Becoming Bereans*

We will be continuing in a series of messages that began with last week's message, "Search the Scriptures". Jesus told His listeners: "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." (Jn. 5:39). Jesus is the Word of God who came in the flesh, and the scriptures continually illustrate the Savior, the Messiah, to whoever searches them. When the Apostle Paul travelled to Thessalonica, he preached for three Sabbaths in the synagogue there. He reasoned with them out of the scriptures, opening the Word of God, and showing in them that the Messiah (Christ) must suffer and be raised from the dead (Acts 17:1-3). Some believed after hearing Paul, including some Gentiles, but others reacted with envy. Those envious hearers joined with a rough element and created an uproar in the city, and converged upon Jason's house, one of the believers in Christ. The mob took Jason and other brethren to the city elders and accused them saying: "These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also...and these all do contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus." (v. 6-7). Even though this outcry against Jason and the believers of Thessalonica began with the envious Jews in the synagogue, who should have been worshippers of God and followers of His Word, they used the worldly kingship of Cesar, and his decrees, to accuse the believers. They let Jason and the others go after they received money from them (v. 9). Money, rather than the revealed scriptures, is the interest of the world and those who reject God's Word. The believers in Thessalonica were accused of "turning the world upside down". Are we, the church, also turning the world upside down as believers in Christ? Many "megachurches", with vast resources, are not even having an effect on their own communities. Our weapons of warfare are not carnal but spiritual, and mighty through prayer in the pulling down of strongholds. Is the church praying? The believers of Thessalonica sent Paul and Silas to Berea, where the Jews in the synagogue there: "...received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17:10-11). As a result, many in Berea believed, including again, Gentile men and women (v. 11). Because of the readiness to receive the Gospel, and the diligence they showed in confirming all that they heard by searching the scriptures, the Bereans were recorded in scripture as being "more noble than those in Thessalonica". The resentful Jews from Thessalonica then came to Berea to try to stir up the people there against the Gospel. The Bereans, however, sent Paul on to Athens, while Silas stayed with them (v. 13-15). Upon arrival in Athens, Paul began delivering the Gospel there, disputing with the Jews in the synagogue, and meeting with others in the marketplace. Finally, those of the Stoic and Epicurean philosophies met Paul, and at first, thought of him as being a "babbler" when he preached to them of Jesus, and the resurrection (v. 16-18). Paul soon used the example of an altar that he had seen on Mars Hill which had the inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Paul then taught them about the God Who had been "unknown" to them, but was now making Himself known. Paul told them about the God who made the world and all things within it, the Lord of heaven and earth. This God does not inhabit temples made with human hands, Paul told them, because God does not need anything, but gives life to all, gives breath, and all things to us. This God made all men of one blood, "...that they should seek the Lord...feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being..." (v. 23-27). Paul revealed that God was not found in gold, silver or stone, like an idol, and God had ordained that it was time that man repented of this idea, because there is appointed a day of judgment. All the world will be judged in the righteousness of that Man whom God ordained and sent, and God had given men assurance in the resurrection of that Man from the dead (v. 29-32). Some Greek hearers mocked this idea, but othere believed and joined with Paul (v. 32-34). We can see that the hostile and envious Jews of Thessalonica had only caused the Gospel that they so hated and persecuted to be spread successfully to other cities, even Athens, the stronghold of the worship of mythology and men's philosophies. One powerful truth in the scriptures that Paul taught above is that all men were made from one blood. The divisions between Jews and Gentiles, and among various labels of men's philosophies could not overcome that truth. All men have one Creator, one God, and are of one blood, and are also saved by one Blood, the Blood of Jesus, the Son of God. Any Christian organizations that try to divide men along racial or ethnic lines are not speaking the Word of God, because God has said that His Kingdom is made out of every nation, tribe and tongue. Search the scriptures for yourself, like a noble Berean, and see. Paul wrote to his faithful assistant Timothy about the importance of the Word of God: "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not...even to the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain," (1 Tim. 6:3-6). Pul wrote that one of the great temptations and snares for believers and all men is the desire to obtain riches. There is no contentment to be found in that trap, but rather destruction and perdition: "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (v. 9-10). Paul encouraged Timothy to fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which he was called and of which Timothy has professed before many witnesses. Jesus professed the Word of truth before Pontius Pilate, and Timothy is to keep this commandment "without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ...keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.". (v. 12-21, excerpt). The temptation to seek the false knowledge and love of riches offered by the world and by men, rather than receiving and searching the Word of God, is always with us. Even the priests of the LORD fell into the temptation for riches and lusts. Eli the priest was warned by a prophet that because he would not restrain his greedy sons who oppressed the people of God, his priesthood and his house would be cut off. Eli ignored that Word, and his young trainee, Samuel, had to deliver to Eli the final Word from the LORD that the time of the prophesied judgment had come (1 Sam. 2 and 3). God's people, who are His priests, are expected not only to seem godly, but to be godly, and to be led by His Word, so they may live. The Prophet Hosea called God's people to return to Him, and in doing so, Hosea's prophecy testified of Jesus Christ: "Come and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." (Hos. 6:1-3). The prophet wrote that God's people had fallen into iniquity, treachery, lewdness, whoredom, murder, pollution, and defilement, but God has set a harvest for them in their return from captivity (v. 4-11). Search the scriptures for the knowledge of God and return to Him, and for the scriptures' testimony of the Son's third day resurrection, that you may live in His sight. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 9/4/2022 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, theshroudofturin.org, and endtimeschool, also on Facebook.

