The Rest of the Story

“Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me…” (I Kings 10:7)

Since I was in the first grade of elementary school I had seen pictures of the giant Red Wood trees in California. Finally, about twenty-five years ago I was preaching in California. My host pastor took my wife and me to the Muir Woods. There they were; those huge Red Wood trees, about which I had read and seen in pictures. The half had not been told me.

I have attempted to comfort people in funerals by bringing a Biblical message about heaven. My limited vocabulary is inadequate to describe it. I can imagine many of those family members who followed their loved ones later, saying when their eyes open in heaven: “the half was not told me.” Or, when you and I see Jesus, the Son of God, the Savior, for the first time exclaiming, “What I heard and believed was true and the Bible gives many wonderful descriptions of the precious Lamb of God, but the half was not told me.”

What is Your Thorn in the Flesh?

“...there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord three times, that it might depart from me.” (II Corinthians 12: 7-8)

We are usually quick to tell people about our ailments, our visits to the doctor and the kinds of medicines we are taking. But Paul never told us what his ailment, his thorn in the flesh, was. He called it “this thing.” Some have speculated that it was his eyesight or malaria or some kind of lung problem. Since we do not know what it was we can all identify with it.

Notice that his thorn in the flesh was “the messenger of Satan.” It was not sent by the hand of God, although God did permit it. Notice also God’s answer to Paul’s prayer concerning this thorn: “My grace is sufficient for you; for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” (II Corinthians 12:9) Paul’s response to God’s answer was what ours should be. “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (II Corinthians 12:9) Finally notice in verse 10 Paul says, “...for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 

I have heard people say, “I did not know how to pray until God allowed me to be flat of my back in a hospital bed. The only way I could look was up. My weakest time was my strongest time.” 

No Two Ways about It

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

Just a discarded stone that was cast aside was this man Jesus. He came to his own and His own did not receive Him. He was crucified and died, but God raised Him from the dead. He is the one and only way of salvation.

The only way is not one of the founders of some world religion. Nor is it some present day philosophy or something you and I concocted.  We do not receive salvation as one might receive food from a buffet line, a little of this and a little of that.

The Bible says that if you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and Him only, He will save you. You need no other.

More Words of Comfort

“Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (I Thessalonians 4:18)

Every chapter in I Thessalonians says something about the second coming of Jesus. Without giving you a detailed commentary on chapter four our text says that we are to comfort one another with these words.

This epistle is written to a church. We are to believe it was written for the benefit of saved people. While some people are frightened at the prospect of the second coming, this passage, beginning at verse thirteen, is to bring comfort to saved people who are grieving over the death of a Christian loved.

There will always be people who need comforting words from God’s word. Always be prepared to give a word of comfort.

This Same Jesus

“…Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)

We can no more deny the fact of the second coming of Jesus than we can deny His first coming. Jesus said, “I will come again.” (John 14:3) Paul the apostle wrote, “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout…” (I Thessalonians 4:16:16)

It is not to be confused with the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, nor is it to be misunderstood as death nor is it the same as being saved. Over three hundred times in the New Testament our Lord’s return is mentioned. Someone has said there are more prophecies in the Old Testament concerning His second coming than there are of His first coming.

The fact is, Jesus Himself shall return. It behooves the lost person to repent, believe on the Lord Jesus, and be saved just as it behooves the saved person to be serving Him faithfully until He returns unexpectedly. "You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Luke 12:40 ESV)

Reactions to the Resurrection

“And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, ‘we will hear thee again of this matter’…Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed…” (Acts 17:32, 34)

Paul’s ministry had taken had taken him to Athens. He commented on how religious they were, with idols everywhere. With so many false gods they feared they had left out one. So they erected an altar with the inscription, “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.” When Paul spoke to them of the one true God his message included the resurrection. The Athenians reacted to the resurrection in three ways.

First, some of them mocked. That was the reaction of the religious Sadducees in Jerusalem during the ministry of Jesus. Mocking is one of the reactions to the resurrection today. Mocking, making light of it and some people looking down their noses at anyone who believes.

Second, others postponed and said, “Let’s talk about this later.” Hell is the eternal home of those unless they repent and believe.

Third, a few believed Paul’s message of the resurrection and clave unto him.

Each one of us is in one of those groups. Which group you are in when death comes will determine your eternal destiny.

Resurrection Morning Did Not End It

“Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” (Romans 8:34)

The Bible tells us plainly that Jesus ascended into heaven forty days after His crucifixion. He is not spending His days and nights floating around on a celestial cloud. He, who created the universe, is sustaining it. He has the whole world in His hands.

He is also our High Priest making intercession for us at the right hand of God the Father. He is helping us when we pray. He is our defense attorney. We are told that, “…if any man sinew have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (I John 1:2)

Rather than pretend we have not sinned sometime following becoming a Christian, the Christ who knows us better than we know ourselves, pleads our case before God the Father.

When we are having problems He is along beside us encouraging us, comforting us and being our friend. The resurrection did not end His ministry.