Kerwin Baptist Church Daily Broadcast

Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be spread throughout the world so that all may know Christ.

Join us now for a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church located in Kernersville, North Carolina. Here's our key verse, verse 17. Herein is our Love made perfect.

This is how our love is made perfect. Notice this, that we may have boldness in the day of judgement, because, in the day of judgment, because as he is, he who, Christ, as he is, so are we in this world. So at the time of this being written, obviously, as he is, where was he? In heaven, where he's at now, seated at the right hand of the throne of God. But here we are told that as he is now, so are we in this world.

Interesting statement. Look at verse 18. Therefore, or because of that, there is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. Now, how many of you believe that God loves us? How many of you believe that God's love that he has for us is perfect? It has to be, because God is perfect. And if God didn't have perfect love, then he wouldn't be a perfect God.

So because he's a perfect God, that means whatever he does is perfect, and his love is perfect. And if that's the case, then why do you and I fear? Why are there still things in our life that we fear?

And it's natural, by the way. Don't think I'm getting on, we shouldn't fear anything. Listen, we do, we're flesh, we're people. You get a bad report, you get a bad circumstance, we fear, but if his love is perfect, then why do we still fear? Notice the phrase he says in this last, he that feareth is not made perfect in love. In other words, that God's love is perfect, and because God's love is perfect, we're given this promise that as he is now, so are we now. But as he is there right now, so are we here in this world right now.

And that should cast out our fear. And that's kind of hard to understand. So let me give you a principle that I learned in theology Bible class years ago. Had no idea what it meant up until this week.

I haven't been studying it for 23 years till now. I'm just saying, I remember in this week, going through this, it reminded me of this principle that I learned, and it is in biblical theology. If you ever take a Bible class, you'll learn this. But it is this principle.

Now, and I want you to get this, this will be on the screen. What happened to Christ happens to the church. What happened to Christ happens to the church. That thread runs all through the word of God. And as the local church was established in the New Testament in the book of Acts, what you will find is that Christ life all the way from where it was prophesied that he would come, all the way through his earthly ministry.

And even right now, as this verse says, as he is, literally, I want you to get this. What happens to Christ is always a picture of what happens to us. What happens to Christ happens to the church. What happens to Christ, that means happens to the Christian. Our life, our very existence is to be a mirror, or a picture of the life of Christ. What he went through, we go through. Now you say, why is that? Listen to me. Our life on earth is to mirror his life on earth.

Why? Because God's purpose for our life is for us to be transformed into the image of Christ. If you agree with that, say amen. I don't have time to give you all the verses because I got a whole lot of verses to give you today, but I want you to get this. God's purpose in our life is not just for us to get saved and be here and do nothing. God's purpose is for us to be molded and changed and transformed into the image of Christ. Now if we are going to be changed into the image of Christ, then our life will mirror his life. What happened to him has to happen to us.

Everybody with me so far? Now I'm gonna give you this second principle. Listen, why don't you get this on the screen. Comfort does not produce change. Comfort does not produce change. Now, if you get me in the right spot in my recliner, that is not gonna produce weight loss. If you position me at the right area of a Krispy Kreme restaurant, listen, I'm gonna be comfortable, but comfort doesn't produce change.

Comfort produces a person that wants to stay comfortable. You and I think for some reason that we're gonna latch on to what preachers say and when we come to church, I'm gonna get something for preacher that's gonna make my life easier this week. We think that, you know, I'm gonna list something on the radio, I'm gonna read something in the book, I'm gonna get ahold of that tidbit and I'm gonna finally get to the point as a Christian that I can be comfortable now and I don't have to go through these struggles and I don't have to have these up and downs and I don't have to constantly go through this emotional rollercoaster type thing.

It's a growing process to where we can finally get to the point that I don't have to deal with these things that I've dealt with. Listen to me, if the point of the Christian life was for us to finally get to the place where we're comfortable, then we wouldn't change. So God's purpose is to make us like Christ. So that means you and I have to be changed. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is reasonable service and be not conformed to this world, but be transformed. So God has to change me for me to be in the image of Christ and comfort does not produce change. So to lay that groundwork, all through scripture, what happens to Christ or what happened to Christ happens to the church and we gotta remember our verse. As he is, and that's present tense, as he is, so are we in this world. So preacher, what all does this mean?

Hold on. Lord, I love you, pray that you would bless your word as we strive to not entertain and not even to motivate, but to preach and teach your word. And Lord, may it do the work today as it always does. In Jesus name we pray, amen. If our life mirrors the life of Christ, if as he is, so are we. What does that mean, preacher?

We gotta start at the beginning. And I want you to, if you're keeping notes today, I want you to notice first, his life started with the promise. In Isaiah chapter seven, verse 14, now these verses will be on the screen.

