October 23, 2006

• Jesus in the Old Testament by Bill Kassler

  Today the Kassler Family ran the whole church service. They have been members for six years and soon their family is relocating to Florida. They will be very missed by our church. Bill Kassler did the Bible study today, and his whole family did praise and worship, and his wife spoke the sermon which showed how God led them to move to Florida. We know they will come back to visit, but it is sad to see someone that is integral to our church family leave.

  Before Bill spoke, Pastor Don read to us parts of a recent Time Magazine article written by Robert Putman (SP?) who talked about One Man’s Loneliness.

  Pastor Don read Matthew 24:4-12 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, “I am the Christ,” and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled, for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these things are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many, and because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

  And then we looked at 2 Timothy 3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come; for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

  The scriptures given were prophesy of things to come, and what is happening today shows that the prophesies are the truth. Video games provide images of people we don’t know, and yet we can hurt them freely in video games. Pastor Don talked about how during World War II and the Korean war only about 10% of soldiers fired their weapons. When the Vietnam war came about the army realized they had to do something to increase this percentage, so instead of targets that the earlier soldiers had, the targets were replaced with pictures of people to shoot at, and during the Vietnam war 50% of the soldiers fired their weapons. It is no wonder at the increase of violence today with all the images of violence that bombard our senses.

  Then Pastor Don pointed out that the trend today to separate oneself from the church and worship solo is a dangerous trend, it is one satan likes for we are weaker when we are alone than when we are in groups.

  In the Time magazine article it stated that today there is a 1/3 drop of the number of people that the average American feels that they can discuss important matters with. Baby boomers are more socially narrowed than their parents, and baby boomers’ children are even more isolated. One of the reasons can be TV, computers, and video games.

  The side effects of social isolation are: kids fail to thrive, crime increases, politics worsen (lack of love for others), generosity shrinks, and death comes sooner. In fact due to isolation the same number of years is knocked off of a person’s life as what is knocked off of a smoker’s life.

  Pastor Don pointed out that by attending church and fellowshipping with others we can live longer and happier lives.

  One of our members pointed out a song in our old hymnals (we use foils for most songs). And we sang it together. Upon further research I realize it is a song sung by the Gaithers, but I had never heard it before. It is so beautiful that I wanted to share it with you.

  CHORUS:

  I’m so glad I’m a part
  Of the Family of God
  I’ve been washed in the fountain
  Cleansed by His blood!
  Joint heirs with Jesus
  As we travel this sod,
  For I’m part of the family,
  The family of God.

  You will notice we say brother
  And sister ’round here.
  It’s because were a family
  And these folks are so dear.
  When one has a heartache
  We all share the tears
  And rejoice in each
  Victory in the family so dear.

  CHORUS

  From the door of an orphanage
  To the house of the King
  No longer an outcast,
  A new song I sing,
  From rags unto  riches
  From the weak to the strong
  I’m not worthy to be here    
  But praise God I belong!

  The Bible study by Bill Kassler – Finding Jesus in the Old Testament

  (Heather’s note: already I like it for that is one of my favorite pastimes, searching out Jesus in the scriptures).

  2 Chronicles 20:20 So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa, and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem. Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”

  It is not enough to just believe in God, we need to be born again, to have the Holy Spirit within us. To have Christ in us, the hope of glory. The Jewish people have God, but they do not have the revelation of the Holy Spirit. We must believe God, believe His prophets and you shall prosper.

  Isaiah 29:9-10 Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with intoxicating drink. For the LORD has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets; and He has covered your heads, namely, the seers.

  There are problems in the church today, and they had problems in the temple. The prophets of Isaiah’s day were not speaking the Word of God. They were saying what the people wanted to hear (we see this today in the church as well). God blinded the eyes of the prophets and the seers so that they would not be destroyed.

  Isaiah 29:11-12 The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, “Read this, please.” And he says, “I cannot for it is sealed.” Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying, “Read this please.” And he says, “I am not literate.”

  The whole vision of the Messiah was already there for those with eyes to see, but in Isaiah’s day, they were blinded to the truth. They would not see what God has done.

  Isaiah 29:13 Therefore the LORD said: “In as much as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men.

  This is a sad passage, the parents and leaders of the people were focused on the commandments of men – their interpretation of God’s law, not focused on God or obeying from their hearts for love of God. The people did not do the commandments because they feared punishment from their peers, but in reality when a person sins it brings death. If they obeyed God, knowing that sin brings death, that would keep a person wanting to keep the commandments.

  Isaiah 29:14 Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work among this people, a marvelous work and a wonder, for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.

  The foolish things of the earth will confound the wise. God had to do this because His people (the Israelites had lost it), and so God would end up offering the Messiah to the Israelites, but then eventually the Word of truth would be spread to the Gentiles for a season.

