Sovereign Grace Baptist Church

“The Parable of Lost things.”
Luke 15:1-7
Evangelist D.L Moody was once asked by a local pastor what he felt was the primary contribution that a gospel singer and song leader such as Ira Sankey brought to his meetings he replied, “If we can only get people to have the words of the Love of God coming from their mouths it’s well on its way to residing in their hearts.”
Inspiration: Sankey wrote The ninety and nine—In one meeting, Moody preached on “The Good Shepherd.” Horatius Bonar added a few thrilling words and then Moody asked Mr. Sankey if he had a final song. An inner voice prompted him to sing the a poem that he found on the train. With conflict of spirit, he thought, this is impossible! The inner voice continued to prod him, even though there was no music to the poem, but upon the urging of Moody, he acquiesced. As calmly as if he had sung it a thousand times, he placed the little piece of newspaper on the organ in front of him. Lifting up his heart in a brief prayer to Almighty God, he then laid his hands on the keyboard, striking a chord in A flat. Half speaking and half singing, he completed the first stanza, which was followed by four more. Moody walked over with tears in his eyes and said, “Where did you get that hymn?” ‘The Ninety and Nine’ became his most famous tune and his most famous sale from that time on. The words were written by Elizabeth Clephane in 1868. She died in 1869, little realizing her contribution to the Christian world.
Read the poem…THE NINETY AND NINE.
This chapter of Luke is as well known to Christians who love their Bible. one of the best demonstrations of the recovery and restoration of things formerly lost that you will find anywhere. The Parable of the lost sheep; The Parable of the lost coin; and the Parable of the Prodigal (wasteful) son appear similar but should not be considered repetitious. They all speak of lost things in a parabolic or metamorphic style and personify the subjects found in each parable.
The subjects within are different only in analogy, but all three carry the same basic message which is “mercy stretches forth her hand to misery, that grace receives people as sinners, and that they all deal with demerit, helplessness, unworthiness, and worthlessness; that those who think themselves righteous are not the objects of divine compassion, but the unrighteous, the guilty, and the undeserving, are the proper subjects of the infallible mercy of God of all mercy; in a word that salvation is not of merit but of grace.”
Luke’s presentation of these parables is one of the best descriptions of the Mercy, Sacrifice, Recovery and restoration that you will find anywhere in the word of God. This chapter contains one main idea presented in three ways like a figure with three exacts side as we would see in a triangle. It opens with a testimony from the lips of our Lord’s enemies who said, This man receiveth sinners…and eats with them.
The first parable is about a Shepherd and a Lost Sheep. Is not Jesus the Shepherd of Israel? Isn’t it his purpose to bring those to safety who have gone astray – Isn’t that what we are or were? Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. And has He not said that the reason for his incarnation was that he has come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:10. And did he not say of himself as being the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep [John 10:11]. We then see our Lord Jesus Christ in this parable as the Shepherd of the parable.
The Second part of this parable is one of a Lost coin. We will see in our next meeting that we will find in this parable the Holy Spirit working through the churches for lost precious souls.
The Third part of this parable represents the Father welcoming back a lost child and in Divine love, rather than scolding him, rather than asking for reasons, runs to him — think not of this as undignified, but think it overwhelming love and grace in receiving home one son who was lost but not found. Oh, there are some here today that are praying for a son or a daughter to come to themselves, seeing clearly their sin, enabled by the Holy Spirit to confess Christ and believe in Him for salvation.
The Context and Background – Exposit chapter 14
In chapter 14, Jesus spoke of the great supper while in the house of one of the chief Pharisees. He used illustrations of building and battle, showing the reason for the severity of the terms of discipleship; and at the end of the chapter he closed with, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
With these words the publicans [hated tax collectors] and sinners drew near to him. Seeing their interest the Pharisee remarked in a derogatory manner, This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them.
These words were spoken with surprise and scorn, and not with pleasure or admiration. The Pharisees could not understand any preacher of their religion having anything to do with such, in their minds, wicked people. Yet, they uttered truth! Truly, our Lord Jesus does receive sinners, and invites all to come to his supper. It was for this reason he came into the world and as stated last week He sits at His Father’s right hand subduing his enemies and interceding for we sinners of who he has already received. He is Friend to sinners!
I. THE PHARISEE– Obviously, they did not count themselves as sinners or compare themselves in a social context of undesirables. To them, the common people were seen by them as sinners who in contrast were people who “miss the mark” socially and in their view lawfully. To the Pharisee these people were moral pariahs, morally sub-standard people to be avoided unless they proved useful.
Their disgust with Jesus centered around his obvious preference to spend time with the very people they felt unworthy of his attention or concern. Jesus preferred to receive publicans and sinners; to welcome them to come near, and he enjoyed the opportunity to mingle with them. After all he came to heal the sick not to those who needed no physician. Jesus is the friend of the people. To the Pharisee this was unheard of, nothing short of blasphemy.
The degree of their self-righteousness is clearly apparent in their attitude. No self-respecting Jew, of this ruling class, would think of socializing with the unwashed multitudes living and working in dusty streets among the goats and sheep that were often herded though town. If a member of the elite class was seen socializing with the riffraff they would be ostracized and shunned. This was simply a case of class distinction. For Jesus to associate with these undesirable people was unthinkable to them. Thus they cried: This man receiveth sinners and eats with them, noting that no Pharisee would dare sit at a table with unwashed and consecrated hands. Jesus not only preferred to mingle with them but he in fact ate with them!
Application: Think of the joy of seeing rags turn to robes of righteousness; feet shod with broken sandal straps leave with feet shod with the glorious gospel. When we see one who is hungry, should we not feed them? Should we not kill a fatted calf, proclaim a celebration that this person was lost but now is found – Isn’t that Amazing Grace?
The self-righteous Jews would never invite fellowship with such folk. They would never invite one of them to their home. Are we like these Jews? I tell you that we must never allow ourselves to be such people!
II. THE SHEPHERD – READ 4-7
There were ninety and nine that safely lay
In the shelter of the fold.
But one was out on the hills away,
Far off from the gates of gold.
Away on the mountains wild and bare.
Away from the tendered Shepherd’s care.
Away from the tendered Shepherds care.

The first thing we notice about the Good Shepherd is his Compassion.
Matthew 9:36 when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Matthew 15:32 I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.
Matthew 20:32-34 What will ye that I shall do unto you? 33 They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.34 So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.
