Category: Sermons by Tim Mcnab
Gone Fishing!
If you are going to go Fishing what equipment will you need to bring.
- Fishing Line if outside of the US or Fishing Pole if you live in the USA.
- Hook
- Some type of Bate or Lure something to attract what you are trying to catch.
- It would help to have Water or a Place to Fish of course
Ever wonder what does satin uses to fish with?
I found that he has many different types of Lures for catching people fish.
What does God use to fish with? The only thing that God has that He can fish with is Truth
Try the water a little and see if you will catch anything
Jesus was about to start his Ministry one day and went looking for Men who would make good students.
Now I have to question this, because if you are going to look for people to start your business or ministry; would you knot go and look for the best people to have.
You know the smart one’s with a lot of schooling “I think they call them well educated” They know how to get things done, even if it is not the correct way so log as they meet their quota at the end of the day.
Jesus did not do it this way; why?
Well let take a look at where he found most of his disciples.
Matthew 4: 17-22
17: From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Now we know that Jesus had just started because the scriptures say he began to preach.
The Jewish leaders thought themselves too wise to need instruction, too righteous to need salvation, too highly honored to need the honor that comes from Christ.
The Savior turned away from them to entrust to others the privileges they had abused and the work they had slighted.
God’s glory must be revealed, His word established.
Christ’s kingdom must be set up in the world.
The salvation of God must be made known in the cities and in the wilderness. The disciples of Jesus were called to do the work that the Jewish leaders & well educated men who clamed they had the truth had failed to do.
18: And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
These people were fishermen because they were unlearned men all they could do is fish to make a living.
Plus they were known to be violent men who sometimes could not control there temper. More then likely they drank and cursed and did a lot of fighting. But when Jesus saw them he knew they were just what he needed for the carrying on of His work, Christ did not choose the learning or eloquence of the Jewish Sanhedrin or the power of Rome.
Passing by the self-righteous Jewish teachers, the Master worker chose humble, unlearned men to proclaim the truths that were to move the world.
These men He purposed to train and educate as the leaders of His church. They in turn were to educate others and send them out with the gospel message. That they might have success in their work they were to be given the power of the Holy Spirit.
Not by human might or human wisdom was the gospel to be proclaimed, but by the power of God.
19: And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20: And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
Mark 1: 19-22
19: And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.
20: And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.
For three years and a half the disciples were under the instruction of the greatest Teacher the world has ever known. By personal contact and association, Christ trained them for His service.
Day by day they walked and talked with Him, hearing His words of cheer to the weary and heavy-laden, and seeing the manifestation of His power in behalf of the sick and the afflicted.
Sometimes He taught them, sitting among them on the mountainside; sometimes beside the sea or walking by the way, He revealed the mysteries of the kingdom of God.
Wherever hearts were open to receive the divine message, He unfolded the truths of the way of salvation. He did not command the disciples to do this or that, but said, “Follow Me.
21: And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
22: And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes
The mission that Jesus had here on this Earth was to show us how much our Father in heaven loves each and every one of us.
Its was not the Father plan that Man should die; that came into play only after Man prove to be disobedience to God command
Jesus came that all Men may be saved, “All Men”! And that means there is no one on this Earth whom can’t be saved as long as they want to be saved.
Jesus will never force his way on you, you must freely choose to be lost..
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Story:
When Patrick was about three or four years old he always wanted to go fishing. He would be after me all the time lets go fishing dad, come on lets go fishing, sometimes that is all I could hear from him.
So we would go to a pond and I would get out his little fishing pole and get him all set-up and he would just stay there for hours fishing. I would go and find a place to rest and read a book or do something that I been needing to do, and at the same time keep and eye on him.
This worked very well for a few years till he discovered I would never put any bate on the end of his line. When he learned what bate was for, my happy days of fishing with him were over.
I remember one time wend he was just about 3 years old and by accident a little fish got court on his hook and he had a ball pulling it in, it was no bigger then a quarter. So after he pulled Moby-dick in I said hey puppy look you got your first fish, he was so happy.
So I through the little fish back into the water and played like I put bate back on his line and through it back in to the water and told him here you go puppy. But he just looked at me and said I want to go home.
Well I was not finish reading my book so I said no man, come on lets finish fishing, here is your pole. All he would do was to look at me with a sad look on his face and about to cry. So I said what’s the problem puppy why don’t you want to fish anymore, I am not ready to leave yet!
