AuthorTerry R Baughman is Lead Pastor for LifeChurch in Gilbert, AZ. See his complete bio at trbaughman.com Archives
September 2024
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Worthy of Worship12/28/2019  Worthy of Worship
ADORE HIM! Terry R. Baughman “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9–11 NKJ). Only God is worthy of worship. “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve” (Matthew 4:10). While we are often tempted to idolize successful people in business, sports heroes, and movie or music stars, worship of others should be recognized as idolatry. The worship of anything or anyone that takes our focus off of God becomes an object of idolatry. While we may admire the successes of others or enjoy collections of material design, worship must be reserved for God alone. While infants are precious and our hearts are warmed with the blessing of newborns, they are not typically worshipped as deity. However, the birth of Jesus was an exception. The writer of Hebrews said, “When God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, ‘Let all God’s angels worship him’” (Hebrews 1:6 NIV). This was one birth that was worthy of worship, even the angels of God declared His praise and expressed adoration to the newborn. Shepherds and wisemen from afar came to worship the newborn king of Israel. When the “Word became flesh” and was born in Bethlehem, this was an occasion for worship (John 1:14). Worship was not only allowed it was expected. Paul revealed, “God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow” (Philippians 2:9–10). There is only one object of worship, that is the One true God in all the earth. We must reserve worship for Him alone. We are not to worship babies, other humans, or even angels (spirit beings). John received a vast array of revelations delivered by an angel of the Lord. He was so overcome with the magnitude of the visions and astounded by the majesty of God that he fell down to worship at the feet of the angelic messenger. The angel quickly rejected John’s worship and said, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God” (Revelation 22:9). The Angel did not allow John to worship him, but directed this adoration to the true source when he said, “Worship God.” Worship is not just expected, it is commanded, “You shall worship the Lord your God” (Matthew 4:10). While some may act as though worship is an optional exercise of radical believers, there is clear expectation of all Christians to give their worship freely to the Lord Jesus Christ. Not only will Christ-followers confess His Lordship and give Him glory, the text reveals that eventually ALL will come to acknowledge Him, confess His authority and bow in submission to His Deity. Paul stated that “Every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:10–11). The apparent truth is clearly stated. All will worship Him. Either now or in eternity all will bow in submission to the supreme Lord. Everyone will come to recognize God’s ultimate authority, either as a committed follower or a defeated foe who will bow before Him in the judgment. When will you worship Him? Theme passage: “I am covered by your covenant of mercy and love. So I come to your sanctuary with deepest awe to bow in worship and adore you” (Psalm 5:7 The Passion Translation).
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Shepherds & Kings12/21/2019  Shepherds & Kings
ADORE HIM! Terry R. Baughman “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him” (Matthew 2:2). The advent of the incarnation drew the spiritually attuned from far and near. The convergence of elements in heaven and on earth gave witness to the drama of the moment. In the fullness of time, “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14 KJV). The star guided wisemen from the East and the Glory of the Lord shone to shepherds calling them from the fields. From the wealthy to the poor there was equal opportunity to witness the greatest moment of history and the singular event that remains premier to the present. Shepherds and kings came to confirm the miracle and to adore Him in worship. Some came with questions, “Where is He?” … and they came in wonder to worship, “We have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him” (Matthew 2:2). Others came looking for a sign, “This will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger” (Luke 2:12), while the greatest sign was the ancient prophecy, “The Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). This moment in Bethlehem was the point of a plethora of prophecies, the fulfillment of God’s plan plotted from the foundation of the world, the pivotal point of every prediction, the year of the Lord’s favor. From Mary’s question, “How can this be?” (Luke 1:34) to John’s declaration, “This is He” (John 1:33), divine purpose prepared the way and proclaimed the magnitude of this incredible event, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14). An acute awareness of the supreme sanctity of this nativity came to a few, while the masses were unaware and even ambivalent concerning the transient couple traveling to fulfill their obligation in the census. Count those who were awaiting this arrival: Mary and Joseph, a few shepherds and a few travelers from the distant East, Zachariah and Elizabeth (Mary’s relative), an aged priest named Simeon, an old widowed prophetess named Anna, were all aware of this momentous birth and worshipped the Lord for His appearance. At the same time others plotted against the newborn and perceived Him to be a threat to the ruling party. Herod feigned interest in the birth of this child, “When you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also” (Matthew 2:8). Secretly, he plotted destruction for Him and only the intervention of an angel caused the wise men to seek an alternate route back home, and the flight of the young family to Egypt until the danger passed. The angry monarch slaughtered the children around Bethlehem under the age of two, seeking to destroy the One proclaimed to be the newborn king! There will always be the skeptics, the detractors, and the despots who seek to diminish and destroy the determined purpose of God. Their efforts will never succeed. All the tactics of deception of the enemy will fail. Truth will prevail and the good news of Jesus Christ will never cease being proclaimed to the world. The message of Christmas is the story of God, His love for His Creation and His plan to bring us salvation. Worship is at the core of the narrative. All who recognize Him will adore Him. Joy to the world, the Lord has come. Let earth receive her King! Theme passage: “I am covered by your covenant of mercy and love. So I come to your sanctuary with deepest awe to bow in worship and adore you” (Psalm 5:7 The Passion Translation).
