The Love of Many Has Grown Cold – Dr. Mike Spaulding

Posted on February 19, 2024 by ccpastormike

Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.

Matthew 24:12 NASB

The context of Matthew 24:12 is Jesus speaking to His disciples after leaving Jerusalem during His Passion Week. He had sparred with the religious leaders several times in the preceding days. As He and his disciples left Jerusalem that day, Jesus responded to some of the disciples’ comments about the beauty of the Temple complex. He said that what they thought beautiful would be destroyed one day. This led to some of His disciples asking when that time would come. Jesus then described the things that would be prominent during the time right before His Second Coming.

The timing of this verse in Matthew’s Gospel is generally accepted as being during the time of the Tribulation.[1] This is thought to be the case because Matthew 24:9 mentions “Then they will deliver you to tribulation…” Following that, verses 9-11 describe a falling away from the faith, betrayal, and hatred arising among the brethren to the extent that many will be misled by false prophets apparently suggesting that their betrayal, hatred, and callousness toward the brethren is warranted. Verse 12 describes the fading love of many. Some scholars see this entire passage as part of the period Jesus called “birth pangs” prior to the Tribulation (Matthew 24:8). Regardless of the timing of this worldwide event, I see this very behavior spreading across the world today and especially in American Christianity.

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Did the Jewish People of Jesus’ Day Expect a Healing Messiah?

Posted on October 20, 2020 by ccpastormike

A question was recently submitted to the GK Podcast Network for inclusion on the Ask Dr. Mike live show. Here is a shortened version of the question.

In Matthew, the sick and even the healthy expect the Son of David to be a healer. It’s not clear to me why the 1st century Jews would have expected the Son of David (which I interpret to be the Messiah/Anointed One/Rightful King) to be e healer from reading the OT.

What follows is my response to this question. Continue reading →

Matthew 7:1-6 – Why the Confusion About Judging?

Posted on May 18, 2017 by ccpastormike

The following story appeared in a recent edition of Leadership Journal.

“A traveler, between flights at an airport, went to a lounge and bought a small package of cookies and a newspaper. The woman found an empty seat in the gate area and sat down next to a man reading a magazine. After a couple of minutes she became aware of a rustling noise. From behind her paper she peeked to see the man sitting next to her helping himself to her cookies. After the initial shock she decided not to make a scene so she reached over and took a cookie for herself.

A minute or two passed and then came more rustling. The woman peeked from behind her paper and sure enough, the man was helping himself to another cookie. Again the woman decided not to make a scene and instead reached over and took two cookies for herself. This same process occurred several more times until there was one cookie left. The man broke the cookie in two pieces, ate half, and slid half over to the woman, got up and left.

The woman couldn’t believe the audacity of the man and was still fuming over the whole affair when she boarded her flight. After takeoff the woman needed something in her purse and when she opened it up the first thing she saw was her package of unopened cookies.”

Our assumptions can be misleading more often than we want to admit!

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Matthew 6:25-34 – Don’t Live Your Life Under The Tyranny Of The What If’s

Posted on April 21, 2017 by ccpastormike

In our previous study we learned about the deadly disease of affluenza or materialism. The reason that this is so deadly for the Christian is because it results in an unbiblical focus on the acquisition of things.

Materialism causes people to lose their ability to achieve contentment and leads instead to compromise and coveting.

Jesus tells us in verses 19-24 of chapter 6 to beware of the trap of thinking that possessions satisfy the soul because not only do they not satisfy but they cannot satisfy. We are not designed by God to be satisfied by material possessions.

Notice that verse 24 serves as Jesus’ summary of the result of disregarding this spiritual truth – you will be mastered by things.

I want to consider two questions and their answers this morning in light of what Jesus says –

What happens when we disobey this warning?
What happens when we obey it?

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Matthew 6:19-24 – The Danger of Affluenza

Posted on April 8, 2017 by ccpastormike

Over the last several weeks we’ve been learning the difference between authentic Christianity as presented by our Lord Jesus and religious formalism demonstrated by the religious leaders of Jesus’ day and many who profess faith today.

The apostle Paul would refer to this latter group as people who held “a form of godliness although they have denied its power.” Paul’s exhortation concluded with the warning to “avoid such men as these.”

Jesus simply called them what they were – hypocrites.

As we look back at this great teaching that started in chapter 5, we come to understand more and more why Jesus says what He says. For example, “You have heard it said, but I say to you” can be seen as Jesus saying “Your religious formalism demanded (such and such) but authentic Christianity, true righteousness is demonstrated by (such and such).”

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