He looked at me and said I court a fish and wanted to show my Mama and you through my fish back in the water, I want to go home!
What could I do?
**** I learned a very good lesson that day that I will never forget. No matter what size the fish, it has a value to someone.
**** All of God’s people have a Value even the little ones, He “Jesus” wants to bring them home to show his Father.
Why because greater love has no Man then this that he lay down his life for his friend. Brothers and Sisters that is what Jesus did. He was the greatest fishers of men and he wanted all of us to live forever with him in his paradise home.
*** The Bible said that they forsook all and followed Jesus
It was at the ordination of the Twelve that the first step was taken in the organization of the church that after Christ’s departure was to carry on His work on the earth.
Of this ordination the record says, “He goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto Him whom He would: and they came unto Him. And He ordained twelve, that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach.” Mark 3:13, 14.
Look upon the touching scene. Behold the Majesty of heaven surrounded by the Twelve whom He has chosen. He is about to set them apart for their work. By these feeble agencies, through His word and Spirit, He designs to place salvation within the reach of all.
With gladness and rejoicing, God and the angels beheld this scene. The Father knew that from these men the light of heaven would shine forth; that the words spoken by them as they witnessed for His Son, would echo from generation to generation till the close of time.
The disciples were to go forth as Christ’s witnesses, to declare to the world what they had seen and heard of Him. Their office was the most important to which human beings had ever been called, second only to that of Christ Himself.
They were to be workers together with God for the saving of men. As in the Old Testament the twelve patriarchs stood as representatives of Israel, so the twelve apostles stand as representatives of the gospel church.
There would be many of others who were to follow in the foot step of these first fishers of men. Men who loved the Lord Jesus with all their might so that they would let nothing stand in there way of tell other about Jesus.
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Mission Story: Captain Mc Lean: Captain Mc Lean and his group of missionary were fishers of Men.
From the beginning God has wrought through His people to bring blessing to the world.
To the ancient Egyptian nation God made Joseph a fountain of life. Through the integrity of Joseph the life of that whole people was preserved.
Through Daniel God saved the life of all the wise men of Babylon. And these deliverances are as object lessons; they illustrate the spiritual blessings offered to the world through connection with the God whom Joseph and Daniel worshiped.
Everyone in whose heart Christ abides, everyone who will show forth His love to the world, is a worker together with God for the blessing of humanity
God chose Israel to reveal His character to men. He desired them to be as wells of salvation in the world. To them were committed the oracles of heaven, the revelation of God’s will.
In the early days of Israel the nations of the world, through corrupt practices, had lost the knowledge of God. They had once known Him; but because “they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, . . . their foolish heart was darkened.” Romans 1:21.
Yet in His mercy God did not blot them out of existence. He purposed to give them an opportunity of again becoming acquainted with Him through His chosen people.
Through the teachings of the sacrificial service, Christ was to be uplifted before all nations, and all who would look to Him should live.
Christ was the foundation of the Jewish economy. The whole system of types and symbols was a compacted prophecy of the gospel, a presentation in which were bound up the promises of redemption.
But the people of Israel lost sight of their high privileges as God’s representatives.
They forgot God and failed to fulfill their holy mission. The blessings they received brought no blessing to the world. All their advantages they appropriated for their own glorification.
They shut themselves away from the world in order to escape temptation. The restrictions that God had placed upon their association with idolaters as a means of preventing them from conforming to the practices of the heathen, they used to build up a wall of separation between themselves and all other nations.
Until at last they forgot what they were called to do! They forgot that they were to be the Light to this world, the fishers of men. That hold nation was to be a nation of men and woman who would show other and tell others of a God of love.
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There was another time when Patrick and I were Diving in Honduras and there was a big Barracuda following us. So when we came up I told Patrick to get in the boat and hook the little jimmy hind fish we had to the big hook and line. Then through it as far as he could so that the Barracuda would go after it, all I could think is man what a good meal he is going to make.
So Patrick did as I told him and the fish went after the bate and took it, so I told Patrick give him a lot of slack so he has time to swallow the bate and then yank on the line to set the hook.
So he got all excited just knowing that there was a really big fish on the other end of the line. But he never fished like an Islander before so the hand line got tango and all he could do was to let it come tight. Now he was in a real fight, he was pulling in and then the fish would pull out he would pull in some more then the fish again, till at last the fish was right up against the side of the boat. I was still in the water looking at the hold thing trying to keep out of the way. Patrick then tried to pull the big Fish in the boat, but the Fish jump out of the water and spit the hook out at him and got away.
