Month: August 2021

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
August 19

CHRIST UPLIFTED: ‘BEHOLD THE SON OF MAN’ – NOT THE ‘MAN OF SIN’! (Part 6)

A SECRET INTERVIEW, ITS UNIVERSALITY AND ETERNAL RESULTS:

Nicodemus “greatly desired an INTERVIEW with Jesus, but shrank from seeking Him openly. It would be too HUMILIATING for a RULER OF THE JEWS to acknowledge himself in sympathy with a teacher AS YET SO LITTLE KNOWN. And should his visit come to the knowledge of the Sanhedrin, it would draw upon him their SCORN AND DENUNCIATION.

He resolved upon a SECRET INTERVIEW, excusing this on the ground that if he were to go openly, others might follow his example. Learning by special inquiry the Savior’s place of retirement in the Mount of Olives, he waited until the city was HUSHED IN SLUMBER, and then sought Him.

“In the presence of Christ, Nicodemus felt a strange timidity, which he endeavored to conceal under an air of COMPOSURE AND DIGNITY. ‘Rabbi,’ he said, ‘we know that Thou art a TEACHER COME FROM GOD: for no MAN [mortal human being or soul] can do these miracles that Thou doest, except God be with him.’

By speaking of Christ’s RARE GIFTS as a teacher, and also His WONDERFUL POWER to perform miracles, he hoped to pave the way for his INTERVIEW. His words were designed to invite CONFIDENCE but they really expressed UNBELIEF. [Take note of that!].

He did NOT acknowledge Jesus to be the Messiah, BUT ONLY A TEACHER SENT FROM GOD. [Sounds familiar isn’t it!]!”- DA 170, 171.

Ask yourself this question: If an intellectual, highly educated man of letters, a teacher of the Israel, immensely wealthy and prominent member of the Sanhedrin, the highest governing national authority of the very chosen people from Abraham, through whom the promised “Seed of a woman” (Gen. 3: 15) was to come, and who were responsible for first receiving Him as their King and introducing Him to the world as the promised Savior of fallen mankind——did not recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah, verily God Creator incarnate in human flesh and blood, the only begotten Son of God and only immaculately sinless Son of man, the Author, Source, Giver, and Sustainer of LIFE eternal, original, unborrowed, and underived——how about you and me, born two thousand years after that fateful night Nicodemus had that secret interview with Jesus?

(To be continued). Bless all, NMF.

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
August 18

CHRIST UPLIFTED: ‘BEHOLD THE SON OF MAN’ -NOT THE ‘MAN OF SIN’! (Part 5)

A Bible Dictionary summarizes the following of Nicodemus (all emphasis mine):

“A Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin, who visited Jesus by NIGHT for a discussion of His teachings (John 3: 1-21). He chose the NIGHT HOUR, FEARFUL THAT IF DETECTED, he would be RIDICULED by his fellow Pharisees, among who Jesus was decidedly UNPOPULAR.

“Although he [Nicodemus] had been a teacher of Israel and had been interested in the teaching of Christ, he was IGNORANT of even the MOST ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD as preached by Jesus [not by the Sanhedrin or the religious guardians of the people].

“However the [night time] interview with Jesus must have made a deep impression on him. Although he did NOT IMMEDIATELY become a follower of the Lord, the SEED [of ‘the truth as it is in Jesus’] SOWN DURING THAT NIGHT bore fruit in the course of time.

“A few months before the crucifixion, when members of the Sanhedrin in one of their meetings had denounced Jesus as an IMPOSTOR, Nicodemus raised his voice in DEFENSE OF HIM, asking whether it was permissible for them to CONDEMN a man even before he was heard (John 7: 50-52).

NOTE: This was the exact opposite action of Peter who denied he knew Jesus three times with cursing or an oath during Christ’s illegal nighttime trial by the same Jewish Sanhedrin!].

“After Christ’s death on the cross, he OPENLY took his stand on the side of the despised Teacher of Nazareth. He and JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA, another member of the Sanhedrin, took the body of Jesus from the cross and gave it a decent, though temporary burial (ch 19: 39, 40-42).” – SDA Bible Dictionary Complete with Atlas, Commentary Reference Series, Vol. 8, Review & Herald Publishing Asso.,1960.

Both Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea (who offered his unused grave near Calvary to be Christ’s burial place) were so wealthy it is claimed that their combined wealth alone could sustain the whole Jewish economy for year. However, after they both came forth openly for Jesus, they eventually lost their status and wealth.

(To be continued). Bless all, NMF.

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
August 17

CHRIST UPLIFTED: ‘BEHOLD THE SON OF MAN’ – NOT THE ‘MAN OF SIN’! (Part 4)

The additional overview of Nicodemus’ role, which appears as Part 5, tomorrow’s reading (so don’t miss it), reveals the significance of Nicodemus as a prototype of a certain prominent class of truth-seekers, thus, his unique place in Christ’s ultra brief yet completed three and-a-half year ministry from His baptism by John in the Jordan river and anointing of the Holy Spirit, 27 A.D., to His crucifixion, 31 A.D.

