Momma’s Genuine Faith

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

2 Timothy 1:1–5

The Heritage Tree, Cape Perpetua, Central Oregon coast. This giant spruce is called The Heritage Tree because it stands almost 200 feet tall and because it started to grow as a seedling about the same time Martin Luther was pounding his theses on the church door at Wittenberg. What’s really fascinating about this tree, however, is that there’s this tunnel about 3 feet in diameter that runs through its base, making it appear that the tree is standing, or rooted into the ground on a tripod. This tunnel, this empty space running through the root “fingers” or buttresses is the space where a nurse log once was located. This giant Sitka spruce began its life as a seedling on a nurse log.

Nurse logs were once great, giant trees themselves. Then they died and fell to the earth. The log became a nursery for an entirely new ecosystem of life. With the nurse log down on the forest floor, light, as well as rain, now streams through the canopy. In such a high-moisture environment, the nurse log decays rapidly, and soon the seeds of mighty trees, caught in the mossy layer that now grows on its surface, sprout and take root. As they grow larger, their roots will surround the girth of the nurse log, and the tree will shoot up to take its place in the forest, and soon, strong and viable on its own, the tree stands alone, and the nurse log, utterly decomposed, has disappeared. Such has been the case with the 500-year-old Heritage Tree on Cape Perpetua.

This sermon this morning is about being a person, or a church, that nurtures and trains others who will follow, passing on our teachings and traditions, stepping aside so that others may grow in our place, making use of what we have learned.

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We have all heard the cliché: “The Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.” Many men and women grow up and develop much of their faith and world view based upon what their mothers have taught them. Sometimes wayward children do not share the faith of their mother. It has been said that some good wombs carry bad children. This evening, while we acknowledge that faith is ultimately a personal choice, we will see what mothers can do to help their faith to be contagious and to be caught by their children.

Our passage this morning is probably one of the greatest praises for Godly mothering in the Bible. Young Timothy was a great joy to the Apostle Paul because of his fervent spirit and deep convictions. Upon reflection, the Apostle Paul realizes that Timothy’s grandmother, Lois had that unfeigned faith. Lois passed that unfeigned faith to her daughter Eunice, Timothy’s mother. Eunice then passed that unfeigned faith to her son Timothy. How can that faith cross over generations? The faith like that is contagious is a special kind of faith. Contagious faith is unfeigned faith. Let us study this truth together and discover the incredible blessings that occur when a mother’s faith becomes contagious. 

Genuine Faith is Contagious

 A. Definition of unfeigned 

  1. Anupokritos= without hypocrisy sincere 

  2. Hupokrisis= Hypocrisy, “play acting”

 B. Faith that is pure and without play acting will leave a lasting impression.

  1. Because faith produces the evidence of actions

Hebrews 11:1 KJV

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

  2. This faith is seen by children and grand children

2 Timothy 1:5 KJV

When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

  3. This faith is seen by an unsaved spouse

1 Corinthians 7:14 KJV

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

1 Corinthians 7:16 KJV

For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

Genuine Faith Produces Genuine Love

1 Timothy 1:5 KJV

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

  A. Selfless love

 Romans 12:9-10

 9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 

  1. Without dissimulation= anaupokritos= without hypocrisy 

  2. Preferring the other over self

  Philippians 2:3-4

  3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 

 B. Obedient love

  1 Peter 1:22

 22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 

  1. Purifies the soul

  2. Strengthens your personal assurance of Salvation

 1 John 3:18-21

 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. 

Genuine Love Produces Genuine Wisdom

James 3:17

17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 

 A. Pure= not contaminated 

 B. Peaceable

 C. Gentle= “Expresses that considerateness that looks humanly and reasonably at the facts of the case.”

 D. Easy to be intreated= “To be persuaded, compliant”

 E. Full of mercy= “An outward manifestation of pith”

 F. Full of good fruits

 G. Without partiality= not to be parted, without intercession

 H. Without hypocrisy= anupokristos 

__________________

 “So God Made a Mother”

He needed someone tender enough to cherish the thrill of a baby growing within her body & yet someone strong enough to survive the pain of childbirth, so God made a Mother.

He needed someone to take care of that precious baby throughout the night & still take care of her home & the rest of her family throughout the day, on minimal sleep, so God made a Mother.

He needed someone hard enough to say no to her children when she needed to & soft enough to breaks the rules at times & treat her kids to what they want, so God made a Mother.

He needed someone who could be in two places at one time & with eyes in the back of their head, so God made a Mother.

He needed someone stern enough to paddle a little behind when it was called for & yet someone tender enough to heal a skinned leg with a Band-Aid & a hug & kiss, so God made a Mother.

He needed someone with calloused knees, calloused from the hours spent there in prayer for her family, so God made a Mother.

He needed a theologian to share the gospel, a psychologist to deal with teens, an entomologist for those insect collections, a botanist for those leaf collections, a professor for those late night homework sessions, & a physician to always know what’s wrong, so God made a Mother.

He needed someone with a tough enough heart to show her child tough love & yet someone with the patience of Job & a soft heart to show trust to that child, so God made a Mother.

He needed someone with a heart that would always hold a place for that child & yet have hands that would eventually open up & let that child go to find their place in this world, so God made a Mother.

He needed someone who would have the grace to welcome that child that had made a mistake back into the fold, so God made a Mother.

He knew He needed someone to watch over us as we made our way through this life, so God made a Mother.

Kenny Richardson

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 6:43 AM 10 May, 2020.

The Difference Maker

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Impossible; Prayer; God: Power; Salvation / Luke 18:22–27

I was driving down the road at about 75 mph on the interstate the other day and something happened that happens a lot unfortunately. There was a fly in my car. You know how annoying that can get with the fly just buzzing back and forth in the car. I was annoyed at first but than I became intrigued. I began to think that how lucky this fly was. You know it’s impossible for that fly to go 75 mph no matter how hard it flaps. The fastest fly ever clocked was going 24 mph. So this fly is going 3 times as fast as it ever could but the funny thing is he’s not doing anything in fact he’s playing and having fun in my car oblivious to the things around it.

That’s just like us with God when we get inside of Him we can do things we never thought we could’ve done.

Now it was interesting thinking about that for a while but than he became annoying again so what I did was roll down my window and push him out. Do you ever wonder what happens to a fly when it is going down the road about 75 mph and than all of a sudden stops.

Well we don’t have to worry about that with God because He has no windows that can roll down once your inside Jesus you can’t get out.