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Announced by Angels12/15/2019  Announced by Angels
ADORE HIM! Terry R. Baughman “And having come in, the angel said to her, ‘Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!’ But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus’” (Luke 1:28–31). We believe in angels; we just don’t expect to see them every day. As a matter of fact we may live our entire lives and never see an angel. The visitation of an angel is a rare and noteworthy event, but the Gospels begin with several supernatural visitations as God prepares to begin a new work among the people. After four hundred years without a prophetic voice or an angelic visitation, suddenly the texts are filled with prophecies and fulfillments, with holy annunciations. This was a time of momentous change and dramatic events. The angel Gabriel first appeared to Zachariah as he served in the Temple in Jerusalem. His first response was the common reaction to seeing an angelic visitation; he was afraid. Usually the angel responds with the same statement, “Do not be afraid!” Zachariah and Elizabeth had been unable to have children. The angel’s message was that they would indeed have a child, a son in their old age. When Zachariah returned home from Temple service he had quite a message to convey to his beloved wife. Most importantly the angel informed Zachariah that they were to name him John and that he would prepare the way of the Lord. He would be the forerunner of the Messiah. Six months later the angel Gabriel visited Mary, a young virgin girl in Nazareth, with a profound announcement, “You have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus” (Luke 1:30–31). As she was still trembling with fear and struggling to process the magnitude of this announcement Gabriel continued, “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:32–33). Excitedly, Mary shared the news of her angelic visit with her betrothed, soon-to-be husband, Joseph. It is no surprise that he was not so excited. He considered the legal ramification of having a child out of wedlock and the shame it would bring on him. As he went to bed, still considering what his next course of action should be, he was also visited by an angel, but in dream. The angel said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20–21). This visit from an angel confirmed the truth of Mary’s story and Joseph embraced his role in God’s mission. He continued with the plans for their marriage and purposed to protect her until the birth of her son. They named Him Jesus according to the instructions of the angel. An angel also appeared to shepherds in the field on the night of His birth declaring, “There is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Angels shared the news of Christ’s coming, celebrated His arrival and worshipped Him! Theme passage: “I am covered by your covenant of mercy and love. So I come to your sanctuary with deepest awe to bow in worship and adore you” (Psalm 5:7 The Passion Translation).
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Introduced by Prophets12/8/2019  Introduced by Prophets
ADORE HIM! Terry R. Baughman “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Prophets through the ages predicted the advent of a messiah that would come to bring deliverance and hope to the nation of Israel. From David’s Psalms to the lesser known prophets like Micah and Zechariah, there was an anticipation of a coming event of epic proportion. What they could not know was how accurate their predictions were and yet how few people would be aware of their fulfillment. It was as though the Lord of Glory stepped through the backdoor of His creation and into an obscure stable of Bethlehem where the newborn was laid in a manger. John said, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1, 14). The prophets declared the place of His birth, the time of the advent, and the circumstances of His arrival. Micah revealed that He would come to Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Daniel spoke of the arrival of the Prince in Jerusalem and predicted that He would be suddenly cut off (Daniel 9:25–26). Isaiah prophesied that He would be born of a virgin. His coming would be a sign and He would be called Immanuel, literally, “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14). Zechariah foretold that Messiah would ride triumphantly into the city on the back of a humble donkey (Zechariah 9:9). These and many other prophecies gave a grand introduction to the Savior King that would be born into this world and live to show us the way of salvation. He came to save, and the prophets declared, “God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation’” (Isaiah 12:2). By the time Jesus was born in Bethlehem scholars of Scripture had many clues as to the Messiah’s purpose and the miracles that they should expect when He came. When John the Baptist send messengers to Jesus asking, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3). Jesus simply instructed them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them” (Matthew 11:4–5). The signs were enough to satisfy John that Jesus was the fulfillment of the multitude of witnesses that came before Him. Many who read from the prophets anticipated the coming of a conquering king rather than a humble servant. What they did not realize was there are two separate advents of the Messiah. His first coming was as a servant, humbly giving Himself to provide salvation for all humanity. (See Philippians 2:5–11.) His second coming is yet ahead when He will return triumphant on the clouds of heaven as King of kings and Lord of lords. Prophets predicted that the coming One would be worthy of worship. Isaiah said His coming would bring joy, “And in that day you will say: “Praise the Lord, call upon His name; Declare His deeds among the peoples, make mention that His name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for He has done excellent things” (Isaiah 23:4–5). As we look back on the words of prophecy they all point to the birth of Christ and His wonderful plan of redemption. It’s all made clear now, but the star lit path to Bethlehem was not so clearly revealed. We have the benefit of reading the prophets’ introduction and it all becomes clear. Theme passage: “I am covered by your covenant of mercy and love. So I come to your sanctuary with deepest awe to bow in worship and adore you” (Psalm 5:7 The Passion Translation). 12/8 Missions Sunday (New) |
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