Rejoice by Dr. Abidan Shah

May 23, 2020 By in 2020, America, Bible, bible study, Christ, Christian Life, Church, Community, Conflict, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Doctrine, Encouragement, Eternal Life, Evangelism, Faith, God the Father, gospel, Grace, Hope, Humility, Jesus, Kingdom of God, Life, mercy, Mind, Paul, Philippians, Praise, Prayer, Salvation, sermon, Together, Truth, Uncategorized, Unity Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

Rejoice

REJOICE by Dr. Abidan Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Introduction: A big thanks to our wonderful team and our volunteers for getting everything ready for us to get back in! It’s good to be back in! I don’t know how it has been for you but, for me, every day I’ve had to choose how I would face this crisis. I could choose either to live by fear and stress or I could choose to live by faith and rejoice. Human beings have been endowed with the gift of choice unlike the animal world. Animals choose but they do it out of instinct. Our dog gets really stressed when there’s a storm coming because she is scared of thunder and lighting. She gets really happy when she sees us because she knows that we love her and we will give her a treat. We had a cat too but I could never figure him out. Unlike animals, our choices are far more complex, and motivated by moral values and consequences. How did you choose to face this crisis? Did you choose to live by your instinct and fear or did you choose to live by your faith and rejoice?

Here’s the point: To rejoice through a crisis is a choice that every believer must make. If not, there will be fear and strife. It’s in choosing to rejoice that we have the peace of God and we can see the God of peace.

In our series through Paul’s letter to the Philippians, we come to Philippians 4:4 for our message titled “REJOICE.” Let’s turn there.

Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!”

Context: As Paul was wrapping up his letter to the Philippians, he told them twice to rejoice. This is not a new command that he was introducing now. He had been telling them to do that all along. Philippians 2     17 “Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.” Again, in Philippians 3:1 “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it issafe.” He even gave his own example in rejoicing. Philippians 1:18 “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.” Don’t forget that Paul was in a Roman prison and he wasn’t sure if he was going to make it out alive. Paul could have been stressed and depressed. He could have even told the Philippians to be sad and mournful for him. To the contrary, he chose joy and told his “joy and crown,” the Philippians, to do the same.

What does it mean to rejoice? People often confuse peace with joy. In our book “30 Days Through a Crisis,” Nicole and I explain the difference. Peace is the calm assurance that God is in control and that everything will be okay. Joy is an outward celebration of God’s goodness. The Old Testament talks about joy with the Hebrew word “simchah,” which referred to singing, dancing, clapping, and other similar expressions during festive occasions like seeing a loved one, hearing good news, victory over an enemy, harvest, wedding, etc. The psalms are full of words of rejoice. In the New Testament, joy (chara) was the celebration of the coming of the Messiah. It’s the experience of being in Christ and having the fullness of the Spirit. You could be going through the worst of times and still be joyful because you are in Christ and you cannot lose the fullness of the Spirit. Yes, there will be tough days when we may not feel well, get a bad report, or lose a loved one, but, because the source of your joy is in Christ and his life, we can still rejoice. Question: If all that is true, why did we let this crisis steal our joy?

How do I rejoice? Do I jump up and down? Do I need to act all happy? Paul is about to teach us how starting in verse 5 “Let your gentleness be known to all men.” The Greek word is “epieikes.” It is one of the attributes of God. In the LXX, that word “epieikes” is used in Psalm 85:5 “Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?” God does not hold grudges. Same word is used by Paul in 2 Corinthians 10:1 “Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ…”Christ was meek and gentle in the face of suffering. By the way, 5 “Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.” Meaning: The True Examiner who can see the outside and inside is watching and coming soon to judge us.

Principle: To rejoice, you have to be gentle instead of judgmental.

6 “Be anxious for nothing…” The Greek word “merimnaw” was used by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount – Matthew 6     31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?’ or “What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”Unfortunately, we get anxious during crisis. Instead, “but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” In other words, when you pray, remember to thank God for what he has already done for you.

For e.g. Clearview Staff families came together each week to pray for you.

Principle: To rejoice, you have to pray with gratefulness rather than panic.

What will be result? 7 “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” There is a peace that the world has. It is the absence of conflict. We are not talking about that. The peace we are talking about goes far beyond (huperecho). It is the calm assurance that all is well and will turn out for the best. It is knowing deep within that no matter what the headlines are saying and the pundits are prognosticating, the living true God is in control. It is knowing that Jesus is in the storm with us and he will stand up and say “Peace, be still.” By the way, this is much more than just some intellectual understanding. This peace of God stands as a sentry guarding us through the crisis.

Principle: To rejoice, you need the peace of God to guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus

8 “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things arejust, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” So many times, through my life, especially through this crisis, I have thought about this passage. The Greek word is “logizomai.” Previously, Paul used the word “phronema,” which as a verb means “to think,” “to judge,” or “to set one’s mind on.” Now, he used “logizomai,” which means to “consider,” “think,” “ponder,” “reason,” “meditate.” What do I focus on? In some sense, this is about focusing on the beautiful, inspiring, and profitable things, but it’s much more than that. The only place we will find all of these things in one place is in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the man from heaven who has demonstrated heavenly citizenship values.

  • whatever things are true, – Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
  • whatever things are noble, – At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow.
  • whatever things are just, – Jesus took God’s justice and offered us mercy.
  • whatever things are pure, – Jesus is God’s Holy and Righteous One.
  • whatever things are lovely, – Jesus was common and yet he demonstrated glory.
  • whatever things are of good report, – Jesus grew in favor with God and man.
  • if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – Revelation 5 11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

Principle: To rejoice, you have to choose to focus on your heavenly citizenship values.

9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

For e.g. When we went out to serve our community, not recklessly, we saw the God of peace, Jesus Christ in the faces of people.

Principle: To rejoice, follow those who have the God of peace with them.

