Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The Holy Ghost

The Holy Ghost is from eternity personally[1] spirated by, and proceeds from, the Father and the Son,[2] very God, equal with the Father and the Son in divine essence,[3] and attributes,[4] and glory.[5]
[1]
2Sam. 23:2 The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me; his word is on my tongue.
Job 33:4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Matt. 3:16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; (The baptism of Jesus.) Cf. Luke 3:22
John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
[2]
John 15:26 But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.
Gal. 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
Rom. 8:9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
1Pet. 1:11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.
[3]
Acts 5:3-4 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
1Cor. 3:16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
2Cor. 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
Matt. 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them inthe name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
[4]
Psa. 139:7-8 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! (Omni-presence.)
1Cor. 2:10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. (Omniscience.)
[5]
1Pet. 4:14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
Is. 6:3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”

The Son

The Son is personally,[1] from eternity,[2] the only begotten[3] Son of the Father,[4] very God,[5] and equal with the Father in divine essence[6] and thus in divine attributes[7] and glory,[8] and with the Father from eternity spirates the Holy Ghost.[9]
[1]
Matt. 17:5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”
John 20:17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
Psa. 2:7 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.
[2]
Mic. 5:2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
[3]
John 3:16 For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
1John 4:9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.
[4]
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side,he has made him known.
[5]
Jer. 23:6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’
John 20:28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” John 1:1-2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.
Psa. 110:1 The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”
1Tim. 3:16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
1John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
[6]
John 10:30 I and the Father are one.
John 14:9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Cf. texts sub 5.
[7]
John 1:2-3 He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (Eternal existence, omnipotence.)
Matt. 18:20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.
Matt. 28:20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”(Omnipresence.)
Eph. 1:23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. John 1:18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the
Father’s side,he has made him known.
John 2:25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
Col. 2:3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Omniscience.)
Acts 3:14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
[8]
John 5:23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
Phil. 2:11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Heb. 1:6 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”
John 17:5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

The Father

The Father, personally so named in Holy Scripture,[1] is from eternity God of Himself and unbegotten,[2] and has by equally eternal generation begotten or filiated the Son from His divine essence,[3] and with the Son by equally eternal spiration spirates the Holy Ghost.[4]
[1]
John 3:35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.
John 5:20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel.
John 15:9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
John 20:17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
1Pet. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
John 17 (The entire chapter.)
[2]
John 5:26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
[3]
2Sam. 7:14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son.
Psa. 2:7 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.
[4]
John 15:26 But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.
Matt. 10:20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Gal. 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

Trinity in Unity

In the one Godhead there are three distinct Persons,[1] the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, indissolubly one in the same divine essence,[2] and equal in power and divine glory and majesty.[3]
[1]
Gen. 1:1 In the beginning, God created (My¡IhølTa aâ∂rD;b) the heavens and the earth.
Gen. 1:26-27 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Gen. 3:22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—”
Gen. 11:7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.”
Is. 54:5 For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called.
Psa. 110:1 The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”
Psa. 2:7 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.
Psa. 45:6-7 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;
Is. 48:12-13 Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last. My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand forth together.
Is. 48:16 Draw near to me, hear this: from the beginning I have not spoken in secret, from the time it came to be I have been there.” And now the Lord GOD has sent me, and his Spirit.
Jer. 23:5-6 Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’
Num. 6:24-26 The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Is. 6:3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”
Psa. 33:6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
Matt. 3:16-17 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Matt. 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them inthe name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
John 14:15-17 If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
[2]
Deut. 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. John 10:30 I and the Father are one.” (not he is, one in person, but he is,
one in essence).
1Tim. 3:15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.
[3]
Gen. 1:1-3 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
Psa. 33:6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Is. 6:3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”
John 5:23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
Phil. 2:10-11 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Rom. 9:5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

Unity of God

God is one,[1] inasmuch as He cannot but be what He is; and there never has been, nor is, nor ever will, nor can be, another being like Him.[2]
[1]
Mark 12:29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Mark 12:32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him.
John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
[2]
Deut. 4:35 To you it was shown, that you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him.
Is. 42:8 I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.
Is. 48:11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.
Ex. 3:14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
Is. 44:6 Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.
Is. 48:12 Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last.

Spirituality and Personality

God is not a power subsisting in, or exerted by, a material being or number of beings, nor a material being endowed with, or exerting, power, nor a being composed of a material nature and a spiritual nature, but a spirit complete and subsisting in Himself.
John 4:24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
Exod. 3:14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
John 5:26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
Is. 41:4 Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.
Is. 48:12 Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last.
Acts 17:28 for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
Col. 1:16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is
before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Psa. 104:24 O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.
Psa. 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Is. 42:8 I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.

The Existence of God

The existence of God is not only evidenced by the works of creation[1] and by man’s conscience,[2] but is taught wherever God is named and His works are mentioned in Holy Scripture.[3]
[1]
Rom. 1:19-21 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Ps. 19:1-3 The heavens declare the glory of God,and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.
[2]
Rom. 2:15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them
[3]
Gen. 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Rev. 22:19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
Ps. 90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Ps. 14:1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good.

God

God is the one indivisible, immutable, infinite Spirit, who is life, intelligence, wisdom, will, holiness, justice, truth, goodness, and power, one God in three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

since ER2 proved Bishop Jakes as still a Modelist heretic here is...

