Royal – Our Universal King by Pastor Shah

December 15, 2018 By in born again, Christmas, Eternal Life, Evangelism, gospel, King Jesus, Kingdom of God, Miracles, Persia, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

OUR UNIVERSAL KING by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Our Universal KingIntroduction: One of my favorite Disney movies is Robinhood, the animated version. Of course, you have familiar characters like Robinhood, Little John, and the Sheriff of Nottingham but one of the funniest characters is “Prince John.” He is the “Phony King of England” who hates Robinhood for looting his royal coach. So, he puts a bounty on his head and tries to catch him. Of course, he can’t. In the end, King Richard, the good and rightful king comes to claim his rightful throne. So also, 2000 years ago, a phony king was ruling God’s people until King Jesus came to claim his rightful throne. In fact, his own failed to recognize him but magi from the east came looking for him. Jesus was not just the king of the Jewish nation but of all peoples. He is the true Universal King.

Matthew 2      1Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heardthis,he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

Question: Herod thought that he was the king of the Jews but he was a false king. Who is the false king ruling your life? Jesus is the Universal King. He wants not just a part of you but the whole of you. Have you given your whole life to him?

Pray: Holy Spirit – Let the true King Jesus rule our hearts. Those who are lost, open their eyes and their hearts that they may receive him today and be saved.

Context:We’re in our Christmas series called “ROYAL.” Repeatedly, the Bible portrays Jesus as our king. As I’ve mentioned before, this is hard for us to understand because we’ve never lived under the rule of a king but most of history has been ruled by kings. That’s why the Bible uses regal language in referring to God. We’ve already looked at Jesus as “Our Creator King,” “Our Good King,” and “Our Humble King.” Today, we will see him as “Our Universal King.” 3 questions we need to answer in this passage:

I. WHO WERE THE STRANGERS? 

1Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem.”

Background:The word is not “wise men” but “magi.” Who were the magi? The Greek historian Herodotus tells us that the magi were one of the 6 tribes of the ancient Medes. They were a priestly caste of people who were experts in divination (interpretation of dreams) and star-gazers, astronomers, astrologers, dream interpreters and sorcerers in Persia. That’s where we get our English word “magic” and “magicians.” They were also known for their wisdom and counsel. Some of them must have made their way in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. First time we hear about them in the Bible is in the Book of Daniel:

  • Daniel 2 1 “Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was sotroubled that his sleep left him. 2 Then the king gave the command to call the magi, the astrologers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams.”
  • Daniel 2:9“if you do not make known the dream to me, there is onlyone decree for you! For you have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the time has changed. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.”

When the Persian King, Cyrus, captured Babylon, many more of these magi must have come into Babylon. As before, they didn’t always have a good reputation. Sometimes they got involved in political power and got into a lot of trouble for it. Jewish people looked down on them with suspicion and disdain. Even the Romans did not like them and kicked them out of Rome and Italy several times.

What’s the point? Somehow, they got on God’s mailing list. No one is too far from the grace of God. It doesn’t matter who you are and what family you belong to or don’t. God’s grace is available to you.What is interesting is that the wise men in Jerusalem failed to recognize the king but these magi saw him. Matthew 20:16“So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.”

By the way, how do you think they got on God’s mailing list? Maybe Daniel told them.Daniel 5:11There is a man in your kingdom in whom isthe Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magi, astrologers, Chaldeans, andsoothsayers.

Application:Are you on God’s mailing list? Are you telling the least of them?

II. WHAT WAS THE STAR?

2saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

Background:There have been a lot of speculations about the star: A supernova, a new star, a comet, alignment of the planets, etc. We don’t know for sure. There are no records about this star in any historical document. Maybe God created the star just the way he created the big fish to swallow Jonah. God has power over the celestial bodies:

  • Joshua 10 12Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon; And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” 13. . . So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to godownfor about a whole day. 14And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the LORD heeded the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel.
  • 2 Kings 20 10And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees; no, but let the shadow go backward ten degrees.”11So Isaiah the prophet cried out to the LORD, and He brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz.

What’s the point? The entire universe belongs to King Jesus. If he wants to create a star to point to his coming, then he has the power to do so. Listen again to Daniel 12:3“Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.” Daniel could have been the star from centuries ago who pointed the magi to Jesus from 700 miles away. The Jewish leaders around Herod had the Word and they missed him 6 miles away. They didn’t even take the time to investigate.Matthew 2      3When Herod the king heardthis,he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6 “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;For out of you shall come a RulerWho will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”7Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have foundHim,bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

Application: Whom are you pointing to Jesus? Whom are you sending in the wrong direction?

III. WHY THE GIFTS?

Matthew 2     9When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Background: Again, there are a lot of suggestions as to the meaning of the gifts. Bottom line: They represent gifts for a king. Maybe it was a fulfilment of the prophecy in Psalm 72     10The kings of Tarshish and of the isles will bring presents; The kings of Sheba and Seba will offer gifts. 11Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; All nations shall serve Him.” Isaiah 60:6“The multitude of camels shall cover your land,the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and incense, and they shall proclaim the praises of the LORD.”

Application:What are you offering him today? What are you holding back from him? Is he your Savior and King? Are you pointing others to him?

Royal – Our Humble King by Pastor Shah

December 14, 2018 By in Christmas, David, Humility, Jesus, King, King Jesus, Kingdom of God, Life of Christ, mercy, NEW TESTAMENT STUDIES, Palm Sunday, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

OUR HUMBLE KING by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Our Humble KingIntroduction: Any Jungle Book fans here? Who was King Louie? He was the self-proclaimed king of all the monkeys in Jungle Book. What was his greatest wish? He wanted to be a man and stroll right into town. What did he need to make that happen? He needed the secret to man’s red fire. Did he ever get it? No. King Louie was trying to climb up the ladder of power and status but he couldn’t. So also, the kings of the earth have always tried to climb up the ladder of power and status. To the contrary, the king of the universe, King Jesus, did not have to climb up. He was already up in power and status. Instead, he climbed down the ladder of power and status. In fact, when he came, he did not come riding a steed, a war horse, but a donkey, the common man’s beast of burden. In other words, King Jesus did not come to subdue but to serve. He did not come to terrify but to bring joy. He is truly “Our Humble King.”

