Strengthen the Things which Remain Publishing

09/25/2024

I had the joy last week of preachjing for Pastor Andy Pollard. at Tabernacle Baptist Church. This week, I am prepariong for total knee replacement to take place this Monday. My blood work showed a urinary tract infection, and could jeprodise the surgery. Please pray that it will be safely on schedule, because I am beginning to have a lot of pain related to my bad knee.

09/12/2024

08/31/2024

"God ordained three institutions, The Home, Human Government, and the Church."

We are to influence each according to the Law of Righteousness Which is God's Word" This is the reason I must stand strong in each of these institutions, as I am able, and as we all should. The Word of God should be the pattern for each of us to bring about a Godly influence...."Righteousness Exalts a nation".

08/30/2024

“To be a leader, you have to make people want to follow you, and nobody wants to follow someone who doesn’t know where he is going.” (Joe Namath)

08/22/2024

I just completed this message today on Eschatology, or the Doctrine of the end times. Feel free to share. The time draweth near...Will He be your King?

“HE IS MY KING”

TEXT: Revelation 19:11-16 Dr. W. Max Alderman

11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.

INTRODUCTION: The idea of Jesus being King of kings and Lord of lords means that there is no higher authority. His reign over all things is absolute and inviolable. God raised Him from the dead and placed Him over all things,

“21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” (Ephesians 1:21–23).

When thinking of His Kingdom, it should be considered in relationship to His first and second coming. What was His reason for coming?

He came the first time as a REDEEMING KING; He comes the second time as a REIGNING KING; He came the first time to ESTABLISH HIS SPIRITUAL KINGDOM which includes the church. He comes the second time to ESTABLISH HIS POLITICAL GOVERNMENT. (Rule and reign for a thousand years.) He also came the first time to INAUGURATE HIS KINGDOM, and the second time to CONSUMMATE HIS KINGDOM.

May we begin by looking at:

I. HIS INCARNATION AS KING Isaiah 9:6-7

A. The Ancient Prophets Predicted It Isaiah 9:6-7, Matthew 2:2; 2:11,

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

B. The Angelic Host Proclaimed It Matthew 2:2; 2:11
(And the Magi believed it)

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

Matthew: 2:2;11

The Wise Men, or Magi recognized Him as King

2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.
(These are gifts fit for a king; this shows a miracle in that the child Jesus was born in such lowly circumstances, they still acknowledged Him as King. They wisely believed the prophecy they had been taught)

C. The Apostle Paul Preached It Philippians 2:5-11

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

II. HIS INAUGURATION AS KING

A. Began at His Incarnation Matthew 2:2; 2:11

The inauguration of God’s kingdom means that as the prophets and the angels had predicted, he came to the earth, and in doing so meant that Jesus brought God’s kingdom into the world.

B. Continued after His Temptation Mark 1:15

Mark emphasizes how the Lord began His kingdom work and how it began with His preaching, after His baptism, and His 40 day temptation in the wilderness:

9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. 10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

This is God’s inauguration of His Son’s ministry as He speaks from heaven…God Himself inaugurated His ministry that began for Him at age 30 and was to last 3 1/2 years.

12 And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness.
13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. 14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.

John the Baptist was the connecting link to the Old Testament economy to not only introduce Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, but signified the ending of the Age of Law, and introducing the Age of Grace. For a very brief period Jesus preached the Kingdom Gospel, which was postponed to be preached again in the Great Tribulation, along with the Everlasting Gospel.

15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

One aspect of the kingdom of God was at hand and another aspect of it was postponed. It was rejected nationally, politically, and spiritually.
John 1:11-13

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

III. HIS GLORIFICATION AS KING Matthew 16:28-7:1-5; John 12:23-24

A. His Glorification as it involved His Crucifixion

Matthew 16:28-7:1-5

28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Prelude to His being Glorified, while He served: (Mt. 17:1-5)
17 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

John 12: 23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

“But why was the crucifixion a moment of glory for the Son of God? Because Christ’s death reveals the glorious character of our Creator. We see at Calvary the manifestation of God’s justice as Christ bears the curse that sinners deserve for their transgressions (Gal. 3:10–14). On the cross, we witness the almighty power of God. Our greatest enemy, death, could not finally hold Christ captive. He rose again, conquering death (Acts 2:24; Rom. 6:3–5). Calvary shows us the supreme wisdom of God in using what the world sees as despised and foolish as the means of its defeat (1 Cor. 1:18–31). The crucifixion reveals the great love of God, for it is God Himself, in the person of Jesus, who bears the curse we deserve so that we can be reconciled to Him (Acts 20:28).” (Borrowed)

Yet, the crucifixion was a moment of glory not only for the Son but also for the Father. Because the Father and Son were fully united in providing atonement for our sins.

B. His Glorification as it involved His Resurrection

In answer to Christ’s priestly prayer that the Father would glorify Him, the Father resurrected the Lord Jesus from the dead. Therefore, the significance of Christ’s glorification is related to His death and resurrection. In fact, we may say that Christ’s resurrection is His glorification (Acts 3:13a; John 13:31-32; Luke 24:26).