The Creed of Athanasius - Written against the Arians

Whoever desires to be saved must, above all, hold the universal faith.
Whoever does not keep it whole and undefiled will without doubt perish eternally.
And the universal faith is this, that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the substance.
For the Father is one person, the Son is another, and the Holy Spirit is another.
But the Godhead of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal.
Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit:
the Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, the Holy Spirit uncreated;
the Father infinite, the Son infinite, the Holy Spirit infinite;
the Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Spirit eternal.
And yet there are not three Eternals, but one Eternal,
just as there are not three Uncreated or three Infinites, but one Uncreated and one Infinite.
In the same way, the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, the Holy Spirit almighty;
and yet there are not three Almighties but one Almighty.
So the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God;
and yet there are not three Gods, but one God.
So the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, the Holy Spirit is Lord;
and yet there are not three Lords, but one Lord.
Just as we are compelled by the Christian truth to acknowledge each distinct person as God and Lord,
so also are we prohibited by the catholic religion to say that there are three Gods or Lords.
The Father is not made nor created nor begotten by anyone.
The Son is neither made nor created, but begotten of the Father alone.
The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son, neither made nor created nor begotten but proceeding.
Thus, there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits.
And in this Trinity none is before or after another; none is greater or less than another;
but the whole three persons are coeternal with each other and coequal so that in all things, as has been stated above, the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity is to be worshiped.
Therefore, whoever desires to be saved must think thus about the Trinity.
But it is also necessary for everlasting salvation that one faithfully believe the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, it is the right faith that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is at the same time both God and man.
He is God, begotten from the substance of the Father before all ages; and He is man, born from the substance of His mother in this age:
perfect God and perfect man, composed of a rational soul and human flesh;
equal to the Father with respect to His divinity, less than the Father with respect to His humanity.
Although He is God and man, He is not two, but one Christ:
one, however, not by the conversion of the divinity into flesh but by the assumption of the humanity into God;
one altogether, not by confusion of substance, by unity of person.
For as the rational soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ,
who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again on the third day from the dead,
ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, from whence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
At His coming all people will rise again with their bodies and give an account concerning their own deeds.
And those who have done good will enter into eternal life, and those who have done evil into eternal fire. This is the universal faith; whoever does not believe it faithfully and firmly cannot be saved.

http://reformation21.org/

(Satire) regarding the "heresy in the room conference" please read this article from Reformation 21 entitled : Totally predictable!!!

Just as I expected, the usual discernoholics, as I call them, will, I am sure, be writing to me at some point in the far-off distant future to complain about my invitation to Bishop Gantry to join me and my buddies for laughs, conversation and agenda setting larks in the Cuckoo's Nest.

Totally predictable. Totally, utterly predictable. Hey, haters, I await your complaints with a yawn and a roll of my eyes..

Let me remind you of some Theology 101: God made two kinds of people. Big, extraordinary people and little, ordinary people. Now, there are just two basic rules to remember: Rule 1 - the job of the big people is to tell the little people what to think and how to behave. Rule 2 - the job of the little people is to listen to the big people and do as they say. Hey, it really is totally that simple -- not exactly the doctrine of the Trinity, is it?!? LOL!!

Incredibly humbling as it is for me to say this, the Lord has laid on me the terrible burden of being -- yes, you guessed it, a big person. And you -- well, almost all of you have the awesome and exciting privilege of being little people. While I wish I too could be little and, frankly, irrelevant, sadly the lot has fallen for me in a different place. Me big, you little. I won't patronise you by drawing out the implications of that for our relationship.

Thus, you must trust me on this -- I can assure you that Bishop Gantry is a man of great spiritual integrity, someone whose attitude to things such as money and power is, frankly, far more biblical than the monasticism I see creeping in to the reformed evangelical movement. I can also attest to the fact that he always says nice things about Jesus whenever he mentions him and often cries when he thinks of injured puppies. Above all, his presence on stage sells a lot of tickets, a sure sign that the Lord is blessing his ministry in powerful ways.

Thus, those tempted to criticise should first ask themselves the hard questions of gospel-centred self-examination, such as `How many advance tickets would my presence on stage sell?' And if that number isn't greater than 4 000 then, darlings, might I be so bold as to suggest that you might want to remind yourself of little old Rule 2 (see above) before you presume to criticise Bishop Gantry and my other friends in the Cuckoo's Nest?

So, hey, haters, let me urge you to set aside your discernoholism. The Bible, after all, has some pretty harsh things to say about that attitude: see Acts 17:11. Rather give thanks for the privilege of being ministered to by people such as Bishop Gantry and myself.

If, however, you find you still struggle with the sin of questioning big people, hate and discernoholism, I suggest you watch the following video which was sent to one of the Ref21 bloggers this week as a means of helping him mortify this particular sin.You can download it here.

Posted October 1, 2011 @ 3:15 PM by Rodney Trotter

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Augustine of Hippo

Reflecting back on his former life of immorality and materialism, Augustine prayed, “How sweet all at once it was for me to be rid of those fruitless joys which I had once feared to lose! You drove them from me, you who are the true, the sovereign joy. You drove them from me and took their place, you who are sweeter than all pleasure.”

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Dan Southerland, with Church Transitions Inc. led a workshop for pastors at Saddleback.

Dan Southerland, with Church Transitions Inc. led a workshop for pastors at Saddleback.