Zechariah 9      9“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He isjust and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey. 10I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem; The battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominionshall be“from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.’ 11“As for you also, Because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.”

Question: The first time King Jesus came, he came in humility to win us over. The second time when he comes, he will come to execute judgment. Have you received him the first time? If you claim to know him, are you humble like your king?

Context: We’re in our Christmas series called “ROYAL.” As I mentioned in our previous two messages, it’s hard for us to appreciate the regal language the Bible ascribes to Jesus because we grew up in a democracy or a republic where people elect their leaders. Kings are not elected by the people. They rule by virtue of family origin, land ownership, or military power. Don’t confuse the British royalty with typical kings in history. The British monarchy is a constitutional monarchy where the King or Queen is a symbol of unity, stability, and pride but the ability to make and pass laws is in the hands of the elected Parliament. Jesus is not a figurehead. He is truly the all-powerful and in-control King of Kings but he is a humble king. What does that mean? 3 things:

I. HUMILITY IS NOT WEAKNESS

Background:I’m sure you’ve heard the statement – “Meekness is not Weakness.” Unfortunately, it’s become a cliché but it’s really true, especially in the verses leading up to Zechariah 9:9. They are words of judgment on the nations that had rebelled against God and had threatened God’s people. They are back in the land from exile for about 20 years but things are far from peaceful. Their neighbors don’t want them back or rebuild their temple. Listen to Zechariah 9      1The burden of the word of the LORD against the land of Hadrach, (This was a city to the south of Aleppo and north of Damascus. It was against God’s people.) and Damascus (Capital of Syria today. It too was against God’s people) its resting place (For the eyes of men and all the tribes of Israel are on the LORD); (Here is a prophecy that one day in the end of times, Israel and her lost tribes, along with her godless neighbors will look to God)2Also againstHamath, whichborders on it, (City in Syria, north of Lebanon. It was part of the Promised Land and one day it will be again.)and againstTyre and Sidon, (Tyre is in Lebanon today and Sidon is to the north of Tyre. Tyre was very proud over its strength.)though they are very wise. 3For Tyre built herself a tower, heaped up silver like the dust, and gold like the mire of the streets. 4Behold, the LORD will cast her out; he will destroy her power in the sea, and she will be devoured by fire. (150 years later, Alexander the Great fulfilled this prophecy) 5Ashkelon shall seeitand fear; Gaza also shall be very sorrowful; and Ekron, for He dried up her expectation. (Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and Ashdod were four of the five capital cities of the Philistines.)The king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited. (Again, Alexander the Great fulfilled this prophecy when he destroyed Gaza and dragged King Batis of Gaza behind a chariot through the city until he died.) 6“A mixed race shall settle in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. (No one of the Philistines were left and foreigners had to settle these cities to this day.)

What is the point of all this? When we read the history of the world, we think that it’s just the strong conquering the weak or the wise overpowering the foolish. We falsely think that it is Darwin’s “survival of the fittest.” This is not true. There is an unseen hand that is guiding the rise and fall of kings and kingdoms. Listen to Daniel’s prayer to God in Daniel 2    20“. . . Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. 21And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.” Jesus is controlling history. Zechariah 9 is just a glimpse of that fact.

Application:How do you see Jesus? Is he the helpless baby in the manger? Is he the helpless Son of God nailed to the cross? Is he the one standing outside the door and knocking, waiting for you to open the door? Is he the one in charge of everything?

II. HUMILITY IS MERCIFUL

Background: Just when we think that King Jesus will mercilessly decimate all his enemies and the enemies of his people, listen to Zechariah 9     7“I will take away the blood from his mouth, and the abominations from between his teeth. . .” Blood from his mouth is referring to the pagan sacrifices that involved drinking blood and abominations from between his teeth is referring to eating forbidden food. That statement is a description of paganism.What is God saying? Even in the midst of his judgment there is mercy. Somehow God will save individuals even while he is judging peoples and nations. Keep reading 7“. . . But he who remains, even he shall befor our God, and shall be like a leader in Judah, and Ekron like a Jebusite.(Just like David had spared the Jebusites and they became part of the people of Judah, so also God would spare these enemies of God’s people and they would become part of God’s people.) Did this ever happen? Acts 8    26Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. 27So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet  . . .”  You know the rest. Philip explained the gospel to him, baptized him, and then listen to Acts 8    39“Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea.” Azotus is the Roman name for Ashdod.

8I will camp around My house because of the army, because of him who passes by and him who returns. No more shall an oppressor pass through them, for now I have seen with My eyes.”What is God saying? In the days ahead, he will save all people, Jews and Gentiles through Jesus Christ

Application:How do you understand humility? True humility is merciful. When you are totally justified in finishing someone, you still show mercy. It is “Power under Control.”

III. HUMILITY IS JESUS

Zechariah 9      9“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Background:On one hand, King Jesus was working his purposes in the world. On the other hand, he was bringing salvation to his people. While he allowed and even directed earthly kings to carry out his purposes, he was about to fulfil the prophecies regarding the eternal king.3 things we find fulfilled:

  1. He is Righteous:

“Behold, your King is coming to you; He isjust. . .”

Promise to David – 2 Samuel 7:12“When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. Isaiah 11     1There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. . . 5Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist.

  1. He will bring salvation

and having salvation,

1 Pet. 3:18  For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

  1. Humble

Lowly – Same word used to describe Moses inNumbers 12:3. He is approachable.

  1. Riding a donkey

and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.

Genesis 49    10The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall bethe obedience of the people. 11 Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes.

Horse was an animal of war but a donkey was not.

10I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem; The battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominionshall be“from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.’ 11“As for you also, Because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.”

In other words, Christ was coming to bring peace. He brought peace in our hearts now and then peace in our world one day.