Luke 15:20-21 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion , and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
Jude 21-23 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22 And of some have compassion , making a difference: 23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
He asked the Pharisee, What man of you would not go after the one sheep, even into the wilderness, leaving the ninety and nine, and search for the one lost?
Meaning: If you would go to so much trouble for one lone sheep because he was of monetary value to you; if you would risk life and limb climbing over rocks and entering dark valleys where water runs fast and deep all alone in a foreboding wilderness all for a animal with no soul, why would you fault me for doing the same for a person, much more precious than any animal, especially a stupid sheep, another man’s soul! Which would you place the most value? On a sheep! Really!
Second, The Shepherds’ Joy… Verse 5-7 And with he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
And all through the mountains, thunder riven
And up from the rocky steep,
There arose a glad cry to the gate of heaven,
“Rejoice! I have found my sheep!”
And the angels echoed around the throne,
“Rejoice, for the Lord brings back his own!
“Rejoice, for the Lord brings back his own!”

II. The Lost, are seen here as sheep, metaphors for the unconverted souls who belonged to Him, given unto Him prior to the laying the foundations of this world. He knows who they are and by seeking it does not mean that he does not who and where they are, but is seeking to reacquire and rescue them.
Sheep as metaphors representing lost helplessness, hopelessness: sheep are ignorant, willfully sinful and non-self-reliant. Such as some of you were, such as I was.
Sheep are stupid! Meaning, they are slow of mind; given to making unintelligent decisions; careless in manner. When they wander from the flock, they prove themselves to be ignorant of the fact that there is safety in numbers.
They are interested only in what is in front of them that they may eat and they are gluttons! Therefore they rarely look up from the ground…until it is often too late. They are vulnerable creatures. They contribute nothing to other sheep. They are not necessarily a selfish animal, but they give but little thought regarding the hunger of the one to follow.
We all know people like this. They seem to get into trouble without even trying. One never thinks of a person in the real world who is “sheepish” as a person who is generally a success at anything. A sheepish person, though depicted as likeable little creatures in poems and books, rarely are successful in any endeavor of life. Of course there are exceptions to such a rule. They are always in some kind of trouble and in need of a rescue. Sheep are “innocent” as are all the lower animals, in that they do not sin, but like some people, they suffer from mental weakness. They are careless and lack durability.
Sheepish people are not by nature social animals. We think of them as members of a fold, or creatures of at home in a larger social context. However, the truth is that they would rather just wander off somewhere by themselves. Sheep tend to stray away from the crowd, preferring to forage at will. Sheep are voracious eaters and do not really “graze” as do cattle who chomp on a clump of grass leaving some of the blades of grass, I guess for the next of their kind, while they move on to another out-cropping. Sheep on the other hand tend to chew on the clump down to the very ground destroying it, leaving nothing for the next hungry one of their species.
In our parable the sheep are seen here as metaphors for some people who, like sheep are ignorant of the dangers that threaten them. Sheep are willful and non-self-reliant. They are slow of mind in a spiritual sense, they lack memory, they are often dull-minded toward spiritual things, dazed, and lulled into sleeplessness by the sedative of sin that dulls their mind. They are non-aggressive, slow of thinking, given to make unintelligent decisions and careless in manner. They have little ability to reason or to consider danger. Once lost, they cannot find their way back to the fold. Once out of the ear shot of the Shepherd’s voice that have no idea which direction to go. Some people, until given a renewed mind are like the sheep in this parable and basically spiritually stupid.
“Dr. Andrew Bonar, former and late pastor of the Free Church of Scotland tells the story of how, in the Highlands of Scotland, a sheep would often wander off into the rocks and get into places that they couldn’t get out of. The grass on these mountains is very sweet and the sheep like it, and they will jump down ten or twelve feet, and then they can’t jump back again, and the shepherd hears them bleating in distress. They may be there for days, until they have eaten all the grass. The shepherd will wait until they are so faint they cannot stand, and then they will put a rope around him, and he will go over and pull that sheep up out of the jaws of death. “Why don’t they go down there when the sheep first gets there?” I asked. “Ah!” He said, “they are so very foolish they would dash right over the precipice and be killed if they did!” And that is the way with men; they won’t go back to God till they have no friends and have lost everything. If you are a wanderer I tell you that the Good Shepherd will bring you back the moment you have given up trying to save yourself and are willing to let Him save you His own way.”
III. THE NINETY AND NINE – who are they? Where are they?
They need no repentance! Taking Scripture at face value, these people are left in the wilderness where we all live today but find joy, security, peace, love, in our churches in the assembly of God’s protective witness, safe in our numbers, safe in our learning, safe in worship and finding comfort in our numbers. Or, they may represent the self-righteous Jews who think of themselves as needing no repentance. They could be converted people who were themselves once lost as were we, and needed to repent of their sin and through regeneration need not to repent in that sense. Otherwise, all people on earth especially Christian people must be continually repenting to remain in fellowship with God. Christians do not repent to be saved, they already are, but still need a good foot washing from time to time — John 13:10 He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet , but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
Application: Do we want only those who “benefit” Sovereign Grace Baptist Church? Should we look for people who can help finance our work here and give them the best seat? The most attention? Or do we want to experience the joy of seeing someone here to hear the gospel? Or, having been saved by our preaching and teaching and visiting (I am today asking our Bible study teachers to always give in prayer, a gospel invitation before closing the class).
In our parable this morning we read why Jesus was hated by the Scribes and Pharisees, and the elitists, the separatists, the exclusivists, was because he received sinners, who the self-righteous would remove from their society. Were we not, each one, part of the company of poor, despised outcasts of the society of earth and of heaven? Was there mercy for us, the lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost son?
Hawker writes: The grace of heaven, in the reception of sinners, is proclaimed in every part of the Bible…I cannot help observing that the Lord intended in this parable, immediately set forth and represent the office work and character of each glorious person in the Godhead, as they manifested their love, and grace, and mercy, to our fallen nature.
God forbid that we never become like the self-righteous man who beat upon beat upon his breast and boasted of himself in Luke 18:10-14 -Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee (a separates, a exclusivist, a man of the Law) stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners (reference the tax man), unjust (heathen, un-righteous), adulterer (speaks for itself), or even as this publican (a hated tax collector) . 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner (repentful, humble) 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Folks, any interpretation of religion which holds “derelict” humanity in contempt and as people that should be abandoned to their own misery is the worst form of irreligion. To hold in contempt the unwashed multitudes outside is the most irreligious thing of which a church can be guilty. Such an attitude demonstrates ignorance of God, and consequently failure to appreciate the true value (to our Lord) of chosen humanity.