We finally made it to May 2020! It seems as though it took three years to get through April! The current COVID crisis has caused many to fall into fear, anger, frustration, and hopelessness. It almost seems impossible that we will ever return to sanity and normalcy. That is the subject of today’s message… impossibility. You see even though mankind tends to be problem solvers. Even tough we have managed to do many things… there are some things that are just impossible.  

Facing impossibility is not the same thing as apathy or giving up. It is recognizing the laws of nature and the universe and learning to live within them. There is another thing we can do when we confront the reality of an impossibility. Once we realize we have hit a dead end we are able to surrender control enough to seek the face of God. With God nothing is impossible. He is the Difference Maker.

In our opening passage we read about a rich man who thought there was a special law he could keep in order to merit Heaven. He was pretty sure that he had kept the 10 commandments and thus secured his eternal destiny. Jesus exposed the weakness of the law by telling him to sell everything and give it to the poor, his covetousness was exposed. The rich man went away sad and lost, not because he didn’t do what was required, but because he did not have the power on his own to merit eternal life.

Jesus goes on to muse how impossible it is for folks who have riches to enter the kingdom. The disciples were amazed and frightened… who then can be saved? Jesus answered with the gracious words that echo a principle through out scripture.

Luke 18:27 KJV

And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

There are things that indeed are impossible with man, but God is the Difference Maker!

There Are Things That Are Impossible With Mankind.

Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words Impossible

1. adunatos (????????, 102), from a, negative, and dunatos, “able, strong,” is used (a) of persons, Acts 14:8, “impotent”; figuratively, Rom. 15:1, “weak”; (b) of things, “impossible,” Matt. 19:26; Mark 10:27; Luke 18:27; Heb. 6:4, 18; 10:4; 11:6; in Rom. 8:3, “for what the Law could not do,” is, more lit., “the inability of the law”; the meaning may be either “the weakness of the Law,” or “that which was impossible for the Law”; the latter is perhaps preferable; literalism is ruled out here, but the sense is that the Law could neither justify nor impart life

It is impossible to be saved my works.

James 2:10–11 KJV

For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 

For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

Romans 3:19–21 KJV

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 

Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Romans 8:3 KJV

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

D.L. Moody was an American evangelist (February 5, 1837 – December 22, 1899 – 62 years). Moody said: “Grace isn’t a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal. It’s a way to live. The law tells me how crooked I am. Grace comes along and straightens me out.”

He also said: “It is well that man cannot save himself; for if a man could only work his own way to Heaven, you would never hear the last of it. Why, if a man happens to get a little ahead of his fellows and scrapes a few thousands of dollars together, you’ll hear him boast of being a self-made man. I’ve heard so much of this sort of talk that I am sick and tired of the whole business; and I am glad that through all eternity in Heaven we will never hear anyone bragging of how he worked his way to get there.”

Create Something From Nothing

Romans 1:20 KJV

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Circumvent the Laws of Nature to Provide Healing

Matthew 11:3–5 KJV

And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? 

Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 

The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Please God Without Faith

Hebrews 11:6 KJV

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

When Facing Impossibilities, God is the Difference Maker

Deliverance is Possible

Matthew 17:18–21 KJV

And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. 

Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? 

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 

Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Salvation is Possible

Luke 18:26–27 KJV

And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? 

And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

All Things Are Possible

Matthew 19:26 KJV

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Mark 10:27 KJV

And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

There is Nothing That is Impossible.

Luke 1:35–37 KJV

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 

And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 

For with God nothing shall be impossible.

 • Your loved one hopelessly lost can be saved… God is the difference maker

 • Barren wombs can bear fruit… God is the difference maker.

 • The Unemployed and unemployable can find work… God is the difference maker.

 • The fearful can be brave,

• The anxious can be calm

 • The wayward can be found

 • The impossible is not as impossible as it sounds! God is the difference maker!

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 12:16 PM May 2, 2020.

Jesus’ Parting Gift

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Peace; Anxiety; Trust / John 14:27

Alcohol consumption is up over 50%. Suicides, domestic violence and crisis calls are also on the rise. Last weekend I was driving through a residential neighborhood in Torrington and heard two separate domestic disturbances that had spilled out the door into front yards. Around another corner I saw police officers with a combative person flattened down on the ground face down with their knees in his back. The longer folks endure this COVID trial, the shorter fuses seem to be getting.

I must confess that I have had some dark moods this week as well. As I was praying for the right message to share with you this week during these troubled times, the Holy Spirit directed me to our text for this morning. In John chapter 14, Jesus was preparing His disciples for the events of Calvary and beyond. In the midst of conflict and uncertainty, Jesus left a parting gift for His disciples, and leaves that same gift for believers today. The gift of peace.

John 14:27 KJV

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Peace – The Absence of Conflict.

john 14 27

Peace I leave with you…

No more conflict with God over our Sin.

Romans 8:6–7 KJV

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Romans 5:1 KJV

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

No more condemnation of the Law.

Ephesians 2:15 KJV

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

The message of the Gospel is peace.

Ephesians 6:15 KJV

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Peace – The Presence of Tranquility.

Jesus gives HIS peace.

John 14:27

my peace I give unto you…

The legacy of legacies:—The Earl of Dundonald fought with his solitary ship a line of formidable forts in South America, whose fire proved so raking that his men could not be got to stand to their guns. Calling his wife, he asked her to fire one of the guns, and show these men how to do their duty. She did so. Instantly they returned, burning with shame, to their posts, and soon the victory was theirs. The lady, in rehearsing the circumstance, said that the thing that was felt by her to be the most terrible, was not the din of battle, not the raking fire, but the awful calmness that sat fixed on her husband’s countenance, as it seemed to carry in itself the sure presage of victory. This we can all understand. Every moral nature feels that settled calmness in the face of dangers and deaths is the loftiest example of the sublime. Of this we have one peerless example in the man Christ Jesus, who, on the eve of His agony, utters these words.1

1 Joseph S. Exell, The Biblical Illustrator: St. John, vol. 2 (London: James Nisbet & Co., n.d.), 584.

Jesus’ peace is genuine, not just a distraction like the World gives.

John 14:27

…my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you

Not as the world. 1st. Not as the objects which men commonly pursue—pleasure, fame, wealth. They leave care, anxiety, remorse. They do not meet the desires of the immortal mind, and they are incapable of affording that peace which the soul needs. 2d. Not as the men of the world give. They salute you with empty and flattering words, but their professed friendship is often feigned and has no sincerity. You cannot be sure that they are sincere, but I am. 3d. Not as systems of philosophy and false religion give. They profess to give peace, but it is not real. It does not still the voice of conscience; it does not take away sin; it does not reconcile the soul to God. 4th. My peace is such as meets all the wants of the soul, silences the alarms of conscience, is fixed and sure amid all external changes, and will abide in the hour of death and for ever. How desirable, in a world of anxiety and care, to possess this peace! and how should all who have it not, seek that which the world can neither give nor take away!1

1 Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament: Luke & John, ed. Robert Frew (London: Blackie & Son, 1884–1885), 334.

