God and Lord in worship

 Paul and the book of Revelation both present a pattern of worship that is fully compatible with the commandment to worship God alone, while also assigning proper devotion to Jesus. In Paul’s letters, the Father is consistently called God, the ultimate source of creation, salvation, and life, and worship directed to the Father reflects His unique, supreme status. Jesus, on the other hand, is called Lord and is portrayed as God’s appointed agent through whom all divine work is accomplished. He participates fully in God’s authority and power, executing creation, mediating salvation, and sustaining the cosmos, yet always in a role derivative of the Father’s initiative. Worship of Jesus is therefore appropriate, not as an independent deity, but because of his unique relationship to God, functioning as representative, mediator, and highest priest.

Revelation reflects the same pattern, depicting God the Father as the ultimate source of all things while portraying the Lamb, Jesus, as fully worthy of worship due to his role in God’s salvific plan. Worship directed to Jesus flows from and magnifies the glory of God, affirming that devotion to him does not compete with or diminish God’s unique status. In both Paul and Revelation, the relationship between Father and Son explains the propriety of worship: Jesus is worshiped because of his divine agency, his mediation, and his participation in God’s work, making him the proper focus of devotion without violating the exclusivity of worship due to God. This framework preserves monotheism while allowing Jesus a fully worshipable status as God’s representative and highest priest.

[AI wording as prompted by Stephen D Green] 

Divine

 Even kings are divine, in one sense of the word divine. So to be lord over all the kings, Jesus is of course divine in that sense. The Father is divine in a greater sense because He is the source of such divinity, including the divinity He gives to His Son. He made Jesus ‘Lord’. In Revelation 1:1 it calls the Father “God” and does not call Jesus “God” but rather calls him Jesus Christ. It is clear and unapologetic. The Father is God in a very unique sense, as He has said through the prophets. Jesus has divinity but is not God in the same sense that the Father is God. Jesus made that clear (John 17). Those teaching differently, and they are many, have either never aligned with Jesus in his teachings, or have aligned then wandered from them, differing from him.

The Bible in Context (Sermon and Slides)

 Counting in the Right Base: Understanding God’s Word in Its Context

Introduction:
Have you ever seen the equation 1 + 1 = 10? At first glance, it seems wrong—but it’s actually true… if you’re counting in binary instead of decimal. The same number looks completely different depending on the system you’re using.

The Bible works the same way. Its words and stories come from a specific cultural and religious framework—a ‘monolatrous, Second Temple Jewish henotheism’ worldview. If we read it only through later lenses—Christianity, Islam, or rabbinical Judaism—we risk “counting in the wrong base” and missing the original meaning.

Body:

1. The Messiah as “Son of God”
• Psalm 2 calls the king God’s Son: “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.”
• In the original context, this didn’t mean the king was divine. It meant he was God’s anointed representative, empowered to rule according to God’s will.
• Later Christian readings reinterpret this through the lens of an later understanding of Jesus’ divinity, which is a different “numerical base”—the words are the same, but the meaning shifts dramatically.
2. The word “divine”
• Hebrew terms like ’elohim could describe kings, angels, or Israel itself—indicating status or role, not ontological divinity.
• Reading these words through a later Christian lens can make us think the Bible is claiming inherent godhood where the text originally did not.
• Again, this is like seeing “10” in binary and insisting it must mean ten in decimal—it completely changes the calculation.
3. Why context matters
• The Bible speaks in the language and worldview of its time. The law, the covenant, the promises, and the prophecies all make sense when read in their original “base.”
• Misreading it through later theological systems can obscure God’s original message and mission.

Conclusion:
So, just as a computer must know the base it’s counting in, we must approach Scripture with the right context. We should honor the original language, culture, and worldview, seeing the Bible as it was first understood. Only then can we truly grasp the power and wisdom God intended.

So today, let us commit not only to read the Bible—but to read it in its own base. Only then will the numbers add up the way God intended. Of course, this requires that we understand that base, which takes time, careful reading, and God’s gracious help. “If anyone lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all, without finding fault, and it will given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, for he who doubts is like a wave on the sea blown and tossed by the wind.” “Without faith, no-one can please God.”

