Category Archives: General

This Sunday is Resurrection Sunday. At Bartimaeus Baptist Temple, we’ll be celebrating with a time of communion, special music, and a light dinner after the service. I hope you can come and join us. I’m going to be sharing from 1 Corinthians 15:1-14. Here Paul explains how crucial Jesus’ resurrection is to the message of the Gospel. Without it, he says, our faith is worthless! Most people don’t have any trouble believing that Jesus was a real person. They will usually agree that He was a good person. We have historical record that He was crucified by the Roman government, so most people can accept that. The problem comes when we talk about the fact that he was also raised from the dead three days later. This is no less true for its incredible nature, and as Paul points out, there were many who saw Him after He was raised.

This Sunday, I would like to share with you two things. First we will talk about the necessity of the resurrection to our faith. Then I’ll give you some information that you can use when you share your faith with others and the question of His resurrection comes up. Let us proclaim with boldness and confidence, “He is risen!”

I was once asked what I wanted at my funeral. My first thought was that I am way too young for that question. It’s true that none of us knows when God may call time, but chances are I’ll be here a while longer. Then I gave it a moment’s thought, but not a very long moment. I’ll grant that there’s some value in laying out a few things to guide grieving relatives as they cope with your departure, but here’s my problem. It may be my funeral, but it’s not about me. Yes, people would be talking about me and there’d be pictures of me and so on and so on, but the whole event is not for my benefit. I’m not there.

I’ve honestly had trouble understanding people who have adamant demands about how their funeral is to be conducted. Why do they care? Is it pride? They won’t be there to observe any of it. Why not allow friends and relatives to grieve in whatever ways will bring them the most comfort? If something unexpected were to happen to me, this is certainly what I hope for; that those closest to me will do whatever they need to do to deal with their own grief and also do the best they are able to accommodate that of others who knew me.

Linda and I will have the honor of delivering the Sunday school lesson and sermon at Bartimaeus Baptist Temple this week. I’ve been contemplating the wonder of Jesus. This time of year we sing the songs about the sweet little baby and create idyllic scenes depicting the story, often with questionable fidelity to the actual account. We know that He was born to save us. We acknowledge the miracle of the virgin birth and retell the amazing story of the night that God came down to us. I wonder though if we really grasp the awesomeness of what happened.

It’s a difficult thing for us to understand, how that God the Father could remain in Heaven while God the Son came to live among us, yet did not cease to be God. Jesus Himself said, “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30) For us to fully understand what Jesus did, we need to remember this; He lived his life among us as the perfect man, yet he was and is God.

Several false religions begin by attacking this critical issue, so I would like to take some time to point out the scripture that shows that Jesus was and is God. If He isn’t, our whole belief system unravels. To paraphrase the late C.S. Lewis, by His own claims, Jesus must be either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. We of course know that He is Lord, but I will share with you a few key verses so that you can be ready the next time someone challenges the deity of Jesus. In deference to the season, we’ll start with Matthew 1:23, which is a quote from Isaiah 7:14. I would be delighted if you would come and join us as we discover anew the wonder of “God with us.”

Just over a week ago was Halloween. You probably saw people dressed up in silly costumes representing everything from cartoon characters to the devil himself. He too was probably a bit cartoonish. That’s how we’ve been taught to think of him. Now I’m not going to spend much time talking about him. We’re going to glorify the Lord Jesus instead, who has already defeated Satan. However, you do need to know that he is real and he wants to destroy you.

That’s what Paul is telling us in Ephesians 6:10-17, and he uses the metaphor of a Roman soldier’s armor to describe for us how we should be prepared for battle. That’s something that his audience would be very familiar with, since Rome ruled the civilized world at the time in which he lived. I hope you’ll join me this Sunday at Bartimaeus Baptist Temple as we learn how to “stand firm” against the attack of the enemy.

In the time it takes you to read this, as many as fifteen people may die in the United States alone. None of us knows when our time is up. Are you ready? Jesus told us no one knows the day or hour, but things seem to be shaping up for His return. Are you ready? Persecution of Christians is growing around the world and even here. Are you ready? When your faith is attacked, are you ready? When someone comes to you and asks why your hope remains, are you ready?

It’s time to get ready!

¹³ Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? ¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, ¹⁵ but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; ¹⁶ and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. (1 Peter 3:13-16 NASU)

³⁶ “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. ³⁷ “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. ³⁸ “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, ³⁹ and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. ⁴⁰ “Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. ⁴¹ “Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. ⁴² “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. ⁴³ “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁴ “For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will. (Matthew 24:36-44 NASU)

I hope you will join us this Sunday at Bartimaeus Baptist Temple as we begin to learn how to be ready. I’m ready to see you there!

This is an election year, and the date is coming up fast. If you haven’t registered to vote I hope that you will do so and prayerfully consider the choices you make.

Each election cycle, the political parties meet and decide on their platforms. In a physical sense, a platform is a raised flat area on which one can safely stand. Metaphorically, that’s what the party platforms are about. They lay down a set of principles and ideas that are meant to form the foundation on which each candidate will govern. Though individuals may not adhere completely to the party platform, it tells you something about them that they will run under the banner of a particular party. I urge you to read the platforms of the major parties prayerfully and make your choices with that in mind.

I want to ask you a more important question. What is your platform? What are the foundational principles and ideals that govern your life? Do you indeed stand on them? Do you live what you say you believe? Does your belief touch every area of your life?

Our nation’s problems didn’t start with the politicians. They started with the people who chose those politicians. If we will not choose leaders who reflect Godly principles, we will get what we deserve. If we are not devoted to knowing God’s laws ourselves, we cannot hope to select leaders who will uphold them.

Jesus is our rock. He is the foundation on which everything must stand if it is to survive. Everything that we think, believe, and do should be subjected to the standards found in His word. I would be delighted if you would join me at Bartimaeus Baptist Temple at 2:30 on Sunday to explore His word together starting with Matthew 7:15-27.