The Master‘s Class, LifeChange Church Wichita

JESUS CHRIST THE ALMIGHTY GOD (Revelation 10:3-11)

The Book of Revelation presents to the world Jesus Christ as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Creator of all things, and the Lord of lords and King of kings. Jesus is the One we worship.

One of these days, sin's clock will be stopped, and the mystery of God will be finished, and delay will be no more. Sin has been on a rampage. Righteousness seems to have suffered. It is now coming to a conclusion. God has given the inhabitants of the earth time for repentance, but time is running out. The clock will strike its last note and sin's clock is about to be stopped. God’s mercy for sin is about to end. The time for repentance will come to an end.

Don't get the idea that you have time before the rapture to turn to God, for that may come at any moment. Don't get the idea that even after the rapture, that God will continue to give you time, even if you've never heard the Gospel before. There is coming a time when time will run out. When God's clock stops, that's it! And if you are not on God's train, you are going to be left.

The Book of Revelation tells us about the majesty, the mastery, and the mystery of Jesus Christ. When I see the majesty of Christ that means Jesus, my Savior is due my total worship. When I see the mastery of His power that means that Jesus my Lord is worthy of my total confidence. He is the one who has everything under control. When I see God’s mysteries are revealed, then God’s mercy ends.

Click on the link below to hear a message on our Lord Jesus Christ as He is revealed in The Book of Revelation.

Amen.

THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST (Revelation 10:1-3)

Who do most people say that Jesus Christ is? Do they say that He is the Son of God? No, most people do not. Instead, they say that Jesus was a prophet, a teacher, or just a man who lived in history.

The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is more than a man. He's more than a great man. The Islamic faith calls Him a prophet, but He's more than a prophet. The liberal looks upon Him as a philosopher, or a teacher, or an example. But the Jesus Christ that is Lord of my life is much more than a philosopher, or teacher. The Jesus Christ that I know personally as my Savior, is much more than just a good example.

Who is Jesus Christ? He is the One and Only Almighty God. The Creator of all things. That's who Jesus Christ is. The rich man is poor, the mighty man is weak, and the educated man is a fool if he does not know who Jesus Christ is. No one can claim to be truly educated who is ignorant of Jesus Christ.

Click on this link to hear a sermon on the glory, the grace, and the power, of the One and Only Almighty God, Jesus Christ as He is revealed in The Book of Revelation.

Amen.

THERE IS NO PERSON TOO HARD FOR GOD TO SAVE (Revelation 7:9-12)

Do you believe that this is a true statement? Is there really no person too hard for God to save? Does God save every person that He could save? Why not?

You cannot stop God from loving you. You can reject His love, but you cannot keep Him from loving you. Neither can you keep it from raining, but you can raise an umbrella to keep the rain from falling on you. You can also raise the umbrella of indifference, or the umbrella of sin, or the umbrella of rebellion, so that you won’t experience God’s love, but you cannot keep God from loving you.

You can turn your back on God; you can blaspheme Him, and you can shake your fist in defiance at Him, but you cannot keep Him from wanting to save you. You cannot keep Him from loving you, for He provided a Savior, His own Son, to die in your place, and you cannot keep Him from wanting to save you. However, you can keep Him from saving you. God could overpower your will and save you whether you wanted Him to or not, but that is not God’s way. Each person is given a choice, to accept Christ or not.

Click on the link below to hear a sermon that shows there is no person too hard for God to save. No matter what you have done, there is no sin too far, and there is no crime too horrible, for God to save you. God loves you that much, but you can refuse to accept that salvation. We know this because God will save great multitudes of people, of every tribe, of every nation, and of every language during the Tribulation Period. There is no person too hard for God to save.

JESUS IS WORTHY OF MY WORSHIP (Revelation 5:6-14)

God has placed into the hands of men the decision as to whether or not they will accept Christ as Savior, but the decision as to whether or not they will acknowledge Him as Lord is not theirs to decide. The supreme tragedy of a lost eternity will be to know that there, shut out from the glory of heaven, sentenced to spend eternity in the burning fires of hell, all those who rejected Him as Savior, will still have to acknowledge that Jesus is Lord.

He will be praised at the center of heaven by the sinless sons of light and by the redeemed of all ages with joy unspeakable and full of glory. And He will be praised from the depths of the lake of fire by every damned and outcast soul with sobs and tears and choking cries.

Isa 45:23
23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
KJV

Click the link to hear a sermon on how Jesus Christ is exclusively worthy of our worship. There is none other. He is exceedingly worthy because of Calvary, because of creation, and because of conquest. He is eternally worthy forever and ever.