Royal – Our Good King by Pastor Shah

December 1, 2018 By in Uncategorized Leave a comment

OUR GOOD KING by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Our Good KingIntroduction: It’s rare that our whole family gets together but last Thursday we were able to do that. Nicole had bought some tickets for “Aladdin and his Winter Wish” at the Raleigh Memorial Auditorium. Again, if you are a nineties kid, you’ve seen Disney’s Aladdinabout a hundred times. I actually read it when I was a little boy in the 1001 Arabian Nights. It was dark. Trust me, the Disney version is far better. Aladdin is a story of a street kid becoming a prince. It’s a typical rag to riches story. Sometimes people tend to think the same about Jesus. They think that he came as a poor carpenter’s son and then worked his way up to become the King of Kings. That’s just not true. Jesus was destined to be king even before he was born. In fact, unlike all the previous kings, his kingdom has no end because he alone is a good king. When we enter his kingdom, he doesn’t take advantage of us or bind us. Instead, he sets us free forever.

Luke 1      26Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s namewasMary. . .30Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Question: Who is sitting on the throne of your life? Do you obey him completely or selectively? Is he your Savior and King?

Context: We’re in our new Christmas series called “ROYAL.” As I mentioned last week, we who grew up in the twentieth or the twenty-first century, we have a very limited understanding of what it means to be ruled by a king. We vote our leaders into office. If we don’t like the job they’re doing, we have the option in the next election to vote them out of office. Back in those days, you could not vote kings in and out of office. What would happen if you had a bad king or a tyrant. You were stuck with him. You would try to stay out of sight and do whatever you could to appease him. Sometimes, even the good ones turned bad. Then you would wait for them either to die or get assassinated. Then the challenger would become the next king and you would hope that he would be good. So, when the angel said to Mary –32“He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end,” it had a much deeper meaning! In this message we will learn what it means to have Jesus as our good king whose kingdom has no end. 3 things:

I. BAD KINGS

Background:Back in the days of Samuel, the people of Israel wanted a king just like their neighbors to represent them, judge them, and fight for them. They didn’t realize how this would come with a cost. The Egyptians considered their king (Pharaoh) to be the divine embodiment of the god Horus. The Mesopotamians, from whom came the Assyrians and the Babylonian kings, considered kingship to be a divine gift. Obeying the king was equivalent to obeying god. The Hittites believed that their “great king” would become a god after his death. You can just imagine how this would be abused by the kings. God told them that this was a mistake.Listen to 1 Samuel 8     11And he said, “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appointthemfor his own chariots and to behis horsemen, and somewill run before his chariots. 12He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set someto plow his ground and reap his harvest, and someto make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13He will take your daughtersto beperfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and givethemto his servants. 15He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. 16And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and putthemto his work. 17He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. 18And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the LORD will not hear you in that day.” The chief word in all this is take.

Keep in mind that God was planning on appointing a king but it was going to be in his timing and it would be a man according to his own heart.Instead of waiting on God’s timing and God’s choice, the people demanded a king. God answered and gave them a king after their own heart – foolish, selfish, insecure, impatient, cowardly, dishonorable, and a tyrant. Instead of David, they got Saul. Sometimes when we demand things from God, he gives them to us. Instead of being a blessing, they turn out to be a curse.

Application:Who is controlling your life? To whom have you given the sovereignty of your heart?

II. GOOD KING GONE BAD

Background:As prophesied, Saul turned out to be a colossal failure but God’s plan never fails. Listen carefully: Sometimes what you’re asking for is not wrong but your heart is in the wrong place. You will get what’s coming to you but God’s will and purpose will go on. God sends Samuel to find David. Listen to the criteria after the oldest Eliab passed by Samuel: 1 Samuel 16:7“But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORDdoes notseeas man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’” Six more brothers passed by until David is brought and then God said “this is the one.” David turned out to be the “man after God’s own heart.” He killed Goliath with just a few stones and a slingshot. He refused to lift his hand against Saul, the Lord’s anointed. He wouldn’t build a house for himself until God’s house was built. He was patient with his critics like Shimei. He even pardoned his enemies who joined his son in rebelling against him. How people treat others is a reflection of how they treat themselves. If they are easy on themselves, they are easy on others. If they are hard on others, they are hard on themselves. David was easy on others but hard on his own sin.

Then something happened which permanently destroyed David’s testimony. 2 Samuel 11:1“It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go outto battle,that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.” Instead of doing what a king was supposed to do, David was being an idle hand. Satan will always find work for idle hands. You know what happened. He saw a woman bathing and upon asking, he finds out that she is “Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” This should have been clue enough for David to put the brakes on. Eliam was one of David’s mighty men/bodyguards/elite fighting team. So also, Uriah was in the group.(II Samuel 23)You might say, “How can you keep track of who is who?” There were only 37 of these navy seals meet SAS meet Mossad. Nonetheless, he slept with her. She didn’t have a choice. Then, he tried to get her husband Uriah to claim the baby. When he didn’t, he sent him to the front line to get killed and made him carry his own death sentence. Even the best of the kings of Israel turned out to be bad.

Application:Have people disappointed you? Every human being is a sinner and every Christian is simply a sinner saved by grace. Don’t place your faith in a person, no matter how good they are at the moment.

III. THE ONLY TRUE GOOD KING

Background:God had warned his people that the earthly kings would only take from them. To the contrary, Jesus, the only true good king, came to give.

Matthew 10:1He gavethem poweroverunclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.

Matt. 14:19And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gavethe loaves to the disciples; and the disciplesgave to the multitudes.

Matt. 20:28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to giveHis life a ransom for many.”

John 4:14but whoever drinks of the water that I shall givehim will never thirst. But the water that I shall givehim will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

John 6:51I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall giveis My flesh, which I shall givefor the life of the world.”

John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherdgivesHis life for the sheep.

John 14:16And I will pray the Father, and He will giveyou another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—

Matt. 26    26And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and brokeit,andgaveitto the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27Then He took the cup, andgavethanks, and gave itto them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.

