Signed, Sealed, and Delivered

Ephesians 1:12-14

5/21/21

Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 

13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 

14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. 

IN this passage we see three things, those who “heard” and “believed” were “sealed.” The signature upon the soul is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” This is God’s promise that those that believe would have everlasting life. Yet we find so much more in a few simple words.

At the point of conversion or salvation, an agreement has been made, I believe, God then saves. It does not end there, we are sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. The signature binds this agreement between God and the believer. The seal keeps us until we are delivered to God.

In New Testament times, a servant would be sent to the marketplace to purchase items for the master. When an item was selected, the master’s seal was put on it which preserved that item till it was delivered to the master.

For me, an agreement was signed that upon believing in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, I would be saved. This carries God’s signature. I have been signed for.

Then the Holy Spirit has sealed me. This is the promise that I will be delivered to the Master, God the Father. While I live, I carry the seal that I am God’s purchased possession. When I die, I am delivered to the very presence of God. What a future I have to look forward to. Even so come Lord Jesus.

Signed Sealed Delivered – The greatest contract one could ever have.

Come See a Man

John 4:29

Sharing is something that we do instinctively. When our taste buds are tantalized by the food of an excellent restaurant, we are eager to share this information with all out friends and many times to strangers that have just met. My wife and I have had friends call to tell us that a certain grocery store has a fantastic price on eggs. We as a people love to share deals with anyone that listens. There is a certain amount of excitement in sharing bargains.

It seems we have lost the excitement of our salvation. We have the example of this woman, a woman that apparently had a bad reputation, a woman shunned by the good people of the city. She was an outcast because of her lifestyle.

Then she met the Savior. She heard the good news. She believed Jesus report. The Holy Spirit seized the moment and impressed upon her that Jesus was the “I AM” of scripture. Salvation brought a flood of emotions. She wanted to tell others of a “man.” Her excitement was so great that she forgot the pot in her eagerness to tell the whole city to – “Come see a man.”

Where is our excitement? We who have experienced the forgiveness of our Savior. We who have been so blessed, we that have a promise of life everlasting and life abundant. Where is our overwhelming desire to tell others of a Savior.

To whom much is forgiven we find much excitement. ARE YOU EXCITED?

Where there is thirst there is desire.

Psa 63:1  A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; 

Psalm 63:1-5

Where there is thirst there is desire.

We have all from time to time desired a cool long drink of water. Heat and exertion have caused us to run to the source that would slake our thirst. How refreshing the cool water was to a dry and thirsty person.

We are in a dry land that is languishing in the wickedness and sin of this world. How disappointing to find that those around us are so accepting of this wickedness and sin. Refreshment is close by and available to those that seek it.

We have not seen the power and the glory of God in these latter times. Notice that verse 2 speaks of God in the sanctuary. We spent a great amount of time out of the sanctuary of God. We have missed the glory and power of His presence.

While we were sinners, God loved us and gave His Son for us. This is the lovingkindness of God that we lose sight of all too often. We should be praising God because of this amazing love.

Our satisfaction, love, and joy should be displayed unto God and as a witness to those around us. Are we satisfied or are we chasing the desert of the world?

Let us Praise God with all we are.

JHC

YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWETH NIGH!

William Andrew Dillard

This world is becoming an ever increasingly dangerous place to live. While this is not sanctioned by the Bible, it is certainly predicted by it. Consider the following:

Jesus said that men’s hearts would fail them for fear and for looking forward to those things coming on the earth. Luke 21:26. Today the failure of the heart is at an unprecedented scale with open heart surgery as common as appendectomies. Failure is due to stress and uncertainty.

Jesus said there would be wars and commotions. Luke 21:9-10. Nation would rise upon nation. We see that today in unprecedented scale as well. Nations align to create greater defenses as well as war machines. The world was once a singular nuclear powered nation. Now, there are at least 12 nations possessing nuclear warheads. As efforts are intense to keep a lid on nuclear proliferation, the probability of rogue organizations getting hold of such power increases.

