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The Meaning of the Lord's Supper, Part II - Dr. Stephen W. Christian

Dr. Stephen W. Christian, Senior Pastor and Bishop, shares the message, “The Meaning of the Lord’s Supper, Part II” on Sunday, July 25, 2010.

1 Corinthians 11:27-28 KJV
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink [this] cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of [that] bread, and drink of [that] cup.

1 Corinthians 11:27-28 NLT
So if anyone eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily, that person is guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking from the cup.

Sometimes, we as the church get away from God by doing our thing instead of His thing. James describes conflict as an act of selfishness. At least one of the two parties in an argument is selfish or there would not be an argument. By disputes, arguments, discord, and disagreements in a body of Christ, we know that the church has drifted away from the heart of God.

The habits of Christian Disciples:

1. Bible Study is the most important of all of the disciplines. We would not know how to do the rest of the disciplines without being actively engaged in a bible study.
2. Solitude, or getting alone with God in silence. It’s not a time for us to talk to God, but for God to talk to us. We see in the scriptures that Jesus would take time alone with God for God to speak to Him. Jesus said, “I only do what the Father has told me and shown me to do.” We cannot hear God unless we learn how to turn everything else off and listen for ourselves.
3. Prayer Time When we take the time to talk to God. What do we say to Him? We like to use the model ACTS. Adoration : we bless Him and thank him in worship. Confession : We confess our sins AND we confess who God is. We cannot confess who God is a remained in a depressed state and feel like we are loosing our mind at the same time. We we talk about who He is, our problems start to get smaller. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. The Word of God builds up our faith. Thanksgiving : We show our thankfulness. Supplication : We go to God and ask Him to supply our needs. When we ask, we are sure to make sure that we seek His will and not ours.
4. Fasting When we break ties with all distractions and give our all to God.
5. Worship When we tell God how worthy He is and express our love to Him. Oh, magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together. Worship is never passive, it’s always demonstrative and active.
6. Fellowship — because of previous five disciples, we are now ready to interact with other believers.
7. Giving — Being connected with a fellowship of believers, we give to that fellowship.
8. Serving — We help, assist, and minister to one another so we are prepared for the next step…
9. Witnessing — Sharing the good news about Jesus Christ with those who do not know him

We also have been talking about getting back to Communion (the Lord’s Supper also called the Eucharist). We should prepare ourselves for the Lord’s supper.

How do I prepare myself for the Lord’s Supper?
Self-Examination
1 Cor 11:27 So if anyone eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily, that person is guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord.
1 Cor 11:28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking from the cup.

According to 1 Corinthians 11:28, the first way to prepare is to examine ourselves. No one can examine my heart adequately but God. For that reason, we go to God to have Him examine us. The heart is desperately wicked and deceitful above all things, who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9, paraphrased) Only God.

Confessing our sins
1 John 1:9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.
1 John 1:10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

We also prepare by confessing our sins unto God.

Recommitment
Rom 12:1 NLT – And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?

Sacrifice is PAINFUL! Without pain, the act is not a sacrifice.

Restoring Relationships
Mat 5:23 NLT – “So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you,
Mat 5:24 NLT – leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
Mat 5:25 NLT – Come to terms quickly with your enemy before it is too late and you are dragged into court, handed over to an officer, and thrown in jail.
Mat 5:26 NLT – I assure you that you won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.

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The Meaning of the Lord's Supper- Dr. Stephen W. Christian

Dr. Stephen W. Christian, Senior Pastor and Bishop, shares the message, “The Meaning of the Lord’s Supper” on Sunday, July 18, 2010.

Are we there yet? Preparing yourselves to receive the Lord’s Supper

Jesus never asked His disciples to remember His birth, but He instruct them to remember His death and His resurrection. He gave the church some visible symbols called ordinances. At the root of the word “ordinances” is the word “orders.”

The first ordinance He gave was a symbol of service. This ordinance is a picture of the attitude that He wants all of us to have. Foot Washing is the first of the three ordinances Jesus gave to this followers. He demonstrated humility by washing the feet of disciples. When He got to Peter, Peter got the prideful attitude that many of us have in that he refused to allow Christ to wash his feet. But after correction from the Lord, Peter welcomed the ministry of Christ as each of us should.

