Every Day Is for God’s Glory

Berean Baptist on June 4, 2018

In the text of Revelation 21, the glory of God is depicted in the Bible’s consistent manner which is its connection with light. The New Jerusalem is a place of brilliant light because of the unveiled presence of God. That same light would blind us if God were not hidden from us by a spiritual veil.

Glory is an expression of God’s holiness which is essentially the aggregation of all God’s attributes. Everything God is can be summed up with glory which is why we consistently teach that all of creation exists for God’s glory. The creation is an extension of God which helps us understand why God is intent to restore the world to its original perfection.

In this article, I want to speak about how we glorify God. Fundamentally, the method is worship. Since we are created for the glory of God, everything we do must be centered on worship. You may think it is not possible or necessary to worship in everything because only church is the place of worship. However, the scripture says, “whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). This means your work, your school, your home—wherever you are, is a place of worship.

I think we would all agree that of all places church is not a place for sin. Generally, we treat others better at church. We are friendlier at church. We are less likely to be angry at church, and we act like we care more at church. We pray, we sing, we read the Bible at church; and most of you will be sure to check your bad language at the door. I have pastored for a long time and although I have heard some bad language at times in church, I have yet to hear that anyone sat in the church service watching smutty videos on a smart phone. Why do we think God is only at church? More pointedly, why must worship be confined to church? I would submit if church is the only place you worship, the quality of your worship when you get here is very poor. We never have a pass on the glory of God and thus we do not have one on worship.

The biblical mindset for a Christian is to be alert, to be vigilant, to be holy, and to be ready. A song of praise or an utterance of worship should never be more than an instant thought away. Too often we think of church as the fulfillment of duty. We come to worship and get it over with and to finish our obligation. When the last amen is said at 12:30 on Sunday afternoon, we are through until next week.

This attitude is wonderfully changed when we get to heaven. It is objectionable to some because it seems far too boring to spend eternity in perpetual worship. And yet, heaven is the perfection of what we should be doing already. A perfect mind in heaven is locked on God’s purpose for us. When sin is completely removed, the mind can go nowhere else but to the glory of God. Perhaps this will help you understand that not worshiping at all times is sin. When you pat yourself on the back for the occasional good deed, are you really all that good? When we have done the best we can do, we’ve done nothing more than what we were told to do and what we were created for. There is no special commendation for the occasional good deed. You should always do the right thing.

This week think about worship. You don’t have to break out in song when you punch the time clock. You don’t have to preach a sermon at break. You just need to live in the light of God’s presence. Think on Christ and you will glorify God.

Thankfulness

Berean Baptist on June 26, 2017

Psalm 92:1

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High.” On the day I wrote this article, I was pleasantly surprised to open my Bible to read this verse in Psalm 92. I had just finished working on a sermon for the Living for Jesus series in which the subject of thankfulness was one of the major themes. This gave me the opportunity to write on the subject and give insight to those who might not hear the sermon.

My angle on thankfulness comes from the topic of prayer. One of the essentials of prayer is that we show God an attitude of gratitude. Christians are people that love to do things for others because helping others is part of the new spiritual life given to us in Christ. He was always giving to others, especially for the needs of poor lost sinners who can find salvation only in Him. Even though we should give unselfishly as He gave whether or not others compliment us or give thanks, still there is definitely a warm feeling when we know others appreciate our efforts. It makes it much easier to follow through the next time there is a need when we know those we help sincerely value it. Most of us would be at least a little reluctant to give again if those we help constantly take from us without acknowledging what we do.

This is a very simple principle, and yet there are many Christians that never pause to offer God thanks for the many benefits received. They constantly go to the well of God’s grace with hand outstretched and grab from Him without showing the gratitude He deserves. There is a point, I believe, when God stops giving because of ingratitude. Many things can hinder prayer and surely this is one. You see, we are commanded to give thanks, and if we treat God despitefully by acting as if we deserve what He gives, it is sin. Sin always hinders prayer. Sin is the fuel of ingratitude. As we read this psalm, it is hard to imagine the author was not wholly in tune with God which caused him to do the natural thing for Christians—to thank God for His lovingkindness and faithfulness.