I began the message with this statement: To rejoice through a crisis is a choice that every believer must make. If not, there will be fear and strife. It’s in choosing to rejoice that we have the peace of God and we can see the God of peace.

Invitation: How did you choose to face this crisis? Did you choose to live by your instinct and fear or did you choose to live by your faith and rejoice?

Do you have a reason to rejoice? Are your sins forgiven? Are you saved?

Press On by Dr. Abidan Shah

May 15, 2020 By in 2020, America, Bible, bible study, Christ, Christian Life, Church, Communion, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Eternal Life, Evangelism, Faith, God the Father, God's Timing, God's will, Grace, Graduation, Hermeneutics, History, Hope, Humility, Jesus, King Jesus, Legalism, Life, Life of Christ, love, mercy, Mind, ministry, Patience, Peace, Philippians, religion, Righteousness, Salvation, Savior, scripture, sermon, theology, Trial, Uncategorized, Unity Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Press On

PRESS ON by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Introduction: As many of you may know, the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo had to be postponed to next year because of the COVID-19 crisis. One of my favorite events is the 100-meters dash, where you see the fastest man or woman on earth. My favorite athlete in that event is Jesse Owens. He represented the United States at the Berlin Olympics in 1936, where he was not just competing against other athletes but against Hitler’s Nazi ideology. What many people don’t realize is that he grew up in a devout Christian home. When he was five years of age, he had a fibrous tumor on his chest. Since his parents were just poor sharecroppers, they could not afford any medical care. So, his mother, Emma, took a sharp kitchen knife, sterilized it, and removed a golf ball size tumor from his chest. You can only imagine the pain he must have felt. The bleeding continued for days and little Jesse Owens remembers his dad, Henry, praying for him, “Oh, Lord Jesus, ‘Please, please, hear me. I know you hear everything, but this saving means everything. She’ll die if he dies — and if she dies, Lord, we’ll all die — all of us.’” Within minutes the bleeding stopped. God answered his prayers. But, listen to Jesse Owens philosophy on running. He was told to run as if the track were on fire. He said, “I let my feet spend as little time on the ground as possible. From the air, fast down, and from the ground, fast up.” I cannot think of a better philosophy for living the Christian life – “Christian life is a race. If we’re going to win the gold medal, Christ, we have no time to fuss with each other or to look back. Instead, we are to help each other press on to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of us.”That’s the title of our message today – PRESS ON – in our series on Paul’s letters to the Philippians.

Philippians 3     12 “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Question: How are you running the Christian race? Will you win the gold medal? We are not competing against each other but against the world, the flesh, and the Devil. Who is winning? You cannot be in the race unless you are saved. Are you saved?

Context: Athletics or competitive sports were a big part of Greco-Roman life. Altogether there were 4 Panhellenic games: Olympic (Olympia), Isthmian (Corinth), Pythian (Delphi), and Nemean (Peloponnesian region). There were also some lesser games. More than likely, Paul went to the Isthmian games because he was in Corinth planting the church the years those games were held there in AD 49 and 51. That’s why he was in tent-making because spectators came from everywhere and needed some shelter during the games. What a perfect opportunity for Paul to share the gospel!

How did the people see these games? We have historical evidence that the Greeks, Romans, Jewish people, and many other ethnic groups came to these events. Although most of the games were for males and attended only by males, there were other games for females as well. These events were not just athletic events, they were also religious events where there were sacrifices to certain deities on the opening and closing days. The athletes even believed that the gods themselves helped them to win. The games were a display of excellence (“arete”), both external (beauty) and internal (goodness). These two aspects are what made someone a good citizen. They thought that an athlete was made into the ideal citizen in the gym through education and practice. Then, the citizens came together in the “agon” or gathering to observe these ideals. The idea was “if a person looked good, then he was a good person.” What about injuries? A mangled ear, broken nose, scars, and intense exhaustion was a sign of endurance through difficulties that led to a superior character.

What would the athletes get for winning the competition? They would get the “stephanos” or foliage crown (wreaths made out of olive, wild celery, or pine), but there were also cash rewards. Depending on how great their achievements, there would also be statues, monuments, and inscriptions. What if you were to lose? In many cases, this was a disgrace. One Stoic philosopher wrote, “In the Olympic Games you cannot just be beaten and depart, but first of all, you will be disgraced not only before the people of Athens or Sparta or Nikopolis but before the whole world. In the second place, if you withdraw without sufficient reason you will be whipped. And this whipping comes after your training which involves thirst and broiling heat and swallowing handfuls of sand.”

Did Paul take interest in those games? We don’t know for sure but he used a lot of athletic imagery in his letters. More than any other sport, he made mention of the “foot race” or “trecho,” from which we get our English word “trek.” These races took place inside a 600 feet enclosure known as the “stadios,” from which we get our English word “stadium.” Nicole and I have been on the race track in Olympia. It was unreal to stand there knowing that athletes had ran there for thousands of years! There were 3 kinds of foot races: first, the “stadion,” which was a dash from the starting line “balbis” to the “terma” (finish line), about 200 meters long; second, the “diaulos,” which was a dash from one side to the other and back, about 400 meters long; and the “dolichos,” which was 24 lengths of the stadium, about 5 miles long. He mentions this race about 3-4 times in his letter to the Philippians. Nicole and I have been to Philippi, Greece. Although, there was no stadium there, there is evidence that people had interest in athletics in Philippi. By the second century AD, a “palaestra” was built there next to the agora. Participating in the games and attending them were probably seen as a mark of preserving their Hellenic/Greek identity.

With all this in mind, let’s walk quickly through Philippians 3:12 onwards:

If you remember from last weekend, Paul counted all his achievements (5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless) as loss (zemeia), actually unspeakable filth (skubalon) compared to gaining Christ. Now, through Christ, he has justification, sanctification, and glorification.

Now, Paul turns to the athletic imagery of a runner.

