Matthew 12:39-40 …there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah: For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
The bodily resurrection of The Lord Jesus Christ was the AMEN of His work of atonement. We are told in 1 Corinthians 15 that if there is no resurrection, there is no forgiveness of sin, no hope; our “faith” is vain and meaningless (vv.14,17-19). But Jesus did rise from the dead on the third day just like He said He would. Nobody expected to find an empty tomb, but God rolled away the stone over the grave of Jesus, not to let Him out, but to let the world know that He has risen. Because He has risen, our faith is a living faith in a Living Savior Who has forgiven us of all of our sin and is Himself our Living Hope!!
But along with the resurrection of The Lord Jesus is the mandate given to all believers to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Who is to go into all the world and preach the gospel? Mark says that it is he who believes in the Person and work of Jesus Christ who shall be saved (Mark 16:16). Every follower of The Lord Jesus Christ is an ambassador of the gospel of Jesus Christ. A part of the armor of every born again follower of Jesus Christ is feet that are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15)! When Paul writes of the 5-fold ascension ministry gifts in Ephesians 4:11-12 of “apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers”, it is “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ”. The purpose of ministry offices and callings is that the entire body of Christ would be equipped for the work of the ministry. Evangelism and sharing the gospel is the work of every single part of the body of Christ. In this day and age of high technology and mass evangelism crusades, the most effective means of reaching the lost with the gospel is via one on one encounters with people.
Here is the gospel: “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Jesus began His ministry with the words, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15) Paul wrote in Romans 10:14,15: “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”
Beloved, Jesus is risen and He is coming soon. May God open the door for you to share the gospel today. The harvest is ready!! Selah
Grace Alone
September 27, 2020 • Pastor Ray Viola
Ephesians 2:4-5 But God, who is rich in mercy, ... Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
I have heard it said that the definition of grace is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Mark 15 would certainly affirm that definition. The only way that fallen man can be saved is by the grace of God. Fallen men cannot save themselves.
Therein lies the difference between the gospel of Jesus Christ and every other religion or religious system. Every religion and religious system on earth bases salvation upon the works or religious ceremonies of man. I do not doubt that there is some kind of affirmation and perhaps even adoration of the Person of Jesus Christ, but at the end of the day, salvation according to religion or religious systems boils down to this: Christ died on the cross for our sins, but saving faith believes in Christ and my religious ceremony or my good works. Beloved, that is what the Galatians struggled with (Galatians 4:8-10). Christ plus anything nullifies grace, because grace is unconditional and free. Salvation is the free gift of God, period (Ephesians 2:8).
Jesus Christ is the Passover Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Jesus is The Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Hallelujah to The Lamb of God! The cry of Jesus from the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30), was a cry of victory, for those words mean “paid in full”. When Jesus cried, “It is finished”, the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom (Mark 15:37,38), signifying that the way to enter into the presence of God was now made available to whosoever believes in Him.
Reader, are you trusting in a religious system or some religious ceremony or your good works to atone for your sin and save your soul from eternal damnation? Look up to the middle cross of Calvary. What do you see there? Who do you see there? What you see and Who you see is the Lord Jesus Christ, the grace of God Who came to save fallen man from the debt of our sin. “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” (Isaiah 45:22) Selah
The Lord Jesus, Our Master, Teacher
August 23, 2020 • Pastor Ray Viola
Jesus gave this two worded invitation to those who heard Him teach, “Follow Me.” (Matthew 4:19) Do not just be content hearing what I say; follow Me and do what you see me doing. We know that The Lord Jesus is the express image of The Father (Hebrews 1:3). He is The Eternal Word of God made flesh, Who dwelt amongst us (John 1:1,14). Thus, it would be proper to say that The Lord Jesus is not only the perfect theology of God on earth, but that The Lord Jesus is the Perfect Master and Teacher as well.
Contrary to the popular “cross-less gospel” that is prevalent in today’s church, The Lord Jesus is not looking for fans; He is looking for followers. While the “Jesus Fan Club” may have multitudes, the followers of Jesus are few. We are living at a time when the heretical gospel of the healthy and wealthy is producing a number of coddled, comfortable, and covetous pseudo-saints. Did you know that there are two places in Scripture where The Lord Jesus is specifically called our example? In 1 Peter 2:21 He is referred to as an example of suffering. In John 13:15, which we will be looking at this morning, The Lord Jesus is referred to as an example of being a servant. Suffering? Servant? The practical example of The Lord Jesus Christ is offensive to today’s soft living, self-centered church.