See John 13:4-5:
Jhn 13:4 NLT – So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist,
Jhn 13:5 NLT – and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he had around him.
Jhn 13:6 NLT – When he came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, why are you going to wash my feet?”
Jhn 13:7 NLT – Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now why I am doing it; someday you will.”
Jhn 13:8 NLT – “No,” Peter protested, “you will never wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “But if I don’t wash you, you won’t belong to me.”
Jhn 13:9 NLT – Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”
Jhn 13:10 NLT – Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you are clean, but that isn’t true of everyone here.”
Jhn 13:11 NLT – For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
Jhn 13:12 NLT – After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing?

Foot washing represents service!

The other two ordinances are The Lord’s Supper and Baptism.

The Lord’s Supper is an object lesson in a great spiritual truth — Jesus gave His life for you. The Lord’s Supper represents His death. Baptism represents His resurrection in that we are submerged and brought to life from the water.

Let’s talk about the Lord’s Supper
1 Cor 11:23-26

1 Cor 11:23 NLT – For this is what the Lord himself said, and I pass it on to you just as I received it. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took a loaf of bread,
1 Cor 11:24 NLT – and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
1 Cor 11:25 NLT – In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and you, sealed by the shedding of my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.”
1 Cor 11:26 NLT – For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.

The Lord’s Supper is:

• A simple act — He took bread. It’s an object lesson of a great spiritual truth
• A reminder — do this in remembrance of me
• A symbol — this cup is the new covenant
• A statement of faith — For every time to you eat…you are announcing the Lord’s death

Who should take the Lord’s Supper? only believers
1 Cor 11:29 For if you eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, not honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself.

How do I prepare myself for the Lord’s Supper?
Self-Examination
1 Cor 11:27 So if anyone eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily, that person is guilty of sinning against the body and the blood of the Lord.
1 Cor 11:28 That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking from the cup.

Confessing our sins
1 John 1:9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.
1 John 1:10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

Recommitment
Rom 12:1 NLT – And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?

Restoring Relationships
Mat 5:23 NLT – “So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you,
Mat 5:24 NLT – leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.
Mat 5:25 NLT – Come to terms quickly with your enemy before it is too late and you are dragged into court, handed over to an officer, and thrown in jail.
Mat 5:26 NLT – I assure you that you won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.

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Filed under: baptism, communion, eucharist, foot-washing

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Called Christians - Dr. Stephen W. Christian

Dr. Stephen W. Christian, Senior Pastor and Bishop, shares the message, “Called Christians” on Sunday, July 11, 2010.

Acts 11:26 When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching great numbers of people. (It was there at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians. )

Called Christians
Why were they called “Christians?” Before this encounter in Antioch, they were referred to as “disciples” and “followers of the Way.” What did they do to cause people to call them Christians? I suggest to you that they began to act like Christ as disciples of Christ. They practiced the disciplines of Christ doing things that Jesus Christ himself did. Today, I believe that the greatest need in the church is the Christ-like discipleship demonstrated by these first century Christians.

These Christians went to the synagogue every day to gather with other saints. If daily meetings were their custom because that’s when the church gathered, it should be our custom to gather when the saints gather—particularly Bible Study and Worship Services.

Sanctification
We should not be Christians by name only, but also in practice. Our position is what Christ has done for us, our practice is what we have done for Christ. We are made to sit in heavenly places so that’s our position. What Christ has done for us changes our destiny, what we do for Christ changes our disposition.

Jesus has sanctified us in position, but He has us to help Him sanctify us in practice. He sanctified Himself so that we could be sanctified in the present of God. Remember the definition of “sanctified” means to be “set apart.” Christ has set the believers apart.

Sanctification is also defined as “growing out of sin and more fully into Christ.”

We are working at Bountiful to get back to the basics of our faith. We should not call ourselves leaders if we are not willing to practice the disciplines of the Christian faith. We are looking for leaders who are nice, sweet, loving, and kind.

We are not ready to serve until we can absorb the little abuse that comes from dealing with difficult people.

Psalms 122:1 NLT
I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”

Those of us who can be in church should be. We should make the assembling of ourselves together as a priority above our schedules, struggles, and situations.