John 1:12But as many as received Him, to them He gavethe right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

John 14:27Peace I leave with you, My peace I giveto you; not as the worldgivesdo I giveto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 16:23  “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will giveyou.

Do you have the good king in your life? Is he sitting on the throne of your heart?

 

(Re)Setting the Record Straight (Article) by Abidan Paul Shah

November 27, 2018 By in America, Awakening, Church, Faith, Fourth of July, History, Independence Day, Politics, Priorities, Uncategorized, United States of America Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

(RE)SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT (Article) by Abidan Paul Shah

(Published in the newspaper Daily Dispatch, Henderson on November 17, 2018)

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12

(Re)Setting the Record Straight“America was founded as a Christian nation!” My father-in-law made that remark to me over twenty years ago. I remember hearing the frustration in his voice and being puzzled by it. I told him that I thought every American believed that. How could they not? After all, this was “One Nation Under God.” He explained to me that there were people who believed that this was never a Christian nation. To the contrary, they claimed that it was birthed in greed and selfishness with the privileged few controlling the many through fear and oppression.

I decided to research for myself. Here’s what I found: Yes, America was founded on biblical values. But, no, that doesn’t mean that everyone who came across the ocean was a born-again Christian. There is a big difference between Christian values and individual Christian lives. The first is a worldview and the second is a transformed life through Jesus Christ. Examine the Constitution of the United States – 34% of all citations are from the Bible. The ideals of freedom of religion, natural rights, and equality were grounded in Christianity. It was repeatedly affirmed that God’s providence was behind the birth of our nation. But this does not mean that every person, even the signers, were always orthodox in their belief and perfect in their character. Here’s an illustration: Our refrigerator keeps the temperature cold which preserves the food. But, this doesn’t mean that everything inside is delicious. In fact, some foods may even get a freezer burn and be harmful. So also, the Christian values of America did not guarantee that every individual would be Christlike. As John Fea in his insightful book “Was America founded as a Christian Nation” remarked: “History is complex. Heroes sometimes do unheroic things. It is the responsibility of the historian to make every effort to explain the past in its fullness.”

Unfortunately, there is no such balance in recent rhetoric. It is adamantly claimed that “we need to set the record straight regarding our past.” Such allegations are a byproduct of the postmodern revision of history. It views the past as Hegel’s “historic dialectic,” wherein truth is relative and nothing more than an outcome of the struggle for dominance. All understanding of the past is viewed with suspicion. This is terribly misleading. Yes, revisionism is appropriate but only if more historical documents are discovered or new information sheds light on the existing documents. But, this has to be done very responsibly. If not, we are creating a false narrative to push an agenda. To claim that the First Amendment was a separation of church and state is a gross misunderstanding. It was a protection on other Christian groups from practicing their beliefs without repercussions from the state church. It was never meant to discard Christianity.

Furthermore, tearing down our nation’s Christian foundation is also very dangerous. It is like taking a sledge hammer to the foundation of your house and still expecting the walls and the roof to remain intact. It is impossible. The house will collapse. Those who want to revise our nation’s past are willing to take that chance. I suggest that they travel overseas and visit nations that did not have a strong biblical influence in their past. There is a marked difference in individual rights and dignity of the weak. In fact, it is punishable by death to even challenge their nation’s past. Having come from a nation not founded on Judeo-Christian values, I can testify that this nation was built on biblical values. To use the analogy of the refrigerator again: Don’t throw out a perfectly good refrigerator because some foods have gone bad.

Royal – Our Creator King by Pastor Abidan Shah

November 23, 2018 By in Christian Life, Christmas, Doctrine, Jesus, King, King Jesus, Kingdom of God, Life of Christ, Prophecy, scripture, theology, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

OUR CREATOR KING by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Royal

Introduction: One of my favorite Disney movies is the Lion King from 1994. You know the story – the crown prince Simba is tricked by his uncle Scar into thinking that he had caused his father Mufasa’s death and he flees into exile. There he finds new friends, Timon and Pumba whose motto is “Hakuna Matata.” One day, his childhood friend Nala and his father’s old advisor Rafiki remind him of his true identity and he returns to take his rightful place. Even though it’s a cartoon, I still get choked up when Simba returns and takes his rightful place as king. Unlike earthly kings, cartoon or real, Jesus alone is the supreme undefeated eternal king of the universe, who built his kingdom, redeemed it, rules it forever, and demands our total allegiance. Faith in Jesus is more than just belief or trust. It is also allegiance and obedience to him.

Colossians 1     9“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. . . 12giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyedusinto the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”

Question: There are only 2 kingdoms – kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of the Son. Which kingdom do you belong to? Is Christ your Savior? Is he also your King?

Context: Today’s message begins our new Christmas series called “ROYAL.” We who grew up in the twentieth or twenty-first century have very little understanding of rulers and royalty. The only encounter we’ve had with kings, queens, prince, and princesses is through movies and an occasional royal wedding. But, did you know that most of the world’s history was dominated by kings and rulers? This is very hard for us to understand because we grew up in some form of consensual government (See Francis Oakley, Kingship: The Politics of Enchantment). Most of the Bible refers to God as our king. In fact, Jesus is never referred to as our Senator or our Representative. He is repeatedly referred to as our King. That changes everything. We don’t elect him to kingship. We simply declare our allegiance to him. We don’t pick and choose what we will obey and what we won’t. We simply obey no matter the cost. But, unlike earthly kings who rule by fear and threats, Jesus our king has redeemed us by his blood. In this series, each message will be focused on an important attribute of King Jesus. The first one is “OUR CREATOR KING.” 2 things about our Creating King:

I. OUR KING CREATED AND SUSTAINS EVERYTHING.

Colossians 1     15“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.”