If he had just a little more time the fish would have swallowed the bate good, and would have never got off the hook. He had a really good time that day anyway.
**** People are just like that, and thanks to Jesus if we don’t swallow satin lie all the way we can with the help of the Holy Spirit we can get off of satin hook and spit it back at him, but only in the power and strength of the name of Jesus.
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satin is also a fisher of man looking for that big catch of the day. He does not care how he catches his fish, he doesn’t mind if he steeled them or hooks them or catches them in a net.
He just wants to do one thing, and that is to keep you away from Jesus and tuck you away in his cooler.
Have you ever watch what happens after the fishermen catch their fish, they put them into what they call a live well.
The only kinds of fish I have ever seen in a live well are dead fish. So why call it a live well.
Brothers satin want us in his live well where he knows we will all die.
Jesus wants us in heaven where we would live for ever. He will take all who has accepted his grace and reel you in. Very tenderly he will pull you out of the polluted waters of this sinful place. He will wash away all the traces of sin that has fill you life using his own cleaning blood and then place you into that Heavenly stream to live forever more.
John 21:
3: Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
4: But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
5: Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
6: And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
As Christians when we obey our Lord by doing the work he gave us to do, by going where he told us to go and by telling others the words he told of to tell, we can’t help but to fill the net of God love for mankind to overfull.
There will be many of people in heaven, because of what we said even tho we thought they were not listening. Many because of how we lived our life’s even tho we though they were not looking. They will be there because someone cared enough to tell them about Jesus.
God Bless
Elder Tim McNab
What does the Bible say?
When my Dad said something he meant what he said, there was no such thing as a second chance.
I grew up with two brothers older then me just about 11 months apart, and we fought like cats and dogs.
When we did something bad my dad made sure we knew not to do it again. Let’s say he had a way of making an impression on you that you would never forget.
He did all he knew to do, to teach us right from wrong.
The sad thing is when he was young he never knew God and never knew how to show love.
I am glad that God is nothing like, my earthly father.
My Heavenly Father is a Father of Love and Kindness toward His children.
He makes sure you know the different between right & wrong, but He will not force you to either one He does it with love.
It is a choice that He gives each of us to know Him and Love Him.
His Word His Truth is all that a Man needs to live
Let Us Pray !
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When we study the Bible and want to know Bible Truth there is only one way and that is to pray for the help of Gods Holy Spirit and let the Bible interpret itself..
When man tries to intrepid what the Bible said, he is seldomly right.
“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, WE OUGHT TO OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also THE HOLY GHOST, WHOM GOD HATH GIVEN TO THEM THAT OBEY HIM.” (Acts 5:29-32)
When you find the truth in Gods word and do it not, you shut off His Spirit of truth, If you find truth in Gods word and you Obey His word God will lead you into more truth.
“If any man WILL DO HIS WILL, HE SHALL KNOW THE DOCTRINE, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” John 7:17
“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye CONTINUE IN MY WORD, then are ye my disciples indeed; And YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31, 32
Only those who OBEY God and OBEY what they learn from His word can continue growing in truth.
The Bible must be studied in accordance with how the Bible tells you to study it or you will walk away with the wrong interpretation of what it is saying.
Many of good men have gone wrong trying to interpret the Bible; they study but not in accordance with how the Bible tells them to study.
I can take the Bible and a scripture and make you believe anything I want and show you scripture to back it up. But is it Truth? It is coming out of the Bible?
But it is nothing more then a man made interpretation of Gods word.
14: But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
2Pt:3:17: Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
A few weeks ago my sermon was on What is Truth, and we found out that the only thing that is Truth is God’s Word.
Apart from God’s Word is only a lie.
So if God’s Word is Truth and His Spirit is Truth, then we must ask what does it teach or say.
God’s word is Truth
John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
If we use God’s word to find out what Truth is should we not also use God’s word to tell us how to intrepid His word, His Truth!
Let’s look at the Book of Isaiah and see what it says on How we should study the Bible
Isa 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
Isa: 28:13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
So if we are to know Truth and know What the Bible teaches as Truth we must also study it in accordance how God has told us to study it.
Is that right… Who knows best God right….