Beloved, there is not comfortable or convenient way to suffer or be a servant. It is no surprise when The Lord Jesus invited people to come unto Him that so few responded. Why? Because human nature, be it 2,000 years ago or today, is addicted to living for the inferior trinity of me, myself, and mine. The slightest message of discomfort in following Jesus or an appeal made to serve by putting others first causes many to flee for cover. We have One Master-Teacher and His Name is Jesus Christ. The pathway to happiness and purpose in life is not found is serving self, but by denying self, be it for the sake of suffering or serving Jesus for the glory of God. Selah
It is Finished….Follow Me
September 13, 2020 • Pastor Ray Viola
Isaiah 53:7,8 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
It is so easy to read the Bible and totally miss what The Lord is trying to teach us. I believe it is possible to know what we are reading and not experience firsthand the eternal and practical applications for our lives.
As we continue to work our way through the steps of Jesus from Gethsemane to Calvary, we see as clear as day that everything that is happening, from the arrest in the Garden, to the betrayal by Judas, to the fleeing of the eleven and the thrice denial of Peter, is all to fulfill Scripture and accomplish atonement for the sin of the world. Nothing is happening by chance. Every detail is according to the will of God in order to fulfill His eternal purpose in Jesus Christ.
Throughout this mock trial and brutal treatment of Jesus we see the worst of man, both friend and foe. In the midst of this scene playing out, it is easy to overlook the character of The Lord Christ on display as He is confronted by His enemies and remains silent. We can miss how He rebukes Peter for taking up the sword, only to heal the soldier’s ear, and by doing so, spare Peter from capital punishment by removing the evidence against Him. Can one even begin to grasp the look on both Jesus’ and Peter’s faces when Peter denied Him the third time? Without a doubt, this final episode of Jesus’ life reveals all that He endured in His drinking of the cup of our sin and God’s wrath. Human words are inadequate to describe what He felt as He became The Lamb of God.
But there are lessons hidden in this account that are meant to challenge, comfort, and convict all believers of Jesus. Observe how Jesus deals with friend and foe and ask how that fits into His call to “Follow Me”. Remember, beloved, The One Who said “It is finished” (John 19:30) also said, “Follow Me” (Matthew 9:9). It is not either - or; it is both. Selah
Remember Me
August 30, 2020 • Pastor Ray Viola
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 http://...the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
As I was preparing this message about The Lord’s Supper this week, the words of Jesus, “…this do in remembrance of Me” kept going through my mind. I jotted down these thoughts. (You may want to compile your own “remember Me” list.)
When your heart is overwhelmed with life, remember Me.
When darkness and doubt surround you, remember Me.
When the enemy comes in like a flood to destroy you, remember Me.
When you are feeling weak and weary, remember Me.
When you feel lost and needing direction, remember Me.
When you feel lonely because everybody has abandoned you, remember Me.
When your friends betray you and forsake you, remember Me.
When your mother and father forsake you, remember Me.
When you are being misunderstood and judged by others, remember Me.
When you are tempted to feel arrogant and proud because of how My Father is using you, remember Me.
When you are tempted to take credit for what My Spirit has done through you, remember Me.
When you are feeling unworthy or incapable of serving Me, remember Me.
When your body is racked with pain and you are doubting My love, remember Me.
When you are feeling like all hope seems lost and that it is time to give up, remember Me.
When fears are filling your heart and mind more than faith in the promises of God, remember Me.
When the fires of temptation are flaring up within you, remember Me.
When you are having a hard time forgiving others, remember Me.
When serving Me becomes routine and mechanical, remember Me.
When you find yourself driven by the pursuit of the pleasures of this fallen world, remember Me.
When you doubt My forgiveness of you, remember Me.
Whenever you think that your sins are forgiven because of something that you have done, remember Me.
When you want to call fire down from heaven on someone because you simply do not like them, remember Me.
When you doubt that there is an eternal hell, remember Me.
When you doubt that there is a heaven, remember Me.
When jealousy and envy are causing you to hate or despise others, remember Me.
When the enemy tells you that your prayers are in vain, remember Me.
When your circumstances are causing you to question My Father’s goodness, remember Me.
When you take your next breath, remember Me.
When you eat your next meal, remember Me.
When you drink your next cup of water, remember Me.
When you are about to say or do something that you know you will regret, remember Me.
Watch Ye and Pray
September 6, 2020 • Pastor Ray Viola
Mark 14:38 Watch ye and pray... The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
Today our study brings us into that portion of The Lord Jesus life that I would call His holy of holies prayer unto His Father. Words are not capable of describing the depth of this time of prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Scripture tells us that Jesus was known to go there. As Son of Man, Jesus was a man of prayer. He was a man Who lived in communion with His Father. Although God Incarnate, this Word made flesh Who dwelt amongst us (John 1:14) is indeed the great mystery of godliness (1 Timothy 3:16).
