Elder Bernie Gaetzke Dec. 17,2023 The word is mighty. Let me turn to Isaiah 9:6. That's where we're gonna be for a little bit here. Isaiah 9:6. And it says, For unto us a child is born, Unto us a son is given, And the government will be upon his shoulders, And his name will be called Wonderful. Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.
With that, let's pray. Heavenly Father, just thank you again for another day of your grace, Lord. I thank you for Grace Bible Church Oshkosh and everyone that's in these pews. We just pray for those that couldn't be here today, whether it be illness or traveling. Lord, that you'd put your healing hand upon them and just come alongside them, Lord, and love them. And just know that they are loved by this congregation and this church body. And Lord, just all the things that are said and done today, may they bring honor and glory to you and to you only. It's in Christ's name I pray. Amen. All right. To start this out the reference, mighty in Titus 2:13 and 14. We're going to do a lot of going through the scriptures today. With this one word, we're going to be all over. But that's a good thing. Titus 2:13, and 14. And, again, I will put my trust in Him. And again, here I am. Here am I and the children whom God has given me. Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same, that through death he, mighty, destroyed him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. And then in Colossians 3:1-4 It says, 4, If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. And, ain't that the truth? You know, to keep our mind focused on Christ. How many times have you heard us say, the main thing is, keep the main thing, the main thing, and that's our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and when we have our eyes on Him, and our focus and our heart we're in that right place. And when it goes somewhere else we stray away, that's when things happen that probably aren't so good for us. But as you all know, about any time that you go through scripture, you always gotta start with Genesis 1:1. And that's where we're going. We're gonna take it all the way back. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Heavens, plural. Earth, singular. Just wanted to make you aware of that. Then, it goes through how God created the earth and everything in it. And in Genesis 2:7, he actually explains how he created man from the sand and blue. into his nostrils and he became, and he became alive. And with that, there was this scientist. This scientist had a little discussion with God. And he said, I can make anything in my lab. God said, Oh, really? Maybe we should go to your lab. So they went to the scientist's lab. God said, well, what are you going to make? I'm going to make man. Really, he said. So the guy pulled out a tote grabbed a scoop of dirt and put it up on the table went down to grab another scoop of dirt and God said, ho ho time out here. He said, make your own dirt. But Now, a reference to the beginning in John, chapter 1, verses 1 through 3. And again, this is just going to reiterate what we've already read in Genesis 1:1, and you know when God repeats something, it's important. So here it is, John 1:1-3. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God, was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him, nothing was made that was made. Boy, if that don't give a description of mighty, I don't know what does. That, uh, very strong. And was God, there's a reference, if we go to 1 John chapter 1, verses 1 through 5. It says, That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the word of life. The life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you, that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us. That which we have seen and heard, we declare to you that you also may have fellowship with us. And truly, our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your, that your joy may be full. This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you that God is light and in Him is no darkness. Then moving on, also back in John, where it says, reference to God. Let's go to Acts 17:24. It said, God made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in, Does not dwell in temples made of hands. So what temples does he dwell in? Everyone that's a believer. And that's amazing. That he could do anything he wants, but he chooses to dwell in men. And, praise the Lord for that. Another side note too, when you're reading the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, there is a theme. in each one of those books. And I have it written right at the beginning of each book. In Matthew, the theme is Christ as King. Mark, Christ as a servant. Luke, Christ as a human. And John, Christ as God. Now, getting back to the, mighty, in the Hebrew, El, El Gibor. That's in Hebrew, and what El means is God, and giver means strength, or power, or even hero. Why God is a mighty God. Jesus is our mighty God because he is stronger and more powerful than all his creation. And John 1:3 says, All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In a display of pure humility, he stepped down into his creation and gave himself to be brutally murdered by us, all of us. And like I said, he stepped down from heaven into his creation. And he did this all willingly. He didn't have to do any of it, but he did it willingly. And that is a huge difference. You know, we, we all know that verse where it says, we love him because he first loved us, and how true is that we are all enemies. Before we accepted Christ as our savior, we were all enemies with him, but yet he chose years ago to die on that cross to give us the opportunity. And, what an expression of a mighty God that is. And His love is so powerful and mighty that there's just nothing that compares to it. And I think I've talked before, and what is the definition of love?I can only think of one thing. That's God. But, okay. Let's read Psalms 95 verses 3 through 6. Again, Psalms 95:3 through 6. For the Lord is the great God and the great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth. The heights of the hills are His also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry ground. O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our maker. And then in Zephaniah, how many of us have been in that book lately? It is just before Haggai. Zephaniah. 3:16 through 17. In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, do not fear, Zion. Let not your hands be weak. The Lord your God in your midst, the mighty one will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will quiet you with his love. He will rejoice over you with singing. And, also, in another thing that shows God's power in Acts 13:35 and in Psalms 16:10, it shows that, God will not let Christ or allow Christ to see corruption. And what is corruption? Decay. Let's go to those verses. Acts 13:35. I told you we're going to be going through lots of books in the Bible today. Acts 13:35. Therefore, he also says in another psalm, You will not allow your Holy One to seek corruption. And then let's go to Psalms. 