“Do you want arguments for welcoming sinners to our church? Look up to heaven, and ask yourself how sinners can ever reach those harps of gold and learn that everlasting song, unless they have someone to tell them of Jesus, who is ‘mighty to save.’ But the best argument of all is to be found in the wounds of Jesus.
Are we not, one and all, of the same sin nature as anyone, with the difference being now that we have been saved and given a new nature? While still retaining the old nature that in this life, evermore wars with the Holy Spirit of God? Which commandment have we all broken? Why every one of them! James writes that if we offend in one, that is, if we have broken just one law we have broken them all (James 2:10 for whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all).
STOP TO THINK… Have you ever given any thought why self-righteous thinking will never get you saved? It is because a self-righteous person must feel something. They believe that in a feeling, God will save them. Even though the Bible never says to be saved you must feel something. It says, you must believe and repent, but nothing of feeling. A self-righteous spirit must feel something to commend that spirit, or to make that spirit feel fit to come, or to enable that spirit to come. That is legalism! It is the principle of self-justification that because you feel something you feel justified. One cannot be saved by the Law! That is self-justification if you think that you can. Grace, Grace, wonderful Grace, come down from heaven above!
Do you know the Shepherd’s voice? Listen, for he may be calling for you right now! Amen.

I have worked through 23 chapters of Jeremiah’s prophecy – there are 29 more to go. What I have read so far is a compendium of a longer complaint from God concerning the bad behavior of His people, beginning with the priests who had no concern for the spiritual need of the people, and the prophets who, though God had not spoken to them, were running here and there prophesying anyway.
Things are no different today. Our nation is not a Christian nation in the true sense of the word Christian, yet “Christian” churches are numerous. Bible believing assemblies are few and not well attended. Society in general is, lustful, idolatrous, secular, profane, and rebellious. Few modern day Priests and Pastors have a genuine concern for the people of their parish, and the Prophets are running hear and their busy prophesying what God has not told them to prophesy and getting rich at it.
The complaint in Jeremiah is one long and angry conflict between God’s way and man’s. No attention was being paid to God’s warnings, threats of destruction and captivity, O’ how gracious and patient is our God. But, there is a limit! And, true to His word, God sent the nations against Jerusalem and the people were carried away by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. God will indeed judge this sinful world!
Make note of this Scripture- Jeremiah 23:23-24, God poses three rhetorical questions for our consideration this morning.
First Question: Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?
Underline it in your Bible, mark in down in your notes: Write in on a card and stick it to your refrigerator. Repeat it over and over until you have it memorized. God is ever present! In a word, there is no point of space, whether within or without the bounds of creation, where God is no. He is near at hand and not afar off. He is as near to you as the one next to you. He is a God at hand, and not afar off. If you leave here this morning convinced of this, your life will change. You will no longer wonder whether God is near or far, for He is never far, He is always near.

Hail, Father! Whose creating call
Unnumbered worlds attend
Jehovah, comprehending all,
Whom none can comprehend!

Second Question: Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD.
This is what I hope you will learn this morning, God is everywhere, in every place, at all times, and that there is never a place or a time, where or when, God is not or was not present. Even before Creation, God was! In the beginning, God!
Wicked and foolish men think that God’s eyes are blinded by thick darkness (1 Kings 8:12) so that He cannot see their wickedness. Truth is, They were able to “hide God from themselves,” but they could not “hide themselves from God.”
Third Question: Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
God’s claim of “filling the heaven and the earth” has been from old, a subject of study and deep meditation. Today is no different. People everywhere from philosophers who by logic try, but fail to prove or disprove Omnipresence; Mathematicians, by calculus and quantum theory in search of the “God Particle” fail. Astronomers build bigger and more powerful telescopes peering farther and farther into the heavens for some evidence of God, they fail; the plough man in the fields stopping to gaze into the heavens asking, “where is God?” cannot “see” Him; The housewife in the kitchen pausing to peek out of her window straining to “see” God in the formation of clouds and trying to visualize the “shape” of God see little resemblance; The student in school day-dreaming and wondering in his young brain, “Is there a God, if so, where is He?” and getting no answer from their instructors. All are asking the same question, “If the Universe is the answer, what is the question?” Or, where did the Universe come from? Or, Is God the Universe?
Wicked men who can’t “see” God believe their evil deeds are hidden from Him, and that if they go to some wicked place that they shouldn’t, then they are some place where God isn’t, and if God isn’t, then they are for a time out of sight, thus out of mind. Not so, God is everywhere, in every place, at all times, and there is no place and no time where God is not.
Most believe there is a God, somewhere, but where? And, what kind of God is He? Up there perhaps, but not here, and quite content not to be here, preferring to stand afar off, aloof from worms such as we, and having little concern about what goes on down here. Though it may appear that way at times, God not only cares, He demands!
Think of it. If He doesn’t care, and is content with letting us deal with His wondrous creation and finish off His magnificent work then, That would be like the great artist, Michelangelo, handing his brush and pallet over to a five year old to finish his work on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome.
There are three things about God that I want us to see this morning:
1. His Omnipotence–power. God is Omnipotent: All mighty! We can somewhat relate to and have some concept of the meaning of Omnipotence because while no man can claim to be almighty, he can claim to some degree of mightiness. Some men are more powerful than others, and all men lose their strength sooner or later, but no man is more powerful that God and God will never lose one bit of His Strength. Only God is All mighty!
2. His Omniscience All knowledge! We can relate to, and have some concept of the meaning of Omniscience because while no man can have all knowledge, man can have some knowledge to some degree, some to a higher degree than others, but of no man can it be said that he has all knowledge. Only God has All Knowledge.
3. His Omnipresence, that is, He is UNIVERSALLY present in ALL places at ALL times. God is here but we cannot see Him. We can see come of His work. We can hear some of His Words. But we cannot see Him with the natural eye so, We cannot relate to Omnipresence – Him being everywhere at once. Herein is why some people have so much trouble believing that God IS–they cannot see Him! Seeing, they say, is believing. However, neither can they see oxygen or breathable air, but they believe it is everywhere because everywhere they go they need to breath.
