Hanging on His Words

God's Sovereignty and our Comfort

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:13:00 +0000

Acts 8:1 "And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles."

Nowadays every good movie has a sequel to follow and the writers have high expectations from movie studios to produce. However no greater sequel was ever written than the sequel to Jesus' public ministry- the book of The Acts of the Apostles. The difference is this is not fiction. This is the real story, the story of the continuation of the ministry of Jesus Christ to the world through his body "the church" by the agency of his indwelling spirit. The book of Acts chronicles the birth of the early church with 120 members in Jerusalem to a great body of believers in the tens of thousands all over the Roman Empire. IT all began with a simple command- they were given instruction by Christ to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth, beginning in Jerusalem, then to Samaria and finally to the gentile nations. (Acts 1:8) The first 7 chapters tell us the incredible story of the church's triumph and success in ancient Jerusalem with testimonies of exponential growth, signs and wonders and even persecution. Yet the promise of Christ remained solid, "The gates of Hell shall not prevail."(Matt. 16:18) However once we get to chapter 7 the church finds itself at a crossroads with the Jewish authorities, leading to a pivotal moment where Stephen is the first Christian to be martyred for his faith at the hands of a young ambitious Pharisee named Saul. So enraged was Saul with the church, he launched a pogrom targeting Jewish Christians with the hope of eradicating the church. Saul didn't realize he was on the wrong side of history at this point (Acts 5:38-39). As a result of Saul's zealous pogrom the church was "scattered"- essentially they were forced to move out of Jerusalem and out of their homes. However what seemed on the surface to be tragic was actually a sovereign working of God to mobilize his church out of their comfort zones to fulfill their mandate to "bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth"

In Acts 8 we read of Phillip bringing the Gospel to Samaria, and to an Ethiopian eunuch, indicating the Gospel is going much further than the city limits of Jerusalem. Eventually Peter is led by the Lord to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 11) and the zealous pharisee Saul who sought to destroy the church is converted by God's sovereign grace, and becomes God's ambassador to the gentiles as the foremost missionary in the early church. The point here? God' sovereignty works in our lives to bring us out of comfort zones to accomplish his will. We recently were forced to move out of a building and city we served in for 8 years. At first there was a sense of sadness and grief, and discomfort, for being forced out of our comfort zones. However I see the sovereign hand of God in this. God is taking Grace and Truth out of their comfort zones and mobilizing us to be his witnesses in a new community and new context to reach people with the Gospel and advance his Kingdom in a marvelous way. It is comforting when you know God is sovereign and can claim Rom. 8:28 as a basis of our comfort, trusting and believing that God is always progressively moving his people in the right direction. I am excited and eagerly anticipate a great work of God as we venture to reach lost souls in the Greenburg / White Plains community.

What about you? Has there been trials and circumstance sin your life that have gotten you out of your comfort zone? Have your been left with no choice in certain areas of your life? Perhaps God is directing your path for his glory. Be sensitive to the spirit and follow his lead.

What's Next for Family Radio?

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:52:00 +0000

After Harold Camping's failed prophecy last week, many have been wondering, whats next? Clearly Mr. Camping has been through a tough year. He made two prophecies concerning the end of the world which both proved to be false, suffered a stroke, and is dealing with the embarrassment of being the preacher who cried wolf. I can't help to feel sorry for the man. I just think he doesn't get it. He's not a bad person, just self-deceived. Although he released a recorded audio file of a quasi-apology, Camping still let's on that perhaps there is more to come. In his apology he says,

“I am checking my own notes more carefully than ever. There is other language in the Bible, and we still have to look at very carefully. ... We should be very patient about this matter."

What notes? What other language? What is he talking about? I don't think even he knows what he is talking about anymore. I believe that Mr. Camping has proven to the world he is a fraud. Anyone else who continues to follow him, simply does not have rational minds. But what about Family Radio? It appears they scrubbed their website of any trace of May 21, and OCt. 21. But what about the church age? What about annihilationism? What about the atonement? Where does the station stand on the crucial issues where Mr. Camping has deviated from historic Christianity? Well I decided to email Family Radio and to my surprise, I received a response from Mr. Camping's daughter Susan Espinoza. You can read both emails and see for yourself.

IF there is any doubt to whether or not Family Radio is penitent- the answer is clearly no. Its back to the drawing board until the next embarrassing moment for the bleeding station.

Email exchange between myself and Susan Espinoza

To Whom it May Concern:

While Mr. Camping has apologized for his false claims, there are still many unanswered questions.

1) Where does Family Radio stand on the end of the church age? Mr. Camping’s teaching on the end of the church age were all tied into the matrix of the second coming. If his calculations were wrong on the rapture and second coming, isn’t it reasonable to conclude he has been wrong on the end of the church age? Is it ok for people to go to church now, being that the prophecies failed? If Mr. Camping was wrong about saying those who did not believe in May 21 were not Christians, couldn't Mr. Camping be wrong in saying that those who attend church are not Christians?

2) Where does Family Radio stand on the atonement? Mr. Camping also deviated from historic Christianity and reformed theology in asserting that Christ atoned for sin "before the foundations of the world" and that his death on the cross was only "a parable". Does Family Radio believe that Christ died a real death and suffered in our place as our suffering substitute on the cross, or was his death on the cross a meaningless show to demonstrate what happened in heaven?

3) Where does Family Radio stand on the doctrine of Hell? Does Family Radio insist in the doctrine of annihilation? IF so, on what merit?

4) Who is currently the head of Family Radio? Is there an executive board? Will Family Radio seek to possibly reinstate former bible teachers? Who replaces Harold Camping? And will such a teacher be accountable to others or be autonomous like Mr. Camping?

I am sure the station does not have all the answers as you sort out the mess. But after so much confusion- it is only fair to Family Radio Listeners to get a straight answer and not be left in the dark guessing.

Thank you and God bless

Robert Gianserra

Dear Mr. Gianserra,

It is true that the recent prediction of the end of the world was totally incorrect. That is obvious, as we are still here. God has given us the calendar, but Mr. Camping and others misunderstood the significance of May 21 and October 21. Perhaps with time God will give us that understanding.

It does not follow, however, that everything else we teach, or Mr. Camping has taught, is therefore wrong and should be discarded. We believe that Family Radio is teaching the truth of the Bible, and we have no intention of changing our position on the subjects you mentioned, unless God corrects us.

Sincerely in Christ,

Susan Espinoza
Family Radio

What Jesus says to the Churches

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 02:45:00 +0000

After studying the seven churches of Revelation, we begin to see that there is not much different from the churches of Asia Minor of the First Century compared with all churches throughout history. We have faced the same trials and tribulations in different seasons and different waves. That is because we are the church militant. That is - the visible church here on on earth. But one day that will, all give way to the church victorious- the heavenly church, where we will all be in a perfect eternal state. Until then we are still in this "present evil age" Gal. 1:4. Therefore there is much we can apply from our study.

In the latest news; Youcef Nadarkhani (a Christian pastor) is facing the death penalty in Iran for the charges of apostasy. After the news media began to publish stories about this, and it soon became a human rights issue, Iran has now changed their story and said he is guilty of rape. Clearly the Iranian government is hostile to Christianity and those who dare convert to Christianity find themselves facing serious charges -even death. About 2000 years ago a small church Turkey, in the small city of Smyrna found themselves in a similar predicament. They were facing severe "tribulation" and were being "slandered" by their opponents. Then we turn here to the US and we find churches that are preaching the doctrines of Balaam and Jezebel much like Pergamum and Thyratira, and even worse some churches are dead or lukewarm. All this to say- not much has changed since the Lord spoke to John his message to the churches. His message is just as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago.There are churches today that appear to be poor and are rich and appear to be rich and are poor. There are apostate churches, and churches where few remain faithful. There are churches experiencing great times of revival, and churches experiencing times of great collapses. Yet in all of this, the Lord's church has not ceased to exist. While Satan has worked overtime to destroy churches both from within (apostasy and false teaching) and without (persecution), the truth remains the same "I will build my church and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it" Matt. 16:18.

