John Albert Thomas Solo Piano

What God the Son Spoke as He Became Jesus the Man

The incredible words spoken by God the Son as He came down to take on our human form are found in Hebrews 10.  It explains why He came:

1 The old system in the law of Moses was only a shadow of the things to come, not the reality of the good things Christ has done for us. The sacrifices under the old system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2 If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared. 3 But just the opposite happened. Those yearly sacrifices reminded them of their sins year after year. 4 For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 That is why Christ, when he came into the world, said, “You did not want animal sacrifices and grain offerings. But you have given me a body so that I may obey you. 6 No, you were not pleased with animals burned on the altar or with other offerings for sin.

7 Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God – just as it is written about me in the Scriptures.’” 8 Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or grain offerings or animals burned on the altar or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). 9 Then he added, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to establish the second. 10 And what God wants is for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. 11 Under the old covenant, the priest stands before the altar day after day, offering sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as one sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down at the place of highest honor at God’s right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled as a footstool under his feet. 14 For by that one offering he perfected forever all those whom he is making holy. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. First he says, 16 “This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts so they will understand them, and I will write them on their minds so they will obey them.” 17 Then he adds, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.” 18 Now when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.

19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 This is the new, life-giving way that Christ has opened up for us through the sacred curtain, by means of his death for us. 21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s people, 22 let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him. For our evil consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. 23 Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near. 26 Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received a full knowledge of the truth, there is no other sacrifice that will cover these sins. 27 There will be nothing to look forward to but the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. 28 Anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Think how much more terrible the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God and have treated the blood of the covenant as if it were common and unholy. Such people have insulted and enraged the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to his people. 30 For we know the one who said, “I will take vengeance. I will repay those who deserve it.” He also said, “The Lord will judge his own people.” 31 It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 32 Don’t ever forget those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. 33 Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. 34 You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail. When all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew you had better things waiting for you in eternity. 35 Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you! 36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. 37 “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. 38 And a righteous person will live by faith. But I will have no pleasure in anyone who turns away.” 39 But we are not like those who turn their backs on God and seal their fate. We have faith that assures our salvation.

A Wedding Called Off

Last night I had a dream.  It was an odd but sobering dream, and it’s worth sharing.

In my dream I got up to go to church early to setup chairs for the service.  When I got there the chairs were missing.  I looked all around the church, but I could not find them anywhere.  One of the elders said to go look in the back and so I did, but no sign of them.  When I came back to tell the elder, all the chair were setup.

The odd thing about them is that the back rows were facing the side of the church, and there was a bride in her wedding gown ready to walk down the aisle.  The front rows were correctly facing the pulpit.

I sat down to hear the preacher speak, and he seemed upset.  He said that he was supposed to officiate a wedding today but that he received new information about the groom that changed his mind about marrying the two.  Behind him on the screen he started to show a video of the groom as he behaved when he thought nobody was looking.  It was disturbing.  I felt uncomfortable peering into the private life of the groom.  He was clearly a different person outside the church.

The pastor said, “I cannot marry these two.  The groom has proven that he is not worthy of the bride.”

In front of me this one guy kept looking to the back of the church.  Upon closer inspection it was the groom, longing to be with the bride.  But he did not stand up and protest.  The video told no lies.  The wedding was called off.

After I woke up, I did go to the church and setup chairs.  Nothing missing.  But I had time to think about the dream.

When Christ returns, many of us will think that we are worthy enough to be carried across the threshold of His Heavenly home along with His Bride, but when the Father of the Groom stands to judge each one of us according to our thoughts, words and deeds what will the video show?  Do we honestly think that we are worthy enough?

The apostle Paul explained our predicament and the final solution like this:

For no one can ever be made right in God’s sight by doing what his law commands.  For the more we know God’s law, the clearer it becomes that we aren’t obeying it.

But now God has shown us a different way of being right in his sight–not by obeying the law but by the way promised in the Scriptures long ago.  We are made right in God’s sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins.  And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done.

For all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious standard.  Yet now God in his gracious kindness declares us not guilty.  He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins.  For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God’s anger against us.  We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us.  God was being entirely fair and just when he did not punish those who sinned in former times.  And he is entirely fair and just in this present time when he declares sinners to be right in his sight because they believe in Jesus.

Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God?  No, because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds.  It is based on our faith.  So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.

(Romans 3:20-28)

If you recognize that you are not worthy because of your sins, and if you believe that Jesus shed His blood for you, then by faith you shall be saved.  You will be joined to Christ along with the rest of His Bride, and one day He will carry you across the threshold of His Heavenly home.  Take this moment to call on Jesus.  Believe in Him, and you will find rest for your soul.

An Executive Summary of Life

This was my dad’s first sermon after being ordained as missions pastor at First Baptist Church in Helen, GA.  It is one of the most powerful presentations of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that I have heard, and he gave me permission to share it with you.

An Executive Summary of Life

At least two people gave their lives to Christ.  They were under such conviction that they left the church, went to their car, and came back.  They said they just couldn’t leave and wanted to be saved.  They were baptized the next Sunday.  It was all of God.