There are 2 very important words in that statement: image and firstborn. First, what is the meaning of the “image of the invisible God?”We find it in the LXX, Greek translation of the Old Testament, in Genesis 1:27“So God created man in His ownimage; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” To be created in the image of God was to represent God in his authority and to have certain attributes that the other creatures do not have, especially in being able to have a relationship with God. So, when Paul said that “Jesus was the image of the invisible God,” is that what he meant about Jesus? Not at all. Keep in mind: Adam was made in the image of God. Jesus is the image of God. It is a subtle but a very substantial difference. When we think of the word “image,” we think of a copy or something inferior. That word image in the original Greek is eikwn(eikon) which is a complex word. It has the meaning of the inner core and essence. A good translation would be “He is the DNA of the invisible God.”Another example: difference between a blueprint and a real building. Jesus, the real building was even before the blueprint, Adam.What is Paul saying? Jesus is not like God or reminds us of God. He is God.

Second, what is the meaning of the “firstborn over all creation?” It can mean the first child as in Reuben was Jacob’s firstborn through Leah. So, when Paul said that “Jesus was the firstborn over all creation,” is that what he had in mind?” Not at all. Keep in mind: Firstborn also meant “the legal heir.” For example: David was the seventh son of Jesse but listen to Psalm 89:27“Also I will make him Myfirstborn, The highest of the kings of the earth.” It means that even though David was not Jesse’s legal heir, God made him his legal heir.

All this was more than just some honorific title– 16For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.” Jesus is not just a silent observer. He is the active creator who made everything in heaven and on earth. He made the birds in the sky. He made the fishes in the sea. He made the plants and the trees. According to some estimates, there are 8.7 million species in the world. They are mostly animals and only 1.2 million have been catalogued. He made us. Think about how complex we are. The human eye in one square mm has about 400,000 optical sensors. Imagine a sphere on which you have tennis ball shaped circles and each is separated from the other by the same size/diameter. How much space do you need to draw 400,000 such tennis ball shaped circles? Three times the size of a hot air balloon! He made the galaxies and the countless stars. The sun is 93 million miles away. According to a recent article on BBC, the universe is 93 billion light years in diameter. One light year is 5.88 trillion miles. Not only that but he also created “thrones,” “dominions,” “principalities,” and “powers.” Thrones = angelic beings; dominions = spirit beings; principalities and powers = various levels of spirit beings, good and evil. What’s the point? He made everything that exists.

But there’s something more – “All things were created through Him and for Him.” In other words, you and I and the entire creation was made for his pleasure. 17“And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”Jesus not only created everything and for himself, he also sustains everything below the surface, on the surface, above the surface, and beyond the surface.

Application:How well do you know your king? Do you truly understand who Christ is? What are you afraid of?

II. OUR KING CAME TO REDEEM AND RECONCILE EVERYTHING.

18And He is the head of the body, the church. . .”

Background:Something happened to the creation. Sin came in and everything fell and was under the wrath of God. This was not a surprise to the Son. He already knew that he was the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world. He knew that he made it and he would have to come down and fix it himself. How did he do that? He died on the cross for our sins and those who believed in him became part of his new creation, the church. Since he brought this about, he is also the head of this body of believers.

Something more – “. . .who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead” Once again, we see the word “firstborn.” It has a double meaning: He was the first one to come out of the grave for us and he has the legal authority to bring us out of the grave. “. . .that in all things He may have the preeminence.” Now, Jesus is not only supreme over the first creation but also over the new creation of his people and headed towards the final recreation of everything.

19“For it pleasedthe Father thatin Him all the fullness should dwell, 20and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.”  That word “reconcile” was for the guilty party to initiate the process of reconciliation. Instead, God has initiated the process of reconciliation with us and the whole creation. For example: A child pouting and the parent has to reach out. How does God do that? 21“And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled22in the body of His flesh through death. . .” Meaning: Our entire disposition was against the King. He could have destroyed us. Instead, he paid our penalty so he could make us friends again.

Then, there was an exchange – 22 “to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.”

What is our responsibility? 23if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.”

Invitation: How do you see Jesus?

  • Is he the supreme, eternal King who created and sustains this world?
  • Is he the one who came to die and redeem this world and has created the church?
  • Do you belong to his church?
  • Have you been reconciled to him and received his exchange of holiness and blamelessness?
  • Are you continuing in the faith grounded and steadfast and not moved away from the hope of the gospel? Are you obedient in your relationships, with your past, and in your present?

Thankful for Salvation by Pastor Abidan Shah

November 16, 2018 By in 1 Timothy, Bible, born again, Christian Life, Conversion, Cross, Forgiveness, Jesus, Life, love, mercy, Salvation, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

THANKFUL FOR SALVATION by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Thankful for Salvation

Introduction: How many of ya’ll love dad jokes? Here are some Thanksgiving dad jokes:

  • “What is a turkey’s favorite dessert? Peach gobbler!”
  • “What did the turkey say to the computer? Google, google, google.”
  • “Why did the cranberries turn red? Because they saw the turkey dressing!”
  • “What do you call a turkey on the day after Thanksgiving? Lucky.”
  • “What music did the Pilgrims listen to at the first Thanksgiving? Plymouth Rock!”
  • “Why can’t you take a turkey to church? Because they use fowl language.”

We’re in our series called “Thankful,” to prepare us for the Holiday Season, and this is the final message titled “Thankful for Salvation.” What I have discovered is that the more we grow in the Christian life, the more grateful we become for our salvation. In other words, the longer we are Christians, the more we’re amazed at why God would save someone like us. Today we’ll meet someone who towards the end of his life, in spite of his circumstances, was truly amazed and grateful for being saved.

1 Timothy 1     12“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting meinto the ministry, 13although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I diditignorantly in unbelief. 14And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 15This isa faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”

Question: How thankful are you for your salvation? How do you see yourself in comparison to others? Are you saved?

