Armstrong Baptist Church

05/03/2022

How Old Is Christianity?

The answer to this question is not as simple as you might think. It is true that Jesus of Nazareth, who was called the Christ, was born a little over 2000 years ago. He died and rose from the dead slightly less than 2000 years ago. The facts of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are some of the best-documented facts of history. So, you might think that Christianity is around 2000 years old since Jesus Christ is what Christianity is all about.

But then there is the truth that Jesus is the Messiah promised in Judaism. In fact, “Christ” means the anointed one in Greek, the same as “Messiah” does in Hebrew. So, all the Old Testament prophecies and promises of the Messiah were looking forward to the coming of Jesus. Jesus was, and is, the hope of Israel, the same as He is for all the Gentiles. The Law of Moses was given in approximately 1446 B.C., so now we are talking about 3500 years as an age for Christianity.

Of course, if we look back at Abraham, when the LORD spared Isaac on the altar to fulfill his word that “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering,” that “lamb” turned out to be Jesus. At the same time, the LORD promised Abraham that in your “seed” all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. The single “seed” that would make this possible is, again, Jesus. Now we are out to about 4000 years for the age of Christianity.

But what of the beginning? Genesis 1:1 says that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. John 1:2, among other places, makes it very clear that Jesus was the Creator, stating: “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” Since Jesus created all things, Christianity is at least as old as creation which is meticulously documented in the Bible to be about 6000 years ago.

One more problem. A mind-blowing problem. Ephesians 1:4 says that God the Father “chose us (Christians) in Him (Jesus) before the foundation of the world.” Sometime in eternity past. which we know not when, if there even was a “when” in eternity, God determined that Jesus would die for our sins to reconcile us to Himself. Before time was a thing, back before the beginning when the “Word,” who was born as Jesus, “was God and was with God” John 1:1, Christianity came into being.

How old is Christianity? We have absolutely no idea. We just know that “ancient” is a woefully inadequate word to describe that age.

04/26/2022

The Joy of Suffering Shame for the Name

The mighty power of God was shaking Jerusalem. Liars were dropping dead. Fear and reverence swept over the whole church. The Apostles were doing an abundance of signs and wonders. The people observed all this with astonishment but did not dare to associate themselves with the church, although they did hold them in high esteem. But many did join the church. And the healings continued, physical, but more importantly, eternal for those who believed.

Enter jealousy. The Sadducees were jealous. They did not believe in miracles, especially an impossibility like resurrection from the dead. They certainly didn’t want all the people listening to the Apostles instead of them. They grabbed the Apostles, threw them in prison, and went home for supper and a quiet night with their families.

God sent an angel to open the prison doors during the night who charged them to keep on keeping on. “Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this life.” Acts 5:20 LSB

At daybreak, they entered the temple, raring to go. They again started teaching the people the Word of God and the truth of Jesus.

Meanwhile, the high priest calls together the Council of Israel and then sends orders to the jailhouse to bring the prisoners. One problem, the prisoners were not there. Where could they possibly be?

As they ponder this perplexing turn of events, someone enters and says. “Hey, you know those guys you put in prison. They are back at the temple teaching the people.”

They send the guards to go and grab them again. When they return with them, they demand to know why they keep teaching in the Name of Jesus when they have been strictly commanded not to do so. One problem with their assumptions. The council commanded them not to teach about Jesus, but God told them to continue making Jesus known. Who are you going to rock, guys who don’t believe resurrection is possible, or God who already did the raising?

Peter and the Apostles put it quite simply. “We must obey God rather than men.” God raised up Jesus after you killed Him. How can we not tell people this great truth?

Though the council is offended and wants to kill them, cooler heads prevail. They beat them, command them again not to speak in the Name of Jesus, and let them go.

Did they thank their lucky stars? There was no luck involved in what happened, and blessing doesn’t come from the stars. They went their way, “rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for the Name.” Acts 5:41 God was the one who granted them the painful privilege of “suffering shame" for the Name of Jesus.

