the opportunity to practice patience also.