The Jews tried to destroy the church, even Paul himself tried to destroy the church only to be converted and become second to Jesus in his influence in building the church. The Romans tried to destroy it- and soon Christianity became the official state religion. The Church of Rome tried to destroy it through tradition and legalism, only to be overturned by the Reformation. The church was then challenged by the thinkers of the Enlightenment, only to be humiliated by the great working of God in the great awakening movements! The liberals tried to destroy it and their churches today are nothing but rotting corpses. And today we are fighting against the wave of secularism, post-modernism, and militant Islam. So should we fret? No. The church will continue its mission as the body of Christ and be the light and salt of the earth until Christ himself returns. Will we face threats, and problems, and feel sometimes we are the underdog? Of course. But we also have hope that although we may be shaken for a moment, Christ has redeemed the future for his saints, and his church militant will one day become the church victorious!

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21 ESV)

Summary of Love

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 17:02:00 +0000

1 Peter 1:22 "Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart"

It has been several weeks since my last post, and I must confess that with the addition of seminary work this year it is not as easy to maintain a blog. Nevertheless I hope and aim to post two articles this week to follow up on recent sermons preached at Grace and Truth. First of all let me say that camping out in 1 Corinthians 13 has been extremely helpful to me on a personal level and I trust it was beneficial to all those who sat under the preaching. For anyone interested in further reading on 1 Cor. 13, I would recommend Jonathan Edwards timeless work- (which I referred to quite a bit) Charity and Its Fruits. I am sure in your expanded reading you will be truly edified.

As for my summary, I want to bring the last few sermons regarding loves character and remind everyone that love is the most excellent way for Christians to live. We are commanded to pursue love and make it our lifestyle. After examining all the traits of love in 1 Corinthians 13 we find out that it is all contrary to human nature and very much contrary to our social standards of the day. By nature we are selfish, rude, inconsiderate, and proud. Furthermore we are taught by our society that such characteristics are actually virtues. But this love is not a love of this world but a love of divine origin. It is the love of God. And we as Christians are called to "to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires" Eph. 4:22 and instead "put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." Eph. 4:24. Part of putting on the new self means living as Christ lived, namely manifesting the love of the Father to a lost and degenerate world. As imitators of Christ we glorify him most when we live a life that reflects Christ's love. Sadly in many reformed circles we have moved away from any notion of love as a knee jerk reaction to the over-emphasis of love in many non-reformed circles. However such an approach can lead us to be sadly labeled "the frozen chosen" and in the worst case actually put us in disobedience to God's word and poorly reflecting the image of Christ. This means we must put love into action. It is not merely enough to talk about how we can be more loving to others, nor are we to wait to feel it, because we learned already...love is an action. Therefore, what are some practical ways we can demonstrate our love for others that will both reflect the image of Christ, and prove our obedience to the word?

1 John 4:18 "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."

I am interested to hear from others how the sermon series on Christian love has personally convicted you and what new ways you have applied this to your life.

Love Does Not Boast

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:02:00 +0000

After preaching this last sermon, I have been thinking about how many times I have boasted or bragged to others and how many times others have bragged to me. Bragging rights seems to be something we cherish in our human nature and comes very easily to us, however in God's estimation a braggart is nothing more than a "bag of wind". The Corinthians were nothing more than spiritual show offs and it proved they lacked love. The same can be said of many Christians today. I have found that there are several areas where we can caught up in bragging in thinking we are being spiritual when in reality, we are indirectly demeaning others. For example:

As a pastor it is easy to brag about how many people came out to your service and how many people you were able to get to come out to a special event. But in the process of doing so especially in the company of other pastors, we may indirectly demean that person and make them feel inferior to us.
Such is not Christian love.

Or sometimes we may be attending a church that we really are blessed by and brag about our pastor or church to other Christins as if any other pastor or church was inferior and second rate compared to our church. Now while it may be true that you are blessed by the ministry in your church, wisdom would seek to be careful in how we couch our words lest we directly or indirectly make others feel like second rate Christins.

Then we can easily deceive ourselves by practicing our religion with ostentation to attract the praise and glory of men- just like the Pharisees did. Jesus made no qualms about condemning them for thier overt display of religion to elevate their egos above everyone else.

Matt. 7:5 And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

We are good at covering up our failures and equally good at blowing the trumpet at our success. But God's word tells us that Love doe snot boast. And if we do not have love, than all our religion and spirituality is utterly worthless (1 Cor. 13:1-4) We can brag in just about anything. We can brag about our jobs, our children, our health etc. But bragging only reveals 2 things. First a denial of God's grace in providing all of our needs according to his riches an glory. Anything we have is a gift from his hand and so the only thing we should boast in is our knowledge of him (Jer. 9:23-24) Second- it reveals a heart that does not love others but is more concerned abut being loved by others.. IF we were more sensitive to the feelings of others we would be careful not to brag. We should ask, "Would I make my brother or sister in Christ feel second rate if I boast in this success of mine?"" Is my intention to make my my brother or sister in Christ feel inferior to me?"" Is it necessary that people acknowledge my successes?" How will it glorify God? "

After asking several question like this- you will be far less quick to brag in the company of others. And if you really want people to like you you will excel by not bragging- no body likes a braggart.

The Corinthians were a bunch of braggarts and show offs and as a result were guilty of offending their fellow Christians and God. Are we show offs? Do we boast to make ourselves look better than everyone else? If so then you need a lesson in love.

John MacArthur made an excellent point in his commentary on this subject: "I don't know if you realize it, but boasting is geared to hurt other people. It is geared to wound somebody else--to make you stand out and them look inferior.

Love is Kind...

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:32:00 +0000

Paul's positive affirmation of love's character is that love is both long suffering and kind. Here are two sides of the same coin. While in one sense love suffers long and patiently enduring personal injury and offenses, on the other side we repay those who are mean, unfair and mistreat us with kindness. Such ideas are really foreign and contrary to human nature. In our humanity it is natural to be self defensive, lose patience, get angry and give up on people. And when that is not enough we dream up of ways to get revenge ranging anywhere to outright violence, to a cold shoulder. No matter how you cut it- such behavior is unloving and not reflective of God. It is easy to be nice to people who are nice to us, but Jesus said, "Even sinners can do that!" The real test of your faith is to be kind and generous to those who are not nice to us, just as our Heavenly Father is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. So what are some ways we can be kind to others?

We can show respect to others even when we think they do not deserve it, or they disrespected us. All people have a desire to be shown the most common decency. Why is it we are so quick to show respect and be polite to a civil official for instance, but will think nothing of dismissing a homeless man as a bum and treating him as less. True kindness, shows respect to all people regardless of their lot in life or regardless of their actions. Simple gestures like Good Morning or Good Evening, or simply acknowledging someone else human dignity. Even the lowest of men reflect their creator to some degree, no matter how marred.

To show compassion and sympathy is another way we practice kindness. There are so many people who are hurting around us all day. Often we are so consumed with our own problems we feel little sympathy for others. Also we have become so desensitized to pain and suffering by being exposed to so much on broadcast media, that it is not even bothersome to us. It is common to hear of some tragic story on the 5 o'clock news, and we easily dismiss it. However, we need to cultivate genuine compassion and sympathy for others. When we see others in pain and suffering for whatever reason, it is easy to say, they had it coming, or poor souls, or think we have it worse. But the reality is we should see all human suffering to whatever degree it is, as painful to the person experiencing it, and show some type of kindness by "weeping with those who weep". But we should also seek to do something to alleviate the pain of others. James uses sarcasm to show how some people are kind only in their words,
"If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?" Ja. 2:15-16. But rather we should love people not just in word but in deed. If we have it in our ability to alleviate the pain of others and withhold, what are we saying about God who has shown so much kindness towards us?