Once again we find our precious Savior in this hour of prayer being our Master Teacher. Jesus prays with great agony, breaking blood vessels as He submits Himself into His Father’s hands with these words: “…nevertheless, not My will, but Thy will be done.” (Mark 14:36) In other words, if there is any other way to redeem lost, sinful man apart from Me dying on the cross, let that happen. But there is no other way for lost man to be saved and brought into a right relationship with God apart from faith in The Lord Jesus’s perfect sacrifice for sin.
But lest we miss more of what The Lord is teaching us, we must also see that Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves. Like the disciples, we can make great claims of loyalty to Jesus yet fail miserably. We can be given the opportunity to spend time in prayer with Him, only to find ourselves sleeping. Thus Jesus said to His disciples these words that we must hear today: “Watch ye and pray... The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.” (Mark 14:38)
The word Gethsemane means “oil press” or “crushed”. At this crushing moment in Jesus’ life, He went to His Father in that hour of prayer and He fully submitted to His will. Beloved, life at times is pressing. We often times find ourselves crushed by betrayals and the ill will of others. It is in our Gethsemanes that we find sweet communion with The Father and the strength that we need to say, ‘not my will, but Thine be done.’ To watch and pray is a necessary lifestyle of communion with God, not a religious duty. Selah
Are You Wasting Your Life?
August 9, 2020 • Pastor Ray Viola
Mark 14:3,4 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
What we have before us in Mark 14 today is the lavish expression of love and devotion by Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, upon Jesus Christ. So important was this act of devotion that Jesus said that wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, this act of devotion is to be mentioned (v 9).
Mary expressed the love that she had in her heart for Jesus by pouring out upon Him an expensive ointment that would have been the equivalent of a year’s wages. This ointment was also reserved by a woman for the time when she would meet her bridegroom. What a beautiful, unashamed expression of public devotion for Jesus! And yet Jesus’ disciples, influenced by Judas Iscariot, regarded her lavish act of devotion as a waste, saying that this amount of money could have been given to the poor.
What is a waste? It is something that is a loss or a tragic misuse, be it of money, time, talents or, most importantly, the object of devotion. This story reveals to us an important point, namely, what the world considers to be a waste in contrast to what Christ considers to be a waste. To the world, spending and being spent for Jesus is a waste. To God, spending and being spent for anything or anyone apart from Jesus is a waste. To invest your life in anything other than service and devotion to Jesus Christ is a waste, regardless of one’s wealth or success in the eyes of man. The world system would call the person who is “sold out” for Jesus someone who is wasting his or her human potential.
The prophet Haggai lamented because the people of God were spending all of their time, energy, and money building their own kingdom while the temple of God was being reduced to shambles. Why? Because the priorities and interests of the people of God were more set on self than on the things of God.
Beloved, have we created a type of Christianity where sacrifice and full devotion to Jesus Christ and His kingdom has become an option (Romans 12:1,2)? Have we created a comfortable type of Christianity where being a disciple no longer means to bear a cross (Mark 8:34)? Or hazard our lives (Acts 15:26)? Or be addicted to serving (1 Corinthians 16:15)? Remember, beloved, that what we learn this morning from our sister Mary in her all-out expression of love for Jesus is that she was following the example of The One Who would give His all for us, that we might live our lives for Him and His glory (2 Corinthians 5:15).
Are you wasting your life? Selah
The Regathering of Israel and the Second Coming of Christ
August 2, 2020 • Pastor Ray Viola
Today we will be remembering The Lord’s Supper. This memorial meal reminds us of the sacrifice that Jesus paid to redeem our souls from the debt and destruction of sin. It reminds us that by grace, through faith in Jesus, we have been delivered from the wrath to come. In our continuing study of Jesus’ Olivet discourse, we will see how God is going to gather once again the Jewish people from all over the world back to their ancient homeland. The restoration of the Jewish people back to their ancient homeland is nothing short of a miracle! The prophets of God said that He would do it (Ezekiel 11:17; Amos 9:14,15) and Jesus confirms it. The prophets also said that Jerusalem would be a burdensome stone to all nations (Zechariah 12:3), and that too has come to pass.
God is a promise keeping God. Heaven and earth may pass away, but His word always comes to pass. Thus as we take communion together this morning, we too can be confident that whatever Jesus accomplished for us on the cross, both in this life and in eternity, shall come to pass.
Reader, have you repented of your sin and trusted Jesus alone as Lord of your life and Savior from your sin debt? Selah
Great Tribulation, Israel, & the Second Coming
July 26, 2020 • Pastor Ray Viola
We are now in the section of Jesus’ Olivet discourse where He tells us about events during the great tribulation period that lead up to His Second Coming. Much can be, and has been, written about this unparalleled period of time, which Jesus said would be unlike any other period of time in all of human history (Mark 13:19).