Philippians 3     12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, (dioko = move rapidly and decisively towards an objective) that I may lay hold of (katalambano = grasp) that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind (past achievements and crowns) and reaching forward (epekteinomai = stretching forward) to those things which are ahead,

14 I press (dioko) toward the goal (skopos) for the prize (brabeion) of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.

16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.

17 Brethren, join in following my example (symmimetai, from which we get mimic but this is in a group context), and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.

18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

19 whose end (telos) is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.

20 For our citizenship (politeuma = citizenship) is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” The church is the “agon” in which the “arete” is achieved.

21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Philippians 4:1 Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown (stephanos), so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.

I said in the opening: “Christian life is a race. If we’re going to win the gold medal, Christ, we have no time to fuss with each other or to look back. Instead, we are to help each other press on to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of us.”

Invitation:

  • How are you running the race?
  • Are you too busy fussing about useless things?
  • Are you distracted from the race?
  • Are you following the wrong athletes?
  • Are you reaching forward to the crown?
  • Are you helping others reach forward to the crown?
  • Are you in the race? Are you saved?

True Gains by Dr. Abidan Shah

May 8, 2020 By in 2020, America, Bible, bible study, born again, Christ, Christian Life, Church, Communion, Community, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Encouragement, Eternal Life, Faith, Forgiveness, gospel, Grace, Holy Spirit, Hope, Humility, Jesus, King Jesus, Life, Life of Christ, mercy, Mind, Paul, People, Philippians, Prayer, Pride, religion, repentance, rest, Revival, Salvation, sermon, Stress, Success, theology, Truth, Uncategorized, Unity Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

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TRUE GAINS by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Introduction:  Before the COVID-19 shutdown, our Clearview staff would meet every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at our local Y to workout. One of our codewords was “It’s time for some gains.” By that we meant, “It’s time for us to gain some muscles.” Some days, it was tough to get up early on a cold morning and drive to the gym. It was such a good feeling to sleep in, but, compared to the good feeling of working out, it was loss. By the way, one of us did a lot of looking in the mirror and admiring his gains but we’re not going to talk about that! So also, in the Christian life, we have to decide what really matters. What are the true gains in the Christian life? True Gains for a believer are knowing Christ and being found in him. Unfortunately, we substitute these gains for things that only lead to self-righteous pride and disunity. Our message today is titled “TRUE GAINS” in our series through Paul’s letter to the Philippians.

Philippians 3     7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;

Question: What things do you consider as gains in your life? What would you be willing to give up in order to gain Christ? Before you can gain Christ, you have to find Christ. Have you found Christ? Are you saved?

Context: So far, in this series on Philippians, we have learned that the Christians in Philippi were struggling with both internal and external problems. Internally, they were struggling with disunity in the body. Externally, they were facing persecution from their neighbors. This was very detrimental to their existence. Paul wrote this letter both to settle their disputes and to strengthen them. His answer to their situation was “have the mind of Christ.” Philippians 2:5, “let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” In other words, if they were going to get along and survive the persecution, they needed a mind-renewal to match the mind of Christ. Developing a mind like the mind of Christ was another way of saying, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:13). So, how should they behave if they’ve had this mind transformation, this working out of salvation? Here’s a checklist in Philippians 2    14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, (Do you do all things without complaining and disputing?) 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, (Have you become blameless and harmless?) children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, (Are you a child of God without fault, shining as lights in the world?) 16 holding fast the word of life, (Are you holding fast the word of life?) so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.” (Are you giving others opportunity to rejoice in the day of Christ?)

But, Paul didn’t stop here. He went on to address the source of their conflicts. If there is a crack in the wall, we can keep patching it or we can find the problem and do some real fixing so the crack doesn’t come back. Paul wants to fix the problem under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, not just for the Philippians but for all of us. Let’s look at how he does that, one verse at a time:

3     1 “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. It seems that Paul is about to end his letter, but wait! 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!” Between verses 1 and 2, there is a radical shift in tone. Scholars have debated this section to no end. Some have even said that there must be some other letter by Paul that got inserted here. I believe that this is one and the same letter. You have to read it in its rhetorical context. Remember, Paul was trained by the best of both Jewish and Greek worlds. What is the purpose for the shift in tone? Paul wants to deal with root problem of disunity among the Philippian Christians—Pride through self-righteousness. Paul doesn’t just come out and accuse them of pride and arrogance. That would be too much in your face or misjudging the wrong person, which we often do.

Instead, Paul lays out the example of those who demonstrate pride through self-righteousness: the Judaizers. These were people who were claiming to be Christians but still wanted to practice the Old Testament practices like circumcision. They contradicted and opposed Paul’s ministry, and they must have infiltrated the Philippian Church. Listen again to how he describes them in verse 2 “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!” The Greek word for dog “kuon” is the word from which we get our word “canine.” In Latin, it would be “Cave Canem” = “Beware/Watch for Dog.” Was Paul being hateful?Here Paul is using the word that was reserved for the Gentiles. Also, mutilation is the word “katatome.” Here again the word was used to describe those Gentiles who tried to practice circumcision (peritome) but they were only mutilating themselves. There was no covenant with God in their ritual. Unfortunately, the Judaizers had the same attitude even in the church towards those who were not circumcised. They would act uppity with them, as if they were privileged. What a sad thing to do? It could very well be that some of the people in the Philippian church had some Jewish background or they may have picked up some of these bad behaviors.

Principle: All pride is bad but spiritual pride is the most destructive. It is nauseating to the lost world; it demoralizes younger believers; and it angers God.

Listen to Paul’s response: 3 “For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”

Application: Are you worshipping God in the Spirit? Are you rejoicing in Christ Jesus? Do you have confidence in the flesh? Is it about how long you’ve been in church? Is it about your spiritual pedigree? Is it about your Bible knowledge?