Love: A Necessary Virtue

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:07:00 +0000

What's love got to do with it? Everything. That was Paul's message to the Corinthians, it was Jesus' message in his public ministry, and it is God's message to us today. Sadly I believe many professing Christians have moved far away from this essential truth of the gospel. The basis of the cross, and God's act in salvation had everything to do with His love. We know that his love for even the reprobate is demonstrated in His common grace, and therefore as children of God, are we not to be imitators of our Lord? In Ephesians 5:1-2 , we see this admonition in plain language:

"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

The point is this: We are the spiritual offspring of God. We have been born again, born from above and born of God. Our identity is that we are children of the Most High God. Therefore, we are to imitate (mimites)- mimic God. To mimic means to copy closely, or repeat another’s actions, speech and behavior. To Mimic God we are called to repeat his actions, speech and behavior. Essentially- Mimicking God calls us to reflect the character of God in our life. To be God like. It is nothing different that what Jesus said in Matt 5:48. “That we be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect”, or in Luke 6:36 “To be merciful as your Father in Heaven is merciful”

But the only way it is going to happen is when we spend more time with the Lord. Just like our own children become facsimiles of us, by spending time around us, we become facsimiles of God by spending time with him. But how can we spend more time with the Lord? How can we know him better? Through bible reading, prayer and worship. When we spend more time with the Lord, we will be able to repeat his actions, echo his speech and duplicate his behavior. Essentially- the more time we spend with God, the more we will be able to love like Him, see the world as He sees it, and be imitators of God.

The Body of Christ

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:47:00 +0000

When we think of the human body and how intricately woven all its members are, we begin to understand why the Lord uses this analogy of his church. We the church, like the human body, are a living organism in which each member is intricately woven together functioning by the power of the Holy Spirit to the praise and glory of God. Such a concept makes it clear how important church membership is and how important it is to be an active member as well. Many people do not like the idea of joining a church because they see it as oppressive and unnecessary. However the bible makes it clear that coming to faith automatically makes us members of the universal church, thus becoming a member of a local church is simply the visible expression of our membership to the larger body of Christ. It demonstrates that we understand that the local church is where God wants us to grow and develop with other members and be discipled. It is where we practically serve the interests of others fulfilling the Great Commandment of loving one another, and where we recognize that just as Christ has authority over the church universal, he has appointed elders in each church representing his spiritual authority as stewards of his word.

Clearly the bible teaches in Hebrews 13:17 "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you." This is not a suggestion but a command. The Lord knows that we are prone to wander away from him and in his grace provides under-shepherd to care for and direct his sheep. When true biblical eldership is in place in any local assembly the members of the church will reap the spiritual benefits. However sadly in our day, there is a lack of qualified men serving as elders, and a lack of appreciation from members for those who do.

The point I really wanted to make, was that because the local church is the body of Christ joining a healthy church is access to the life of Christ. Not joining a local church is NOT having access to the life of Christ. This is why church discipline is so important. It recognizes the covenant blessings of those who are members of the church and when one is removed from the church they are considered, "handed over to Satan" 1 Cor. 5:5 and "counted as a heathen" Matt. 18:17. Being dis-membered from the body of Christ is equivalent from being cut off from the covenant community. Just like cutting a limb off of your body cuts it off from the life that flows through your blood. When thinking of it this way, joining a church should be the desire of every true born again believer. Why? To partake of the life of Christ and to participate in the covenant blessing.

I believe the parable of the vine illustrates the principle I have just wrote about. Read the following:

John 15:1-6 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

Just as a branch cannot continue to live and produce grapes unless it is joined to the vine from which the life giving sap flows…A Christian cannot bear spiritual fruit in progressive sanctification unless one has spiritual union with Christ, from which all the life giving grace flows through the Holy Spirit.Our union to Christ will be made evident when we join the only institution on earth where his presence dwell in power and authority. The church is simply the best place on earth where we grow in our relationship with God and grow in our relationships to others. To come to church and take all the benefits without becoming a members is no different than having premartial sex, and enjoying all the benefits of marriage without making a commitment.

What Were the Angels Singing?

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 05:33:00 +0000

Tonight as I was putting my daughter to bed, we read the nativity account from her Jesus Story Book Bible and left off on the account of the shepherds who had a vision of the angelic host of heaven singing on that first Christmas night. After we read the account I sang "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" to her and put her to bed. Every Christmas when I hear that song, it invokes memories of George Bailey holding his baby daughter in his arms and hearing a bell ring, signaling that Clarence the angel has obtained his wings. Although I love "It's a Wonderful Life" and enjoy the wholesome message of a classic movie, I think many people overlook the classic Christmas carol and the rich theology behind it. When Charles Wesley wrote this song he was thinking of the glorious event of Christmas when God became a man. His words were as theologically sound as can be, "Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail th’incarnate Deity, Pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel." Wesley the evangelist was preaching the gospel even in his music.

But why is Christmas so important? Why do we celebrate this holiday every year? Why do we sing carols like this? Because the night Jesus was born, the single most spectacular and historical event that would even happen- took place. The same God who created the universe and placed all the stars in their place, and who created the earth and all that exists, and who had been making promises to mankind through the descendants of Abraham for generations, had come down to earth and was born to a woman as a human baby boy. The night Jesus was born the unimaginable took place...A Holy, Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omni-present God, humbled himself to become like the very people he created... in His image. The concept is so amazing, and so tremendous, that for generations people have denied the incarnation of Christ, from the religious( like the Watchtower Organization), to the intellectual, and scientific community who disregard it as a myth of the old world. But to us who believe, it is no fable, and it is no theological paradox- it is the greatest truth that we hold dear to our hearts- that God loved us so much he gave us his only Son as a gift, to die for our sins, that all who believe in him, would have hope of being forgiven our sins, and living forever with him in all eternity. This is the greatest gift anyone can receive! It is the gift of God, His Son. And as scripture says, "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" Rom. 8:32. Essentially Christmas is about God giving us everything. You may not have gotten an I-pad this Christmas, or that vacation to Hawaii, but in reality- you have much more if you have Christ.

So what were the angels singing? Luke 2:14 answers the question, "“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

What more can we sing or say on such an occasion, but "Glory to God in the highest."? In no other way is God glorified more than in the reconciliation of his elect back to himself though the work of His son, who destroyed the works of the devil. And what more can the angels sing but, "Peace to those on earth" That is because when Jesus was born, he was the very one who would make peace, between God and man by becoming our peace offering and bearing our sins on the cross reconciling us back to God. And only through faith in Jesus Christ can there ever be true peace on earth between fellow human beings. Through Jesus, the walls of hostility have been broken down and in Christ there is no east or west, or Jew or Gentile, but all are ONE in Him. There was great reason to sing at the first advent of Christ and great reason to rejoice. And we still have great reason to rejoice.

I pray that the Lord would bless you all this Christmas and that you may truly enjoy this holiday for what its really means and not for the word has turned it into. May God grant us all the grace to behold his wondrous and glorious ways, in comprehending the mystery of the incarnation, and all the implications of that great expression of divine love.

Apostolic View of Pentecost

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 16:26:00 +0000

Yesterday I preached one of the most difficult sermons I have ever had to preach. Not so much because the text and subject was hard for me to understand, but because of the sensitivity of the subject for so many believers. One of the main things that was important to me in yesterday's sermon was the importance of understanding the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. What was even more important was to see not my interpretation, but to see the apostolic interpretation. Both at Pentecost and at the home of Cornelius, the Apostle Peter gives an apostolic interpretation of the meaning of the Baptism in the Spirit, and the following occurrence of glossolalia.

1n Acts 2 Peter clearly give the meaning of the event: Acts 2:14-17 “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.."

The significance of Pentecost was that ALL of God's people would receive the Holy Spirit for empowerment of ministry, and the speaking of tongues was visible and dramatic demonstration of this truth, in that different dialects of different people were being heard. This meant that ALL people meant ALL "nations, tribes and tongues".

In Samaria, when the Gospel was following the path that Jesus had ordained, there was another Pentecostal experience, again to confirm the inclusion of Samaritans into the Covenant community, and again Peter is sent in to affirm that the Samaritans as well were to be accepted as members of God's covenant community.

Acts 8:14-17 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

After Peter had preached to Cornelius and his home and saw them baptized in the Spirt as well, he reported back to Jerusalem this amazing event, and again interpreted again the meaning.

Acts 11:15- 18 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?” 18 When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

This was truly amazing! That the Lord gave his Spirit to the Gentiles just like he did the Jews indicating that they were to be included and accepted by the Jewish believers as co-heirs in the gospel! This may not sound like a big deal now, but had tremendous significance at this point in redemption history.