IV. HIS CORONATION AS KING

It may be understood that King Jesus received his crown on the cross both literally, in the crown of thorns, and figuratively. But, his coronation as King actually happens forty days after His resurrection. What is amazing about the coronation of King Jesus is that we actually get to see two perspectives of this event. There is an Old and New Testament View.

We see earth’s view in Acts 1:9 and Daniel prophetically gave us heaven’s view in Daniel 7:13-14. Notice:

Acts 1:8,9 (New Testament)

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Daniel 7:13,14 (Old Testament)

13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

There are three major aspects involving Christ’s Kingdom work to make Him be qualified:

A. His Crucifixion
B. His Resurrection
C. His Coronation

Sadly, much is given in Christendom to a study of His crucifixion, and His resurrection, and rightly so. But very little preaching, teaching and study as it pertains to His Coronation, is taking place, I am afraid. He is doing His ongoing greatest work from the Father’s Right Hand. Paul spoke even as the Old Testament prophets did about the coronation or Kingdom work of Christ. More prophecies are given concerning the Kingdom and the coronation of Christ than His birth.

V. HIS CONSUMMATION AS KING

A. The Millennium Reign Takes Place To Present His Kingdom Rule

It is during this time that King Jesus accesses the throne, as taught in all the prophecies and establishes His earthly Kingdom after casting the Goats, those on the left hand of His earthly throne, (Gentile unbelievers into everlasting punishment) cf. Matthew 25:31-46

B. Gog and Magog takes place to Perfect His Kingdom Rule. Revelation 20:1-10

After the Great White Throne judgment (20:11–15) the present heaven and earth are destroyed, replaced by a new heaven and earth (Revelation 21:1). This is when Satan is released for a short time, and the unbelievers who were born during the 1000 years, and did not turn to Christ will align themselves with Satan, and King Jesus will totally destroy them all. His Kingdom will be consummated when the redeemed will enter into what some have called “eternity bliss,” and there will be no wicked or sinful person in the New Jerusalem and the New Earth.

08/20/2024

Rhonda and I will be leaving Thursday for Maine to be with my dear Brother and Friend, Dr. Todd Bell, to preach on Prophecy and see some of the sites while there. He is doing a great work and has such wonderful people! Looking forward to seeing them again...

08/20/2024

WHAT WILL OUR BODIES BE LIKE IN HEAVEN

Text: I corinthians 15 selected verses Dr. W. Max Alderman

INTRODUCTION: According to the ancient Greeks, at the time of death, the soul separates from the body and is transported to the underworld, where it is accepted into the realm by the governing god Hades, who is known to reside at the edges of the ocean and under the deepest depths of the Earth. Hades’ realm, as opposed to the kingdom of Mount Olympus, is virtually all gloom and darkness, solely inhabited by the dead. In Homer’s Odyssey, even the great warrior spirit Achilles in the nether world tells Odysseus that he would rather be subjugated as a landless slave than be the king of the underworld due to the dreary existence in the land of the dead. (Borrowed)

This teaching and belief is only a myth and therefore belongs in the realm of mythology. With such teachings, man apart from having a belief in Christ will have a tendency to think that the resurrection of Christ is nothing more than a myth. Also, any teaching on man having an afterlife is only a myth and not to be believed. Paul speaks differently when writing to the Church at Corinth.

During the time that Paul writes the Letters to Corinth, the world was under the control of the Greek teachings, and their philosophy. To combat such teachings Paul is giving a Christian description of what comes after death. What he says is not just a myth because what he says is included in the Canon of Truth, the Bible. I Corinthians 15 employs the Full Mention Principle. In this case, everything about the resurrection that is necessary for proper understanding is included in the chapter.
Read and give a brief exposition of the Text:

Paul is telling the Church at Corinth as he defines the Gospel, that the Hope of the Gospel absolutely required that Christ be raised from the dead. Then, he told them that the resurrection would allow them to be raised with a body patterned after His body.

This has granted many who have already died, and will die a hope that lies beyond the grave or the cemetery. Benjamin Franklin the politician and printer instructed that the following words be engraved on his tombstone:

He said that his body “lay in the grave like the cover of an of an old book with its contents torn out stripped of its lettering but which will appear once again, in a new and more eloquent edition, revised and corrected by the Author.”

May we notice from our Text some things about the Resurrected Body:

I. IT IS A RESURRECTED BODY (beginning with Christ)

A. Scriptures Declare It To Be So (V. 20)

Examples from Job and Jesus

20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

The Scriptures are not silent on this truth…Job believed in having a resurrected body. Job 19:25-27

25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
John 11:25-26
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Lazarus was not resurrected. He was raised from the dead. There is a difference; for he had to die again.