When they preached Jesus, there was stirring and division among those who heard. There were perp walks, prisons, beatings, and beratings. But it was all good. They had seen Jesus risen from the dead, and they were going to please God rather than men by making this wondrous truth known. Would they again suffer shame for the Name? If they did, no greater honor could be bestowed by those who know not God.

04/17/2022

Have a Joyous Easter!

02/04/2022

In for a Hubris, Out with a Collapse

Hubris is defined as: a great or foolish amount of pride, self-confidence, or arrogance. This is not the place you want to be. God knows how to debase the proud, and He will always do so.

When the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Buffalo Bills in a most improbable way on January 23, 2022, by moving the ball about 45 yards in ten seconds and then kicking a 48 yard field goal to tie the game. They went on to win in overtime. A glimpse was given into the motivation of Quarterback Patrick Mahomes by Coach Andy Reid. The reported quote that came out was that Reid told Mahomes: “when things look grim, you’ve got to be the Grim Reaper.”

Hearing this was a little troubling at the time, but even more so as the week went on and there appeared “Patrick is the Grim Reaper” pictures, memes, and even t-shirts. One quote that appeared in the Kansas City paper summed up the attitude of many: “One way or another, no Chiefs fan need dread 13 any more than they should fear the (Grim) Reaper.”

There was never a repudiation of any of this by anyone that I heard of. To say the least, this was quite disturbing to me. I am not God, nor am I a prophet, but I felt a sense of dread as to what was probably coming.

Sure enough, Sunday came and the Chiefs were playing the Bengals. They were riding high in the first half as almost everything went their way. However, the second half was another one of those epic collapses that Chiefs fans are so familiar with. This one however was entirely predictable.

Why do I think that hubris led predictably to this epic collapse?

Reapers, or “The Reaper” are angels of God that He sends forth to slay. They are agents under His direct control for the most solemn of purposes, to take the lives of many and send them to judgment. To make light of this, and especially to ascribe to yourself this power is the height of arrogance.

God is not mocked! Hubris will get you humbled – every time.

Jesus told the parable of the tares. Good wheat seed was sown and then later an enemy sowed tares (a w**d) in the same field. The servants of the owner when they saw the tares growing among the wheat told the owner and asked him what to do. He told them to wait until harvest and separate then.

The parable was explained later. The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man, Jesus. The field is the world, and good seeds are the sons of the kingdom. The tares are the sons of the wicked one.

The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Matthew 13:39 (NKJV)

The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 13:41-42 (NKJV)

We see the fulfillment of this parable in the Book of Revelation.

So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs. Revelation 14:19-20 (NKJV)

This awful devastating reaping of the multitude of wicked on earth at the direction of Jesus Himself is not a joking matter. Blood to the horses’ bridle for 180 miles whatever that literal fulfillment looks like is horrific. It is nothing to make light of.

God must do this! He must judge sin. He must cleanse the earth of sin and sinners. He must display His awesome majesty and holiness. But it will be awful for those on the wrong side of belief and unbelief.

The sons of the wicked one in denial and rebellion against God will make a joke out of the reaper or reapers. That doesn’t change the fact that death and agonizing judgment is awaiting the wicked.

My hope and prayer is that many of the Chiefs and their fans have been humbled and repented of their hubris and given glory to God who is the judge of all and commands the reapers. This should be a humbling reminder for all of us that we can so easily take for granted or even profane the holy things of God.

Thank God that Jesus died for those who will believe in Him!

12/24/2021

Did the Angels Lie About Peace on Earth?

Peace on earth is such a longed-for place of rest. Peace on earth was pronounced almost 2000 years ago upon the birth of Jesus. And yet we look around and we wonder where is this “peace?" It sure doesn't overflow in the world that we are living in.

Were the angels wrong in announcing “peace on earth?”

Angels appearing with a message straight from God can never be wrong. So where is this peace? We need to pay attention to their whole message.