The latter was at the behest of and in the hands of the prototypical unholy alliance of the antiChristian union of church and state, religion and politics, church craft and statecraft between the JEWISH Sanhedrin and pagan ROME in the condemnation and crucifixion of the Son of man, Jesus Christ, God Creator in the flesh, the Anointed One, the promised Messiah, the Seed of the woman (Gen. 3:15)

The following lessons self-evident in the summary of Part 5, which are:

(1) Like the unidentified “seven thousand who had not bowed their knees to Baal” (the Phoenician sun-god) in the time of the northern kingdom of Israel’s greatest apostasy under the reign of king Ahab and his wicked, sun-worshipping wife Jezebel, during Elijah’s prophetic ministry, God has a “few good men” for a time unperceived and unknown, yet strategically positioned in the highest levels of government as well as in the halls of other institutions of power and authority in human society who will perform their part in God’s overarching plans at their appointed time and place.

(2) The darkness and secrecy provided by the night is a either a wonderful blessing or a terrible curse, depending on what it is used for. God designed the daytime for work and the nightime for rest. The winged fowl famously go to roost by sunset and the rooster announces the dawn with his trumpet-like crowing.

Fallen angels and wicked men plan and practice their evil arts and implement their unrighteous deeds and works under the cloak of darkness. Their guardian-recording angels, however, faithfully enter all these secret thoughts and hidden deeds in their book of records in heaven, to stand as a witness against them in their day of judgment (unless thoroughly repented of and forsaken by God’s empowering grace, while still alive and rational).

In stark contrast, the wise and prudent “make hay while the sun shines” but also find precious time after dark to do their homework of diligently searching the Holy Scriptures daily, i.e., nightly, to learn the pure unvarnished “truth as it is in Jesus” and grow correspondingly, intellectually and spiritually in it’s advancing light.

Paul commended the Bereans over the church in Thessalonika for doing so. Acts 17: 11. They literally and spiritually fall asleep with God’s Word as the last thing in their mind, not any of the “earthly things” and ideas or carnal thoughts and imaginations. If such persons die that night for whatever cause, they most likely “died in the Lord,” not “perished in their sins,” and therefore “rest from their labors and their works do follow them” to their judgment. Rev. 14: 13; Rom. 14: 10, 12; Eccl. 12: 13, 14.

Our last thoughts and state of moral character before we die are the same when we are resurrected, either in the first or second resurrection!

How important that all fully comprehend what Jesus meant when He told Nicodemus: “Unless you are baptized by water and the (Holy) Spirit, you CANNOT enter the kingdom of God!”

(To be continued). Bless all, NMF.

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
August 16

CHRIST UPLIFTED: ‘BEHOLD THE SON OF MAN’ – NOT THE ‘MAN OF SIN’! (Part 3)

Jesus answered Nicodemus (all emphasis mine): “NO MAN hath ascendeth to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even THE SON OF MAN which is in heaven. And as Moses LIFTED UP THE SERPENT in the wilderness, even so must the SON OF MAN BE LIFTED UP.” John 3: 13, 14, KJV. (See verses 1-14). Compare these with Numbers 21: 1-9, focusing on verses 5-9 as follows:

v 5 And the people (Israel) spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth [hateth] this light bread.

v 6 And the Lord sent FIERY SERPENTS among the people, and bit the people, and MUCH PEOPLE OF ISRAEL DIED.

v 7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken agains the Lord. that He take away the serpents from us. And Moses PRAYED for the people.

v 8 And the Lord said unto Moses, make thee a FIERY SERPENT, AND PUT IT IN A POLE, and it shall come to pass, that EVERYONE THAT IS BITTEN, WHEN HE LOOKS UPON IT, SHALL LIVE.

v 9 And Moses made a serpent of BRASS [not gold, silver, iron or clay], and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he BEHELD the serpent of brass, HE LIVED.”

Who was Nicodemus, why and how does figure into this topic? Read on, beginning with the Scriptures cited above and you will know. Nicodemus, from the Greek NIkodimos, means “victor over the people.”

“Nicodemus held a high position of trust in the Jewish nation. He was highly educated and possessed talents of no ordinary character, and he was an honored member of the national council [Sanhedrin]. With others, he had been stirred by the teachings of Jesus. Though rich, learned, and honored, he had been strangely attracted to the humble Nazarene. The lessons that had fallen from the Savior’s lips had greatly impressed him, and he DESIRED TO LEARN MORE of these wonderful truths.” p. 167.

“Since hearing Jesus, Nicodemus had ANXIOUSLY STUDIED THE PROPHECIES RELATING TO THE COMING MESSIAH [as revealed by the Old Testament prophets]; and the MORE HE SEARCHED, THE GREATER THE CONVICTION that this was the One who was to come as the Messiah [in his first Advent]. With many others in Israel he had been GREATLY DISTRESSED by the profanation of the temple.

