Paul became a servant of God and apostle of Jesus Christ based on his acknowledging the truth. Acknowledging the truth is a characteristic of godliness.

Now what does it mean to acknowledge the truth?  Does it mean to believe in God?  The devils believe in God – James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. That’s not all devil’s believe, they also know who Jesus Christ is – Mark 1:24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

So what does it mean to acknowledge the truth and why did that put Paul on the course to be what Jesus Christ wanted him to be?

Acknowledging the truth is owning the truth. Notice Genesis 38:25-26 Judah takes ownership for the items and God said he acknowledged them.

To acknowledge the truth is to take responsibility for it

Some people want to hear the truth and that’s as far as it goes. It is something else to actually take responsibility for the truth.

If you take responsibility for something, what are some things you do?

Make a place for it

Protect it

Ensure that it stays in good condition.

Paul was a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the responsibility he took for the truth.

To acknowledge the truth is to pay the price for it

Truth has a price.

Proverbs 23:23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

Sometimes the truth cost you your pride when someone tells you the truth.

Sometimes the truth cost you your family.  Or the truth cost you friends.

John 8:31-47 note that Jesus is addressing those that believed on him.

Paul was a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the price he paid for the truth.

To acknowledge the truth is to confess the truth

To own as in confession

I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Psalms 51:3 and 32.

The things that stands between you and growth in the Lord is confession.

John 12:42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:

Paul was a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to his confession of the truth.

To acknowledge the truth is to be grateful for the truth

Acknowledging a gift as in saying “Thank You” and acknowledging the truth is to be grateful for the truth.

2 Corinthians 1:14 As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Paul was a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the gratitude he had for the truth.

This is the first time the word prophet is used by God. The LORD calls Abraham a prophet.

Prophet not immune to the old nature (vss 1-7)

Old ways die hard (vss 1-2)

We’ll do what’s familiar when we’re faithless.

God honors the promised seed who will be Christ in spite of faithlessness.

Abimelech’s dream

Herein is the first time in the Bible where the word “prophet” appears. Now, if there was ever a time God wouldn’t want to introduce Abraham as a prophet, I would think it would be right here.

 It must come from Abraham so the heathen will know how God works.

Tells us that “the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”

God’s people reproved by the heathen (vss 8-13)

Heathen do by nature the things in the law (vss 8-10). This is before Moses’ law, but adultery is clearly a sin to Abimelech.

Perhaps this nation is MORE righteous than our nation?!

Fear of man brings a snare (vss 11-13)

Blessings on the prophet and from the prophet (vss 14-18)

Restitution (v 14)

Release (v 15)

Reproof (v 16)

Revival (vss 17-18)

Memorial Day tomorrow when we remember the sacrifice of men and women for their nation.

Sufficient

once suffered for sins

Every other belief tells you to stay in good standing or else your sins will be counted back to you.

Folks go to churches surrounded by relics and symbols of Christ’s suffering while they go about trying to pay their own way for salvation.  Hey, look up!  It’s paid!

If you can earn it, why is he hanging on a cross there?

Hebrews 7:25-26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

Substitutionary

the just for the unjust

Bro Wesson died saving 3 boys in the Dominican Republic as a missionary.  Leaving behind four children.  He was my age.  I saw that and my heart sank on Friday.  But then I thought, what a heritage to leave your children. Missionary, serving God, dying a substitutionary and sacrificial death.  

Now Jesus Christ really had every right to say, I don’t deserve this. Not only did he have the right, he had the power to call down an angelic host to completely obliterate humanity, or Rome, or whoever he saw fit.

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Now look at verse 17. Instead of blaming God for being unfair when you do well and the world and the flesh hit back hard. Consider the LORD’s view of that. Suffering for well doing is a highlight.

Saving

that he might bring us to God

Helpless condition of you and I

Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

But Jesus Christ’s job is to bring you to God

Colossians 1:20 – In 8 words the entire Bible and scope of God’s redemptive work is summed up, by him to reconcile all things unto himself.

Everything was good until sin entered the world and the first question God, the Creator, asked of his creation was, Where art thou?  Man’s sin by definition was a movement away from God.

If God’s work and God’s word are all aimed at reconciling all things to the Lord Jesus Christ, then that makes our business what?  2 Corinthians 5:18-19. 

Sacrifice

being put to death in the flesh – Christ crucified

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

In that body, God would express

Humility over pride

Obedience over rebellion

Meekness over despotism

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh…

Successful

quickened by the spirit

quickened means to be made alive – resurrected

The work of Jesus Christ as savior is vindicated and completed in his resurrection.

declared to be the Son of God with power…by the resurrection from the dead

A man who gets saved is a new creature, not a reformed sinner

This gospel is not about making bad people better, it is about bringing dead people to life

This is a great evangelistic outline so that you could take one verse and preach the entire gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ explaining all the facets of the gospel.

Matthew’s book follows a geographic narrative of the ministry of the LORD Jesus Christ as He moves toward Jerusalem.

Creation of marriage

Tempting Christ with a question (vs 3)

God is the author of marriage, so He is the one who defines the relationship.

Marriage definition

Priority – Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother – Marriage is changing relational priorities.

Pursuit – and shall cleave unto his wife – Pursuit meaning that marriage is accomplished on purpose; it requires you to move in the direction of forgiveness, charity, compassion, wisdom, selflessness

Possession – and they two shall be one flesh. It is joining together.

Trap is sprung (vs 7)

Carnality in marriage (vss 8-9)

Moses’s exception to the rule is here: Deuteronomy 24:1 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. The uncleanness is defined by the Lord as fornication in Matthew 5:32. Fornication is any sort of sexual activity outside of marriage. The difference between fornication and adultery is fornication is sexual activity outside of marriage while adultery has the element of betrayal. Fornication doesn’t carry the element of betrayal with it. It is marriage bed activity without a marriage. Fornication and Pornography are the same word: one describes the act and the other describes pictures.

