Behold The Man

 Temple Baptist Church - 10-30-2024

John 19:1-15

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  Tonight, we will see the “compromise” that Pontius Pilate offered and the Jews rejection of such. 

 

1.  Pontius had Jesus scourged so as to please Tiberius Caesar because with the accusation of sedition or insurrection, Tiberius would demand that judgement and punishment be implemented.

 

2.  Pontius brought the battered Christ and presented Him to the Jews a second time probably thinking that, in Jesus’ physical condition, the Jews would choose to let Him go because no one would follow a man beaten like as He was and, would at the same time not allow such a wicked man as Barrabas go free in society.

 

3.  Pontius was confounded when the crowd continued to cry “Crucify Him, crucify Him.”

 

B.  I want to take a look at the words of Pilate when he presented Christ to the crowd.  “Behold the man!”

 

1.  Behold – in the Bible, used as an interjection to show surprise!  To see something or someone that is beyond or out of the ordinary.  Used 1326 times in the King James Bible. 

 

2.  Two things need to be addressed at this point: a)  What they Beheld and b) What they failed to Behold.

 

1.  First, what did the crowd Behold?

 

a.  I have no doubt that the crowd was repulsed at what they beheld.  Hollywood always tries to portray Christ in an unbiblical manner.  The movie “The Passion” was the world’s view of the death of Christ.  I have not seen the movie, nor will I watch it, but I have seen the Trailer to the movie and Christ is shown wearing a crown of thorns with a little blood running down from its piercings. 

 

b.  To show mankind what these Jews saw would be so repulsive that few if any would pay to see it as it would be shocking and repulsive to them.

 

c.  The Jews saw a man whose face and body were more marred than any man they had ever seen! 

 

Isaiah 52:14  As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

 

Hebrews 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

 

 

1)  The Scourge, also called the Roman Flagrum or Flagellum was a short whip made with thongs of leather with balls, bits of bone, metal (normally zinc and iron), alo,ng with metal balls imbedded into the leather.  This instrument was used to inflict great bodily damage by removing the outward skin and much of the muscle which produced great blood loss.

 

2)  The soldiers placed a crown of thorns upon the head of Christ and mocked Him by saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Then Christ was beaten beyond recognition by the soldiers. 

 

3)  They saw a man battered and torn – John 19:1

 

Hebrews 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

 

Isaiah 52:14  As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

 

4)  They saw a man mocked and derided – John 19:2-3

 

Psalms 35:15-16  But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:  With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

 

Galatians 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

 

d.  They saw a man rejected by the multitudes Who would virtually die alone – John 18:39-40

 

John 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

 

Isaiah 53:3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

 

e.  They saw a man whom they condemned to death – John 19:6-7

 

Philippians 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

 

Hebrews 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 

1 Peter 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

 

2.  What did the crowd not Behold!

 

a.  They never saw the fulfilment of prophecy.  The Seed of the Woman, Israel’s Messiah.

 

b.  They never saw the virgin born Son of God.  Jehovah God, the Great I AM, made flesh, dwelling among them.

 

c.  They never saw the Lamb of God, ready to be offered for the sin of the world.

 

d.  They never saw their sin and need of a Saviour! The Saviour of the World.

 

“Behold the man!”

The Ingredients For A Happy Life

Temple Baptist Church - 10-27-2024

Psalm 23:1-3

 

Introduction:

 

A.  I preached last week on “The Secret Of A Happy Life.”

 

B.  Tonight, I want to look at the “ingredients” of a happy life.  What does happiness in this world for the believer mean?  First of all, I deem it important to explain what some wrong ingredients are.

 

1.  Prosperity is the wrong ingredient!  I thank the Lord for money! 

 

a)  That may seem to be a contradictory statement in light of “the love of money is the root of all evil,” but I thank the Lord that He has met my needs over the years.  While the love of money is the root of all evil, money is not evil in itself.  Money is amoral.  It has no morality as it has no life or capability to do wrong.  It is a tool to be used for the betterment of our lives. 