They cannot naturally “see” gravity, but they believe it IS because “what goes up must come down.” Isaac Newton “discovered” gravity just three short centuries ago while observing an apple fall from a tree, or so the story goes. So, seeing is not always necessary to believing! Remember, our God is one Whom the world cannot receive, because they see Him not (John 14:17). And, seen or unseen, God is God ,but God cannot be God unless He is Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent. :
First: He cannot be Omnipotent if He is not first, Omnipresent!
Second: He cannot be Omniscient if He is not Omnipresent! He must be present, or His Omnipotence and Omniscience would be limited universally or if not present then Omnipotence and Omniscience would not exist, thus, no God! If our God is not all powerful, all knowing, and Present, then there must be something, somewhere, more powerful, more intelligent, and always present. Or, all that we call Creation is simply an accident caused by some rogue energy that happened to collide with another type of energy causing a sort of Nova from which sprang all things, including all life forms.
God cannot be contained! to one place, no matter how vast that place may be. Greek philosophers, in trying to define Omnipresence came up with a word found only in the most detailed and older dictionaries. Repletive! It means “fill.”
The philosopher Emped/ocles, was determined to find some explanation regarding the Omnipresence of God. He found that the best He could come up with is to describe God as a circle, whose center is everywhere, whose radius is limitless, and whose circumference is nowhere – Thus, Omniscience!
He fills heaven and in earth with Himself. Solomon, preparing to build God’s Temple, saw the absurdity of presuming that God could be isolated to any one place, asked: (1 Kings 8:27) But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?). Why not? Because God is bigger than His Creation, larger than the Universe, larger than life! To say that God can be contained in a building or in the Universe is like the space taken by the numberless stars in the heavens and trying to fit them all in the space required for a grain of sand lying on a beach.
Some contend that God is simply some form of “matter”, but that cannot be for it would mean that God is Himself, created. Matter is not God. God created matter.
If God can be separated from His power and knowledge and not be always present, then there would have to be a time when God is not present. If so, He would have no knowledge of what is going on, nor any power to control what is going on, in the place where He is not.
It cannot be that God is in one place for only a duration, with duration meaning the parenthesis encompassing a space of time when something exists– For example, we are meeting here from 10:00 a.m. to about 1:00 p.m., which represents a duration. Then, we will leave this place and go to another place where we will remain for another duration, and so on Ad Infinite item—that is until WE run out of time!
If God could be at one place only for a duration and then leave to go to another place for a duration, he and all that He is would also have moved on and neither He nor anything of Him would be in the place He vacated. If this were possible, then God would be limited to only a particular place where He is at the time. Therefore, there would be a time when God wasn’t somewhere, and thus, nothing of God would be where He was, for He took all that He is when He left that duration for another therefore it is true “nothing can be where it is not.”
If it were possible for God to leave His power and authority behind while He went to another place, who could be trusted to superintend such power and authority????
People who behave as if there are times when God does not see them, it might be fair to ask them: “Isn’t that kind of like a fish that tho’ he has a hook in his mouth and feels no restraints until he reaches the end of the line and suddenly realizes (if a fish can realize) that there was never a time when he wasn’t hooked?”
Does not God notice when the ubiquitous sparrow falls to the ground? No matter where the bird may fall? Yes. (Matthew 10:29) Are not the very hairs of your head numbered, that is, are they not every one, known by God? (Vs. 30) Yes.
Listen again to David in Psalm 139: 1-12 READ!
My question is that, “if we are aware that God is everywhere, in every place and any time, may we not also be aware of his presence now? And if aware of His presence now, would we not surely live holier lives?”
If we believed in the Omnipresence of God would we not be more careful of our behavior? Our thoughts? Would we put anything before our eyes that we would not want God to see? Would we say things that are hurtful to others that we would not want God to hear what we are saying? I believe if we could grasp the idea that wherever we are, God is, our lives would be so influenced to live in a more exemplarily manner than we would otherwise.
More importantly, wouldn’t knowing His presence is with us wouldn’t it fill us with new assurance? Would it not remind us to walk worthy of our calling, more circumspectly before others, and would we not be always growing in the grace and the knowledge of God? Would we not be happier? More productive for the Lord? And, Less inclined to feelings of discouragement and defeat?
Now, do not think the knowledge of the Omnipresence of God is only to corral our behavior only, a so-called, “double check” of living right or else. There is much more to knowing the presence of God than to make us behave.
If we really believed God was with us at all times in all places think of the contentment and peace we would enjoy. Wouldn’t we rejoice knowing God is truly with us? Wouldn’t we be more aware of His love? His power? Would we not enjoy the idea of being immersed in God; in His light; His very being? John writes: 1 John 1:3-4 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. How can you fellowship with someone who is not there?
If you endeavor, as I have, to believe the words from God’s own mouth (2 Tim. 3:16) and that God cannot lie (Titus 1:2) when Scripture affirms that there is no place in heaven or in earth where God is not, and should it not make a difference in our lives?
You may stumble, speak words of profanity; do the works of the flesh; feel discouragement and failure, but when you remember God is always present you will acknowledge your back sliding, seek his cleansing, and He will take you in His strong arms, bring you to His bosom, and comfort and cleanse you from all sin! O’ what joy you will experience! O’ what praise will come forth from your mouth!
And, that is the beauty of this endeavor, that is, in retaining the knowledge that He is with you always (Matthew 28:20), that He will never renounce you, nor turn away from you (Hebrews 13:5). You already know that “without Him you can do nothing,” but surely you believe that “with Him,” you can DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST…WHICH STRENGTHENS YOU (John 15:5 & Philippians 4:13)! Can you actually live a holier life? ABSOLUTELY!
Do I have a formula that if followed will guarantee that you will succeed? I do not, because if all I have to offer you is a formula your efforts will produce little more than a short period of time when you only “feel” you are in the presence of God. Formula’s will not replace faith. You must trust in Him, in His claim to be Omnipresent. Believe this and you will also then be benefited by His Omnipotence and Omniscience.
I can suggest four things I have adopted to feel and to know of His presence. And if these four things helps you, great!
First, pay attention, be aware that God is where you are. The more aware you are that God is near the more aware you will become of your sinfulness. The more aware you become the quicker fellowship will be restored with the ever-present God.