In 1 Corinthians 6:18 Paul describes the effects of fornication. The body is joined and what’s done cannot be undone.

Sodom and Gomorrah – Jude 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. (Deuteronomy 29:23)

Baal-peor, Balak, and Balaam – 1 Corinthians 10:8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

Christianity and marriage (vss 11-12)

Disciples understand the LORD to say how serious marriage is (vs 10)

Disciples say in 19:10 that it’s better to stay single then. The Lord says that’s not exactly the case either in 19:11-12. Some men don’t need to be alone; it won’t be good for them. Just like God said with Adam, not good that man should be alone.

If you thought you only had one shot at marriage and if it didn’t work you could never do it again, people would be a lot more careful with it.

Jesus says and Paul will reiterate that in the present state of things if a person can serve God and stay single, that’s the thing to do. But that’s not something everyone is capable of doing.

A few that were single in the Bible: Daniel, Mordecai, Paul, Jeremiah, Elijah, Elisha, John the apostle, John the Baptist, Jonah, 

Paul’s further explanation in 1 Corinthians 7:7-16, 27-

Someone said, “You can borrow brains but you can’t borrow character.”

Integrity is a sure path

Integrity is a guide that goes before you. It is a roadmap. It says this is the path I walk and when I’m faced with a temptation, I will remember that this is the path I walk.

Integrity’s guide

Decision to do right before its time to do right.

Decision to have the right attitude before it’s time to have the right attitude.

Decision to speak right before it’s your turn to talk.

Integrity is accountability and responsibility.

Variegated edge on coins so people wouldn’t shave off the silver. Did that because people have no integrity.

Leadership

One who leads themselves before and while they lead others.

One who earns respect instead of demanding it.

One who uses what he has to benefit others

One who gives without strings attached.

Integrity is safety

Psalms 25:21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.

Integrity prevents trouble rather than trying to fix trouble

The world, the flesh, and the devil will beat you up if you have no integrity

Some of you are unhappy because you waver back and forth in sin and out of sin and you blame others for your misery. Your problem is you lack integrity and you’re just getting beat up by the flesh, the world, and the devil.

It is wise to walk with the idea that something is at stake. Because something is at stake

Integrity’s value is the result of many good decisions.

Integrity is strength

Integrity is critical in building. Structural strength.

People with no integrity, won’t show up to work, won’t be honest in relationships, they can’t be relied on.

We are fascinated by people who are immovable, full of resolve, steadfast. Job asks the following questions for you and I.

Is there a circumstance adverse enough to get you to yield to the flesh?  Martyrs amaze us because they are not moved.

What will it cost to get you to yield to the flesh? Judas sold Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver, we’re willing to do it for less than that.

What opportunity is convenient enough to get you to yield to the flesh?  What do you do when you think none are looking. That’s called a breach in your character and it’s an area you lack integrity. That’s a weakness that will be exploited.

Do you have a desire strong enough? Is there a demand of your flesh so strong that you have given in to it and no longer yield to the spirit? That is an area where you’ve justified a lack of integrity.

Lot’s Legacy

He made his home for his family in Sodom.

How will you convince loved ones of God’s judgment on a place you chose to call home?

Desperate perspectives (vss 31-35)

There is nobody around for me, so I better take what I can get. So desperate for relationship you remove standards.

As disgusting as this is, it’s not far from how faithless people choose relationships. Christian teenagers so desperate for a relationship they drop all standards.

If I lose my old life in Sodom then I’ve lost everything. I’m desperate and without hope.

A Christian may say, Trying to find a good Christian to share my life with is impossible! There is nobody left for me! The reality is that’s not true and you’re living under the delusion of a desperate perspective.

Bringing forth idolaters (vss 36-38)

Here is a deathbed confession. Literally within a couple of hours of this man’s death he puts his trust in Jesus Christ.  

Faith that fears God (vs 40)

He would overcome the voice of his companion because of what God might think of him.

Facing death can sometimes mean fearing God.

How about living a life of fearing God?

Faith that honors Christ (vs 41)

Accept his own condition

Honor Christ in spite of Christ’s weakness

Faith that gets results (vss 42-43)

Forgiveness (Matthew #92)

History of his presence

Call his name Emmanuel, God with us.

Exodus 33:15

Elijah’s showdown with the priests of Baal on Carmel.  A god who wasn’t there. No ears to hear, no eyes to see, no mouth to speak and those that worship them are like unto them.

John 1:1-4 in the beginning (John 1:14 made flesh and dwelt among us)

Daniel 3 with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed Nego in the fiery furnace

He is on your calendar. Artifacts of creation like time measured in weeks. Who determined 7 days then start over? It’s universal, but attributed to no one. It’s an artifact of the beginning – the creation.

Help of his presence

Matthew 28:20 – Jesus claims omnipresence, I am with you

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Paul lists many things that would make you and I think we have been abandoned by God

Adversaries – Romans 8:31 If God be for us, who can be against us?

Necessities – Romans 8:32

Accusations – Romans 8:33 – Paul was falsely accused – Jesus was falsely accused. Paul says, It is God that justifieth.

Condemnations – Romans 8:34

Trouble – He quiets the fear by bringing to mind the future.

Physical, the last thing Paul describes is physical separation that can way on a person’s mind and emotions

Christ in you, the hope of glory

The Comforter is with His children in Spirit right now through His words. In the future he will be with His people in Spirit and in body.

People say they don’t know what to say. Consider that loss of a loved one is what’s brought them to this point and remembering that loved one can be helpful.

Encounter God preached by bro Josh Quintero