 

Matthew 6:31-34  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (32)  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  (33)  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  (34)  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

 

b)  I was not born rich and have not made a fortune in my lifetime.  My wife and I tithe and give to missions, pay our bills, buy our food, purchase the necessities, go out to eat on occasion, and actually have a few dollars in our pockets.  Money cannot purchase a happy life.  It may purchase momentary happiness, but the happiness is gone as quickly as the money is.

 

2.  Property is the wrong ingredient!  Isn’t it nice to have things?  Once again, this is not a contradictory statement.  We have certainly been blessed with more than we need.  I have nothing to complain about.  What Barbara and I have is fine and we are perfectly contented.  But property will not bring about happiness in life in itself.

 

3.  Position is the wrong ingredient!  It is nice to also advance in the job place, but you can be the CEO of the largest corporation in America and be miserable.  When you just “punch a clock,” you can clock out and leave the work behind.  The sleep of a hardworking man or woman is sweet.  The CEO often brings his job home because he has more to worry about than just self.

 

C.  Enough said on that subject but we need to know that happiness is not found in things.  The ingredients to happiness for you and I are found in these verses that we read.

 

1.  Happiness is found in Salvation – verse 1  I dwell on this point because, if you miss salvation, you will not only miss heaven, but you will also miss the best life available.  I will not spend time on this point because we looked at salvation in the first 5 words of the Psalm, but I will say, “If you are not saved and right with the Lord, you will never be happy in this world or the world to come!

 

1.  We saw that a happy life for the child of God comes only through personally know the Lord Jesus Christ and also getting to know Him in the word “Shepherd.”  If you can live a happy life outside of Christ, you may not be one of His sheep!  When we, as His sheep, find fulfillment outside of Christ, we are convicted, chastised, or both.

 

2.  How many of you know for sure what tomorrow holds for you?  How many of you know where you will be next week, next month, next year?  How many of you know what you will need physically, monetarily, and spiritually in these days to come?  The answer to all these questions is obvious: neither you nor me.

 

3.  You can trust the unknown which cannot be trusted, or you can trust the Lord who knows all things and owns all things.  I take the latter!

 

Matthew 6:25-26  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?  (26)  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

 

2 Peter 1:3  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

 

2.  Happiness is found in Contentment – vs. 1-2  “I shall not want.”  You can be saved, have all that the Lord provides for you, and not be happy if you are not content. 

 

Hebrews 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

 

a.  “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.”  1 Timothy 6:6-8  But godliness with contentment is great gain.  (7)  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  (8)  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.  (Contentment with your things!  If what you have is neither enough nor is it good enough, you will always be seeking either more or difference.)

 

b.  “He leadeth me beside the still waters.”  Philippians 4:11  Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.  (Contentment with your circumstances!  I have often said that life is hard and often unfair but that is just life.  Like it or not, you will have troubled times as well as good times; you will have poverty as well as prosperity; you will be hated as well as loved; you will be sick as well as healthy; you will weep as you will laugh; that is called life.)

 

c.  You and I will never be happy in this life until we find contentment with what we have, who we are, and where we are!  The Lord feeds us and He leads us.  Both provision and providence are in His hands.

 

3.  Happiness is found in Restoration – vs. 3 

 

a.  There may be times when we, as God’s children, begin to stray.  Happiness is not found in the life of straying but thank the Lord that happiness is found in the act of restoration!  He restoreth my soul. 

 

b.  I can repent, get right with God, but then it takes an act of God to restore my soul with the “balm of Gilead” that only the Lord can supply and apply.

 

1 Peter 2:25  For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 

 

Psalms 51:7-10  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  (8)  Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.  (9)  Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.  (10)  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

 

4.  Happiness is found in Righteousness – vs. 3  “paths of righteousness”

 

a.  Paths of Righteousness are for our sake.  1 Timothy 6:6  Godliness with contentment is great gain. 