One key to end times prophecy is the establishment of the Jewish people in the nation of Israel. They had been scattered around the world for more than 1500 years, but continue to be gathered again back to their ancient homeland, where they will one day look up and recognize that Jesus Christ is their Messiah (Zechariah 12:10).
So as we continue to work our way though this amazing end times prophecy, may The Spirit of God cause us to be more tuned in to what God said will come to pass – and live our lives accordingly – than what man’s flawed opinions have to say about any other issue or crisis. Let’s be looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). Selah
The Rebuilt Temple
July 12, 2020
Mark 13:14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
One of the most fascinating aspects of the Bible is prophecy. Did you know that there are more prophecies that speak of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ than His first coming? And yet, the subject of bible prophecy and the end times is often neglected in spite of Jesus’ command to “Watch!” (Mark 13:37) Unfortunately, there have been those who have predicted the day of the second coming of Jesus throughout the centuries, and of course, have been wrong. These false prophets have caused people to become skeptics or downright mockers of end times prophecies.
Today we are going to look at one of the most amazing prophecies in all of Scripture, and that is the prophecy of the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel (Daniel 9:27) and spoken of by Jesus Christ in Mark 13:14. As the world is in a tailspin over COVID 19, the 2020 election in America, Black Lives Matter (and of course they do, as do all lives), and whether or not to wear a mask, there is a group of devout Orthodox Jews who are part of an organization known as the Temple Institute. They have been building temple furniture and preparing clothing and many other temple-related items to prepare for the coming of their Messiah. Little do they know that their Messiah is Jesus Christ and the temple that they are seeking to build is a key part of end times prophecy. Hallelujah!!
May The Spirit of God stir our hearts to give us a fresh sense of excitement and urgency in serving The Lord Jesus that is at least as zealous as these unsaved, religious Jews are who are working diligently to prepare the way for Jesus to return. Selah
Rome at Last
June 9, 2024 • Pastor Ray Viola • Acts 28
We first heard of Paul's desire to go to Rome in Acts 19:21. Then we learned in Acts 23:11 that the Lord Jesus confirmed that He was sending Paul to Rome. In today's study of the last chapter of Acts we see that Paul finally arrives in Rome, safe and sound, but no doubt a bit sea sick and weary after account we covered in Acts 27.
Every toss and turn in Paul’s journey to Rome was orchestrated by God. But Paul is in Rome at last and we find that once he arrives, he continues contending for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints. Despite the opposition. Despite the “questionable weather” and lesser than 5-star accommodations along the way, Paul, along with Dr Luke and Aristarchus, arrive in the most prominent city on planet earth at that time….Rome. He arrives as a prisoner and tells his fellow Jews that for “the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain”. But because Paul was set free by Jesus Christ, he never regarded himself as the prisoner of Rome, but as the prisoner of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:1; Philemon 1:1;9 ).
What the world would call a radical and skewed way of seeing things, Jesus would call the normal Christian life. While it is true that not many of God’s children are called to live as dramatic a Christian life as Paul did, we are all called to live what’s been named by some, ‘The Glorious Exchanged Life’. The Glorious Exchanged Life is this: Jesus died to save my soul, and now I die (Luke 9:23), to live for Him. Each and every follower of Jesus has a “Rome” as the final stop in their pilgrimage here on earth. God is right now working in your life every single detail that is designed to prepare you for when you land there. There is not a storm or venomous snake bite that is wasted in the marvelous testimony of Jesus that God in forming in your life. You see beloved, you are no longer a prisoner of your circumstances, you are a prisoner of Jesus Christ. Keep your eyes and faith on the One whom the natural eye cannot see.
So wherever you are on your way to your Rome, the Gospel mandate and itinerary is simple. Abide in Jesus. Pray without ceasing. Preach the kingdom of God. Share those things concerning the truth and gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some will believe, and some will not. May God be glorified in each and every one of your lives, beloved.
Opposition and Discipleship
July 5, 2020
Mark 13:9,12,13 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Satan has always been opposed to the plans and purposes of God. In the Garden, the opposition came in the form of the question, “Hath God said…?” (Genesis 3:1) He has questioned the word and purposes of God ever since. Persecution is one of the things that Jesus Christ said would happen to His disciples both in the days leading up to the destruction of the temple and city of Jerusalem in 70 AD and throughout the ages unto His Second Coming.
