01/29/21 WHAT’S NEW? #15 — Romans 7:6 (HCSB) But now we have been released from the law, since we have died to what held us, so that we may SERVE IN THE NEW WAY OF THE SPIRIT and not in the old letter of the law.

“released from the Law”: Not freedom to do what God's law forbids (6:1, 15; 8:4; cf. 3:31), but freedom from the spiritual liabilities and penalties of God's law (see v. 4; cf. Gal 3:13). Because we died in Christ when He died (see 6:2), the law with its condemnation and penalties no longer has jurisdiction over us (vv. 1-3).

“SERVE”: This is the verb form of the word for "bond-servant" (see 1:1), but here it is parallel to being slaves of righteousness (cf. 6:18, 19, 22), emphasizing that THIS SERVICE IS NOT VOLUNTARY. NOT ONLY is the believer ABLE to do what is right, he WILL do what is right.

“IN THE NEW WAY OF THE SPIRIT”: A NEW state of mind which the Spirit produces, characterized by A NEW DESIRE AND ABILITY TO KEEP THE LAW OF GOD (see 8:4).

“The old letter of the law”: The external, written law code that produced only hostility and condemnation. (adapted from The MacArthur Study Bible)

01/25/21 WHAT’S NEW? #14 — Romans 6:4 (HCSB) Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in A NEW WAY OF LIFE.

“buried with Him”: Since we are united by faith with Him, as baptism symbolizes, His death and burial become ours.

“A NEW WAY OF LIFE”: This is true if, in Christ, we died and were buried with Him, we have also been united with Him in His resurrection. There is a new quality and character to our lives, a new principle of life. This speaks of the believer's regeneration (cf. Eze 36:26; 2Co 5:17; Gal 6:15; Eph 4:24). Whereas sin describes the old life, righteousness describes the new. (adapted from The MacArthur Study Bible)

01/22/21 WHAT’S NEW? #13 — Acts 2:13 (HCSB) But some sneered and said, “They’re full of NEW WINE!”

In verse 15, Peter begins his famous Pentecost sermon asserting, “For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it’s only nine in the morning.” I’ve often wondered if Peter really knew much about people with alcohol problems. Over my long life, I’ve seen and worked with several folks who WERE often drunk before 9am!

In Ephesians 5:18-20 Paul says, “And don’t get drunk with wine, which ⌊leads to⌋ reckless actions, but be filled by the Spirit:  19 speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music from your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…”

Apparently it was true back then—and still is today—that when believers raise their voices in heartfelt praise and worship to their Loving Heavenly Father, lost people frequently think we’ve lost our minds or we’re drunk. But, no,we’re NOT “under the influence,” as they say. But, to be sure, we ARE living under a very different kind of influence, DIVINE INFLUENCE!

01/18/21 WHAT’S NEW? #12 — John 13:34-35 (HCSB) “I give you a NEW COMMAND: LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Just AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, you must also love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”

The word “love” here is agape in Greek, the self-less, sacrificing kind of love God has for us.

The commandment to love was NOT EXACTLY NEW. Deuteronomy 6:5 commanded love for God, and Leviticus 19:18 commanded loving one's neighbor as oneself (cf. Mt 22:34-40; Ro 13:8-10; Gal 5:14; Jas 2:8). However, Jesus' command regarding love presented a distinctly new standard for two reasons: (1) it was sacrificial love MODELED AFTER HIS LOVE ("AS I HAVE LOVED YOU"; cf. 15:13), and (2) it is PRODUCED through the New Covenant BY THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (cf. Jer 31:29-34; Eze 36:24-26; Gal 5:22). [The MacArthur Study Bible]

Our culture seems hopeless divided on nearly every issue and at every turn. And, there seems to be almost no willingness to listen and understand both sides in order to come to some sort of compromise or consensus. Instead our politicians and citizens continually say and do hate-filled things to anyone and everyone who does not agree with them 100 percent!? What a perfect time for committed followers of Jesus Christ to SHINE their LIGHT into this DARKNESS! Let’s work hard to show the world REAL UNITY in DIVERSITY by LOVING EACH OTHER!

