This sermon was given by Rev. Anthony Carter in the Saturday session, and I must say that it quite possibly was the best sermon I've ever heard. Never has a sermon convicted me the way this one did in regards to my charge and duties as a Minister of the Gospel. Because of this sermon, I have a whole different outlook on the people I preach to and thus my preparation, delivery, and (especially) my content will forever be effected by this revelation.
Rev. Carter took his text from Isaiah 40:1-5, and he asked us, as ministers: Are we discerners of misery? Rev. Carter stated that each and every Christian in the pew has faced a battle during the week with Satan. And this battle has left them beat up, tired, frustrated, agitated, and sometimes doubtful in the salvation they have. However, it is at this time, where we should comfort them in the words of our LORD who says:
"Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned,that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins". (Isaiah 40:1-2)
And why should this be a comfort to the believer? Because:
"A voice cries: 'In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low;the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken'." (Isaiah 40:3-5) [Cited in Matt 3:1-3]
In other words, the LORD Jesus' work in life, death, resurrection, and ascension has defeated the pains and struggles that we face as Christians, and has given us victory and eternal life. So while these battles are going to go on in our lives, we should encourage Christians not to look at their battles from the perspective of "Kill or be killed". But rather, Christians should go into their battles with the truth that the victory is already won through Christ.
This is why it is imperative that the Gospel message is preached every week from the pulpit (as well as anytime believers get together). Quite simply, it is our spiritual fuel. We truly need it for our very sustaining and strength.
There were many poignant parts to this sermon, but this one stuck out in my mind more than any other! Anthony, you did an UNBELIEVABLE job in delivering this message to those called in this work of God, and I definitely can say that we all thank God for his preparation of you to deliver this Word from Heaven.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
PARTICULAR REDEMPTION
This teaching by Rev. Sherrard Burns was given during the Friday Afternoon Workshop time at the Conference. In this workshop, Rev. Burns attempts to make a defense for the argument that Christ's atoning work on the Cross was not for all mankind, but for those elected in Christ before the foundation of the world. The teaching of Particular Redemption has been a heated one from the beginnings of the Church until now. While groups like Reformed Baptist, Presbyterians, and other non-denominational Calvinistic churches hold to this doctrine, Arminian churches and other denominations like Methodist, Messianic Jews, and Lutherans hold to what is called universal redemption--i.e, that Jesus death made salvation possible for all but not certain for anyone. Thus, the ultimate determiner of one's reception of salvation is depended upon their desire to choose it by their own free will.
Taking these two sides into account, Rev. Burns starts off His defense by focusing on the very character of God in regards to His particularity. This (in my opinion) was a very good move by Rev. Burns because, even though it is clearly seen in Scripture, one does not naturally think upon the fact that God is particular in all of His actions and plans. For instance, here are some of the examples that Rev. Burns gives on God's particularity:
His Word: Isaiah 55:11
His People: Deuteronomy 7:6
The Bulding of the Ark: Genesis 6
The Sacrificial System: The Book of Leviticus
The Laws of His People: Exodus 20-23
The Tabernacle: Exodus 26-27
In addition, Rev. Burns even goes on to state that the existence of hell proves the particularity of God because Scripture records it was prepared for the Devil, his angels, and those who are not in Christ (Matt 25:41).
Next, Rev. Burns gets into the heart of his defense by taking us to passages in John 10 that deal with Jesus' conversation with the Jews. In verse 11, of this chapter, Jesus states:
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep"
Here, Rev. Burns explains that Jesus is calling Himself "The Good Shepherd", and that He "lays His life down for the sheep". Now on the surface, "the sheep" could be a broad statement including everyone. But notice that Jesus gets very particular as He talks about these sheep in verses 14-16:
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
The appearance of "my own" and "other sheep" shows that Jesus was not talking about everyone in His initial statement, but rather a particular people.
With this is mind, Rev. Burns takes us to verses 22-30 of this text to solidify his argument (pay attention to the bolded portions):
At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one."
Rev. Burns, again, turns our attention to the fact that Jesus gets particular about "His sheep" again, and also draws us to the fact that the reason why the Jews could not believe that Jesus was the Christ was because they were not part of His flock. Their inability to believe who Christ was is rooted in their absence of being part of His flock. In short, they don't believe because they are not His sheep. In backing up this explanation of Particular Redemption, Rev. Burns gives some additional Scriptures:
John17:1-2: When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
John 17:6: I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
John 17:9: I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
John 17:20: I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.