Slides

Title Slide

Slide Title: Counting in the Right Base: Understanding God’s Word in Its Context
Slide Content:

• Speaker Name / Date
• Key idea: Reading the Bible in its original context reveals its true meaning.
  Visual Suggestion: An image of a binary code overlaying a Bible, or a simple “1 + 1 = 10” graphic next to a Bible.

Slide 1 – Introduction

Slide Title: Why Context Matters
Slide Content:

• “1 + 1 = 10” – True in binary, not decimal.
• Biblical words come from a specific cultural and religious framework.
• Reading the Bible through later lenses risks misinterpretation.
  Visual Suggestion: Side-by-side comparison of decimal vs. binary numbers; or a magnifying glass over an ancient scroll.

Slide 2 – Section 1: The Messiah as “Son of God”

Slide Title: Understanding Psalm 2 in Context
Slide Content:

• Psalm 2 calls the king God’s Son – meaning anointed representative, not divine.
• Original context: empowered to rule according to God’s will.
• Later Christian readings reinterpret this, shifting the meaning.
  Visual Suggestion: A crown on a scroll, or a timeline showing Second Temple Judaism → later Christian interpretation.

Slide 3 – Section 2: The Word “Divine”

Slide Title: Words Matter: ’Elohim and Divine Status
Slide Content:

• Hebrew terms like ’elohim could describe kings, angels, or Israel itself.
• Context shows status or role, not inherent godhood.
• Misreading through a later lens changes the meaning drastically.
  Visual Suggestion: Diagram showing hierarchy: God → King → Angel → Israel, or a magnified word “’elohim” with multiple labels.

Slide 4 – Section 3: Why Context Matters

Slide Title: Reading Scripture in Its Original “Base”
Slide Content:

• The Bible speaks in the language and worldview of its time.
• Law, covenant, promises, and prophecies make sense in their original context.
• Misreading through later theological systems obscures God’s message.
  Visual Suggestion: Ancient scroll or map of Israel with text overlay; or an icon of a “puzzle piece” fitting into a Bible.

Slide 5 – Conclusion

Slide Title: Reading the Bible in Its Right Base
Slide Content:

• Approach Scripture with original language, culture, and worldview.
• Understanding the context allows God’s intended message to shine.
• Commit to careful reading and reliance on God’s wisdom (James 1:5–6).
  Visual Suggestion: Open Bible with glowing light or rays; or binary numbers transforming into a readable text.

Divinity in its scriptural context

 The word “divine” (or related terms) shifts meaning drastically depending on cultural context.

1. Original Hebrew / Second Temple Jewish context:

• Words like ’elohim (“God,” “gods”) or terms that could be translated as “divine” often denote status, office, or agencyrather than inherent godhood.
• For instance, kings, angels, or even Israel itself could be described with divine language without being God.
• “Divine” often implied authorized by God, representing God, or endowed with God’s authority, rather than ontologically divine.

2. Later Christian reading:

• “Divine” is interpreted ontologically: something or someone actually sharing in God’s nature.
• So when Psalm 45:6 calls a king “divine” in Hebrew, the later Christian lens might see it as evidence of Christ’s inherent divinity, rather than poetic or titular language about a human king endorsed by God.

3. Why this matters:

• Without understanding the original “base,” we might assume the biblical authors were talking about something eternally God-like, when they were often talking about status, role, or God’s representative on earth.
• It’s literally like reading “10” as 10 in decimal when the text is in binary—the surface appearance of the number (or word) is deceptive if you ignore the system.

So, the word “divine” is a perfect illustration of semantic drift across religious frameworks. Its meaning isn’t fixed; it depends entirely on the cultural and theological “base” of the reader.

Context, context, context

 Just like “1 + 1 = 10” only makes sense in the binary system, the Bible’s meaning can only be fully grasped within its original cultural and religious framework—the monolatrous, Second Temple henotheistic worldview.

Reading it through later lenses—Trinitarian Christianity, Islam, or rabbinical Judaism—can obscure or misinterpret the text, just as trying to interpret 10 as “ten” in decimal would completely miss its value as 2 in binary.

Context shapes meaning. Without it, we’re literally “counting in the wrong base.”

