Knowing Nothing But Christ

1 Corinthians 2:2

2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

There are times when the consideration of a sermon or a sermon series can become overwhelming. At times it is only due to;

the consideration of the amount of work that needs to be done to do it justice,

other times it is simply due to the volume of the topic and which points are of the most value, 

and other times it is simply due to the infinite depth and value of that which you are to attend to that overwhelms you, 

But I have never, till now, given consideration that all three aspects of an overwhelming topic come together in one; this is what I face in speaking solely of Our Lord Jesus Christ!

It is not the amount of work that gives me the great difficulty in this topic, it’s not the volume of the topic either that concerns me, John wrote that if only all Jesus did were to be written, “I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.” John 21:25

But nor is it the infinite depth or even the value of the topic of Jesus Christ that overwhelms me the most; it is that my Love for him gives me the greatest fear of misrepresenting my Lord.

Those words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 2 struck me with the overwhelming nature of speaking of Jesus Christ and how flippant we so often are in speaking of him, that now, when it comes to giving our consideration of Jesus Christ I wish I were ALWAYS “determined not to know an thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified”. 

My greatest desire is to reveal him to you in the best temporal light I can, fully knowing how inexpressible he is.

It was John Flavel in 1671 who, after writing no less than 42 sermons on the topic of Jesus Christ notes in his introduction to the series the imperfect expression and impression man can make on Christ saying;

What shall I say of Christ? The excelling glory of that object dazzles all apprehension, swallows up all expression. When we have borrowed metaphors from every creature that has any excellency or lovely property in it, till we have stript the whole creation bare of all its ornaments, and clothed Christ with all that glory; when we have even worn out our tongues, in ascribing praises to him, alas! we have done nothing, when all is done. [1]

He is the pearl of great price in Matt 13:46, but how do we consider an infinite price?

If the “price of wisdom is above rubies” Jb 28:18, what are we to say of the price of the knowledge of Christ?

Paul lays the claim that he is …determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

         What are we to say of the greatest minds of the world who’s knowledge of matters if physics and science, mathematics and philosophy, history and biology etc, who have attained to all the wisdom and knowledge of the world, who have amassed the greatest of riches and power for this knowledge, if they know NOTHING OF  CHRIST????

         The encyclopaedic minds of the greatest men of the world are but dull and blind compared with the most illiterate Christians who know nothing else BUT Christ!

The disciples of the Lord were charged with being “unlearned and ignorant men” in Acts 4:13, but they were the wise concerning their souls.

In Matthew 11:25 Jesus said

25 … I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

In 1 Corinthians 1:26–31 Paul wrote

26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

All the knowledge of the world will never bring you to heaven, no matter how many books you will read, no matter how much

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Love Not the World

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1John 2:15-17)

Introduction:

Over the past 3 years we have seen the world turn upside down and our status quo completely disrupted. In light of this, you will often heard from this pulpit that our hope is not in this world but in that blessed hope; the glorious appearing  of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

With this in mind: 

In today’s text we see that there is a real displacement between the love for God and love for the world and the things which are in the world. It is impossible for these two to coexist amicably. 

John’s epistle has much to say in regards to love…

Love for God. Love for the brethren. This is not surprising since John was described as the disciple which Jesus loved. 

In the text we see a contrast and a tension between our love for God and a love for the world and the things which are in the world. 

One thing is sure and that is that applying this text should focus our lives more deliberately on the Lord. 

Our 4 points today:

Love for the World Displaces the Love of God

Love for Sin Displaces the Love of God

Love for Self Displaces the Love of God

The love of God Leads to Eternal Life

Let’s Pray 

Love for the World Displaces the Love of God:

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him…” 

Clearly those who are of the world are only capable of love for the world. However, John is writing to believers and as believers we’re reminded that although we are in the world, are NOT of the world and therefore we are not to love the world in an ungodly way. 

Consequently, we are admonished in regards to where our affections should lie. Again, we are in the world and not of the world. Yet as Christ prays in John 17, that we shouldn’t be taken out of the world. In no way does the bible advocate for living a monastic life. Removing yourself from the world does little to rid a person from the sin which dwell in them.   

I’ll be quite general here in terms of describing the world; only because our text does likewise. Love for the world is sometimes described as worldliness and is often equated with materialism and this is true to a large extent. 

Love for the world can be looked at in a number of ways even as the term “world” refers to different things: 

We have the physical or the natural world

We have the geopolitical or world affairs

We have the spiritual world which the apostle John says, “lieth in wickedness”

The natural world can certainly compete for our affections as we see in Romans chapter1. The rejection of God tends towards a worshipping of the creature rather than the Creator.

[turn to]

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” (Romans 1:21-25)

This is certainly true of the environmental movement. There’s a vast difference between serving God’s creation and being wise stewards of it. Yet there are many who make it their life’s purpose and deprive themselves of God’s lov

Man is Mutable, God is Immutable. 

Malachi 3:1-6

Chapter 3 

1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. 2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: 3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. 4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. 5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts. 6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. 

Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament and in this passage reconfirms three fundamental ideas that have been written to the Jews who received this writing.

The First is that MESSIAH WILL COME as promised.

Christ was to be expected, nothing had changed of all God had stated in the past. From the first words given to Moses in Genesis, to this final of the 39 books of the Old Testament, the messiah that was promised will indeed come;

1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. 