Search the Scriptures*

In Acts 17, a special group of people in Berea were mentioned as those to whom Paul preached the Gospel. They were commended in this regard: "These (Bereans) were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed...". (Acts 17:11-12). The Bereans looked through what we call the Old Testament scriptures to verify what Paul was telling them about Christ and His suffering and resurrection (see v. 2-3). These scriptures caused them to believe. Jesus also said: "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." (Jn. 5:39). If we search the scriptures, we will find Jesus. On this same occasion, Jesus spoke of His unbreakable connection to His Father in heaven: "For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth who he will...Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man." (v. 21-27). Jesus also spoke of the two parts of judgment: "...the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice; and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." (v. 28-29). There is a judgment for all. For those who believe in Christ, and live according to that belief and do good, eternal life awaits them. If we will search the scriptures, we will find that David spoke about this in Psalm 23. He spoke of experiencing the "shadow of death" without fear. Death has become just a shadow, rather than the reality, for those who believe and know the LORD as their Shepherd. Paul wrote, referring to the prophecy of Isaiah (64:4), that man has not seen, heard, nor understood the wonderful things that God has prepared for them that love Him. These things are revealed to us only by His Spirit: "...for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God." (1 Cor. 2:9-11). As we search the scriptures, the Spirit of God also searches on our behalf, to reveal to us those things that only God knows. Peter gives us an interesting look into how this mystery of Christ is revealed by the Spirit. He wrote to those who had never seen Jesus Christ, yet believed, and connected this to the prophets: "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." (1 Peter 1:8-11). It was the Spirit of God that revealed Christ to the prophets, not for their sakes alone, but to benefit us later. The very things that the prophets saw ahead by their diligent search of the Spirit of God, are the things that were revealed to us many centuries later for our salvation. We received this revealed Word by the same Holy Spirit sent from heaven for that purpose (v. 12). David, searching the Spirit of God, was given a prophetic revelation in Psalm 22, of Christ's suffering and crucifixion, a form of execution not invented until seven hundred years later by the Persians. Search the scriptures, and search the Holy Spirit as the prophets, the Bereans, and David did, and you will also find the Person of Jesus Christ, as Jesus said. This kind of revelation is to keep our minds, our soberness, and our hope, until the appearance of Jesus again (v. 13). Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost (see Acts 2:25-31) the prophetic revelation of the resurrected Jesus given to David. David wrote this revelation in Psalm 16: "I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." (v. 8-11). Peter said that David was both dead and buried (the Upper Room of Acts 2 is located above the Tomb of David), but, speaking to us as a prophet, and according to the promise which God had sworn to him, David was speaking of the Messiah to come, who would be the fruit of his loins, of his flesh, in a future generation of David's, to be raised from the dead incorruptible, and seated on David's throne (Acts 2:29-31). Those who search the scriptures are kept and made strong in the discovery of the prophetic promises and their sovereign fulfillment. Ezekiel prophesied of this same King and Shepherd, whom he called "David", even though David was dead long before this prophetic word came forth: "...Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen...and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: And I will make them one nation...; and one king shall be king to them all...I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. And David my servant shall be king over them; and they shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them." (Ezek. 37:21-24). The LORD also prophesied the everlasting covenant of peace that He will make with His people, and of His sanctuary that will be in the midst of them forever (v. 26). This refers to the millennial reign of Christ. The prophecy regarding David as their King and Shepherd immediately follows a prophecy shown to Ezekiel in which God will unite as one, Ephraim, the son of Joseph, and a tribe of Israel, and Judah, another tribe of Israel. Joseph's son Ephraim, meaning "doubly fruitful", was born of a Gentile mother in Egypt. The name's feminine form, Ephratah, refers to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ, and the place where the Passover lambs are pastured during the year. The Book of Revelation confirms the prophecy of Ezekiel, and David as well: "And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful." Rev. 21:3-5). Serch the scriptures, for His Word is indeed true and faithful. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 8/28/2022 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, theshroudofturin.org, and endtimeschool, also on Facebook.