Today we are far past the age where God needs to demonstrate to us visibly who is included and accepted in the Kingdom of God. We are living in a post -Pentecostal time, where ALL believers, no matter their background are baptized in the Holy Spirit at the moment of conversion.

As the scripture teaches us, "For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit." 1 Cor. 12:13

It is important that we read the bible in its context and let it interpret itself. When we try to interpret the bible based on our own experiences than we are leaning in a direction of subjective hermeneutics that can be very dangerous.

Prophecy

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 15:35:00 +0000

This week, we looked at the gift of prophecy and examined the different approaches to understanding this gift, defining it and asking our selves if this gift indeed is still in operation. My own position leans towards the Wayne Grudem view that prophecy still exists, but is not authoritative or revelatory. God can use it to encourage and exhort his people and it is a gift that bears witness to the Holy Spirit's dwelling in the church. Sadly because of so much abuse and "false prophecy" that has existed in the church, many have disregarded the authenticity or operation of the gift any longer. Sadly we take reactionary positions as a result. This week- I want to open it up to you. What do you think? Are you a cessationist? Are you a continuationist? Or are you a Charismatic? What has your experience taught you? Have you ever seen an authentic prophecy fulfilled? What about bad experiences with false prophecies? I am sure the answers are legion.

While I do believe the gift of prophecy is still in existence I am content to claim the truth of scripture:

Rev. 19:10 For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

Should we Expect Miracles?

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:08:00 +0000

Yesterday we examined the gift of "working out of miracles" as one of the gifts listed in the "Gifts of the Spirit" in 1 Cor. 12:4-11. One of the things we established and made clear is that miracles are extraordinary and supernatural works of God, that were given as signs and wonders to validate the messengers of God. The only times in history where we see concentrations of miracles is in the ministry of agents of revelation: Moses, Elijah, Jesus, and the Apostles. Other than that miracles are not common or ordinary, but rather, unusual, and extraordinary. Based on that we concluded that when the bible was finished being written, miracles had ceased to occur for the reason that God's special revelation to us is complete. So why are so many people still seeking the miraculous? Because they are not satisfied with the Word of God. They are looking for something more, something tangible and something they can look for and hope in. In desperation people are willing to believe in anything, thus creating a market ripe for the picking. This is not theology 101, but business 101. The phony miracle workers have a lucrative business, because the market demands them. In fact I would argue there is more demand than supply, leaving a deficit in "miracle workers."

I am reminded of what scripture teaches, 2 Tim. 4:3-4 "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths."

This describes the demand side of the false miracle business. We are living in that time, where people who are not content with what God has already revealed are looking to believe in anything but the truth. So in a sense, it is the masses of ignorant and unstable people who create these men. But make no mistake about it, that does not excuse the false prophets. They are greedy and see the masses as walking dollar bills. They are evil and cunning and have used the Gospel for their selfish advantage, and exploited the poor and ignorant for their own good. Scripture has much to say about them as well.

2 Pet. 2:2,3 "many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words."

14-15 They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing,

17-19 These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption

One thing is for sure: God is just. These guys will all have to give an account one day for their lies, deception and stealing in the name of Jesus. They have received their reward now, but on Judgment Day, they have a special reservation for them- the gloom of utter darkness. May God have mercy on their souls.

Charismata

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 18:59:00 +0000

In my last two sermons in 1 Corinthians, I have started to examine what was going on in the Corinthian church in relation to the "charismata". The term "charismata", in the original Greek simply means, "grace gifts" and is used in modern Greek to say, "birthday gift". Some changes, but the intent is more or less the same...an undeserved, and unmerited gift from God. Now we know that God in his grace has given us many gifts. The gift of salvation (Eph. 2:8-9), justification (Rom. 5:16), Eternal life (Rom. 6:23) the gift of giving (2 Cor. 9:15) etc. But we are talking specifically here about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are given to the elect for the purpose of building up the church. Eph 4:7 "But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift" It is the Holy Spirit who takes that which is Christ's and applies to us making it our own. Therefore, every person who is born again and is given the Holy Spirit has been gifted by the Spirit for some type of ministry, and there is no such thing as the gift of pew warming. When we think of Christians being charismatic, we automatically assume that they must be prophets, speak in tongues or perform miracles, but this is not the case. There are many gifts that the Holy Spirit has bestowed on His church which are not spectacular or supernatural. Thus, if we are to interpret Scripture correctly- all Christians are charismatics. The problem is how we interpret charismatic.We need to take closer look at the scriptures. In Corinth the gifts that were manifested and were emphasized by the Corinthians, Paul makes reference to in 1 Cor. 12:9-11. But that is not an exclusive or exhaustive list. For instance look at Rom. 12:6-8

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Did you ever think that serving is a gift? What about the ability contribute to the the finances of the church? Or the what about showing mercy? These are gifts of the spirit as well! They may not be spectacular or illustrious, but for the most part being a Christan is living our day to day lives not on the mountain top experiences of the supernatural highs, but rather on the plateaus and valleys where we live by faith in Christ, and are enabled by the Spirit to minister in every day life.

Too often the charismatic church puts all their emphasis on the spectacular and the extraordinary. But that's not reality. The Christian walk is not a Harry Potter movie. The bible may have records of the miraculous and supernatural, but they do not characterize the majority of biblical history. A thorough reading of the bible gives us examples of many believers who lived their life day to day in the power of the Spirit and yet these are the men and women have likewise been gifted by the Holy Spirit.

The challenge for all of us is to discover our gifts and put them to use. How do we do that? First we should pray and ask God to show us where he has gifted us to serve. Second- you should ask your pastor or an elder what they think. Often an elder, or pastor will have good insight into a persons gifting. But ultimately, God will confirm it to you as you live out your life and people will actually tell you what your gift is. The real point is that we are exercising our gifts. On judgment day we will all have to give an account for how we used the gifts God has given us. I personally think that the parable of the talents can have application here. To whatever level of gifting you have received is to the level we are responsible.

Luke 12:48 Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

A Righteousness Not Our Own

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 13:12:00 +0000

Not too long ago I was challenged by someone to rethink the imputation of Christ's righteousness to the sinner and consider that the teaching of the active obedience of Christ was simply a result of an antiquated argument. After pondering these ideas for some time it was obvious these were thinly veiled suggestions coming from the popular "New Perspective". For those of you who have no clue what I am talking about, don't feel bad. In the academic world of evangelicalism there are some heated debates among Christian scholars that the average lay person would have no clue about. However those academic debates eventually trickle down to the lay persons in one form or another. The debate we are talking about is with New Testament scholar and Anglican Bishop N.T. Wright. Bishop Wright is a brilliant man and among one of the best New Testament scholars in the church, and has contributed a great deal of good to the church. However he has also reintroduced a teaching that is not sound and can lead to serious problems if left unchallenged. The teaching commonly refereed to as the "New Perspective of Paul" based on his book- "Paul in Fresh Perspective". Overall Wright argues that evangelicals have misunderstood justification as it was understood by Paul. One of his arguments, among many, is that imputation was merely a product of middle age thought and restricted to just the Reformation mind set. Based on new scholarship of Judaism during the first century, he argues that we now have a "fresh perspective" so to speak, on Paul's view of justification. Here a couple of snippets of his views:

“It is therefore a straightforward category mistake, however venerable within some Reformed traditions including part of my own, to suppose that Jesus ‘obeyed the law’ and so obtained ‘righteousness’ which could be reckoned to those who believe in him. …It is not the ‘righteousness’ of Jesus Christ which is ‘reckoned’ to the believer. It is his death and resurrection.”
—N.T. Wright, Justification: God’s Plan and Paul’s Vision, p. 232

Is there then no 'reckoning of righteousness' in, for instance, Romans 5:14-21? Yes, there is; but my case is that this is not God's own righteousness, or Christ's own righteousness, that is reckoned to God's redeemed people, but rather the fresh status of 'covenant member', and/or 'justified sinner', which is accredited to those who are in Christ, who have heard the gospel and responded with 'the obedience of faith'." -N.T. Wright, 10th Edinburgh Dogmatics Conference: 25–28 August 2003, p. 8

In the this weeks sermon I made a clear biblical case for the doctrine of imputation and believe it is as clear as can be. I adamantly reject the New Perspective on the grounds that it leaves many questions unanswered about righteousness, and leaves the door wide open for works righteousness, whereby the believer is credited with a righteousness of their own. I cannot see how it is possible for a believer to merit any good before God. But for anyone who may doubt, I will not pretend to be a scholar, and instead point you to some of the most formidable theologians and scholars of our day and allow them to dissect Wright's views. Below are a few links that you will find helpful. But a more thorough search will help you find a wealth of resources.