Peace- Protection from Trouble and Fear.

John 14:27

…Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

2 Timothy 1:7 KJV

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

John 14:1–2 KJV

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 

In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

When I was a struggling new student pastor, one night I was too stressed to sleep. I got up and went to watch dairy farmer Hall Phillips milk his dairy herd. There in the barn at 4:30 AM, that brand new Christian gave me help getting through the various crises causing stress in my life. Hall commented, “Leo, Stress is when we try to control, what we should let God control.”

Do you tremble over what will happen next? Jesus has offered a parting gift to be used in times of trouble. He has offered Peace: An Absence of conflict, The Presence of Tranquility in the midst of a storm, and the protection from Trouble.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 2:33 PM April 18, 2020.

Easter Conclusion: FEAR NOT

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Resurrection / Matthew 28:1–7

The early American Indians had a unique practice of training young braves.

On the night of a boy’s thirteenth birthday, after learning hunting, scouting, and fishing skills, he was put to one final test.

He was placed in a dense forest to spend the entire night alone.

Until then, he had never been away from the security of the family and tribe.

But on this night, he was blindfolded and taken several miles away.

When he took off the blindfold, he was in the middle of a thick woods, and he was terrified.

Every time a twig snapped, he visualized a wild animal ready to pounce.

After what seemed like an eternity, dawn broke and the first rays of sunlight entered the interior of the forest.

Looking around, the boy saw flowers, trees, and the outline of a path.

Then to his utter astonishment, he beheld the figure of a man standing just a few feet away, armed with bow and arrow.

It was his father. He had been there all night long.

We too live in a terrifying time. Never before in our lifetime has the who world been put on pause due to a virus. Never before have we as Americans just shrugged while surrendering right after right in the name of public safety. Fears cloud the Horizon, fear of sickness, fear for our loved ones, fear of an inept or opportunistic despotic government, fear of misappropriation of life saving materials, fear of nosy neighbors reporting each other to the distance police, fear of losing one’s job,ear of complete social and economic collapse.

It is no mistake that the virus is projected to peak today, on the day we celebrate the Resurrection. God is still in charge! God is still with us! The same Holy Spirit that raised our Lord out of the Grave is the same one that lives in the Heart of the believers. As we reflect on the absolute fact of the Bodily, physical resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory, let us visit the Gospel passage once again.

Matthew 28:1–6 KJV

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. 

And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 

His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: 

And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. 

And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. 

He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

The Easter Angel summarized the whole gospel message in two words that first Resurrection morning… FEAR NOT. God knows that we need this message today more than ever in our lives. Let us take a few minutes and trace this message as it echoes through out the Gospels….  FEAR NOT!

FEAR NOT, God Heard Your Prayer.

Luke 1:11–13 KJV

And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 

And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 

But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

 • This is the prediction of the Birth of the Messiah’s forerunner, John the Baptist.

 • These were also troubled and uncertain times especially for Jews…

 • The message starts to echo… FEAR NOT

 • God hears your prayers too… FEAR NOT

FEAR NOT you have found favor with God.

Luke 1:28–31 KJV

And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 

And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

 • God uses sinful weak folks like us.

 • Grace covers our sins

Luke 1:46–47 KJV

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

 • No matter what storms blow, if you come to Jesus in faith, you have peace with God, you have found favor with Him… FEAR NOT.

Romans 5:1 KJV

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Romans 8:1 KJV

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 8:31–33 KJV

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 

Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.

FEAR NOT There is Good News of Joy For Everyone!

Luke 2:8–11 KJV

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

 • In spite of the fact that we deserve death.

 • There is a Savior who paid the price we deserved to pay.

 • No works rites or rituals will do it, but Jesus’ death paid the price for our sins.

1 Peter 1:19–21 KJV

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 

Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 

Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

FEAR NOT Jesus Gives New Life and Purpose to a Hopeless Sinner.

Luke 5:7–11 KJV

And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. 

When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 

For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: 

And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. 

And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

1 Timothy 1:15 KJV

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

FEAR NOT Jesus has Power Over Sickness and Death.

Luke 8:49–55 KJV

While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. 

But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. 

And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. 

And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. 

And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. 

And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. 

And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.

 • What if I get sick?

 • What if my family gets sick?

FEAR NOT! Jesus has power over sickness and death. The same message of hope given in the empty tomb by the Easter Angels is the same message for you. If Jesus conquered death… COVID is nothing… FEAR NOT!

FEAR NOT You Are of Great Value to God

Luke 12:6–7 KJV

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 

But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

 • The government may reduce you down to an inflated number, but God does not.

 • You may not know the real truth but God knows everything about your and still holds you to be of great value.

FEAR NOT God will Provide!

Luke 12:29–32 KJV

And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 

For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 

But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. 

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

 • Some have lost your lively hood in the past few days.

 • Some have become unemployed .

 • Our economy may be in a free fall…. but none if this is greater than the One that Rose victorious… He will provide… FEAR NOT

FEAR NOT Jesus Is Alive!

Matthew 28:5 KJV

And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

Matthew 28:6 KJV

He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

A story is told of a child who had to walk each evening past a dark, spooky house. Some adults sought to give him courage. One handed him a good luck charm to ward off the ghosts. Another had a light put on the dreaded corner. Still another said earnestly, “It is sinful to be afraid. Trust God and be brave!” The advice was good, but he offered nothing more.

Then someone said with compassion, “I know what it is to be afraid. I will walk with you past the house.” He did nothing to remove the fear–except to lift it from the child’s shoulders and place it on his own.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 6:50 PM April 11, 2020.

The Obedience Filter

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Palm Sunday / Obedience; Blessing; Submission

A little boy was sick on Palm Sunday and stayed home from church with his mother. His father returned from church holding a palm branch.

The little boy was curious and asked, “Why do you have that palm branch, dad?”

“You see, when Jesus came into town, everyone waved Palm Branches to honor him, so we got Palm Branches today.”

The little boy replied, ” Aw Shucks! The one Sunday I miss is the Sunday that Jesus shows up!”

Well PRAISE GOD… every time God’s people get together, bet it in the building, online, or in this parking lot, Jesus shows up!

