Day One, Sunday, December 1st, 2013

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This Week’s Theme – Jesus Christ, Our Lord and King

 

This Week’s Verse to Remember – Matthew 2:1-2 – “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “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.”

 

Today’s Devotional Reading and Assignment

 

Please read Psalm 2

 

Who do the kings of the earth set themselves against?

 

 

What is God’s response to this?

 

 

 

What is the Father’s promise to His Son?

 

 

 

What is the advice to the kings of the earth?

 

 

 

Please also read Acts 4:25-30

 

Quote of the Day – “This psalm is normally termed “royal” and has had a long history of messianic interpretation. Although it has no title, it seems to bear the imprint of David’s hand. As such, it fluidly moves from the lesser David through the Davidic dynasty to the Greater David—Jesus Christ.” – Dr. John MacArthur in The MacArthur Study Bible.

Twenty-Eight Days of Unwrapping Christmas

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From December 1st through the 28th we will be providing a daily devotional on this blog to promote a special focus on Jesus Christ during this holiday season. In addition the link to the weekly video message that corresponds to the devotionals will also be posted. Our theme is “Unwrapping Christmas”. We will introduce the series tomorrow with our message “Worship His Majesty”.

Blessing
Pastor Dave Watson Calvery_Church_Xmas_96x24
An NYC Shepherd

The Book of Revelation – Series – The Beginning of the End and the End of the Beginning

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If you are looking for a series on the book of Revelation I am listing here links to 19 sermons I preached on the book as well as the entire powerpoint presentation in order for you to follow along. The series is entitled “The Beginning of the End and the End of the Beginning”

 Powerpoint – https://app.box.com/s/r624v5gdlmduh6q563kx

Prologue to the End -Revelation 1:1-3

 https://app.box.com/s/qcaw0p9a6szazxwls9uj

An Introduction for the Greatest Come Back of All Time- Revelation 1:4-8 https://app.box.com/s/jd0fvmdzaxbexdvzvyeq

“Take a Letter”- Revelation 1:9-20 – https://app.box.com/s/zfcccvrjwutw0qy4yiau

The Cold Church –  Revelation 2:1-7- https://app.box.com/s/4ie19bvqpy9mfts4cnsb

The Crushed Church Revelation 2:8-11- https://app.box.com/s/cat43c71w4gc6mld7wd3

The Compromising Church – Revelation 2:12-17 — https://app.box.com/s/xkaspelbk3kkbbb92rl8

The Corrupt Church – Revelation 2:18- 29 — https://app.box.com/s/0z6q9gfj80oj2e33vlj9

The Corpse Church- Revelation 3:1-6 – https://app.box.com/s/cawrxe3zw1f8gzc1a4x6

The Consistent Church Revelation 3:7-13  – https://app.box.com/s/tgvshpjj8apapk2q1439

The Cruddy or Christ-less Church – Revelation 3:14-22 — https://app.box.com/s/5dpqp58nhvc19nid5wnh

A Trip to Heaven – Revelation 4:1-5:14 — https://app.box.com/s/joez3sr7gy3a5uot2n0s

The Baby’s Coming – Revelation 6:1-8:2 – https://app.box.com/s/2kf2712906v3mc3d112i

The Trumpets of the Lord – Revelation 8:3-9:21 — https://app.box.com/s/q0zrni6j8njoq3l4g2d6

The Tipping Point – Revelation 10:1-11:19– https://app.box.com/s/ta5xwdiob81ulz0bhqxl

Beauty and the Beasts – Revelation 12:1-13:18- https://app.box.com/s/fs075btbr1p3f98q4u70

Bowled Over Revelation 14:1-16:21- https://app.box.com/s/7otob8ypu49zeesv6it8

The Oldest Professional in the Oldest Profession – Revelation 17:1 – 18:24- https://app.box.com/s/e82hyazqngeh2549emp8

War, Peace and Judgment  -Revelation 19:1-20:15- https://app.box.com/s/nt7b4olytqhqtktubpco

Welcome Home – Revelation 21:1 – 22:21- https://app.box.com/s/e0detyc3x79j9uwe2wfa

I hope it is a blessing to you.

Dave Watson

 

 

It’s about transformation…

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It’s about transformation…

     There are many ways to think about this thing we call the Christian life. It is admittedly very difficult to summarize our Christian walk in a few phrases, harder still in a word to two.  I think, however, that if I needed to summarize it in one all-encompassing term I would use the word transformation. This word, in my opinion, sums up the Christian experience. It is what the Christian life is all about. Let me explain using a well-known often quoted Scripture.

     The apostle Paul states in 2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, the old has past and the new is here.”

      This verse shows that the Christian life and its accompanying transformation is an event. The event being spoken of here is that of being “in Christ”. The product of that event is that the individual is a new creation. The New Testament speaks of our relationship with Jesus as being “in Christ”.  At the moment someone confesses Christ as Savior and Lord they are “in Christ”. They are united to Christ and given new life and are said to be born again (1 Peter 1:3-5). A Christian is someone who has been delivered from the kingdom of darkness and transported into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son (Colossians 1:13). This transformative event is called salvation.

     This verse also shows us that the Christian life and its transformation is a process. It states that “the old is past and the new is here.” More literally it says “the archain is past, behold (all things) have become new and are becoming new”. This speaks to the whole idea of a process. Each person who confesses Christ as Lord and Savior enters into a life long journey of growth and change. Ephesians 4:22-23 speaks of putting off the old self and being renewed in the attitude of your mind. 2 Corinthians 3:18 speaks of being transformed into the image of God through the Spirit of the Lord. Philippians 2:13 says “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” We call this process of transformation sanctification or restoration.

      Finally, the verse implies that the Christian life and its accompanying transformation is a destination. This process will one day be complete. We will be completely transformed into the image of Jesus Christ at a point certain in the future. In heaven I will be who I was created and saved to be. In speaking about our transformation in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 Paul says “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” This destination is sometimes called glorification. The hymn writer says it this way;  

Then we shall be where we would be;
Then we shall be what we should be;
Things which are not now, nor could be,
Then shall be our own.

       Praise the Savior, Ye Who Know Him ~ Thomas Kelly

     This whole matter of transformation is summed up in Romans 8:29-30. There we read, “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” This speaks to the absolute surety of the transformation of those who are the Lord’s through faith in Christ. They will be changed, they will experience transformation.

    In closing, let me just ask whether or not you have experienced that transforming event of salvation. If not, please seriously consider inviting Christ to be your Lord and Savior today.  Let me also ask you whether or not you are cooperating in the transforming process we call restoration. If not, please surrender anew to our Lord.  Finally, are you deriving hope in this life from the coming reality of your transforming destination called glorification? If not, plan to get your head and heart around where you and I are headed. The Christian life is about our transformation — the Event, the Process, and the Destination.

Blessings,

Pastor Dave

NYC Shepherd