Tom Schreiner's article

More Media from Ligonier Ministries

Media by D.A. Carson

Media by John Piper

Book- Justification and Variegated Nomism

Happy Studying!

The Proper Observance of the Lord's Supper

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 14:15:00 +0000

What a wonderful occasion the Lord's Supper is for believers to celebrate and remember the work of Christ on the cross. If there is one thing we learned yesterday is that one of the key aspects of the Lord's Supper- is that it is a time to remember. Memorials are important in our life so we never forget life changing and important events in our life and society. As a nation we celebrate the 4th of July as Independence Day, remembering what it took to gain independence as a nation. On Sept. 11 of every year, we take time to remember the tragic loss of lives on 911 when so many people died in the worst attack on our nation. The names are read from Ground Zero every year as a memorial so that the reality of what took place there may remain fresh in people's memory. As married couples we celebrate our wedding anniversary every year usually by going to a special dinner and play, or maybe a vacation to spend time as a couple reflecting on the genesis of love in one's relationship. In the same way the Lord instituted the Lord's Supper so that the message of the gospel would remain fresh in our minds on a frequent basis. The Lord's Supper brings us back to Calvary and back to where the greatest act of God for mankind ever took place. It was monumental and was a life changing event for all who believe. The Lord's Supper brings us back to the foot of the cross, to see how our sins hung our Lord on that cross to be our vicarious substitute in atoning for our sins. When you begin to consider the importance of the meaning behind the Lord' Supper, we begin to value it as more than just a ritual but a celebration of eternal life.

In a recent article written by CJ Mahaney he writes this, "It is frighteningly easy to lose sight of Calvary. We drift away from the cross, not toward it." What CJ writes demonstrates that our natural tendency is to drift from the cross. What an amazing display of God's grace and wisdom to institute the Lord's Supper to keep the cross fresh in our minds! May we always live our lives close to the cross, and never let go. May we live in the grace of God knowing our sins have been forgiven and humbled by the great price paid for our redemption. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Robbing God

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:25:00 +0000

This past Sunday, Pastor Paul Frey delivered a very challenging sermon on the topic of robbing God. His passage was selected from Malachi Chapter 3 and was a thorough examination of what it means to rob God. I have been a Christian now for fifteen years and have heard sermons preached on Mal. 3:8 numerous times. It is a favorite among the prosperity preachers and is commonly used when churches need to raise funds. After hearing so many sermons on the subject it is easy to become desensitized and not really hear any more. Why is this? Because of the sensitive topic of money. Because the church has so abused this passage and so many preachers have conned people out of their money by using such a passage, we tend to have a resistance to such words because of the abuse of many so called Christina.

But can we discount the inspired words of scripture because of those who have misused it? God forbid. That is like saying, lets cease to be moral because so many legalistic people have misused the scriptures to impose their beliefs. Or that is like saying, let's abandon any kind of eschatology because so many teachers have made such outrageous interpretations. No. We cannot and must not take such an approach. The words of Malachi 3 are as strong and as relevant today as they were when Malachi prophesied several centuries before Christ. Listen to the word:

"Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need."

The attitude of Malachi's immediate audience is not different today. the attitude they has was that they believed whatever wealth they had was theirs. What they didn't realize is that everything they owned was God's. The same today- when you look at your checking account, do we see it as our money, or the Lord's money? Depending on your perspective and attitude, will determine whether or not the charge of robbing God sticks or not. If indeed our resources are God's, than we are indeed robbing him, by failing to obey him and give back to him a portion of what has been given us. If it is ours, God has no claim.Recently my daughter has learned the word "mine". In our daily learning lessons, Rachel will sometimes defy me and grab something in the house and say "mine!" To which I usually respond, "No honey, everything is mine. You are just borrowing this from me." Sadly many of us act like 2 year old children when it come to money and scream "Mine!"

In 1 Chron. 29:12-14 David prays a prayer of blessing upon the plans to build a temple in God's honor. in light of the contributions the Israelites made to the Temple fund, David prays like this:

"Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. 13 And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name. 14 “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you."

David clearly knew that anything he had to give to God was from God to begin with. We have nothing to offer God. We are bankrupt sinners who deserve nothing but God's judgment. Only by His grace we have anything good to offer him. And only by His grace are we able to work and earn a living. Therefore if God has been so gracious (generous) to us, how can we be cheap with him and rob him? The tithe was an OT principle for maintaining the priesthood. We no longer are under the OT jurisdiction, but that does not lessen our responsibility but rather it heightens our responsibility. The entire sermon on the Mount was preached by Christ, not to lessen the teachings of the Law, but to demonstrate the greater meaning and how much more is required to be "righteousness". God showed his grace towards us in the ultimate way by "Not sparing his only Son..And graciously gives us all things" Rom. 8:33, then we, out of humble gratitude, ought to give God our very best. Robbing God is not just about money, but we rob can rob God in our time, our gifts, our worship, our love, our honor and obedience. The eighth commandment forbids stealing from our fellow man. How much worse of a crime is it when we rob from God! The lesson is clear- After God has shown so much grace, we should be constrained with great love to honor God with the first fruits of our wealth. Then the windows of heaven will pour out a blessing, till there is not need. You cannot out give God, he has abundantly more than you or I can ever offer him!

All Things to the Glory of God

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 23:21:00 +0000

After ending a long season on the topic of "eating meat sacrificed to idols", the scripture left us on a high note, instructing us on the importance of doing all things to the glory of God. I find that in life our attitudes and action are either going to glorify God or not. If our attitudes and actions do not glorify God they are either bringing glory to self, or they bringing glory to satan. Immediately one would protest, "But isn't that too dogmatic? Aren't there some things that are just neutral?" On the surface it appears that some actions in life can be purely neutral, like watching a movie, or playing golf. But what is a neutral action? Is there such a thing? Every decision we make in life is driven by some particular inward disposition. For example if I do choose to watch a movie, I am going to choose a genre that I like. If my wife brings home a chic-flic with Julia Roberts, more than likely I will cozy up to a good book instead. The point here is that we do what we like, and we don't do what we don't like. Therefore nothing is done from a neutral disposition. That is why Paul used such insignificant and mundane examples like food and drink. Even what we eat and drink- as unimportant as it appears, has a motivating force behind it.

The question we must begin to ask our selves is "What is motivating us when we make certain decision, or take certain attitudes?" Are we motivated by a love for God and a strong desire to bring him glory? And if not, why? Perhaps we are seeking the glory of another? Perhaps ourselves? If scripture commands us to premeditate on what we eat and drink so as to bring glory to God, what parts of our life are outside the realm of being lived to His glory? Nothing. Every part of our life should be lived with a single minded purpose to glorify God, to honor Him, and make Him look great! The only way this is possible is if we are born again. We must be regenerated and given a new heart with new desires if we are going to live a life that is motivated by giving glory to God. Because only a regenerate heart can have such a radical approach to life. That is because when God give us a new heart, we now delight in bringing glory to God and desire to make much of Him. Therefore eating, drinking, and doing whatever to the glory of God is not a burden but a delight.

So many Christians ,I believe, deceive themselves into thinking that there are areas of life that are neutral, and neither bring glory to God nor bring reproach to the Lord. In my own life recently I have had a startling revelation. I was obsessed with politics and was for all intents and purposes a "news junky". However one day the Holy Spirit brought great conviction upon me. I asked myself, "How is my obsession with politics bringing glory to God?"What I realized is that politics was just another seductive distraction the world has produced to make me lose focus on my main purpose in life. By God's grace, I rarely watch the news anymore, and take no pleasure in it. The longer I am a Christian, I find myself takign no pleasure in doing vain things, and finding great passion and joy in doing those thigns that are most glorifying to God! The point here is we may need to do a personal inventory and begin to question our motives in our favorite hobbies and activities. We may need to get on our knees and ask God to reveal to us if there is anything in our lives that is NOT gloriying to him, and we may be surprised what the Holy Spirt may reveal. When praying lke this mediate on Ps. 139:23-24

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me,and lead me in the way everlasting!"

