LBC Sermons & Messages

Matthew 27:50-53

Surrounding the cross there was a chain of miraculous events that took place, giving testimony to the uniqueness of Jesus Christ, his claims as the Son of God and that redemption comes thru faith in him.

In the last twenty-four hours, Jesus has been illegally condemned and chosen over Barabbas to be crucified. He was put on the cross around 9am and for the next three hours the crowds, soldiers and religious leaders vented their anger and hatred towards him. Then around noon sudden unexplainable darkness descends on the scene for the next three hours, symbolizing the total separation from God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. Around 3pm, Christ commits his spirit to the Father and the effect of that produces four proofs as to who he is and the significance of the cross.

The veil in the temple is torn. Jesus is now the new temple and the way to the Father is thru him. Heb10:20 “by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain that is through his flesh”.

The earth shook and the rocks were split, manifesting the glory and power of God. At the giving of the law in Exodus the same event happened, but Paul writes of the law that it was not able to break the hold of death, but now it is.

The graves were opened; the ministration of death has been defeated. The power of death has held each one but no longer. Rom 5:18-19 “just as condemnation for all people came through one transgression, so too through the one righteous act came righteousness leading to life for all people”.

The graves of many saints were raised. This is a picture of the feast of the first fruits and a token of the coming harvest. Death could not hold Jesus nor will it hold us.

Redemption is only thru Jesus Christ, but must be personally applied by each one if us, by receiving him as our savior. Acts 16:31 “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved”.

John 8:1-11

Chapter 8 reveals a series of contrast between Christ and the world. While there is some controversy over who wrote this, but it is worthy of our study because it shows the character of Christ and the differences between law and grace.

The story revolves around the Pharisees, who are focused on their own self-righteousness and fail to view their true condition. The woman on the other hand recognizes the seriousness of her condition due to sin, and Christ by his response shows both parties the differences between law and grace.

The Pharisees thinking they have placed Jesus between a rock and a hard place are soon taken back when he replies to their enquiries by stating “let him who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her”. Jesus by his words is applying Deut 17:7 saying, “yes the woman is guilty and should be stoned, but whoever is sinless in this matter to be qualified to condemn her?” Upon hearing this all her accusers drift away. To the woman replies “neither do I condemn you go and sin no more”.

The woman is free, but she is not innocent. Why did not Jesus condemn her? Because he knew that when ea few months he would be hung on a cross paying by his shed blood the penalty for her sin. Grace is free to all, but it was not cheap (John 3:16-17; I Peter 3:18)
The law condemns us but the grace of God saves us (Rom 3:20; Rom 5:20).

Jesus does not diminish her sin but offers gracious forgiveness. The Pharisees bent on self-salvation refuse to see that the intent of the law was to drive them to grace, simply walked away.

The question for us is still the same. Are you going to trust in you works or the grace of God, offered only thru faith in Christ as our Savior (Eph 2:8-9).

Matthew 24:3 “tell us … what shall be the signs”

I Cor 10:32 states there are 3 classes of people in the church age, Jews, Gentiles and the church which are “called out ones” from among the Jews and Gentiles.

The Bible reveals what the state of these 3 classes of people will be just prior to the return of Christ.

The state of the church will be a great departure from the teaching of Christ. It will be a time of apostasy (I Tim 4:1-3), heresies (II Peter 2:1-3), false Christ (Matt 24:5, dead religion (II Tim 3:3-5) and scoffers and ridicule (II Peter 3:3-4).

The state of the Gentile or the world will be of great problems. A time of wars, famine, earthquakes (Matt 24:4-8), family betrayals (Mark 13:12, trouble among nations (Luke 21:9-12), perilous time (II Tim 3:1-4), increased knowledge (Dan 12:4).
The state of Israel will be that will be back in the land of Palestine in unbelief in Christ (Ezek 37).

Simply by hearing the daily news reports we observe all these things taking place, indicating that most likely the return of Christ is near at hand. There are many verses that show the certainty of his return (Matt 24:29-30 describes his return, the angel in Acts 1:10-11 promises that he would return and James 5:8 tells who we should live will waiting his coming).

The return of Christ, while no one knows when it will take place, is still a sure event that will happen.

Levitcus 23:4-8

This feast is set in the time of the Egyptian pyramids, Israel’s slavery, death sentences on Jewish babies, burning bush, divine plagues, parting of a sea and birth of a nation at a thundering mountain. A lamb was to be taken, observed, sacrificed publicly, each family was to take the blood of their lamb, apply it to the door post of their home and when the Lord saw that blood He would Passover that house. This event was so important that Israel was to forever commemorate their deliverance from slavery in a solemn service and it gives to us, in our day, an understanding of the Upper Room discourse just hours before the cross. The ceremony includes 4 cups of wine symbolizing joy, a lamb symbolizing innocence, matzah symbolizing purity and bitter herbs symbolizing suffering.

With the first cup, the Lord stood up and gave thanks (Lk22:17) after which was the symbolic act of purification. Here the Lord washed the disciple’s feet. With the dipping of the matzah Jesus stated “this is my body which is given for you” and also that one would betray him. With the third cup, Jesus stated that it represented his blood which would be poured out for them. The fourth cup, the cup of acceptance, Jesus said he would not drink it until that time we are all in the kingdom. This was then followed by singing Psalm 115 thru 118 and then they went out (Matt 26:30).

What does all this signify to us today? I Cor 5:7 “for Christ, our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed”. Just as that lamb had to be sacrificed, an innocent dying in their place, so the Lord Jesus went to the cross, the innocent one dying in our place. Just as the ancient Israelite had to personally apply the blood of that lamb, so it is with us. Each individual has to ask Jesus to save them, thus protecting them from the wrath to come.

As we observer communion this Sunday morning, the question is “Is Jesus your Passover Lamb”? If he is, then this is a time to remember the great cost of salvation and to deal with any sins in our life that would hinder our relationship with the Lord.

Matthew 24:3

This is a dialogue series on the “return of Christ”. We hold to the Biblical teaching of a pre-tribulation and pre-millennial rapture of the church.

Matthew 24:4-31. The Lord gives us a broad description of coming events in human history. Verses 4-8 describes the church age, verses 9-14 describes the first half of the tribulation, verses 15-20 describes the middle events of the tribulation, verses 21-28 describes the last half of the tribulation and verses 29-31 relates the actual visible return of the Lord.

A calendar of prophetic events will proceed in roughly this order: the church age (Acts 2), rapture of the church (I Thess 4; I Cor 15), time of tribulation on the earth (Dan 9:27, the 70th week), visible return of Christ (Rev 19), judgment of living Gentiles (Matt 25:31-46) and Jews (Ezk 20:34-38), the millennial reign of Christ (Rev 20), final judgment of all unsaved to the lake of fire (Rev 20) and followed by a new creation of the earth (Rev 21).

This first session will be looking at the times in which we live, the church age. I Cur 10:32 tell us there are just three classes of people, the Jews, the Gentiles and the Church. The Jews, during this time are in dispersion, blinded to the Gospel). The Gentiles are being blessed with political power over the world and is freely being offered the gospel of salvation. The church is the “called out ones” from among the Jews and Gentiles.

Next week we will look at scripture which shows the state of the Jews, Gentiles and the church at the end of the church age.