One more point I would like to make. The inscription of the psalm is, “A Psalm or Song for the Sabbath Day.” The Sabbath was the Old Testament day of worship. Everything stopped—all secular activity stopped on the Sabbath so everyone could concentrate their thoughts on God. The cessation of worldly pursuits leaves the mind open to contemplate God’s wonderful works. This is the reason Christians should make it a point to go to church and worship. We need the time to get away from everything else we think about to consider God. What can we think about God other than how He so graciously gave us salvation through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ? Will this not lead you to thankfulness and praise?

Self-absorption is no recipe for caring about what God thinks. Let’s take the time to reflect on His blessings and give Him the thanks He so richly deserves. You will feel good for it because you know it pleases Him.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

Give Thanks and Sing Praises to the God of Jacob

Berean Baptist on January 30, 2017

Psalm 75

In this week’s commentary on the Psalms, we return to the venerable Robert Hawker who had such a pleasant way of revealing Christ in his expositions. It is fitting for this Sunday’s reading that we should begin with the first verse of the 75th psalm which reads: “Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.”

This verse follows upon the dire and desperate plea of Judah in Psalm 74. The 74th psalm was written soon after the destruction of the temple by the Babylonians. As we noticed last week, the most troubling aspect of the destruction was God’s refusal to come to their aid. There were many in Judah that thought the temple was indestructible which led them to flee there for what they thought was certain refuge. Their hopes were dashed because God would not stay the hand of chastisement due to Judah’s rejection of His prophets and their warnings of repentance. Israel was abandoned without a prophet (74:9) and their outlook was most dismal.

The end of the psalm saw increasing hope as they plead for God to arise and claim His people again (74:19-23). Thus we see the tone of Psalm 75 changes and thanks are given for God’s wonderful works. Notice particularly the change in speakers between verses 1 and 2. The first verse is the cry of the congregation. We might well compare this to the righteous in America that wonder if our cause is lost. Is it possible to save America from the inevitable destruction that looms (Ps. 9:17)? We have systematically destroyed the moral fiber of our people until the conscience is seared (1 Timothy 4:2).

In the second verse the speaker changes. Now, the one speaking is Christ who promises to restore just judgment. As Hawker notes, “Who but Christ supported the whole fabric of our nature, when sin had dissolved all its powers? Reader, is it not always blessed to look to Jesus?” Mark well the words of Robert Hawker. There is no hope for recovery in this country or any other except through Christ. Has it ever been any different? Was there any time we upheld ourselves? How could we when sin dissolved our powers? It is God that puts up one and takes down another (75:7). Left to ourselves, we would be as godless as the Communists of the Cold War. Government will never answer our problems. It is God that has always suppressed our forays into the worst of our depravity. Thus the psalmist speaks of the only righteous government—the government of Jesus Christ.

Today, we pause to give thanks that as Christians we live under the New Covenant. There has always been a covenant of grace, but never as fully understood as in this dispensation of the Christian church. We have the unequivocal promise of God’s favor. No matter what should happen, we are God’s people that shall never experience captivity again. We are citizens of His heavenly kingdom and have escaped the bondage of sin.

We gather to give thanks for temporal provision, but more importantly for the spiritual benefits of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. The righteous are always and only God’s people. Therefore, verse 10 says the horns of the righteous shall be exalted. What better reason to give thanks and sing praises to the God of Jacob?

 

Pastor V. Mark Smith

 

 

The Ark of the Covenant

Berean Baptist on November 28, 2016

Psalm 68

A few weeks ago I had a conversation with some of our members about my motivations for the study of God’s word. I have been teaching the Bible for over forty years, which by my obvious youthful appearance must mean I started when I was about four years old! I can’t explain exactly how it happened, but there was something in my father’s preaching that gripped me at a very young age. My desire was to know as much as he knew about the Bible. I have not reached that place after all these years, which has kept me in constant pursuit of the goal.