In his first epistle, John tells us that this spirit of opposition is the spirit of antichrist (1 John 2:22). The prefix anti means a substitute for or replacement of. This fallen world system is antichrist. It is evident in the twisted world values, philosophies, pleasures, and educational and religious systems. In other words, the disciple of Jesus Christ in any generation is never going to be religiously or politically correct. Light and darkness have nothing is common. Truth and falsehood cannot cohabitate. When Jesus taught, multitudes followed Him until He drew the proverbial line in the sand of what it would cost them to follow Him. Jesus said, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.” (John 15:18-21) The apostle John said, “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.” (1 John 3:13) The apostle Paul said, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12)
We are certainly living in trying times, beloved. Jesus has given His life for us, that we might live our lives for Him and His glory (2 Corinthians 5:15). May God grant to each of us the grace and power that we need to boldly stand for Jesus Christ and live in such a way that proves that we are truly contending for the faith once delivered unto the saints (Jude 1:3). Selah
The Olivet Discourse
June 28, 2020 • Pastor Ray Viola
Matthew 24:3a And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be?
Over the years, it has never ceased to amaze me how God has “coincidentally” timed our studies in Scripture. Such is true of our study this morning. We are in Mark 13, and it begins this way: “And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? There shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down.” What a shocker those words of Jesus must have been for the disciples. But after He tells them about the destruction of the temple, Matthew adds this question: “And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3b) So Jesus is going to prophesy in this chapter the destruction of the temple and, secondly, the signs of His coming and the end of the age. Within 40 years, the prophecy of Jesus Christ regarding the destruction of the temple was fulfilled just the way He said it would happen. Likewise, the signs of His coming and the end of the age will take place just as Jesus said they would.
Did you know that there are more prophecies of the second coming of Jesus Christ and the last days than prophecies regarding His first coming? In other words, the eternal plans and purposes of God are going to happen and nothing is going to stop them. No evil scheme of the devil or conspiracy of man is going to stop the coming of The Lord. No pestilence or natural disasters are going to stop the coming of The Lord. It is sad when the lives of the people of God are more preoccupied with and wrapped up in the current crisis and pandemics and conspiracy theories than with God’s Word.
A word that Jesus repeats in His end of the world discourse is “watch” (Mark 13:33,35,37). It is in the present imperative tense. This means that our lives are to be shaped by the constant anticipation of Jesus. The only appropriate response to darkness is to preach the gospel, not draw more attention to the darkness. In Revelation 22:7 Jesus said, “Behold I come quickly.” Jesus is coming soon. Those were His last words in Scripture. His final words before His ascension were to go into the entire world and preach the gospel (Mark 16:15,19). Beware of living your life in constant reaction to the evil deeds of darkness. Like the wise virgins, be filled with The Spirit (Matthew 25:1-13) and be about your Father’s business of proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ’s soon return. “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” (Revelation 22:12) Selah
Storms in the Will of God
May 26, 2024 • Pastor Ray Viola • Acts 27
When Jesus calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee, the disciples said, “What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him” (Luke 8:24). It is very easy for us to read the account of Paul’s boat ride to Rome and lose sight of the fact that God is in complete control the entire situation. We remember back in Acts 23:11, “And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome”.
Matthew Henry wrote, “it was determined by the counsel of God, before it was determined by the counsel of Festus, that Paul should go to Rome; for God had work for him to do there”. But we also saw in Acts 26, Paul could have been set free from going to Rome because there were no charges that Festus and Agrippa could have presented to Caesar. By appealing to Caesar, Paul was not so much intent on going to Rome in defense of himself, as much as he knew that it was the will of God for his him to testify before Caesar, regardless of the cost or consequences. So we see the supernatural work of God in every aspect of this boat rude to Rome from the weather to the passengers own board. This Euroclydon or typhoon like storm was a God ordained boat ride for Paul and the 276 fellow passengers. Despite the reality of the danger that they faced on this voyage, Paul knew that God was in control of everything, and he made it a point to pass that along to everyone else onboard.
Beloved follower of Jesus, do you realize that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is in control of everything that you are facing today? One of the things that every child of God must come to terms with is the fact that the supernatural work of God is often displayed in our every day, natural circumstances. Stop for a moment and ponder that through right now beloved. Do you realize that everything in your life is working together for your good and God’s glory?
One of the most oft repeated promises of God throughout Scripture is Fear Not. God told Paul to fear not in Acts 27:24. Every time that we read that promise of God fear not, God is talking to someone who is afraid of something or someone. Fear is a very real human emotion that can drive a person to despair.
God told the national Israel, “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior:” (Isa 43:1-3).
Embrace those words of the prophet Isaiah from our Heavenly Father, loved ones. They remind us of a basic fact that there are waters and fires in the life of every follower of Jesus Christ, but our lives are in the hands of God. He is in control of everything. We are all homeward bound beloved, and until we arrive safely in glory, every storm has a purpose that is designed for the glory of God and the Name of Jesus Christ. SELAH
A Fire to Warm and a Torch to Shine
November 17, 2024 • Dylan Ocorr • Acts 4:31–35
The Christians are the only light for culture. There is no other hope to brighten up a dark world than for the redeemed of the Lord to rise up and shine. But what does that look like exactly? How does the heat and light of the gospel flood into a cold and dark world?