Seek His Face in the Word*

 

As we continue the series "Seek His Face", this week, we will be seeking His face in the Word.

Isaiah urged his readers, by the prophetic Word of God, to turn and seek the LORD, to search Him out. In the following verses, the LORD prophesies of sending His Messiah, and of the unfettered character of His Word:

"Behold, I have given him as a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people...Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him...For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD....So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."   Isa. 55:4-11 (excerpt)

Many people reject out of hand a work of God, like the Shroud of Turin, because they do not believe the LORD would use a piece of cloth with His image upon it to confirm His Word, and testify of His salvation. Some reject an item of physical evidence like this as an idol that God would never use. However, the LORD states clearly above, that His ways and thoughts are very different from man's, yet He assures us that those ways and thoughts, as revealed in His Word, accomplish exactly what He sets them out to do. Moreover, the LORD has used images to bring His truth to man. He instructed Moses to lift a brass image of a serpent on a pole for the people to look upon in order to be healed and delivered from a plague that had broken out against them. In the same way, Jesus spoke of being lifted up (on a cross), and men looking upon Him. So, is the Shroud of Turin, engraved with the body and face of Christ, one of these images purposed by God, to be looked upon by men, and is it revealed in the Word of God? Jesus said that the scriptures testify of Him. He also said, as the prophets have written, all will be taught by the LORD, and those who have learned from the Father, come to Jesus (Jn. 6:45).

Paul and Silas traveled to Berea (meaning "well-watered"), where the Jews listened to the Gospel from him with an open mind. The Bereans were those who studied and searched the scriptures, and when they found the confirmation of the Gospel of Salvation brought to them by Paul and Silas in the scriptures, they believed the news of Christ (Acts 17:10-12). The Word of God, including the Old Testament, which is what the Bereans had to study, brings repeated witness of all things pertaining to Christ, the Messiah and Savior, as Jesus said.

The prophet of God wrote of an image of a severely wounded Messiah that kings would look upon about which they had not been told in any other way. It would sprinkle them (as the blood of expiation):

"Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonied (desolate, appalled, causing horror) at thee; his visage (appearance, to look upon. Root meaning: to inspect, to look upon and consider; discern) was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: so shall he sprinkle (nazah; spurt, spatter, sprinkle, especially in expiation) many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider."  Isa. 52:13-15

Isaiah is prophesying about an image that many could look upon, consider and examine: an image that testifies of something so profoundly that man can understand its meaning without being told from another source. The image speaks for itself powerfully.

We see one fulfillment of this prophecy above in the New Testament, as Paul appears before Festus and King Agrippa. Paul reminds the King that the things he was preaching about Christ were nothing more than what Moses and the Prophets before him had already written and testified, including Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection from the dead (Acts 26:22-23). Festus accused Paul of being mad. Then Paul said to Festus and the King:

"...I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner . King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuades me to be a Christian."   Acts 26:25-28

Paul again confirmed that the scriptures reveal Christ, including Moses and the prophets. He also concluded that the king had the knowledge that the prophet (see verses from Isaiah above), said would be revealed for kings to look upon.

The Word of God also speaks of a reflected, or mirror (reversed) image, which testifies of His face:

"But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."  2 Cor. 3:18

It is written in Proverbs of a mirrored, or reflected, image that affects a man's heart profoundly:

"As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man."  Prov. 27:19

The image on the Shroud is also a negative, or reversed, image.

