Unbeknownst to younger generations, there was a time ‘back in the day’ when neighborhood kids all played outside without electronics…and even survived without cellphones.  We played as long as we could and never considered going inside until we were made to.  It was a wild time of cap gun shootouts with bad guys on the dusty imaginary Texas streets of backyards. Some of us six-year-old degenerates even played team “Cowboys & Indians” with imaginary rifles and imaginary bows. We rode wild imaginary mustangs that neighed for battle.  One of the rules of shootout with the bad guys was, no matter what the objection, you had to grab your chest and fall when you got shot by your pretend enemy. You could embellish the scene with an appropriate “ahhgg” or the more popular “oh, ya got me Tex” but either way let me stress – the “chest grab & fall down rule” was carved in stone for ALL such games. Those refusing to comply risked the wrath of banishment from future games. Such children’s games have been played for thousands of years as evidenced by Matthew 11:16-17 “Whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, 17 And saying, “We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.”  Jesus uses the same age-old children’s game rules – when someone points the imaginary finger at you and yells “bang” you respond accordingly. When someone flings the imaginary arrow at you and hollers their Indian chant you respond accordingly. The premise being that even children know that when this team does such and such, the other team responds accordingly. Here in our text the same thing is happening. These children play the part of the musicians and the other team must play the part of the dancers. Next, this team plays the part of the funeral mourners and the other team is expected to mourn and cry at the imaginary funeral. He is saying “you’ve been preached to with power, boldness and authority [verse 20-21] but you have not repented! You have been told the truth about man, sin and its price, God, forgiveness and Christ Jesus but you’ve still not responded. What can we learn from their rebuke? That God expects, contrary to what some misguided teachers say, that when the truth has been set before you, there is an expectation that you will respond to that truth!  He says to Chorazin and Bethsaida that IF the incredible miracles and mighty works that He did in their sight and presence had been done in the cities of Tyre and Sidon, that they would have repented!  They would have responded right! But not Chorazin and Bethsaida, no they have seen these might works and done nothing. The finger has been pointed and “bang” has been shouted but the bad guy has not grabbed his chest in mock defeat.  Indeed, the gospel has been given, preachers have preached, faithful Christians have shared what changes God has wrought in their lives when he saved them.  The mighty work, the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ has been openly and plainly declared.  Then, the question is, have you responded to it?  Have you by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ been made new?  Calvary Baptist Church across from Pizza Hut on the loop. Sunday School 10:AM, Services at 11 and 6 PM Sunday and of Course Bible study & prayer Wednesday night at 7 PM. 

There are many different ‘cups’ in this old amazing Bible. Sometimes they’re literal cups, sometimes they’re allegorical cups, sometimes they’re prophetic cups. There are cups of blessing [1^st Cor 10:16], of salvation [Psalm 116:13], of fury [Isaiah 51:17], and of wrath, judgment, indignation [See Psalm 11:6, 16:5, 23:5, 75:8, Jeremiah 51:7, Zechariah 12:2, Matt 10:42, 20:23 and there are more].  I can certainly say and know beyond doubt that the great and terrible King has handed me some of these cups over the years. I have drank from the cup of salvation, the cup of blessing, the cup of marriage, of children, of laughter and the cup of weeping; but always with the cup of mercy. There have been some cups I didn’t want to drink from, some I didn’t think I could handle.  I am thankful for the certain knowledge that the greatest gift ever given {Our sweet Lord Jesus} took one of my cups because I couldn’t take it and He loved me enough to take it for me. You may recall that in Matthew chapter 26 vs. 36 Jesus went to an ‘alone’ place where instead of sitting in the pew He “fell on his face and prayed” [vs 39] {which is something the Baptist were doing 2000 yrs before any other church was listed in the carrier pigeon and smoke signals book}. I fear I see little or no “falling on one’s face to pray” anymore. But watch on – He prayed there saying “…O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt”.  Let me call to your attention this week a comforting if difficult truth…Some ‘cups’ are not taken away.  Some cups may be handed to you and you alone must drink them. Cups that no one else can drink…perhaps you too will plead that the Father would take it from you if it be possible! Perhaps it will be a cup of terrible sickness, or a cup of horrible disease, or a cup of wrenching heartache? It may even be the cup of death.  I hope this is not the case – but we all run the race that is set before us [Hebrews 12:1] and we drink from those cups that are handed to us along the way. Like those runners for various causes and charities. They run along the road and at various points are tables set with cups of refreshment for them to take as they go by.  I notice they do not fear the cups but they just grab them and slam them down and keep on going. They trust those who hand them the cup. Is it not the same for you Christian? Have you not been handed enough good cups, cups of blessing and mercy and grace, that you have learned you can trust the Father with those hard and bitter cups too?  I think if you reflect back you will see He has given you far more cups of grace than of hardship. Even our precious Lord the Son of the Living God had to drink from a cup handing to Him by His own Father. If He will trust and obey and accept “the cup not taken away” then can we not all take our cups firmly in hand and drink them knowing that our Sweet Heavenly Father can be trusted implicitly with the contents? As for me I have come to trust that God will enable me to be confident that He knows best. His will is perfect.