  Isaiah 29:15-16 Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the LORD, and their works are in the dark; They say, “Who sees us?” and “Who knows us?” Surely you have things turned around! Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay; for shall the thing made say of him who made it, “He did not make me”? Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?

  We cannot hide what we are doing or thinking from God. He sees us.

  Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine, for your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.

  Praise God for Jesus.

  Isaiah 60:2-3 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people, but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

  When Jesus came to give His light to the world, it was refused by His people, so a cloud has come and darkness. God then gave the light to the Gentiles, but when He comes back, he will again reveal himself to the nation of Israel.

  Isaiah 60:4-5 Lift up your eyes all around and see: They all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side. Then you shall see and become radiant, and your heart shall swell with joy; because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.

  We lift Jesus up. Believe in God and you’ll be established. Believe in His prophets and you will prosper.

  Isaiah 60:10 The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in My wrath I struck you, but in My favor I have had mercy on you.

  The sons of foreigners are gentiles. Much of the New Testament is written in Greek and that helped spread His light through the world. Thank God for favor and mercy and God’s forgiveness through Jesus.

  Isaiah 60:11 Therefore your gates shall be open continually; They shall not be shut day or night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, and their kings in procession.

  Jesus is so good, so good, so good! (Heather’s note: this reminds me of the New Jerusalem description in Revelation where the gates are always open, no evil enters, and it is always light by the light of the Son and His Father.)

  Isaiah 60:14-16 And the sons of those who afflicted you shall come bowing to you, and all those who despised you shall fall prostrate at the soles of your feet; and they shall call you The City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, so that no one went through you, I will make you an eternal excellence, a joy of many generations, you shall drink the milk of the Gentiles, and milk the breast of kings; you shall know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty one of Jacob.

  If you refuse to listen to the prophets you will not prosper. Without the revelation of the Holy Spirit and Christ in your heart you will not prosper.

  2 Corinthians 3:14-16 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

  What we know because we have had the veil taken away is a treasure. It is a treasure that Jesus spoke about in a parable of the woman searching for the coin or a pearl of great price. Many Churches today still have a veil for they haven’t had the revelation that is given by the Holy Spirit. When the veil from the Old Testament is removed we will see how clearly Christ is portrayed throughout all the Old Testament. On the Road to Emmaus, Jesus revealed himself in the scriptures (Old Testament) to his disciples.

  According to the historian Josephus, there were many men named Jesus on the earth, but only One Jesus Christ.

  1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

  Many churches prefer to focus on the New Testament and the Words of Jesus, but they neglect the Old Testament. Much is revealed about Jesus in the Old Testament too, when we read the Old Testament with our eyes opened by the Spirit of God.

  Deuteronomy 18:18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.

  We know that is Jesus, for only Jesus has spoken God’s words and done all that God commanded Him.

  John 5:39 You search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life, and these are they which testify of Me.

  Jesus even pointed out that the Old Testament (Scriptures) testified of Him, but the people of His day were blinded to that truth that walked among them.

  John 5:40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

  Has Jesus been trying to reveal Himself to you? Have you totally received Him into your heart? Do you know Him as your savior? Are you willing to Come to Him?

  1saiah 11:1-5 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. His delight is in the fear of the LORD, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears, but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist.

  I don’t want to refuse the Lord or His call. When we come to Him this is what we receive. Jesse is a forefather to Jesus, and this was established from before the foundation of the earth. When we come to Christ and receive the Holy Spirit, we receive wisdom, knowledge, understanding, counsel and might, and the fear (awe) of the LORD. But Jesus will also come again to Judge the earth. But when Jesus walked with His disciples, they did not understand His ministry of forgiveness. They asked Him if He wanted them to call down fire and brimstone on those who refused to listen. Jesus told Him that that was not His mission at this time. He was exhibiting might with mercy.

  Isaiah 11:10-11 And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, who shall stand as a banner to the people; for the Gentiles shall seek Him, and his resting place shall be glorious. It shall come to pass in that day that the LORD shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people who are left, from Assyria and Egypt, from Pathros and Cush, from Elam and Shinar, from Hamath and the islands of the sea.

  The branch is established, and now a root. Bill gave the example of a strawberry plant that sends out runners, and then the runners take root.

  Jesus died and was raised from the dead at the FEAST OF PASSOVER. When Jesus comes again there is a second feast, the FEAST OF TABERNACLE (Christ with us), and then there will be a third feast, The FEAST OF THE HARVEST (where the wheat and chaff will be judged and separated).

  John 5:19-23 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does, and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgement to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father who sent Him.

  Do not be mistaken, there will be judgment.

  Isaiah 7:9b …If you will not believe surely you shall not be established.

  This was a wonderful treasure hunt for Jesus in the Old Testament. I am sorry to see this family leave, but wish them happiness and joy in their new home.

  Heather

  1 Peter 3:15

   

  • 10:27 am
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