The entire message was awash in a false premise (that all church growth is good) so all you need to do is implement Church Transitions Inc’s multistep “good works” program then God has to reward you with a bigger church, why - because you earned it. This only comes to show that the object of these pastors hearts is not loyalty or fidelity to Christ and The Faith once and for all delivered to the Early Church, but to the idol that they worship “church growth” measured not in members with deepening faith or mature disciples or even measured by the Word of God but measured by those pastors personal success in accumulating numerical growth (butts in seats) and big budgets (tithe checks in the Church’s bank acct).

These are the steps to take your church (notice not Jesus’ Church) from “boring to blessed:” the message is stop shepherding the Sheep like the Bible says, instead herd goats because goat herding always equals bigger attendance, more tithes (or dividends for you CEO pastor-types) and more respect in the community

Step 1 – Cell Churches – to grow your church large you have to cater to peoples felt need for a small group community. So Oxymoronically to get a big church you have to get members to “feel” like it’s a small church. My question is, Why not just attend a small church?

Step 2 – Contemporary Music – is a must! Shallow music, with no doctrinal depth, always equals shallow worship and eventually raises up shallow worshippers. Why is contemporary music a must - because goats like cool music.

Step 3 – Seeker Driven (AKA Being Lost Focused) – Becoming sinner focused is more important that if you’re teaching false or incorrect doctrine. God, apparently, just wants to see if your trying to reach your community, He doesn’t care with what are you tempting them into your Church (entertainment, shtick, sex, secular man-focused worship, whatever it takes). According to Dan, God loves the lost even more than those believers that are already in your church; this false doctrine flows right into step 4.

Step 4 – Church is not about you or me – Dan is here referring to members (or the Sheep). Church is about the goats (non-members, the outsiders) so the secular music, the shallowness of preaching, the stage shows, the comedy routine (oops, I meant sermon) are always only focused not on what your Sheep need (repentance and the forgiveness of sins) but on what the goats want. What can your church do to draw and entertain Satan’s children? This “pastor,” and I can barely use that term loosely enough to include, Dan Southerland, actually apologized to a church member when they came to him with a concern that he, as the goat herder, must have somehow given them the impression that the church was for them, its not, its for the goats (the lost). Dan says that a Purpose-driven, Seeker-sensitive church does not “net fish” (like in the NT) but “bait fishes” because CEO –type pastors know what sinners want and “lure” them in with it. This is why the American church whores itself with sex sermons, movie sermons, worldly music, give-a-ways, raffles, lotteries, fun, excitement, and entertainment at the cost of actually acting like a church as described in Scripture (see Acts and the Pastoral epistles). So what does Dan suggest when the regenerate members dare to suggest that the church that they are a part of act like a church. Tell them, that “We choose Purpose over Preference” and acting like a church is apparently only your preference. Christians however do not fish with lures (or gimmicks) but with the net of the Gospel that draws in God’s Elect, Chosen, and Called because the Church or Ekklesia - is a group of “the called out ones” (those whom God has called out of the World to be His own).

Step 5 – Following the Movements of God – according to Dan previous movements of God were focused on arguing doctrines of Scripture and following the Bible (that describes all 2000 yrs of past Christianity, Dan). Now the movement of God is obviously in the seeker mode of churches because there are so many large Seeker-Driven churches and a big church means a godly church right? That’s a false premise, Dan. Unfortunately this faulty premise means that your life’s work of teaching other churches to be come non-churches means you’re in direct opposition to Jesus Christ and the proclamation of Salvation through Grace alone – by Faith alone – on account of Christ’s atoning work alone. But according to Dan once you get into line with what God is doing (or trying to do) in the World then – Oh Man – then God can really move in your church.

Dan says that even Billy Graham said that the Purpose-driven church movement is the biggest movement of God in this generation.

Step 6 – Defining your Vision – this can be the hardest part of the whole transition of your church into a non-church. Dan recommends not the Bible for this transition but Henry Blackaby’s books which he studies every year. You’ve got to see what God is doing (or what’s hot today) then get on board. So this isn’t optional, God will not submit to your style so you have to submit to what He is doing in the world. So you have to get on board with the Purpose-Driven, Seeker-Sensitive Vision-casting CEO-instead of pastor model for your church or you’re not getting on board with what God is doing. This is where God is today. This is what He’s doing. Not according to Scripture, of course, but according to Dan.

Step 7 – God laid this on Dan’s heart – Dan inserts this message here because in Purpose-Driven speak if you don’t want anyone to question your raping and pillaging of the Orthodox, historic Christian faith or the Bible’s model for the Church then all you have to do is say, “Well you can’t question me or my motives. Why, because it was God who laid this passion for church deconstruction (or destruction) that I’m doing on my heart.” Just read or listen to Brian McLaren, he does the exact same thing. Then Dan quotes 1 Corinthians 2:9 – “But, as it is written, What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” and misuses it to say, See, God wants you to have a Mega-church so big no eye has seen this great gift God wants to give you – church growth.

And here comes the “good works;” (it reminds me of the old Pelagian heresy-Google it!) because God wants to do this awesome thing for you but you’ve got to get ready first (how - by implementing Church Transitions Inc’s methods). You have got to jump through hoops to show God that you’re ready; that you’re really serious.

Prepare for the Vision – so, what is the vision, well it’s a picture of what God wants to do (in or through you). And how do you invent this Vision that you will later pretend that God has given you? First, you have to find out what the goats (the un-churched) in your community want: if they want better sex-lives (and really who doesn’t) then you need to craft some sex sermons (or just buy them from Ed Young, Jr), if they want a night out on the town then offer a church-ran parents night out daycare service, if they want to continue in their sins then eventually burn in Hell for all of eternity then just don’t preach the Law or the Gospel or repentance or the forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name to them. See it’s easy.