I want you to get, you gotta soak all this in. I know it's a lot coming at you on a Sunday morning, but it'll be worth it if you'll just hold on. Look at verse 14 on the screen. Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. This is where it's prophesied. This is the first big, now we know about, you know, that Satan will bruise his heel, but he'll bruise, we know that the Messiah coming is mentioned and all that, but this is the first clear promise in Isaiah chapter seven. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name, Emmanuel. So literally the entire life of Christ started with a promise.

So does your life and my life. Can I give you our promise? Notice on the screen, John 14, verse two. In my Father's house are many mansions.

If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. Notice Jesus' life began with the promise that he would come. Our life begins with the promise that he will come back.

Our life is literally his life. It mirrors, it all starts with a promise. Romans 8, 16, notice this. The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.

And if children then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Joint heirs, that's our promise. That means that it was literally promised that Jesus would come and he did. And now it's been promised to us that he will come back for us and he will. Starts with a promise. Notice as our life mirrors his life second, we see a preparation. We see the preparation.

You say, what do you mean by that? John chapter seven, verse six. Notice this passage. Then Jesus said unto them, my time is not yet come.

What is happening here? This is literally as Jesus, we're told about his birth. We could go through all that today and we're told about how he was born, the virgin birth and the Christmas story and all that. And then we're even told as a young man how he went into the temple as a young boy and his mom and dad kept traveling, didn't even realize he was gone. And he was there at the temple and he was teaching literally the priest at the temple and they were just mesmerized by the knowledge and wisdom in this young man. And his parents came back and of course they got upset at Jesus and why did you run off? And he said, hey, I must be about my father's business. And not long after that, we're not told anything about the life of Jesus until this. And this is the first miracle, the wedding of Canaan.

Now listen, you say, what are you saying? What did Jesus say here? As literally they ran out of wine there at that wedding and his mother comes to him and she tells him that they need wine. Jesus said, hey, mine hour is not yet come.

What does that mean? It means all these years that you and I were not told a lot about. I know at some point during that time, Jesus had to bury his own father. Now I don't know this and of course this is just speculation, don't take this as Bible.

I think outside the box sometimes, I have an imagination. Jesus was by trade a, it could be that Jesus built the very casket that his dad was buried in. At some point, Jesus had to face the loss of a parent. At some point, Jesus had to look at a grave. At some point, you say of all these people that resurrected, why didn't Jesus resurrect his own father? Have you ever thought about that?

Why? Because he said, my hour, my time is not yet come. There's a time of preparation. All those years of Jesus' life, God the Father was preparing him for the three and a half years of earthly ministry. Look at me, you say, why does that mirror my life? Because you and I have times of preparation also.

Just like there was a time when Jesus had to be prepared, just that there was a time that there was a preparation for his life in order to do God's will, there is a time of preparation for us. You say, well, how do you know that? Oh, listen to me, don't you know that? I've learned to always be weary if somebody shows up at your church and tells you everything that they're good at and how great they are at it and all the ministries that they would like to lead.

You stay away from that person. Because two months later, they're not gonna be here. Listen, always be weary if somebody gets saved one week and the next week they're a national evangelist. There is always a time of preparation because our life mirrors the life of Christ. There are too many verses that I could even give you about how you and I are prepared by God.

I want you to notice thirdly, now there came purpose. So there was a promise. There was a promise that he would come. We have the promise that he would come back.

There is literally the preparation time. We're not told all that went on and I don't know that all that goes on in your life and you don't know all that's going on in my life but you know that Jesus is preparing us and God is molding us and working on us and he's trying to make us to conform to the image of his son. So, and now purpose. What do you mean purpose, preacher? It means that Jesus literally, it was time to figure out what his purpose was.

What is his purpose in life? Look at this verse if you would. John chapter five, verse 30. So now there's been a promise. Now there's been the time of preparation and now Jesus' ministry begins and notice in John chapter five, verse 30, this is what Jesus said.

I can of my own self do nothing. As I hear, I judge and my judgment is just because I seek not mine own will but the will of the Father which hath sent me. The purpose that Jesus said was in his life and his purpose was to do the will of his Father. Do you know that's our purpose too? Do you know our life mirrors as he is?

So are we. We are to do the will of the Father. That is our purpose in life and until you figure that out and until you and I grasp that and that changes us and redirects us and our life is now spent fulfilling his purpose, nothing's ever gonna work out right.

You say, well, how do you know that? Well, can I read you this verse that you're well familiar with? Matthew chapter six, verse nine. Literally as Jesus was teaching his disciples, this is how you pray to the Father.

Notice what he says. After this manner therefore pray ye, our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come. And how does Jesus tell us to pray?