THE JESUS WHO STANDS BEFORE US TODAY (Revelation 1:14-18)

We talked last week about a few things we could surmise about what Jesus looked like the first time He came, and compared that to the one portrayed in the paintings that we see, pictures, movies, and books today. The best example of this image is found in the painting of the last supper by Leonardo Da Vinci, showing Jesus with long hair, long white robes, and gentle in nature. If there is a picture of Jesus hanging in the church, it will be of this Jesus, the one man created because the Bible does not give us a clear description of what Jesus looked like the first time He came. Certainly, this is the image that people have in their minds when they think of Jesus today. When they use the name of Jesus in vain, this in the Jesus they are thinking of. When they declare that Jesus was nothing more than a good man, a prophet, or a teacher, this is the Jesus that they are thinking of. This is a Jesus that you can choose to ignore, or to reject, make fun of, or even deny that He ever existed, because there is nothing intimidating about Him.

However, even if this movie image of Jesus was correct, and I don’t believe it is, it was what Jesus looked like before the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of our Lord. The Jesus that stands in heaven today as the High Priest in the Holy Tabernacle of God, does not look anything like that Jesus. That Jesus was approachable, almost indistinguishable from everyone else. He looked like a common man, with nothing desirable about His appearance to draw our attention to Him. The one that stands before us today, retains the humanity of that Jesus, He has the scars of the nails in His Hands, but everything else about Him speaks of His deity, His glory, and His almighty power as the Creator of all things. The Jesus that stands before us today, is in the full glory of God. There is nothing meek or gentle in His nature or appearance, and when the world sees Him as He is, they will fall to their knees in worship and awe. No one will deny that this Jesus exists, nor will they ignore Him, or curse Him.

Click on the link and learn about the Jesus that stands before John as he hears a voice that sounded like a trumpet, and he turned and saw a vision of the resurrected, risen, glorified, Lord Jesus Christ. This is the Jesus who stands before us today.

OUR EXAMPLE IS CHRIST (1 Peter 2:19-21)

How many people do you know that would suffer gruesome torture and death for you?  I would suspect not many, if there was anyone at all.  Yet, Christ suffered for us, and the truth is that we don’t even really understand the magnitude of the suffering Christ endured for each of us and for mankind in general.

When we think of Christ, it is generally after He came to live among us.  We think of the baby Jesus, the man Jesus, the miracle worker Jesus, the teacher Jesus, and the Jesus that died on the cross, who was buried and rose again.  We think of Jesus as we see Him portrayed in movies and TV, as a Man.  As believers, we also think of Him in His risen and resurrected glory.  This is the Jesus we normally think of.  But that is a very limited view of our Lord.  Jesus Christ was much more than that.  

I love the description that John Phillips gives of who the Lord Jesus really is.  I am paraphrasing here, but he says that the Bible gives us a picture of who the Lord Jesus was way back before time ever began, dwelling in a light unapproachable and living in perfect harmony with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit in unimaginable glory.  He was uncreated, self-existing, coeternal, coequal, and coexistent with the Father and the Spirit.  He was, and is, God the Son, the second person of the triune Godhead. His wisdom was infinite, His love fathomless, and His power without measure or end.  His nature and attributes were those of the living God.  He basked in the sunshine of the Father's love in endless delight.  Eternal ages rolled by without end.  All was love, joy, and peace, beyond all imagination or thought. And then, in the council chambers of eternity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit agreed that They would act in creation.  The Son was the active agent. 

Col 1:16

16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

KJV

All things were created by Him.  John tells us the same thing.  

John 1:1-3

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

KJV

The Son put forth His wisdom and His power, and hosts of angels appeared, rank upon rank.  Galaxies of stars sprang into being and filled space with billions of centers of light.  Planet Earth, a bright blue sphere in the Milky Way, was chosen to be the home of man. Life, in a countless variety of forms, appeared at His command.  Man was created and became another exhibit of the Son’s wisdom and power.

This is the One who willingly chose to step down from His throne in heaven and come to earth as God incarnate in man in order to suffer for us because sin raised its head in the universe and was transplanted to Earth.  Adam fell.  Sin entered, and death by sin.  Now the Creator must become the Christ.  Prophet after prophet arose to foretell the coming of a Kinsman-Redeemer, a Savior which is Christ the Lord.

So God's Son became the Seed of the woman, the Seed of Abraham, the Seed of David.  He was to be the Lion of the tribe of Judah.  He was the Child born and the Son given.  He was called the Wonderful Counselor, the Father of eternity, the Mighty God, the Prince of peace.

He was born of a virgin in Bethlehem, the Lord's Anointed, Prophet, Priest, and King.  Page after page of the Old Testament told the story.  Book after book was written, all about Him.  Detail added to detail increased the wonder of it all.  He stood apart from all others, robed in majesty, the altogether lovely One, and the chiefest among ten thousand, the One who suffered for us.

Peter saw it happen.  He was an eyewitness of much of it.  The suffering began when Jesus was but eight days old.  He was circumcised.  It was His first personal experience of pain.  He grew up.  He began His ministry.  He suffered at the hands of the people He had come to save.  He knew loneliness, rejection, and malicious hatred.  His family disbelieved His claims.  His disciples let Him down.  Peter himself denied Him with oaths and curses, and Judas sold Him for a pocketful of change. 