Immediately after an angel appeared to the shepherds in the fields around Bethlehem and announced to them that a Savior had been born who is Christ the Lord, a multitude of angels joined them praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill to men!”
Luke 2:14

The message relates to the birth of a Savior. This child is also the anointed one (which is the meaning of Christ or Messiah). And above all that He is Lord. This astounding truth is the backdrop of the angel chorus.

The chorus starts where all credit belongs. Salvation is of the Lord and thus the exclamation “Glory to God in the highest.” There is only one true God all glory belongs to Him

In addition, because God is gracious and loving and merciful in sending His own Son as Savior, the angels next announce “on earth” – peace. God is Holy and sits exalted in the highest heaven. And yet He has reached down to earth to deliver His gift of peace and goodwill to rebellious men.

That gift of peace is a Savior, His only begotten Son Jesus (the Lord [Yahweh] saves) who was also to be called Immanuel (God with us).

Did God’s gift of peace come? Yes, it did. Why is the earth not flooded with peace? Because men rejected God’s Savior and Lord and crucified Him. The earth rejected peace and thus it has no peace.

The great news is that God offers peace to those who will receive His gift of peace. That peace is found in His Son Jesus who is Savior and Lord. All who will receive Him will be rewarded with peace with the holy God in the highest. In the world we will have trouble because the world has no peace. But Jesus has overcome the world and we can live in peace because He walks through life with us.

Do you have peace with God? You can have. God by His goodwill sent peace to you through His only begotten Son Jesus, who is Savior and Lord. Receive that peace by believing in Jesus and receiving Him as Savior and Lord.

11/18/2021

Anything But the Right Thing

When people think about or talk about themselves there are a lot of different things they might consider their grand accomplishments. It could be the times that they have made the right decision. Some are proud that they rose through the ranks and became a prominent leader. Others measure their success by a bigger bank account and a better car their hard work has procured.

All these things are not bad in and of themselves. I look with satisfaction upon being able to work jobs that I was good at and that made a difference. This is a good thing as long as I give God the glory because He made me in such a way that I was good at those things.

The thing that we can’t ever lose sight of is the relative importance of the things we apply ourselves to. If you are going to pride yourself on making good decisions, you need to put the most effort toward the most important thing. If you are going to apply yourself to the accumulation of wealth. are you laying up your treasures in heaven?

Jeremiah calls on men to take stock of what they are most proud of:

Thus says the LORD:

"Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
Jeremiah 9:23 (NKJV)

The things that we are most likely to glory in; guess what, God says, “Don’t you dare.” If you have applied yourself exclusively to any of these things you have done so in error.

There is something that is of much greater importance we should be pursuing.

But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight," says the LORD.
Jeremiah 9:24 (NKJV)

Have we pursued the knowledge of God above all else? We can glory when we understand and know Him. But no one can truly know all of God, so we will ever be pursuing a deeper knowledge of Him.

This knowledge of the lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness of the LORD is not head knowledge. To understand and know God and His character is to know that He desires that we truly live these things. When we know these things and do these things the LORD delights in them and in us.

What is your life spent pursuing? In what do you glory?

11/04/2021

When No One Else Will

What happens when something needs to get done but no one steps up to do it? Several things can and do happen:

1. Ignoring the need as if it hadn’t been noticed
2. Waiting, hoping, that someone else will be forced to take care of it
3. Commenting to others that something needs to be done
4. Turn and walk away

None of these solve the problem.

There was a need on Jesus’ last night, the night that He would sacrifice everything including His life for His disciples. They had gathered for the most solemn meal of the year, the Passover supper. When everyone was reclined at the table prepared to eat, Jesus “rose from supper” girded Himself as a servant, and washed every one of the disciples’ feet including Judas who would betray Him. John 13:4-5

Here is the Son of God who knew He had been sent from heaven and would return there, humbling Himself and doing the job of the lowest servant.

Every disciple had the opportunity to acknowledge the need to clean the dusty feet of everyone and volunteer to meet this need to make this a truly special sacred meal. All of them chose a hard pass.