When you read the word of God you need to ask yourself these questions:

• Is there a warning to heed?
• Is there a promise to claim?
• Is there a sin to forsake?
• Is there a command to obey?
• Is there a lesson to learn?
• Is there a principle to apply?
• Is there an example to follow?

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Unity: Are We There Yet? - Dr. Stephen W. Christian

Dr. Stephen W. Christian, Senior Pastor and Bishop, shares the message, “Unity: Are We There Yet?” on Sunday, July 4, 2010.

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There are nine Christian disciplines that have a defined order of importance.

1. Bible Study — all other disciplines are based on the Word of God, so the Word has to be first. God instructs us through his world.
2. Solitude — (also meditation) We get alone with God so He can speak to us. We can hear what He wants through shutting every other influence
3. Prayer — because we have studied the word and have been alone with him, now I know what to say to Him.
4. Worship — thank Him for speaking to being so great, gracious, loving, and who He is
5. Fasting — humbling myself before the Lord by denying my body of things that please it.
6. Fellowship — because of previous five disciples, we are now ready to interact with other believers.
7. Giving — Being connected with a fellowship of believers, we give to that fellowship.
8. Serving — We help, assist, and minister to one another so we are prepared for the next step…
9. Witnessing — Sharing the good news about Jesus Christ with those who do not know him

Our vision statement explains why we exist as a church.

The vision/purpose of our church is summarized in a single sentence based on two key scriptures:

We believe a great commitment to “The Great Commission” and “The Great Commandment” will grow a great church.

The Great Commandment: Matt 22:37-39 – Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all you soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (New Living Translation)

The Great Commission: Matthew 28:19-20 – “Jesus said, Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And he sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (New Living Translation)

• To “Love God with all your heart” is Worship
• To “Love your neighbor as yourself” is Ministry
• To “Go…make disciples” is Evangelism
• To “Baptize..” is to incorporate into the Fellowship
• To “Teach them..all things” is Discipleship

Bountiful Blessings World Fellowship exists:

1. To Celebrate God’s Presence : Worship
2. To Demonstrate God’s Love : Ministry
3. To Communicate God’s Word : Evangelism
4. To Assimilate God’s Family: Fellowship
5. To Educate God’s People : Discipleship

Photo credit: Barb Henry

Filed under: communion, message, preaching, sermon, unity

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Unity - Dr. Stephen W. Christian

Dr. Stephen W. Christian, Senior Pastor and Bishop, shares the message, “Unity” on Sunday, June 27, 2010.

2 Timothy 2:24-25 (New Living Translation)

24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth.

“The Lord’s servants must not quarrel, but must be kind to everyone.”
We must have a kind face, kind spirit, and a kind attitude. Any other attitude does not represent the attitude of Christ or the attitude of the ministry. We should do our best to accommodate those people we serve in the ministry making their experience as comfortable as possible. Making every effort to meet needs in a spirit of maturity and selflessness.

“...and be patient with difficult people.”
Leaders and ministers in the kingdom of God must be patient with people when they are being difficult.

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Photo credit: moédlativ™ Muid Latif

Filed under: gospel, message, prayer, preach, unity

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Jesus in Every Book of the Bible, Part 24 - Dr. Stephen W. Christian

Dr. Stephen W. Christian, Senior Pastor and Bishop, shares the the twenty-fourth installment of the message, “Jesus in Every Book of the Bible” on Sunday, June 13, 2010.

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How to Pray Effectively - Dr. Stephen W. Christian

On Sunday, June 6, 2010, Dr. Stephen W. Christian presented a message on how to use prayer effectively in your life.

 

Knowing how to pray effectively helps believers to grow in their faith, become more spiritually mature, and have a deeper relationship with Christ.

 

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Photo credit: Prayer Board by Nimble Photography

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Jesus in Every Book of the Bible, Part XI - Dr. Stephen W. Christian

Dr. Stephen W. Christian, Senior Pastor and Bishop, shares the the eleventh installment of the message, “Jesus in Every Book of the Bible” on Sunday, March 29, 2009.

John 5:39 (New Living Translation)
You search the Scriptures because you believe they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!