At work many of the people I work with are all ways asking me if I am a Jew. I say Why do you ask that…..
Then they said , why do you keep all those Old Jewish rules and laws.
I then ask Old Jewish Rules and Laws Please explain.
That thing about the Sabbath day and not being able to eat Meat or Pork
I then ask them are you sure that is a Jewish thing.
In fact Jewish people eat Meat and they Worship on the Day God told them to Worship on, but if that makes anyone a Jew then I might be a Monkeys uncle accordance to Darwin.
I am not a Jew and I know following God word don’t not make any one a Jew, what it does do is make them a Bible believing Christian and that makes them a Spiritual Jew.
Let’s look into God’s Word and see where did keeping the Sabbath and eating meat and unclean meat come from.
Let’s see if in fact they are just an old Jewish rule and Law and not for us today.
Genesis 2:
1: Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2: And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3: And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
4: These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens,
So here we find that Adam & Eve were the first two Jewish people because they kept the Seventh day holy as God commanded them before Sin entered this world.
So Adam & Eve kept the Seventh-day of the week holy, why because God told them to keep it Holy, not by force but by Love
Do you think they taught there Children about God Seventh-day Rest, Don’t we as parents Teach our Children things that are importance for them to learned
So we find that Adam & Eve were giving the Seventh-day rest before they had any Jewish Children.
Back before the Flood men lived for many hundred years and had full capacity of his Brain, there was no need for books. Instructions were handed down from generation to generation with perfection.
After the Flood when men begin to populate the Earth again and not live as long as before, God gave instructions to Moses to Wright in a book so we would not forget what God’s Word say.
Look at Israel on there way to the Promise Land, What happened
Ex 16:23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning. God performs a Miracle by give them food in the desert, but he tells them something not to do, Don’t gather it on the Sabbath…
How do we know that the Seventh day is the Sabbath?
Ex:16:26: Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.
So accordance to the Bible what day is Sabbath
Exodus 20
10: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Now you might say I know that verse that is one of the Ten Commandments but there is something missing, that is correct it starts with the Word Remember..
8: Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
God is saying go back to Genesis and Remember what I told your first Parents to do keep holy the Seventh-day of the week
9: Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
The 4th commandment states two things very clear Who God is & What God did,
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So we find that the Sabbath is not a Jewish thing, it goes all the way back to Gneisses. What about Food or Meat is that Jewish
What Food did God give man to eat?
Genesis 1
29: And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
30: And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
God did not say anything about eating meat here, He said every green herb shell be for meat. God gave only Veggie here
So when did man start eating Flesh
Genesis 7
1: And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
2: Of every clean beast; Hold on Time out What book are we in, Genesis Chapter 7 right; before there were a Jewish Nation right, Was Noah a Jew ?
So God way back in the Beginning made Distinction between Clean and Un-clean Animals
thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. Do you see that 7 of the Clean 2 of the un-clean
3: Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.
Was Noah Jewish?
No more then I am, Did God make a distinction between Clean and un-clean animals back in Noah time before there were Jewish people living on the Earth, yes He did.
5: And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him.
6: And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
7: And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
8: Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth,
9: There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
Why did Noah need more of the clean animals then that of the un-clean
After the Flood all Vegetation was distorted, Man was allowed to eat only the Clean Animals and also to use them for sacrifice to atone for his sins.
Genesis 8
20: And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Noah took of the clean animals and made an offering unto the Load, the others he used for food for him self and his family.
If Noah would have used any of the un-clean animals, what would have happen to them, Extinction? They would not have made it into our days.
Are we told in the New Testament that it is now OK to eat the Unclean Animals
Remember the Bible must be studied how
Isa:28:10: For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
If the Bible does not agree with your interpretation it is because there is something wrong with your interpretation not the Bible
The Bible must agree Old Testament and New together if it does not go back and re-study again.
If God did not allow the Unclean to be eating back in Genesis He is not going to change His mind in the book of Act
Let’s look at Act 10
10: And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance,
11: And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
12: Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
13: And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
Do you see that, Look like it is ok to eat anything right. NO….
First ask Does it agree with the rest of the Bible,
You will find the answer is No, so there must be some wrong with how we are reading it.
Sometimes you must read the completed content of the Scripture in order to understand what the God is saying
Read all of Act 10 and you will find that God was showing Peter that not animals; but Men are not common or un-clean
All men are created equal in the eyes of God, the Color of there skin may be different but they all bleed the same red.