Paul now gives his own example: 4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

Instead of taking pride in any of this—7 But what things were gain (“kerdos”) to me, these I have counted loss (“zemia”) for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” The word for “rubbish” is “skubalon,” which refers to “unspeakable filth” or “dung.” Keep in mind: Paul did not say that these things are rubbish. But, compared to gaining Christ, they are rubbish.

What did Paul consider as his gains now? 3 things:

  1. His Justification (that event by which we are set or declared to be in right relation with God): 9 “and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.”
  2. His Sanctification (that event that God is daily working in our lives to make us more like him): 10 “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” Grammatically, to know Christ is to experience the power of his resurrection and to join him in his sufferings.
  3. His Glorification (that event that God will one day welcome us into what he has prepared for us): 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Here are the true gains? Justification – saved from the penalty of sin; Sanctification – saved from the power of sin; and Glorification – saved from the presence of sin.

Invitation: How are your gains? What do you think of your justification, sanctification, and glorification? Are you saved?

 

 

Episode 65: The Gathering of the Church

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In this episode, the Clearview staff sit down to talk about the importance of gathering together at a central location and how we as Christians can never forsake that fellowship. If you have any questions or topics you’d like for us to discuss, send us an email at carpemanana@clearviewbc.org! Hope you enjoy the episode!

Pick up Dr. Shah and Nicole’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/30-Days-Through-Crisis-Devotions-ebook/dp/B08745XHQX/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=30+days+through+a+crisis&qid=1588876433&sr=8-1

Single-Minded by Dr. Abidan Shah

May 1, 2020 By in 2020, America, Awakening, Bible, bible study, Christ, Christian Life, Conscience, Conversion, COVID-19, Eternal Life, Faith, Glory, God's will, gospel, Grace, Hope, Humility, Jesus, joy, King, King Jesus, Life, Life of Christ, mercy, Mind, ministry, Obedience, parables, Paul, Philippians, Truth, Uncategorized, young generation Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

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SINGLE-MINDED by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson, NC

Introduction: How many of have ever heard or asked questions like—“What were you thinking?” “Did you not think?” “What was going through your mind?” “What possessed you to do that?” I remember a story that my parents often told about my brother when he was about 5 years old. He really wanted a slingshot, and so, they got him one; but, they told him to take it outside. It wasn’t 5 minutes before they heard a loud shatter. The beautiful new Fisher radio in the living room was in pieces. Through the slightly open screen door, they saw my brother standing in the driveway with the slingshot in his hand. They rushed outside to ask him, “Why did you do that?” His answer: “Because I had a clear shot.” In other words, his behavior did not have much reasoning behind it. That’s how many people think about why they do what they do. Here’s the message in a nutshell: We’ve often heard, “what you believe is how you behave.” That’s not exactly true. Unless the Holy Spirit has renewed your mind by what you believe, you will behave as you’ve always behaved. In other words, between belief and behavior, there is the becoming by the transformation of the mind through the Holy Spirit. We’re in our series on Paul’s letter to the Philippians and our message is titled “SINGLE-MINDED.”

Philippians 2     1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,

Question: Do your actions match your beliefs? Has your mind been renewed by the Holy Spirit? You cannot have this transformation until you are saved. Are you saved?

Context: If you remember from the past two messages, there had been some divisions among the Philippians. There some bad behavior going on. Listen to Philippians 1:27“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” In other words, the last that Paul had heard, the Philippians were not standing fast in one spirit; they were not with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. We know that at least in the conflict between Euodia and Syntyche, two women who were helpful to Paul in the gospel. Not only this but verse 28-29 give us the indication that they were also facing some opposition from the outside that was causing some fears. So, what is his solution? Listen to Philippians 2:1 “Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy.” Paul appeals to what they believe in general. But, now pay attention to Verse 2 “fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” There is a Greek word that Paul uses repeatedly here—“phronema.” He uses that word about 11 times in 2 different forms. The only letter in which he uses phronema” more than in Philippians is Romans (about 17 times in 5 forms). What does that word mean? Before we look at the meaning of that word, always remember that “words get their ultimate meaning from their contexts.” Having said that, “phronema” means “mind,” “thought,” or “way of thinking.” As a verb, it means “to think,” “to judge,” or “to set one’s mind on.” Paul goes on to verse 3 “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Again, the word for mind is a derivative of “phronema,” which literally reads “humble-mindedness.” 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Meaning: If your mind has been renewed or reconfigured to humility, then think about others. If all this is still not enough to motivate you to get along, then verse 5 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Again, the form of the word “phronema” is here.

Principle: The point is that the remedy for your bad behavior is for the right beliefs to transform your mind.

Let’s pause here: If your behavior is not matching your belief, it’s because the becoming by the transformation of the mind through the Holy Spirit is not happening. In other words, between Belief and Behavior, there is the Becoming. This is not something novel. There is a much clearer example of this in Paul’s letter to the Romans. If you’ve studied Romans, you know that you can basically divide the letter into 2 halves: Romans 1-11 and Romans 12-16. The first half is theology and the second half is behavior. The first half (Romans 1-11) is about the depravity of human beings, the answer of the gospel, the problem of sin, death, and the law, and the place of ethnic Israel (the Jewish people) in God’s eternal plan of salvation. The second half (Romans 12-16) is about how to live in community, how to be good citizens, how to love our neighbor, how to prepare for the soon return of Jesus, and how to deal with the old traditions. What is important for our purpose is that right in the middle Paul writes Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” The idea is that there should be a change of mind based on what you know is true so that you can behave differently than you did before. By the way, what is the mind? I preached a message on this last year. The Mind is made up of 7 ingredients in my opinion

  • Created by God to respond to him but damaged by sin until salvation.
  • Uniquely designed by the combination of our genetic ancestors, good and bad.
  • Softened towards God or hardened against him by our upbringing.
  • Redeemed by our acceptance of Christ or condemned by our rejection of him.
  • Renewed by our growth in Christ, his Word and Spirit, and godly fellowship.
  • Tarnished or transformed by how we handle the circumstances of life.
  • All the above under the grace and providence of God with the freedom to reject or obey him.