One true God

 There is only one person revealed in scripture who says “I am God” and it is the one who Jesus called his Father, to whom he taught his followers to pray. “Our Father in heaven…” This is the one to whom that prayer of Jesus said “The kingdom and power and glory are Yours forever”. This is the one who through the psalm said to warring nations “Be still and know that I am God”. Even after centuries of teachings from various Churches of Christendom, teaching various versions of what is always called truth, despite the differences in what is boldly asserted to be that truth, God, the Father, still says, without any qualification or room for doubt, “I am God”.  Jesus too boldly asserted that the Father is the one true God, and that Jesus himself is the Christ sent by this one true God: “One true God” because the Father is most high and the very source of all divinity, even for Jesus. So it is confusing when the Church in one part of the world or another has historically asserted differently. Let the true believers in whatever church or religion where God is proclaimed, clarify their true faith, planted in them by God, that it is the Father who alone is the one true God over all, and that Jesus is His Son. The confusion usually stems from the multiplicity of heavenly beings called gods and sons of God, and earthly rulers given divine power to rule like gods and as sons of God. Jesus is Lord over them, and will have all mighty ones put under his feet eventually by the one true God. He can therefore more than any of them be called a god, and more than any of them be seen as the Son of God. God, the one most high God, the Father, has exalted Jesus as Lord when He raised Jesus from the dead and placed him in authority over all in heaven and earth, until that day when Jesus, under the anointing he has received from the Father, has all put under his feet, even including his enemies and powers opposed to him. The true position of Jesus is therefore the one appointed by the Father and anointed by Him, to so reign over all in heaven and earth: The Christ, and Lord. Yet it is all from the Father. It is therefore the Father only who is the one who alone can say assuredly “I am God”.

Freely Given by God

 Freely Given by God: Sermon and Slides 

Our faith does not begin with our efforts, nor is it sustained by our strength, nor will it be completed by our merit. Everything we possess in Christ—every hope, every promise, every spiritual resource—has been freely given by God to each believer, and to the church as a whole. Our life in Christ is a life built entirely on grace.

1. Purposeful Tasks in the Building of His Temple

Scripture tells us that we are the “living stones” being built together into a spiritual house. God is not only saving us—He is assigning us a place in His grand design. Every believer is called into meaningful, purposeful service. Some tasks seem small, some large, but all of them are part of the construction of God’s living Temple: His church.

And these tasks are not burdens but gifts. They are privileges. God invites us into His work so that, through obedience, we may know Him more deeply, share His heart for the world, and see His power at work in and through us.

2. Purification From All That Is Unworthy and Unholy

This gift may not always feel gentle, but it is always good. God purifies His people because He loves them. As a refiner works with gold, so the Lord works with us—removing what corrupts, healing what is broken, cleansing what defiles.

He does not leave us as we are. His goal is not mere improvement, but holiness: Christ formed in us. This purification is a grace, because without it we could never dwell in His presence or reflect His character to the world. The One who calls us is the One who cleanses us.

3. Knowledge of the Name of Jesus Christ

What a gift it is simply to know Jesus—not merely to know about Him, but to have the truth of who He is revealed to our hearts.

In the name of Jesus, salvation is found. In the name of Jesus, sins are forgiven. In the name of Jesus, chains are broken. God has opened our eyes to see His Son, the Savior of the world, and has given us faith to trust Him. This revelation is not earned—it is given, freely and graciously, by the Father who delights to make His Son known. It is by this same name that all of Nature flourishes. Such is the greatness of the name by which we should be saved.

4. Protection From Evil by the Encompassing Angel of God

God does not call us into His service and then leave us exposed. He surrounds His people. His protection is both a shield and a presence.

Scripture tells us, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him.” This means that even in moments when we feel vulnerable, when darkness presses near, or when our strength fails—God has already stationed His protection around us. We are guarded not because we are strong, but because He is faithful.

5. Hope of Resurrection Through the Raising of Jesus

Our hope is not wishful thinking; it is anchored in a historical event. God raised Jesus from the dead. And in doing so, He gave every believer a living hope that death is not the end.