01/15/21 WHAT’S NEW? #11 — Luke 22:20 (HCSB) In the same way He also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the NEW COVENANT ⌊established by⌋ My blood; it is shed for you. (also Luke 22:20; 1Co.11:25)

“took the cup after supper”: This is the third (the cup of blessing) of the 4 cups in the Passover celebration.

And 2 Corinthians 3:6 says “He has made us competent to be ministers of a NEW COVENANT, NOT of the LETTER, but of the SPIRIT. For the LETTER KILLS, but THE SPIRIT PRODUCES LIFE.”

The letter kills in two ways: 1) it results in a living death. Before Paul was converted, he thought he was saved by keeping the law, but all it did was kill his peace, joy, and hope; and 2) it results in spiritual death. His inability to truly keep the law sentenced him to an eternal death (see Ro 5:12; 7:9-11; Gal 3:10). Only Jesus Christ through the agency of the Holy Spirit can produce eternal life in one who believes. [adapted from The MacArthur Study Bible]

01/11/20 WAFFLE HOUSE INTERRUPTION — This past Saturday on The Huckabee Show on TBN, host Mike Huckabee interviewed CEO Walt Ehmer. They joked that emergency officials judge the seriousness of any given emergency by the scheduled hours of the local Waffle Houses: Regular hours means no problem; reduced hours indicates a little more serious emergency; and if the local Waffle House is closed, call in the FEMA people! But I want to tell you a true story—there’s another way to tell how serious an emergency that has something to do with the local WH’s.

In 2005 I was the pastor of a small Southern Baptist Church in central Virginia. Several of our members had just completed our Disaster Relief training and certification. Then hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf. My excited people insisted that we get down there ASAP. In fact, we beat the Salvation Army to Gulfport, Mississippi and LaPlace, Louisiana.

As we drove through Georgia and Alabama and into Mississippi, we noticed more Waffle House restaurants than we had ever seen before. At some interstate exits there were literally four, one at each entrance or exit! But as we got closer to the disaster, we noticed a trend. At first one or two of the letters were missing, for example WAF-FLE HO-SE. A few miles further, more letter were gone, e.g. WA—L- H—S-. As we arrived in Gulfport, we saw one roofless establishment identifies as mere –A—L- ---E-! So, we concluded that the more letters missing on the Waffle House signs, the more serious the damage in that location! Maybe in the near future I’ll share more of our adventures on that trip…

01/08/21 WHAT’S NEW? #10 — Matthew 26:29 (HCSB) But I tell you, from this moment I will not drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I DRINK IT IN A NEW WAY in My Father’s kingdom with you.”

“My Father's kingdom” refers the earthly millennial kingdom (see Lk 22:18, 29, 30). [adapted from The MacArthur Study Bible]

The Passover celebrated God’s mightiest act in the OT. But Jesus added to it the celebration of God’s mightiest act of all time—making the forgiveness of sin AVAILABLE to each and every person through Jesus’ sacrificial death, burial and resurrection. So each and every time we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, we are celebrating God’s two mightiest acts in all history! AND Jesus is waiting to celebrate it once more in heaven with all of us who have taken advantage of God’s gracious offer and surrendered our lives to Jesus’ control! I can hardly wait! Hope to see you there, too!

01/04/21 WHAT’S NEW? #9 — Matthew 13:52 (HCSB) “Therefore,” He said to them, “every student of Scripture instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who brings out of his storeroom WHAT IS NEW AND WHAT IS OLD.” — The disciples were not to spurn the old for the sake of the new. Rather the NEW INSIGHTS they gleaned from Jesus' parables were to be understood in light of the old truths, and vice versa.

