“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19.10, ESV)¹

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¹Why did Jesus come to this earth? There are many reasons. Here are just a few.

• To reveal His Father (John 1.18).
• To be an example for His followers (1 John 2.6).
• To train His disciples for their task (Matt. 28.19-20).
• To preach the gospel of the kingdom (Matt. 4.17).

In our text, we learn that Christ came to seek and to save the lost – us (Rom. 3.23).

Why? Because He loves us! Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15.13, ESV).

If you want to learn more about why Jesus came to this earth, e-mail Bryan Garlock or text 903.308.4905.

“Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” (Matthew 22.21, ESV)¹

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¹The Pharisees were constantly seeking to trap Jesus and have something to use against Him.

On one occasion, they sought to entangle Jesus in His words by sending men “who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor” (Luke 20.20, ESV).

They asked, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” to which Jesus replied, “…render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's” (Matt. 22.17, 21).

They were unable to catch Him “messing up” because He validated paying taxes and obeying the civil law. Therefore, they were silenced by the truth that He spoke.

Two things we can take from our Lord:

What are we to render to Caesar (in other words, the government)? Taxes. That’s all part of obeying the law which is ultimately obeying God (Rom. 13.1-2).

What are we to render to God? That which belongs to Him: His children, us. God wants our love, obedience, and worship. We render to God the things that belong to Him by seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt. 6.33).

If you’re interested in learning more about serving God, please e-mail Bryan Garlock or text 903.308.4905.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3.16, ESV)¹

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¹John 3.16 is a verse that is loved by all in the religious world. In fact, it is the gospel (good news) message in a nutshell. Unfortunately, too many people distort this wonderful verse and teach something Jesus does not mean.

First, some teach that one must simply believe in Christ (as in a mental faith that Jesus lived and died for us), and secondly, that this belief (mental faith) is all one needs to be saved. While it is true that Jesus said we must believe to be saved, surely no one would exclude repentance from our sins, confession of our faith that we believe in Jesus, baptism in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, and obedience and faithfulness to His will for the rest of our lives (Acts 17.30-31; Rom. 10.9-10; Acts 2.38; Luke 6.46).

Simply put, the believer of John 3.16 is obedient to Christ in all that He commands or he is not the believer Jesus is speaking about!

Will you obey Jesus today?

‘G’od so loved the world, that he gave his

‘O’nly

‘S’on that whoever believes in him should not

‘P’erish but have

‘E’ternal

‘L’ife

That’s the GOSPEL!

If you’re interested in learning more about the gospel, e-mail Bryan Garlock or text 903.308.4905.

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.” (Isaiah 53.4, ESV)¹

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¹Isaiah 53 is a Messianic prophecy written about 700 years before the coming of the suffering Messiah and all He would endure for us. The prophecy records the events leading up to the cross and around the cross.

What did Isaiah mean by “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows”? The apostle Matthew recorded the events that fulfilled this prophecy:

“And when Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him. That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.’” (Matt. 8.14-17, ESV).

By healing those who were sick, Jesus took away their diseases. The same is true for our sins. While He bore our sins on the cross provisionally, He takes away our sins when we come to Him for forgiveness.

This is also what John the Baptist meant when he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1.29, ESV).

One can receive forgiveness when he in faith repents of his sins, confesses Jesus as Lord (Rom. 10.9-10) and is baptized. “And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” (Acts 2.38, ESV)

Are you interested in learning more about salvation and your sins being taken away? E-mail Bryan Garlock or text 903.308.4905.

“For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.” (Psalm 16.10, ESV)¹

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¹When David wrote about God not abandoning his soul in sheol* nor allowing his holy one to see corruption, he did not understand that he was talking about Christ, the Messiah to come (see 1 Peter 1.10-12).

What David wrote was a Messianic prophecy foretelling the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This prophecy was fulfilled by Jesus and recorded in the New Testament.

Peter preached, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ ‘Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.’” (Acts 2.22-32, ESV)

If you are interested in learning more about Bible prophecy e-mail Bryan Garlock or text 903.308.4905.

* Sheol: the OT designation for the abode of the dead ("H7585 - shĕ'owl - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (KJV)." Blue Letter Bible. Web. 27 Mar, 2017. <https://www.blueletterbible.org//lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H7585&t=KJV>.)