Part 3 of our Christmas series on the wonders of the incarnation looks at selected verses from Hebrews 1 and 2. In English with Romanian translation. From the church in Cluj, Sunday Dec 20, 2020.

Part 2 of our Christmas series on what it means for us that God became a man looks at what He gave up, from Philippians 2–in English with Romanian translation.

Today’s message from the church in Cluj is the first of a three-part series on the Incarnation, and what it means that God became a man. Christmas celebration has begun! In English with Romanian translation.

https://youtu.be/tUVT56Rfloc

Today’s sermon from the church, in English with Romanian translation, looks at Psalms 9. We can afford to trust in our God, because He is always in charge, and because all that He does is good and right.

The sermon video here is a Thanksgiving message that looks at how and why we are thankful even in very difficult times and trying circumstances. From Habakkuk 3:17-19. In English with Romanian translation.

The next six minutes will last forever.

God gave His word to the world so that every person could know Him. In the six minutes you read this summary of the Bible’s most important truths, the Lord will show you the way to eternal life and peace.

You’ll always remember the six minutes that changed your destiny forever.

God created us, and requires us to obey Him.
But we have all rebelled against God and sinned.
God is holy, and in His wrath, He will punish sin.

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned each one to his own way.” (Isaiah 53:6)

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.” (Romans 1:18)

“For these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience.” (Ephesians 5:6)
“But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.” (Romans 2:5)

God loves us deeply and has paid the price to provide us one single way of escape through Jesus Christ’s death on the cross for our sins.

“For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes on Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, lived a perfect, sinless life in our place. He earned eternal life through a holy life. Then He presented Himself as a sacrifice on the cross for our sins, absorbing all of the punishment for them, and dying in our place. “For I presented to you that which is of first importance which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:3) He not only died for the sins of the world at large, but He died for each individual sin you have committed. As the Apostle Paul said, “I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20b)

If we do not personally trust Christ alone, judgment day will send us to hell, a place of terror and suffering. Fun, love, and pleasure will be gone forever. This punishment will happen even to the religious people who trust in what they do for Him instead of what He has done for them.

“And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever…. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:10, 15)

Jesus said, “Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your Name? Haven’t we cast out demons in Your Name? Haven’t we done many miracles in Your Name? Then I will tell them plainly: Depart from Me, lawless ones! For I never knew you!” (Matthew 7:22-23)

If we do trust Christ alone, judgment day will bring us to a place of love, joy, and peace. Pain, sickness, death, boredom, sadness, and weariness will be gone forever.

Jesus said, “Truly, truly I tell you, that whoever hears My word and believes in the One Who sent Me has eternal life and will not come into condemnation, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24)

“I heard a powerful voice coming from the throne, saying: Look, the dwelling place of God is with people! He will make His dwelling place together with them, and they will be His people. And God Himself will be with them and be their God. And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, nor any sorrow, nor crying, nor any pain, because the former things are no more.” (Revelation 21:3-4)

”For just as it is written, ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the minds of man the wonders that God has created for those who love Him.’” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

The choice is yours. Right now, you are
making a decision between heaven and hell.

“Working together with Him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.For He says,’In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation!” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2) “Choose then this day what God you will serve…. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord!” (Iosua 24:15) No one but you can make the decision for you. But God loves you, and His Son Jesus suffered and died so that you might live. He has done everything He can to give you eternal life. Now you will decide whether you receive or reject His gift. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

Your response

If you believe this message from God’s word, trust in Christ and be saved today. When you trust in Christ alone, He will see your faith, forgive your sins, and give you eternal life. If you wish, you can express your faith in Him with a prayer like the following:

“Lord Jesus, I confess that Your word is true, and that I have sinned and deserve God’s punishment. I believe You died on the cross in my place and took the punishment for me. Then You rose again to save me if I put my trust in You. I am trusting You now, to do just as You promised. Please forgive my sins, save me from God’s wrath, and give me eternal life. Thank You for being my Savior and making me a child of God. Amen.”

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; No one comes to the Father, except by Me.”

A Sermon on Repentance from sin in the life of the believer, from Psalms 51:1-12. A prerecorded video of the same message preached live in the church in Cluj this morning. In English with Romanian translation. Part 2 is scheduled for next week.

The conclusion of our video sermon series through the book of Galatians, in English with Romanian translation.

A video sermon in the continuing series through the book of Galatians, recorded as a livestream during the worship service at the church this morning. In English with Romanian translation.

See to it that you fulfill your ministry

A Walk of Faith Devotional by Dave Bunnell

And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”

–Colossians 4:17

Reading Colossians a few days ago, this verse gripped me. There in the closing of the book is Paul’s admonishment of a servant of Christ who apparently was dropping the ball. God had given him an open door to serve in some form of ministry, and he, for whatever reason, wasn’t being faithful to complete the work he had been given. So he needed a word of encouragement.

The verse gripped me, because I realized how often I, as well as many others, have needed to receive a word like that. Look at your life for a moment, and see if you need it, too, today.

The ministries that we do, which are jobs that the Lord Himself has given us, are works of service for His glory that He expects us to fulfill. He provides the grace, strength, guidance, stamina, and resources necessary to fulfill the task, as we turn to Him. So see that you get to the work He gives you without stall, without delay, and without giving up. And finish well.

Is there a ministry God has told you to start that isn’t started, even though He already opened the door? Then get to it.

Is there a ministry that you are no longer giving your whole heart to, and now you are slacking off because of disappointment or discouragement? Then get back to it. If He wants you to stop, He will close that door or open another that He asks you to go through. And He will be faithful to see you through on the job for as long as He desires.

Is there a ministry you have quit, or are about to quit, without His first releasing you from the task? Then make sure—see to it—that you keep on the job until He takes you off it.

“Fulfill your ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:5)

A Call Forsaken

A Walk of Faith devotional by Dave Bunnell

“Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica.”
–2 Timothy 4:10a

That’s one of the sadder sentences of the Bible, because in one line it summarizes how a once-faithful servant of the Lord apparently failed to finish the race like a winner, and all because this world became more important to him than the next.

Presumably, this man Demas is the same one Paul had mentioned in two of his previous epistles (Philemon and Colossians) as a “fellow worker” in the cause of Christ. But now, as Paul writes his last letter, he tells Timothy that he is alone, because Demas has fallen prey to love for this world and taken off when Paul needed him most. Demas forsook God’s call and went to live for himself in Thessalonica, a very worldly city indeed.

Did he ever return to answer God’s call on his life? The Bible leaves us with no way of knowing, but its last words about him are a sort of warning to all of us who follow Christ. Beware the love of this world that can so quickly take even the most “spiritual” among us off track. Be constantly on your guard against the carnal desire within you to live for now instead of for eternity. God will remain faithful to us regardless of what we do, but we can lose much in the way of opportunity to be used of Him if we lose our focus in life. How many Christians in our generation are following in the steps of Demas instead of Paul? How many have left their “First Love,” to find temporary solace in the arms of another?

Perhaps someone reading this now is on the verge of abandoning God’s call in order to make this life more comfortable and pleasant. If Demas could talk to you today, I bet he’d warn you against giving in to those desires.
“Hold on,” he’d probably say. “Taking up your cross to follow Him is challenging, but you must stay diligent in service to the Lord until the very end! It is far better to forsake all and follow Him than to forsake Him to gain anything this world offers.”

Brother or sister, stay mindful of this truth. God Himself has a call on your life. Don’t you miss it for the world.