According to Dan - Now if you only want 100 people in your church from here to Eternity then keep holding hands with the 100 “whiners” in your church right now – and that’ll do it. And that’s fine, but don’t do it then claim you’re building a church for God. You have to use growing churches as models for your church and you have to get your theology (whatever you want that to be) from the Bible, but you have to get your methodology from bigger churches.

Dan here quotes Matthew 7:20 (which ironically is about false teachers, Dan) “Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” And again he rapes Scripture to assert that you’ll know if God is with you, in the context of his message, if you have a big church. And you’ll recognize other God-is-with-them churches to emulate if they too are big. He says remember Jesus didn’t say, You’ll know them by their theology. Why, does he stress this? All false teachers reject Biblical doctrine, because its Biblical doctrine that God uses to point out heretics and false teachers. And it’s the dawning realization that someone is a false teacher that God uses to remove His Elect from their blasphemous control.

What else do you need to do to get God to grow you’re church? Well you’ve got to fast – and fasting doesn’t just mean don’t eat, it means extra prayer on top of your regular amount of prayer. You have to get yourself ready for God’s vision- then just wait for God to show up and grant you the Vision.

Rate yourself he says, from 1 to 100 for the level of prayer your doing for your church’s future (go ahead and write it down) and then put a percentage at the end of it. And that’s it, that’s the max percentage of increase to your church that God will ever give you. If you pray at a 25% level then God can only give you the 25% increase not the full 100% he wants to give you. Pray at a 50% level and then only 50% of what God wants to do in your church can be done.

Then he tells a story of a tour in heaven with St Peter with rooms stuffed full of gifts and presents. Is this my heavenly reward – the man asks? No – says Peter – its all the gifts God wanted to give you but you never asked for them. (This reminds me of the old Semi-Pelagian Heresy-Bing it, if you don’t know!)

Remember the Vision principles. The Vision only comes to those who first gather goat-information, prepares for the Vision (by implementing Church Transition Inc’s methods), fasts, prays, then waits on God for the Vision, but if you fast or pray too little then God can only give you little growth. Actual Christians instead of buying Church strategies from Dan Southerland & Church Transition Inc. open their Bibles (for free!) read the Acts of the Early Church and the Pastoral Epistles then try their best to be faithful (remember fidelity?) to what God has already told Christians to do not buying into what Dan says he’s in-Visioned (probably imagined following substandard Mexican food).

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

The Conversion of Zaccheus - 19 the end!

And what say you to this, O sinners? Suppose you saw the King of glory dying, and thus speaking to you; would you believe on him? No, you would not, unless you believe on him now: for though he is dead, he yet speaketh all this in the scripture; nay, in effect, says all this in the words of the text, “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost.” Do not therefore any longer crucify the Lord of glory. Bring those rebels, your sins, which will not have him to reign over them, bring them out to him: though you cannot slay them yourselves, yet he will slay them for you. The power of his death and resurrection is as great now as formerly. Make haste therefore, make haste, O ye publicans and sinners, and give the dear Lord Jesus your hearts, your whole hearts. If you refuse to hearken to this call of the Lord, remember your damnation will be just: I am free from the blood of you all: you must acquit my Master and me at the terrible day of judgment. O that you may know the things that belong to your everlasting peace, before they are eternally hid from your eyes! Let all that love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity say, Amen.

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Some of you, I hope, have experienced this, and can say, I was lost, but I am found; I was dead, but am alive again: the Son of man came and sought me in the day of his power, and saved my sinful soul. And do you repent that you came to Christ? Has he not been a good master? Is not his presence sweet to your souls? Has he not been faithful to his promise? And have you not found, that even in doing and suffering for him, there is an exceeding present great reward? I am persuaded you will answer, Yes. O then, ye saints, recommend and talk of the love of Christ to others, and tell them, O tell them what great things the Lord has done for you! This may encourage others to come unto him. And who knows but the Lord may make you fishers of men? The story of Zaccheus was left on record for this purpose. No truly convicted soul, after such an instance of divine grace has been laid before him, need despair of mercy. What if you are Publicans? Was not Zaccheus a Publican? What if you are chief among the Publicans? Was not Zaccheus likewise? What if you are rich? Was not Zaccheus rich also? And yet almighty grace made him more than conqueror over all these hindrances. All things are possible to Jesus Christ; nothing is too hard for him: he is the Lord almighty. Our mountains of sins must all fall before this great Zerubbabel. On him God the Father has laid the iniquities of all that shall believe on him; and in his own body he bare them on the tree. There, there, by faith, O mourners in Zion, may you see your Savior hanging with arms stretched out, and hear him, as it were, thus speaking to your souls; “Behold how I have loved you! Behold my hands and my feed! Look, look into my wounded side, and see a heart flaming with love: love stronger than death. Come into my arms, O sinners, come wash your spotted souls in my heart's blood. See here is a fountain opened for all sin and all uncleanness! See, O guilty souls, how the wrath of God is now abiding upon you: come, haste away, and hide yourselves in the clefts of my wounds; for I am wounded for your transgressions; I am dying that you may live for evermore. Behold, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so am I here lifted up upon a tree. See how I am become a curse for you: the chastisement of your peace is upon me. I am thus scourged, thus wounded, thus crucified, that you by my stripes may be healed. O look unto me, all ye trembling sinners, even to the ends of the earth! Look unto me by faith, and you shall be saved: for I came thus to be obedient even unto death, that I might save that which was lost.”