The story of Palm Sunday has three major story lines. Obviously, it is the time when Jesus as King enters into the City of David as King. Another story line is the praise and adoration that the people gave, only to change their minds a few days later. The third story line about specific and complete obedience will be the focus of our message this morning. We have already read Mark 11:1-11, but let us focus on our text verses.

Mark 11:2–3 KJV

And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. 

And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.

Now more than ever it is important that we as believers filter every action, every word, every emotion through the Jesus obedience filter:

 • Why am I doing this?

 • Am I fulfilling Jesus’ need?

 • Am I completely obeying?

This is the Obedience Filter.

Why Am I Doing This?

Mark 11:3

And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this?…

 • Pleasure only leads to poverty of the soul as well as poverty of wealth.

Proverbs 21:17 KJV

He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: He that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

 • Lust leads to corruption and slavery

James 4:1–3 KJV

From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 

Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

 • Love must be the motivation

1 Corinthians 13:1–3 KJV

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

 • Love is the best motivation for obedience.

John 14:15 KJV

If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Am I Fulfilling Jesus’ Need?

Mark 11:3

…And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him…

This is not some random guy… this is the Lord

  • The Creator

Luke 19:40 KJV

And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

 • The Messiah

Mark 11:9 KJV

And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:

  • The Savior 

Luke 19:38 KJV

Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

  • The King 

Mark 11:10 KJV

Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

The Lord has a need! 

Mark 11:7–8 KJV

And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. 

And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.

 • To Fulfill Redemption’s Plan 

1 Peter 1:19–21 KJV

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 

Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 

Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

 • Laborers – 

Luke 10:2 KJV

Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

Isaiah 6:8 KJV

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

 • To teach disciples

Luke 10:38–42 KJV

Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 

And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. 

But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 

And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

 • To Cross Barriers with the Gospel

John 4:4 KJV

And he must needs go through Samaria.

Am I Obeying Completely?

Mark 11:3 KJV

And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.

Hebrews 11:6 KJV

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Psalm 105:3 KJV

Glory ye in his holy name: Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.

Deuteronomy 4:40 KJV

Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever.

A preacher tells the story…

I was waiting for my test results from a Christian Education class at the Bible College where I attended. I knew I had every answer right and I was anticipating an A as my grade, but to my disappointment I received a C. The teacher admitted I had every answer right, but I had failed to follow directions. In the opening instructions it said, “Do not put in outline form.” Because I failed to follow instructions I recieved a lower grade. I argued with the teacher, “I got every answer right. I deserve an A.” He replied, “You didn’t follow directions. You deserve an F but I had mercy on you and gave you a C.

As we hurl into the most unique Holy Week we have ever faced, let us remember the lessons learned from this Palm Sunday account. Run every word, every action, every attitude through the Obedience filter:

Why am I doing this?

Is this fulfilling Jesus’ need?

Am I obeying completely?

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 11:03 AM April 4, 2020.

The Jesus Effect

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Relationships; Holy Spirit; Power; Boldness; A Witness / Acts 4:5–13

We are traveling in uncharted waters. There has not been such world wide suspension of normal life since World War II. Many folks sheltering in place, hunting for the basics, and fearing for the safety of themselves and their loved ones. Folks now more than ever are ready to hear the truth of the Gospel. Now more than ever we as believers must be ready to give the Gospel, but how can we communicate the truth with both passion and clarity?

Philippians 3:10 KJV
That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

In today’s world of Smart Phones, tablets and instant Internet access, there are many things that we can “know.” If someone asks the questions, “how long is the Verrazano Bridge,” a nimble person with a 4 G connection and an Iphone can ask Siri, “How long is the Verrazano Bridge,” and they will get an almost instantaneous response. But if we had sitting here an 85 year old retired construction worker that spent 2 years of his life building the Verrazano bridge in his 20s we would get the right information, but we would also get it with great passion.

That’s what it means to “know Christ and the power of his resurrection.” It involves much more than repeating facts concerning Christ or the Bible. Knowing Christ is an intimate relationship with Him that changes your life.

Peter and John, Pastors on staff of the First Baptist Church at Jerusalem show us how to be effective witnesses of the power of the resurrection. Notice that they too were going through unprecedented trials, but because they had spent time with the Master, their audience felt the power of the resurrection, heard the good news of the Gospel, and saw the boldness of the believers. They had experienced the Jesus Effect.

Acts 4:5–13 KJV
And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes,

And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.

And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;

Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

When you spend time with Jesus, people will feel the power of the resurrection.

Acts 4:10 KJV
Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

The miracle was done not in their power, but by the name of Jesus Christ (cf. 3:16; 4:7, 12, 17–18). Though they had crucified Jesus, God had raised Him from the dead (cf. 2:23–24; 3:15).1

1 Stanley D. Toussaint, “Acts,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 363.

As folks see you exhibit life where there was once death.

Ephesians 2:1–3 KJV
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

As the Same Spirit that Raised Jesus lives in you.

Romans 8:11 KJV
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

When you spend time with Jesus, people will hear the good news of the Gospel.

Acts 4:11 KJV
This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

Psalm 118:22 KJV
The stone which the builders refused Is become the head stone of the corner.

At any rate, the verse finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ Jesus who is the “ideal” Israel (cf. Isa. 5:1–7; Matt. 2:15; 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; 1 Peter 2:7). The rejected Stone (Christ rejected by the nation in their crucifying Him) is the Capstone, the resurrected Lord.1

1 Stanley D. Toussaint, “Acts,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 363.

When you spend time with Jesus, people will see the boldness of Spirit Filled Believers.

Acts 4:12 KJV
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

One way to salvation

John 14:6 KJV
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

One way to life

John 3:16 KJV
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:18 KJV
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 3:36 KJV
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

When you spend time with Jesus even His enemies will recognize it.

Acts 4:13 KJV
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

  In the Christian Reader, Ramon Williams writes that on April 28, 1996, a gunman walked into a crowded cafe in Port Arthur, Australia, and started shooting. Tony Kistan, a Salvation Army soldier from Sydney, and his wife Sarah were in the restaurant when the bullets began to fly. Courageously Tony stepped in front of his wife to shield her from the gunfire, and he was one of the first to fall. Thirty-four victims eventually died in the incident, including Tony Kistan. As he lay dying in his wife’s arms, he spoke his last words, “I’m going to be with the Lord.”