 

Peaceful lives are found in godliness, not sinfulness.  Sin will cause the child of God to have a life of turmoil and tragedy!  The wages of sin have never changed: death!  A clear conscience makes for a soft pillow.  We will never be happy while walking at a guilty distance from the Lord.

 

1 Timothy 2:1-2  I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;  (2)  For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 

 

b.  Paths of Righteousness are for His name’s sake. 

 

Our lives, as Christians, are to glorify the Lord in this present, evil world and to make a good difference.  We are the only Bible that the world will read, and our “epistles” will either lead them to Christ or drive them away.  Our life is to reflect the Lord’s leadership, provision, protection, and our satisfaction.

 

I often say at funerals, “We are not glad that they died.  We are glad that they lived.”

 

Proverbs 22:1  A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold. 

 

1 Corinthians 10:31  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

 

Conclusion:  I will sum this all up in one statement: Happiness is the Lord!

One Leaving, One Standing, One Returning - Part 3 - Luke

Temple Baptist Church - 10-27-2024

2 Timothy 4:6-11

 

Introduction:

A.  In Paul’s last epistle, he sets forth his:

 

1.  Paul’s Life’s Work – Vs. 6-7  He faithfully finished the work that God called him to do.  Paul served God in spite of fault and failure as long as he lived.  Certainly his life was “Christ.” 

 

2.  Paul’s Earnestly Contending – Vs. 7  He fought a good fight … kept the faith.  Paul remained fixed in the Old Paths of the scripture while “earnestly contending” for the faith once delivered. 

 

3.  Paul’s Eternal Reward – Vs. 8  Paul rested in the faithfulness of the Lord as he set forth in his epistles to the Hebrews. 

 

4.  Paul’s Companions – Vs. 10-11  Paul had several close friends and companions in labor during his ministry:  Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius, Tychicus, Trophimus, Demas, and Luke.  God always had someone there for the great apostle!

 

B.  Now, in the end of his life, Paul mentions several men and their affect upon his life and ministry.

 

1.  One Leaving: Last week, we saw Demas, who forsook him “having loved this present world.  I may deal with him in more detail later.

 

2.  One Standing: This morning, we will see Luke, who stood by the Apostle Paul “thought thick and thin.”  He continued with Paul alone.  I remember the words to the song “I Have Decided To Follow Jesus.”  The words “though none go with me, still I will follow” echo throughout the portals of time.

 

C.  The biblical importance of companionship is found in Ecclesiastes, chapter 4.

 

Ecclesiastes 4:8-12  There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.  (9)  Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.  (10)  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.  (11)  Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?  (12)  And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

 

D.  In the last days of Paul’s life, he spent much time virtually alone when he needed companionship the most.  Thus, Luke was a very special man! 

 

1.  Not much is said about Luke, but he was a godly physician, a faithful servant of the Lord, and a special friend to the Apostle Paul.  The last verse that mentions Luke was verse 10, “Only Luke is with me!”  What phrase; what a wonderful testimony of the love and faithfulness of this man.

 

a)  Though little is said about Luke (he is only mentioned three times in the Bible (Colossians 14, 2 Timothy 4, and Philemon), much is known about him.  Dr. Luke was a “background man” who loved the Lord, the Apostle Paul, and was a stalwart of the faith, an example of courage, consistency, and courage!

 

b)  We know that Luke was a beloved man to Paul and all who knew him.  Colossians 4:14  Luke, the beloved …

 

c)  We know that Luke was a physician, highly educated.  We also know that Luke was a well-educated man because he was a physician or doctor in our day.  Though most of the men that God used were ignorant and unlearned, both Paul and Luke were highly educated.

 

Colossians 4:14  Luke, the beloved physician …

 

d)  Many speculate that Paul’s health toward the end of his life required an attending physician to travel with him.  This could be true because the power to heal, raise the dead, etc. was rapidly passing away as they were apostolic in nature and, therefore, temporary gifts.

