Then in John’s gospel at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, “Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph’” (John 1:45).

We are working our way through a portion of the Writings as we study the Psalms, and we have been introduced to the Book of Moses (the Pentateuch, 1st five books of the Bible) through our study of Genesis (and Exodus coming soon). We have even looked at the Prophets in our class as we studied Isaiah. All of these, we have discovered, are pointing to the Christ, Messiah who is coming to redeem Israel. When Jesus opened the Scriptures to his disciples he showed them how each of these three sections of the Old Testament (Law, Prophets and Writings) pointed to Him.

Don’t regard the Old Testament as an obsolete book for ancient Israel. On the contrary, the Old Testament is a living book for us today and carries with it the same message of the New Testament, that salvation comes through Messiah alone who will reign forever.

Upon the return of the disciples from quite an amazing mission trip where they had command even over demons, Jesus was quick to point out to these radical followers, “do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20).

Upon the public proclamation of the blessedness of Jesus’ mother, for having carried the Savior of the world in her womb, Jesus was quick to point out to this encourager, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Luke 11:28).

There are many distractions in the life of every believer and each of these distractions, while not inherently sinful in themselves, carries with them the propensity toward sin. Not even are they neutral, they pull and nudge us toward pride, and idolatry. The blessing of the Lord is this, that your name can be written in heaven, and this blessing comes to those who hear the word of God and keep it!

Resist the temptation of pride and idolatry. There is only One thing that matters, and that ‘thing’ is Jesus, who isn’t a ‘thing’ at all, but a Person. Fix your eyes on Him and Him alone.

One of the greatest needs of the church today is for us to rid ourselves of the fear of man. We bow down to the demands of man, in fear that he/she will reject us, or open us up to shame. Oh that the bride of Christ would cast off the fear of man, and proudly and boldly proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

No matter how much you love a person, no matter how much you pray for a person, no matter how much you show your “good life” to a person, a person cannot be saved until the Gospel of Jesus Christ is shared with them by someone who is brave enough to share. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation…nothing else will work!

Let’s be about the business of doing the business God has called each of us to be busy doing…share with your friends how they can have their sins forgiven through Jesus Christ.

As the body of Christ, begin praying faithfully for each of these projects, that God would be glorified, and that the gospel would be proclaimed clearly and effectively by Pine Street Baptist Church. Pray PSBC would be more of a Great Commission church!

Projects:

• Integrated Hispanic ministry at PSBC (multi-cultural church, here we come!)

• Adopt-a-street program (Sunday School classes have adopted streets to reach with the Gospel)

• Christmas Parade Chili giveaway (we will be handing out tracts downtown)

• Operation Christmas Child

• Medical Mission trip to Lima, Peru (for the purpose of sharing the gospel)

• East Asia trip (distributing radios in East Asia so the SN people can hear the gospel in their own language)

• Construction/ family mission trip during Spring Break

• Community Impact (visiting families that have visited our church)

I think sometime in our lives we forget just what Jesus has done for us. I think we forget what it was like before Christ came into our own life. Try to remember what it was like to be lost without the hope of eternal life, living in sin and being an enemy of God. As you remember back to those days, let the excitement of knowing that now Christ resides in you and you in him, through the work of the Holy Spirit motivate and compel you to give someone else that same opportunity you had to put their faith in Him. Tell someone about Jesus today!

I am amazed at how rich God’s Word is…and how convicting!

Today, I was struck by the story Mark shares of a poor widow, a lady who in society’s eyes was valued little. Mark tells us that many rich people put many dollars into the offering box. But Mark wasn’t sharing this story to tell us about these rich folks who gave a lot. Mark wrote to tell us about the lady who in her poverty gave what would amount to 1/64th of a day-laborers wages. Let’s just say it was very little, and wouldn’t buy you a happy meal at McDonalds, and yet Mark tells us that out of her poverty she has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.

A widow that had very little, because she had no income, no husband, had but only pocket change to live on, gave to God what could’ve been money to buy her next meal. She gave it, and then had nothing!

In her giving, do you think she made God look worthy? Do you think she expressed to those around her how valuable God was to her? Do you think this brought glory to God? Anything that makes God look good and precious to us glorifies God, which is our purpose. This widow gave because she valued God more than her next meal. She valued God more than her retirement. She valued God more than anything this life could offer.

In class yesterday we discussed the reality that there is no greater purpose, nor any other purpose, you and I have than to bring glory to God. I wonder if an outsider would be convinced that God was glorious and precious to you, if that outsider was able to see what you gave to God, compared to what you have.