Here’s the principle: Theology does not automatically impact lifestyle. There has to be a transformation by the renewing of your mind through the Holy Spirit.

Illustration: I can say that I believe in gravity but if I don’t accept the basic definition of gravity that “whatever goes up must come down,” I will step off this stage expecting to fly and come crashing down. I can fly but only if I understand and use the principles of aerodynamics to counter gravity.

Question: Has there been a transformation by the renewing of your mind? This is where daily Bible reading, good Bible preaching and teaching comes in.

So, let’s quickly go back to Philippians 2:1. What are the right beliefs? Keep in mind that Paul is not getting into some deep theological truths here. He’s just appealing to what they believe in general:

  • “if there is any consolation in Christ” meaning “if being in Christ means anything to you.”
  • “if any comfort of love” meaning “if God’s love has comforted you.”
  • “if any fellowship of the Spirit” meaning “if you have experienced the blessing of being in the Holy Spirit together.”
  • “if any affection and mercy” meaning “if you have experienced God’s love and mercy in your life.”

If all this still does not help you submit to the transformation of your mind, then try the example of Jesus. What does his thinking look like? Philippians 2      6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, (Better translation: “who being in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to grasp after”) 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. This example/worship should be transformational in your life.

What should this example/worship of Jesus cause you to do? Philippians 2:12“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Working out your salvation with fear and trembling means work for the full realization of your salvation in your life. It’s another way of saying “be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” But, who is really doing the work? 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for Hisgood pleasure.

Main point: Confession does not become Conduct unless there is a Change in Cognition by the Holy Spirit.

Has this change of thinking happened through the Holy Spirit in your marriage, towards your loved ones, towards your church family, towards your neighbors, towards the lost around you?

Are you saved? Do you have the Holy Spirit? Are you submitted to his renewal of your mind? Is your behavior negating your beliefs?

Gospel-Centric by Dr. Abidan Shah

April 24, 2020 By in 2020, America, Bible, bible study, Christ, Christian Life, Church, Community, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Eternal Life, Evangelism, Faith, Glory, God's will, gospel, Grace, Holiness, Hope, Jesus, King Jesus, Kingdom of God, Life, Life of Christ, love, religion, repentance, rest, Salvation, Sin, Together, Trial, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

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GOSPEL-CENTRIC by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson

Introduction: Do you know someone who is really into something like a hobby, sport, or some cause? They talk about it all the time. They want you to get excited about it just as much as they are. I knew someone like that when we lived back in Georgia about 25 years ago. Nicole and I were friends with this couple from her dad’s church. The man was an A-grade mechanic and was also big into Nascar. He would talk to me about it all the time about the size of the engines, the pistons, the tire pressure, and on and on. Even though I didn’t know a thing about Nascar, before long I was talking about Rusty Wallace, Jeff Gordon, Bill Elliott, Ernie Irwin, and Dale Earnhardt (No. 3). I was coming home after church and actually watching the races! Once we moved, I sort of stayed into it and then I lost interest. So also, with the gospel, there are people who are so consumed with the gospel that they can’t help but talk about it all the time. They love sharing the gospel. They are gospel-centric. When you are around such people, you become just like them. You also become gospel-centric. That’s the title of our message today in our new series through Paul’s letter to the Philippians titled “COMMUNITY.”

Philippians 1     3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now…7 “… both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace…12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel…27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ…” 4:15 Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only.

Question: Paul’s ministry was gospel-centric. He wanted the Philippians to make their church gospel-centric as well. How much is your life gospel-centric? Do you think our church is gospel-centric enough? Do you know the gospel? Are you saved?

Context: If you grew up in church, you probably heard the word “gospel” at some point. How important is this word “gospel”? You may have heard it before or maybe from me that the word “gospel” comes from the old Anglo-Saxon word “godspell,” which was an abbreviation of “goodspell.” “Good” means good, of course, but “spell” means story or news. So, Gospel = Good News. But, in today’s message, we are going deeper and looking at the Greek word behind gospel—“euangelion.” It is found several hundred times in various forms in the New Testament, about 84 times in Paul’s letters, and about 9 times in his letter to the Philippians. For starters, it was not invented by Paul or by the other New Testament writers. Neither was it borrowed from the Greco-Roman world, even though it was used to refer to good news like the birth of the emperor and special decrees by him, and sacrifices were offered to the gods when the “euangelion” of victory came to them. This helps our understanding of the word but the New Testament writers had a different source for “euangelion.” It was the Old Testament, especially Isaiah 40-66, where it talks about the coming of the Messiah. Listen to Isaiah 61:1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings (Here, the Greek word for “good tidings” in the LXX is “euangelizo” from “euangelion”) to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.” The gospel was rooted in the Scriptures as the promise of the coming Messiah. The world was in bad news but good news was in its way!

When Jesus came, he saw his ministry as a fulfillment of this prophecy. At the start of his ministry, he went into the synagogue and read Isaiah 61, and declared “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 6:21). Then, he went everywhere preaching the gospel of the kingdom and doing the things listed in Isaiah 61. When John the Baptizer doubted Jesus’ ministry, Jesus quoted Isaiah 61 in Matthew 11     5 “The blind see and thelame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” When the gospel writers wrote about the ministry of Jesus, they also used the same word “euangelion” to refer to his coming— Mark 1:1 “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” This continued in the early church where the book of Acts repeatedly used the word “euangelion” to refer to the coming of God’s Kingdom through Jesus Christ, his death, and his resurrection. Both Peter and Paul referred to themselves as preachers/ministers of the gospel: Acts 15:7 “…And…Peter…said to them: “Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe”; Acts 20:24 “…nor do I (Paul) count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

The point I am making here is that the Old Testament writers, Jesus, gospel writers, the early church, and the pillars of the church (Peter and Paul) were all gospel-centric. Their main focus was bringing the good news to the world that was under bad news.