If we are honest with ourselves, and open to the Spirits leading, we may find out that our lives may need some rearranging or at the very least a new attitude about the activities we engage in. In the end, our main goal- To God be the Glory!

How to Know a False Prophet?

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 16:32:00 +0000

My journey in the faith has taken me through some interesting places. When I first was saved, my first worship experience took me to hyper charismatic church which was at best, sorely off track.The gospel was preached and the pastor used the expository method, however the service was frequently interrupted by holy laughter and other strange phenomenon. Perhaps the worst experience was one night at a home bible study watching a woman run around in a fit of hysteria, screaming and yelling with her face red, and foaming at the mouth. As I watched in horror I asked one of the attendees what was happening and she exclaimed, "Sister so and so is experiencing a filling of the Holy Spirit" Immediately my 19 year old mind discerned that something was radically wrong. I wasn't much of a bible scholar, but I discerned the hysterical woman was NOT filled with the Holy Spirit. I soon left that church and made my journey through several Pentecostal churches over a five year period until ultimately, my skepticism of all the so called supernatural manifestations had been shored up by my studies in the Word of God. I then found myself worshipping at a sound Baptist church learning and growing in the grace and knowledge of God without being sidetracked by the shenanigans of emotionally driven churches without much substance.

To avoid the pitfall of spiritual pride, I confess it was not my ingenuity that led me away from that system of Christianity, but rather it was the Holy Spirit (ironically) that instructed me in the teaching of scripture and enabled me to discern the difference between false doctrine and sound doctrine. While I believe most of the bothers and sisters I worshipped with in the past were genuine believers, I believe their understanding of the ministry of the Holy Spirit was seriously skewed and were not as discerning as they should have been. This is the case with many believers. We take everything we see and hear that comes across as supernatural and of divine origin. Such spiritual gullibility is nothing to be proud of. The bible exhorts us to "Not believe every spirit, but test the spirits" 1 John 4:1, and that means that we need to be discerning. It would be dangerous naivety to simply accept everything we see or hear in a church as fro God, and disregard the countless warnings in scripture regarding how many false prophets have crept into the church, sent as emissaries of Satan. Which spirit are we listening to? Are we listening to the spirit of Antichrist or the Spirit of God?

When I was a young believer, my ability to discern spirits was very primitive. It took time of studying all of God;s Word before I could rightfully discern truth from error. Studying the Word takes discipline and hard work, which many people want to forgo out of spiritual laziness. Perhaps one of the reasons why False doctrine is on the rise is because Bible illiteracy is also on the rise. As people are more illiterate in the Word of God the more they will be susceptible to the doctrine of demons. Listen to the exhortation that Paul gives to Jewish Christians in the book of Hebrews:

vv. 11- 14 "about this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil."

There are many Christians who have been saved for quite some time and should be teachers at this point, but instead have to be retrained in the elementary teachings of the gospel. The message here is "Grow up! " How? 2 Peter 3:18 "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

I trust this weeks message and article will encourage all who read to seek to grow more in the knowledge of God and thus be able to discern truth from error. So that we as mature believers may be able to have a bolder witness to the world around us that does not know Jesus Christ.

Can Jesus be Trusted?

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:25:00 +0000

It was good to be back in the pulpit this past Sunday. We are so blessed to have had time together as a family and refresh ourselves in the Lord. I am especially thankful for the support and ministry of Grace and Truth Church which has been an extraordinary blessing in our lives.

This past week we went back to basics with a gospel message from John 14:1-6. I had it on my heart to preach this message for 2 reasons- 1) For visitors and newcomers to really grasp what the Gospel is, and 2) For mature believers to be refreshed with the simplicity of the pure gospel. In my sermon I tackled two topics. In my message I dealt with the reality of Heaven. Jesus promised he goes to prepare a place for those who believe in Him, and that he would not tell us this if it were not true. Can Jesus be trusted? As Christians we are convinced that Jesus can be trusted or we would not be Christians at all. To trust in Christ and take him at his word is what saving faith is. We live by faith and not by sight, scripture says, and to live by faith is to order our lives based on the authority of God's word. Not only does Jesus teach us there is a Heaven but that there is also a Hell. In Jesus public ministry he spoke more of Hell than he did about Heaven. What is Hell? Jesus used the term Gehenna to identify the place we call Hell. Gehenna was an incineration dump outside the city of Jerusalem where people basically burned their garbage, and where the refuse of sacrifices where burned. Unlike modern times where we have garbage pickups at our front curb, people had to burn their garbage in the ancient world. Gehenna had a perpetually burning fire and a stench that was absolutely disgusting. This was the metaphor Jesus used to describe what Hell will be like. Just like the garbage of Jerusalem was burned up and destroyed so not to pollute the land, every sinner who does not believe in Christ and does not have their sins atoned for, will be thrown into the "Lake of Fire" so not to pollute the New Heavens and New Earth. The bible says in Rev. 21:8 "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” The idea of a "Second Death" is terrifying to say the least. But this implies that there is something far worse than physical death in store for those who reject Jesus. That is eternal death. And Our Lord was quite specific in warning us against Hell, Matt. 18:8-9 "And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire."

This is because our sins are so detestable and offensive to the holiness of God, it is the equivalent of taking the putrefied trash and bring it into the most elegant palace. Hab. 1:13 says "Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong" and in Ps. 5:4 "For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you." As I said on Sunday the Tabernacle in the wilderness was built after the pattern of Heaven (Heb. 8:5). All things unclean and detestable were not be found in the camp of the Lord, because his presence was there and therefore it was a holy place. In the same way Heaven is God's dwelling place and there can be no unclean or detestable thing there to defile his presence. Rev. 21: 27 "But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life."

This is why there is no other way into Heaven accept through Jesus Christ. That is because nothing can cleanse away our sins, accept the blood of Jesus. Nothing can make us fit for Heaven except the sacrifice of his life on the cross, in our place. If we reject him, we reject Heaven.

Can Jesus be trusted? I am not a gambling man. But if I was, I would say there is too much at stake to bet against Him. My hope is that whoever is reading this article will trust Him too.

On Sabbatical

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 03:00:00 +0000

I know some out there keep up with the blog, however I will be taking a sabbatical from preaching until Sept. 19. By newborn Elizabeth came into the world this past Wed. Aug. 11 and I will be spending time with my family and helping my wife to recuperate.

We appreciate your prayers,

Bob

Running the Race to Win

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:53:00 +0000

1 Cor. 9:24 "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it."

We are in the race of a lifetime, and the finish line will usher us either into heaven or hell. In order to finish this race we must be trained, disciplined and ready to meet the obstacles and challenges set forth before us. If we are not disciplined, we may be disqualified and lose the race. There is an interesting lesson here. Although we believe in the sovereign grace of God in salvation, and sanctification; and although we know we go to heaven because of the finished work of Christ and nothing we do...yet it seems as if scripture is teaching to some degree that we must make an effort. While it seems paradoxical, that we can at once be saved entirely by God's grace and yet at the same time are commanded to make an effort it is not. In Phil. 2:12-13 "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." Here we see how at once we are commanded to work out our salvation and at the same time realize it is God who is work in us. Recognizing that God is at work in us does not in any way negate the responsibility we have to work out our salvation, run the race and make every effort in our Christian development. The best illustration I have heard used is one of the farmer. In order to produce a crop, the farmer depends on the sun and the rain to yield any fruits. This is God's responsibility. However he must still sow seeds, till the soil and care for the crop. This is the farmers responsibility. God gives the rain and sun which the farmer cannot give and the farmer sows the seed and tills the land which God does not do. Through this cooperation, the farm yields a harvest. In the same way God had given us everything necessary for living a sanctified life though his Holy Spirit. The bible says in 2 Pet. 1:3 "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness" It's already there. We have all we need to live a godly life, now its up to us to harness the power of God within. The Arminian argues we are free moral agents and can choose God or not. But that is impossible without the divine aid of the Holy Spirit through regeneration. But once we are converted and the Holy Spirit has sealed us, than we are truly free. We are free in Christ and now have the ability to obey God and run the race set before us.

