Gossiping

Dictionary

Casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details which are not confirmed as true

Titus 2

1. But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
2. That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
3. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
4. That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
5. To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
6. Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
7. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
8. Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

There is a strong emphasis on the older being an example to the younger. There is also a call for the younger to observe the older and learn (the good) from them.

This can only work if everyone has the desire and purpose to walk in the Spirit.

Romans 2:1-11

1. Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
2. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
3. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
5. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8. But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9. Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10. But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11. For there is no respect of persons with God.

This warning is to be careful how we judge another person, and if we find ourself contentious we are in danger of the wrath of God.

Alcohol

The Nature of Alcohol

Proverbs 20
1. Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.

Proverbs 21
17. He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

Proverbs 23
29. Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
30. They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
31. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
32. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
33. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
34. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
35. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

Ephesians 5
18. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Christians and Alcohol

Romans 13
13. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

Galatians 5
19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21. Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Peter 4
3. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

1 Corinthians 5
11. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

Habakkuk 2
15. Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!

Christian Testimony

Romans 14
21. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

Leadership

1 Timothy 3
3. Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
8. Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

Proverbs 31
4. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:
5. Lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
6. Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
7. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.

Titus 1
7. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

Thoughts

It shouldn’t be about what WE want to do, but rather how does this reflect on the Church, and more importantly, on Jesus Christ! Keeping our testimony does require discipline at time, and abstaining from negative aspects of life.

One way to frame it could be; should the question be “Can a Christian drink alcohol?” to “Should a Christian drink alcohol?”.

Reference

https://churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/298190-can-christian-drink-alcohol.html

Sheep and Goats

Matthew 25:31-46

31. When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32. And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36. Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38. When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39. Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40. And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43. I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45. Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Same God. Different reward.
Same opportunities. Different mindset.
The attitude of the people involved is what determined the outcome for each of them.

Titus 3:5

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Hebrews 10:19-25

19. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
20. By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
21. And having an high priest over the house of God;
22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Matthew 25:1-13

1. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

All of them knew the bridegroom was coming.
All of them were called.
But regardless, some of them were too lazy to be properly prepared.
Those that were wise had mastered what they had to do to make sure they were ready (McGyver, Swiss army knife, Boy Scout)

Hebrews 6:10-12

10. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. (tie in with 1st part)
11. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
12. That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Proverbs 18:9

9. He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

Hebrews 11:6

6. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Matthew 20:1-16

1. For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
2. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
4. And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
5. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
6. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?
7. They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
8. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.
9. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
11. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,
12. Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
13. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?
14. Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.
15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?
16. So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Being called.
Working for the reward.
Many called – few chosen.

Proverbs 11:2

2. When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

Proverbs 29:23

23. A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:9

9. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Don’t get caught out. Be ready for the day and regardless of the emotions that well up inside of us, remind ourselves of the promises of God.

Matthew 25:34

34. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Expectation

Scriptures

Acts 12:1-11
When God delivers, he delivers not only from that situation, but the complete expectation of those against us.

Ephesians 4:14-15

Type of expectations:

  • Cultural
  • Social
  • Work
  • Health
  • Fashion
  • Other peoples
  • Our own (self-indulging, abasing)

Isaiah 43:1-7
We have God personally defending and looking after us. We are precious in his eyes.

Romans 8:1-2
There is no condemnation (by any one or anything). The Spirit of Life has made us free (from death)

Romans 6:9-11
Death no longer has dominion over Christ, and if we determine ourselves to be alive unto Christ …
Romans 6:17-18
We have been made FREE from sin and become the servants of righteousness.

Romans 8:15
Romans 8:31
We are no longer under bondage, we have been made free and nothing can be against us.

We need to be careful that in our position of freedom we don’t allow pride to creep into our heart and rob us of our position with Christ. Psalms 10:4

Galations 5:1
Galations 5:7-9
Galations 5:16-18
Take warning that we don’t become entangled in a life that will lead to natural expectations. We are encouraged to continue in the things we have learnt and to walk in the Spirit.

Titus 2:11-14
Here we are reminded yet again that we have our salvation by the grace of God. The Holy Spirit teaches us how we should live, what we should do and the things to look for.

John 8:31-32
The truth will make us free

Hebrews 9:11-14
Christ has redeemed us with HIS blood that we should now serve the living God. Our expected end has changed.

1 Peter 1:18-21
Redeemed not with corruptible things, but with the blood of Christ, that our faith and hope might be in Him.

Hebrews 4:1-11
We have been promised true rest, and we need to give this promise of rest true diligence in working towards it, that we do receive it. God has promised us.
Therefore, the more we cease from our OWN works (expectation), the more we enter into his rest (expectation and promise).

Isaiah 55:9
His thoughts are higher than ours. We can remove our own and others expectation from our mind, that we might simply serve God.

Jeremiah 29:11-13
God thinks peace towards us. His thinks to give us an expected end – one of hope, of truth, of rest, of compassion, of joy, of peace …

Titus 3:4-7
A reminder that it wasn’t of anything that we’ve done, but rather by the grace of God that our expectation can be in the hope of eternal life.

Communion

THE COMMUNION

Its importance. As differing from ‘The Mass – Transubstantiation,’ etc

  • John 6:48-65
    48. I am that bread of life.
    49. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
    50. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
    51. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
    52. The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
    53. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
    54. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
    55. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
    56. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
    57. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
    58. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
    59. These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
    60. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
    61. When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
    62. What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
    63. It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
    64. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
    65. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
  • Matthew 26:26
    And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
  • 1 Corinthians 11
    Especially verses 23 to 29

Blood of Christ

  • Ephesians 2:13
    But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
  • 1 Corinthians 10:16
    The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
  • Hebrews 9:12
    Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
  • Hebrews 9:14
    How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
  • Hebrews 10
  • 1 Peter 1:2
    Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.
  • 1 John 1:7
    But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Thoughts

  • 1 Peter 1:18-19
    18. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
    19. But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
  • Titus 2:11-15
    11. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
    12. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
    13. Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
    14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
    15. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.