Let me remind you that our purpose is to bring glory to God. You cannot escape the reality that what you give to him financially WILL reflect how valuable you hold him to be. Considering this, and considering what this widow gave (everything she had), are you fulfilling your purpose in life through your giving? Or does your giving (or should I say keeping) reflect that you value your life and dreams more than God’s.

Oh, let’s show God how valuable He is to us! Don’t give because it’s law, give because He is worthy!

“Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.”

The apostles that were commissioned by Jesus to do great tasks returned to their Master with news of all they had accomplished. The work was just beginning. Many were healed and saved, but thousands had yet to hear. And in the wisdom of the ages, Jesus doesn’t tell them to get back out there, but to “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.”

In God’s economy, we are not going to benefit the kingdom in our own strength. When we work in our own strength to accomplish the work of the kingdom we will certainly dry up as a branch and will produce no fruit. In Isaiah it says, “’My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord.”

We must operate in God’s kingdom, by God’s ways, and God’s ways are not like ours. God’s ways are higher than ours as the heavens are higher than the earth. God’s ways call us to operate in His strength, and to be in His strength means you must stop and find a desolate place and rest.

I wonder when was the last time you rested. Are you too busy to find time to rest in the Lord? If so, you are operating not in God’s ways, but in your own. I challenge you to submit your ways unto the Lord and find a place of solitude today for rest in the Lord. Perhaps you need to look at your calendar and in the next week find a whole day to set aside to be quite before God. I promise the dividends will be worth it.

These last two chapters contain what most call the Great Commission, but what I call the Great Culmination. These two chapters are the end of Jesus’ ministry on earth, and the culmination of His ministry until He returns. The commission and culmination are one in the same. Namely, that Jesus died the death He came to die, He was buried, and He rose again. He conquered death and sin, and provides life and forgiveness. The life of Christ on earth culminates with one last statement by Jesus Himself in 28:18-20.

Remember, the message of Jesus was “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The King of the kingdom is now letting His followers know that indeed all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him. Because of this reality Jesus tells His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations. That’s the commission! That’s the command!

A few things Jesus didn’t say with His last words:

• Guys, try to plant a church and see if you can get it as big as you can.

• Guys, there is a lot of social injustice in this world, consume yourself with righting the wrongs of people.

• Guys, there are people that are hungry and thirsty. I want you to work hard at solving this problem.

• Guys, I’d like for you to go to your churches and make sure you have the best programs for children you can, and the best Christmas pageants you can.

• Guys, I’d like for you to make Sunday school classes the biggest and best ever.

Jesus doesn’t say any of these, even though these are not necessarily bad things. Jesus says to make disciples of all nations. This is the grid, the foundation of all that we do. Everything we do should first channel through the filter of “does this make disciples of the nations?”

At what point do we ask this question of everything we do at church? And then at what point do we begin asking this question of everything we do at home? Our mission to make disciples doesn’t stop at church meetings on Sundays, but is owned by each of us in all we do! God has given us time on this earth to use all that we have (jobs, homes, vacation time, retirement savings, children, cars, etc.) to make disciples of all nations. How much of all that you have is committed to making disciples of all nations?

It may be time to sit down with a spouse and reassess your existence and purpose. Until our total existence exists for this purpose, we are falling short of the greatest command to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and strength.

May the great commission of Jesus result in a great reassessment of priority that results in a great repentance of sin that results in a great refinement of our soul that results in a great reassignment of our assets that results in a great reformation of the world!

We voted also to return to Lima, Peru to conduct a second medical clinic which will provide us the opportunity to share the gospel, one-on-one, with upwards of 500-600 people. Just a few months ago, using the same strategy, we saw 134 adults surrender their life to Christ.

We voted also to explore other mission trip possibilities that were more local and convenient. But probably the most significant vote we cast was the one to begin an integrated Hispanic work here at Pine Street. I cannot tell you the impact this will have on us as a church body. It will stretch us, and bless us. It is the right thing to do, and I cannot wait to see how God works in and through us to reach those in our community that speak Spanish. What a joy to see such enthusiasm at the business meeting last night concerning this ministry.

Join me in prayer that God would direct our steps and that through each of these ventures, we would see God glorified and people come to faith. We will give God all the glory.

Thank you Pine Street family for having the desire to take the gospel to those outside our walls, and outside our comfort zones.