 

2 Timothy 4:20  Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.

 

e.    Luke was a faithful man.  Paul could always depend upon his beloved physician to be there with and for him.  2 Timothy 4:11  Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

 

f)  Luke was a fellowlabourer, co-labourer with Paul and Christ.  Philemon 24  Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.

 

g)  Luke was an honored man.  He would later write two great books of the New Testament: the Book of Luke and the Book of Acts.  Luke was the only gentile to so write.  In both books, Luke never mentions himself.

 

2.  What a comfort and encouragement Luke must have been to Paul!  You love and be there for God’s man and your reward will be great, I promise you.  I learned long ago to love what God loves!

 

E.  “Only Luke is with men” was a short phrase but a telling one.

 

1.  Luke Was A Friend When Paul Needed One!  God’s men need friends!  I know that Paul was a man of great spiritual and emotional strength, but Luke was a comfort to him.  Sometimes people do not want to be around the man of God because of the reproach of Christ.

 

a.  Standing On The Scripture Brings Reproach.

 

b.  Standing For Separation Brings reproach.

 

c.  Standing Against Sin Brings Reproach.

 

2.  Luke Was A Help When Paul Needed Help The Most.  God’s men often need help!  There is so much that needs to be done, both in the physical and spiritual realms, and God’s men cannot and should not have to do it all.  Thank the Lord that Moses had Aaron and Hur to hold up his hands while Joshua led the army of Israel to victory.

 

Acts 6:4  But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

 

a.  There are too many “good things” that need to be done that keep God’s men from doing the more needful things.  Philippians 1:24-25  Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.  (25)  And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;

 

b.  God’s Men Are Human.  There is a limit to what they can and should do.  Someone once said, “I had rather burn out than rust out.”  My answer would be, “You are OUT either way!”

 

3.  Luke Was An Arm To Lean On When Paul Was In Trouble.  Paul spent most of his saved life in trouble.  When God’s men stand right, their popularity wanes quickly.  The bible says to beware when all men speak well of you because you have probably compromised in some areas.

 

a.  A Friend Loveth At All Time.  Luke was never a source of division.  He saw Paul at his best and also at his worst.  He never judged God’s man for being a man and a fellow human being.  So many times, friends will leave at the first sign of fault or failure.  Luke just loved Paul at all times.

 

b.  A Friend Sticketh Closer Than A Brother.  Luke was a “companion” to Paul.  Through “thick and thin,” Luke was always there.  What Paul suffered, Luke suffered, where Paul went, Luke went.

 

4.  Luke Was A Comfort When Paul Sorrowed.  The life of God’s man is one that is acquainted with grief.  That was the one of the descriptions given to our Lord in Isaiah 53.  As the “under shepherd,” God’s man follows in the path of the Great Shepherd.

 

Acts 20:19  Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:

 

a.  I have often said that the ministry is a bitter-sweet one.  Good times come and go.  Friends come and go.  God’s men sorrow often as they see the affect of Satan and the world on the ones that they loved and labored with.  My prayer list has many names on it of men who once served in the pulpits of local churches and on mission fields.  Now, they are through though the works needs to go on.

 

b.  Situations cause sorrow.  God men are not exempt when it comes to life’s hardships.  They suffer the same as all others.  Sometimes, they need a shoulder to lean on too.

 

2 Corinthians 1:8  For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:

 

2 Corinthians 2:4  For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.

         

5.  Luke Was Faithful To Paul When All Else Forsook Him. 

 

a.  Luke Was There When The End Was Near - 2 Timothy 4:11. 

 

b.  What a great testimony to the faithfulness of a godly servant of the Lord! 

 

c.  I look forward to meeting such a man one day whose name was Luke.

 

Conclusion:  “Only Luke, the beloved physician, is with me!”