When the believers prayed for boldness in Acts 4, it wasn’t a simple prayer for a little more courage than they had before. It was a desperate plea to God to help them keep their flame lit. They were faced with a serious problem - Peter and John (their leaders) were threatened by those in power. So they turned to God with one accord and prayed that he might strengthen them to continue to obey and preach the gospel. The result was two-fold. They (1) boldly proclaimed the word of God to the outside world, and they (2) built a vibrant Christian community.
In other words, they cultivated a blazing fire around which they gathered with their brothers and sisters in Christ, and they lit a blazing torch which they carried to the outside world. There was a fire to warm them and a torch they shone on the world. When the smoldering embers of their spiritual light were threatened, the Holy Spirit fanned their community and evangelism into a ferocious flame. They had a strong base and a strong attack. They lit themselves and the world.
This community was no ordinary social group. It was characterized by a radical selflessness and profound sense of unity. We find these same words - “selflessness” and “unity” - used in the secular world. But when they are used (or rather, simply mused) in those circles, they are thought of in a much lower grade. An ancient hieroglyphic compared to the vivid picture of an overpriced TV from Best Buy. The selflessness and unity of this Acts 4 community would send shockwaves through the world today. Much like how a caveman might respond to seeing the glimmer of a new 60-inch Samsung. A Christian community, properly set ablaze, will shine with stunning distinction against the bleak communities that the world offers.
In the US Army survival manual, there is a chapter on building a fire. The last sentence of the intro to that chapter says this, “Remember, weigh your need for fire against your need to avoid enemy detection.” Fires provide all sorts of benefits to those who are around them, but they also draw the attention of the enemy. The stronger the fire, the easier the target for the enemy. Thus, the plea for boldness and power, of necessity, accompanies a people who have a well-flamed community. That’s how the light works. It repels the wolves and attracts the sheep. And there are yet many “other sheep that are not of this fold” and Jesus will “bring them also and they will listen to His voice”. So let us inflame ourselves by the Holy Spirit, so as to bring in as many who are fleeing from the darkness as possible.
Ordinary Christian Conversion
May 19, 2024 • Dylan Ocorr • Acts 26
When I was in 5th grade, the biggest enemy I faced was my list of chores. Nothing terrified me more than walking downstairs on Saturday morning, and slowly peering into the kitchen to see if that mother of mine had scribbled out one of those motherly death sentences. They usually read like this: “Dylan, before you watch TV or go play with friends, do these three things.” A 5th graders gallows if you ask me. So, I would do my best to avoid my chores, but eventually, I was forced to complete them. Then one day, I was practicing the piano, and my mom said, “Aww! I could listen to you play piano all day long.” And suddenly it dawned on me - as long as I play the piano, my mom will never force me to do my chores. And thus began one of the most rigorous practice schedules ever known to a 5th grader.
In Acts 26, Paul finds himself facing an actual death threat, not just a list of chores. But, this isn’t his first rodeo. Back in Acts 22 and 23, he faced nearly the same thing - on trial, retelling his story of conversion as his legal defense. In Acts 23, Paul faced a council of leaders and escaped only because he was able to stir up division amongst his accusers. “Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, ‘I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.’ And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees…” (Acts 23:6-7). After much confusion, almost being illegally flogged, and nearly killed, Paul resorted to some old school tactics - the enemy of my enemy is my friend. And, miraculously, it worked!
Now, over two years later, Paul is before a council of leaders again. This time, he knows how to handle the situation. He’s learned how to avoid the mob uprising, just like I learned how to avoid the chore list. So, he begins his testimony by bringing up this heated point of contention, instead of waiting until the end.
But does Paul bring up this dispute at the beginning only to avoid danger? Or is there a deeper reason? Back in Acts 23, the Pharisees and Sadducees split over Paul because of the issue of the Resurrection. The Pharisees believed that there is a Resurrection, whereas the Sadducees held that there was no none (Acts 23:8). So, when Paul brought up the dispute, they took sides. But their siding with Paul was simply a matter of philosophical discussion. It was purely about what things are reasonable to believe and what are not. The Pharisees and the Sadducees were not concerned about anything fundamental to the Gospel itself. Their only concern was with general metaphysical realities. As it were, in an attempt to avoid death, Paul turned their attention away from the person of Jesus, and onto a philosophical debate.
Knowing this, Paul takes a different approach in Acts 26. He begins by bringing up this heated debate regarding the reality of the resurrection because he wants to drive home a different main point. Right after mentioning this societal ‘hot topic’, he says, “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth.” (Acts 26:9). Paul turns their attention away from the philosophical debate around the feasibility of the resurrection, and turns their attention onto the person of Christ. Paul sees that when he was opposed to the gospel and living in sin, he still believed in the Resurrection (since he was a Pharisee). It didn’t matter at all where the Jews landed in the debate around the resurrection of the dead. What mattered was that they reckon with the person of Christ. There is no saving faith in affirming correct metaphysical truths. There is only salvation in relating rightly to the person of Christ, by repenting and turning to him alone.