16:10. I would have put markers in my Bible, but it would have been so full. I wouldn't know where to go. Okay. Psalm 16:10 for you will not leave my soul in shield, nor will you allow your Holy one to see corruption. Just further proof that God's Word backs up what it says. And, Anything that we really want to know or need to know about God or Christ, it's in here. And I just love how when you pick something out that you can find Scripture to back up. And it gives credibility to God's truth. Romans 8:31 through 39. What is the Greek word for mighty God? Pantokrator. Pantokrator, which means almighty, omnipotent, and all powerful. In the Greek, Old Testament, the word frequently translates, the Hebrew, Yahweh, Lord of armies, which stresses God's power over forces opposed to him and his people. Let's see, Romans 8, 31 through 39. I know, It seems like an awful lot of reading, but if you want to get it right, you've got to read it right from God's word. And I, I don't know how to say it any other way, because My memory is kind of like a caterpillar like somebody else this morning when they forgot to read scripture. And a caterpillar, I mean short and fuzzy. But you're alright, Randy. Okay, Romans 8. I'm not going to be here that Sunday. Romans 8:31 through 39. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all. Who shall he not? with him also freely give us all things who shall bring a charge against God's elect what does that mean right there? God's elect in this scripture verse. I believe it means all believers because when you trust Christ that's, you're put into God's elect and it doesn't mean that He predestined you before the world began. That was not it. He knew who was going to accept Christ as their personal savior. And that's who God's elect is. It is God who justifies. Who, who, who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen. Who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us, who shall separate us from the love of Christ, shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword, as it is written, for your sake we are killed all day long. We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Yet, in all these things. We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor heightened, nor death, depth. Nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Does that leave anything out? Absolutely not. And,we can put our claim on that. Okay. The Aramaic word Abba. Meaning, father is used by Jesus in Mark, we're not going to go to these verses, I'll just let you know what they are, Mark 14:36, and also appears in Romans 8:15, and in Galatians 4:6. It is terms of endearment. When he says Abba, Father. And Jesus showed his right to be recognized as a Mighty God, by demonstrating power over these things. And there's four of them that we see here. One is nature, one is disease, one is demons, and one is sin. And let's look to his word to have him explain to us what it is that he has power over, nature. Let's look at Luke 5:1 through 11. Luke 5:1 through 11. So it was, as the multitude pressed about him to hear the word of God, that he stood by the lake of, oh, where is it? Genesarea? Lake Genesarea? And saw two boats standing by the lake. But the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then he got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When he had stopped speaking, he said to Simon, Launch out into the deep and let down your nets. But Simon answered and said to him, Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing. Nevertheless, at your word, I will let down the net. And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats so that they began to sink. That's quite a few fish. I've, I've never had that problem, but, I would like that. When Peter, when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus knees saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken. And so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, Do not be afraid. From now on, you will catch men. So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed him. I'm sure they were pretty impressed with that. Okay. Then, that was just power over nature. Now it's power over disease. Let's go to Matthew, chapter 9, verses 18 to 26. Matthew 9:18 to 26. While he spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped him, saying, My daughter has just died, but, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live. So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did his disciples. And suddenly a woman, who had a flow of blood for twelve years, came from behind and touched the hem of his garment. For she said to herself, If only I may touch his garment, I shall be made well. But Jesus turned around, and when he saw her, he said, Be of good cheer, daughter. Your faith has made you well. And the woman was made well from that hour. When Jesus came into the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping, and they ridiculed him. But when the crowd was put outside, he went up, he went in and took her hand, her by the hand, and the girl arose. And the report of this went out into all the land. That's pretty powerful. Okay. Let's go to Demons. And I know a lot of you have probably heard this story, even as kids. And, let's go to Matthew, no, Luke. Luke chapter 8, verses 26 through 33. You know, and, you know, this is all seriousness, but I think if we had a visual and actually seen this in real life, we would, Some might think it's a little sense of humor, the way it happens, but, but to them, it wasn't. Okay, verse 26 through 33, here we go. Then they sailed to the country of Gardens, which is opposite of Galilee. And when he stepped out on the land, There met him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wrote, he wore no clothes, no, nor did he live in a house but in tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I done with you, Jesus, Son of the Most High? I beg you, do not torment me. For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man, for it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles, and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness. Jesus asked him, saying, What is your name? And he said, Legion. Which, I believe legion is a thousand. Because many demons had entered him, and they begged him that he would not command them to go out into the abyss. And now, a herd of swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged him that he would permit them to enter them, and he permitted them. Then, the demons went out, of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep hill, or steep place, into the lake and drowned it. Again, showing we have a mighty God. And the power over sin. Let's go to Mark chapter one. Mark chapter 1 verses 1 through 15. Again, this is the book where the theme is Christ as a servant. In the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before your face. Who will prepare your way before you. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord. Make his path straight. John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Then all of the land of Judea and those from Jerusalem went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River. confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist and he ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached saying there comes one after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I indeed baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting and the spirit descending upon him like a dove. And, and then, a voice came from heaven. You are my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. Immediately, the spirit drove him into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness, forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts. And the angels ministered to him. Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee. Preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and saying the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel. Okay, what gospel are they talking about there? What's that? Absolutely. And that was to repent and believe and be baptized. But what did they have to believe? They had to believe who Christ said he was, that he was their Messiah. And prior to that, the economy that was prior to that, it was believe what God said and do. And that was the law. They had to do to be saved. And then, the economy following, this one here, after Christ's death on the cross, And, the stoning of Stephen, and then God setting the nation of Israel aside. There's a few things that happened here. One of them is that earlier on, when Israel became Israel, God took on Israel as his people. And the nation's Gentiles were put away. They could come and be saved through the nation of Israel. But that was it. And uh, but now he has set aside the nation of Israel. So essentially he has set man totally aside, but he made a provision in Christ on that cross that now we all are the same. Nobody's better or different. God loves each person individually, and he treats everybody as an individual, not as nations or a nation any longer. So, we all have that same provision. If we put our faith and trust in what Jesus Christ did on that cross, in his death, burial, and resurrection, for our sins, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption. And, to me, that is just so powerful. You know, you talk about a God that has power and might, and that's it. Okay. So today, it's not just who Christ was, but what Christ did for us. And also, too, you know, if you're looking, say, I want to lead somebody to the Lord, but I don't know how. Just go to 1 Corinthians 15:1 through 4. And it'll explain it right there. If you don't use your own experience and how you became saved, then use that. It'll lead you to that. Okay, who is a warrior of God? By being a warrior for God, your primary goal is to discover and fulfill God's purpose. You still have personal interests and goals, but they are not your primary focus. Fulfilling the destiny God has for you becomes your top priority. Everything you do starts to revolve around that primary goal. And let's go to 1 Timothy 3:16 I'm in second, Timothy. Let's go back. It says, and without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. And I'm going to read these through and then we're going to go back through and there's some references, uh, here that we need to go through. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory. First of all, God was manifest in the flesh. Let's look at John 1:14. John 1:14 And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Justified in the Spirit. Let's go to Matthew 3:16 and 17. Matthew 17. When he had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water. And behold, the heavens were opened to him. And he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove. Alighting upon him and suddenly a voice come from heaven saying, this is my beloved son and whom I am well pleased. We just heard that a few verses back in a different book and that's amazing. And seen by angels, Matthew 28, two through seven. And behold, there was a great earthquake. For an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the woman, Do not be afraid for I know that you seek Jesus. Who was crucified. He is not here for he is risen and he said come to Come see the place where the Lord lay and go quickly and tell his disciples That he is risen from the dead and indeed he is Going before you into Galilee there. You will see him behold. I have told you and Preached among Gentiles, Romans 10:18. But I say, they have not heard. Yes, indeed, their sound has gone out to all the earth and their words to the ends of the world. And then believed on in the world, Colossians 1:6 and 23. Which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth. Verse 23. If indeed you continue in faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which it was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. And finally, received up in glory. Luke 24:49 through 52. Behold, I send the promise of the My Father upon you. But tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high. And he led them out as far as Bethany, and he lifted up his hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while he blessed them, that he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. I mean, everything that we want proof of, God has in his word for us. And,one of the things I want to finish with today, is more about the Christmas. gift giving, and that is, when you get a gift underneath a tree, your name is on it. Correct? Is that gift yours at that point? No. When you take that gift and take it over to your chair, sit down, and open it up, is that gift yours? Not yet. When does that gift become yours? When you actually open it up, take the gift out, and accept that gift, because you paid nothing for it, it was a gift to you, and you say, yes, I accept it, this is my gift. That's when the gift becomes yours. And the greatest gift that we can get is what Jesus Christ gave to us. And he gave us all, everyone, the same exact gift. He just treats everyone the same, and there's no prejudice in God at all. And what He says is, this gift, dying on that cross, in His death, burial, and resurrection for our sins, this is my gift for you. And it's all you have to do, your name is on it, everybody's name is on that present, on that gift, you just have to accept it. And take hold of it and lay claim of it, and it's yours. But it's not yours temporarily, it's yours permanently. Because he seals you with the Holy Spirit into Christ until the day of redemption. And you cannot, as we read earlier, you cannot lose your salvation. No way, shape, or form. Once you're saved, you're saved. And to me that's really, really powerful in the way to look at the presence and the presence of God and what he has so richly done for each one of us. With that being said, we'll close in prayer. Heavenly Father, once again, we just thank you for this day, Lord. Thank you for your word, all the truths that we read today in there.That substantiate everything that you say and do and, clarifies it to us, Lord. And each day that we read your word and study your word, that we would be closer to you and, see the love that you truly have for each one of us. And not just us, Lord, but those outside of these walls. May you give us the boldness to preach the word to them, Lord, so that they have an understanding of the great love that you have for them as well. And that's just our blessing. And, to be able to have this opportunity under you, Lord, and just give you all the praise and the glory for all that happens. And it's in your precious name that we pray all these things. Amen.
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