Context: If there’s one word that is constantly found in Paul’s letters, it’s the word “charis.” Many of you may have heard it before. It is translated “grace.” Paul constantly used it in his letters, especially in his opening and closing: Opening – “Graceto you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”; Closing – “The graceof our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”That word was much more than just a polite greeting. For Paul, that word was a reference to the saving act of God in Christ Jesus.But, that word “charis” in certain forms also had the meaning of “thankfulness.”Paul used it often to express thankfulness to God for his salvation.In this message we are going to learn from Paul how to be thankful for our salvation:

I. ACKNOWLEDGE OUR WEAKNESS.

12“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting meinto the ministry.”

Background:That word “enabled” means “to be strengthened.” Paul was thanking God for giving him the strengthen but also continually strengthening him. Now, there is a mistranslation here. It should not be “because” but “that.” Here’s a better translation: “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled/strengthened me, that He counted me faithful/trustworthy, putting meinto the ministry.” What he is saying is that in his own self he could not have served God. He is giving God all the credit.

Illustration:Parents have to help a toddler walk. Then they try to pull away.

Application:Do you understand how weak you are? Do you see how much you need Christ to enable you? Do you give him thanks?

II. REMEMBER YOUR FALLENNESS.

13“although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy…”

Few weeks ago, I preached a sermon titled “The Witness Stand” in which we looked at Paul’s conversion and transformation from a Spectator to an Accomplice, from an Accomplice to a Criminal, from a Criminal to a Master Mind, and, finally, from a Master Mind to the Most Wanted. What do you do when you have a Most Wanted on the loose? You have to bring in the big guns. Jesus himself had to come and capture Paul. He made a raid on him on the road to Damascus, tackled him to the ground, blinded him, and took him into custody. What was the result? The Chief Suspect became a Chief Witness to the gospel. I don’t want to repeat that sermon.

“…but I obtained mercy because I diditignorantly in unbelief.” Mercy came to Paul but he could have resisted it. There are 2 kinds of unbeliefs:Ignorant Unbelief and Deliberate Unbelief. Jesus encountered a lot of deliberate unbelief. John 8    22So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?” 23And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I amHe,you will die in your sins.” 25Then they said to Him, “Who are You?” Paul asked the same question. And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. 26I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.” 27They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.”

Illustration: There’s a man who is constantly rejecting the gospel when I have witnessed to him.

14“And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.”

God had to show me graceand give me faithand even reach out to me in loveto save me. Paul uses the Greek word “huperpleonazo.” Huper is the word that gives us “hyper.” The cross is hypergrace, faith, and love.

Application:Do you remember where God found you? Are you still lost? Is it ignorant unbelief or is it deliberate? Listen again to Jesus in John 9    39And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” 40Thensomeof the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?” 41Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.”

III. WORSHIP WITH GRATEFULNESS.

15This isa faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

Background:Paul is so overwhelmed by what he is sharing with Timothy that he launches into praise God for his salvation.

16However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.

Application:Do you see your life and circumstances as a tool to bring others to Christ?

 17Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, behonor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Background:Most scholars believe that Paul wrote this letter to Timothy in the last 2-3 years of his life before he was martyred. The point is that what we read earlier is not from Paul who just got saved but from Paul who had been saved for a while. We also should become more and more grateful for our salvation as we grow in our Christian life.

Do you express your gratefulness to God for your salvation? Are you saved?

So, what is the gospel?

  1. Declaration:
  • Jesus brought God’s kingdom into the world.
  • He is Christ, God’s Anointed King.
  • He died on the cross for our sins, according to Scriptures.
  • He was buried but rose again on the third day, according to Scriptures and was seen by many.
  1. Decision:
  • Repent – change of thinking about sin, self, and Savior.
  • Believe – trust that Jesus is God’s Son who has paid the penalty of our sins and he can remove the guilt of sin and give eternal life.
  • Follow – as our King, we are to obey and follow him no matter the cost. Without this element, the gospel is not the true gospel. First, the decision and then, one day, the test.

Invitation: Are you ready to follow Jesus your King?

Episode 15: Re-Setting the Record Straight

November 14, 2018 By in America, Bible, Biblical convictions, Carpe Manana Podcast, Christian Life, Conscience, Uncategorized Leave a comment
Episode 15: Re-Setting the Record Straight

In this episode, the Clearview Church staff sit down to talk about the true American foundation. The biggest attack against Christianity today is that America was founded on selfishness and greed, not Christian values.  If you have any topics you’d like us to discuss, be sure to email us at carpemanana@clearviewbc.org!

Thankful for Our Church Family by Pastor Abidan Shah

November 9, 2018 By in Christian Life, Church, Encouragement, Faith, Family, Give, Humility, Peace, People, Thanksgiving, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

THANKFUL FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Thankful for Our Church Family

Introduction: One of my fondest memories as a kid growing up was having family meals with the whole family. I especially remember those meals when we were having my favorite dish or dessert, my mom, dad, and grandma would give me an extra spoon from their plate. It was their way of saying – “We know how much you love this! So, we are willing to sacrifice so you can enjoy yourself and we can watch your joy!” It built a feeling of love and assurance in me. Amazingly, I’ve found myself doing the same with our kids when they were young. If we had a special meal or some ice cream the kids really liked (we’re not talking about vegetables), I would take some from my plate and put it on theirs and watch their faces light up. I am so grateful for my family. It taught me so much.Family is where we learn how to love others and live with others. The church is also a family where we also learn how to love others and live with others. But it goes beyond: Our earthly family is temporal but our spiritual family is eternal and we are constantly adding more people to the dinner table. This is very hard for people to grasp in a world that is antisocial and self-centered. God has given us the church for a reason. Are you thankful for the church?

Colossians 3    12Therefore, astheelect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you alsomust do.14But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

Question: Do you see it as optional and burdensome or do you see it as essential or beneficial? Have you entered the church family through Christ? Are you saved?

