Moving Past the First Commandment

And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is

the first commandment of all?

And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

Mark 12:28-34

This is Valentines week. We will hear much this week about love and romance. I preached today in what Jesus called the first commandment. Three times in Scripture Jesus was asked by different men, what is the first commandment. His answer is out of Deuteronomy.

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Deut. 6:5

Why is this the first commandment?

Why does every other law and every other prophecy in Scripture hang on these two commandments as Christ said they do? The answer is actually simple. It is the difference between a religion and a relationship. It is the difference between service and servitude. The difference is one word. Motivation.

We Independent Baptists are a narrow-minded lot. We are black and white when it comes to right and wrong. Many times we are told that a lot of rules on children will drive them to rebellion. Often it seems that is the case. On the other hand I see parents with very strict rules whose children children grow up to be faithful dedicated Christians. What is the difference? I believe the difference is motivation.

A young Pastor once asked an older Pastor, "How do I raise good kids?" His answer; "teach them every day to love God more than anything else."

If my motivation for "following the rules is so I won't get in trouble then as soon as I get out from under the authority I will throw out the rules. But if my motivation is love then the rules are not a chore. They become an opportunity to express my love.

David expressed this so well in Psalm 119, the Psalm dedicated to law:

Ps 119:2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

Ps 119:10* With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Ps 119:34* Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

Ps 119:165* Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

Ps 119:174 I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.

The law was not a chore to David; it was a delight.

The night Christ was being tried, Peter denied Him three times. After the resurrection Jesus confronted Peter. He asked him the same question three times. The question was not, "why did you deny me?" It was not, "do you still believe in me?" The question was, "Lovest thou Me?" Peter had to settle the love question. History tells us as an old man Peter was crucified upside down. That was at his request because he felt unworthy to die the same death as Christ. One cannot read the book of Act without seeing that Peter settled the love question.

If I love God then every other "rule" is a way to show it. The first and foremost command is to love The LORD with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. If we devote ourselves to that one command above all else, if we, as God's people treat prayer as a private meeting with our most Beloved, if we pour over the Scriptures like a love letter from our Bridegroom instead of a book of rules and stories, then, and only then will we understand devotion, dedication and discipleship.

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God! It all hangs on love.

Thank you for reading

Wait on the LORD

Wait Upon the Lord

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Psalm 27:14

We read these verses and ask the question, "What am I waiting for?" Why does God expect me to wait? How will I know when my waiting time is over? In studying these passages I found myself weak in an area of my walk with God. This is a weakness I suspect I share with many. I do not like to wait. But when the Bible speaks of waiting it is not speaking about "standing in line. I want to help you with this concept.

What does it mean to wait on God?

There are basically four concepts involved in this word "waiting" in Scripture.

1. To wait on means to look eagerly for, to anticipate

The image here is to wait for the arrrival of a someone. To look forward to an event. It might be a special holiday or a package in the mail. We all know what it is to anticipate what we know is coming. Now apply that to the spiritual. Do you look forward to spiritual things, or do you dread them. Are they a chore?

Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things. Jer. 14:22

This is Hope ... Hope is faith in His promises.

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Romans 5:5

This is not, "I hope so" hope. This is that "Blessed Hope;" that absolute assurance that only God gives.

2. To wait on means to dependence upon.

It means to rely on. To count on or put confidence in. Friday is payday. I count on it. If I went to work all week, and on Friday they said, "sorry! we aren't giving out paychecks any more." How many of us would come back on Monday? Not me! There are people I can rely on to be there for me, and there are people I can rely on to be unreliable. I am counting on God to deliver, to forgive to supply.

This too is faith. Faith in His character

Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence.

Psalm 59:9

The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.

