Introduction

What are the signs we may be struggling?

• Are we withdrawn from God?
• Are we allowing the world to influence us?
• Do we have confidence in our salvation?
• Do we feel guilty and ashamed?
• Are we fearful, afraid of God’s punishment?
• Are we withdrawn from God, too ashamed or afraid to talk to Him in prayer?
• Do we just feel totally unworthy, and we feel like God isn’t there for us?

Deuteronomy 28

• Deuteronomy 28:1, 14, 15 – If the Israelites did not obey, God would curse them.
• Deuteronomy 28:16-68 – List of curses God would bring upon them.

Deuteronomy 30

• Deuteronomy 30:1-3 – If they would obey, God would again bless them.
• Deuteronomy 30:10, 11-14 – God’s ways are mysterious sometimes … but what God desires and our responsibilities are not a mystery. God wants us to love, honor, and obey Him. If we do, we are blessed. If we don’t, we are cursed. It is as simple as that. It is easy to understand.
• I Corinthians 10:13

Paul’s perspective of God

• I Timothy 1:15-16

Parable of the prodigal son

The younger brother (Luke 15:11-19)

• The younger son feels guilty and ashamed.
• He was withdrawn from his father, either too ashamed or just afraid to talk to him.
• The prodigal son felt totally unworthy.
• He has repented and returned but he doesn’t know if his father will be there for him.

The response of the older brother (Luke 15:25-30)

• Galatians 5:14-15
• Philippians 2:3-5

The response of the father (Luke 15:20-24)

• Overjoyed, celebrates
• Loving and forgiving
• Luke 15:32 – “your brother was dead and is not alive again, was lost and is now found”

Are we withdrawn from God?

Humble ourselves and repent.

• I Peter 5:6-7
• Acts 3:19
• Matthew 6:33

Talk to Him, approach Him in prayer!

• I Thessalonians 5:16-17
• Romans 12:12
• Ephesians 6:18

Are we allowing the world to influence us?

Choose God’s word to direct our lives.

• I John 2:15
• Matthew 7:18
• James 4:7-8, 10

Read and study God’s word.

• II Timothy 3:16
• John 14:15

Do we have confidence in our salvation?

We have a promise.

• Colossians 1:13-14
• I Peter 1:3-5

Conclusion

• We can have confidence in our salvation!

Matthew 3

• Matthew 3:1 – John was not a Baptist. John was a baptizer.
  • See Luke 1:36. Elizabeth was a blood relative, but not technically a cousin.
• Matthew 3:2
  • Repentance does not primarily mean, “change the way you are living” but “change the way you are thinking.” See Matthew 3:8 – “bear fruit consistent with repentance.”
  • “kingdom of heaven”: See definitions in Colossians 1:13; Revelation 17:18; Luke 1:32-33; Matthew 12:26-28; Luke 17:20-21. The kingdom of heaven is the domain of God – the people over whose hearts He reigns. Church and kingdom both refer to the same group of people, but the words are not synonymous.
  • “at hand” – See Mark 9:1. The kingdom would come within some of their lifetimes.
• Matthew 3:3 – See Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 3:1; 4:5-6. There are about 100 quotes and allusions from the Old Testament in Matthew.
• Matthew 3:4 – John had unusual looks and diet.
• Matthew 3:6 – See Matthew 3:13. John baptized where there was much water, making it convenient to immerse people.
• Matthew 3:7-9 – John’s audience: the Pharisees and Sadducees.
• Matthew 3:10-12 – “Clearing the threshing floor” may be a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem. See Acts 1:4-5.
• Matthew 3:16 – We don’t currently know precisely where Jesus was baptized. Jesus was baptized as an example of obedience to God. He had no sin to be forgiven of. Note that there are not three Gods. There are three who are God.

The Greek word psallo includes instruments.

Look in Greek dictionaries

• Vine’s: “in the NT, ‘to sing a hymn, sing praise’”
• Thayer’s Lexicon: “in the NT to sing a hymn, to celebrate the praises of God in song.”
• Vincent’s Word Studies in the NT: “The verb, however, is used in the New Testament of singing praise generally.”
• The word changed over time to mean singing in the time of the New Testament.
• Words change meaning over time!

Look in reliable English translations

The elders decided to have instruments. So if it’s wrong, they bear the guilt.

• Titus 1:9; I Timothy 5:19-20 – Elders can make mistakes and should be rebuked when they do.

Harps are used in Heaven.

• Revelation 5:8; 14:2; 15:2; 18:21-22
• The first challenge is to even prove these are literal harps.
• Second, why stop with the harps?
• Events in Heaven aren’t instructions for Christians on earth.
  • Matthew 22:30

We should use our God-given talents to worship Him.

• Is there any limit to this?
• God wants us to follow His instructions in worship.
  • John 4:24; Matthew 15:9
  • Genesis 4:2-5; Hebrews 11:4; Romans 10:17 – Abel followed God’s instructions. Cain did not.
  • Leviticus 10:1-2

Instruments were used for Old Covenant worship.

• That’s right!
  • Numbers 10:10; II Chronicles 29:25-28
  • These were commanded by God at that time.
• But we follow the New Covenant, not the Old Covenant.
  • Hebrews 8:7-8, 13
  • Acts 15
  • Galatians 5:1-3

Conclusion

• No one can argue that we should use instruments because they are clearly authorized as acceptable worship in the New Covenant.

Philippians 2, continued:

Philippians 2:9-18 – Jesus Christ is Lord; be children of God

• Philippians 2:10 – See Isaiah 45:23.
• Philippians 2:13 – See I Thessalonians 2:13; II Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 4:12

Philippians 2:19-24 – Timothy

• Philippians 2:19 – Paul loved the brethren. He loved hearing good news about them.

Philippians 2:25-30 – Epaphroditus

• Philippians 2:25 – “my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier”: this is quite a commendation! See Philippians 4:14-18. Evidently they had sent Epaphroditus to bring money to Paul.

Philippians 3

Philippians 3:1-11 – What Paul gave up to gain Christ

• Philippians 3:2 – “Mutilation” here is a different word for circumcision.
• Philippians 3:3 – See Romans 2:28-29. Physical vs. spiritual Jews:

• Philippians 3:5 – Paul had Jewish lineage of the tribe of Benjamin.
• Philippians 3:8 – Whatever we have to give up to follow Christ is worth it!

Introduction

• Scriptures that refer to worship with music in the New Testament:
  • Acts 16:25
  • Romans 15:9
  • I Corinthians 14:15
  • Ephesians 5:19
  • Colossians 3:16
  • Hebrews 2:12
  • Hebrews 13:15
  • James 5:13

Why don’t we add instruments to that?

• The simple answer is: because God does not authorize us to do so.

God didn’t say NOT to.

God didn’t say NOT to … carry the ark on an ox cart.

• Exodus 25:14; Numbers 4:15; 7:6-9 – God’s specifications for the ark.
• I Chronicles 13:7-12; 15:2, 2, 12-15
• God’s instructions:
  • Poles
  • Kohathites
  • Shoulders

God didn’t say NOT to … appoint a priest from Judah.

• Numbers 13:10; Hebrews 7:11-14; 8:4

God didn’t say NOT to … offer strange fire.

• Leviticus 10:1-2

God didn’t say NOT to … preach circumcision.

• Acts 15:5-6, 24

Instruments are just aids, like pitch pipes or song books.

• Mark 16:15 – “Go”: how?
• II Timothy 2:2 – “Teach”
• I Corinthians 16:1-2 – “collection … put aside and save”
• Psalms 150:1-6 – Instruments were regarded as worship under the Old Covenant.