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What say you? Shall I go home rejoicing, saying, That many like sheep have went astray, but they have now believed on Jesus Christ, and so returned home to the great Shepherd and Bishop of their souls? If the Lord would be pleased thus to prosper my handy-work, I care not how many legalists and self-righteous Pharisees murmur against me, for offering salvation to the worst of sinners: for I know the Son of man came to seek and to save them; and the Lord Jesus will now be a guest to the worst Publican, the vilest sinner that is amongst you, if he does but believe on him. Make haste then, O sinners, make haste, and come by faith to Christ. Then, this day, even this hour, nay, this moment, if you believe, Jesus Christ shall come and make his eternal abode in your hearts. Which of you is made willing to receive the King of glory? Which of you obeys his call, as Zaccheus did? Alas! why do you stand still? How know you, whether Jesus Christ may ever call you again? Come then, poor, guilty sinners; come away, poor, lost, undone publicans: make haste, I say, and come away to Jesus Christ. The Lord condescends to invite himself to come under the filthy roofs of the houses of your souls. Do not be afraid of entertaining him; he will fill you with all peace and joy in believing. Do not be ashamed to run before the multitude, and to have all manner of evil spoke against you falsely for his sake: one sight of Christ will make amends for all. Zaccheus was laughed at; and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution. But what of that? Zaccheus is now crowned in glory; as you also shall shortly be, if you believe on, and are reproached for Christ's sake. Do not, therefore, put me off with frivolous excuses: there's no excuse can be given for your not coming to Christ. You are lost, undone, without him; and if he is not glorified in your salvation, he will be glorified in your destruction; if he does not come and make his abode in your hearts, you must take up an eternal abode with the devil and his angels. O that the Lord would be pleased to pass by some of you at this time! O that he may call you by his Spirit, and make you a willing people in this day of his power! For I know my calling will not do, unless he, by his efficacious grace, compel you to come in. O that you once felt what it is to receive Jesus Christ into your hearts! You would soon, like Zaccheus, give him everything. You do not love Christ, because you do not know him; you do not come to him, because you do not feel your want of him: you are whole, and not broken hearted; you are not sick, at least not sensible of your sickness; and, therefore, no wonder you do not apply to Jesus Christ, that great, that almighty physician. You do not feel yourselves lost, and therefore do not seek to be found in Christ. O that God would wound you with the sword of his Spirit, and cause his arrows of conviction to stick deep in your hearts! O that he would dart a ray of divine light into your souls! For if you do not feel yourselves lost without Christ, you are of all men most miserable: your souls are dead; you are not only an image of hell, but in some degree hell itself: you carry hell about with you, and you know it not. O that I could see some of you sensible of this, and hear you cry out, “Lord, break this hard heart; Lord, deliver me from the body of this death; draw me, Lord, make me willing to come after thee; I am lost; Lord, save me, or I perish!” Was this your case, how soon would the Lord stretch forth his almighty hand, and say, Be of good cheer, it is I; be not afraid? What a wonderful calm would then possess your troubled souls! Your fellowship would then be with the Father and the Son: your life would be hid with Christ in God.

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But it is time now to enforce the latter part of the text; “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” These words are spoken by our savior in answer to some self-righteous Pharisees, who, instead of rejoicing with the angels in heaven, at the conversion of such a sinner, murmured, “That he was gone to be a guest with a man that was a sinner.” To vindicate his conduct, he tells them, that this was an act agreeable to the design of his coming: “For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” He might have said, the Son of God. But O the wonderful condescension of our Redeemer! He delights to stile himself the Son of man. He came not only to save, but to seek and to save that which was lost. He came to Jericho to seek and save Zaccheus; for otherwise Zaccheus would never have been saved by him. But from whence came he? Even from heaven, his dwelling-place, to this lower earth, this vale of tears, to seek and save that which was lost; or all that feel themselves lost, and are willing, like Zaccheus, to receive him into their hearts to save them; with how great a salvation? Even from the guilt, and also from the power of their sins; to make them heirs of God, and joint heirs with himself, and partakers of that glory which he enjoyed with the Father before the world began. Thus will the Son of man save that which is lost. He was made the son of man, on purpose that he might save them. He had no other end but this in leaving his father's throne, in obeying the moral law, and hanging upon the cross: all that was done and suffered, merely to satisfy, and procure a righteousness for poor, lost, undone sinners, and that too without respect of persons. “That which was lost;” all of every nation and language, that feel, bewail, and are truly desirous of being delivered from their lost state, did the Son of man come down to seek and to save: for he is mighty, not only so, but willing, to save to the uttermost all that come to God through him. He will in no wise cast out: for he is the same today, as he was yesterday. He comes now to sinners, as well as formerly; and, I hope, hath sent me out this day to seek, and, under him, to bring home some of you, the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

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What therefore has been said of Zaccheus, may serve as a rule, whereby all may judge whether they have faith or not. You say you have faith; but how do you prove it? Did you ever hear the Lord Jesus call you by name? Were you ever made to obey the call? Did you ever, like Zaccheus, receive Jesus Christ joyfully into your hearts? Are you influenced by the faith you say you have, to stand up and confess the Lord Jesus before men? Were you ever made willing to own, and humble yourselves for, your past offenses? Does your faith work by love, so that you conscientiously lay up, according as God has prospered you, for the support of the poor? Do you give alms of all things that you possess? And have you made due restitution to those you have wronged? If so, happy are ye; salvation is come to your souls, you are sons, you are daughters of, you shall shortly be everlastingly blessed with, faithful Abraham. But, if you are not thus minded, do not deceive your own souls. Though you may talk of justification by faith, like angels, it will do you no good; it will only increase your damnation. You hold the truth, but it is in unrighteousness: your faith being without works, is dead: you have the devil, not Abraham, for your father. Unless you get a faith of the heart, a faith working by love, with devils and damned spirits shall you dwell for evermore.