Psalm 68 caused me to reflect on this as I thought back to one of my father’s favorite topics, which was the preaching of the Tabernacle. I have to go back a long way to the first time I heard his series of messages on the subject. It must have been about 1960, and when I heard it I was hooked. The types of Christ found in Tabernacle worship became the foundation of my studies in the Word of God. All of the major doctrines of scripture are found there as they most gloriously display the magnificent work of our Lord Jesus Christ.

You might ask, “What has this to do with Psalm 68?” This is a very good question. The hint comes in verse 1 in which David said, “Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.” Compare this to Numbers 10:35:  “And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.” The subject of the psalm is thus identified. It is the movement of the Ark of the Covenant. This part of the Tabernacle worship is the most prominent because it represents the power of God in the presence of Jesus Christ.

The Ark was most useful on the Day of Atonement when the high priest went into the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the mercy seat, a part of the Ark. This took place only once each year as the high priest made atonement for the sins of the entire nation. When sin is atoned, God is satisfied, and when Israel was sanctified the power of God was with them.

The power of the Ark struck fear into Israel as God strictly prohibited anyone to touch it (Numbers 4:15; 2 Samuel 6:6-7). Israel’s enemies also greatly feared the Ark: “And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp. And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.” (1 Samuel 4:6-7).

The Ark of the Covenant has always fascinated me. There is much missed by those who never care to explore its significance in Old Testament worship. My dad loved this study and his passion for it was passed on to me. I cannot imagine I would understand what I know about doctrine if had not been for this blessed study. We went through the Tabernacle in 2005, and I am not sure that I wouldn’t want to research and revise those messages for another time.

Psalm 68 tells of David’s movement of the Ark from the house of Obed-Edom to Jerusalem. It was a thrilling journey filled with singing, sacrifice, and jubilant praise. Soon it would find a permanent home in the exquisite temple built by Solomon. The Ark continued to be the focal point of worship until Israel disobeyed God and turned to idolatry. When this happened, the Ark was taken away and the power of God has not since returned to Israel. However, we have been studying Israel’s future glory which is assured when the Ark’s antitype, Jesus Christ, will rule from Jerusalem in the temple of the millennial kingdom.

We pray that we will learn the lesson of obedience well. With obedience will come blessing. Without it, the power of God will never be a part of our lives.

Pastor V. Mark Smith

 

Chosen!

Berean Baptist on October 31, 2016

Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple. (Psalms 65:4)

Psalm 65 is another of David’s psalms of praise. The first part of the psalm has always been one of my favorites because it declares one of the most crucial doctrines of God’s word. This is the doctrine of God’s sovereign choice of unworthy sinners for salvation. The psalm describes the person that God chooses and causes to approach Him. Actually, in this is found two great doctrines. The first is the doctrine of election and the second is the effectual calling of the Holy Spirit. God chooses the sinner for salvation and ensures He will receive it by the Spirit’s work of regeneration. Even though God chooses, we would not come by ourselves because our hearts are depraved and turned against Him. The scripture describes men as the enemies of God and hostile to every righteous intention (Rom. 8:7; James 4:4). In this condition, we will neither choose God nor come to Him. It is therefore the work of God that sinners believe (John 6:29) and also His work that we come (John 6:44).

The result of this election and effectual calling is the blessing upon the one who is chosen and called. What greater favor could any person be shown than to be chosen to enter the courts of the Lord? The court is His presence; it is the place He abides; it is to be near Him and enjoy Him for eternity. This verse clearly shows none of this is owed to anything we have done. God chose us and called us without considering anything He foresaw in us. Since this election was made before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4), we know it cannot be based on good works that God foresaw we would do (Rom. 9:10-13).

God’s choice of certain individuals is not a doctrine barely noticed because it is well concealed in scripture. There are many places such as this that put the doctrine on open display, so that it cannot be disputed. Amazingly, as prominent as it is, there are those that hate it. Preachers will either skip over the many glaring instances of it, or else try to explain it away.

