SermonSpiritually Learning Bible Truths
An all-creatures Bible Message

Spiritually Learning Bible Truths
 
A Sermon Delivered to
The Compassion Internet Church
 
12 October 2014
 
Frank L. Hoffman, Pastor

Scripture References

Psalm 106:1–27
Matthew 22:1–22
John 10:27-28

Spiritually learning Bible truths is vital to our understanding God’s creation and heavenly intent.
 
The Bible is filled with history, stories, and many lessons for us to learn from, but just as Jesus often spoke in parables that only spiritual people could understand, most people seem to miss the true spiritual messages contained in the words and passages of Scripture.
 
They are not spiritually learning Bible truths.
 
They all too often look at the Bible as supporting worldly ways, such as the killing and eating of animals, instead of following the heavenly will of God.
 
We are not to just follow the Bible passages blindly, for many of them contain the history of people who disobeyed God; thus we need to discern the difference between those who are disobedient and those who follow the creation intent and heavenly will of God.
 
At the same time we do these things, we are to bring the Bible passages up to date and apply them in the world today in ways that help us live as peacemaking children of God who naturally follow the heavenly will of God, and help free creation from its corruption.
 
Psalm 106:1-27 is a good example of spiritually learning Bible truths about the ways we should be looking at and applying the things the Bible teaches us concerning how we are to live today.

1. Praise the LORD!
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
 
2. Who can speak of the mighty deeds of the LORD,
Or can show forth all His praise?

Most people don’t seem like they really believe in the mighty deeds of God, and really anyone can speak about the deeds written in the Bible; but only true children of God can show forth all His praise, which is seen in His unconditional love, compassion, and peace.
 
This is true, because only these children of God can SHOW this kind of praise (unconditional love, compassion, and peace) consistently in their own lives.

3. How blessed are those who keep justice,
Who practice righteousness at all times!

This kind of justice and righteousness applies to the whole of creation, and cannot be limited to a few select human beings.
 
It is for ALL.

4. Remember me, O LORD, in Thy favor toward Thy people;
Visit me with Thy salvation,

As true children of God, we really don’t have to pray this way, for as Jesus tells us in John 10:27-28…

27. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
 
28. and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand.
NASB

This happens because these sheep (children of God) have been consistently spiritually learning Bible truths.
 
With this in mind, let’s return to Psalm 106.

5. That I may see the prosperity of Thy chosen ones,
That I may rejoice in the gladness of Thy nation,
That I may glory with Thine inheritance.

Everyone who has truly accepted Jesus with their whole heart and soul, and desires to constantly live in the heavenly will of God, is actually living in the kingdom of heaven here on earth.
 
Unfortunately, most Christians seem to want to still live in the corrupted ways of this world rather than in the kingdom of heaven.

6. We have sinned like our fathers,
We have committed iniquity, we have behaved wickedly.

All we have to do is look around where we live, or in our own country, or in the world, and we know that most people are continuing in the sins of their fathers, and sometimes doing more ungodly things.
 
And don’t just look at the acts of human terrorists who set off bombs, but think about farmed animals and who they consider to be the terrorists and the inflictors of their suffering and ultimate death.
 
And, think also about those who support this cruelty and bloodshed with their money and gluttonous appetites.
 
These are also the ones who follow in the sins of their fathers and commit even greater sins.

7. Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Thy wonders;
They did not remember Thine abundant kindnesses,
But rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.

8. Nevertheless He saved them for the sake of His name,
That He might make His power known.

9. Thus He rebuked the Red Sea and it dried up;
And He led them through the deeps, as through the wilderness.
 
10. So He saved them from the hand of the one who hated them,
And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

God did save the Israelites from the hand of the Egyptians thousands of years ago, but this is not the same thing as spiritually saving someone, which only comes from a heart change.
 
And since the time of Jesus’ incarnation upon the earth, it also relies on our acceptance of Him as our Lord and Savior, and then following Him, which includes living in God’s creation and heavenly intent.
 
For if we don’t, we will suffer the same fate as the Egyptians.

11. And the waters covered their adversaries;
Not one of them was left.
 
12. Then they believed His words;
They sang His praise.

This seemed to be only lip service, for they really didn’t believe and have faith in God.