He wept His heart out in Gethsemane.  He was falsely accused, beaten, and abused by His own people, then He was mocked, scourged, and crucified by the soldiers of Rome. He endured the torments of death on a cross. Finally, He was made sin for us and abandoned by God.

Peter says, Leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.  As believers we are the apprentice and Christ is the Master Carpenter.  He is our example of how to live the life of a victorious Christian.  He is our example of how we are to react to suffering, living in a moment-by-moment cooperation with the indwelling Spirit of God.

CHRIST IS THE LIVING STONE (1 Peter 2:4-7)

When we think of building a home, we spend a lot of time thinking about how many rooms we want to have, how big they should be, should we use carpets on the floor or some kind of tile or wood; what kind of countertops, marble, Formica, tile, or even solid wood; what color the outside of the house should be, do you want a deck or a fence in the backyard.  Everything we spend the most time on is generally on the appearance of the home, and the functionality of the rooms, and that is understandable because that is what we see and use the most.  

I would hazard a guess that, other than deciding on whether or not to have a basement, most of us will not even spend 5 minutes making sure the house has a solid foundation to be built on.  As Jesus said in His parable of the two builders, there are wise builders and there are foolish builders.

Matt 7:24-27

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

KJV

The foundation of our home may not be the thing we think about the most, but the truth is, if the foundation of your home is not solid, the winds and storms of Kansas will blow all of that nice exterior and interior beauty away in just a brief moment.  In fact, after a tornado, often the only thing left is the foundation of the home.  

The spiritual house of our church and our own spiritual life, depend on having a solid foundation.  You can have the best music program, the most entertaining sermons, even the best youth programs, but if your spiritual house is not built on a faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of the living God, then, you will have nothing but disappointment when the storms of tragedy come blowing into your life.  

1 Cor 3:11

11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

KJV

This is what our lesson is about today.  Jesus Christ as the Living Stone that is to be the foundation that our spiritual house is built upon.

JESUS IS THE SOLUTION (Romans 5:15)

Sin has caused the death of every human that has ever lived.  So you might ask Is there a solution to the problem of sin and death?

The answer to this question is found in the love and grace of God.  God loves us so much that He planned the solution to the problem of sin and death before the world was ever formed.  

The answer is where one man created the problem, a second Man is the solution, or a last Adam.  Jesus Christ.  The One who through His obedience to will of the Father restored all that the first Adam threw away by his willful rebellion against the command of God.  

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE OF GOD (Romans 1:2-7)

Each of us make important decisions that will have an impact on the direction that our lives take.  For example, the career path that you choose determines what kind of training, education, and work that you will do.  

Your choice of career determines your financial position in society, how you will spend your work day, whether it is on a construction site, in a hospital, or in an office for the next 40 years of your life.  

Choosing the person whom you will spend the rest of your life married to is an important decision as well. Choosing the mate that God has for you will lead to a relationship that is only excelled by our relationship with Jesus.  

On the other hand, choosing the mate that satisfies your earthly desires will lead to a life full of sorrow and pain. When you are ready to dedicate the rest of your life to being one with another person, you must consider that choice very carefully.

But the single most important decision that each one of us will make is what we will do about Jesus Christ.  All of the other decisions that you make, career, marriage, or education, will have an impact on your life here on earth, that brief period of about 70 years that you live.  

The decision you make about what to do with Jesus Christ will impact your life for all of eternity.  It will decide where you will spend eternity, either heaven or hell.  It will decide whether you will spend eternity either with God, or separated from God.  

The decision of whether you will spend eternity in heaven or hell has nothing to do with how good or bad you are.  It rests solely on your acceptance or rejection of Jesus Christ as your Savior.  The penalty of sin is death.  We are all sinners and we are all going to die, unless the Lord comes first.  However, not all of us are going to heaven.  In fact, many more are going to hell.

Jesus tells us 

Matt 7:13-14

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

KJV

The critical decision that determines which gate you will go through, and therefore, where you will spend eternity must be made while you are still alive.  God has given you a finite time to make your choice about Jesus Christ.  

This is the gospel message of God.  It tells you that you must make a decision about Jesus Christ.  

THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD (Mark 16:19-20)

There are many things that I am grateful to God for, the love of my family, the love of a wife that I have been married to for 35 years, and a loving God that uses me to teach and preach the Word of God.  God has truly been gracious to me and my family, but most of all He has been gracious to each believer for we serve a risen Lord.

Listen to this podcast to learn how the ascension of our Lord is as significant to our faith as the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is.  Jesus is alive and working for us today.  Jesus did not just go off into heaven and leave us never to be heard from again.  His work on earth has provided us with a perfect and complete salvation.  His work in Heaven continues our salvation as our great High Priest in the Holy Tabernacle in Heaven.

Jesus is alive.  Jesus is working for us in Heaven, and Jesus is coming back.  These are things that distinguish our faith from all other religions. These are things we base our faith on.  Join me as we give thanks to a gracious and loving God.