The Plowman

The End of the Race [ 35:22 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1314)

This message by Rev. Paul Burleson was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church during a series of meetings entitled “Week of Renewal”, on Wednesday evening, October 17, 2007, and was taken from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 KJV)

Death of a Christian is only a temporary separation, so when Paul uses the word sleep, he is talking about those who have died.

Ways to Talk About the Seconed Coming of Jesus Christ

1. Signs of the Second Coming?
   1. The nation of Israel
   2. The coming of the antichrist
   3. The luke-warm church
2. Significance of the Second Coming? It’s very significant for some people:
   1. For those who love Jesus with their whole heart. These are not people who have never failed Jesus. It takes failing him to learn how much he has done for them, and that he loves them unconditional.
   2. For those who are going to be found out. Everybody in the church isn’t the Church. Wheat and Tares look a lot alike. At the coming of the Lord Jesus, he and the angles will separate them.
3. The Sound of His coming?
   1. With a shout: Paul’s speculation: When Jesus comes he is going to shout the name of every dead believer. How will they recognize his voice? They have heard it once before when he called them to new life at regeneration.
   2. Arc Angel is going to speak: Paul’s speculation: The voice of the Arc Angel will say, “Lucifer, in the name of the Lord, release them.”
   3. The trumpet will sound

In that moment we will stand before him. For some of us he is going to say “Well done.”

The Laver of Cleansing [ 46:00 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1318)

This message by Rev. Paul Burleson was delivered at a luncheon gathering at Trinity Baptist Church on Wednesday afternoon, October 17, 2007, and was taken from John 13:6-15.

Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. 11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. 12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. (John 13:6-15, KJV)

No one will ever abide in Christ without experiencing the brass laver of cleansing. What is the brass laver?

Each year on the day of atonement one lamb was sacrificed, as the sacrifice of a lamb was good for only one entrance into the Holy of Holies. But Jesus offered himself up just once for all (Hebrews 10:10-12.) Hebrews 6:4-6 rightly teaches that if you could loose salvation, which you can’t, you could never regain it again. Our relationship with God is eternal. We need to learn to enjoy it, experience it. But this cannot happen without the laver of cleansing.

There is a principle of hermeneutics that states that you cannot interpret one thing literally and another thing spiritually in the same context. The “bath” and “foot washing” are both symbols of spiritual principles that Jesus is teaching his disciples. They are all “washed” or saved, except Judas, but they still need cleansing from the daily sin that they commit. Their feet picking up the dust on the road, and Jesus washing their feet symbolizes this.

Jesus is teaching his disciples that they need to come to him in repentance for his forgiveness on a continual basis. From verse 15 we also see that we need to practice the same thing toward one another.

For real biblical forgiveness two things have to take place:

1. We have to be willing to count the cost. We need to be honest about the depth of the pain. But you cannot stop here.
2. You have to embrace the loss. Jesus embraced the cross: “If it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done.” We must embrace the loss as God’s good will for our lives. We must realize that nothing done to us defines who we are. The grace of God defines who we are. The hands of the Father shape us. For God and us, forgiveness is ongoing, continual.

As children of God, Christ abides in us 24/7.

Facing the Temptation [ 46:41 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1278)

This message by Rev. Paul Burleson was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church during a series of meetings entitled “Week of Renewal”, on Tuesday evening, October 16, 2007, and was taken from Luke 4:1-14.

And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. (Luke 4:1-14, KJV)

By way of Introduction:

1. “If” is sometimes used to mean “since” as in this passage: “if [since] you are the son of God…”
2. “All” usually doesn’t mean all without exception, but all without distinction.
3. “Temptation” used in the Bible sometimes means trial or testing. The lord is seen as the author of that. James says count it all joy (James 1:2). Temptation sometimes carries a negative sense meaning enticement to commit sin. This is attributed to the devil, never to God.
4. Pastor Burleson introduced this series by reading Hebrews 12:1-2, Looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. “Author” comes from the Greek word for “pioneer” or “trailblazer”

Concerning Jesus facing the devil:

1. Temptation and testings are part of God’s plan for our life. We think that if we walk softly and don’t make too much spiritual trouble, then the devil will leave us alone. But how is our faith going to be purified, if it doesn’t go through the fire? Trials and difficulties do not destroy faith. They just determine whether you have real faith.
2. Temptation and testings usually come after your greatest times with the Lord. Jesus just came from the Jordan river where he had been baptized, and where the Holy Spirit descended upon him, and God pronounced his blessing upon his son.
3. Temptation and testings usually come where you are strong, not where you are weak. If we fail where we are weak, most folks will understand. If we fail where we are strong, the world will mock the God that we serve. The Devil tempts us where he will gain the most benefit.
4. Temptation and testings are never over in your life as a Christian. When Jesus’ temptation was over it says that the devil left him “for a little while.” He would be back in the garden of Gethsemane.
5. When properly responded to, temptations and testings will only prepare you for the greatest things God will do in your life. If we have eyes to the reality of God alone, then we know that what ever he puts into our life will be ultimately for our good and his glory.

The Alter of Sacrifice [ 41:50 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (1294)

This message by Rev. Paul Burleson was delivered at a luncheon gathering at Trinity Baptist Church on Tuesday afternoon, October 16, 2007, and was taken from Hebrews 8:1-6, Hebrews 9:11-12, and Hebrews 9:22-24.

When do you receive the Holy Spirt. Our Penticostal brothers believe that we receive him in part at conversion, and the rest of his presence at a point of sanctification, or second blessing. We Baptists believe we receive the Holy Spirit the moment we believe and receive Jesus Christ.

God’s spirit comes to dwell within us in exactly the same way that the priests experienced God as he came to dwell in the tabernacle once a year.

1. They had to come through the door. The fabric wall around the tabernacle was built in such a fashion that they could not slip under it to get in. Jesus said “I am the door” (John 10:9). There was only one way to get in. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” ( John 14:6)
2. Why was there the need for blood? On the day of atonement, the sacrifice was killed at the alter, outside the holy place, or the holy of holies. Blood from that sacrifice was taken into the holy of holies and sprinkled on the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant. At that point God came down, and his glory filled the holy of holies. There were three items inside the ark.
   1. The staff of Aaron that budded, representing God’s sovereignty. God chose the tribe of Levi by this sign to be the tribe to serve before the presence of God.
   2. A bowl or jar of manna which represented God’s sufficiency, as God sent just enough manna each day, a double portion the day before the Sabbath, to sustain the children of Israel wandering in the wilderness for forty years.
   3. The law of God written on tablets of stone, representing the standard of God.
3. An individual has a relationship with God by being perfect. The sacrifice of the lamb is a picture of perfect, sinless Jesus dying on the cross in the place of sinners. Imputation is the act of Jesus’ righteousness being put to one’s account and their sin being put to Jesus’ account as he is being punished by the Father on the cross
4. You gain the presence of the Holy Spirit the moment you believe. How do you possess the Holy Spirit yet fail to enjoy him? No Christian will experience the Holy Spirit’s presence within his person unless he abides in the holy place, In Christ. The Lamb at the alter has settled our nature. The Father has declared us to be what we ought to be. We are God’s dwelling place. May we learn what it to be just that.
5. Tomorrow: How we experience the brass laver.