The Conversion of Zaccheus 14

After all this, with good reason might our Lord say unto him, “This day is salvation come to this house; forasmuch as he also is the son of Abraham;” not so much by a natural as by a spiritual birth. He was made partaker of like precious faith with Abraham: like Abraham he believed on the Lord, and it was accounted to him for righteousness: his faith, like Abraham's, worked by love; and I doubt not, but he has been long since sitting in Abraham's harbor.

And now, are you not ashamed of yourselves, who speak against the doctrines of grace, especially that doctrine of being justified by faith alone, as though it leaded to licentiousness? What can be more unjust than such a charge? Is not the instance of Zaccheus, a sufficient proof to the contrary? Have I strained it to serve my own turn? God forbid. To the best of my knowledge I have spoken the truth in sincerity, and the truth as it is in Jesus. I do affirm that we are saved by grace, and that we are justified by faith alone: but I do also affirm, that faith must be evidenced by good works, where there is an opportunity of performing them.

The Conversion of Zaccheus 13

Say not within yourselves, this is a licentious Antinomian doctrine; for this faith, if true, will work by love, and be productive of the fruits of holiness. See an instance in this convert Zaccheus; no sooner had he received Jesus Christ by faith into his heart, but he evidences it by his works; for, ver. 8, we are told, “Zaccheus stood forth, and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give unto the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him four- fold.” Having believed on Jesus in his heart, he now makes confession of him with his mouth to salvation. “Zaccheus stood forth;” he was not ashamed, but stood forth before his brother Publicans; for true faith casts out all servile, sinful fear of man; “and said, Behold, Lord.” It is remarkable, how readily people in scripture have owned the divinity of Christ immediately upon their conversion. Thus the woman at Jacob's well; “Is not this the Christ?” Thus the man born blind; “Lord, I believe; and worshipped him.” Thus Zaccheus, “Behold, Lord.” An incontestable proof this to me, that those who deny our Lord's divinity, never effectually felt his power: if they had, they would not speak so lightly of him: they would scorn to deny his eternal power and Godhead. “Zaccheus stood forth, and said, Behold, Lord, the half of m goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him four-fold.” Noble fruits of a true living faith in the Lord Jesus! Every word calls for our notice. Not some small, not the tenth part, but the half. Of what? My goods; things that were valuable. My goods, his own, not another's. I give: not, I will give when I die, when I can keep them no longer; but, I give now, even now. Zaccheus would be his own executor. For whilst we have time we should do good. But to whom would he give half of his goods? Not to the rich, not to those who were already clothed in purple and fine linen, of whom he might be recompensed again; but to the poor, the maimed, the halt, the blind, from which he could expect no recompense till the resurrection of the dead. “I give to the poor.” But knowing that he must be just before he could be charitable, and conscious to himself that in his public administrations he had wronged many persons, he adds, “And if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.” Hear ye this, all ye that make no conscience of cheating the king of his taxes, or of buying or selling run goods. If ever God gives you true faith, you will never rest, till, like Zaccheus, you have made restitution to the utmost of your power. I suppose, before his conversion, he thought it no harm to cheat thus, no more than you may do now, and pleased himself frequently, to be sure, that he got rich by doing so: but now he is grieved for it at his heart; he confesses his injustice before men, and promises to make ample restitution. Go ye cheating Publicans, learn of Zaccheus; go away and do likewise. If you do not make restitution here, the Lord Jesus shall make you confess your sins before men and angels, and condemn you for it, when he comes in the glory of his Father to judgment hereafter.

The Conversion of Zaccheus 12

It should seem that Zaccheus was under soul-distress but a little while; perhaps (says Guthrie, in his book entitled, The Trial Concerning A Saving Interest In Christ) not above a quarter of an hour. I add, perhaps not so long: for, as one observes, sometimes the Lord Jesus delights to deliver speedily. God is a sovereign agent, and works upon his children in their effectual calling, according to the counsel of his eternal will. It is with the spiritual, as natural birth: all women have not the like pangs; all Christians have not the like degree of conviction. But all agree in this, that all have Jesus Christ formed in their hearts: and those who have not so many trials at first, may be visited with the greater conflicts hereafter; though they never come into bondage again, after they have once received the spirit of adoption. “We have not, (says Paul) received the spirit of bondage again unto fear.” We know not what Zaccheus underwent before he died: however, this one thing I know, he now believed in Christ, and was justified, or acquitted, and looked upon as righteous in God's sight, though a Publican, chief among the Publicans, not many moments before. And thus it is with all, that, like Zaccheus, receive Jesus Christ by faith into their hearts: the very moment they find rest in him, they are freely justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses; “for by grace are we saved, through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God.”