Jesus said Think not that I came to Change the Laws
Mt:5:18: For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
God word from Old to New is still the same nothing has changed. He knows what is best for his children and he wants them to live a better and heather life.
Only as we rest on the day God gave as rest and keep those thing that he told us not to do can we enjoy a better happier life here on this Earth until he comes for those who have put there Faith in His Word.
We do this not to be saved, for no man can save his self
But because we are Saved by his grace we want to show other a better way of living and that is by every word that comes from God
Matthew:4:4: But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
So when I am ask if I am Jewish all I can say is; not by Birth
But I am a Jew by Spirit
Romans 2
28: For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
What ever you do and how ever you Study your Bible never take just one or two Scriptures and try to understand what God is saying.
The Bible must be studied from Genesis to Revelations on ever subject in order to get a clear understanding of what God’s word is saying.
There can be no separation of Old and New Testament.
The Old Testament help us to understand the New Testament
And the New Testament helps us to understand what the Old Testament was saying.
That is the way God made it
Isa:28:10: For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
There are many other Truths in the Bible. If you would like to know more, we offer free Bible Studies –
May God bless you all as we study in His Truth…..
Elder Tim McNab
Restoring Gods Truth
SAVED by GIFT CERTIFICATE
I like when people give me Things, especially things like Gift Certificates, because it mean I can get something for free, I can go and eat and it don’t cost me nothing or I can go to the Home Depot and get things I need and it too don’t cost me anything.
I believe we are Saved this way, “Because someone else has already Paid the price”
Back about 2300 years ago the folk who lived in Alexandria in Northern Africa could not grow enough food. They were totally dependant on Eastern Mediterranean lands (Phoenicia) for their grain, their wheat.
They called it “corn” in those days. They would die without outside supplies. Their life totally depended on the arrival of the food from somewhere else.
About a certain time of the year when their supplies began to run out they would be waiting hoping that the ships would appear over the horizon soon, bringing the great supplies of wheat that had been grown.
People would keep a look-out. They didn’t have very good communications and so they would just watch for the ships.
When they saw those great grain ships appearing over the horizon they were just thrilled. There food was coming! What a great day that was! As the heavily laden ships came closer the good news spread quickly that food was coming.
The Greek-speaking folk living in Alexadria coined a special word just for that event; to announce the good news that the grain ships had arrived in port.
You can read this word in your New Testament. It’s in the book of Mark, chapter sixteen, you can find this word, this special word announcing the good news that the grain had arrived, that it was coming, it was on the way.
Here it is in Mark 16:15(NIV)- “And He said unto them ‘Go into all the world and preach the GOOD NEWS to all creation.’
” What is the “good news”?
The good new is that Jesus Christ has come, that He is our Savior. Of course the word we’re defining here is “the gospel“, evangelion in the Greek. Basically that means good, merry, glad, and joyful, tidings that makes a man’s heart glad.
The gospel is the good news that Jesus has come. He has brought life for a dying race. Without Jesus coming we were all doomed.
Romans 1:17(NIV)– For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, …. the righteous will live by faith,” he concludes in that verse.
The three angel’s messages of Revelation 14 is vital to us as a people.
The very heart of those messages is the everlasting gospel which will be proclaimed to every nation and kindred and tongue and people Rev. 14:6. When that happens then Jesus will come…as told in Matthew 24:14.
Now, there’s a lot of gobbledy-gook about how we are saved and what the gospel really is. Before we can preach the gospel we must know in our hearts what the gospel is.
If I asked ten people what the gospel is, I would probably get ten definitions. What is the gospel?
Here are two views about how we are saved:
1. We are saved totally by believing in Jesus. Works do not have anything to do with our salvation. Therefore, we can live however we want to live because works has nothing to do with salvation. Some people call this the “New Theology”, although it is thousands of years old.
2. Some people believe that we are saved by faith plus personal works. And Jesus saves us, that’s true, but we must manifest good works and we must grow more and more like Jesus toward perfection of our soul. And some people call that “legalism”.
Now I believe there’s a third way. And I believe that is brought by the gospel.
3. Jesus saves us. We’re saved totally by believing in Him. He totally provided righteousness for us, AND He provides the power to live the Christian life. We are not saved by our works: we’re saved by His works, and He empowers us to live the Christian life.