B. Salvation Demands It To Be So (V. 14)

14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

II. IT IS A REAL BODY (Vv. 35-38a)

A. A Body That is Produced by God (Vv. 35-38)

35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
Some say they are not satisfied with how they look; just remember if God has fashioned your body in His image, and is pleased, then shall we be! (Want even need to go to the beauty salon, or get a facial, manicure, or even a facelift)
I guess to some that would not be heaven…LOL

B. A Body That is Pleasing to God (Vv. 37-38a)

37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:

When the seed is planted there is a metamorphosis from what was to what is… The seed does not come up; the sprout does to produce more seed! Any dirt farmer would know that truth; it is also one aspect of the law of sowing and reaping. If you plant watermelon, as an example, that will be what you get. So when the body is planted likened unto a seed, it will come up with a glory or brilliance of its own. It, however, will retain its own integrity, not being something else. So, likewise when Max Alderman is planted, Max Alderman will come forth with a glorified Body!

38a But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him,

III. IT IS A RECOGNIZABLE BODY (V. 38b-41)

A. The Resurrected Body Has a Definite Distinction (V. 38)

38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.

B. The Resurrection Body Has a Defined Difference (Vv. 39-41)

39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. (This is a refute for evolution)
40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.

(In the scope of God’s creation, He gave each a glory that was distinct to each alone, not to be shared; the glory or distinction is unique to itself ) The glory of the man is not the glory of the monkey, even though he may act like one; he is not a monkey that has evolved. This glory did not evolve; it is a creative work of God:

Dr. Edwin Conklin, evolutionist, professor of biology, Princeton University (Parenthesis mine) said:

The probability of life originating from accident, (as demanded by evolution) is comparable to the probability of the unabridged dictionary resulting from an explosion in a printing shop –

Dr. George Wald, evolutionist, Professor Emeritus of Biology at the University at Harvard, Nobel Prize winner in Biology said:

“There are only two possibilities as to how life arose; one is spontaneous generation arising to evolution, the other is a supernatural creative act of God, there is no third possibility. Spontaneous generation that life arose from non-living matter was scientifically disproved 120 years ago by Louis Pasteur and others. That leaves us with only one possible conclusion, that life arose as a creative act of God. I will not accept that philosophically because I do not want to believe in God, therefore I choose to believe in that which I know is scientifically impossible, spontaneous -generation arising to evolution.”

Everything I am saying about the miracle of the resurrection is based upon the primacy that God is the God of Creation, and none other besides Him. The Resurrection involves the miracle of creation and if man rejects the miracle of original creation, he will not logically accept the miracle of the Resurrection. His study of metaphysics and cosmology will be flawed, because in neither case will he give glory to God as pertaining to origin.


IV. IT IS A RESTORED BODY (Vv. 42-43)

42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

A. It is Sown in Corruption

The corruption is a result of sin. There would be no corruption apart from man’s original sin which began with the fall of Adam at the precise time of their original sin.

B. It is Raised in Incorruption (Psalm 53:1-3)

1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.
2 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.
3 Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Included in their being a Spiritual corruption, there is also physical corruption. “The righteous are put into their graves all weary and worn; but as such they will not rise. They go there with the furrowed brow, the hollowed cheek, the wrinkled skin; they shall wake up in beauty and glory.” (Spurgeon)

It’s hard to understand what our resurrection bodies will be like, so Paul will use contrast to help us, giving four contrasts between our present body and our future resurrection body. On all counts, the resurrection body wins!

· Incorruption triumphs over corruption.
· Glory triumphs over dishonor.
· Power triumphs over weakness.
· Spiritual triumphs over natural. Raised in incorruption… raised in glory… raised in power: Our resurrection body will be glorious! (Guzik)

V. IT IS A REDESIGNED BODY (Vv. 44-50)

A. Notable Contrasts Between The Natural and the Spiritual Body

44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

B. Contrasting the Last Adam to the First Man Adam
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

C. Contrasting the Earthy to the Heavenly

47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

CONCLUSION: The only example or pattern for someone having a glorified body is the Lord Jesus Christ as seen after His resurrection. It was during this time that He was observed and because of that, we can better understand what a resurrection body is like.
I Corinthians 13:12 “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

Not only will we see and recognize each other that we have previously known but will have full knowledge of those we are in heaven with.

John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

This verse shows that Jesus’ body was real and could be touched; at this time it was not appropriate.

John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

This verse shows how amazing things will be when we receive our glorified bodies. There is nothing spooky about this; He was not a phantom; He was flesh and bones, but not flesh and blood; so will we also be.

08/18/2024

SOME GOLDEN DAYBREAK JESUS WILL COME!

The Church Believers Will Not Go Through the Tribulation; the church Epistles does not give one purpose or reason to do so, nor how to conduct one's self during the Tribulation! Because, instead, we will be Caught Up to Forever to Be with the Lord! Wherefor comfort Oner another who is in christ. If lost, and not saved you will be left behind....to suffer the Great Tribulation, and then be cast into the Lake of Fire, forever!

08/12/2024

Most of what the OT Prophets prophesied pertained to the Millennium; yet such little preaching on it...I wonder why???
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