Thy will be done. Purpose. You see, as Jesus is, so are we. And as Jesus had his purpose, you and I have the same purpose in life. To do the will of the Father.

You say, well, I see what you're saying but why is this important to me? Oh, let's go to the next one and the next one's prayer. What you'll find as Jesus was promised and he came and then as he was prepared and then he realized his purpose and began to fulfill his purpose in order to fulfill his purpose which was to do the will of his Father, he then must spend time with his Father in a different way. His prayer life changed.

By the way, the only way for you and I to accomplish God's purpose in our life is through prayer. Now, listen to what, notice this verse if you would. John 11 verse 41, look at this. Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid.

What's going on here? Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead. Now, notice this. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

Did you get this? Even when Jesus resurrected Lazarus, he did that through prayer to the Father. Jesus says, I know you've heard me.

That means even fulfilling his purpose which was resurrecting an individual, he did it through prayer to the Father. Is that not our life? Let me read you a verse David said in Psalm 55. Look at verse 17.

It's on the screens. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice. Look at me, our life mirrors the life of Christ.

Why? Because we were promised, we're prepared. We know our purpose.

And in order to fulfill that purpose, it must be done through prayer to the Father. Are you starting to see how everything in our life is literally a picture of the life of Christ? Hold on, we're not done. Hold on.

Even if you don't care yet, I hope you will when we're done. I want you to notice next, pressure. Pressure. This is part of Jesus' life.

You say, what do you mean pressure? Well, notice this verse if you would, Mark 3.10. The Bible says as Jesus began his ministry and he was healing people and raising the sick and raising the dead.

Notice in Mark 3.10, look at this verse. For he had healed many in so much that they pressed upon him for to touch him as many as had plagues. That means in the life and the ministry of Jesus that he faced daily pressure, this word pressed in this Greek words where we get our word pressure. It means that literally as Jesus served people and ministered to people, it brought pressure on his life.

Ding, ding, ding. You know, I've often said that I think it's miraculous the life of Jesus that he went 33 and a half years without sin. And you've heard me say that I believe as powerful and unbelievable as the crucifixion of Jesus is, I think the greatest accomplishment and victory of Jesus was not even the crucifixion, but the fact that for 33 and a half years, he went every second of every day without sin.

Now let me put this scenario. Here the Bible says in this verse that people were being healed and so everybody wanted a piece of Jesus and he was pressed. Notice this next verse, Luke chapter five verse one. And it came to pass that as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the Lake Gennesaret. Everywhere Jesus went, you had people pressing him to be healed, pressing him to hear what he had to say, pressing him to get something from him.

In fact, we know from God's word that he said many of them just followed him for a show because they wanted something from him. Imagine yourself at Disney World. How many of you have been to Disney World? How many of you have been to Disney World in the middle of the summer? That hour and a half line where that sun is baking you and you get moved into room after room and line after line and it's just every move you make, you get more pressed and more compressed and more compressed. How many of you have ever been to the haunted house, the haunted mansion? And you get shoved into this room. Any of you ever been there?

And all of a sudden out of the clear, this one ding-dong guy in his little tuxedo, whoa, and he does this whole thing, and part of there's, part of there, you're like, what in the world, where did that guy come from, kind of thing. And you get compressed in this room. I'm gonna tell you something, when it's about 105 out, but it feels like about 112 out and you're in a line and that pressure's coming and people are coming everywhere and man, you're smelling international smells everywhere you go, don't look at me like you don't know what I'm talking about.

Don't make me mention the spices. And I'm gonna tell you something, that pressure comes everywhere. I'm gonna tell you something, that pressure and that pressure and that pressure and it's just from crowds of people.

I don't know about you, but it makes me a bit impatient. And you're hangry, but you can't afford the 10 bucks for a bottle of water, you know. Listen, Jesus faced depressing crowds everywhere he went and not one time ever thought an ill thought about any person. That's right, pressure. You say, well, am I gonna face that? Oh, it's interesting, let me just give you another person. Let's just pick out Paul.

Acts chapter 18, verse five, look at this verse and the Bible says, and when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. Just like Jesus faced pressure, Paul, an apostle of Jesus, faced pressure because of his service for Jesus. And can I tell you something, in 2019, you're gonna face pressure. You're gonna have pressure in your life.

Why? Because comfort doesn't change. What's amazing, you and I, when we start feeling pressure, we take it as now God doesn't care. We start feeling pressure, we're like, well, I better get out of church. We all of a sudden start having pressure from circumstances and things in our life and we think that means that God doesn't love us. And dear friend, it's proof that he does.

Because he's changing. You say, well, I don't know if I feel good about that. Look at these verses, Colossians chapter three, verse one. If you then be risen with Christ, and are we or not? If you're risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Verse three says, for ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ.