He was a witness to the scene when Jesus [the humble Nazarene, Son of man] drove out the buyers and sellers; he beheld the manifestation of DIVINE POWER; he saw the Savior receiving the poor and healing the sick; he saw their looks of joy, and heard their words of praise; and he could NOT DOUBT that Jesus of Nazareth [the Son of man] was the SON OF GOD.” – E. G. White, ‘The Desire of Ages,’ pp. 168, 167, Pacific Press Asso., 1949.

It must be noted that in the Bible and throughout sacred history, any person—regardless of background that any or all of life and society’s different and changing circumstances may have initially shaped—-if in his heart he desires and and even craves to know and makes earnest efforts to know the truths of salvation, will eventually absolutely find it.

Why and how? This is in fact one of the major responsibilities and work of the Holy Spirit, and a big part of the “good news” of the unfailing PROMISES and it’s accompanying “exceedingly abundant” divine PROVISIONS of the gospel of Christ—-the Son of man and the Son of God!

(To be continued). Bless all, NMF

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
August 13

CHRIST UPLIFTED: ‘BEHOLD THE SON OF MAN’- NOT THE ‘MAN OF SIN’! (Part 2)

The natural law of assimilation unerringly fleshes out the spiritual principle that by “constantly beholding,” especially through repetition, our thoughts, minds, valises, standards, desires, tastes, ambitions, aspirations and goals in life, and thus our moral and spiritual character itself become changed and transformed into the same image and likeness of that which our minds and thoughts dwelt upon.

Since from creation God Creator designed that man, not Homo sapiens, the “crowning act” of His creative power, would be free moral agent, intellectually abs spiritually, endowing him with a will and it’s power of choice, to choose willingly, voluntarily, and spontaneously, that is, intellectually and spiritually.

It is thus that the will is the governing power in the nature of MAN. It follows therefore that before and after the fall, man is the masters of his own eternal destiny. The plan of Creation determined that, while the plan of Redemption implemented after the fall upheld and sustained it. For as Jesus Christ the incarnated Creator us the “same yesterday, today, and forever,” so are all His plans, devices, words, and works of His hands.

Therefore, depending on who and what we are “beholding,” it is either “Look and live,” or “Look and die.” There is only one Life giver and Lifesaver who is the Lawgiver of the law of liberty, the law of life, the royal law of the soon-coming King of kings and Lord of lords, who is still our merciful High Priest, Advocate, Mediator, and righteous Judge of all the earth in the most holy of the Sanctuary in heaven, not in part of sinful, fallen earth!

By living faith LOOK UP to where the Son of man and Son of God, sacredly “wrapped up into One,” is right now, and LIVE! The saints of these last days are those “who follow the Lamb wherever He goes, wherever He is!

(To be continued). Bless all, NMF

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
August 12

CHRIST UPLIFTED: ‘BEHOLD THE SON OF MAN’- NOT THE ‘MAN OF SIN’!

We start this series with two foundational Scripture verses that unmistakably reveal the stark contrast between the “Son of man” and the “man of sin,” (as a natural continuum of the previous series on the Gospel of Christ vs the ‘Gospel’ of the Antichrist).

Here they are from the KJV:
“Then Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of Me, but for your sakes. (see verses 28, 29).
Now is the judgment of the world: now shall the prince of the world be cast out [note that]. And I, IF I BE LIFTED UP FROM THE EARTH, WILL DRAW [the attention of] ALL MEN UNTO ME. This He said, SIGNIFYING WHAT DEATH HE SHOULD DIE [by crucifixion].

The people answered Him, we have heard out of the law [the writings of Moses] that CHRIST abideth forever. And how sayest Thou, THE SON OF MAN MUST BE LIFTED UP? WHO IS THIS SON OF MAN?

Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the LIGHT with you. Walk WHILE ye have the light, lest DARKNESS come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness, KNOWS NOT whither he goeth. While ye have Light, believe in the Light, that ye may be the CHILDREN OF LIGHT [opposite of ‘children of darkness’].” John 12: 30-46.

Now, to these foregoing verses regarding the Son of man, compare and contrast the following regarding the man of sin as revealed by apostle Paul:

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [Christ’s advent] shall not come, except there come a falling away first [of the Church] and that MAN OF SIN be revealed, the SON OF PERDITION. [What are his outstanding characteristics?] “Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God [the church], shewing himself that he is God.” 2 Thess. 2: 3-12.

Uriah Smith wrote: “Here Paul introduced to our view the man of sin, the LITTLE HORN, or the papacy, and covers with a caution the whole period of his supremacy. which as already noticed [in our past series], continued 1,260 years [beginning 538 A.A.] ending in 1798.” -‘Daniel and the Revelation,’ p. 521, Revised 1932, 1974, Southern Publishing Asso.

Ellen G. White, in harmony with the early Protestant Reformers, wrote (emphasis mine):
“This COMPROMISE between paganism and Christianity resulted in the development of the ‘MAN OF SIN’ foretold in prophecy as ‘opposing and exalting himself above God.’

That gigantic system of false religion is a MASTERPIECE of Satan’s power,–a MONUMENT of his efforts to sit himself upon the throne to rule the earth according to his will.” -Great Controversy, 1911 ed., p. 50, Pacific Publishing Association

(To be continued). Bless all, NMF