The first of these three views I would call cheap grace.
The second I would call legalism!
The third view, I believe, which is a balanced view where we ought to be today, and this view is what we want to focus on today.
Now I want to define the “Gospel” for you. What is the GOOD NEWS? What is the GOSPEL? The Gospel is what tells us that we are saved by a GIFT CERTIFICATE!
You are not saved by going down and securing salvation for yourself.
It is not a “do-it-yourself” thing.
Salvation is provided by somebody else that has gone down to the store and totally paid for your salvation long ago; and made it so that I can go down there to the store and trade your gift certificate for Eternal life.
We all want something for nothing. We shop for juicy bargains. We mail in the coupon for free drawings.
I had a Friend who one day showed me over 150 scratchy off Lotto tickets she got. She told me that she won all of these it just cost he $75.00. So I as her how much did you win, she just looked at me like “what do you mean” I got to play all of these over a 150 tickets. So I said OK I understand that you got to play all of them, but how much did you Win from playing all of them. She again just said I won all of these, so I told her you mean you lost your $75.00 bucks, She then told me that I did not understand anything about playing scratch-off. I told her all I understood is that She lost her Money.
People spend a fortune trying to win the lottery.
Shame on them!
Only twice does the word WIN appear in the Bible. PHILIPPIANS 3:8(KJV) Paul speaks of gaining – or winning Christ. “I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. I have suffered the loss of all things…that I may WIN Christ.”
How do we get Christ?
By winning Him, not by purchasing Him.
If you want to win something win eternal life because you will Win every time.
It is a gift. Salvation is gained by accepting a Gift you have already won, not by our efforts; But because we have chosen Him. “Jesus” as our Savior
If you choose Jesus you are an instant winner. If you choose the world you are a big looser.
Salvation is free! But salvation is not a cheap commodity!
Jesus achieved my eternal life through sweat, tears and blood. What a high price! Today, Jesus simply gives it away to His friends who then possess perfect righteousness through their faith in Jesus Christ.
Now, on the cross Jesus said a very important statement: three little words. He said, “It is Finished!” (John 19:30)
What was finished?
The word Jesus used is a Greek word … Tetelestai, which in our version of the Scripture is translated, “It is finished.”
Archaeologists have repeatedly found its Latin equivalent, consummatum, scrawled across ancient tax receipts, indicating it also meant “paid in full“.
What Jesus was saying on the cross was, “This debt is now paid in full. I completely paid the price.” Sin’s account was settled on the cross. Our debt and guilt were wiped out! You can’t add to it. All that I can do is accept it.
So I obtain salvation by gift certificate that has been paid in full by Jesus.
I can’t purchase eternal life, by a whole life full of doing good works.
But I live a life of good works in response to His gift. Jesus gives me eternal life. But, the good news is that it does not stop with the gift certificate. When I take my salvation home Jesus comes home with me to help me apply my gift and to use my gift in my life. And that is very much UN-like cheap grace.
Years ago I purchased a gizmo for my children. It came in a box and said “some assembly required“! It was some assembly alright! After an hour or so and a long struggle with plastic parts and instructions written by some Japanese person who had probably had a one hour correspondence class in the English language, the thing finally worked!
The truth is that Jesus not only provides our salvation, but Jesus comes with the gift and helps us assemble the gift and use gift as the Christian life. Jesus creates within our new heart a dislike for sin and a deep love for good things.
The truth is that we are saved totally by Jesus’ blood, not by our own blood. And that same blood also has the power to enable us to live a changed life. That doesn’t mean that we won’t make any mistakes. We may make mistakes but that same blood also has the ability to blot out our sins and give us complete forgiveness.
Blood is mentioned over 300 times in the Bible. It lies at the very heart of the Gospel, for it is through “the blood of his cross” that Jesus reconciled us to God. (See Colossians 1:20-23).
Some years ago a terrible railroad accident occurred, killing many people. A commuter train had stalled on the tracks just a few minutes before a fast freight was due to arrive.
A conductor quickly sent to flag down the approaching “flier.” Being assured that all was well, the passengers relaxed.
Suddenly, however, the speeding freight came bearing down upon them. The crash left a ghastly scene of horror.
The engineer of the speeding freight train, escaped death by jumping from the cab. He was called into court to explain why he hadn’t stopped.
“I saw a man waving a flag,” he said, “but it was yellow, so I thought he just wanted me to slow down.”