2 Corinthians 5:18-20: All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Finally, Rev. Burns sums up his teaching by dealing with problem passages towards Particular Redemption. The first one, 1 John 2:2 reads:
He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
Most see "whole world" and assume that Jesus is talking about everyone in the entire world. But Rev. Burns points out that the meaning of "whole world" here (in light of the previous evidence shown) has to refer to the church. [For further proof of this, please refer to any Bible Dictionary or the Greek Lexicons of Zodhiates and/or Strong which records at least eight (8) different meanings for the word "world" in Scripture].
Another is found in 2 Peter 3:9, which reads:
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
He correctly states upfront that this passage is usually quoted as "It's God's will that none should perish", when--in actuality--it does not say this at all. But rather, it is particular in stating that God is patient towards a group classified as "you", because he does not want the "you" to perish. So who is the "you" in this context? Well, Rev. Burns correctly concludes the "you" has to be the people Peter is writing to who were--according to 1 Peter 1:1:
"those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ" (in other words, the elect!!!!)
He then concludes his teaching with some comforting words for those who were particularly chosen in Christ, found in Jeremiah 32:40:
I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.
Without question, this workshop was absolutely amazing. The Spirit of God really showed things through Rev. Burns that firmed my beliefs and heart about the doctrine of Particular Redemption. It also made me praise the LORD Jesus for allowing a sinner like me into His sheepfold, despite my ways, to find restoration and relaxation.
Taking these two sides into account, Rev. Burns starts off His defense by focusing on the very character of God in regards to His particularity. This (in my opinion) was a very good move by Rev. Burns because, even though it is clearly seen in Scripture, one does not naturally think upon the fact that God is particular in all of His actions and plans. For instance, here are some of the examples that Rev. Burns gives on God's particularity:
His Word: Isaiah 55:11
His People: Deuteronomy 7:6
The Bulding of the Ark: Genesis 6
The Sacrificial System: The Book of Leviticus
The Laws of His People: Exodus 20-23
The Tabernacle: Exodus 26-27
In addition, Rev. Burns even goes on to state that the existence of hell proves the particularity of God because Scripture records it was prepared for the Devil, his angels, and those who are not in Christ (Matt 25:41).
Next, Rev. Burns gets into the heart of his defense by taking us to passages in John 10 that deal with Jesus' conversation with the Jews. In verse 11, of this chapter, Jesus states:
"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep"
Here, Rev. Burns explains that Jesus is calling Himself "The Good Shepherd", and that He "lays His life down for the sheep". Now on the surface, "the sheep" could be a broad statement including everyone. But notice that Jesus gets very particular as He talks about these sheep in verses 14-16:
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
The appearance of "my own" and "other sheep" shows that Jesus was not talking about everyone in His initial statement, but rather a particular people.
With this is mind, Rev. Burns takes us to verses 22-30 of this text to solidify his argument (pay attention to the bolded portions):
At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one."
Rev. Burns, again, turns our attention to the fact that Jesus gets particular about "His sheep" again, and also draws us to the fact that the reason why the Jews could not believe that Jesus was the Christ was because they were not part of His flock. Their inability to believe who Christ was is rooted in their absence of being part of His flock. In short, they don't believe because they are not His sheep. In backing up this explanation of Particular Redemption, Rev. Burns gives some additional Scriptures:
John17:1-2: When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
John 17:6: I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
John 17:9: I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
John 17:20: I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.
2 Corinthians 5:18-20: All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Finally, Rev. Burns sums up his teaching by dealing with problem passages towards Particular Redemption. The first one, 1 John 2:2 reads:
He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
Most see "whole world" and assume that Jesus is talking about everyone in the entire world. But Rev. Burns points out that the meaning of "whole world" here (in light of the previous evidence shown) has to refer to the church. [For further proof of this, please refer to any Bible Dictionary or the Greek Lexicons of Zodhiates and/or Strong which records at least eight (8) different meanings for the word "world" in Scripture].
Another is found in 2 Peter 3:9, which reads:
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
He correctly states upfront that this passage is usually quoted as "It's God's will that none should perish", when--in actuality--it does not say this at all. But rather, it is particular in stating that God is patient towards a group classified as "you", because he does not want the "you" to perish. So who is the "you" in this context? Well, Rev. Burns correctly concludes the "you" has to be the people Peter is writing to who were--according to 1 Peter 1:1:
"those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ" (in other words, the elect!!!!)
He then concludes his teaching with some comforting words for those who were particularly chosen in Christ, found in Jeremiah 32:40:
I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.
Without question, this workshop was absolutely amazing. The Spirit of God really showed things through Rev. Burns that firmed my beliefs and heart about the doctrine of Particular Redemption. It also made me praise the LORD Jesus for allowing a sinner like me into His sheepfold, despite my ways, to find restoration and relaxation.
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