My sermon Sunday was a challenging one- even to myself. But I know "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Don't live in defeat brothers and sisters, but live in accordance with the victory won for us by Christ and trust that he is able to help you run this race by his divine power. See you at the finish line.

The Laborer is Worthy of His Wages

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 23:15:00 +0000

James 5:4-5 "Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter."

One of the most sensitive subjects in Christianity and one of the most convicting for us as American Christians, is the subject of money. That is because money is so tied into the fabric of our culture. We are a capitalist nation. Working heard to earn money and spend it on what we choose is the basis of a consumer driven market and in large part has contributed to us living in one of the most prosperous societies in history. However...Can living in such a prosperous society actually be a curse? Often we think that materiel prosperity translates into God's blessings. But when a nation is very prosperous it can be the opposite. People begin more and more to love money and commit the sin of idolatry with that wretched god, mammon.

The text I quoted above from James is written to those who are wealthy. Maybes some of you reading this think, that doesn't apply to me, I am poor. Maybe relative to the top 5% of wealthy Americans you are. But compared to 75% of the human population, you are rich. That is because 75% of the human population lives in abject poverty (They do not have a house, bathroom, clothing, food, medical service etc.) We have it pretty good. In the text quoted we also have a scenario where the wealthy are withholding pay to those who labor in the fields. This can be understood in a literal sense, but I have always thought of this in regards to those who labor in the gospel. Why? Because the bible uses this metaphor in relationship to gospel ministry. Matt. 9:37 "Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” And in 1 Cor. 9:10 "It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop." Those laborers are clearly those engaged in the gospel ministry gathering God's elect. What I see here is a rebuke by James to those wealthy Christians holding back on supporting those who served in the ministry, and I also believe this rebuke carries over today. I think of pastors in foreign countries who live in shacks and huts barely able to feed their families. I also think of pastors in the United States. With the exception of the few pastors who have large ministries that have a lot of money, most pastors receive an income way below the standard salary of a professional according to today's standards, and most pastors are unable to support their families forcing their wives to work to supplement the income. Sadly the rights of a minister are not highly regarded by many church goers in our country. And is a sad commentary of western Christianity.

This is why James gives such a strong warning, it is a warning of those who live luxuriously at the expense of shortchanging those who labor in the gospel. This is where prosperity can be a curse. Ironically, it is a lot easier to be generous when we have little, but when we have a lot it is more difficult. People become dependent and feel secure with their wealth and are afraid to depart with their money. James likens such people to cattle which are fattened to be slaughtered, giving a vivid depiction of divine judgment on such indulgent attitudes. This was the case with Sodom and Gomorrah. While we often think God judged them because of their sexual immorality, it was not the only reason. In fact it was just a symptom of a greater problem. The problem of overindulgence due to prosperity. We read in Ezekiel 16:49-51 "Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. 50 They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it"

I wonder sometime if our prosperity in America is not so much God's blessing, but God's curse. Maybe he is fattening us up for the slaughter. Well I am not a prophet nor a son of a prophet, but one thing I am is a person who can perceive. And I perceive as a society we have become very self indulgent and very greedy. May God have mercy on us. I am especially grieved when recent surveys indicate giving has gone down significantly in churches and the average person gives less than 5% of their income to their local church. Even recently due to shortages in the SBC, many missionaries have a cut in funding this year. How can such a thing happen in a nation where we have so much abundance? This is truly sad and truly sinful. God will hold us accountable on Judgment Day for how responsible we were with his money and if we we haven't been generous towards his Kingdom. It will do us all good to pay attention to the teaching of the Lord on this matter:

And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” 16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, 17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ 20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” Luke 12: 15-21

Dealing with Matters of Conscience

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 03:19:00 +0000

While eating food sacrificed to idols may not be an issue for modern Christians we are faced with many other issues that would fall under the category of : Matter of Conscience. I often get questions like this and it can become challenging jumping theological hurdles in dealing with issues striking that proper balance in not presenting a stumbling block and at the same time not imposing a man made rule or regulation on someone. I decided to post a few examples of questions that I have received recently and over the years to help demonstrate how we can apply the principles of 1 Cor. 8 and also add another strategy in dealing with these issues.

As I outline some of these, let me preface by saying that there are issues that are clearly dealt with in Scripture. When someone come to me and asks is it okay to engage in pre-marital sex? - the answer is obviously no, and that is a matter of fact. However there are issues that are not so clear in Scripture and must be given more thought.

Sabbath Observance: Romans Chapter 14 is the main passage along with 1 Corinthians 8 dealing with issues of conscience. In Rom. 14, Paul deals with the issue of Sabbath observance. In the new church made up of both Jewish and Gentile converts there was definitely a difference on this issue. Jews were still no doubt beholden to the Law, and with a weak conscience felt obligated to observe the (Saturday) Sabbath. But Gentiles on the other hand felt no such obligation. To them "all days were alike" and their conscience was free from guilt in non- sabbath observance. However it is important to note that the early church had already established a tradition of meeting on the first day of the week for corporate worship in accordance with Jesus resurrection. But this was not the same as the Jewish Sabbath. This is one major issue of debate amongst sincere believers today. Is Sunday the Christian Sabbath? I would say no. There is no explicit teaching in the NT that states that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday nor that the observances of the Sabbath was to be maintained by the church. While opponents may argue that Sabbath observance is instituted at creation and ratified in the Ten Commandments, I would argue that the "Saturday' Sabbath was instituted to point to the "rest" we enter, when we come to faith in Christ. (Col. 2:16-17, Heb 4:9) But the point here is this- If someone believes that Sunday is the Christian Sabbath and to go out to eat or do business on Sunday is a sin, I will not argue with them- because I do not want to cause them to violate their conscience and cause a weaker brother to stumble. At the same token- I think those who do hold those views should not seek to impose their beliefs on those who do not agree. As scripture says: "Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord." Rom. 14:5-6 As with other issues- this is a matter of conscience.

Alcoholic Beverages: During the industrial revolution in the United States, many churches bought into what is called "cultural holiness." Which simply is a form of legalism in response to cultural trends. When the industrial revolution took place, most men worked out of the house long hours and spent a great deal of time drinking. Consequently business production was weakened, domestic violence increased and crime also was on the rise. The culprit was drunkenness. The response by many Evangelical churches was to completely renounce all forms of drinking as utterly sinful and teach and preach total abstinence. Ever since the prohibition activists were successful in completely condemning the usage of all alcoholic beverages, there has always been a strong position of this maintained in many churches. Such a response was a radical approach to dealing with a larger social problem. The reality is- the bible does not teach total abstinence of alcoholic beverages. In fact everyone in the bible probably drank alcoholic beverages on a daily basis. Why? Prior to modern times, pure water was hard to come by- and the drink of choice was wine. Even in Europe during the middle ages and in early America, beer was a common drink. Why? Once again- pure water was hard to come by. Try to push total abstinence on people in those times and there would not be much to drink. Even in some parts of the world today people still drink wine with their meals as part of a culture, and they are not drunkards. I heard of one story where a group of Evangelicals from America took a trip to Israel. While on tour they celebrated the Lord's Supper at the empty tomb where Jesus was supposedly laid. When some in the group found out that real wine was being served they protested and refused to celebrate communion believing it to be a sin to use wine in the Lord's Supper. Last I checked the bible says Jesus used wine, not grape juice. See how silly? The problem is not drinking- but drunkenness. The bible condemns drunkenness because it take control over someones life and places people into bondage. Eph. 5:18 "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit," which means we are to be controlled by the Spirit and not by alcohol. However once again, if someone has a weak conscience and drinking alcohol can lead them into irreparable sin - Like Paul said... I will never "eat meat again". Just fill in the blank, "If doing something hurts my brother, I will never ( ) again."

