Shrink not from your duty, however unpleasant.

Sermon Topic Saturday 6/8/13 4pm service opened by Priest Bruce Haines, message by Elder Mike Bevaart
Mike mentioned Hymn #356 in our hymnals … the second verse states, “shrink not from your duty, however unpleasant.”
Mike asked us to consider:
1. Jesus
2. Christ
3. Jesus Christ
The “Christian” world is separating Jesus from Christ. Jesus is a name … still used today among Spanish speakers (and in English as “Joshua”, from the Hebrew “Yeshua” msl)
Christ is not a name. (Strong’s G5547, “christos”, anointed; from 5548 “chrio”, to anoint or consecrate (the Greek translation of Strong’s H4899, “mashiyach”, anointed or consecrated [Messiah] msl)
3 Nephi 5:11 … His appearing to His people on this continent … He used both together. My burden today is for those Christians who gravitate toward Jesus and away from Christ.
Hebrews 10:1-4 … The Old Testament Law, of sacrificing animals. Have you considered the number of animals sacrificed JUST FOR SINS? The tasks of the priests and Levites? They probably looked pretty good at the beginning of the day, but what about at the end? The animals didn’t go willingly, they would have fought … how would any of us like to have to slit the throats of the animals? (Hogs, when rounded up to go to the slaughterhouse, would scream) Why the endless torment of animals, when, in verse 4 and verse 11, Scripture states that the blood of animals DOES NOT take away sins.
So what was the purpose? … to teach Israel three things:
Sin is costly – there is a price to be paid.
The punishment for sin is death.
There will be no remission of sin without the shedding of blood.
The purpose was to focus them on Christ, Messiah, to come. They KNEW He was coming … they were excitedly anticipating … then He came!
Luke 1:30-31 … Yeshua was a popular name for boys at that time … it means “Yahweh is salvation”. He came as a JEW.
Christos … Mashiyach, anointed … nobody else bore that title, it came from the Father.
He had, and we have, a responsibility to fulfill the commandments of the Father.
The Christian world accepts Jesus, then stops short. We come together to celebrate Jesus Christ – to acknowledge our nothingness and His mightiness. It is easy to acknowledge the Jesus of the Gospels – the healing of the sick, feeding of so many, the raising of the dead … but the Christ – executing the commandments of God?
Mike showed pictures of the aftermath of the tsunami in Japan, and asked whether these people would still be saying “sweet Jesus”? after disasters here, would we say that? Do those who merely accept Jesus know what they are saying when they shout “Come Jesus”? Do we say that in the Church of Christ? When He comes, what will happen? Are they ready for that?
When He comes, He will do everything that He is given to do. How will they feel when they understand that He is visiting the destruction He visits? Every knee shall bow … do they do that now?
Hebrews 10:26-29 … These are SERIOUS Scripture. Verse 28 … you could be punished for disobedience by DEATH, without mercy.
If someone says that a portion of His Word is unholy … where will that person go to get forgiveness? Forgiveness requires the shedding of blood … of an animal? NO … that’s useless (verses 4 and 11) of Christ? Those who deny the holiness of His Word have already trampled Him under their feet … what’s left? NOTHING. If you have put Christ under your feet, you’re out of options; there is no place else to go.
Other churches love Jesus … but do they trample Christ under their feet? Everything He stood for, which He says is holy, they say it is unholy … they accept only the warm and fuzzy.
Have we prepared ourselves? Have we accepted everything, all of it? Have we accepted Christ who will bring judgement and wrath, and call it holy? Are we keeping sin out of our lives, and humbling ourselves?
We have to take the message of Jesus Christ to those who are confused … who else will do it? … the feeding of the 5000, as well as all the rest? Shrink not from your duty, however unpleasant … do we hesitate? Don’t be afraid!
3 Nephi 5:11 again … He identified Himself as JESUS CHRIST … let’s put them back together the way they belong.