Context:We’re in our series called “Thankful.” With Thanksgiving and Christmas around the corner, the goal of the series is to prepare our hearts to have the right perspective at this time of the year. Today we’re going to talk about being thankful for our church family. Paul in his letter to the Colossians talks about some essential values of a church family. When I see that list, I realize that we have much to be thankful for our church family. 3 things to be exact:

I. GODLY RELATIONSHIPS

Colossians 3    12Therefore, astheelect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;

Background:The key phrase here is “the elect of God.” Who are the elect of God? Keep in mind that this passage is not about the doctrine of election and predestination and all that. In the context, it is simply the adjective “eklektos,” which means “choice,” “excellent,” or “pure.” The idea behind it is that of a special people. The church is a special people of God, holy and beloved. Being this kind of a people, we are to have certain family values. What are they?

  1. Greek word is “splanchna,” which refers to our vital organs like “heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys.” These were considered to be the source of our emotions. The word implies mercy from within.
  2. Greek word is “oiktirmos,” which has the idea of compassion with lamentation. Together, “splanchna” and “oiktirmos” have the idea of a deep gut level compassion for others that cannot be put into words. A family has a bond that is inexpressible.
  3. Greek word is “Chrestotes,” which has the idea of kindness. It’s the opposite of harshness. It is “always alive and active and breaks out spontaneously in the life of the person who is led by Christ.” (NIDNTTE)
  4. Greek word is “Tapenophrosune,” which means a deep sense of humility. It is the word that Jesus used to describe himself in Matthew 11   28“Come to Me, allyouwho labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” In other words, people should find rest through you.
  5. Greek word is “Prautes,” which means gentleness. But, it is the gentleness that comes from God. It is the fruit of the Spirit.
  6. Greek word is “Makrothumia,” which is more than just patience. It is something that God does in us that helps us meet people with a generous and self-giving spirit.

13“bearing with one another, and forgiving one another…”

  1. Greek word is “Anechomai,” which means “to put up with.” It means don’t say or do what comes to your mind. It is also reciprocal in the context.
  2. Greek word is “Charizomai,” which comes from another Greek word “charis,” which is grace. It means to show grace and to forgive each other. Rest of verse 13“…if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you alsomust do.” 14“But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”

Application: I am thankful for this church family for its godly relationships. It is not perfect by any means but it is one where I see these Christian graces at work. If you come with the spirit of “giving someone a piece of your mind,”“straightening people out,” or “putting someone in their place,” you are missing out on what this church family is about. Are you truly thankful?

II. WORD AND WORSHIP

16“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom…”

Background: What is the Word of Christ? Is it the words that Christ preached while he was on the earth? I believe it is really the word “about” Christ, the entire Bible. For those of us who are living on this side of the canon, it is both the Old and the New Testament. One of our core values at Clearview is that “We are a Bible believing church that believes in the importance of sound doctrine and the need for a scriptural foundation for our daily life and church.” The Bible is our sole authority for faith and practice.”That’s why we emphasize biblical preaching. There are times that I have to put aside meetings and even certain ministries if I feel that the message needs some extra time. After every message, I ask myself certain questions:

  • Did this message come from the Bible, from its immediate and overall context?
  • Is it clear enough to understand and apply?
  • Does it magnify Jesus Christ and his sacrifice on the cross?
  • Does it draw the lost to salvation?
  • Does it call the saved to obedience?

16“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another”– Here “teaching” is the systematic explanation of truth and “admonishing” is “strong encouragement” to follow what you have learned. It also involves correction. This happens through Sunday School, Wednesday Evening Bible Studies, Circle Groups, and Inner Circles. This is available for adults, youth, and kids. This is a must for us to live in this world.

“teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” – We are now talking about worship here. 3 titles are given:

  • Psalms – the Greek word is “psalmois” which comes from the Greek word “psallo,” which means “to pluck the strings.” They are songs of praise with a beat. They can be from the Old Testament but many were also composed.
  • Hymns – the Greek word is “humnos” which originally was even used by Homer to mean poetry that was recited or sung. It means to sing about someone or something. It’s not just a reference to Protestant church songs from the 1600s. I love the old hymns but we shouldn’t stop there. Every generation should write more hymns.
  • Spiritual Songs – the Greek word is “ode” or “ade” that’s where we get our English word adoration. This includes songs that reinforce our beliefs and draw us close to God.

“singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord”– This tells us the attitude we should have in worship.

Application:I am thankful for this church family for its heart for the Word and Worship. It is not perfect by any means but I see the focus and the balance. If you come angry because your music is not being played, you will miss out. Are you truly thankful for the worship of this church?

III. SELFLESS MINISTRY

17Andwhateveryou do in word or deed, doall in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Background:This is a doing and serving church. We are to meet the needs inside and outside. We are to go across town and across the globe to meet the needs in Jesus’ name and with thanks to God the Father through him.

Invitation:Are you doing that? Are you serving Christ? Are you doing it thankfully or grudgingly? Are you saved?

Episode 14: Next Level Worship

November 7, 2018 By in Carpe Manana Podcast, Uncategorized Leave a comment
Episode 14: Next Level Worship

In this episode, the Clearview Church staff sit down to talk about the practical ways that you can take your church worship to the next level.  If you have any topics you’d like us to discuss, be sure to email us at carpemanana@clearviewbc.org!

 

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit Of Happiness by Pastor Abidan Shah

November 2, 2018 By in application, Biblical convictions, Community, Daniel, Election, Faith, Life, Lion's Den, Righteousness, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

THANKFUL FOR LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS by Pastor Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

life liberty and the pursuit of happiness

Introduction: Elections are serious business but some time back I came across a bizarre and funny story. Back in 1967, Ecuador was holding its elections when a foot powder company ran an ad saying “Vote for any candidate, but if you want well-being and hygiene, vote for Pulvapies.” To make their ad more appealing, the company passed out flyers listing all the things Pulvapies would do if elected as Mayor. By the way, the flyer looked very much like the official ballot. Guess what happened on election day in the small town of Picoazà, Ecuador? People turned in their flyers at the election booths instead of their ballots! The foot powder won! Thank goodness they didn’t make it the Mayor! Election day is Tuesday and it’s no laughing matter. It’s important for all Christians to vote. Why?Not because the government can solve all our problems or bring God’s kingdom on earth but because the right government can protect our rights as Christians to live out our convictions and share our faith. If you know your history, the wrong government has always tried to silence and stamp out our faith. The lost world is never neutral or fair towards god’s people. Something else: Without Judeo-Christian values, governments will have no clear moral compass. My goal is not to get you to vote a certain party but to get you to vote your biblical convictions.