Last week we saw Jesus typified as a King, as a bronze serpent who was lifted up for the healing of the sinful people. Jesus compared himself to that bronze serpent when he declared that “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.” When we look to Jesus, we are healed of our sin sickness

Jesus in the Book of Deuteronomy
In Deuteronomy, Jesus is typified as a Prophet

Deuteronomy 18 (New Living Translation)
15. “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites, and you must listen to that prophet.
16. For this is what you yourselves requested of the LORD your God when you were assembled at Mount Sinai. You begged that you might never again have to listen to the voice of the LORD your God or see this blazing fire for fear you would die.
17 . “Then the LORD said to me, `Fine, I will do as they have requested.
18. I will raise up a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites. I will tell that prophet what to say, and he will tell the people everything I command him.
19. I will personally deal with anyone who will not listen to the messages the prophet proclaims on my behalf.

John 6:14 (New Living Translation)
14. When the people saw this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!”
15. Jesus saw that they were ready to take him by force and make him king, so he went higher into the hills alone.

Jesus in the Book of Joshua
In Joshua, Jesus is typified in the person of Joshua. It was Joshua who led the children of God into the Promised Land. Moses could not continue to lead the people because he did not continue to sanctify the Glory of God. The Latin phrase is Soli Deo Gloria – God alone gets the Glory

The name “Jesus” is the transliteration of the the Hebrew term “Joshua” both meaning “The Lord is Salvation”

Joshua led the children of Israel into the Promise Land, but Jesus led the people to the Promise — Himself. Jesus is our Promise.

Joshua 5:13 (King James Version)
13. And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, [Art] thou for us, or for our adversaries?
14. And he said, Nay; but [as] captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
15. And the captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest [is] holy. And Joshua did so.

Joshua 5:13 (New Living Translation)
13. As Joshua approached the city of Jericho, he looked up and saw a man facing him with sword in hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you friend or foe?”
14. “Neither one,” he replied. “I am commander of the LORD’s army.” At this, Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence. “I am at your command,” Joshua said. “What do you want your servant to do?”
15. The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for this is holy ground.” And Joshua did as he was told.

Joshua fell on his face and worshipped the Commander of the Lord’s Army. A servant of the Lord always tells others not to worship them. in this case, this was not just an Angel, it was the captain of the Lord’s Army – the Lord Jesus Himself. In this passage, the Commander is worthy of worship and did not reject this worship. It would have been blasphemy if this person accepted the Lord’s worship.

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Filed under: bible, deuteronomy, jesus, joshua, message, preaching, salvation, sermon

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Jesus in Every Book of the Bible, Part X - Dr. Stephen W. Christian

Dr. Stephen W. Christian, Senior Pastor and Bishop, shares the the tenth installment of the message, “Jesus in Every Book of the Bible” on Sunday, March 22, 2009.

John 5:39 (New Living Translation)
You search the Scriptures because you believe they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!

Luke 24:44 (New Living Translation)
Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me by Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must all come true.”

A King, A Bronze Serpent lifted up, and A Rock in the Wilderness.

Numbers 20:1-10 (New Living Translation)
1. In early spring the people of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin and camped at Kadesh. While they were there, Miriam died and was buried.
2. There was no water for the people to drink at that place, so they rebelled against Moses and Aaron.
3. The people blamed Moses and said, “We wish we had died in the LORD’s presence with our brothers!
4. Did you bring the LORD’s people into this wilderness to die, along with all our livestock?
5. Why did you make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this terrible place? This land has no grain, figs, grapes, or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”
6. Moses and Aaron turned away from the people and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face down on the ground. Then the glorious presence of the LORD appeared to them,
7. and the LORD said to Moses,
8. “You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, command the rock over there to pour out its water. You will get enough water from the rock to satisfy all the people and their livestock.”
9. So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the LORD.
Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. “Listen, you rebels!” he shouted. “Must we bring you water from this rock?”
10. Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So all the people and their livestock drank their fill.

John 3:14
14. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so I, the Son of Man, must be lifted up on a pole
15. so that everyone who believes in me will have eternal life.

Numbers 24:17 (New Living Translation)
17. I see him, but not in the present time. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel. It will crush the foreheads of Moab’s people, cracking the skulls of the people of Sheth.

1 Corinthians 15:24 (New Living Translation)
24. After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having put down all enemies of every kind.
25. For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet
26. And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.
27. For the Scriptures say, “God has given him authority over all things.” (Of course, when it says “authority over all things,” it does not include God himself, who gave Christ his authority.)
28. Then, when he has conquered all things, the Son will present himself to God, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.