Do you see that? Your life is hid with Christ. Your life mirrors, is a mimic, is a picture of the life of Christ. And what does verse 15 of this passage say? And let the peace of God rule in your hearts. That means this, that literally as Jesus faced pressure, he had to go to the Father in prayer to get peace from that pressure. And that's exactly what you and I have to do. Our life mirrors the life of, as he is, so are we. As he is now in heaven, so are we, this verse says, in this world. But hold on, I know you don't get it yet.

Just hold on. What we find next in the life of Jesus is persecution. Pressure turned to persecution. Now we're not talking about things you face because of our own sin, because of our own decisions, because we decided to get out of God's will and do our own thing. Listen, God had no part of that.

Don't blame God for that. And there is a weight and a payment and a burden that you and I have to bear for our bad decisions and our sins sometimes. But aren't you glad that Jesus buried my past? But Jesus said that, we're gonna face, you said, well did Jesus, oh, let me give you a verse. He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquity. The chastisement of our peace was upon him by his stripes.

Oh, let me tell you something, he was wounded. He was persecuted. You say, well preacher, I don't know how good a news that is. Look at this verse in Acts chapter eight, verse one. The Bible says, and Saul was consenting into his death, and at that time there was great persecution against the church.

There it is. What happened to Christ happens to the church. What happened to Christ happens to the Christian. Notice this verse, hold on. Second Timothy chapter three, verse 12.

What does he say? Look, look at this screen. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. The lack of persecution is a What happened to Christ happens to the Christian. Notice this verse, hold on. Second Timothy chapter three, verse 12. What does he say? Look.

Look at this screen. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. The lack of persecution is a sign of the lack of persecution of the lack of godliness.

That's not too encouraging, is it? God said, they that will live godly in this world will suffer persecution. Because what happened to Christ happens to the Christian. Let me give you this verse, Philippians chapter three.

Paul says that I may know him in the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, persecution. Why do things happen to me, preacher? Why do I go through difficulty?

Why do I face sickness? Why do I face trials? Look at me, because it's literally the fellowship of his suffering.

You say, well, why is that so important? Notice that word, fellowship of his suffering. If you are gonna be like Christ, and if I am gonna be like Christ, then we are gonna have to go through some of the things that Christ went through. Our life has to mirror his life.

Or we'll never be like Christ. So as you go through things, as Paul went through things. Paul, I don't know why I just did that. Hey, it's not as easy as it looks up here, okay? It's like stereo. We're gonna edit that out for television. We're not gonna show that.

I'm so stupid sometimes. What did Paul say? That I may know him. The fellowship of his suffering allows me to know Christ that lines my life up in the power of his resurrection.

To know Christ that lines my life up with his life. And where did persecution end in the life of Christ? At the crucifixion.

That means, look at me, look at me, look at me. There will be crucifixion in your life. You say, preacher, what do you mean by that? Can I give you a verse?

Look at this, we're going somewhere. This is all to teach you one principle, I'm gonna let you go this morning. Romans chapter six, verse six, look at this. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him. There's the crucifixion. It means, literally, when you and I are saved, that that old man is crucified with Christ. Our life mirrors his life. You and I will suffer persecution, and there will always be things that are killed in our life.

The cross is literally the picture of an altar of sacrifice. There will always be sacrifices in our life. There will always be things that we face and struggle and hurt and crumble. It's always gonna be difficulty. There's always gonna be a stretching, there's always gonna be a pressure, there's always gonna be a challenge. Comfort does not produce change. Challenge produces change. There's always a crucifixion.

Can I give you one better than that? Look, if you would, at this verse, Galatians chapter two, verse 20, what does Paul say? I am... That means not just my old man is crucified with Christ.

My new man. Paul says, I am, he's saved at this point. The new man is crucified with Christ. Preacher, what does that mean? That means in your life, you're gonna face crucifixions.

That means just about every week, there's gonna be something, a difficulty. There'll be things and trials that'll come into your life. It's literally a fellowship of his suffering. It's a sacrifice of the cross. And you and I are gonna think, well, I just don't think the Lord loves me, and I don't know why these things keep happening.

Just hold on. We're not done. You see, our life mirrors the life of Christ. As he is, so are we. As he is in heaven, so are we in this world. You say, preacher, I just, I know you don't get it yet. Our entire life pictures the life of Christ.

We have our promise, that's how our eternal life began, because we know he's promised to save us. Thank you for listening today. We hope you received a blessing from our broadcast. The Kerwin Baptist Church is located at 4520 Old Hollow Road in Kernersville, North Carolina. You may also contact us by phone at 336-993-5192, or via the web at kerwinbaptistchurch.com. Enjoy our services live and all our media on our website and church app. Thank you for listening to the Kerwin broadcast today. God bless you.