An Example of True Devotion and Giving
May 31, 2020 • Pastor Ray Viola
1 Samuel 16:7b http://...for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
We are presented with a study of contrasts in Mark 12:35-44. Jesus’ question about His identity stands in contrast with the “loop hole” questions that He was asked by the religious frauds of the day. In verse 35, Jesus asks the question, “How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David?” Warren Wiersbe writes: This is a far more important question than the ones His enemies had asked Him, for if we are wrong about Jesus Christ, we are wrong about salvation. So many people get all tangled up with questions about the bible that have no real bearing on his or her eternal destiny. When you read the claims of Jesus in Scripture, C.S. Lewis said that you would have to conclude that He was either a liar, a lunatic, or LORD. The real question, dear reader, is this: who is Jesus Christ according to you? What effect does Jesus Christ have in your day-to-day living?
The other contrast we see is this poor widow and the religious hucksters who ripped off widows. Mark writes: “And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.” What a stinging rebuke! How true that God does not see people the way that man sees people (1 Samuel 16:7b). Religious people have the capacity to talk and even act “holy”. This poor widow has been placed in the Scripture as an example of what true devotion and giving is all about. This woman’s example of dedication and sacrificial giving stands in stark contrast to the “what’s-in-it-for-me” attitude that is so prevalent in today’s contemporary church. The depth of this poor widow’s love and devotion was rich in the eyes of God. Her sacrificial giving and living were an overflow of a heart that loved God and was truly devoted to Him and His kingdom. Amen. Selah
The Only Light for Culture
November 10, 2024 • Dylan Ocorr • Matthew 5:14–16
With the 2024 election over, you may feel that you have your ‘man’ in the White House. You may feel thrilled at the possibility of the US government over the next 2-4 years. You may feel that a major victory was just won for the sake of the pro-life movement and the Biblical sexual ethic. But don’t rest on your laurels! It is a grave mistake to feel that a political victory is a complete victory. Even if all the right laws were to be passed, Christian Supreme Court Justices appointed, state constitutions re-written for the glory of God, and the Chick-fil-a sauce recipe was leaked… there would still be work to be done. The laurels are not yet complete. They are yet to fully blossom. Don’t rest on a rose bud, you’ll crush it before it blooms and snuff out its glory.
Jesus said that the Christian people, those who have been born again and filled with the Holy Spirit, are the light of the world. The only hope for a dark world is light. And the only light that exists is that which the Christian carries in his spirit. Too often we forget this glorious truth and think the “light” of God to be housed in some ideal or doctrine. We consume ourselves with talk of laws and policy, as if those legal statutes carry the light of God in them. They do not. They may point to the light, but they are not the light themselves. WE are the light. Those who are born again by the Spirit of God, are alone the light of the world.
Shall we fight and advocate for righteous legislation in our land? A thousand times ‘Yes!’ For when the laws of a nation reflect the glory of God, they clear the skies for the sun to shine. They weed out the garden for the rose to bloom. Any Rochesterian knows the daily slog produced by those long and cloudy wintry months. Our moods swing low, seasonal depression rises as the sun hides. But those occasional February days, when the clouds part and the sun gleams off the perfect white snow - they remind us that there is a sun, that it is warm, and the dreary days will soon end. Righteous laws have the same effect. They clear away the moral and social fog. They warm up the soul and remind us of God - that there is a real moral standard. But they only clear the way for the light to shine clearly. And what is that light which righteous laws make room for? It is the light of the transformed soul. It is the light of the “glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” to which a person has been totally awakened to. If that light does not shine like a “city on a hill”, then what good are the laws? What good is the clearing of the skies if the true light is but a dim whimper of a single candle.
LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE! You are the light of the world. No doctrine or law can light up the dark world, but only you! Only the soul that has been transferred from the “kingdom of darkness” and “brought into the light” can emit the light that the world needs. The laws may clear the skies, but you must shine the light. You are the light of the world.
All You Need Is Love!
May 24, 2020
Mark 12:30,31 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
For all young people my age, the words of my title were the words of a number 1 song by the Beatles. The love that Paul McCartney and John Lennon were talking about was not the love that Jesus is talking about in our study today.