I have been asked many questions about what is sinful and what is not. I have been asked if things like are sinful like, martial arts, tattoos, clothing, music, entertainment, dancing, playing cards, video games, certain career choices, eating blood sausage, eating pork, eating shrimp, etc. etc. Because not everything is clear in scripture as to what is sinful and there are "gray" areas there is a strategy we can use in helping us form our convictions and thereby live accordingly to our own conscience. Each one of us must listen to our own conscience after careful study of scripture and not be told by anyone else what to do. Rom. 14:22-23 "The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin."

1) Rom. 14:7-8 "For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. " What is our motive? It is what is motivating us in our heart. At the root of everything we can determine why we are doing or not doing something. The most important question must be- is our motivation to honor God? Life is not ours to live but belongs to Christ. We were bought by a price and ultimately we must determine whether or not our conduct is pleasing to him.

2) 1 Cor. 6:12 Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial. Is what I am doing helpful to me spiritually, physically, mentally? Is it edifying? Or is going to draw me away from serving God?

3) 1 Cor. 6:12 Everything is permissible but I will not be mastered by anything. Is what I am doing going to bring me under bondage? (Years ago I bought a Sony PlayStation. After finding myself addicted to it and playing it for hours a day- I quickly gave it up realizing it was not doing me any good and was mastering my affections.)

4) 1 Cor. 8:13- If eating meat cause my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again. Is what I am doing hurtful to others? Is it going to offend a brother or sister in Christ and cause them to sin? We must be careful we do not exercise our liberty to someone else's hurt.

5) 1 Cor. 10:31 "Do all to the glory of God" Does what I do glorify God? In other words does what I do bring attention to the greatness and person of God? Is what I am doing reflecting God to those around me?

These are good ways to guide our conduct and help us to make wise choices in areas of conscience. Do you have anything that you are wondering about? Is there a matter which you are unsure of?

I would like to hear your comments. Please post any questions on matters of conscience you may have.

Free to Serve God in our Vocation

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:31:00 +0000

In last weeks sermon we looked at one of the reformed principles of the Doctrine of Vocation. Here we have the underlying principle that whatever out lot is in life, God has called us to be there to serve him and glorify him in that vocation. Vocation can mean serving God full-time in ministry and also means those who serve God as secretaries, custodians, doctors, lawyers, stay at home moms and students all have a unique and wonderful opportunity to serve God where ever he has called us. The importance of this doctrine is that it adds dignity and honor to whatever we do in life. Society makes distinctions placing some vocations as more dignified than others.Culture can create an attitude of disdain towards certain vocations which leads to a poor attitude in general. Let me give and an example:

Often times when you go to a fast food restaurant you will find disgruntled employees who are slack in their job and treat their customers poorly. This is based on an attitude cultivated by a society that places different degrees of dignity on certain vocations. For a Christian who may be placed in that position for whatever reason, should see this not so much as a low wage job with no dignity but rather as an opportunity to serve God in that particular place and glorify him in that calling. (By the way- the silver lining in a bad economy is that people do their jobs a whole lot better. I notice since the unemployment rates have risen- customer service has improved drastically in many places. People want to keep their jobs now!)

This is reflected in Col. 3:23-24 "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." The bible makes it explicitly clear that what ever we do, we are ultimately serving Christ.That means whether we are flipping burgers in a fast food restaurant or working as a professional, we must see our vocation as service to the Lord. If we see things like that it adds dignity to whatever we do, it makes us enjoy our jobs more and ultimately we become a "mask of God" in whatever setting we are in- being a light for the gospel.

This doesn't mean we shouldn't seek to improve our situation. Paul encouraged slaves to obtain their freedom if possible. If we can improve our situation we should by all means do so, but our attitudes need to be right. We must see that even if we do seek to improve our situation in life either by getting an education or professional training, it should be with the intention of having a better opportunity to glorify God. After all we need more godly lawyers who will remain honest and truthful in their practice. We need doctors who genuinely career for their patients and are not in the practice just for a buck. We live in a country where opportunity abounds. But we should see everything in life as a calling from God to serve him regardless of the circumstances. And that is dignified no matter what the circumstances.

The overarching theme in 1 Cor. 7 is the issue of whether to remain single or married. Both are vocations and both have dignity. So we can serve and glorify God in either calling. But there is a special opportunity for single people to serve God unhindered by the responsibilities of family life. I would encourage singles as I do often- don't waste your singleness. Use whatever resources and time you have for the Kingdom of God. The more you invest in the Kingdom the more you will reap in eternity. Keep that in mind. This world is passing away and the time is very short. Eternity is forever- therefore make you home there.

Remaining Committed in Our Marriages in an Age of Easy Divorce

noreply@blogger.com (Pastor Bob Gianserra) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:19:00 +0000

I must confess, that last Sunday's sermon was not an easy one to preach. First of all the text itself poses its own difficulties and then on top of that there is the added dimension that there are so many circumstances that are not addressed in scripture. That leaves a pastor with the responsibility to interpret what God has revealed and apply it to a variety of circumstances. Obviously not easy. Gordon Fee in his commentary on 1 Corinthians notes: "This issue is so complex, and the individual cases so diverse, that this text with its singular focus on maintaining mixed marriages does not offer much help"

On the subject of divorce and remarriage there is plenty of debate to go around even among the best of preachers, theologians and scholars, and subsequently lay believers. So we must realize we are treading on ground where there is not unanimous assent. There are some things we do agree on; and that is that marriage is a lifelong sacred bond between man and woman, instituted by God, and is to be treated with reverence (Heb. 13:4) by all. It is a commitment that 2 people make to each other that reflects the love and commitment of God for his people. There is unanimous agreement that God hates divorce (Mal. 2:16). So the question remains, "Is it lawful to get a divorce?"

In my sermon I treated 1 Cor. 7:10-12 and Mark 10:2-9 as dealing with 2 believing people. I would like clarify something. I would not say this refers exclusively to 2 believers but rather 2 people who are equally yoked as opposed to unequally yoked which was referred to in 13-16. So that can also refer to 2 unbelievers, since marriage is honorable among all. Therefore I believe that the scriptures teaches that apart from adultery, there are no legitimate grounds for divorce whether they are 2 nonbelievers or believers. This would be consistent with Deut. 24:1. (I believe that the "indecency" is a reference to sexual immorality.) Therefore the marriage would be binding in God's eyes until one of the spouses dies. But there are caveats. What if you have divorced for some reason other than adultery and your ex-spouse, remarries. Is their marriage legitimate in God's eyes? Does that free the remaining spouse to remarry? A closer look at Deut. 24 reveals some answers. vs. 2-4 says, "...and if she goes and becomes another man's wife, and the latter man hates her and writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out of his house, or if the latter man dies, who took her to be his wife, then her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after she has been defiled, for that is an abomination before the Lord. And you shall not bring sin upon the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance." It seems to me at least, that the woman who was divorced, and then remarried is no longer a consideration for reconciliation, even after her second husband dies. Apparently she is defiled, and to remarry would bring defilement on the land of Israel. This seem a bit complicated, being that Christ teaches that whoever remarries after divorce is guilty of adultery, signaling that the bond from the original marriage is binding, however reconciliation has been ruled out as an option, leaving the innocent party with 2 options- remarry or remain single. This is where disagreement lies. I have heard several arguments in favor of both.

In the end these are issue that can be debated but not divided over. However we can learn some important lessons- 1) That a Christian should not initiate a divorce unless there is a violation of sexual fidelity. Whether a mixed marriage or not, we ought to work hard at maintaining our marriages even in trying circumstances. And we should do our best to discourage divorce in the church and in our families. When we see married couples in trouble, we ought to do everything to help them reconcile. 2) We need to be more understanding of those who have already divorced and remarried. Too often those who are divorced are treated with disdain, and that should not be the case. It is not the unpardonable sin and certainly we have committed sins that are offensive to God as well. Instead we must have an attitude of forgiveness and humility to recognize that apart from God's grace we could be in a worse situation.

A balanced approach should be taken as individuals with a respect towards those with different views. If we take such an approach we will have a more sanctified view of the subject and be more charitable towards each other.