Ephesians (Program #11) – The New Testament Believers to the Praise of God’s Glory

Three times in the first chapter of Ephesians, the apostle Paul uses an expression like “to the praise of His glory”. The first time in verse 6, the praise is offered by us – the believers – as the issue of our sonship. The second mention, however, in verse 12 also deals with our sonship but the praise is not offered by us but rather it is the angels even the creation itself that joins in praise to God because of what He has accomplished in us – His sons. Now, not just sons in name and position but sons of God in life and nature.

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John (Program #11) – An Introduction to Life and Building (7)

God drove His economical car from the first section of eternity through the time bridge to the last section of eternity. By driving through the bridge, He got everything finished.

We still have another message for chapter 1. This message in a sense is a kind review of what we have seen already. But, some different aspects are shown up in this message. Chapter 1 reveals to us two sections of eternity. In the beginning was the Word. That was the eternity in the past. At the end of this chapter, the Lord says, “you will see the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man”, and that we all know will happen in eternity future. In eternity past, Christ was merely the Word, and the Word was God. And, God by that time had only divinity, nothing human. By that time He didn’t have the humanity what He had was just divinity.  But in eternity future, His main aspect will be, not the Son of God, but the Son of Man. If He’s not the son of God, He could never be life to us. If He is not the Son of Man, He could never be the essence for the building of God. For life to us, He has to be the Son of God. For the building of God, Christ has to be the Son of Man. The Son of God is for life and the Son of Man is for building…

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Jeremiah (Program #13) – God’s Economy with His Dispensing in Jeremiah (2)

It seems upon casual reading of the Old Testament that the central focus of the book is the law of Moses.  When God brought Moses to the mountain and deliver the ten commandments that surely was a key moment, a key factor in God’s dealing with His people Israel.  But in the New Testament, the apostle Paul tells us that the law was not part of God’s original intention for man, rather it was something added due to man’s failures and sins.   In Galatians chapter 3 he says, “Why then the law? It was added because of the transgressions until the seed should come to whom the promise was made, it being ordained through angels in the hand of a mediator. ”  Actually God’s intention for man has never changed.  From the beginning He has desire that He Himself would be everything to man.  And Jeremiah, he lamented that His people Israel had forsaken Him, the fountain of living waters.  If we have this view of God’s eternal desire, our understanding of such Old Testament books as Jeremiah will be greatly uplifted.

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Isaiah (Program #25) – Christ as the Servant of Jehovah (12)

Isaiah concludes as the whole Bible does, with the New Heaven and New Earth with New Jerusalem as God’s ultimate habitation and our ultimate destiny as the people of God.  Where would you be?  Where would God’s Old Testament saints be?  and how about the angels?

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Hebrews (Program #15) – Christ as the Apostle Superior to Moses

Most Christians know Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God. Today we will see Jesus as the apostle sent by God. Why was He sent and what was He sent to do? This is the subject of our message today.

The early chapters in Hebrews present one comparison after another of Christ to the cherished items of the old covenant. And this comparison now brings us to Moses, the most revered of all the Old Testament figures. Once again our Christ is superior!

Hebrews is a wonderful book of comparisons. The writer is convincing his fellow Hebrews that Christ and God’s economy in Christ is far superior to the Old Testament economy. So the comparison begins by comparing the God of the Old Testament who spoke in the prophets in various ways with the God of the New Testament who is speaking in the Son. The comparison is clear that the speaking of God in the Son, and therefore, the God in the New Testament is much more clear, definite, and, substantial than the Old Testament God that the Hebrews knew. more…

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Hebrews (Program #7) – Jesus as the Son of Man – as Man Superior to the Angels

There is a certain fascination with angels in this present age and the Bible certainly confirms that angels and the angelic realm exist. But the Bible also confirms that man occupies an even higher place in God’s eternal plan. Are you surprised? Don’t be. We’ll see that and much more in today’s life study of the Bible.

Today we are on Christ as superior to the angels in two ways. First, as the Son of God which means as God He was superior. Second, as the Son of Man, which affects us a little bit more that as a man He was also superior to the angels. And in fact, it shows us man’s place in God’s plan and how the angels are really our servants. So it puts everybody in their proper place. I think as our listeners know, ours is not a topical study of the Bible, we are really going book by book. And it just happens that today the subject matter does line up with a topic that is currently very much of interest to a lot of people Christians and non-Christians alike. So, I believe our listeners will be very interested to stay tuned as we are going to see angels from the Bible.

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Hebrews (Program #5) – Heirs of Salvation

So here in Hebrews we have Christ as the ladder, we have the joint heirs as the components of the house, and, we have the angels ministering to us as we are in the process of being brought into the glory of God. When we have all this, we have the gate of heaven.

Destiny is a concept that occupies many seeking people. As Christians, we may believe that our destiny is just to be saved. But Hebrews reveals that as saved ones, our destiny is to become joint heirs with Christ. We will explore our destiny and our inheritance on today’s life study of Hebrews.

We’re going to begin today’s message by seeing a comparison of Hebrews and Revelation – two books that are often avoided by many Christians. Why is it that many serious believers don’t like to get into these two books that deeply? more…

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Hebrews (Program #4) – Christ as the Son of God – as God Superior to the Angels

In the book of Hebrews, we see the vast superiority of Christ to everything, everyone and every matter in the entire old covenant. What could compare to Christ? We all know that there is an Old and New Testament (or covenant). Both have God and angels and many other godly items. But one is vastly superior to the other. We’ll look at this comparison from the book of Hebrews on today’s life study of the Bible.

We believe that the apostle Paul was the writer of Hebrews. Considering his audience at the time, why was it necessary for him to so meticulously build a strong case for the new covenant by comparing it to the old? more…

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1 Timothy (Program #9) – Dealing with the Saints of Different Ages

1 Timothy chapter 3 ends in a very high, divine and spiritual note. Talking about “the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth. And confessedly, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.”

But in chapter 5, the apostle drops to the human level. “Do not upbraid an elderly man, but exhort him as a father.” And continues discussing other human relationships. It’s not enough to be spiritual, we have to learn how to be human.

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1 Timothy (Program #8) – A Good Minister of Christ

The apostle Paul reached the highest peak in his letter to young Timothy when he wrote at the end of Chapter 3:16 ” And confessedly, great is the mystery of godliness: He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory.”

Surely godliness is a great mystery but in Christ this mystery become manifested. Following this marvelous revelation to Timothy, Paul goes on to warn him of the degradation that was about to befall the church. And then Paul gives Timothy a direct and personal exhortation with some very clear speaking that would equip Timothy to be a genuine minister of the New Testament Economy.

4:6 “If you lay these things before the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, being nourished with the words of the faith and of the good teaching which you have closely followed.“

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