James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Second, pray! How? Without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17) Setting certain hours of prayer is fine, but for busy people, schedules are hard to keep. Awareness that God is always with you may talk to Him at any hour of the day or night and He will hear you because He is near you, Romans 10:8 The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth , and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Better, to know that you have the freedom to enter into His presence anytime, anywhere, than to set fixed time. He is always near and asks, Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off ?
After a time, you will not have to wonder if God is near, you will, if you mean business with God, come to know that He is always near! Never far off! He fills heaven and earth with Himself. He is Omnipresent. Remember?
Third, praise Him for who He is and what He is and where He is! O’ how he loves your prayer, but also your praise! You know, if you are like me, you pray more than you praise. Someone has said that “Prayer is for now; Praise is for eternity.”
(Psalm 135:1-3 READ). O’ praise Him, praise Him, Jesus our blessed redeemer. Praise Him, Praise Him, Prophet and Priest and King. Praise Him as a gentle and loving, benevolent, gracious, King, for that He is, and more.
Fourth, Worship. Be careful not to be too casual with God. There are times when to show true worship we must bow the knee as some do before kings. Lift up your heart the moment you remember He is near. Worship Him! The true idea of worship has become almost obsolete. True worship to God, only Him are we to worship, is to show respect and give honor to Him. Respect and honor we show to God implies that we know that He possesses Divine attributes. We are saying that we know that He is God and there is none other. To give worship to idols is strictly forbidden.
What may you expect when believing that God is with you, everywhere, anytime, anyplace? 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 Expect your faith in His actual presence to tear down sinful human logic and reasoning, and destroy every false god, every satanic accusation, every idol that exalts itself over God. In this endeavor God will help to bring your every thought to the obedience of Christ; And give you an alertness of mind and a strong resistance to defeat, discouragement , and sinful distraction. Proverbs 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
To the self-proclaimed atheist who may not be as sure of himself as he claims, and what you the agnostic who does not know whether God exists or not, and what of the Deist who says that God is not only not ever-present, but cares little about the affairs of man?
My UNSAVED friend, know that your sin and rebellion has distracted you from the knowledge of the ever-present God and distanced you from the awareness of His Divine presence. You may believe that you have hidden God from yourself, but be it known you have not hidden yourself from God. Mark 4:22-23 For there is nothing hid , which shall not be manifested; neither was anything kept secret, but that it should come abroad. 23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
Romans 10:8-10 The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth , and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
I COMMEND YOU ALL TO BE EVER-CONSCIOUS OF THE EVER-PRESENT GOD!

JESUS CHRIST IS ALTOGETHER LOVELY
SONG OF SONGS – Vss. 10-16
In my view, with the advantage of over 7 thousand years of inspired and completed canon of Scripture, our Holy Bible, the Song of Songs which is Solomon’s, is a messianic excursus that reveals a deeper exposition of prophetic truth written in allegorical language. It express, in a figurative way, the great love that the Lord Jesus Christ has for His espoused Bride, the church. The author, however, could not have had this in mind, in the time that it was written, in that it was composed some 900 years before the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the head of the New Testament church, which is His body. But God did!
I. HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY CANONICITY
Was the book truly a work of King Solomon’s thoughts toward the love of his life? Was it even written by him? The title, Song of Songs is like saying Lord of Lords, King of Kings, Day of days, Night of Nights, and so on. I imagine that the title was to magnify its importance in the minds of the purchaser, as to say: “the most beautiful of songs, by Solomon.” Or, “This is Solomon’s greatest song, greater than any others.”
It was common practice, in the age in which Song of Songs was written for unknown writers to put the name of a more famous person as the author, who sought to gain a larger audience.
Is this book a series of poems or just one? If it is one long Psalm, a Poem, or some other kind of literary form. Solomon, you will remember, also wrote the Proverbs. But nowhere is the book called, the “Proverbs of Proverbs.”
We do know that many psalms of the Bible have been taken by contemporary hymn writers put to music. For example, the hymn, we just sang: The “Lily of the Valley” was no doubt inspired by the Song of Solomon (2:1). We sing about the “Lily of the Valley,” as the “fairest of ten thousand to my soul,” it is easy to see how the hymn writer must have been greatly influenced by the description of the One “altogether lovely” while reading this precious book. (I believe the Lord loves this Song of Songs).
I have found a friend in Jesus, He’s everything to me, He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul; The Lily of the Valley, in Him alone I see All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole. In sorrow He’s my comfort, in trouble He’s my stay; He tells me every care on Him to roll. He’s the Lily of the valley, the bright and morning star, the fairest of ten-thousand to my soul. (2:1) (5:10).

“The Rose of Sharon (2:1) is depicted in the 1911 Hymn of the same name gives us another example of the power of this Song of Songs to inspire contemporary composers sensitive to its imagery.
It has been debated that the Song of Solomon should not have been placed alongside other Books of Holy Scripture. “Determining the canon was a process conducted first by Jewish rabbis and scholars and later by early Christians.
Ultimately, it was God who decided what books belonged in the biblical canon. A book of Scripture belonged in the canon from the moment God inspired its writing. It was simply a matter of God’s convincing His human followers which books should be included in the Bible.”
1. The Jews regarded the allegorical treatment as about God and His People, Israel.
2. Origen, in the 3rd Century regarded this as a Psalm, or poem concerning Solomon and a Shulamite woman, probably, Pharaoh’s (1:9) daughter, but later he expanded his interpretation to include Christ and His Church.
3. During the Middle Ages, when Roman Catholicism was at its height, Mary was considered by Rome as the “Bride” of Christ.
4. During the Reformation Jean Calvin viewed the Song as lascivious and overly sensual in nature, unworthy of canonicity, yet he still saw it as inspired.
5. Martin Luther who rarely agreed with Calvin saw the Song in the same light, and though it not worthy to be in the Canon, but also agreed as to its inspiration.
6. Modern non-Catholics, Protestants, and Baptists, view the Song as being an allegory regarding Christ as the Bridegroom and His Church (Catholics) others as the Bride meeting their criteria.
II. WHAT IS MEANT BY “ALTOGETHER LOVELY”
1) To be altogether lovely excludes all un-loveliness. An ancient theologian, whose name I do not remember, wrote concerning the One Altogether Lovely, Jesus Christ, “there is nothing in him which is not lovable.”