Those final words of faith were quoted by the Australian media and carried to the world. “At a press conference,” writes Williams, “Tony’s son Nesan, 24, explained why his father held this assurance and described his father’s dedication to the gospel. Hardened journalists and photographers were seen wiping tears from their eyes. In life, Tony had been a man who witnessed for his Lord to strangers and friends alike, and now in death, he had witnessed to others through his simple last statement.”


Being a witness for Christ in this evil world brings eternal purpose to even the most tragic and painful events.1

1 Craig Brian Larson, 750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers & Writers (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2002), 609–610.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 1:11 PM March 28, 2020.

Treasure Hunt

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Prefer; Eternity; Worldview / Matthew 6:19–21

Last month, when musing about this time of year, I thought of March Madness, the beginning of a promising year for the Red Sox, upcoming graduation for our seniors, and the joy of spring. Within a few short days all of that has ended. We now assemble in what will probably be the last time we are together in this building for some time. WOW! What a mind bending shift of circumstances.

What was once important has drastically shifted. Who knew it would be all about the toilet paper! In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warned his disciples not to get the priorities mixed up. This morning as we reflect on the truths of scriptures. Let see where our hearts are truly fixed… let us go on a treasure hunt. 

Avoid Crashing Stocks

Matthew 6:19 KJV

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

 • Lay = store up / work hard to amass

 • Temporary Treasure

Proverbs 16:16 KJV

How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!

 • Corruptable

 • Unstable – not secure

Ecclesiastes 5:10–11 KJV

He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. 

When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?

 • Money/ Material

 • Pleasure

 • Prestige 

Invest In A Sure Thing

Matthew 6:20 KJV

But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

 • Eternal Life

John 14:6 KJV

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 • Eternal Truth

Colossians 2:2–3 KJV

That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; 

In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

 • Eternal Relationship

 • Lasting Legacy

I’d like to begin this morning with a story. It involves these men [photo of Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs]. You probably recognize them: Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. The two men who founded Apple Computer. Right? Well, no, actually that’s not completely accurate. Here is a photo of the original partnership agreement, dated April 1, 1976 [Apple partnership agreement]. As you can see, it has three signatures, not two. The first is Stephen G. Wozniak. The second is Steven P. Jobs. And the third is Ronald G. Wayne. Here’s a picture of him

[photo of Ronald G. Wayne]. Who is that, you may ask.

Ronald Wayne was the third co-founder of Apple, with a ten percent ownership stake. Remember that figure: ten percent. He wasn’t an engineer, but he had a significant role in the early days of the company: he designed the first Apple logo, he wrote the user manual for the Apple 1 computer, and in general he provided administrative oversight of the new venture. He was the unofficial adult in the room: he was in his forties at the time.

So why haven’t most of us ever heard of Ronald Wayne? Is he a wealthy recluse, staying out of the public eye while he sails around the world on his 300-foot luxury yacht? Perhaps he’s a philanthropist, distributing his millions to deserving charities. No. No, neither of those things is true. In fact, today Ronald Wayne is far from wealthy. Because just twelve days after these partnership documents were signed, he and the others signed a second document [Dissolution of partnership document]. And in this document, he gave up his ten percent stake, in exchange for eight hundred dollars. Eight hundred dollars.

Let me ask you, would you be willing to pay $800 for ten percent of Apple Computer today? So what happened? Well, Wayne had second thoughts. As a partner, he would have been liable for any debts incurred by the new company, and that was a risk. He had assets that creditors could come after if the company went broke. He also felt a bit out of his league with Jobs and Wozniak, these two whiz-kid geniuses. And so he bailed. Took the $800 check and parted ways with them. And the rest is history.

Now, just for fun, let’s calculate what Wayne’s ten percent stake in Apple would be worth if he had held on to it all these years. Apple today is worth about $800 Billion dollars. And so that ten percent stake in 1976 would today be worth about $80 Billion dollars. That’s right. The ownership stake that Ronald Wayne relinquished in 1976 for eight hundred would today be worth over eighty billion dollars. In other words, about a hundred million times what he sold it for. Just let that sink in for a moment. Now, for the record, Mr. Wayne says today that he doesn’t regret his decision, and that it was based on the best information he had at the time. So, he’s made his peace with it. But you have to suspect that more than once, over the years, he’s said to himself: “If only . . . “.

However, Ronald Wayne isn’t the only person who sold their Apple stock too soon. Apple went public on December 12, 1980. And for 23 years, the stock didn’t do much. [chart: Apple stock price IPO-2003]. A lot of people sold their stock during that time. But beginning in 2013, the stock really took off. Here’s a graph [chart: Apple stock since IPO]. What that all boils down to is this: an investment of one thousand dollars in 1980 would today be worth about $400 thousand dollars. An investment of $2,500 back then would be worth close to a million today. Why is there never a time machine around when you need one?

I don’t share that story to gloat about buying Apple stock in 1980. I didn’t. If I had, I would probably be spending my winters in a warmer climate than Cleveland offers. Maybe on my own private yacht somewhere. No, I share that story to urge you not to do what Ronald Wayne did when he sold his stake in Apple for $800 instead of waiting to cash in at $80 billion dollars. I’m urging you not to do what all those Apple investors did who sold early and missed out on returns of literally hundreds of times what they had paid. I’m urging you to follow the ultimate buy-and-hold strategy.

Are You Headed For Recession or Is Your Investment Secure?

Matthew 6:21 KJV

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

2 Corinthians 4:18 KJV

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Will you be remembered for the things you did or the things that you owned?

I was asked that question the other day and the asker simply asked me to name, in ten words or less, the one thing that I would be most remembered for. It really didn’t take me long to figure that one out. Seeing as I am one of the few people around these parts that travels around daily (and have done so for years) in an old Corvair, I felt compelled to make that my answer. Once I am long with the Lord there will be, no doubt, someone, somewhere, who remembers me by that label. “He drove a Corvair, didn’t he? You know–that car with the engine in the back?”

He drove a Corvair! You know, that didn’t sound so bad to me at the moment. I could have been remembered for my temper or my lack of finishing things. I suppose there could be a lot of things worse than owning a Corvair that one could be remembered for. Right?

Perhaps! But, the more I thought about it, the more it bothered me that this was my answer. This was something I owned, not something I did. Ultimately, wouldn’t being remembered for our deeds be more important than our possessions? What I can put in my life, cars, houses, collections of this and that, are all testimony to what I have acquired in life and say little about the things that matter most, the things that we do, not the things that “do” us.

I remember reading sometime back about a robbery that took place in London. Armed gunmen broke into the deposit boxes in a London bank and stole valuables worth more than $7 million. One lady, whose jewelry was appraised at $500,000, wailed, “Everything I had was in there. My whole life was in that box.” What a sad commentary on her values! (Our Daily Bread.)