When the flag was examined, the mystery was explained.
It had been red, but because of long exposure to the sun and weather it had become a dirty yellow.
Just think of the lives eternally wrecked by the ‘Dirty yellow gospels’ that we hear today in many Churches — the bloodless theories of the gospel that send their hearers to their doom instead of stopping them on their downward slide!
Cheap grace will lead to certain doom. Legalism or perfectionism will not save. I’ve never met anybody that is totally perfect. I don’t think any of us could ever equal what Jesus did for us.
Jesus Christ can give you His righteousness and you can stand truly perfect right now by his Free Gift of Salvation to everyone who believes.
Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross can redeem your soul (see Romans 5:8,9). Don’t be deceived by a weak “dirty yellow gospel” of human works that is powerless to save you from everlasting destruction.
The wonderful truth is that we are truly totally saved by Jesus.
Jesus the Son of God is our Saviour. Jesus Himself will set us free. Jesus said in John 8:32 (KJV) “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” This is an interesting statement and many Christians do not apply this text correctly.
What is it that we have to know? The doctrines? or What is the truth?
Jesus explains this in the next verses: John 8:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Notice what sets us free… The Truth in verse 32: And the Son of God in verse 36. Jesus is the same today as when he said that 2000 years ago…
In John 14:6, “Jesus answered, ‘I am the Way, the Truth, life...'” It is knowing Jesus that totally sets us free. Jesus paid for Salvation with His perfect life. It is not the belief in certain doctrines that will save us. We do not have to earn heaven. Eternal life is a gift, free, it had already been paid for with your Gift Certificate Jesus gives you.
I am not saved because I keep the Sabbath or because I keep all the others Commandments, Why because the Law can’t save me, the Law can only convict me. We are saved by Jesus.
Matthew 19: 16: And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? What did Jesus tell him, you know the Commandments
20: The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
If just keeping the Law could save you them this young man should be saved; correct
Look at what Jesus said to him
21: Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22: But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
He was a Good Man, but being good what not his problem, He keep God Commandments, but just keeping the Commandments, was not his problem was it.
The real problem was, he was trying to save his self; by his works and not by his Faith. He did not have the Faith that if he gave away all that he had, God would give him ten times more back
But let’s understand Doctrines…..
Doctrines are important, and that’s where people call us a sect, they have almost stopped calling us a cult.
But they still call us a sect: they can’t understand how we can believe that we are totally saved by Jesus and yet it is also important to keep the Sabbath.
Because I am saved by the Blood of Jesus I do what he told me to do. If you Love me keep my Commandments John:14:15:
We keep God’s Commandments because we love him not because we are saved by them.
Never forget one thing, There is a different’s in keep God’s Law to be Saved; and keep God’s Law because you are Saved.
I will tell you this, I am married to a wonderful woman and I don’t help her do the dishes because of some law, I do that because I want to, I want to do something to make her happy.
I keep the Sabbath because I want to do what makes God happy. It’s a response to Him. So we’re saved by gift certificate. Eternal life is given by a gift.
How do you get the gift? You have to know the Giver.
Let me ask you a question– Have you ever received a major gift in your whole life from a complete stranger?
That has never happened to me.
We almost always receive gifts from people that we know. Our friend Jesus, because we know Him he wants to give us His Eternal life.
The Gospel is all about our wonderful loving Friend, Jesus, standing with outstretched arms wanting to share His eternal life with you.
I believe the only way anyone will ever be lost is if that person willfully and consistently rejects Jesus and reject His free gift of Eternal Life.
Otherwise, we’re going to be saved.
Legalism is like a body without a soul. It is a corpse.
Cheap Grace is like a soul without a body. It is a ghost.
Neither one of them work.
Only Jesus could live the perfect life in both body and soul. He became a Saviour.
Jesus, lived the perfect life and paid a big price for complete salvation for each of us. Then Jesus gives this expensive rescue to us as a free gift if we love Him.
Where do you pick up your gift certificates?
John 3:36- “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life!…”
You get it from Jesus.
You know there is only one thing about a Gift Certificates; It is no good unless you use it.
My friend we are told that we are saved by grace through out faith in God. Put your faith in Jesus and what He has done for you, it is free for the asking just trust Him and see.
God Bless you all is my pray in Jesus name.
Elder Tim Mc Nab
Bible for Truth Ministries & McDonald Road Church