The Conversion of Zaccheus 11

I have observed, in holy scripture, how particularly it is remarked, that persons rejoiced upon believing in Christ. Thus the converted Eunuch went on his way rejoicing; thus the jailer rejoiced with his whole house; thus Zaccheus received Christ joyfully. And well may those rejoice who receive Jesus Christ; for with him they receive righteousness, sanctification, and eternal redemption. Many have brought up an ill report upon our good land, and would fain persuade people that religion will make them melancholy mad. So far from it, that joy is one ingredient of the kingdom of God in the heart of a believer; “The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” To rejoice in the Lord, is a gospel-duty. “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice.” And who can be so joyful, as those who know that their pardon is sealed before they go hence and are no more seen? The godly may, but I cannot see how any ungodly men can, rejoice: they cannot be truly cheerful. What if wicked men may sometimes have laughter amongst them? It is only the laughter of fools; in the midst of it there is heaviness; At the best, it is but like the cracking of thorns under a pot; it makes a blaze, but soon goes out. But, as for the godly, it is not so with them; their joy is solid and lasting. As it is a joy that a stranger intermeddleth not with, so it is a joy that no man taketh from them: it is a joy in God, a “joy unspeakable and full of glory.”

The Conversion of Zaccheus 10

Thus it is the great God brings home his children. He calls them by name, by his word or providence; he speaks to them also by his spirit. Hereby they are enabled to open their hearts, and are made willing to receive the King of glory. For Zaccheus's sake, let us not entirely condemn people that come under the word, out of no better principle than curiosity. Who knows but God may call them? It is good to be where the Lord is passing by. May all who are now present out of this principle, hear the voice of the Son of God speaking to their souls, and so hear that they ma live! Not that men ought therefore to take encouragement to come out of curiosity. For perhaps a thousand more, at other times, came too see Christ out of curiosity, as well as Zaccheus, who were not effectually called by his grace. I only mention this for the encouragement of my own soul, and the consolation of God's children, who are too apt to be angry with those who do not attend on the word out of love to God: but let them alone. Brethren, pray for them. How do you know but Jesus Christ may speak to their hearts! A few words from Christ, applied by his spirit, will save their souls. “Zaccheus, says Christ, make haste and come down. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.”

The Conversion of Zaccheus 9

Here then, as through a glass, we may see the doctrine of free grace evidently exemplified before us. Here was not fitness in Zaccheus. He was a Publican, chief among the Publicans; not only so, but rich, and came to see Christ only out of curiosity: but sovereign grace triumphs over all. And if we do God justice, and are effectually wrought upon, we must acknowledge there was no more fitness in us than in Zaccheus; and, had not Christ prevented us by his call, we had remained dead in trespasses and sins, and alienated from the divine life, even as others. “Jesus looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zaccheus, make haste and come down; for this day I must abide at thy house.”

With what different emotions of heart may we suppose Zaccheus received this invitation? Think you not that he was surprised to hear Jesus Christ call him by name, and not only so, but invite himself to his house? Surely, thinks Zaccheus, I dream: it cannot be; how should he know me? I never saw him before: besides, I shall undergo much contempt, if I receive him under my rood. Thus, I say, we may suppose Zaccheus thought within himself. But what saith the scripture? “I will make a willing people in the day of my power.” With this outward call, there went an efficacious power from God, which sweetly over-ruled his natural will: and therefore, verse 6, “He made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully;” not only into his house, but also into his heart.

The Conversion of Zaccheus 8

At length, after taking much pains, and going (as we may well suppose) through much contempt, Zaccheus has climbed the tree; and there he sits, as he thinks, hid in the leaves of it, and watching when he should see Jesus pass by: “For he was to pass by that way.”

But sing, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth! Praise, magnify, and adore sovereign, electing, free, preventing love; Jesus the everlasting God, the Prince of peace, who saw Nathanael under the fig-tree, and Zaccheus from eternity, now sees him in the sycamore-tree, and calls him in time.

Verse 5. “And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zaccheus, make haste and come down; for this day I must abide at thy house.” Amazing love! Well might Luke usher in the account with “behold!” It is worthy of our highest admiration. When Zaccheus thought of no such thing, nay, thought that Christ Jesus did not know him; behold, Christ does what we never hear he did before or after, I mean, invite himself to the house of Zaccheus, saying, “Zaccheus, make haste and come down; for this day I must abide at thy house.” Not pray let me abide, but I must abide this day at thy house. He also calls him by name, as though he was well acquainted with him: and indeed well he might; for his name was written in the book of life, he was one of those whom the Father had given him from all eternity: therefore he must abide at his house that day. “For whom he did predestinate, them he also called.”

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There is no seeing Christ in Glory, unless we run before the multitude, and are willing to be in the number of those despised few, who take the kingdom of God by violence. The broad way, in which so many go, can never be that strait and narrow way which leads to life. Our Lord's flock was, and always will be, comparatively a little one; and unless we dare to run before the multitude in a holy singularity, and can rejoice in being accounted fools for Christ's sake, we shall never see Jesus with comfort, when he appears in glory. From mentioning the sycamore-tree, and considering the difficulty with which Zaccheus must climb it, we may farther learn, that those who would see Christ, must undergo other difficulties and hardships, besides contempt. Zaccheus, without doubt, went through both. Did not many, think you, laugh at him as he ran along, and in the language of Michal, Saul's daughter, cry out, “How glorious did the rich Zaccheus look today, when, forgetting the greatness of his station, he ran before a pitiful, giddy mob, and climbed up a sycamore-tree, to see an enthusiastic preacher!” But Zaccheus cares not for all that; his curiosity was strong: if he could but see who Jesus was, he did not value what scoffers said of him. Thus, and much more will it be with all those who have an effectual desire to see Jesus in heaven: they will go on from strength to strength, break through every difficulty lying in their way, and care not what men or devils say of or do unto them. May the Lord make us all thus minded, for his dear Son's sake!