The Bible tells us that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Owning things is not a bad thing. Getting enjoyment out of a car, a home or even a hobby are not bad in and of themselves. But, when our lives become so focused on “what” we own as opposed to “what” we do, we are guilty of idol worship. When our lives revolve around what we can put in a box, whether that box be a safety deposit box or a garage, our values can be suspect. Life was never meant to be lived in a box. Seeking fulfillment in our obedience to God is really living “outside” of the box.

COVID-19 is a divine litmus test of what we really hold dear… it gives us a chance to examine our priorities and go on a spiritual treasure hunt… find your treasure… find your heart…. where did you find it?

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 8:58 PM March 21, 2020.

Closet Christians

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Inside Out: The Pursuit of Genuine Christianity / Prayer; Closet; Secret; Hypocrisy / Matthew 6:5–8

When Coach Bobby Bowden played baseball in college, he never hit a home run. His senior year at Howard College, he was the only player not to hit a home run. One day, he hit a line drive against Auburn. As he approached third, the coach was waving him on. As he made his turn, he heard his third base coach say, “But hurry!”

When he touched home, the team was ecstatic, slapping his back and shaking his hand back in the day before “high fives.” The first baseman yelled for the catcher to throw him the ball. The umpire yelled, “out.” When he ran the bases, Bobby Bowden never touched first.

Maybe that’s why he became a football coach. Anyway, you can probably imagine he told his players, “If you don’t take care of first base, it doesn’t matter what you do.”

Matthew 6:6 is part of the Sermon on the Mount. This is the first time Jesus taught his first disciples about prayer. His first lesson was, “Spend time alone with the Father in prayer.” If we don’t follow his first lesson, we are not following the example or the command of Christ.

In the last several weeks we have been looking at Jesus’ radical sermon on true Christianity. We have seen that we must do better than the Scribes and Pharisees, and they claim to be better than everybody.

Matthew 5:20 KJV

For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

We have seen that our righteousness must start in the heart with a true conversion, then extend to our actions. Last week we talked about alms giving. We saw that we must not do it to be seen as righteous, but we must do it ,often in secret, to be righteous. This week we will look at prayer in the same light. While some of us may pray in public from time to time, the real power comes when we learn to be Prayer Closet Christians.

A Closet Christian Will Pray to God.

Matthew 6:5 KJV

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

 • When you pray – not if… when was the last time you really prayed?

Psalm 55:17 KJV

Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: And he shall hear my voice.

 • Don’t pray for others to hear.

  • If you quote scripture, quote it to claim it, not to educate your audience.

  • Don’t pray to preach

  • Don’t pray to rebuke an audience

  • Don’t pray to impress others

  • Don’t be a hypocrite, God knows the real truth anyway.

 A pious church member, who thought himself to be a great Christian, says Warren W. Wiersbe, visited the Junior Department of the Sunday school. The Superintendent asked him to say a few words to the boys and girls. He stood pompously before them, and asked, “Why do you think people call me a Christian?”

  There was an embarrassing silence, then a small voice from the back of the room said, “Because they don’t know you.”

—Christian Victory1

1 Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), 1136.

 • Pray to God.

A Closet Christian Will Pray In Private

Matthew 6:6 KJV

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

 • Thy closet – have a place that is yours. (Describe the one I found in Shaffer dorm and the one on the top floor of Jackson Hall.

 • Shut the door. Have a place and a time where you are completely alone and undistracted with God. No cell phone, no background noise, no audience.

 • Be intimate in this place of intimacy.  

 • God will reward openly.

Psalm 34:15 KJV

The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, And his ears are open unto their cry.

 • Make it a priority to have AND USE this private place of prayer

  Of Mr. John Shepherd, of the United States, it is recorded that he was greatly distinguished for his success in the pulpit. When on his death-bed he said to some young ministers who were present, “The secret of my success is in these three things:

  “1st. The studying of my sermons very frequently cost me tears. 2nd. Before I preached a sermon to others I derived good from it myself. 3rd. I have always gone into the pulpit as if I were immediately after to render an account to my Master.”

  All who knew that devoted man would have united in expressing his secret in three words—”In the closet.”1

1 Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), 1079.

A Closet Christian Will Pray For Real!

Matthew 6:7–8 KJV

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 

Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

 • Do not use empty repetition… like praying on auto pilot.  

 • Prayer is to communicate, not to put you in a trance or mood. The heathen would repeat the same prayer same words, same mantra, to induce feelings… it would work even when praying to a lifeless idol.

  I love the story about the Lutheran pastor who always started each service off with the phrase, “The Lord be with you.” The people would then respond, “and also with you.”

  However, one Sunday the sound system wasn’t working very well. The pastor stepped up to the pulpit and said, “There’s something wrong with this microphone.”

  The people responded, “AND ALSO WITH YOU!.”

 • This does not mean we can’t pray for something more than once… Jesus did… Paul did.

Romans 1:9 KJV

For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

1 Thessalonians 1:2 KJV

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

Philemon 4 KJV

I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers,

 • Remember who you are talking to! You are talking the God of the universe, and the Savior who loves you.

   The brother of a seminary student came to visit him one day. Unsure of directions, he turned to the first person who passed by and asked, “Is this Davidson Hall?” On hearing the man described later, the seminary student asked his brother if he had realized that he had been talking to a world-famous theologian. The brother couldn’t believe it. He had the opportunity to ask any question—and he asked only where a building was.

   Unfortunately that’s how many of us pray. We talk to God and ask for inane little things that are really insignificant.

 • Prayer needs to be passionate and intimate. It is appropriate (especially in the prayer closet) to get in touch with powerful emotions. This can be done when we pray aloud.

James 5:16 KJV

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

The truth in today’s passage is pivotal to living a successful Christian life. We all know we should pray. But this morning we discovered that if we pray in public, we must check our hearts and not pray for people, or pray empty routine phrases. We have seen that the lion’s share of our prayer life is to take place in private, with the door closed and our heart open. We must develop a habit of becoming Closet Christians.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 11:59 AM February 29, 2020.

Can You Keep a Secret?

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Inside Out: The Pursuit of Genuine Christianity / Giving; Hypocrisy; Righteousness; Pride / Matthew 6:1–4

 A father complained about the amount of time his family spent in front of the television. His children watched cartoons and neglected school work. His wife preferred soap operas to housework. His solution? “As soon as the baseball season’s over, I’m going to pull the plug.”7051

1 Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 201.