Christ, Altogether Lovely, is unlike others whom we admire as having characteristics of loveliness, because whatever loveliness we may see in a person, there will exist something not lovely. Gold is lovely, but encompassed by dross until removed by great heat. Our church, I see as gold, yet encompassed with dross, needing great heat (fervent love for her), She will, one day, be with all dross purged, pure. Jesus Christ, will present her to His Father. She will be clothed with a clean white wedding gown, without wrinkle, spot, or blemish.
All great works of art have some flaw that only an expert might spot. The earth with its vast and colorful Grand Canyons and rolling and deep seas and towering snow-capped mountains, we must remember that are the result of a terrible curse.
The heavens (Universe) are vast and what we can see, beautiful in every respect, though full of wonder and mystery were corrupted and cursed.
But fast approaching is the day when time no longer shall be. Revelation 6:14-17 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
2) There is not one spot or blemish in the HUMANITY of the Altogether Lovely One.
The Proverbs records: Proverbs 8:11 Christ is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it (Him). In Him “all fullness dwells.” When comparing Christ to anyone or to all things, “he is before all things,” Col. 1:17. Christ Jesus is “Altogether Lovely” and need not to draw from any other thing for loveliness.
AS TO HIS DIVINITY, John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
There is not one shadow of a doubt as to the ETERNAL SONSHIP of the Altogether Lovely One. 1 John 1:1-3 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. Luke 22:70 Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God ? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am. John 1:34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
Matthew 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son , in whom I am well pleased. 2 Peter 1:17-18 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son , in whom I am well pleased.18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
3) Christ is Altogether Lovely in His Office as Lord. .
A) He is Altogether Lovely as our ADVOCATE in Heaven pleading our cause – He is the only One able to plead for us before His Father, for He is…
B) Altogether Lovely as THE FATHER’S LAMB OF GOD, who gave Himself for as a sacrifice of Himself in our behalf, and…
C) In putting Himself in our place he became OUR SUBSTITUTE who stood in our place and suffered for us by bearing our sins in His own body on the cross. He was made sin yet knew no sin. John 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? D) No sin was ever charged to him, yet, all of our sin was laid on him. He is Altogether Lovely, the personification of the OT Mercy Seat, the PROPITIATOR upon which His own precious and pure blood was sprinkled, covering our sins.
E) Therefore, He is Altogether Lovely in his office as SAVIOR. He is as in Hebrews 7:25– able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Five: He is Altogether Lovely in his office as our GREAT HIGH PRIEST: Hebrews 7:26-28 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
III. INTERPRETATION AND EXPOSITION OF CHAPTER 5:10-16—Read!
The main difficulty in interpreting these verse is that we want to see the Altogether loveliness of Christ as pertains to the church.
I will allow myself this only and and say that, in preaching from the Song, every man is entitled to his own interpretation. Throughout the book, the inspired author wrote with very suggestive language. We should see nothing filthy in his use of language (which is much less descriptive than you will find in the Hebrew). Try to see the spiritual and holy passion in the inspired words expressing the essence of the One, Altogether Lovely.
See how the author, “labors to express the inexpressible; it pants to the unutterable.”
Exposition of chapter five, verses 10 through 16,
Note that the description of this “Altogether Lovely” One was written hundreds of years before the incarnation of Jesus and cannot be properly taken as literal, but certainly we can see the same loveliness in a figurative sense. For example:
Verse 10 – My beloved is white (more as dazzling) and ruddy (red).
First Samuel 16:12 speaks of Saul as being ruddy of complexion, ruddy meaning red or darkened by the Sun, and of being “beautiful in countenance and goodly to look at.” The giant Philistine looked upon his challenger, the youthful David, and saw him as “ruddy, and of fair countenance. The same description is said of Joseph and Daniel.
We see Christ in the NT, transfigured in Matthew 17:2 He, was transfigured before them (Peter, James, John): and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. He is the fairest, the chiefest, of ten thousand. One day we shall see Him in all His beauty.
• To the church He is indeed dazzling (changed) and ruddy, as was the color of His blood by which He purchased her.
Verse 11 –the beloved’s head is as the most fine gold (probably from the sun), his locks (the way cut) are bushy (thick and full) , and black as a raven. Josephus, the Jewish historian, writes that his hair was short cut and curly; his countenance fair, his coloring ruddy or olive skinned.
Pilate himself wrote to his Caesar, His golden colored hair and beard gave to his appearance a celestial aspect. He appeared to be about 30 years of age. Never have I seen a sweeter or more serene countenance. What a contrast between Him and His bearers with their black beards and tawny complexions!
See His countenance as bright as the sun, and meditate on the words of the Beloved Disciple in the Revelation where John adds: His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire (Revelation 1:14).
Verse 12 His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly (large) set. Ancient historians describe him as resembling his mother’s features, but with a longer and stronger face, high cheek bones, large eyes and a square jaw, a head covered with bushy but cropped hair.
The eyes of our Lord go to and fro about the earth searching for His peculiar people.
2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. 1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
Verse 13—His cheeks, a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.
In Christ we see His goodly and comely appearance as being Royal, in nature, honorable, in character, excellent in all ways.
In the Revelation John saw the Alpha and Omega man in similar light. He wrote of this singularly beautiful vision: And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
As to His lips being like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh, No more beautiful words have been spoken than those spoken by our Lord. His were the words of eternal life (John 6:64-68).. Remember the beatitudes of Matthew 5:3-12 when he saw the multitudes and called his disciples to draw near he spoke some pretty wonderful words:
Verse 14—His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. Let us consider the works of our Lord’s hands. They were strong and no doubt calloused, him being a carpenter and all. One day in the midst of a mob wanting to stone a young woman caught in the act of adultery, all crying for her blood, he stooped down to the ground and writing with His finger in the sand He said to the mob, John 8:7 He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. See as he rises from slumber in the small fishing boat with his disciples frightened out of their wits, his hands raised in the air and with a word, calmed the raging sea. “What manner of man is this they cried out in fear, that the wind and sea obey him?” Witness Him tenderly grasping the hand of Jairius’ daughter , and saying unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise ( Mark 5:41).
Remember how He made the blind man to see. He spat upon the ground, making mud, and rubbed it on the eyelids of the man blind since birth and saying in John 9:6-7, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
The Lord, while standing at the grave of his friend Lazarus, peering into the darkness of the tomb, his own tears streaming, and cried out with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth . And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go ( John 11:43-44).