The Second is that when he comes he will condemn the world of sin.

2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: 3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

As you read the passage in Malachi it is impossible not to see the absolute nature of the wording, there is no ambiguity in the text, the certainty is important because this would be the final book of the Old Testament prior to a gap of some 400 years before the coming of Christ to the people.

Of convicting the world of sin, Jesus said this will be the work of his Spirit to do.

John 16:7–8

7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

The Third is that of all that God has promised and told them, he does not change.

6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. 

This morning, as we consider the nature of God, we will compare him to man and show how the Bible teaches a fundamental doctrine in Theology respecting the character of God called IMMUTABILITY.

PRAY.

 

Man Changes, God Does Not.

Hebrews 1:4–12

4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? 6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. 7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. 8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the scept

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Church: The Pillar and Ground of the Truth

1 Timothy 3:14-15 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Introduction:

Short testimony:

Coming to faith: Via Catholicism, New Age and Pentecostalism 

Backsliding:

Restored faith: 

Let’s pray:

Our message is focussed on verses 14 and 15 of our reading today. Paul uses an interesting phrase in describing the church. He refers to it as “the pillar and ground of the truth and draws from this passage in Genesis. It’s worth looking at…

[Turn to]

“And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.” 

(Genesis 28:16-22)

Bethel, of course means the house of God. And it was there that after having a rather interesting dream, Jacob erected a pillar of stones, declaring that this place was none other than the house of God. If we are to draw anything from this account it should be 2 things: 

Firstly we should have the same reverence and fear that Jacob has for God after this event. And secondly that church should hold the same significance for us as Bethel had for Jacob.

Knowing this, we also should also have the same fear and reverence; especially when it comes to his word. This is the crux of my message today; the importance of God’s word in these last days…given that the church is the pillar and ground of truth; in particular, the truth of God’s word.

4 points today:

Guided in Truth

Conducted in Truth

The Embodiment of Truth

Grounded and Established in Truth

Guided in Truth:

“These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know…”

In our text today, Paul writes to Timothy that he hopes to come to him soon but if he is delayed he wants him to know certain things. 

He uses the word “that”…which is a shortened form of “in order that” and indicates purpose. Therefore, we immediately see that  there is a purpose to the things that he has written. 

The word “that” is also a conjunction and links the things which precede these verses; making them all the more important to our message today. 

Needless to say, Paul wrote many things in all 14 of his epistles. Things that the churches needed to know; things that he wouldn’t have them ignorant of. Such was the care that he had for all the churches… 

We know this from our reading of his epistles. And not just Paul’s epistles but the other apostles also…for it was they who were given the special revelation from which our doctrines are formulated. 

Paul speaking about the things that he suffered for the gospel’s sake writes.

[Turn to]

“Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and

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The Proclamation of Truth

Mark 16:15 

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 

Truth, gospel truth, an absolute that is true for all people for all time. The war against the truth has been raging since the beginning of mankind, and that war has the Word of God in the cross hairs of its sight.

I have long desired to write a book about the war against the word of God. 

The first-word war was Satan in the garden creating the doubt that led to the fall of mankind. 

The second-word war was that of the Holy Roman Empire against the proclamation of the word during the dark ages, 

and the third-word war is the world’s setting its course to self-destruction. 

Word War 3 will include the elements of both the first and second-word war, but will add to it the insanity that results from the effect of the reprobate mind, and we already see it making itself evident today. Deception rules the airwaves, and violence is called for against those who would contradict the narrative or the madness unable to distinguish between reality and make-believe.

But Christ’s command to proclaim the truth still stands, and regardless of the obstacles of history, his disciples risked all to save a single soul, to sound an alarm to awaken the sleeper.

Mark 16:15 

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 

The Proclamation of Truth.  

GO

Mark 16:15 

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 

“GO”!

It is probably the simplest of words, the simplest of commands and the clearest of all the instructions given us in the Bible, “GO”! This is the most fundamental understanding for the proclamation of truth.

The most basic expectation for the Proclamation of the truth is simply that it is to be “Proclaimed”, to be preached, to be audibly heard by them to whom we are sent. And how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things! (Rom 10:15)

Jesus gave this instruction to the eleven as they sat and dined together. This instruction is the last word on the matter by Christ, after he had risen from the dead and before he ascended to glory. Other than the eleven who dined, there would be another he would so instruct, he was one like we are, born out of due time.

Paul (as Saul) travelled to receive letters to persecute those who would proclaim the truth of the gospel, but instead, he had seen a bright light and a voice calling out “Saul, Saul…”.

Perhaps you and I have not had the same ‘Damascus Road” experience as the apostle Paul did, nevertheless, Jesus had called us all to the same purpose, a purpose that has come down to us known as “The Great Commission”.

Does anyone know what the great commission is?

To preach the Gospel, and to make disciples of men.

This commission is a compound of two passages in the Bible. One is the text before us in Mark 16, the other in Matt 28:19-20

Matthew 28:19–20 

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. 

Both are representative of the last words Jesus spoke and equally reflected in Acts 1:8-9 before he was taken up;

Acts 1:8–9 

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 

There are two parts to this commission, one is Preaching, the other is Teaching. Each and every church in the world has this very same charge that is given to them. Each assembly o

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