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Filed under: jesus, message, numbers, preaching, rock, sermon

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Bountiful Blessings World Fellowship on Facebook and Twitter

Stay connected to Bountiful Blessings World Fellowship on social networking and social media sites.

FACEBOOK GROUP
Join our Facebook group Supporters of Bountiful Blessings World Fellowship by clicking here

FACEBOOK PAGE
Become a fan on our Facebook page Bountiful Blessings World Fellowship by clicking here

TWITTER
Our Twitter profile @bbwf by following this link:
http://twitter.com/bbwf

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Jesus in Every Book in the Bible, Part IX - Dr. Stephen W. Christian

Dr. Stephen W. Christian, Senior Pastor and Bishop, shares the the ninth installment of the message, “Jesus in Every Book of the Bible” on Sunday, March 15, 2009.

John 5:39 (New Living Translation)
You search the Scriptures because you believe they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!

Luke 24:44 (New Living Translation)
Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me by Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must all come true.”

Many the things that we see in the Old Testament are shadows of Jesus Christ cast by the Light of God. The sacrifices of the OT are not the real sacrifices but they all point to Jesus, who is the central figure of the Bible. In the book of Leviticus, we see several types and shadows. Jesus is typified by the offerings, their sacrifices and in the duties of the high prieist

In Leviticus 16, we see Jesus typified in the scape goat, also a shadow of Jesus Christ. In verses 7-10:
7. Then he must bring the two male goats and present them to the LORD at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
8. He is to cast sacred lots to determine which goat will be sacrificed to the LORD and which one will be the scapegoat.
9. The goat chosen to be sacrificed to the LORD will be presented by Aaron as a sin offering.
10. The goat chosen to be the scapegoat will be presented to the LORD alive. When it is sent away into the wilderness, it will make atonement for the people.

This a picture of the lord Jesus Christ. Which goat? Both! The sacrifice who died for our sins and the scape goat set free to take away the sins of the people.

Jesus is also typified in the Jewish Feasts, these feasts of the Lord are shadows of Jesus Christ.

Leviticus 23:1-4 (New Living Translation)
1. The LORD said to Moses,
2. “Give the Israelites instructions regarding the LORD’s appointed festivals, the days when all of you will be summoned to worship me.
3. You may work for six days each week, but on the seventh day all work must come to a complete stop. It is the LORD’s Sabbath day of complete rest, a holy day to assemble for worship. It must be observed wherever you live
4. In addition to the Sabbath, the LORD has established festivals, the holy occasions to be observed at the proper time each year.

The seven Jewish Feasts
These first four feasts have been fulfilled by Jesus and occur in the Spring.

• Passover
• Unleavened Bread
• First Fruits
• Pentecost (or Weeks)

These remaining three feasts occur during 15 day period in the Fall. These have not been fulfilled by Jesus

• Trumpets
• The Day of Atonement
• Tabernacle

The blessed hope of evey believer is that these three fall feasts will be fulfilled literally by Jesus Christ. The first four were fulfilled on the exact day that the Jews observed these feasts. For instance on the day that the Jews observed the passover was the day that Jesus was crucified. The Passover represents the day that the death angel killed all of the first born of the houses that did not have the blood of the lamb on their door posts. The children of Israel followed this command of God and their first born where passed over by the death angel. God commanded the children of Israel to make this a perpetual holy day.

The first four feasts were accomplished at the first coming of Jesus, the second three feasts will be accomplished at His second coming.

1 Peter 1:18 (New Living Translation)
18. For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver.
19. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread represents Jesus Christ removing the leaven (sin) from our lump. Unleavened bread represents the sinless and pure life that can only be accomplished in Christ.

The Feast of First Fruits
Points to the Messiah’s resurrection
1 Corinthians 15:20-23 (New Living Translation)
20. But the fact is that Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again.
21. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, Adam, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man, Christ
22. Everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam, the first man. But all who are related to Christ, the other man, will be given new life.
23. But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised first; then when Christ comes back, all his people will be raised.

The Feast of Weeks (Pentecost)
Occurs 50 days after unleavened bread, represents the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the birth of the Church.