Psalm 145:15

3. To wait upon means to linger

Imagine two young lovers just who can't say good bye over the phone. Each one is waiting for the other to hang up. Or, Standing on the door step, they spend an hour saying goodbye. I remember when my beloved bride and I were dating. We acted this way. No wonder our friends said we were sickening. When we first got married, I would leave for work in the morning. Terri would act as if she wouldn't see me again for a month. We wanted every moment to last forever. We wanted to linger just a little longer.

Do you feel that way when you have you devotion time? Do we treat prayer time as just another scheduled event? "Well, I got that out of the way I can go about my business now!" How sad that we seldom have that desire to linger in His presence. The Christian who is waiting on God does not grudge picking up his Bible, he grudges putting it down. My time with the Father is precious. I'm jealous of anything that keeps me from it!

This is fellowship. How sad it is to allow it to die in our relationship with the Father

4. An unusual definition of this word from the original text is to "bind together to be collected."

The image here is of a servant serving in the field. The servant knows the master will soon return. He loves the Master and desires to please him. So he is busy about the Master's work. When I go to a restaurant with my beloved bride we will have a lady or a gentleman come to out table and say, "Hello, I'm you waiter; I will be serving you tonight. Why do they call it them a waiter? They are waiting on, or serving me to my desire in hopes of a good tip! (By the way; I'm a good tipper.)

Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us. Psalm 123:2

This is service. I wait upon my Heavenly Father by serving Him in His field! (And He's a good tipper too.)

Here are some Bible promises connected waiting.

For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

Psalm 37:9

Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence.

Psalm 59:9

The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.

Psalm 145:15

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles;

they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40: 31

Learn to wait upon the LORD! Hope in Him. Linger with Him. Rely on Him. Serve Him. Wait, I say upon the LORD!

Thank you for reading

His Mercy Endureth Forever

"O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." Psalm 136:1

Psalm 136 has twenty six verses; all of which end with the phrase, "His mercy endureth forever."

This Psalm was used in responsive form. The scribe or priest would sing the first part of the verse, and the congregation would respond with, "His mercy endureth forever."

Consider the mercy of God?

Mercy is God giving us what we do not deserve. Grace is God not giving us what we do deserve. We understand that we are sinners. We understand God is a Holy and Righteous God. He is a just God! But as one female comedian used to say of her driver's license picture, "You don't need justice, you need mercy.

It is God's mercy that saves us from our sin.

Titus 3:5 says "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"

I cannot be good enough to get to Heaven. Thank God, in His mercy Christ purchased my salvation.

Hebrews 9:12, "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."

It is because of God's mercy that hears and answers our prayers.

Psalm 69:13But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.

It is because of his mercy He provides for us.

Psalm 136: 25 says, "Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever."

Without God's mercy we have nothing!

Without God's mercy we can do nothing!

Without God's mercy we are nothing!

A just God, a righteous God, a holy God is little comfort to a sinner. It is His mercy that allows us as sinners to come boldly to the Throne of Grace.

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16

God's mercy endureth forever. He never runs out. There is no quote you will exceed. There is mercy for the sinner, for the backslider, for the Christian who needs that extra touch of grace. Remember, His mercy endureth forever

Amazing Grace and John Newton

July 24th marks the Birthday of John Newton, composer of the greatest song ever written; Amazing Grace. This was "Amazing Grace Sunday" at Hope Baptist Church. We shared with our church the story of this great man of God.

John Newton

Born July 24, 1725. John Newton followed in his father’s footsteps, working on merchant ships in the Mediterranean. He began his first voyage at age eleven. Years later he began working on slave ships. For nine years he was involved in the slave trade, but during this time God began to work in his life. After years of struggling with a life of sin He trusted Christ as his Savior.

In 1764 Newton became an Anglican Priest and was appointed to the Church at Olney, England. There he met William Cowper, a poet and collaborated with him on many hymns composing the “Olney Hymnal” which included great hymns such as, “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken” and “Faiths Review and Expectation” which would become the great hymn, “Amazing Grace.”