Jesus said there would be earthquakes in divers places, famines and pestilences. Luke 21:11. These are now commonplace.

Jesus said His people would be hated of all nations for His name’s sake: Luke 21:17. Today, most any religion may be publicly promoted, but not Christianity. The sneer and embarrassment of identification with Christianity will quickly turn to hate.

We need no help determining the changes of seasons. Jesus taught all who will hear it, “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh.” Matt. 24:32. The budding trees tell all that summer is nigh. Will anyone deny it?

So Jesus said that when these things begin to come to pass it is time to look up for your redemption draweth nigh. These things are indisputable signs that the millennial phase of the kingdom of God is nigh according to Luke 21:31. It is so close that Jesus went on to say that the generation that sees these things come to pass and intensify will not pass till all be fulfilled.

Folks, other sound biblical reasoning could be added to this if space would permit, that the coming of Jesus is so close it is as if He were reaching for the doorknob. It is the belief of this writer that we are a last generation church and that we will hear the shout soon. By the grace of God and the gift of Jesus, I am ready to go. Are you ready? Is your family ready? Are your friends ready?

Hear what Paul told the Philippian jailor, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Acts 16:31.

LEGALISM

This is a much often used word that has been defined to try and destroy those that one disagrees with. My desire is to look at this word from a Biblical position and not a personal position. We need to begin in Acts 15:1.

Act 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

We know and believe that according to the Bible, one is saved by grace through faith. We believe that there is not one thing a person can do besides believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for salvation. We happen upon these Pharisees that said it was needful for these to be circumcised and to keep the law of Moses.

Act 15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

Here is legalism. It takes living the law to get to heaven. I take this as a Biblical definition of legalism. We have many legalistic Christian religions in the world. Most Baptists are not legalistic. Here is where the rub is taking place today for so many accusations being tossed out calling a brother legalistic. An often heard refrain today is – God will meet you where you are at – certainly this is true. One question: how often have you heard this statement added on – but if you are saved, God will not leave you there? When one is saved, they are changed. Paul made some statements to the Ephesian brethren that we quite possibly gloss over because they are inconvenient truths.

Eph 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

The above passage is simply preparing us for chapter 2 which is a declaration of change in one that is saved. There is a call for a spirit of wisdom instead of emotion. There is a call for revelation and knowledge, not ignorance. My understanding is that from the time we are saved we are learning and our life is changing and conforming to the life of Christ. Chapter 2 really starts to open us up to what we should become. We have been “quickened”, that is made ALIVE whereas before we were DEAD in trespasses and sins.

”Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

These verses truly condemn us when God meets us where we are and we trust and believe in Christ and are gloriously saved and continue to dwell in our sins and live in the same mess and squalor we were in before we were saved. I hear it now, you can’t judge me, GOD knows my heart. Let this scripture judge and condemn you.

Eph 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But ye have not so learned Christ; 21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil.

The Bible speaks very eloquently about the type of person we should be. God’s Word lays out a lifelong plan of how those that truly love the LORD are displaying that love to GOD and those around them by continually putting aside each burden of sin and so revealing to others, not by mouth alone, but by our everyday life, we are a child of the King. I rejoice with those pastors that are teaching their people to cast off every weight of sin and truly let the light of Christ shine brighter everyday. This is not legalism. It is salvation by grace.

Eph. 2:10“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

”Now you may quibble that these good works are spreading the gospel to the lost by telling them. That is true, but if your life does not reflect what you are, your mouth has not convinced the lost because your life is a lie. Many years ago we had a young man join our church that had just moved into our community. He was looking for a job and claimed he was a steel worker. He had to get his tools when he went to the union hall. They were his bonafides that he was a steel worker and without those, he would not be selected for a job. We as Christians have bonafides that declare we are Christians, born again and it is the life we lead. Legalists? No! We are just not ashamed of our Savior therefore we do not live like the world. We do as James says, Our life our works our deeds delare us as saved and witnesses of our Savior. Legalists, no, simply living it.