Once you understand these doctrines and accept them, you will never open your Bible again and spend very much time without seeing them. The Christian who gladly embraces this teaching has a completely new world view opened before his eyes. He sees Christ magnified and God glorified because he understands he had no part in his salvation. “Salvation is of the Lord” is the cry that continues to ring in his ears. He will never attribute any part of what happened to him to his own contributions (Titus 3:4; John 1:12-13). Even his will is overcome and changed in regeneration, so that he sees Christ and gladly comes to Him (John 3:8).

Many Christians have come to me joyfully proclaiming their new found understanding. They appreciate that Berean Baptist has opened their eyes to these truths. The theological black holes that many fall into and the brick walls they run up against are filled in and torn down, so that the word of God seems fresher and livelier than ever before.

It is no wonder we love these doctrines. Like David, it brings us to our knees in praise. Who are we that we should come into the courts of the Lord? We are His—He has chosen us—He clothed us with the righteousness of Jesus Christ. We come because He caused it. If you find a greater reason to glorify God, please tell me. This is enough to put me at the door of heaven. Anything more and surely I must be there!

Pastor V. Mark Smith

MYSTERIOUS BUT MARVELOUS

Berean Baptist on July 4, 2016

Psalm 48

It is always a pleasure to read the Psalms and discover what must have been on each author’s mind as he penned Holy Spirit inspired words. Sometimes the psalms are melancholy. They have a sadness to them such as Psalm 137 which speaks of despondent captives in Babylon weeping over their beloved city of Jerusalem. There are psalms that are powerful in their encouragement of trust in God’s Word such as Psalm 119. Other psalms are simply joyful ecstatic praises. Just about every human emotion is reflected in at least one of the psalms.

I particularly like psalms such as Psalm 48. There is a mystery about them. There is some uncertainty as to the exact events that prompted these psalms. Nonetheless, the themes are often filled with wonder. They are marvelous in their implications. This psalm speaks of a siege against Jerusalem. It is an unnamed war that could have occurred almost any time during the one thousand years of the Old Testament history of Jerusalem. We can well imagine there were many unrecorded battles and we only get the highlights of many years of war.

We cannot pinpoint the exact siege, but we do know there was a force of several nations that was ready to attack the city (v. 4). Many kings were assembled and as they were ready to attack they saw something that stopped them dead in their tracks. Jerusalem was not an immense heavily fortified city like Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire. Nineveh had walls one hundred feet high and wide enough for six chariots to drive side by side. Its circumference was sixty miles with twelve hundred towers. A force contemplating attacking Nineveh might well turn back just because of the immensity of the city.

Jerusalem was nothing like this. The sight of it would not likely frighten a league of many nations. And yet, verse 5 says this coalition of armies came upon the city, saw it, and immediately fled away. What was it that caused them to turn around and high-tail it away? At one time, Sennacherib’s army was ready to attack Jerusalem and it was those inside that were gripped with fear. King Hezekiah thought their doom was sealed until he earnestly sought God for deliverance.

This time was different. The invaders saw something that turned them away. Perhaps God pulled down the veil that separates the physical world from the spiritual and He allowed them to see who the real protectors of God’s people are. The sight of ten thousands of angels with flaming swords of fire would be enough to cause the bravest soldiers to quake with fear. Whatever it was, there were no Jewish casualties. Not one tower of Jerusalem suffered a blow. In verses 12 and 13, the people were invited to come outside the city, to inspect it, and to see that despite such a formidable foe Jerusalem was left untouched.

It seems Psalms 46-48 are connected and may have a view towards the millennial kingdom. In that day, Jerusalem will be a magnificent city, and apparently immune from attack. However, this will not stop Satan from trying. He will gather his forces against Jerusalem, but before he ever gets the chance to attack, fire falls from heaven and consumes them all (Revelation 20:9). Does this psalm reflect the celebration of God’s victory on that day? There is no way we can know for sure, but we do know the same will happen then. There is no enemy too great for the armies of God.

Think about this when you wonder who is on your side. Our victory with Christ is assured. The last verse of the psalm can be personalized to you. God is your God forever. Not even death can separate you from Him. This is a great thought for saints that patiently await the coming of Christ. Do you have this hope? It is yours by faith in Jesus Christ. Trust Him today and know you are on the winning side.

Pastor V. Mark Smith