The disciples were concerned only about who among them was the greatest. Washing the feet of others was far beneath their supreme dignity. Dirty feet and a defiled meal was the price that had to be paid when none of the more lowly disciples chose to acknowledge their betters and wash their feet.

Out of this bastion of stiff-necked pride rose Jesus. The Master and Creator of them all was willing to be the servant of all.

There is a lesson in this. Jesus tried to convey that lesson to those that would be His disciples. “I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.” John 13:15

Will those of us who name the name of Jesus follow His example?

10/28/2021

Showing the Way

Has anyone noticed that the world is going bonkers? Governmental policy is being guided by nonsense, and anyone who dares to point out the obvious fact that the emperor has no clothes is inviting public censure.

The good news is that there is good news. There is still a solid foundation upon which people may build their lives. There are timeless truths that still lead surely to peace, contentment, and rest in the bosom of the Savior Jesus who loved us and gave Himself for us.

Those who seek to leave the madness of the world’s merry-go-round need an example to follow, someone to show them the way back to sanity. For generations, the world has needed those who would lead by example and blaze the trail back to the Lord.

Paul wrote to Timothy to make sure that He would be one such example:

Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
1 Timothy 4:12-13 (NKJV)

He was not to worry about what anyone said but to lead his life as a pattern of godliness that manifested what genuine life looked like. He was also to focus on where the foundation of true life is found by reading the Word of God, urging others to believe and follow the Scriptures, and teaching them all that God has revealed about Himself.

Because Paul did this, and Timothy did this, and those who followed Timothy did this, the Word of God is still relevant today. Your life too can be an example to others that God still lives, His Word is still true, and there is joy and contentment in living a godly life.

Be an example for all that is good and holy and true.

10/21/2021

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗨𝗽

Why does rain always fall down? 𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈. I think we should demand of our government that from now on rain must fall up fifty percent of the time. There should be no discrimination against raindrops that would prefer to fall up.
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Somehow, I don’t think this idea will fly. It is God’s rain, and He has ordained how it shall fall. In fact, He has set it as a constant reminder that He sends good things from above and He cannot be overruled.
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Just as the rain comes and waters the earth, so His Word comes with life for the spiritually destitute. How marvelous is the LORD, and His ways past finding out!
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10 "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
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11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:10-11 (NKJV)

10/18/2021

Back From the Beginning! Episode 2 of First John.

The Apostle John starts this gospel with the words: "That which was from the beginning." What beginning is John referring to? How does knowing exactly what...

10/13/2021

Do You Want Life, or Do You Want Life?

Shortly after Jesus came into Jerusalem on the last week of His life, he had a request that He take time out from the mission that He was on to be the offering for sin. He declined with this statement: “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.” John 12:23

He had fixed before Him the purpose for which His Father had sent Him. He was to be the once for all sufficient sacrifice for sin so that He could bring many sinners to glory. If He followed that path He would also be glorified.

After making an analogy about a grain of wheat needing to die to produce much grain, He issues a challenge to those listening:

“He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” John 12:25

The key here is the contrast between “life in this world,” and “eternal life.” The two different Greek words used for “life” here make it even more apparent. “Life in this world” features the word which we would see as “psyche.” We get the word psychology from this word. This is a focus upon ourselves, our soul, our body, our earthly life. If you love these things, too bad, so sad, you will lose them. None of these last. All of them are corrupted by sin.

On the other hand, “eternal life” features the Greek word which we would see as “zoe.” This is true life. This is life as God has, a life that we also may have which will last forever with Him.

Do you want to spend more time, money, and energy on “life in this world” which will last but a few decades and end in corruption? Or having seen the glory of God, and the life with God that Jesus offers, will you “hate” your life in this world because you have fixed your purpose on serving God who offered up His Son so that you may freely enjoy “eternal life” with Him?

Do you want to love and pursue a short, corrupt life, or do you desire a forever glorious life with our Heavenly Father? The choice is yours.

10/07/2021

Episode 1 of First John Study

Do you want to experience real lasting joy? It is possible to experience such joy. We lay the foundation for the First Letter of John by looking at the pur...