Question: Are you gospel-centric? Is our church gospel-centric?

Let’s get back to Philippians: In what ways was Paul gospel-centric to the Philippians? He uses the word “euangelion” 9 times in this letter. Let’s quickly look at them:

Philippians 1    3 “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.”

  1. The gospel binds us in fellowship.

Philippians 1:7 “just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.”

  1. The gospel opens opportunities for God’s grace.

Philippians 1:12 “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel.”

  1. The gospel takes precedence over trials.

Philippians 1     15 “Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.”

  1. The gospel neutralizes bitter envy.

Philippians 1:27 “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”

  1. The gospel demands a certain conduct.

Philippians 2    21 “For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. 22 But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel.”

  1. The gospel proves selflessness.

Philippians 4     2 I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.

  1. The gospel increases our value.

Phil. 4:15 Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only.

  1. The gospel offers opportunities to partner.

Question: Is the gospel the glue that holds our fellowship together? Does the gospel take precedence over our personal trials? Are you living up to the conduct worthy of the gospel? Are you partnering with others in sharing the gospel?

Here’s the final question: What is the content of the gospel? Paul actually gives us the content of the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15    1 “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved…3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: (Meaning: Paul is not the manufacturer of the gospel) that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, (There’s the bad news) 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, (There’s the good news) 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren…” (There’s the proof of the good news)

Question: Do you understand this gospel? Do you believe this gospel? Are you on the gospel of train? Or, have you lost your train of thought and are stranded with some poor substitutes?

Community by Dr. Abidan Shah

April 17, 2020 By in Bible, Christian Life, Community, Paul, Philippians, Together, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Community

COMMUNITY by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson, NC

Introduction: The history of our world is littered with countless obsoletes. Think about the technological obsoletes of the past few decades—phone booths, calling cards, pagers, palm pilots, floppy disks, Kodak films, calculator watches, Sony Walkman, etc. Many of the things we use today will probably become obsolete by tomorrow. Lately, in light of the current crisis, some people are claiming that even how we interact with each other (shaking hands, gathering in crowds) is going to become obsolete and they are applying this even to the church. They are claiming that we won’t necessarily come together physically. Instead, we may do all this over technology with small groups of people gathering here and there. Please listen carefully: No matter what will become obsolete in this world with regards to technology and cultural habits, the church of Jesus Christ will never become obsolete. God has said in his word that his church will remain no matter what and the Gates of Hell will not prevail against it. Throughout the history of Christianity, peoples and governments have prognosticated the death of the gathered church. They died but the church still gathers and lives on. Today’s message is heavy on my heart. We’re going back to Paul’s letter to the Philippians. We’ve studied portions of this letter before but now we’re starting a new series titled COMMUNITY.

Philippians 1     1 “Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.”

Question: What do you believe about the gathered church? Do you belong to the church of God? Are you saved?

Background: Those of you who’ve been at Clearview for some time may remember that, in 2018, we went through the first chapter of Philippians, and then, last year (2019), we covered the second chapter. That series was called “MIND (RE)SET.” For the benefit of those who weren’t here last year or the year before, I want to quickly mention 2 things as background information:

First, the Philippians were Paul’s pride and joy. He had founded the church in Philippi. If you remember, Paul had come to Philippi in response to the Macedonian Call. Acts 16 tells us of 3 dramatic conversions: first, a business woman named Lydia by the Zygaktis or Krenides River (I’ve been there); second, a slave girl who was demon possessed; and third was the Philippian jailer and his whole family. If you want to know how Paul felt about the Philippian church, listen again to Philippians 1:3 “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you…”

Question: Do you thank God every time you think about the church? Do you miss the time we had together? Do people say that about you?

Second, this was not just an ordinary letter. Paul wrote this letter from a prison cell in Rome. How do we know that? Philippians 1:7 “…both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel…” Again, verse 13 “so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ.” More than likely, Paul was in a house arrest situation since he was able to send letters and receive friends. Nonetheless, this was a serious situation. Listen to Philippians 1:20 “…Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.” Meaning: There was a strong possibility that Paul will not make it alive out of this prison. In the midst of such grave uncertainty, Paul took the time to write to the Philippian church. Why? When we read the letter carefully, we find 2 hints that help us understand the purpose for the letter:

  1. Paul mentions the word “chara” joy about 5 times in various forms:
  • Philippians 1:4 “always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy.”
  • Philippians 1:25 “…I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith.”
  • Philippians 2:2 “…fulfill my joy by being like-minded”
  • In Philippians 2:29 Paul wants them to receive Epaphroditus, one of his companions in ministry, with joy.
  • Philippians 4:1 Paul calls them, “…my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown…”

Paul also uses the related word “chairo” meaning rejoice about 7 times in various forms. The most famous one being Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” Because of this some people have assumed that Philippians is Paul’s letter to teach us the importance of Joy in the midst of trials. This could’ve been true if it wasn’t for the second hint.

  1. Paul repeatedly talks about division among the Philippians.
  • Philippians 1:27 “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ…stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”
  • Philippians 2:2 “…fulfill my joy by being like-minded”
  • Philippians 2 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
  • Philippians 2:14 “Do all things without complaining and disputing.”
  • Philippians 3:16 “…let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.”
  • Philippians 4:2 “I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.”

What exactly was happening in the Philippian church? There were divisions in the body and because of that joy was leaking out. Please listen very carefully: Nothing will deplete joy in the Christian life faster than division in your life, your marriage, your family, and your church. All it takes is for one divisive person to start something and before you know it, the whole body is infected with a spirit of division.

The current crisis has scattered the church. That doesn’t have to be bad if we try to use it as a limited time opportunity to spread the gospel of God in creative ways. Then, it’s time to come back together as a church. Technology can never be a substitute to the actual gathering of the people of God in a physical location. Pockets of people meeting online or in someone’s home is not church. How about Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them”? Have you read the context? Let me read to you Matthew 18:17 “And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.” That passage about 2 or 3 is given in the context of church discipline! Don’t get me wrong. We want small groups, Sunday School groups, and inner circles, but they are not to become a substitute for church.

