Woe unto you that laugh now!....the Wayfarer 5/3/14

Woe unto you that laugh now!
5/3/14

“But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.”

(Luke 6:24-26)

For the first time in my memory, I am compelled to begin s sermon with scripture so recently used.

This is, however, most pertinent to the message for this day.

It is prompted by a post on a social site that made its way to my personal page I find far worse than merely offensive. It was in fact blasphemous in nature, denying the entire Godhead to attempt to deliver humor at the cost of Christianity.

It will not be reposted here, because it is in fact blasphemous, but the gist of this particular abomination was that upon receiving a note from school requesting a child to attend an Easter play, the parent, an obvious and self-stated unbeliever began a harassment campaign against the school’s Chaplin who had sent the request.

In part it denied Christ as anything more than myth, and God as a figment of imagination.

What is most disturbing to this old preacher was the reaction to this post that landed it and the stench it brought with it to my page.

It was touted as being funny, and the cause of much laughter, worth reading just for the chuckle it caused the reader that shared it with me.

I find nothing humorous about blasphemy, or anything that denigrated and dismisses Christianity.

Christian people, truly Christian people recognize an attack on their faith and find no humor in that attack.

Something else I seldom do is to borrow from the sermons of others, and I give credit to Bro Bob Buchanan as I do so now in reiteration of exactly what this post violated.

 9. There is only one unpardonable sin, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

Mark, Ch. 3 vs. 29 we read, “But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.”

Luke, Ch. 12 vs. 10 we read, “And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.”

Matthew, Ch. 12 vs. 31 reads, “Wherefore I say unto you, all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.”

I take the tenets that were given in this particular dissertation very seriously, and will never allow any breech of any of them to go unnoticed or without speaking as loudly as possible of the falsity that generates those breeches to go without dispute.

Continuing to borrow from my brother, who was preparing for His ordination as associate pastor as he did the same research done by myself prior to the establishment of Grace fellowship, there is not only to be an accounting, but also to be an eternal punishment for those who stand at the throne having had their time of popularity and mirth that they attempt to use to misdirect mislead and steal souls from my God.

10. There is a heaven and reward for believers, and punishment and damnation for unbelievers.

Mark, Ch.5 vs.5-7 we read, “And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

Vs. 6 we read, “But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshiped him.”

Vs. 7 we read, “And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure the by God, that thou torment me not.”

Luke, Ch. 16 vs. 20 thru 31. This is the story of Lazarus and the rich man.

Matthew, Ch.13, vs. 49 we read, “So shall it be at the end of the world; the angels shall come forth, and server the wicked from among the just,

Vs. 50 we read, “And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

No, I find no mirth in that post or any like it that force even more of the teachings of men upon our young and impressionable. The ones that may still be reachable and teachable through the TRUTH  of Christ Jesus, that of the promise left us through his sacrifice for those willing to believe.

I have only sorrow for all those who find any mirth or humor in this vicious attack, equally as vile as those seeking the very lives of Christians who truly believe and endure the slings and arrows propelled at us by our enemy, especially while in disguise promising earthly rewards to include that very mirth supposed to be derived from such activity.

My question for the reader is where are the true Christians who recognize the times we are in, the war waged against us and the means by which that war is being waged?

The ravages of the battlefields where the enemy is readily recognizable, who promotes bodily harm is recognized by far too few, the ravages of souls being stolen through the subtlety are recognized by fewer still and go unchallenged by those who claim faith, yet deny it by both thought and action.

The promise has been made and will be delivered for those who find the means to reconcile with god through His Son, and only for those who choose to actually take that path.

3. Jesus is God’s only begotten Son and it is only through his sacrifice that we may seek redemption. His crucifixion and resurrection fulfilled Mosaic Law and the old covenant and is sufficient to God for the forgiveness of our sin. This applies to all people of all nations who believe in Jesus.
John, Ch.17 vs.12 we read, “While I was with the in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”
John, Ch. 14 vs.6 we read, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
Ephesians, Ch. 1 vs. 7 we read, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Colossians, Ch. 1 vs. 14 we read, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”
Hebrews, Ch. 9 vs.22 we read, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”

It is bad enough to face the enemy that is evident and apparent and open about that very enmity, but we also face others far more devious, within our entire society from its leadership down that continually stand in denial of all ten of the tenets on which this site and on which my belief stands and will stand in spite of any attempt to steal that faith or any who may disparage me because of that faith.

In a much older sermon of my own, I opened with, titled and repetitively used the words STAND TO.

I ask again, is you is, or is you aint. If you is it will show in all aspects of life to include the “humor” you choose to indulge in.

I remain the same simple sinner saved by grace through absolute undeniable faith in both my God and my Savior and the promises and warnings given throughout the scriptures that contain only that TRUTH, that WAY that provides for the promised Life. That cannot and will not be denied as every knee bows and every tongue confesses that same TRUTH!

I remain that same soldier armed with the things given me through that same scripture denied by those who will find themselves defenseless as they find that they stand before a living God whose mercies have been rejected for mere baubles shown them by my enemy.

Hebrews, Ch. 10 vs. 30 we read, “For we know him, that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.”

Vs. 31 we read, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus,

2 Timothy 1:12 King James Version (KJV)

¹² For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen
the Wayfarer