Ramsey Creek Baptist Church

The core message of the Parable of the Sheep and Goats is that God’s people will actively love others. If we don’t ever bear the fruit of practical love and care toward brothers & sisters – the least of these – our faith is dead (according to James 2). Good works are not the cause of salvation, they are the effect of salvation. Active care is the fruit of a heart that’s been changed by Christ, and it’s a fundamental way we prepare for the coming of Christ.

The parable of the bridesmaids and the parable of the talents are both teaching us the same thing: be ready. You don't know when the groom will arrive so be prepared to wait well. You don't know when the master will return, so use what he's given you appropriately. Waiting doesn't just mean sitting back and sipping sweet tea, it involves doing the things God has called Christians to do while we wait.

Make no mistake - the King is coming back. From generation to generation, followers of Christ are called to wait, but this doesn't mean we just sit around twiddling our thumbs. We're called to wait well. If you're a follower of Christ, God’s will for your life while you wait for Christ’s coming is to be a productive member of His Body. Waiting well includes: • Loving God with everything you have. [Mt. 22:37] • Loving Others as yourself. [Mt. 22:39; 25:35-40] • Making Disciples of all nations. [Mt. 28:18-20] • Being Conformed more and more into the image of Jesus Christ. [Rom. 8:28-29]

The next major event in the history of the world is the second coming of Christ. He is coming back as He said, and His return mirrors the destruction of Jerusalem in many ways: it would be swift, complete, and public - like lightning and vultures, and like the Roman army. He is coming back, but it hasn't happened yet. While our understanding of these events may vary, two truths are made clear: 1. Jerusalem would be destroyed. 2. Jesus is going to come back. Jesus was correct about Jerusalem's destruction, and He'll be correct about returning for His people. The question each of us must ask is, "Am I ready for that day?"

We shake our heads at the Pharisees and wonder how they missed the obvious, but we tend to do the very same thing. We claim that we would have responded differently, but we drive the nails just as deep with our own sin. We may not have picked up the hammer, but our sin hung Jesus on the cross. Just as a mother hen takes the hit for her chicks, Jesus took the hit for everyone that looks to Him and believes. He suffered in our place - took the wrath of God - so that we could be reconciled back to a holy God.

The Pharisees believed that by strictly obeying the law (cleaning the outside of the cup) they were acceptable to God (by having an inward cleanliness). Jesus sets them straight by reminding them of the weightier matters of the law - justice, mercy, & faith. Despite their hard work and effort, because their hearts had not been changed they were still dead on the inside.

Belief must be rooted in truth. The Pharisees were sincere in their beliefs, but their religion was not true worship because it was rooted in a prideful heart instead of humility. They were elevating superficial things and forgetting the deeper truths of the law. They went to great effort to make more Pharisees, but were condemned by Jesus for hindering these people from entering His kingdom. One of the greatest dangers of Phariseeism is that it’s contagious.

Guest speaker and Options For Women executive director Paul Brunner shares with us on Sanctity of Life Sunday 2019.

Jesus gives several indicators of hypocrisy for us to look out for. 1. You don’t practice what you preach. 2. You aren't content with the approval of God alone. 3. You delight in authority over others. We're all prone to hypocrisy, but the grace of God in Jesus delivers us from being content with hypocrisy. Jesus gives the remedy for hypocrisy, if we are willing to see past our pride: humility.

We're in danger today of the same thing the Pharisees were guilty of - hearing the words of Jesus and our hearts remaining unchanged. This happens when sin in our life severs the connection between our head and mouth and our heart. Does our behavior and mindset each day reflect what we say we believe about Jesus?

Jesus asked His critics the greatest question ever asked, "What do you think about the Christ?" Our life on earth and our eternity are wrapped up in how each of us answers this question today.

If we are to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind (all of who we are) we are doomed. None of us have loved God that way. None but One; and because Jesus loved His Father most, He loved us best. If we are to love others well we must love God most.

We had trouble with our microphones this Sunday, so we apologize for the choppy recording quality.

Ramsey Creek Baptist Church

Ramsey Creek Baptist Church

Ramsey Creek Baptist Church

Ramsey Creek Baptist Church

Ramsey Creek Baptist Church

Ramsey Creek Baptist Church

Ramsey Creek Baptist Church