The disciple John, when he ran to the empty tomb with Peter, was convinced to believe in Christ's resurrection by what he saw in the tomb -  the shroud with which Jesus' body had been covered, and the scriptures say that he was then convinced of the resurrection. Rather than just an empty cloth, was there something upon the  linen grave clothes so powerful as to convince John without doubt? (Jn. 20:6-8)

Jacob named a place "Peniel" (meaning "facing, turning toward God"), saying, "...for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."  Gen. Gen. 32:30

We are told to seek God's face, as in 2 Chron. 7:14, in order to bring repentance and healing to our hearts and land. The face of God can be found in His Word. The face of God is also found in physical evidence, like the Shroud of Turin, that confirm His Word, and are themselves confirmed by His Word, and are not apart from His Word. Search the scriptures for yourself, and find out if these things are true.

*The above is based upon the 8/9/20 message to the Church from Dr. Kenneth Stevenson. 

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.
 

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                                                                   Sean Stevenson

 

 

 

 



Redeeming the Time

 

 

 

Like never before, the signs of the times indicate that the end of this age is approaching, and the return of Jesus Christ is near. However, there is little sense of urgency in the Church. The apostles of the New Testament, and many of the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers of the Church today, continue to urge the believers to recognize the signs of the times in which we live, and prepare for what God is calling us to be and do. 

As we see evil accelerate around us, the apostle Paul teaches us not to be partakers with evil conduct (Eph. 5:1-7), but to be children and followers of God, being and walking in the light of Christ:

"For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk ye as children of light....See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore, be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."   Eph. 5:8, 15-17

We become "redeemers of time" by understanding, being, and doing the will of the Lord. Evil has tried to become sovereign over the day, but the will of the Lord, as He defined days, was by His creative work (Gen. 1:4-31). He pronounced each work, and each day as "good", and "very good". Creation is groaning for the manifestation of the children, the sons of God to be the Christ light, the "or" light shining into the days to redeem them from the hold of evil. This "or" light of Christ is the light of day, prosperity, life, instruction, illumination. It is described as glorious, fire, and shining. For what communion hath light with darkness? We are not of the night, nor of darkness (2 Cor. 6:15, 1 Thess. 5:5), and all of our ways must reflect this, if we are to redeem the time.

Moses, the man of God, prayed in Psalm 90:12:

"So teach (to have intimate knowledge, to reveal, to experience) us to number (prepare, appoint, ordain, divide out) our days that we may apply (enter into, bring, attain) our hearts unto wisdom (be wise, show wisdom, teach wisdom).

This wisdom, revelation, intimate knowledge, and preparation comes from searching the scriptures. Jesus said to those who prided themselves on their knowledge and study of scripture:

"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they are they which testify of Me...there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me."   Jn. 5:39, 45-46

Searching the scriptures refers not just to reading or learning, but to "seeking, considering, enquiring, reflecting upon, and inspecting". It even means "ploughing", or digging beneath the surface for the intimate knowledge to be revealed there. So many of those to whom Jesus spoke this studied the scriptures to bolster their already held positions or beliefs. They used the scriptures to argue and debate. They used them to create a religious system of rules to establish their own righteousness. However, the LORD looked down from heaven to see if there were any that did understand and seek God, but there were none that was doing good, not one (Ps. 14:1-3, Rom. 3:10). They read the scriptures, but they did not search them for the heart and will of God. If they had, they would have discovered Christ in them.

Paul wrote about visiting with a people in Berea, who heard his Gospel message with all readiness of mind, but then went to scripture to search them daily to see for themselves the intimate truth revealed therein (Acts 17:10-12). Not only did many Jews believe there, but also Gentiles because of this willingness to delve deeply into God's will. The word "Berea" means "well watered". They were indeed a people who were well watered in the Word of God. We are called to be Bereans in our time, searching and seeking daily, the intimate knowledge of God in His Word. It is not enough to be hearers only, but we must search it out ourselves, in order to become "doers".

There are many today who do not know, nor believe, the signs of the times in which we live. There were also those in the time of Christ (Mt. 16:1-4). For those of us who are aware of the lateness of the hour, and the signs of His coming, there is something expected of us. We are to redeem the time, we are to be the light of Christ in the darkness of surrounding evil. Our days, hours, and minutes are not our own, but are ordained, divided out, and appointed with this calling. Search the scriptures, find in them the testimony of Christ, and be that light.

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