Mark 1:27 Then they were all amazed, so they began to argue with one another, saying, “What is this? A NEW TEACHING with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” — Jesus had absolute authority in His actions as well as His words (Mt 28:18).

Acts 17:19 They took him and brought him to the Areopagus, and said, “May we learn about this NEW TEACHING you’re speaking of? — The Areopagus was a court named for the hill on which it once met. Paul was not being formally tried; only being asked to defend his teaching. [adapted from The MacArthur Study Bible]

Some church members insist that everything must be left “the way it’s always been”; in their determination to preserve the OLD they never see the need for and the value in NEW things. Others insist that the OLD must always pass away in favor of the NEW; like the Greeks in Acts 17, they view OLD things as obsolete and archaic and NEW things as exciting and progressive. Both groups are wrong and dangerous.

As Jesus clearly taught in Matthew 13, authentic Christian living is a MIXTURE of the OLD and the NEW.  The ancient, absolute truths of Scripture are OLD and must be guarded, protected and proclaimed. But our methods and programs need to be flexible, easily and readily adapted and even abandoned in order that we respond to our ever-changing culture. The sooner our churches realize this, the sooner we have a real hope of powerfully influencing our neighborhoods, towns, states, nation and the world with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ!

01/01/21 WHAT’S NEW? #8 — Ezekiel 11:19 (HCSB) And I will give them ONE HEART and put a NEW SPIRIT within them; I will remove their heart of stone from their bodies and give them a heart of flesh… — God pledged not only to restore Ezekiel's people to their ancient land, but to bring the New Covenant with its blessings (see Jer 31:31-34)

Ezekiel 18:31 Throw off all the transgressions you have committed, and get yourselves a NEW HEART and a NEW SPIRIT. Why should you die, house of Israel? — The key to life eternal and triumph over death is conversion. This involves repentance from sin and receiving the new heart which God gives with a new spirit, wrought by the Holy Spirit (Jn 3:5-8).

Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a NEW HEART and put a NEW SPIRIT within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

36:25-31 This section is among the most glorious in all Scripture on the subject of Israel's restoration to the Lord and national salvation. This salvation is described in v. 25 as a cleansing that will wash away sin. Such washing was symbolized in the Mosaic rites of purification (cf. Nu 19:17-19; Ps 119:9; Isa 4:4; Zec 13:1). For the concept of sprinkling in cleansing, see Ps 51:7, 10; Heb 9:13; 10:22. This is the washing Paul wrote of in Eph 5:26 and Tit 3:5. Jesus had this very promise in mind in Jn 3:5.

What was figuratively described in v. 25 is explained as literal in vv. 26, 27. The gift of the "NEW HEART" signifies the NEW BIRTH, which is regeneration by the Holy Spirit (cf. 11:18-20). The "HEART" stands for the whole nature. The "SPIRIT" indicates the governing power of the mind which directs thought and conduct. A "heart of stone" is stubborn and self-willed. A "heart of flesh" is pliable and responsive. The evil inclination is removed and a new nature replaces it. This is New Covenant character as in Jer 31:31-34.

The Lord will also give His "SPIRIT" to the faithful Jews (cf. 39:29; Isa 44:3; 59:21; Joel 2:28, 29; Ac 2:16ff.). When Israel becomes the true people of God (v. 28), the judgment promise of Hosea 1:9 is nullified. All nature will experience the blessings of Israel's salvation (vv. 29, 30). When the Jews have experienced such grace, they will be even more repentant—a sign of true conversion (v. 31).

Ezekiel profoundly proclaims the doctrines of conversion and spiritual life. He includes forgiveness (v. 25), regeneration (v. 26), the indwelling Holy Spirit (v. 27), and responsive obedience to God's law (v. 27). These are all clearly presented as he prophesies Israel's conversion. As a nation, they will truly know their God (v. 38), hate their sin (vv. 31, 32), and glorify their Savior (v. 32). [adapted from The MacArthur Study Bible]          AND, OH… HAPPY NEW YEAR!!