Soon, our 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: 17 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thess. 4:16-18).
Verse 15—His legs are as pillar of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent and straight as the cedars –All speak of His stature, His integrity, strength, and beauty as the great cedars of Lebanon.
Verse 16—His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. I have given you but a poor rendering of the portrait of the God-man, the Divine and human person of Jesus the Christ. In the beauty of the physical there is also equal beauty of the inner man—his personality, strength of character, integrity , moral and artistic Divine with yet human values, His incorruptibility, unimpaired thinking and purpose, soundness i.e. freedom from fault, fallacy, or misapprehension, complete, and undivided in his work, walk, and way of life! History knows of no other man that would anyone describe as, “Altogether Lovely.”
IV. THE APPLICATION
The urgent necessity of our church to linger at each expression and think of Christ and see Him as:
The Christ, the chiefest of Ten Thousand, The Desire of all nations, The Glory of the whole earth, the Delight of all the saints of God, the Light of the world, the light of men, the manna from heaven, the satisfier of our thirst, the Hope of the whole world, the Way of Salvation, The truth and the life, our Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption. The First Fruits of them that sleep, and Should we not be expecting His return? Are we not told that our Redemption draweth nigh? Is He not the One Altogether Lovely?
Spurgeon comments on the One who is Altogether Lovely and says, “Not only is His teaching attractive, his doctrine persuasive, his life irreproachable, his character enchanting, and his work a self-denying labor for the common good of all his people, but he himself is altogether lovely.
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.(1 John 3:2-3).
“Lord Jesus, my sweet Rose of Sharon/my Prophet, my Priest and my King/To thee I will sing all my praises/ For blessings Thy mercy doth bring.” And, the Church is as a “Lily among the thorns,” (2:2). Amen

Appearances do not always reveal hidden error especially when error infiltrates with truth. Whatever is not a pure truth is impure, and not truth at all. The Holy Spirit sets before us the gospel, not to be trifled with, not something resembling truth to suit our fancy or to please our carnal minds.
So, a brief word is in order here. A mistranslation is found in the King James Version of the Bible. The KJV of the Bible is the “best” translation of the original languages, it is not a perfect translation.
Today, I want to bring to your attention this morning a word that should be removed from your Bible. It is the word, Easter. Easter, is mentioned only once in Scripture, and is an unfortunate mistranslation of the word Pascha which means Passover. Unfortunately, for over 400 years, my beloved King James version of the Bible has wrongly translated Pascha as “Easter.” I have checked the many other versions of the Bible and all have correctly removed the word Easter, and inserted, Passover or “after the festival was over.”
“Easter” is not in the original language or in any existent manuscripts. It is a translator error and derived from a Pagan festival named for a false goddess called “Estarte”, “Astarte”. Ostara, Ostern, Eostra, Eostre, Eostur, Eastra, Eastur, Austron and Ausos. All refer to this so called “goddess” of Spring. “Easter” was a day that commemorated the resurrection of one of their gods that they called “Tammuz”, who was believed to be the only begotten son of the moon-goddess and the sun-god. from whom was born Tammuz, who died, being eaten by a pig, returned to life (as a symbol of Spring), thus the idea of the Easter egg from which he comes forth having risen from the dead, therefore, a resurrection. This Easter is what people are celebrating later this month. Easter bunnies and Easter eggs!
Ezekiel refers to Tammuz in Ezk. 8:14-15″Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord’s house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. Then said he unto to me, “Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.”
[Open to Acts 12:1-4 King Herod, “stretched forth his hands” to “vex”(afflict) certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews he proceeded further to take Peter also, (Then were the days of unleavened bread...] And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him (a quaternion is a squad of 4 Roman Soldiers so here 16 men); intending after [here Easter, but correctly, Passover] to bring him forth to the people. Why wait until after Passover? Herod did not want to incite the Jews, especially the priests and rulers of the Jews because they held a tradition that no one would be put to death during the Passover.
Having said that, I want to move on to the main forcus of my sermon this morning which has to do with the Resurrection of Jesus and the evidences proving its authenticity.
Why is it important to do so? Our church, yes even Christianity itself, stands or falls on the fact of the resurrection.
The first promise of Christ’s resurrection comes from the mouth of the One who is Altogether Lovely, our Lord Jesus Christ. Not once but many times He said that He would die and rise again, even giving the time line for His resurrection from which He would arise from the dead and become the “first-fruits of them that slept.”
To his detractors he said, in John 2:19 Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Here, speaking not of the Jewish temple, made with hands, but to his body.
Jesus said these things to his disciples just hours before His crucifixion, “Let not your hearts be troubled.” “In a little while you will not see me, but in a little while you will see me again.” Where I’m going you cannot come.” And that he “must go away.” And, “I go to my Father.” “I go to prepare a place for you.” And, “I will come again.”
The Apostle Paul knew the importance of the resurrection. He not only believed it, he preached it, and not only did he believe and preach the resurrection, but died daily for the preaching of it. [1 Corinthians 15:11-30]
INFALLIBLE PROOFS, OR ABSURD POSSIBILITIES OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST?
The first absurd possibility is that He was humiliated, scourged with leather whips tipped with nails and shards of steel, hung on the cross for six hours and that he only appeared to be dead, having just fainted from the agony of the cross and then later, revived. And, Jesus when recuperated, ran off with Mary Magdalene and moved to a foreign country, perhaps the coasts of what is now America and preached the gospel to the indigenous Indian tribes of this land. [Surely, this needs no further attention or comment.]
Or the second possibility is, he did die, but His enemies bribed the soldiers, stole his body, and did away with it. [if this is true then wouldn’t the first thing they would do would be to drag his dead body through the streets of the city to the great pleasure of the Pharisees and the priests?]
The third possibility, the most bazaar explanation of all is that the disciples came sometime during the night, overpowered the Roman guards, rolled away the stone, took his body and hid it in a place no one would ever find. The disciples dismissed talk of Jesus having arisen from the tomb as “idle tales, and they believed them not” (Luke 24:10-11).
If any of these “possibilities” could be proven then everything Jesus said was a lie; Everything He did,  he did by Beelzebub! I speak this only by way of illustration. If it was all a bazaar scheme to promote a new religious order with the Apostles as the foundation and Peter as the first Pope then:
• Stephan did not see the Lord and was not full of the Holy Spirit and died for a deception.
