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Christian
Education Pre-K-12
Richmond Academy
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Restoration part 1 of 2
Jesus drives money changers from the Temple.
John 2:13-22 (KJV) "And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to
Jerusalem, {14} And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and
doves, and the changers of money sitting: {15} And when he had made a scourge of
small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen;
and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; {16} And said unto
them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an
house of merchandise. {17} And his disciples remembered that it was written, The
zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. {18} Then answered the Jews and said unto
him, What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? {19}
Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will
raise it up. {20} Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in
building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? {21} But he spake of the
temple of his body. {22} When therefore he was risen from the dead, his
disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the
scripture, and the word which Jesus had said."
Neh 1:3 (KJV) "And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity
there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of
Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire."
Hearing this, Nehemiah “...sat down and wept” (v. 4).
Few tragedies scar as does a raging fire. The devastation is complete. The
desolation is mournful.
A fire has come against some. It is a holy fire.
Just because it has done much harm doesn’t mean it wasn’t God.
The disaster of the city of Jerusalem was when God judged His holy hill with the
torch of Nebuchadnezzar
They cried: “Tear it down...tear it down to its foundations!” (Ps. 137:7).
1 Cor 3:15 “If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself
will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
Jude 1:23 “save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy
with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.”
Why do we think we are so holy that it wouldn’t happen to us?
Think about this:
Sometimes we are spiritually placed in prison as the Apostles were.
The holier we are, the more likely we will be put in a spiritual prison.
Phil 1:17 (NRSV) "the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not
sincerely but intending to increase my suffering in my imprisonment."
Those that preach out of selfishness take for granted the cross.
Gal 6:3 (KJV) "For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing,
he deceiveth himself."
Selfishness, no integrity, no humility
-S. Chad Ross
May Newsletter 2007 |
Press On with Obedient Faith |
Restoration part 1 of 2
Pastor's Journal May 2007 |
Flesh or Spirit
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Biblical
Counseling for Leaders
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