These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Hebrews 4:14-16
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Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
In our text, Jesus says to deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Him. The cross was an instrument of death. It was used to crucify all who went against Rome. For a Jew, the crucifixion meant you had been cursed by God. The cross, an execution device, is used by Christians to represent Christ. Gods said His ways are higher than our ways and we will not always understand His ways.
In our text Jesus asked the disciples who people thought He was. They said people thought He was one of the great men of the past that had come back to life. Peter said Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said that God had revealed this to Peter. Why did Jesus ask them this? Jesus wanted the disciples to say what they believed and to say it out loud. Jesus is the rock and foundation of our Faith. We believe that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah.
Then Jesus tell the disciples that He will suffer, be killed ant then rise up on the third day. Jesus said this to make sure that they understood that He was going to die for our sins. Peter and the other disciples did not want Jesus to die and still thought of him as mortal. Jesus came to this earth to die for our sins because He loved us so much. Jesus is the only one who ever died for another man’s sins. No other gods of any other religion have ever died for another man’s sins.
Jesus says if you want to follow Him, then you must take up your cross for Him. We must feel the weight of the cross as we follow Jesus. Jesus meant that taking up the cross means the Christian has decided that his life is not his own. This is taking up the cross for Jesus. They will have their lives changed thru Jesus and will never live any other way without Jesus.
When Jesus was carrying the cross, the beatings and torturing his body had already been through, made the weight of the cross too heavy. Simon of Cyrene was chosen to help Jesus carry his cross and the weight of the cross changed Simon’s life forever. Simon and his family became Christians and followers of Jesus. Daily we must take up our cross and remain committed to Jesus. We thank God for sending Jesus to us.
Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb.
Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
For yet a little while and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
Now I beseech you brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
Revelations 22:12-16
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And behold I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city.
For without are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and murderers and idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David and the bright and morning star.
He will bless them that Fear the LORD, both small and great. The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children.
Psalm 34:7-9
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The Angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that Fear Him and delivereth them. O taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. O Fear the LORD, ye his saints; for there is no want to them that Fear Him.
Psalm 111:10
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The Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do His Commandments: His Praise endureth forever.
In Genesis, God created the Sun and the Moon to shine light. Let your light shine before men is what Jesus is saying in Matthew. He spoke this to everyone not just the disciples. Let your light shine. What if you went into a dark room, flipped the light switch and the light refused to shine? That is its job to shine. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells of a master giving talents to his servants. He gave to each according to his ability and went on a long journey to a far country. When he returned, the servant with five talents had gained five more. The master said he had done good and wanted him to share in his master’s happiness. Then the servant with two talents came and had gained two more talents. He got the same praise and benefits from his master as the servant with five talents had received.
The lazy servant who had hid the one talent in the earth got scolded by his master and told he should have put the money in the bank to receive interest. The master said to throw the lazy servant out into the darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Remember this if you remember nothing else; whether you consider yourself a light, a talent or a sun, God created you to let your light shine.
Five talent people are the achievers, the “get something done” people. People like Abraham, Moses were five talent people. This is because they were willing to let the Lord direct their lives. God used them to do His work and these are five talent people. There are five talent people in secular business that are NOT five talent people in the Church. God’s Kingdom business is all that will last and survive.
Two talent people are like the disciple Andrew, Peter’s brother. He was always listed or defined as being Peter’s brother. This is just like when I was a kid and always listed as Kevin’s younger brother Keith. Two talent people are not usually in the spotlight. They should still keep their light shining because it’s the two talent people that help make the five talent people look good. Two talent people are very important and God can make them multiply and be blessed.
One talent people are like the poor widow who could only give a little of her poverty. Also one talent people are like the healed lepers and the healed blind people when they gave their testimonies about Jesus. They can do great things when they let their lights shine. Just like the little boy who had the small lunch that Jesus used to feed thousands of people.
The parable of the talents means that if we don’t use what God has given us, we won’t have it for very long. Use what God has given you and let your light shine. Just like the sun or moon shine. Just like the lamp, flashlight or candle shine. Let your light shine for the Lord! Shine your light into the darkness whether you are a five talent, a two talent or a one talent person. You are important and have a job to do for the Lord. Let you light shine for God and Jesus Christ.
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given Him. And this is Life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption.
And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the daytime. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children.
Jude 1:9-13
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Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not; but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear; clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
