When you understand the biblical understanding of heaven, you will discover that it is exponentially greater than anything from the mind of man.. From John 14:1-3 I want you to see two simple, but eternally profound, truths about heaven:

1. There is real hope because heaven is a reality

2. The focus and glory of heaven is dwelling in the presence of God

If you fear the wrong thing, you will pursue the wrong thing. If you fear the right thing, you will pursue the right thing. In Luke 12:1-7, Jesus warns His disciples against fearing man and that they should fear the judgment of God.

The consequences of the pandemic have made the fleeting nature of life inescapably exposed. Every day there seems to be news of someone you know who has become very sick or has died from the virus.

Recently, I received the news that a friend was diagnosed and died quickly thereafter with COVID. This news broke my heart because I fear that he breathed his last breath here on earth without ever giving his life to Jesus. On many occasions, I had spoken to him about the gospel, but he was never receptive. For my friend, the opportunity to receive the gospel is no more.

The church does many wonderful and good things, but the most important thing we do is proclaim the gospel to our community. Preaching is fundamentally

The proclaiming of the gospel.

All biblical sermons are gospel-focused. Some are more explicit than others. Recognizing the perilous times we are experiencing I want to spend the next several weeks being as explicate as I can about the hope of the gospel, the eternal peril of God’s judgment, and the glorious promise of heaven.

Today we consider the wonderful declaration of Romans 6:23.

In these final chapters of the book of Esther, we see how the Lord delivered His people from the murderous threats of Haman and provided for Esther and her cousin Mordecai. We see how God historically worked through the people and events of the day to bring about His will and provide for His people. This testimony gives us reason to rejoice in the present, knowing that God is equally working in our day. Evil is still present and dangerous, yet Christians do not fear, for we know that Jesus will return to once and for all defeat evil and perfectly establish His kingdom. These four chapters are not a perfect 1 to 1 testimony to what it will be like when Jesus returns, but they do bring us great encouragement. We can rejoice in the testimony that, like how God defeated the evil Haman and gave victory to the Jews over their enemies, so will God once and for all defeat evil when Jesus returns and gives His people perfect victory.

In Esther chapter 5, events begin to come quickly. Esther approaches the king, and Haman advances his plans to annihilate the Jews with special attention to the murder of Mordecai. All the while the deliverance of God is being brought about and will come quickly and (I think) unexpectedly to all those involved. Most of these things will happen in chapters 7-10, which we will consider next week.

In this week’s podcast, we consider the contrast between the arrogance of Haman and the humility of Esther and Mordecai. Haman, in pride and arrogance, opposed God to his own destruction. Esther and Mordecai humbly trusted God and experienced amazing grace.

Chapter 4 has one of the best-known verses in the entire book of Esther: “And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14, ESV)

Looking back at this passage, we can see the grace of God and the faith of Mordecai and Esther. In the moment, it may not have felt like they were acting out of great faith but more out of desperate self-preservation. Even so, though their faith may have been weak, and their actions mixed with much self-concern, they give us a beautiful testimony of faithful obedience.

From this passage, we see a testimony that calls us to reckon with the weakness of worldly wealth, rely on God’s provision, and resolve to act.

Esther chapter 3 is a very unsettling moment. In practical terms, things have gone from bad to worst. Yet, in this very bleak moment, there is a beautiful testimony to the providence of God. Even while Mordecai and Esther may be unaware, God is providing for the deliverance of His people. In this passage, we see how God is providentially working through His perfect timing, the opportunities to prosper, and preparing for the future.

The biblical testimony of Esther is not a fairy tale. It is not a happy-ever-after story. This is a story of a subjected people being used without regard by the king according to his whims. Esther is not an autonomous actor. She is trying to survive in a hostile place. In this very broken and dark moment, we see both the ugliness of living in a broken world and the hope of God’s sovereignty to make a way for His redemptive work.

Using the example of the lamp I want you to see to fundamental truths about following Christ. When you believe in faith on Jesus for salvation you are forever changed – you are irreversibly transformed. The humble oil lamp demonstrates two ways this transformation changes you - transformed nature and transformed obligation.

There are two basic principles to any trap or snare - appear safe and inviting then once the prey is totally committed the trap springs

When a trap is deployed anything that might make it seem dangerous and threatening is hidden or covered. With animal traps, the mechanism of the trap might be covered with leaves or straw.

The most important part of making the trap inviting is putting out bait that will be hard to resist. A good trapper knows what best attracts the animals he desires to ensnare. The bait is positioned so as to be seen or smelled and appears free for the taking but the only way for the animal to get to the bait is to enter the trap. The bait is presented as though it is free. It looks as though it is left unattended. The allusion is that the bait, that is so desired, can be had without any cost or consequence.