According to Jesus Christ (thus the true interpretation of Scripture), loving God and loving our neighbors as ourselves sums up the practical expression of a true saving faith in God. Love for God and love for others is what faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ will produce in our lives. When we know and believe and receive the saving love of God by grace through faith in His Son Jesus Christ, we are given a new heart – a heart that will begin to experience a change of appetites and attitudes that are driven by the love of God. This love, though imperfect and in constant need of attention, is demonstrated by acts of love towards all people, saved and unsaved, friend and foe.
As we work our way through our study, think of the love of God in Christ as He died on the cross for your sin. Think of His command to love one another as He loved you. A love for Him stems from His love for us (1 John 4:19). John writes God is love (1 John 4:8; 1 John 4:16b). Thus, if a person is looking for real love, he or she can only find this love in God, not in the fleshly, sensual way that is as popular today and it was when I was a young man.
My prayer is that you encounter the saving love of God in Christ today, and may the love of Christ for you be shed abroad from your heart towards others today for the glory of God. Selah.
Rise Up, O Man of God!
June 16, 2024 • Pastor Ray Viola • Titus 2:6–7
On this Father’s Day 2024, listen to this promise from Scripture regarding the man who fears the Lord. “Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments” (Psalm 112:1).
There is a ubiquitous story told in prison ministry circles that speaks to the state of fatherhood in our day. One year, a group decided to provide cards for inmates on Mother’s Day. The response was overwhelming, as nearly all the inmates showed up to sign and send cards to their mothers. The event was so successful that the group decided to do it again on Father’s Day. Almost no one participated.
The point of this story? Well, it depends on who you ask. However, at the heart of the discrepancy is fatherlessness, both in terms of the men who are absent from their children’s lives (a major indicator of future incarceration, and a whole host of other maladies), and in terms of the culture’s slow, steady slide into the abyss of radical feminism and anti-masculinity.
It’s a two-edged sword; (1) fathers are not there, and (2) the culture argues increasingly that they are not necessary.
The Biblical laws of design, like the laws of God in nature, are timeless. The law of gravity that “began” when God created the universe are arsenal today as they were then. One of the greatest and most damaging aspects in today’s culture is the subtle (or not so subtle) undermining of the biblical teaching of manhood and fatherhood, and we are seeing the deadly consequences it is having in our society. I believe that our Heavenly Father is calling ALL men of God, and in particular fathers to rise up and hold up the biblical standard of being a husband and father.
The Christian marriage, family structure and design as is seen in Genesis was created by God. This creational order was established according to the infinite wisdom of God at the beginning of the creation of the world and is fundamental to the order of both the state and the church. When this order is violated or rebelled against, the outcome is confusion and chaos. In God's creation order He has made man to be the head of the Christian home for functional purposes. Headship does not mean that God values man more than a woman, and it most certainly does not mean that husbands should be a dictator.
I have put together an acronym for the name Father. F- He Fears God. A- He Adores his Wife. T- He Teaches his children by example and precept. H- He Chooses to be a vessel of Honor inside and outside of the home for the glory of God. E- He Exercises himself unto godliness. R- He Reflects the character of the Lord Jesus Christ in word and deed.
My prayer and heart’s desire for every father is that God’s Spirit would ignite within each of our hearts a renewed passion for Jesus Christ, with the overflow of that passion being the fruit that manifests the biblical design for a husband and father as a man if God that brings glory to the name of Jesus Christ. SELAH
The Call to be a Witness
April 28, 2024 • Pastor Ray Viola • Acts 25
The past few weeks, we’ve been journeying through the time in the life of Paul when he is being falsely accused of both religious offenses and violations of or rebellion and disorderly conduct against the Roman government. We have learned that neither of those accusations were true. However, we have also been given a “fly on the wall” so to speak insight into how Paul lived his life during those trying times. Through it all, Paul was being a witness of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus said to the disciples before He ascended up into heaven, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts1:8).
What is the calling of every born again son or daughter of the Living God? It is to be a witness, here on earth, of the fact that Jesus rose from the dead after He paid the full price for man’s redemption. In other words, we are called to testify of the good news, or gospel, of Jesus Christ. Throughout all of his appearances before religious and political individuals, Paul is always seeking to find a way to bring into the light, the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Paul tells the church at Ephesus, as well as you and I this morning that a vital part of the armor of God is that “your feet are to be shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). Paul was constantly being a witness of the truth of the gospel. And as we learned last week, he was doing it both inside and outside of prison. Peter declared on the day Pentecost, “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses” (Acts 2:32). We see in Acts 4:33, “And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all”. To witness is to attest to a fact.
As Bible believing Christians, our witness here on earth is our attesting to the facts of truth of Scripture and the record of the Lord Jesus Christ. “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2).
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:1-4).
Beloved, we are ambassadors of Jesus Christ. As you and I engage with people, we will find ourselves engaging in many types of cultural discussions. May we prayerfully seek for ways to bring eternity into those to discussion by being a witness of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ. SELAH