Acts 2:1-2,4,41 (New Living Translation)
1. On the day of Pentecost, seven weeks after Jesus’ resurrection, the believers were meeting together in one place.
2. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them, and it filled the house where they were meeting.
4. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
41. Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church—about three thousand in all.

The Feast of Trumpets
Announces the return of Jesus Christ and was signaled by the blowing of the Shofar. It is a call to repentance and a gather of the elect. For the Jews it was a preparing for the National Day of Atonement

Matthew 24:30 (New Living Translation)
30. And then at last, the sign of the coming of the Son of Man will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the nations of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man arrive on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

The Day of Atonement (Yum Kippur)
For us, it is speaking of Jesus’ coming and is the final judgment day. It is a reference to Christ as a judge and his atonement.

1 Timothy 4:1 (New Living Translation)
1. And so I solemnly urge you before God and before Christ Jesus—who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom:

1 John 2:2 (New Living Translation)
2. He is the sacrifice for our sins. He takes away not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

The Feast of Tabernacles
It is the harvest celebration in the wilderness
For us, it represents the millennial kingdom and our eternity with God

Rev 21:3-4 (New Living Translation)
I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, the home of God is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.
4. He will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever.”

Should Christians celebrate these feasts? New Testament Christians are not required to celebrate these feast but have the liberty to celebrate them if they so choose.

Romans 10:4 (New Living Translation)
4. For Christ has accomplished the whole purpose of the law. All who believe in him are made right with God.

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Jesus in Every Book of the Bible, Part VIII - Dr. Stephen W. Christian

Dr. Stephen W. Christian, Senior Pastor and Bishop, shares the the eighth installment of the message, “Jesus in Every Book of the Bible” on Sunday, March 8, 2009.

John 5:39 (New Living Translation)
You search the Scriptures because you believe they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!

Exodus 25:8-9 (New Living Translation)
I want the people of Israel to build me a sacred residence where I can live among them. You must make this Tabernacle and its furnishings exactly according to the plans I will show you.

In this place of worship called the Tabernacle, Jesus Christ is on display. Every article, every part of the Tabernacle represents Jesus Christ. The furniture and the tabernacle itself was a replica of what already was done in Heaven.

The brazen altar shows us the Lamb of God and the power of His blood. We see the picture of the cross of Christ. The priest would sacrifice innocent animals in the place of sinful men. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. The innocent animal points to the real sacrifice for sin. Jesus Christ. Many animals were sacrificed on altars in anticipation that Jesus Christ would die for our sins.

1 Peter 3:18 (New Living Translation)
Christ also suffered when he died for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners that he might bring us safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.

Through the brass laver we see the Word of God and the power of His word.

Justification and Sanctification:

Justification means to be made right in the sight of God. Through the sacrifice we are made just by the sight of God. The just have to live by faith because the animals blood does not really take away sin, it’s a picture of the act of Faith to believe in the real Lamb of God who would take away our sins. Justification means that we are made right in the sight of God ONCE FOR ALL TIME. I never need to feel guilty about what I’ve done, what I’m struggling with, whether or not I will sin again. Jesus Christ died for all of my sins — past, present, and future.

Sanctification means to be set apart from the world. We are the church the Greek word is “Ecclesia” – the set aside ones. We are set aside for the glory, purpose, and plan of God. Sanctification means that I am set apart, am being set apart, and will be ultimately set apart from sin. We are set apart from the world. We cannot ignorantly sin the old song “We are the World” because we are not a part of the word in that sense. We are in the world but we are no longer of the world.

We still have the ability to do any kind of evil. We are not too good to do any evil deed. We cannot say “some stuff I just would never do.” It is only because God keeps us from doing whatever it is we could do. It could have been you, but God kept you.

When we hear about others who have been exposed, it’s not because we are so perfect, it is because of God’s mercy that we have been kept. We have no place to talk about others in the faith or outside of the faith who are exposed for their human frailties.

Sanctification also means that we are “growing out of sin and more fully into Christ.” As a believer, their should be a certain sin that we are growing out of because of sanctification. For instance, lust is not a demon, it’s a human characteristic that needs to be brought under control. It’s an attitude that needs to be controlled by the Word of God.

John 17:17 (New Living Translation)
Make them pure and holy by teaching them your words of truth.