Newton wrote years later about the horrible condition of slavery and the slave trade. His friend William Wilberforce, brought about the Parliamentary Slave Trade Act of 1807. Newton died December 21, 1807 and was buried in Olney. His epitaph reads:

"John Newton, Clerk, once an infidel and libertine, a servant of slaves in Africa, was, by the rich mercy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, preserved, restored, pardoned, and appointed to preach the faith he had long labored to destroy."

Facts about Amazing Grace

• There are approximately 30,000,000 references to the song on the Internet.
• It was written in 1779 by John Newton
• The sixth stanza first appeared in Harriett Beacher Stowe’s book, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The actual origin of the verse is unknown.
• The original hymn is unknown. The tube most familiar today is the tune, “New Britain” assigned it by composer William Walker in 1835
• Internet source, “All Music” lists over 6000 versions of the song
• It was first recorded a Capella in 1922 by the Sacred Harp Choir.
• One of the most popular recordings was in 1947 by singer Malahia Jackson. It became an anthem for the civil rights movement in the 1950’s
• In 1970 Judy Collins’ recording of Amazing Grace made Billboard Magazine’s “Hot 100”
• It was performed or recorded by Folk singers Alan and John Lomax, Arlo Guthrie, Judy Collins Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Sam Cook, The Byrds, The Lemonheads, Elvis Presley Skeeter Davis, Aretha Franklin, Rod Stewart and the Amazing Rhythm Aces to name a few.
• It has become world wide, the most recognizable song of any genre in the world.
• the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, senior Scottish regiment of the British Army, recorded an instrumental version featuring a bagpipe soloist accompanied by a pipe and drum band.

Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, 
That saved a wretch like me.


I once was lost but now am found,
 Was blind, but now I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
 And Grace, my fears relieved.


How precious did that Grace appear
 The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares 
I have already come;


'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far 
and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me. 
His word my hope secures. 


He will my shield and portion be,
 As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail, 
And mortal life shall cease,


I shall possess within the veil,
 A life of joy and peace.

(Written later: anonymously)

When we've been here ten thousand years 
Bright shining as the sun.


We've no less days to sing God's praise
 Than when we've first begun.

And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

Bring Them In

(Preached on Sunday Morning, June 12, 2011 at Hope Baptist Church of Bettendorf, Iowa)

Luke 14:21-24 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.

And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

Lu 14:23* And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

We sing the old hymn:

Hark, 'tis the Shepherds Voice I hear,

Out on the mountains dark and drear'

Calling the sheep who've gone astray,

Far from the Shepherd's fold away.

Bring them in, bring them in!

Bring then wondering ones to Jesus!

This is more then just a great old song; it is a Biblical mandate.

Intro: Three parts to the Lord's command

1. Go

2. Compel

3. (Purpose) "that my house may be filled."

Bring Them In

1. Everyone can go

Mark 16 - go ye

2. Everyone must go

If not me, them who? If not now, then when?

3. They are out there

"and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind."

The poor

Ps 34:6* This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

Isa 25:4* For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.

The poor have nothing to offer. You will not gain materially reaching the poor. But as one Pastor taught me, "Jesus went to the poor; the rich came to Him." In His sermon in the mount in Matthew 5 Jesus began with, "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." When it comes to God, none of us have anything to offer Him that would make Him richer.

"Evangelism is just one beggar telling other beggars where to find Bread."

The Maimed and the halt

Isa 61:1* The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

Eze 34:16* I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.

People are wounded. People are hurt and hurting. God's people have the remedy. Would a doctor withhold medicine from the sick?

The blind

Isa 42: 5-7 ¶ Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Isa 42:16* And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

Mt 11:5* The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Mr 10:51* And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.

4. The alternative is horrible

Lk. 14:24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.

Conclusion: We are compelled to go. We are compelled to bring them in. You don't really have to go far to find someone who needs Christ. Go find them!

Bring them

Compel them

That my house might be filled!