Once the prey is totally committed the trap springs. This is where the second principle of any trap comes into play. An effective trap only springs once the animal is completely committed. The bait is placed deep in the trap so once the trap springs there is no opportunity for the animal to escape. With any trap – when the danger has been recognized the opportunity for escape is no more.

There is one more principle about traps that is important to understand. An animal may willingly enter a trap in hopes to consume the bait but once trapped it loses any autonomy and is at the mercy of the trapper. All traps lead to the loss of freedom and most traps lead to the loss of life.

This past Sunday, my friend Freddie Smith preached for me thus there is not a new sermon for the podcast this week. So I am posting a sermon I preached in 2017 on the occasion of the recognition Sunday for our high school graduates. The sermon is from 2 Timothy 4 on the spiritual dangers we face today.

Of course, these concerns are not unique to our day. The spiritual dangers we face are not new to the modern area. These concerns are what prompted Paul to warn Timothy in this passage. In this sermon, I share two warnings and then encourage you to stand firm and keep the faith.

Our purpose is not to raise children that stay safe and never face difficulty. We are called to raise children who will obey the call of God even if that takes them into danger or away from our ability to protect and provide. We are called to entrust them into to care of the Lord.

Often on the 4th of July, to my children’s chagrin, I read the Declaration of Independence to the family. It is a fascinating document on so many levels but what always strikes me is the consequence that each signer understood they were taking on when they signed this document. Addressed to the king of Great Brittan they declared among other things “that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown.” Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, and George Walton of Georgia, along with 53 others knew that with their signatures they were igniting a conflict that very well may cost them everything.

It is true that many of the founding fathers held religious views that were not faithful to the testimony of scripture. Many of them were deists and universalists but not all. However errant their theology was it is right to say that all livened in an error when even the most secular saw the world through a biblical worldview. This worldview gives understanding to the last line of the declaration. It reads:

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Today, it is common to hear people speak of the universe controlling their lives. G. K. Chesterton is credited with saying “When men stop believing in God they don't believe in nothing; they believe in anything.” The Bible does not teach that we are subject to the random whim of an impersonal universe. The Bible teaches that God created the world and is actively involved in the working out of His enteral will in the world and among His creation. This is the idea of divine providence – that is that God is for us.

Paul, in Romans 8:28, declares this amazing truth that God is actively working out all things for good for those called according to His purpose.

This is not the same parable as the parable of talents. Here Jesus is distinguishing between three types of people. The ten servants represent those who profess to serve Christ, but all who profess are true. So the three types of people represented in this parable are:

1. Faithful followers – these are represented by the servants who invest and earn a return with the nobleman’s money

2. False followers – these are represented by the servant that does nothing with the nobleman’s money

3. Enemies of Christ (unbelievers) – these are represented by those who oppose the nobleman’s rule

I am going to give the majority of my attention to the first two groups.

1. Be about the Father’s will

2. Faithfulness pleases God

3. Disobedience reveals falsehood

We are constantly comparing ourselves to others. At the gym, at work. online, and even at church. When we find ourselves among those who we judge as less than us, it makes us feel good. When we find ourselves among those who we judge as greater than us, it can make us ashamed or self-conscience. Jesus exposes the arrogance of our flesh in this parable and demonstrates the only way one can come and know the salvation of God.

What tempts you to give up? All of us have, at some point in our lives, been tempted to give up. Sometimes it happens in the context of sports. Sometimes it seems like you just cannot get a break. Other times it seems like your opponents are so far above you that you have no hope of being competitive. Sometimes it happens in the context of work.

Maybe you are struggling to keep up with the demands of your job. or maybe the stress of your job is overwhelming you. Sometimes the temptation to give up is even more heart-wrenching than normal difficulties. It could be that those in authority are not adjudicating righteousness. It could be that your boss is treating you unfairly. It could be that others are exploiting and taking unfair advantage of you. And all of this leads to the temptation to give up.

This temptation is present in our walk with the Lord as well. Many are tempted to give up and give in to the world's demands because of the hardships and sufferings that come with following Jesus.

In this parable, Jesus teaches us how we are to pray and not lose heart.

This parable is unsettling. And I believe the more we understand it, and the more we rightly identify with the characters in it, the more unsettling it will become. Jesus tells this story to teach major themes about eternity, heaven, and hell. This parable is intended to teach, warn, and to encourage the wayward to repent.

In these two parables Jesus tells the story of two lost items – a sheep and a coin. Everyone hearing this story can identify both with loosing something and the effort of looking intensely for a lost item.

Jesus uses this familiar experience of losing items and the joy of finding them to respond to the grumblings of the religious self-righteous who were complaining about Jesus spending time with and eating with sinners.
With these parables Jesus teaches two things that reveal the character and heart of God toward sinful man.