Revelation 3:20 (New Living Translation)
Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends.

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The Need for Nourishment - Dr. Stephen W. Christian

During the Holy Communion service, Dr. Stephen W. Christian, Senior Pastor and Bishop, shares the message, “The Need for Nourishment” on Sunday, March 1, 2009.

As we partake of the Lord’s Supper, it is recognizing the Body of Christ; it is honoring the body of Christ. The Bible says that it was His body and His blood that was given for us. Let me remind you that His body was sufficient and His blood was sufficient. It satisfied God’s anger. It satisfied God’s righteous anger against sin. If you have an opportunity to look in the book of Romans, it will spell out to us that God displayed His wrath against mankind in that all men had sinned. And it points out the various sins that we have committed and I assure you that nobody is left out.

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Photography credits for PastorBuhro

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Jesus in Every Book of the Bible, Part VII - Dr. Stephen W. Christian

Dr. Stephen W. Christian, Senior Pastor and Bishop, shares the seventh installment of the message, “Jesus in Every Book of the Bible” on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

The Bible is all about Jesus. He is picture or prophesied about in each of the 66 books as well as in countless types in the lives of different characters in the Bible.

The Tabernacle is a picture, a shadow, a type of Jesus Christ. Not only is the Tabernacle a representative of Christ but so is the High Priest. They are only previews of the real coming attraction

Hebrews 8:1 (New Living Translation)
1. Here is the main point: Our High Priest sat down in the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand.
2. There he ministers in the sacred tent, the true place of worship that was built by the Lord and not by human hands.
3. And since every high priest is required to offer gifts and sacrifices, our High Priest must make an offering, too.
4. If he were here on earth, he would not even be a priest, since there already are priests who offer the gifts required by the law of Moses.
5. They serve in a place of worship that is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven. For when Moses was getting ready to build the Tabernacle, God gave him this warning: “Be sure that you make everything according to the design I have shown you here on the mountain.”
6. But our High Priest has been given a ministry that is far superior to the ministry of those who serve under the old laws, for he is the one who guarantees for us a better covenant with God, based on better promises.
7. If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it.
8. But God himself found fault with the old one when he said: “The day will come, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah.
9. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt. They did not remain faithful to my covenant, so I turned my back on them, says the Lord.
10. But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds so they will understand them, and I will write them on their hearts so they will obey them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
11. And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their family, saying, `You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will already know me.
12. And I will forgive their wrongdoings, and I will never again remember their sins.”
13. When God speaks of a new covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and ready to be put aside.

The first covenant is replaced by the second covenant. We are not trying to “keep the whole Bible.” A part of the “whole Bible” is the old covenant which is a picture a shadow, a type of the new covenant. Jesus Christ came to fulfill the old covenant, by living it to perfection so that we can put our faith in Him.
Everything that God wants me to keep in the old covenant, God reaffirms it under the new covenant. For instance, a lie under the old covenant is still a lie under the new covenant. If He wants me to go by it, He’ll say it again.

God found fault in the old covenant because it could only tell me what I did wrong and had no help for me to do what is right.

We don’t want the type of covenant (v .9) where God turns His back on us for not keeping it.

To tabernacle means “to dwell among, to pitch a tent.” The tabernacle dealt with the sin that made man unfit to dwell in the presence of God. It was a symbol of the Lord Jesus Christ. Every piece of the furniture of the tabernacle in some way points to Jesus Christ.

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God's Riches At Christ's Expense (GRACE) - Dr. Stephen W. Christian

Dr. Stephen W. Christian, Senior Pastor and Bishop, interrupts the series “Jesus in Every Book of the Bible” after hearing the powerful near-death experience testimony from one of the congregants on Sunday, February 15, 2009. Umeeka Moore’s testimony represents G.R.A.C.E. an acronym for “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.”

Father Abraham told the rich man who found himself in torment that there is a great gulf that separates the people in paradise at rest from those in torment. Just thinking about how there seems to be a place like that on Earth where people live under the law. They are under that cloud, the tormenting place called “living by the law.” There’s also another place over here where those of us who understand it are at rest because of grace. Even if I could go back, I’d never go back. I’ve come too far to turn around. There’s no way I’m going back under the law and be in torment when I can stay over here and live in His grace. You can’t make me go back.