Let me go back to where we began: No matter what will become obsolete in this world with regards to technology and cultural habits, the church of Jesus Christ will never become obsolete. God has said in his word that his church will remain no matter what and the Gates of Hell will not prevail against it.

  • Jesus is the founder of the church. Anything he has founded cannot be destroyed. In fact, the church is referred to as the “bride of Christ” (Revelation 19 and 21).
  • The church is not just a group hanging out here and there. It refers to the assembly in Jerusalem, Antioch, Derbe, Lystra, Ephesus, Philippi, etc. 1 Corinthians 10:17 “For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.”
  • When Paul talks about the church, he is referring to the “concrete assembly of those who have been baptized at a specific place.” (J. Roloff) The model were the early synagogues of the Jewish people. Yes, the church are the people primarily but the places they met is also the church. It was a visible representation of their presence in a city or town. That’s why I like the steeple.
  • Listen to the imagery of the church in Ephesians 2 19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

The famous theologian John Stott said, “The church lies at the very center of the eternal purpose of God. It is not a divine afterthought. It is not an accident of history.”

Throughout the history of Christianity, peoples and governments have prognosticated the death of the gathered church. They died but the church still gathers and lives on.

Hebrews 10    24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhortingone another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Conclusion: What do you believe about the church, the physical gathering of the body of believers in a physical location? Do you think God has stepped away from the church, saying, “this Covid-19 really got me; y’all going to have to figure this one out”? If you care about the Lord, then you will care about his bride, the church. Are you allowing someone to create division in the body? Are you a member of the body of Christ? Are you saved?

Herald by Dr. Abidan Shah

April 11, 2020 By in 2020, Bible, born again, Christ, Christian Life, Community, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Cross, Death, Easter, Eternal Life, Evangelism, Faith, Feasts, God's will, gospel, Heaven, Hope, Jesus, King Jesus, Kingdom of God, Life, Life of Christ, love, religion, repentance, scripture, sermon, Uncategorized, Unity Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

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HERALD by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson, NC

Introduction: People everywhere are living in the grip of fear and hopelessness, even believers. It’s no different than how that small group of disciples must have felt after Jesus, their Master, had been unjustly tried and then brutally crucified right before their eyes. This was now the third day since he had been laid in a tomb. Little did they know that they were about to become the first heralds of the resurrected king. Here’s the gist of our message: Fear and hopelessness will keep you from becoming a herald of the resurrected king. Love is the only vaccine that will cure fear and faith is the only key that will unlock the door of hopelessness. This is our final message of our series titled HOSANNA and it’s called HERALD.

Luke 24     1 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certainother women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5 Then, as they were afraid and bowedtheir faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7saying, “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’” 8 And they remembered His words. 9 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.

Question: Are you living in the grip of fear? Have you been plagued by hopelessness? Have you checked the level of God’s love in your heart lately? Are you plugged into his truth? Do you know Jesus? He loves you and he is the Truth. Are you saved?

Context: In order to truly understand how the disciples were feeling after the crucifixion of Jesus, we need to backup to Luke 23    44 “Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, ‘Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ Having said this, He breathed His last.” All this was so incredible, so bizarre, and so mind blowing, that people knew right away that something really bad had just been done. Luke tells us several things:

  • The Roman centurion said, “Certainly this was a righteous man!”
  • The whole crowd that was there began to beat their breasts and started leaving. It was a sign of mourning.
  • How about those who followed Jesus? Luke 23:49 “But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.”
  • Some were probably shell-shocked – “I can’t believe it.”
  • Some were probably angry – “Those hypocrites killed him.”
  • Some were probably afraid – “I think they’ll come after us.”
  • Some were probably blaming each other – “Where’s the mighty Peter?”
  • Some were probably weeping. Those tears kept rolling down their face.

Now the question – “Who is going to get him down? We can’t just let him hang there. It’s Sabbath and that would make it 3 days before we can get his body. But, who’s going to do it?” No volunteers. They were afraid. The disciples and the followers were so gripped with fear that 2 men, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, had to come to their rescue. They were wealthy prominent men, members of the Sanhedrin who had a soft spot for Jesus. They had to pull some strings with Pilate to make it happen. Where were the big strong manly men? Luke 23     55 And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils…” The men were nowhere to be found.

Principle: Fear can be paralyzing. Fear is a choice weapon of the enemy and if I may add, “he’s using it very well in our nation.” Listen to what it says in 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Application: With this crisis facing our nation and the world, we need to exercise caution, follow the guidelines, but we don’t need to live in fear. That’s what the world wants us to do. If we’re truly honest, that’s where many of us are. How about you?

Luke 24:1 “Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certainother women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.” What made them leave the comfort of their homes and step outside? One word, LOVE. It was their love for their Master that enabled them to brave the authorities, the religious leaders, and any danger lurking in the early hours of the morning. How many ladies would agree to going into a graveyard in the early morning while it’s still dark? We’re not even talking about worrying about religious authorities who killed your leader.

Principle: Love will overcome fear. When you love someone, you’ll do anything for them. But there’s more, listen to 1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”You ask, “I don’t get it. How can love drive out fear?” Keep in mind that this promise is given to us in the context of our relationship with God. God is the biggest source of fear. But, when his love is in our hearts, then we know that we don’t have to fear him. If we don’t have to fear him, there is no one or nothing else that’s worthy of our fear.

Application: Are you living in fear? It’s only the love of God in your heart and your love for God that will drive it from you. The reason we fear this, that, and the other is because we don’t fear God enough or love him enough.