There are many different ‘cups’ in this old amazing Bible. Sometimes they’re literal cups, sometimes they’re allegorical cups, sometimes they’re prophetic cups. There are cups of blessing [1^st Cor 10:16], of salvation [Psalm 116:13], of fury [Isaiah 51:17], and of wrath, judgment, indignation [See Psalm 11:6, 16:5, 23:5, 75:8, Jeremiah 51:7, Zechariah 12:2, Matt 10:42, 20:23 and there are more].  I can certainly say and know beyond doubt that the great and terrible King has handed me some of these cups over the years. I have drank from the cup of salvation, the cup of blessing, the cup of marriage, of children, of laughter and the cup of weeping; but always with the cup of mercy. There have been some cups I didn’t want to drink from, some I didn’t think I could handle.  I am thankful for the certain knowledge that the greatest gift ever given {Our sweet Lord Jesus} took one of my cups because I couldn’t take it and He loved me enough to take it for me. You may recall that in Matthew chapter 26 vs. 36 Jesus went to an ‘alone’ place where instead of sitting in the pew He “fell on his face and prayed” [vs 39] {which is something the Baptist were doing 2000 yrs before any other church was listed in the carrier pigeon and smoke signals book}. I fear I see little or no “falling on one’s face to pray” anymore. But watch on – He prayed there saying “…O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt”.  Let me call to your attention this week a comforting if difficult truth…Some ‘cups’ are not taken away.  Some cups may be handed to you and you alone must drink them. Cups that no one else can drink…perhaps you too will plead that the Father would take it from you if it be possible! Perhaps it will be a cup of terrible sickness, or a cup of horrible disease, or a cup of wrenching heartache? It may even be the cup of death.  I hope this is not the case – but we all run the race that is set before us [Hebrews 12:1] and we drink from those cups that are handed to us along the way. Like those runners for various causes and charities. They run along the road and at various points are tables set with cups of refreshment for them to take as they go by.  I notice they do not fear the cups but they just grab them and slam them down and keep on going. They trust those who hand them the cup. Is it not the same for you Christian? Have you not been handed enough good cups, cups of blessing and mercy and grace, that you have learned you can trust the Father with those hard and bitter cups too?  I think if you reflect back you will see He has given you far more cups of grace than of hardship. Even our precious Lord the Son of the Living God had to drink from a cup handing to Him by His own Father. If He will trust and obey and accept “the cup not taken away” then can we not all take our cups firmly in hand and drink them knowing that our Sweet Heavenly Father can be trusted implicitly with the contents? As for me I have come to trust that God will enable me to be confident that He knows best. His will is perfect. Calvary Baptist Church across from Pizza Hut on the Loop 903-729-5924. 

Because of the financially trying times we live in I have had quite a few people ask me about Cremation vs Burial. What does the Bible say? What should I do? Is there any guidance in the scripture on this subject? I am always reluctant to answer, but only out of a desire not to hurt someone who has already made this mistake. The Bible gives some very clear and plain guidance on how to “put away our dead”. The average Cremation with a family gathering and urn runs around $1200 or less while a burial will cost between $7000 and $10,000 depending upon particulars.

I suppose I’ve been asked 100 times by now “pastor, is your church a come as you are church?” That’s an interesting question. In Mark 5 we’re told about a man possessed by devils, living in the tombs (graveyard), cutting himself with rocks and running wild. We are told he cried & wailed and no one could chain him or capture him for long. Can you imagine that being your son or daughter? Can you imagine those heartbroken parents going out with lanterns hoping to see their son; to see if he’s still alive, to see if he’s been hurt badly and what his condition is, hoping to see their devil possessed son and inside hoping they wouldn’t see him because it hurt too much. Can you imagine that young man covered with his own blood, naked, wild eyed, wounds all over which he inflicted on himself, running wild and living in the graveyard among the tombs? But when Jesus came that devil possessed son ran to him, fell flat before him and worshipped him [Mark 5:1-20]. Notice that Jesus didn’t say “hey pal…go clean up your act and then come back. He didn’t say “go get a shave and a haircut and change clothes and then come see me”. No…we must all come as we are (unclean, lost, sinful and needing a Saviour). Would I tell those parents No…your son can’t come to church until he puts on a tie and coat. Would I tell them their poor devil possessed son must remain in the tombs and not come to church and learn of Jesus until he gets his act cleaned up? No… his only hope is Jesus! His only chance is Jesus! He MUST COME as he is! I will not tell them their poor lost son is not fit for our pretty church pews and our carpeted floors. BUT NOTICE SOMETHING IMPORTANT ABOUT “COME AS YOU ARE”: AFTER the man in Mark 5 was changed by Jesus he went, got dressed, quit carrying on and was sitting listening to Jesus! He, like so many Jesus met, were drastically and permanently changed in every way. The Son of the Living God never left anyone the same! He never leaves anyone the same. He changes you drastically inside and out! You must come as you are yes! BUT YOU CANNOT STAY AS YOU CAME! Jesus changes everything! Read [II Corinthians 5:17]. Sadly today many have this “NO CHANGE” mentality and they’ve even created some so-called ‘churches’ that specialize in a ‘come as you are’ Churchianity where you can come as you are, stay as you please and leave as you came. They want mercy, grace and Jesus so long as He doesn’t tell them how to live, dress, behave or think. So many want God but not on His terms. The devil possessed man [Mark 5] was ready to let God change it all. If you’re ready for God to change your life HE WILL.