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Jesus in Every Book of the Bible, Part V - Dr. Stephen W. Christian

Dr. Stephen W. Christian, Senior Pastor and Bishop, shares the fifth installment of the message, “Jesus in Every Book of the Bible” on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

The Bible is all about Jesus. He is picture or prophesied about in each of the 66 books as well as in countless types in the lives of different characters in the Bible.

Many times we get caught up in the peripheral issues of the Bible. We get caught up in baptisms and tongues, various doctrines . We lose friendships, we separate churches and we find ourselves at odds with people because of the peripheral issues of the Bible. Jesus Christ and what He has done for us is the main theme – the primary theme of the Bible.

John 5:39 (New Living Translation)
You search the Scriptures because you believe they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!

Luke 24:44-45 (New Living Translation)
44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me by Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must all come true.”
45 Then he opened their minds to understand these many Scriptures.

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Jesus in Every Book of the Bible, Part IV - Dr. Stephen W. Christian

Dr. Stephen W. Christian, Senior Pastor and Bishop, shares the fourth installment of the message, “Jesus in Every Book of the Bible” on Sunday, February 1, 2009.

The Bible is all about Jesus. He is picture or prophesied about in each of the 66 books as well as in countless types in the lives of different characters in the Bible.

Many times we get caught up in the peripheral issues of the Bible. We get caught up in baptisms and tongues, various doctrines . We lose friendships, we separate churches and we find ourselves at odds with people because of the peripheral issues of the Bible. Jesus Christ and what He has done for us is the main theme – the primary theme of the Bible.

John 5:39 (New Living Translation)
You search the Scriptures because you believe they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!

Luke 24:44-45 (New Living Translation)
44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me by Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must all come true.”
45 Then he opened their minds to understand these many Scriptures.

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Jesus in Every Book of the Bible, Part III - Dr. Stephen W. Christian

Dr. Stephen W. Christian, Senior Pastor and Bishop, shares the third installment of the message, “Jesus in Every Book of the Bible” on Sunday, January 25, 2009.

The Bible is all about Jesus. He is picture or prophesied about in each of the 66 books as well as in countless types in the lives of different characters in the Bible.

Many times we get caught up in the peripheral issues of the Bible. We get caught up in baptisms and tongues, various doctrines . We lose friendships, we separate churches and we find ourselves at odds with people because of the peripheral issues of the Bible. Jesus Christ and what He has done for us is the main theme – the primary theme of the Bible.

John 5:39 (New Living Translation)
You search the Scriptures because you believe they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!

Luke 24:44-45 (New Living Translation)
44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me by Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must all come true.”
45 Then he opened their minds to understand these many Scriptures.

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Jesus in Every Book of the Bible, Part II - Dr. Stephen W. Christian

Dr. Stephen W. Christian, Senior Pastor and Bishop, shares the second installment of the message, “Jesus in Every Book of the Bible” on Sunday, January 18, 2009.

The Bible is all about Jesus. He is picture or prophesied about in each of the 66 books as well as in countless types in the lives of different characters in the Bible.

Many times we get caught up in the peripheral issues of the Bible. We get caught up in baptisms and tongues, various doctrines . We lose friendships, we separate churches and we find ourselves at odds with people because of the peripheral issues of the Bible. Jesus Christ and what He has done for us is the main theme – the primary theme of the Bible.

John 5:39 (New Living Translation)
You search the Scriptures because you believe they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!

Luke 24:44-45 (New Living Translation)
44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me by Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must all come true.”
45 Then he opened their minds to understand these many Scriptures.

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Jesus in Every Book of the Bible, Part I - Dr. Stephen W. Christian

Dr. Stephen W. Christian, Senior Pastor and Bishop, shares the first installment of the message, “Jesus in Every Book of the Bible” on Sunday, January 11, 2009.

There is really one major priority doctrine in scripture and that is the message of Jesus Christ. Because of that we explain that Jesus can be found in all of the books of the bible. In this series, we will explore Jesus in all 66 books of the bible.

John 5:39 (New Living Translation)
You search the Scriptures because you believe they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!

Luke 24:44-45 (New Living Translation)
44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me by Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must all come true.”
45 Then he opened their minds to understand these many Scriptures.

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