• The disciples who spent over three years with Jesus were deceived by an ego maniac. Not only deceived but they so wanted to believe that he did rise as He said He would, that their minds could not believe otherwise, therefore they all became so obsessed with the idea that they went about espousing a lie, further promoting it as truth.
• The writers of the four gospels must have gotten together and contrived the whole thing.
• Paul’s account of the sighting of Jesus in 1 Corinthians 15:5-8 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. Did the Apostle Paul spend his promising life as a leader of the Jews for nothing, all to follow a lie? If so:
• All the martyrs who gave their lives for Christ shed their blood in vain. Your faith, my faith, the faith of our loved ones who have put their living faith in the resurrection died with no hope of resurrection.
• There is no church, visible or otherwise, if you insist, and our time in meeting here today could be better spent doing anything else.
• We are all in our sins and the Jews are right, we must convert to Judaism, build temples, reinstitute the ceremonial Laws, and go into the business of cornering the market on sheep futures.
• The millions of souls who gave their lives for Jesus Christ are all in the grave or in Hell.
THE INTERNAL EVIDENCE FROM GOD’S WORD
“We have internal evidence” of the New Testament to support our beliefs in the death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
First – The Gospel of John 20:19-20 the witness of the women who saw the empty tomb. Peter and John ran to the tomb to see it vacated with their own eyes–John 20:24-31; Luke 24:33043; Mark 16:6,9,14.
Second—We read earlier in Luke, Acts 12:7, Peter, when he had gained his senses says in verse 11– Now I know of a surety, that the Lord (risen and at the right hand of the majesty on high, His Father), hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.
These truths we hold inviolate, still, some people may not be fully convinced still. Is it not possible that the whole New Testament is just a made-up story propagated and promoted by religious fanatics interested in profiting from a grand deception? Have we been deceived?
EXTERNAL AND UNDENIABLE PROOF OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST.
By external evidence I mean proofs of Christ’s resurrection outside of the Biblical account, which should suffice for most, but perhaps do not at least for those outside of the faith.
Often, a personal experience offers more proof to a another person than all the theories offered up by philosophers and critics. There is a personal awareness, a consciousness, that more satisfies a believer. It is the knowledge that as a believer in the resurrection, he has the personal experience of what it is to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus. He has a personal witness when his witness bears witness with the Spirit of God and with the Word of God. He as a personal consciousness that he has been given a particular gift he is to use to magnify the Lord, glorify God, and to influence others of His presence and power.
Paul could say, as perhaps you along with him that “I know my Savior lives and I am persuaded that he is able keep” my soul that I have by faith committed unto Him and that he will finish in me what He has started, and in time will call my soul and spirit to Himself, and raise my corrupted and putrid body to incorruption and glory. He will give me a resurrected body more beautiful and wonderful than a mind can conceive until it happens – but know this Christian, it will happen!
He has answered many of my prayers. I have seen Him cure a woman who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 25 who is now living at age 75. He has converted me from a self-seeking, self-serving, arrogant wicked man. I have no idea as to the number of times he has removed me from harms way and even saved my life. I do know He made me see my sin, He brought me to repent. He saved me and made me a different man. He is alive and able to do this, otherwise I would not be standing before you this day. Philippians 3:10-11 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
He said that it was expedient that He go away (Resurrection and Ascension), and that He would send another comforter—the Holy Spirit. John 14:16-21—John 16:7-14
He said that when he ascended he would send gifts unto men – Ephesians 4:9-16.
Acts 14:8-17. Peter was the instrument in healing the impotent feet of a crippled man in Lystra, but it was the power of resurrection healed the impotent feet of the man, crippled from birth that brought him to leap and to walk for the first time in his life.
But no matter how strong that demonstration was, it might be as high as heaven, and no man might be able to see in any part of the argument, yet a powerless argument unless proofs of Christ’s living could be shown.
In Acts 6:8 Stephan who, “full of faith and power” did great wonders and miracles among the people.
In Acts 8:6 Phillip showed resurrection power in Acts 8:7-8 7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.
Peter raised Dorcas from the dead (Acts 9:36_42). And God worked special miracles of healing in the ministry of Paul (Acts 19:11-12).
James 5:13-16 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing. Psalms. 14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
We will soon close, but first read with me from the Book of the Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Christ, with these words affirms His resurrection! He said that when He arose He would be with us and declared: Lo, I am with you even unto the end of the age. If you are a believer in Christ and his resurrection then you know that he is with you, you feel his presence in your soul. You know that He having risen, is alive! And if alive, present. He has lost none of His power.
Once, an old preacher was speaking on the subject of the Resurrection and when concluding his sermon he called sinners to attention and said, “if there is one sinner that trembles at the thought of God, if there be one mind here uneasy in the hearing that this same Jesus who angels and disciples saw Him go into heaven would return in like manner bringing with him judgment against those who rejected Him –if so and that one is grieving over the prospect of facing Him having lived a Christ-less life and lamenting because of it, and crying out, I am Lost! I am undone!, then there is your proof of a risen Lord. A dead man has no power to convict anyone! But a resurrected and living Lord of Life and Saviour of sinners will at His will select such a man out of a thousand people and bring that man who only moments before was trembling at the prospect of a coming, living, God, and ready to cry out, “God, be merciful to me a sinner.” He will then hear the Lord respond to him with the irresistible command to… Come unto me , all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30
The sinner may say, Oh, but Lord, what must I do to be saved? Then he will hear, Look unto me , and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. Isaiah 45:22-24 Salvation has come to that man!
Listen to his words when you do by faith run to Him, “Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out.” I did! And He saved me! Only a risen and living Savior could do that!
It is good that we have God’s word on the subject. That we can turn in the pages of the Holy Bible and find many stories of resurrection validation. We can read many stories of the Martyrs and be moved to tears, but for some, it will make more of an impression to find another living breathing person to give his or her testimony of their unshakeable and firm belief that Christ is indeed risen.
Look out among you church. Pick anyone who you know has given evidence of his or her salvation by a risen and living Lord. Ask that person, “how do you know Jesus has risen?” You will get your answer.
If you are convinced that Jesus was resurrected and is alive today, Turn with me to the Book of Job, chapter 19:25 and read with me to verse 27. If you believe that Jesus Christ was raised, and is living now, then I pray that you say along with me and old Job, For I know that my redeemer liveth,, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. Job 19:25-27
AMEN.