Now, as we read in the opening, the women came to the tomb with spices in their hands. The first thing they noticed was that the stone had been rolled away and the body was missing. Then 2 angels stood by them in shining garments. Of course, they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth. Listen again to what the angels said to the women in Luke 24     5 “…Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’” What was their response? 8 And they remembered His words. 9 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. What a change! They believed and went from being hopeless to becoming heralds of the resurrected king.

But, listen to their response? 11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them. Fear was still gripping them but their real problem was unbelief.

Principle: If you have a faith problem, the words of the Bible will feel to you like an idle tale. You will live in hopelessness.

But one person’s response was different. 12 “But Peter…” In the past 24 hours, there were a lot of “But Peters!”

  • Luke 22:54   Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance.
  • Luke 22:58   And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”
  • Luke 22:56 And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.” 57 But he (Peter) denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”
  • Luke 22:58 And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”
  • Luke 22:59   Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!” This one didn’t stop there. Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly.

Back to Luke 24: 12 “But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.” He was willing to believe and hope came in.

Invitation: Are you living in hopelessness? Let’s recap: Fear and hopelessness will keep you from becoming a herald of the resurrected king. Love is the only vaccine that will cure fear and faith is the only key that will unlock the door of hopelessness. Do you know the resurrected king? Are you his herald?

Episode 64: Passion Week 2020 (ft. Nicole Shah)

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Episode 64: Passion Week 2020 (ft. Nicole Shah)

This week, the Clearview Church staff sits down to discuss the importance of Passion Week–why is Good Friday/Easter important and how can we use it during this time to build the Kingdom of God? If you have any questions or have a recommendation for a topic, send us an email at carpemanana@clearviewbc.org. If you like this episode, leave us a 5-star rating and share it with your friends!

Triumphant by Dr. Abidan Shah

April 4, 2020 By in 2020, America, Bible, Biblical convictions, Christ, Christian Life, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Easter, Eternal Life, Faith, Feasts, gospel, Grace, Jesus, King Jesus, Kingdom of God, Life, Life of Christ, Light, Palm Sunday, Psalms, religion, Salvation, Savior, sermon, Truth, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

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TRIUMPHANT by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson, NC

Introduction: I have been to many big cities, but my favorite ones to visit, not live, is Washington DC. I love all the iconic sites (Washington monument, Lincoln Memorial, World War 2 memorial, Capitol Building). We’ve even filmed there before. Our family loves to visit there as well. In fact, last year, friends of ours invited us for a visit inside the White House and it was a trip of a lifetime. Two thousand years ago, Jesus also visited a big city, but he did not come to see the sites. He came to lay his rightful claim as the king of his people. The city was Jerusalem. Unfortunately, the city failed to recognize her king and had him crucified. We are in the third message in our series titled HOSANNA and here’s the gist of the message: Jesus is the rightful king of our hearts. He wants to establish his rule in our hearts. But, he will not force his way in. His rule is received rather than imposed. Today is Palm Sunday and our message is titled TRIUMPHANT.

Matthew 21     1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose themand bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, “The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” 4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 5 “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”

Question: Is Jesus the king of your heart? Have you received his rule over your life? Is he calling the shots in your life? Are you saved?

Context: So far in this series, we looked at the meaning of the word “HOSANNA.” Basically, it has 2 meanings. In the first message, we learned that its main meaning was “Save us now,” something that shows up throughout the Old Testament. In the second message, we learned that in time its meaning became “victory.” More than likely, on Palm Sunday, when Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, the crowd had the second meaning in mind. In today’s message, our focus is more on what Jesus had in mind. Why did he do what he did? What statement was he making? What prophecy was he fulfilling? Ultimately, what does it mean for all of us today? 3 things to notice:

To begin with, we need to notice the change in the DISCOURSE: Until Matthew 16:20, Jesus had focused his ministry on Galilee. Of course, John tells us that he came to Jerusalem several times but his main focus was always in the north. Then, in Matthew 16:21, there was a shift in focus “From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.” In other words, preaching to the disciples, feeding the multitude, healing the sick, and raising the dead was wonderful and necessary, but now it was time to do what he really came to do, which was to give his life on the cross. I love Luke’s rendition of this in Luke 9:51 “Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.” It was a fulfillment of Isaiah 1:7 “Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed.” It was game time.

Application: Do you understand that the crucifixion, death, and the resurrection of Jesus is the center and focus of what he came to do? How much is that the center and focus of your life? Which Jesus are you drawn to?

Second, we need to notice the significance of the DESTINATION: Jesus was not going to any ordinary city. He was headed to Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish people, the place of the temple. R.T. France referred to the temple as the “earthly focus of the religion of Israel.” Listen to how the psalmists describe it. First Psalm 48     1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in His holy mountain. 2 Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.” Next, Psalm 122      1 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the LORD.” 2 Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! 3 Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together, 4 Where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, to the Testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD. 5 For thrones are set there for judgment, the thrones of the house of David. 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. I can read many other passages, but the point is that Jerusalem is the “city of the great King” and “the place where the thrones are set.”

Here’s the point: Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem was not just to go to a big city for a bigger impact. It was to go and make his rightful claim as the King of his people, the people of Israel, the Jewish people. We need to remember that Jesus came more than just to be our Savior. He also came to be our King.

Application: How do you see Jesus? Is he only your Savior or is he also your King? Yes, you need him for the forgiveness of your sins, but it doesn’t stop there. Now, he needs to be the king of your heart. Is he your Savior and your King?

Finally, we need to notice that he is a king who allows us to DECIDE for him.

All this was permission based—Matthew 21.    1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. 3 And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, “The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” 4   All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: 5 “Tell the daughter of Zion,

            ‘Behold, your King is coming to you,

            Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,

            A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”

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.

Matt. 21:6   So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Hosanna in the highest!”

Again, it’s a choice. The crowd understood this even though they failed to see that he was the Son of God and not just some prophet. But, the Jerusalem crowd failed to get him at all. They did not receive their King.

How about you? Is he your king?

 

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