This hope steadies us in suffering, strengthens us in trials, and shapes the way we view everything in this life. The resurrection of Christ is God’s declaration that His promises stand firm, His power overcomes, and His love will carry us into eternity. We have been given this hope as a gift—one that no circumstance can take away.

6. The Holy Spirit Who Imparts Understanding and Spiritual Gifts

God gives us His Spirit—not as a symbol but as a living presence. The Holy Spirit teaches us, comforts us, convicts us, and guides us. He opens Scripture to us, sharpens our conscience, and shapes our character.

But the Spirit also equips us. He gives spiritual gifts so that the work of God may continue through us—teaching, serving, healing, encouraging, leading, praying—each gift given according to His wisdom, each one essential to the life of the church.

The Holy Spirit’s presence is God’s seal, His guarantee, and His empowering grace for everything He calls us to do.

Conclusion: All Is Gift

When we step back and look at these blessings together, we see a God who is intimately involved in every aspect of our lives:

• He gives us purpose.
• He cleanses us.
• He reveals the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to us.
• He protects us.
• He gives us hope.
• He fills us with His Spirit.

All freely. All generously. All lovingly.

May we be a people who receive these gifts with gratitude, walk in them with faith, and reflect them with joy to a world that desperately needs the God who gives so freely.

Slides

Slide 1 — Title Slide

Sermon Title: Freely Given by God
Subtitle: The Gifts God Gives to Every Believer
Content: (No bullet points needed)
Visual Suggestion:
A soft light shining through clouds, or an open Bible with gentle rays—symbolizing God’s generosity and revelation.

Section 1 — Introduction

Slide Title: God’s Gifts to His People
Slide Content:

• Everything we have in Christ comes by God’s grace
• These gifts shape our identity and purpose
• They are given to believers individually and collectively
  Visual Suggestion:
  A diverse group of believers worshiping, or silhouettes of people standing together—symbolizing the gathered church.

Section 2 — Purposeful Tasks in God’s Temple

Slide Title: Called to Build
Slide Content:

• We are “living stones” in God’s spiritual house
• Every believer is given meaningful tasks
• Our service participates in God’s grand design
  Visual Suggestion:
  A stone wall being built, or a blueprint overlay—evoking God’s construction of His living Temple.

Section 3 — Purification

Slide Title: Purified by God
Slide Content:

• God removes what is unworthy and unholy
• His refining work forms Christ within us
• Purification is a grace rooted in His love
  Visual Suggestion:
  Refining fire imagery, a potter shaping clay, or flowing water—representing cleansing and transformation.

Section 4 — Knowledge of the Name of Jesus Christ

Slide Title: The Gift of Knowing the Name of Jesus Christ
Slide Content:

• Salvation is found in the name of Jesus
• God reveals His Son to us
• We are invited into true relationship with Him
• The name of Jesus is powerful: Nature flourishes by it
  Visual Suggestion:
  An illuminated Bible page or a cross emerging from darkness—symbolizing revelation and the power of Jesus’ name.

Section 5 — Protection From Evil

Slide Title: Surrounded by God
Slide Content:

• The Angel of the Lord encamps around His people
• God’s presence is our protection
• We are guarded even in our weakness
  Visual Suggestion:
  A glowing shield, a circle of light around a person, or a subtle guardian figure—representing divine protection.

Section 6 — Hope of Resurrection

Slide Title: A Living Hope
Slide Content:

• God raised Jesus from the dead
• Our resurrection hope rests on His victory
• This hope strengthens us in all trials
  Visual Suggestion:
  A sunrise breaking over the horizon, an empty tomb, or a burst of light—classic symbols of resurrection.

Section 7 — The Holy Spirit

Slide Title: Empowered by the Spirit
Slide Content:

• The Spirit imparts understanding
• He distributes spiritual gifts for God’s work
• He empowers us to live and serve faithfully
  Visual Suggestion:
  A dove, descending light, or flame imagery—symbolizing the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

Section 8 — Conclusion

Slide Title: All Is Gift
Slide Content:

• God gives us purpose
• He cleanses us
• He reveals the name of Jesus Christ
• He protects us
• He gives us hope
• He fills us with His Spirit
  Visual Suggestion:
  A blended image featuring light, a cross, and community—representing the fullness of God’s freely given gifts.