Daniel 6     3Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spiritwasin him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. 4So the governors and satraps sought to findsomecharge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he wasfaithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. 5Then these men said, “We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we finditagainst him concerning the law of his God.”

Question: Daniel was persecuted for his faith. Is your faith strong enough to be persecuted? Are you saved?

Context: We began a new series last weekend called “Thankful” and today’s message is about being thankful for our nation, thankful for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I chose the passage from Daniel because it teaches us the importance of standing up for our convictions. The Jewish people were living in exile in Babylon and Daniel was a high ranking official in the Medo-Persian empire. How high up was he? Daniel 6    1It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; What is a satrap? Darius I of Persia came up with the organization of satrapies or provinces for control and tax purposes. Each satrapy was to be ruled by satraps, which is the Old Persian word for “protector of the kingdom.” Usually, the satrap was a close relative of the king, someone he could trust. Darius appointed 120 satraps but Daniel was more than just a satrap.2and over these, three governors, of whom Danielwasone, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss. So, three governors over the 120 satraps but Daniel was even more. 3Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spiritwasin him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. He was going to be in charge of the whole Persian empire! Wow!

Some people say that god’s people have no part in politics.

  • Some of the people who say that actually do mix politics and church but only when it suits their agenda and political party. But, if you say anything for your views, they immediately say, “Just preach the gospel. Don’t do politics.” Some even try to claim that you are violating the law. That’s not true. Since 1954, IRS has regulations that prohibit explicitly supporting a particular candidate by name but it allows us to teach on moral issues. That’s not illegal.
  • Some people claim that the gospel has nothing to do with politics. Such people fail to understand that the gospel is more than “I am saved and on my way to heaven.” It involves “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” The gospel is a change in lifestyle. What happens when two or more people begin to change their lifestyles, it begins to change the society in which they live.I John 3:8“…For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

Throughout the history of the world, god’s people have made their societies better by influencing the government (See Alvin Schmidt, How Christianity Changed the World):

  • In the Roman Empire, Christians outlawed infanticide, child abandonment, and abortion (AD 374).
  • They outlawed the brutal battles-to-the-death in which thousands of gladiators died (AD 404).
  • They instituted prison reforms by separating male and female prisoners (AD 361).
  • They abolished human sacrifice among the Irish, the Prussians, the Lithuanians, and others.
  • They outlawed pedophilia.
  • They banned polygamy.
  • They outlawed the practice of burning alive widows in India (1829)
  • They began compulsory education for all children in European countries.
  • In the Roman Empire, Christians fought to abolish slavery.
  • In England, William Wilberforce helped abolish the slave trade and slavery itself in the British empire by 1840.
  • In our United States, there were Christians who supported slavery and that was wrong. But, a vast majority fought to abolish it. Two-thirds were Christian pastors.
  • I can go on and on but the point is that god’s people have made their societies better by influencing their governments. One such person was Daniel.

Time is short – the governors and satraps are threatened by Daniel and they decide to take him out. They asked Darius to sign a decree, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians that does not alter, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except King Darius shall be cast into the den of lions. What was Daniel’s response?Daniel 6:10“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.” What an amazing political move! Daniel did not hide, apologize, or compromise. Instead, he openly challenged the decree.

Sadly, when Christians are confronted, they hide, apologize, or compromise. This confrontation is not necessarily about praying. It comes in other more sinister ways. At one time it was Christians have always been against Science. They would always bring up Galileo and how the church persecuted him. I don’t have time to go over the whole story. Many scientists were actually Christians. Then it was Christians have always been intolerant. I already gave you the list of things that Christians have fought for throughout history. Now there’s a new one – Christians need to learn the true history of the United States. This is a new one. It says that history has been created by the dominant group from the past and it needs to be straightened out. America was never founded on Christian values and that it was just greed and selfishness. How do you answer this?It all goes back to a German Philosopher by the name of Hegel who came up with the idea of the “historical dialectic.” He believed that history was always in a state of development. You can pick any time in history and see a group that is dominant and they agree on what they consider to be the truth. He called it “thesis.” This is usually challenged by a contradictory idea that is “antithesis.” This leads to a “synthesis.” Now this “synthesis” becomes the new “thesis.” There is no such thing as objective truth. Truth is relative. Hence, what you have learned is wrong and it’s time to set the record straight. We are living in the postmodern era. In the modern era, it was question everything. Now, it is “make history whatever you want it to be. If it’s real to you, then it doesn’t matter what I say.” But if you look at our history carefully, the Magna Carta, the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution of the United States are all based on the Bible. 52 out of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence were Christians. 34% of all citations in the Constitution came from the Bible.

Personal Illustration: Having come from a nation not founded on Judeo-Christian values, I can tell you that this nation was built on biblical values and it can stand only as long as it stands on biblical values.

Back to Daniel – The governors and satraps caught Daniel praying and ran to the king and accused him. The king tried to free Daniel but the ungodly men were not going to let him off that easily and finally he had to give the command to cast him into the lion’s den. All night he couldn’t sleep or eat and very early he ran to the den of lions crying loudly “Daniel, has your God saved you?” You know the rest of the account. The King had those men who accused Daniel and their families thrown into the den and they were destroyed.

Now listen to Daniel 6     25Then King Darius wrote: To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.26I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdommen musttremble and fear before the God of Daniel.For He isthe living God,And steadfast forever;His kingdomis the onewhich shall not be destroyed,And His dominionshall endureto the end.27         He delivers and rescues,And He works signs and wondersIn heaven and on earth,Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.” What a revival!

Invitation: Are you praying for our nation? Will you cast your vote according to your biblical convictions? Are you saved?

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