Hypocrisy can or from the Greek “play acting” can be found everywhere. It is much easier to appear to be righteous than to be righteous. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addressed this kind of plastic fake religion by first of all calling out the religious leaders.

Matthew 5:20 KJV

For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

As we continue our study “Inside Out: The Pursuit of Genuine Christianity” we move on to Matthew 6. Here Jesus exposes three different things that Hypocrites do as they seek more to appear righteous than to be righteous. This morning we are going to discover that when we give sacrificially to the poor, we need to keep it secret.

Don’t Give Charity In Order To Be Seen By Others.

Matthew 6:1 KJV

Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

Take heed

 prosecho (???????, 4337), “to take heed, give heed,” is said of the priests who “gave attendance at the altar,” Heb. 7:13. It suggests devotion of thought and effort to a thing. In 1 Tim. 4:13 (in the exhortation regarding the public reading of the Scriptures), the rv translates it “give heed,” for the kjv, “give attendance.” In Acts 16:14, “to give heed” (for kjv, “attended). See beware, give, No. 17, regard.1

1 W. E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger, and William White Jr., Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 1996), 44.

 eleemosune (??????????, 1654), connected with eleemon, “merciful,” signifies (a) “mercy, pity, particularly in giving alms,

Motive Matters 

Matthew 5:16 KJV

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 Secondly, and more importantly, this passage is about a deliberate search for public recognition, whereas 5:16 summed up a searching character-study of true disciples which focused on essential qualities; those who live like that will inevitably be “a town built on top of a hill which cannot be hidden,” whether they like it or not. And whereas the outcome of religious ostentation is the desired “reward” of human applause, the result of the shining light of the disciples’ lifestyle is that people glorify God, not them.1

1 R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publication Co., 2007), 234.

  When Howard Carter and his associates found the tomb of King Tutankhamen, they opened up his casket and found another within it. They opened up the second, which was covered with gold leaf, and found a third. Inside the third casket was a fourth made of pure gold. The pharaoh’s body was in the fourth, wrapped in gold cloth with a gold face mask. But when the body was unwrapped, it was leathery and shriveled.

  Whether we are trying to cloak a dead spiritual life, or something else, in caskets of gold to impress others, the beauty of the exterior does not change the absence of life on the interior.7041

1 Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 201.

Put Your Trumpet Away

Matthew 6:2 KJV

Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

When not If

Matthew 5:42 KJV

Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Matthew 25:35 KJV

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Deuteronomy 15:7–11 KJV

If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: 

But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. 

Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee. 

Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. 

For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

Alms/ Charity is Not Tithing

 Thus, when you give alms is given in more contemporary language by TEV: “So when you give something to a needy person.” NEB (“Thus, when you do some act of charity”) and Brc (“When you are going to perform an act of charity”) are similar. GeCL translates “When you help someone.” However, this and Phps (“So, when you do good to other people”) may not emphasize enough that what is involved here is giving help to the needy. Other than in Matthew 6:2, 3, 4 the word alms is found in the New Testament only in the Lukan writings: Luke 11:41; 12:33; Acts 3:2, 3, 10; 9:36; 10:2, 4, 31; 24:17.1

1 Barclay Moon Newman and Philip C. Stine, A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew, UBS Handbook Series (New York: United Bible Societies, 1992), 159.

Alms / Charity is Personal, not Governmental

Trumpet = Metaphor for making a racket about your good deed

 According to Reuters news agency, on April 28 at the 1992 Galveston County Fair and Rodeo, a steer named Husker, weighing in at 1,190 pounds, was named grand champion. The steer was sold at auction for $13,500 and slaughtered a few days after the competition. When veterinarians examined the carcass, said a contest official, they found something suspicious. They discovered evidence of what is called “airing.”

  To give steers a better appearance, competitors have been known to inject air into their animals’ hides with a syringe or a needle attached to a bicycle pump. Pump long enough, and they’ve got themselves what looks like a grand champion steer, though of course it’s against the rules.

  The Galveston County Fair and Rodeo Association withdrew the championship title and sale money from Husker.

  A pumped-up steer is like a hypocritical person. Hypocrites appear more virtuous than they are.1

1 Craig Brian Larson, 750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers & Writers (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2002), 258.

Hypocrites Reap a Temporary Reward

Keep It Secret

Matthew 6:3–4 KJV

But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 

That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

Again When not If

Secret Righteousness Is Not Hidden From God.

Deuteronomy 29:29 KJV

The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Matthew 19:29 KJV

And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

Matthew 25:21 KJV

His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

  The Queen Mary was the largest ship to cross the oceans when it was launched in 1936. Through four decades and a world war she served until she was retired, anchored as a floating hotel and museum in Long Beach, California.

  During the conversion, her three massive smokestacks were taken off to be scraped down and repainted. But on the dock they crumbled.

  Nothing was left of the 3/4-inch steel plate from which the stacks had been formed. All that remained were more than thirty coats of paint that had been applied over the years. The steel had rusted away.

  When Jesus called the Pharisees “whitewashed tombs,” he meant they had no substance, only an exterior appearance.1

1 Craig Brian Larson, 750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers & Writers (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2002), 259.

As representatives and ambassadors of Jesus to the world, we need to be generous and charitable. We must however, guard against simply doing so in order to impress other… while others may be in awe, God is not. So the steps are simple, When you give charity, check your motives. Do not do it to be seen. When you give, put your trumpet away, do not proclaim loudly to others what you are doing. When you give charity, the best way to check your motives is to keep it secret.  

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 11:29 AM February 22, 2020.

Me?… Love WHO???

Pastor Don Carpenter / General

Inside Out: The Pursuit of Genuine Christianity / Love; Christlike / Matthew 5:43–48

The story is told of a soldier who was fighting over in Iraq who received a letter from his girlfriend that said she was breaking up with him. In the letter she also asked for him to return the picture of herself that she had given him, because she needed it for her bridal announcement.

The soldier was heartbroken and told his friends about the breakup and about her request. Someone came up with this idea — the whole platoon gave him pictures of all of their girlfriends and told him to send them to his ex-girlfriend with this note, “For the life of me, I can’t remember which picture is yours, so please remove your picture from all of these pictures I’m sending and return the rest of them to me!”

Vengeance and hatred toward one’s perceived enemies seems to be a part of the fabric of our society. People who consider themselves to be loving and kind still would not cross the line and show love to their enemy. It is one thing to forgive them, or ignore them, but it is a completely different thing to actually go out of the way to actively show love toward them.

