Given Access

Sunday, July 21, 2019

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”

Ephesians 2:11-13

From the beginning of Creation, God had perfect fellowship with man. But when Adam sinned, that fellowship was broken. No longer did Adam look forward to spending time with God, but in shame hid himself. Since that time, sin has continued to stand as a barrier between God and men. Nothing we can do could reach across that divide. In the wonderful Hymn “Rock of Ages,” Augustus Toplady wrote:

            Not the labor of my hands
            Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
            Could my zeal no respite know,
            Could my tears forever flow,
            All for sin could not atone;
            Thou must save, and Thou alone.

What we could never do, Jesus did for us. His death and resurrection made salvation possible. It also places us into God’s family, giving us the qualification and permission to come to God as a loving Father just as Adam did before the Fall. “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2). Jesus shed His precious blood to bring us back into fellowship with God.

Yet like spoiled children, many times we ignore the amazing grace and love of our Father, and neglect to spend time with Him. Given access to a close fellowship with God, instead we choose to fill our hearts and minds with frivolous or even sinful things. Salvation offers us fellowship, but we must live in it.

Today's Growth Principle
The access we have to God is a precious treasure, and we should thank God for it…and take advantage of it.

Old Testament Reading

Psalm 29-30

PSALM 29

A Psalm of David.

¹ Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength. ² Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. ³ The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters. ⁴ The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. ⁵ The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. ⁶ He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. ⁷ The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire. ⁸ The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. ⁹ The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory. ¹⁰ The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever. ¹¹ The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.

PSALM 30

A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David.

¹ I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. ² O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. ³ O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. ⁴ Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. ⁵ For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

⁶ And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. ⁷ LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. ⁸ I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication. ⁹ What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? ¹⁰ Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper. ¹¹ Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; ¹² To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

New Testament Reading

Acts 23:1-15

¹ And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. ² And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. ³ Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? ⁴ And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest? ⁵ Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.

⁶ But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. ⁷ And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. ⁸ For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both. ⁹ And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God. ¹⁰ And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle. ¹¹ And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

¹² And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. ¹³ And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy. ¹⁴ And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul. ¹⁵ Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.

Proverbs Reading

Proverbs 21

¹ The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. ² Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. ³ To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. ⁴ An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin. ⁵ The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want. ⁶ The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death. ⁷ The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse to do judgment. ⁸ The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right. ⁹ It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house. ¹⁰ The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes. ¹¹ When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge. ¹² The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness. ¹³ Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. ¹⁴ A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom strong wrath. ¹⁵ It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. ¹⁶ The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. ¹⁷ He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. ¹⁸ The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright. ¹⁹ It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman. ²⁰ There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. ²¹ He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour. ²² A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence thereof. ²³ Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. ²⁴ Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud wrath. ²⁵ The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. ²⁶ He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not. ²⁷ The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind? ²⁸ A false witness shall perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly. ²⁹ A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way. ³⁰ There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD. ³¹ The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.