The Conversion of Zaccheus 6

But we must return to Zaccheus. “He sought to see Jesus.” That is good news. I heartily wish I could say, it was out of a good principle: but, without speaking contrary to that charity which hopes and believeth all things for the best, we may say, that the same principle drew him after Christ, which now draws multitudes (to speak plainly, it may be multitudes of you) to hear a particular preacher, even curiosity: for we are told, that he came not to hear his doctrine, but to view his person, or, to use the words of the evangelist, “to see who he was.” Our Lord's fame was now spread abroad through all Jerusalem, and all the country round about: some said he was a good man; others, “Nay, but he deceiveth the people.” And therefore curiosity drew out this rich Publican Zaccheus, to see who this person was, of whom he had heard such various accounts. But it seems he could not conveniently get a sight of him for the press, and because he was little of stature. Alas! how many are kept from seeing Christ in glory, by reason of the press! I mean, how many are ashamed of being singularly good, and therefore follow a multitude to do evil, because they have a press or throng of polite acquaintance! And, for fear of being set an nought by those with whom they used to sit at meat, they deny the Lord of glory, and are ashamed to confess him before men. This base, this servile fear of man, is the bane of true Christianity; it brings a dreadful snare upon the soul, and is the ruin of ten thousands: for I am fully persuaded, numbers are rationally convicted of gospel-truths; but, not being able to brook contempt, they will not prosecute their convictions, nor reduce them to practice. Happy those, who in this respect, like Zaccheus, are resolved to overcome all impediments that lie in their way to a sight of Christ; for, finding he could not see Christ because of the press and the littleness of his natural stature, he did not smite upon his breast, and depart, saying, “It is in vain to seek after a sight of him any longer, I can never attain unto it.” No, finding he could not see Christ, if he continued in the midst of, “he ran before the multitude, and climbed up into a sycamore-tree, to see him; for he was to pass that way.”

The Conversion of Zaccheus 5

But rich as he was, we are told, verse 3 that “he sought to see Jesus.” A wonder indeed! The common people heard our Lord gladly, and the poor received the gospel. The multitude, the ocloS, the mob, the people that know not the law, as the proud high-priests called them, used to follow him on foot into the country, and sometimes stayed with him three days together to hear him preach. But did the rich believe or attend on him? No. Our Lord preached up the doctrine of the cross; he preached too searching for them, and therefore they counted him their enemy, persecuted and spoke all manner of evil against him falsely. Let not the ministers of Christ marvel, if they meet with the like treatment from the rich men of this wicked and adulterous generation. I should think it no scandal (supposing it true) to hear it affirmed, that none but the poor attended my ministry. Their souls are as precious to our Lord Jesus Christ, as the souls of the greatest men. They were the poor that attended him in the days of his flesh: these are they whom he hath chosen to rich in faith, and to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Were the rich in this world's goods generally to speak well of me, woe be unto me; I should think it a dreadful sign that I was only a wolf in sheep's clothing, that I spoke peace, peace, when there was no peace, and prophesied smoother things than the gospel would allow of. Hear ye this, O ye rich. Let who will dare to do it, God forbid that I should despise the poor; in doing so, I should reproach my Maker. The poor are dear to my soul; I rejoice to see them fly to the doctrine of Christ, like the doves to their windows. I only pray, that the poor who attend, may be evangelized, and turned into the spirit of the gospel: if so, “Blessed are ye; for yours is the kingdom of heaven.”

The Conversion of Zaccheus 4

Well might the evangelist usher in the relation of this man's conversion with the word “behold!” For, according to human judgment, how many insurmountable obstacles lay in the way of it! Surely no one will say there was any fitness in Zaccheus for salvation; for we are told that he was a Publican, and therefore in all probability a notorious sinner. The Publicans were gatherers of the Roman taxes; they were infamous for their abominable extortion; their very name therefore became so odious, that we find the Pharisees often reproached our Lord, as very wicked, because he was a friend unto and sat down to meat with them. Zaccheus then, being a Publican, was no doubt a sinner; and, being chief among the Publicans, consequently was chief among sinners. Nay, “he was rich.” One inspired apostle has told us, that “not many mighty, not many noble are called.” Another saith, “God has chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith.” And he who was the Maker and Redeemer of the apostles, assures us, “that it is easier for a camel, (or cable-rope) to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” Let not therefore the rich glory in the multitude of their riches.

The Conversion of Zaccheus 3

It is my design (God helping) to make some remarks upon his conversion recorded at large in the preceding verses, and then to enforce the latter part of the text, as an encouragement to poor undone sinners to come to Jesus Christ. “For the Son of man is come, to seek and to save that which was lost.”

The evangelist Luke introduces the account of this man's conversion thus, verse 1. “And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.” The holy Jesus made it his business to go about doing good. As the sun in the firmament is continually spreading his benign, quickening, and cheering influences over the natural; so the Son of righteousness arose with healing under his wings, and was daily and hourly diffusing his gracious influences over the moral world. The preceding chapter acquaints us of a notable miracle wrought by the holy Jesus, on poor blind Bartimeus; and in this, a greater presents itself to our consideration. The evangelist would have us take particular notice of it; for he introduces it with the word “behold:” “and behold, there was a man named Zaccheus, who was the chief among the Publicans, and he was rich.”

Reformed Baptist

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