13. They quickly forgot His works;
They did not wait for His counsel,
 
14. But craved intensely in the wilderness,
And tempted God in the desert.

They craved their former worldly ways with all its pain, suffering, and bloodshed, particularly when it included animals.

15. So He gave them their request,
But sent a wasting disease among them.

They craved quail and many died from eating them.
 
It is also a well-known fact today that most of our chronic diseases and infections come from the raising and eating of animals and their byproducts.

16. When they became envious of Moses in the camp,
And of Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,

17. The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,
And engulfed the company of Abiram.
 
18. And a fire blazed up in their company;
The flame consumed the wicked.

And, these same kinds of people rose up against Jesus and crucified Him.

19. They made a calf in Horeb,
And worshiped a molten image.
 
20. Thus they exchanged their glory
For the image of an ox that eats grass.

Even to this very day, we see people making idols of their cars or other possessions such as fur.
 
They are also making idols of their addictions, including the eating of animals.

21. They forgot God their Savior,
Who had done great things in Egypt,
 
22. Wonders in the land of Ham,
And awesome things by the Red Sea.

We still have the same God, but now we even have the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide us, and this doesn’t seem to make any difference to most people for they are still putting things before God.
 
They have not been spiritually learning Bible truths.

23. Therefore He said that He would destroy them,
Had not Moses His chosen one stood in the breach before Him,
To turn away His wrath from destroying them.
 
24. Then they despised the pleasant land;
They did not believe in His word,
 
25. But grumbled in their tents;
They did not listen to the voice of the LORD.

And the same things are happening today; people don’t want to hear the Bible truths about living according to God’s creation intent and heavenly will.
 
They want to live in the ungodly ways of this corrupted world with all its pain, suffering and death.

26. Therefore He swore to them,
That He would cast them down in the wilderness,
 
27. And that He would cast their seed among the nations,
And scatter them in the lands.
NASB

This did happen to the Israelites, and it can happen to us, but in our case, today, most people seem content to live on the broad way that leads to destruction, instead of on the narrow path that leads to everlasting life with the Lord our God.
 
Let’s continue thinking about spiritually learning Bible truths as we look at Matthew 22:1-22, and see how Jesus describes living in the kingdom of heaven.

1. And Jesus answered and spoke to them again in parables, saying,
 
2. "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king, who gave a wedding feast for his son.
 
3. "And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come.
 
4. "Again he sent out other slaves saying, 'Tell those who have been invited, "Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast." '  

There is no killing or eating of animals in the kingdom of heaven, but Jesus used this example in the parable because He knew the hardness of most of the people to whom He was telling this story.

5. "But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business,
 
6. and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them.

This is an example of the ways of the evil world in Jesus’ time, and even to this very day.

7. "But the king was enraged and sent his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and set their city on fire.
 
8. "Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.
 
9. 'Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.'
 
10. "And those slaves went out into the streets, and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests.
 
11. "But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw there a man not dressed in wedding clothes,
 
12. and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?' And he was speechless.
 
13. "Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
 
14. "For many are called, but few are chosen." 

This same kind of rejection of the kingdom of heaven on the Lord’s terms extends to even most of our religious leaders, as we see in the next example.

15. Then the Pharisees went and counseled together how they might trap Him in what He said.

The very thought of trapping the Lord instead of repenting and truly seeking His will, so that they might be accepted in the kingdom of God, shows the hardness of heart of their true nature.
 
They have not been spiritually learning Bible truths.

16. And they sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any.

This proves that they really knew the truth, but chose to deny it and seek the evil ways of the world.

17. "Tell us therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?"
 
18. But Jesus perceived their malice, and said, "Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites?

We cannot lie to God.

19. "Show Me the coin used for the poll-tax." And they brought Him a denarius.
 
20. And He said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" 
 
21. They said to Him, "Caesar's." Then He said to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's." 
 
22. And hearing this, they marveled, and leaving Him, they went away.
NASB

In the kingdom of heaven truth always overcomes the lies and deceptions of the people of the world.
 
And by spiritually learning Bible truths, we also can overcome the evil ways of this world.
 
Amen.

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