As we continue our study, “Inside Out: The Pursuit of Genuine Christianity”, we come to the part in the sermon on the Mount where Jesus commands His disciples to love and do good to their enemies. This indeed in different than the love shown by the respected religious leadership. This is radical! This is true Christlike behavior. This is what it is like to really demonstrate that you are a for real Christian. This testimony is not rooted in external conformity to appearance, traditional behavior or extra-Biblical norms. This radical behavior that changes people from the inside out happens when we listen to Jesus and answer the question: Me? Love WHO???

You Heard it Wrong

Leviticus 19:18 KJV

Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

The specification of one’s neighbor allowed some to add the “implied” exception.

Matthew 5:43 KJV

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

But I say unto you…. Jesus is about to correct this with Divine Authority.

Love Your Enemies

Matthew 5:44 KJV

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Bless Them That Curse You

eulogeo (???????, 2127), lit., “to speak well of” (eu, “well,” logos, “a word”), signifies, (a) “to praise, to celebrate with praises,” of that which is addressed to God, acknowledging His goodness, with desire for His glory, Luke 1:64; 2:28; 24:51, 53; Jas. 3:9; (b) “to invoke blessings upon a person,” e.g., Luke 6:28; Rom. 12:14.1

1 W. E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger, and William White Jr., Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Nashville, TN: T. Nelson, 1996), 69.

1 Peter 3:9–10 KJV

Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 

For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

Do Good To Them That Hate You

?????a, ?, ??; ?????a: pertaining to a positive moral quality, with the implication of being favorably valued—‘good, fine, praiseworthy.’

?????a: ? ?????? ? ????? ??? ????? ????? ??????? ???? ??? ???????? ‘the good shepherd is willing to die for the sheep’ Jn 10:11.

?????a: ???????? ???? ?? ????? ‘they have a deep concern for you, but their intentions are not good’ Ga 4:17

John 10:11 KJV

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Pray For Them That Spitefully Persecute You.

His demand here goes even beyond v. 39: not only are they not to retaliate, nor even to resist, but even positively to seek the good of their persecutors and to pray for them. The example of Stephen (Acts 7:60) was followed by many of the early Christian martyrs. Prayer is mentioned primarily as an expression of good will towards the persecutors, without specifying its content, but presumably it would at least include the request that they, like Saul of Tarsus, might see the light.1581

1 R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publication Co., 2007), 225–226.

Acts 7:60 KJV

And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

In his sermon “Spiritual PTSD” Bob Grey Jr. tearfully apologizes to those folks he was part of bullying and belittling in order to exert pastoral leadership. Would to God we would refuse name calling, vengeful and manipulating preaching, and hatred cloaked in religious pretence. May we instead love our enemies aggressively and publically.

Learn From Your Father

Matthew 5:45 KJV

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

So that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven is a fairly literal rendering of the Greek text. AB is barely one step away from a literal rendering by beginning a new sentence with this verse: “In this way you will become sons of your heavenly Father …” The more precise meaning of the verb be in the context is “will show that you are.” This is the basis of NAB (“This will prove that you are sons of your heavenly Father”), AT (“so that you may show yourselves true sons of your Father in heaven”), and GeCL (“So you will prove yourselves to be children of your Father in heaven”). Another way is to say “so that people will know (or, see) that you are children of God, your Father in heaven.”1

1 Barclay Moon Newman and Philip C. Stine, A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew, UBS Handbook Series (New York: United Bible Societies, 1992), 153.

Show Common Grace

Unmerited favor for the just and the unjust.

King James Version Chapter 5

…for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust

Psalm 145:9 KJV

The LORD is good to all: And his tender mercies are over all his works.

Acts 14:17 KJV

Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

Show Amazing Grace

Ephesians 2:8–9 KJV

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Colossians 4:6 KJV

Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Show Unique Grace – Like Your Father.

Matthew 5:46–47 KJV

For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 

And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

1 Peter 2:20 KJV

For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

John 13:35 KJV

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Show Genuine Grace

Matthew 5:48 KJV

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

The wording of this summary recalls the repeated formula of Leviticus, “You are to be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” (Lev 19:2; cf. 11:44, 45; 20:26). God’s people were to reflect his character, and the same is now true for those who are subjects of the kingdom of heaven.  The use of  teleios  (perfect) instead of “holy” may derive from the requirement of total loyalty to God in  Deut 18:13 , where the Hebrew  t?mîm  (complete, unblemished, blameless, perfect) is rendered by  teleios  in LXX. It is a wider term than moral flawlessness, and is used for spiritual “maturity,” for example, in  1 Cor 2:6 ;  14:20 ;  Phil 3:15 , and frequently in Hebrews. Matthew will use teleios again in 19:21 to denote the higher level of commitment represented by the rich man’s selling his possessions in contrast with his merely keeping the commandments (including again Lev 19:18). It is thus a suitable term to sum up the “greater righteousness” of v. 20, a righteousness which is demanded not only from an upper echelon of spiritual elites but from all who belong to the kingdom of God. It is in the promotion of this standard of perfection, going far beyond the literal requirements of the OT law, that Jesus “fulfills” it.1

1 R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publication Co., 2007), 228–229.

When I think of drawing on love’s source, I think of Corrie ten Boom. Her family had all died in the Nazi concentration camps. Their crime? Hiding Jews in their home. Somehow Corrie survived. The war had ended, the camps had been liberated, and Corrie was speaking in various churches, sharing about God’s love and faithfulness, even in the midst of horror. She writes in her best-selling book, “The Hiding Place”:

“It was at a church service in Munich that I saw him, a former S.S. man who had stood guard at the shower room door in the processing center at Ravensbruck. He was the first of our actual jailers that I had seen since that time. And suddenly it was all there – the roomful of mocking men, the heaps of clothing, [my sister] Betsie’s pain-blanched face.

“He came up to me as the church was emptying, beaming and bowing. ‘How grateful I am for your message, Fraulein.’ He said. ‘To think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!’ His hand was thrust out to shake mine. And I, who had preached so often to the people in Bloemendaal the need to forgive, kept my hand at my side.

“Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him. I tried to smile, I struggled to raise my hand. I could not. I felt nothing, not the slightest spark of warmth or charity. And so again I breathed a silent prayer. Jesus, I prayed, I cannot forgive him. Give me Your forgiveness.

“As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me. And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world’s healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself.”

God is our source of love, and his supply never runs low. When you have trouble loving someone, whether friend or enemy, ask God for the love you need. He will surely supply it from the inside out. He will enable YOU to actually love YOUR ENEMY.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 3:24 PM February 15, 2020.