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Author: Anthony Smith Article source: http://www.sermoncentral.com/. Used with author's permission.
God is the God of the Living and not the God of the Dead.
Speaking of Christ return and reign on this earth is sometimes difficult to get thru to people. Many want to denigh that the end is close, many want to denigh that God will destroy what He has created and many still yet want to denigh God all together. City after city from the east to west from north to south has had some kind of destruction based on the revelations of Jesus Christ. For He said when you see these things come to pass know that the end is near, even at the door.
Luke 9:59-60; And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
As the morality of mankind becomes farther from the Word of God, its hard to find the living among the dead, spiritually speaking. Are there times that we must walk away from people or even city's that refuse to hear the truth of the Scriptures? Yes. Jesus gave us examples of everything that we, as ambasitors, would encounter.
"Let the dead bury their dead:" Even as New Orleans was reeling from death and destruction, many yet in that city were trying to open up their bars and clubs, homosexuals were dancing in the streets hafe naked and stating that,"Life goes on" Sodom and Gomorrha will rise up to testify against such people. The govermential system has become corrupt, legislators are willing to denigh Gods word and pass laws, legislating sin and debotchery and all manner of filth, we cant even trust what our government says any more. Here are some headlines that I thought were interesting.
1. As in Massachusetts, civil unions in Vermont were granted through court rulings.
2. Assembly-man had called bans on gay marriage "the last frontier of bigotry and discrimination."
3. "Yet, the truth is that nudity in the home, when handled in a respectful, matter-of-fact way, is perfectly natural and certainly not harmful." In fact, research suggests that children who have seen their parents nude do not grow up to be emotionally scarred, but instead are more likely to be accepting of their own bodies and comfortable with their own sexuality.
4. Officials braced Thursday for what could be a staggering death toll by readying 25,000 body bags.
5. U.N. corruption cited in Iraq Oil for Food Program.
6. Burma Military Closes Down Evangelical Church, Group Says
7. Eritrea Police Raid Christian Wedding Party Detaining Couple and Guests
8. Uzbekistan Destroys Christian Leaflets for Children.
9. Christian Activists Killed In Philippines
10. Palestinians poison girl for dating Christian, then burn out his relatives
11. Indonesia Christian Women Receive Jail Sentence For Converting Muslim Children.
Luke 10:11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
The Kingdom of God is closer each day to becoming a reality. Man-kinds in-humanity to man will be judged, mans rejection of the truth will be judged, mans whoredoms will be judged. Mar 6:11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. [Mat_12:36; Rom_2:5, Rom_2:16; 2Pe_2:9, 2Pe_3:7; 1Jo_4:17]
We must learn how to find the Living Among The Dead. We grieve over the loss of loved ones but this is not what we are speaking of. We must remember that we cant turn back the pages of time and change what has happened in the past. We are looking at today and tomorrow, if Jesus hasn't returned. Finding the living{Those that are willing to hear the truth} from among those that are dead{those that refuse to hear the truth.} And what is the truth? The truth is that this world will not last much longer. The mortality of man is getting shorter and shorter. Many are dieing today of heart attacks, as the scripture predicted.
Rom 1:28-32; And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;[(Barnes)Rom 1:28 - And even as they did not like ... - This was the true source of their crimes. They did not choose to acknowledge God. It was not because they could not, but because they were displeased with God, and chose to forsake him, and follow their own passions and lusts.
To retain God ... - To think of him, or to serve and adore him. This was the first step in their sin. It was not that God compelled them; or that he did not give them knowledge; nor even is it said that he arbitrarily abandoned them as the first step; but they forsook him, and as a consequence he gave them up to a reprobate mind.
To a reprobate mind - A mind destitute of judgment. In the Greek the same word is used here, which, in another form, occurs in the previous part of the verse, and which is translated "like." The apostle meant doubtless to retain a reference to that in this place. "As they did not approve, edokimasan, or choose to retain God, etc. he gave them up to a mind disapproved, rejected, reprobate," adokimon, and he means that the state of their minds was such that God could not approve it.
It does not mean that they were reprobate by any arbitrary decree; but that as a consequence of their headstrong passions, their determination to forget him, he left them to a state of mind which was evil, and which he could not approve. Which are not convenient - Which are not fit or proper; which are disgraceful and shameful.]
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
The dead that we speak of are those that use the scripture for their own lust and gain, those that use tragedy to gain unlawfully and those that are without understanding of human needs and desires to build a better life for themselves and their familys thru Jesus Christ. Many are seeking the truth, many are seeking their way in this world of dispare and destruction. All mankind has a knowledge of God, there is no excuse, but the dead are deigning their knowledge, not retaining what they know is right and have turned themselves into the walking dead of spirit and do the best they can to turn others away from the knowledge that they've rejected, of these people we can do nothing.
So we seek the living among the dead. Seeking those that are searching for truth, searching for answers. Many are falling away because of difficulties in their Christian walk, but Jesus never stated that it would be an easy life. Many of the good things in life are difficult to obtain and to hold on to. The same way with being a Christian. We are hated and despised by many, especially in these last day.
Christians are being tormented and beaten for their belief in Christ. Persecution and hatred are abounding around the world over Christianity. Jesus said unto him, "Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God." You have a testimony to deliver, deliver it, you have a ministry to perform, perform it, you have a life to live for Christ, live it.
Don't worry about what people think, don't worry about what people do, don't worry about your physical life, go and preach the Gospel. So ; Let the dead bury their dead, go and Find The Living Among The Dead. Temple of Spirit & Truth Ministries
A.R.Smith Sermons International
http://www.ourchurch.com/member/a/arsmithsermons/
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