by Steve McCranie | May 28, 2017
When it comes to worship, some of the most profound words are those of Jesus to the Samarian woman He met at Jacob’s well in the city of Sychar (John 4:5). It was here that Jesus gave us clear instructions on the type of worship the Father seeks.
John 4:23-24 – “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true (one who cannot lie, real, genuine, sincere) worshipers will worship the Father in spirit (human) and truth (reality, the essence of a matter); for the Father is seeking (to look for, search, strive to find) such to worship (to kiss, adore, fall or prostrate before, pay reverence) Him. God is Spirit (Holy Spirit), and those who worship Him must (what must be done from duty) worship in spirit (human) and truth.”
Which, as usual, raises a few questions.
What is worship?
What’s the difference between worship and true worship?
What is true worship like internally?
What is true worship like externally?
And what does true worship look like today?
One last thought, in the Westminster Shorter Catechism, the first question goes like this:
Question: What is the chief end of man?
Answer: The chief end of man is to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever.
Did you catch that? We glorify by enjoying Him forever. So, do you enjoy God? Do you love your time with Him? Is that time the highlight of your day? Do you know how to worship Him in spirit and truth? If not, then keep listening.
The following is a study on John 4:23-34.
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by Steve McCranie | May 21, 2017
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus equates anger with murder (Matt. 5:21-22), in much the same way He equates lust with adultery (Matt. 5:27-28). Later, John adds the following:
1 John 3:11-15 – For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love (agapaō) one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his (Cain) works were evil and his brother’s (Able) righteous. Do not marvel (wonder, be surprised, astonished), my brethren (fellow believers), if the world (kósmos) hates (to detest, an active ill will in words and conduct, a persecution spirit) you. We know (eidō) that we have passed from death to life, (how) because we love (agapaō) the brethren. He who does not love (agapaō) his (personal) brother (fellow believers) abides (rest, make their home) in death. Whoever hates (to detest, an active ill will in words and conduct, a persecution spirit) his (personal) brother (fellow believer) is a murderer, and you know (eidō) that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
Anger + Hatred = Murder
John also equates anger and hatred with murder. And he states that “no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” This is a profoundly important point. Which raises a couple of questions:
Have you been angry with a fellow Christian?
What was the cause of your anger? Was it the holiness of God? Or some personal preference about which you felt slighted?
Are you still angry with that person? And if so, why?
Did you know that, according to the Scriptures, you are guilty of murder? Why? Because the one you hate and murmur about was created in the image of God. And to hate someone created by God, who is also made in the image of your God, is to hate God. You cannot love the Creator and hate His creation.
The Scriptures call this murder. Are you confused? Do you think hatred and murder are two different things with two different penalties? Do you want to know what the Scriptures say about anger and murder? Then keep listening.
The following is a study on Matthew 5:21-22.
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by Steve McCranie | Oct 31, 2016
When we look at the chilling words of Jesus that tell us “unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:20) we are perplexed. And rightly so. When we then see the requirement of becoming a “new creation” in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17) in order to possess the “righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees,” we are faced with even more questions.
Are you a new creation in Christ?
Has God changed you from the inside out?
Do you possess a righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees?
If so, how do you know?
Can your friends and family tell?
And then one more:
Does this describe you?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law (Gal. 5:22-23).
Have you ever asked yourself these questions? How did you answer? What does it mean if your answers to these questions are, no? To find out more, keep listening.
The following is a study on Matthew 5:20.
To download the slides for this message, click – HERE
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by Steve McCranie | Oct 19, 2016
Some of the most chilling words of Jesus begin with a condition that seems impossible to meet. He begins this by saying:
“For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:20).
But what does this mean? Who were the scribes and Pharisees and what was the characteristic of their righteousness? What is the nature of the righteousness that must exceed their righteousness and how is that righteousness obtained? And once it is obtained, how do we know? How can we be sure? In what way does our righteousness have to exceed that of the scribes and the Pharisees? And finally, what does Jesus mean when He says, “You will by no means enter the kingdom of Heaven”?
These are tough questions. Important questions. Eternal questions.
Do you want to know more? Then keep listening.
The following is a study on Matthew 5:20.
To download the slides for this message, click – HERE
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by Steve McCranie | Oct 11, 2016
Jesus spent much of His Sermon on the Mount preaching about the Kingdom. What’s the Kingdom like? What are the unique realities that belong only to those in the Kingdom? Are there promises to those who live in the Kingdom? And, if so, what are they? How does one receive the Kingdom and, more importantly, how does one enter into the Kingdom?
The key is found in Mark 10:15: “Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”
Did you catch that? Receiving must precede entering when it comes to the Kingdom. Do you want to know more? Then keep listening.
The following is a study on Matthew 5:19.
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by Steve McCranie | Sep 16, 2016
Often we find ourselves focusing on the temporal things in life and not on the eternal. We seem to devote most of our time and energy on the things that pass, things that fade away, things that are transitory at best and have an expiration date, and not on what truly matters and what lasts. Why is that?
Jesus said:
Matthew 5:18 – “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”
Jesus said the law, the Word of God, is something that will outlast even heaven and earth. Then, according to Psalm 138:2, God said He honors His Word above His name. So what does all of this mean? And what are the implications for each of us? To find out more, keep listening.
The following is a study on Matthew 5:18.
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