"Therefore Have I Hope"

"Therefore have I hope"

Preached at Hope Baptist Church, June 5th, 2011)

21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

(Lamentations 3:21-23).

INTRO: Lamentations is a one-of-a- kind Book. The prophet Jeremiah lived in the time of the Kings in Isreal. Zedekiah was a wicked evil king during the life of Jeremiah.

11 Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.

12 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the LORD.

(2 Chronicles 36:11-12).

In judgement the Bible says God "stirred up the heart of Cyrus, king of Persia"... and waisted Isreal...

Lamentations is a book of mourning after the judgement of God fell on Isreal.

Imagine the sorrow of Jeremiah...the anguish....the frustration with the wickedness of his day...Yet, in this passage Jeremiah makes this statement..."I have hope.." How can a man of God in these deplorable circumstances have hope?

"It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed."

1. We can be saved only because of God's mercy.

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

2. We can have your prayers answered because of God's mercy.

Ps 69:13 But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.

Da 9:4* And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;

3. Our sins are forgiven because of God's Mercy.

Ps 25:7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.

Mt 9:13* But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

4. We can walk with God because of His mercy.

5. We can face trials by His mercy.

Ps 39:7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.

We have seen history transpire this year.

We have seen our gov't. rocked in scandal.

We have seen terrorist attacks on Americans; on foriegn soil and here at home.

We have seen all sorts of natural disasters.

Major diseases (ie. AIDS, herpes. new strains of hepatitus) are at epidemic purportion.

Crime, violence, poplitical unrest.

Pastor what is the answer to what seems like a hopeless situation? "My hope is in Thee." My hope is in God's mercy!

21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

My hope is not:

A. In government

B. In my recourses

C. In luck

D. In this world

1.My hope is in my anchor.

Heb 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

2. My hope is in the past.

Ps 78:38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

3. My hope is in His promise.

Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

4. My hope is in the Salvation.

1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

In our darkest hour there is hope. The hope given us in the mercy of God through Jesus Christ

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

1 Cor. 15; ,3, 4

Today is Easter Sunday. This day has been called the Prince of Sundays. It is called that because is it on this day that we commemorate the resurrection of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. How important is the resurrection? Why is it significant that Christ died for our sins, then rose again? Some theologians and scholars have down-played the importance of the resurrection. So, what is the resurrection? What is its importance?

The resurrection is the key to all we as born again Christians hold dear. The resurrection is key to our salvation. Without the resurrection we have a savior on the cross. Without the resurrection we have a King in the grave. Without the resurrection our hope lies in a crypt; our confidence rests in a coffin. Our defence is in one who is defeated, and our protection in one held captive.

How can the dead offer life to the living? How can the tomb hold the key to redemption? Truly, outside of the cross of Calvary we must toil and sacrifice to a vengeful God with little hope of mercy. And truly, outside of the resurrection we must bow to a religious system that relegates our relationship with God to little more than ancestor worship. Without blood there is no remission, and without the victory there is not spoil.

But, as the angel in Luke 24 ; 2 asked;

"Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but He is risen."

He is risen. These words turn a cross into an alter. These words turn a sacrifice into a Savior. "He is risen!" These words shake the gates of Hell, open the windows of Heaven, bring peace to the cursed Earth and make the grave into a pleasant place to wait for the resurrection.

"He is risen" turns wrath to mercy.

"He is risen" turns death to life.

"He is risen" turns judgement to grace.

"He is risen" turns fear into hope.

Because of the resurrection we can look to the cross and be saved by One Who conquered Hell for us. Because of the resurrection we can face the grave holding the Hand of One Who defeated death and the grave. Because of the resurrection, Hells dread is turned to Heavens hope.

In that we now have the confidence given us by the resurrection of Christ, we rest in the confidence of our resurrection in the last day. Easter Sunday is our day! It is resurrection Sunday! Rest in it; joy in it; celebrate in the day of His resurrection. The glory of the cross and the hope of the resurrection is in Him.

"He is risen."